Just Putzing Around…..

Christmas villages or putz houses were originally nativity scenes placed under the Christmas tree.

After World War II cardboard or paper houses became widely available in the United States. These popular paper houses were decorated with mica glitter “snow”, bottle brush trees, tiny reindeer and even snowmen.

I decided to update the process and modernize these little houses. 

I found that heavy card stock or ‘chipboard’ works best when building these. The patterns are ‘homebrew’ or modifications of patterns found on the internet. There really is no scale to follow so anything pretty much goes. The trees are the cheap little sisal trees that you can find around the holidays….usually at the craft stores or online. Just throw a few in some water and bleach, dry them out, and throw them in a dye of your favorite color.

For the windows I simply printed a pattern on some vellum.

I kind of cheated on this one because I used a Silhouette Cameo 3 paper cutter to cut out the pattern. Makes it a lot easier on the hands and I don’t burn through as many razor blades.

For the light, I use a cheap tea light mounted in the bottom. Be sure you get the lights that have replaceable CR2032 batteries so you can replace them when they go dead.

It a real simple supply list and you can do this hobby on the cheap:

Cardstock, chipboard, or an old cereal box
Glue…..I use Alene’s Quick Dry Tacky Glue
Gitter
Some little sisal trees
Ruler, razor knife, and cutting mat
A few old paint brushes
Various colors of acrylic paint
Some material dye if you are using trees

Most importantly you need a pattern…..just search ‘putz house’ patterns and you will find more than you have time for.

I am already planning the next masterpiece in my village……have fun!!!

‘Run and tell all of the angels, this could take all night……’

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