Greetings to all…

It’s a new month...(well, it's almost June)...and time for a new project…like most of the pieces I make, it’s inspired and heavily influenced by vintage ones pictured on the internet or images that forum e-friends have sent me…

The project is simple…just a body, roof and base…with surface textures and twig trim…but you can build with your personal touches and finishes…the PDF patterns can be enlarged, stretched and or condensed to fit the figures you have…

Here's the overview of the project...additional photos will be posted later...stay tuned...

BODY…cardboard with strips of corrugated cardboard sub roof between the walls at the roof line…

ROOF…cardboard with twigs tack glued in place with a few dabs of super glue…I held the twigs in place with blue tape until the super glue dried…after removing the tape, Aleene’s tacky white glue was used to finish attaching the twigs to the roof edges and peak…

BASE…a sandwich of foam board glued between express mailing box corrugated cardboard and covered with brown paper bag…those two triangular pieces on the base are balsa wood glue blocks that add glue surfaces for attacking the body…

ROOF TEXTURE…a non-scientific blend of floral moss, dried leaves and craft store straw that has been run through a blender and sifted to remove the real large pieces…it’s an old school model railroad scenery ground cover technique…

BODY TEXTURE…birdcage gravel mix with craft paint and a little Elmer’s glue all…I usually apply a final coat of paint only over the previous application of paint, white glue and birdcage gravel…

BASE TEXTURE…chopped up craft store straw that’s run through a blender and sifted to remove the large particles…I did paint the base a natural straw color before covering with coat of white glue and sprinkling with straw…

HOLY FAMILY FIGURINE…mine is a thrift store find from years ago…probably a tourist souvenir…it says ITALY molded into the base...it’s plastic that was glazed to resemble ivory…you’ll probably find a suitable piece on line from a craft supplier, eBay or Etsy…

Enjoy the build...and stay tuned for more photos...

UPDATE...5/30/2024...

A work-in-progress photo...

UPDATE...6/1/2024...

This project is finished...stay tuned for more projects...

My very best regards to all...

Howard...

A terrific project with a fine result...love the faux-ivory look of the figures, the twig-trimmed roof-line, and the technique used on the irregular-shaped base is interesting. Thanks for posting!

Hello Howard and Barb. Nice to see a current post over here at cardboardchristmas. I miss yous guys. First Id like to say wonderful job on your latest project Howard. I always love your building techniques. I have so much to post here but I haven't been able to get in. Ill try now and see if this site is back up and running. Barbie, could you get in contact please...

Hello, Pete...

So good to hear from you...and thank you for the kind words...

Yes, PLEASE post and share with the forum anything you have developed, built or added to your growing collection of houses...

And we can all thank Paul Race for his continuing dedication and work to keep the forum repaired, alive and well...I know he's faced and overcome many challenges with the provider...

Howard...

Yes indeed!

Howard this is a great project, I had lots of fun making this manager!!

The roof is moss, the base is chopped straw and the figures I purchased online. I did some paint touch ups.

That's a pretty terrific outcome, Lynn; very reminiscent of the set my grandmother had on her mantel every Christmas when I was a boy.

Nice job!

Paul R. II