DIY Recycled Gingerbread Houses
DIY Recycled Gingerbread Houses Craft!
Let’s get cozy and craft this holiday season! This craft, using recycled cardboard is easy to assemble and uses minimal materials. It’s the perfect seasonal craft to get you and your little artist into the festive spirit!
The flat gingerbread houses are super cute as window displays or perfect for a mantel decoration! You can also make these houses into gift boxes using a cardboard box with the sides, we’ve included these instructions as well.
Materials for Gingerbread House
Cardboard box with top flaps to create 3D house or cardboard cut into a tall rectangle to make a house shape (about 6x9” to 8 x 11” pieces)
Scissors (or box cutter - just for grown-ups)
Pencils
Rulers or straight edge
Paint markers
Metallic markers
Paint Sticks
Hot glue or tape
Glitter
Snowy extras such as cotton balls, polyfill or shredded paper!
Materials for Puffy Paint DIY
Locking plastic bags (ziplocks)
1 tablespoon white glue
1 tablespoon white tempera paint
1 tablespoon of shaving cream
Let’s get started!
Steps
1. Before little artists begin, a grown-up should trim the middle flaps of the cardboard box with scissors or a box cutter into a triangle roof shape.
2. If your making a 3D house, a grown-up should use hot glue or tape to secure the pointy roof in place. If you would like to use the house as a gift box, decorate it first, then tape it closed when you are all done.
3. Next, let’s make the Puffy Paint! In a ziplock bag add tablespoon scoops of white glue, white tempera paint, an shaving cream, squeeze out excess air, then seal the top.
4. Then invite your little artists to squeeze and squash the bag until it is thoroughly mixed, carefully cut off a corner to create a tiny opening.
5. Help your little artist to pipe the puffy snow paint onto their cardboard house to create their own icy designs.
6. Invite artists to continuing decorating their background. Younger makers may do best with paint sticks and puffy paint. Encourage older artists to plan their ideas with pencil before starting with metallic markers and paint markers.
7. When you are all done, sprinkle glitter onto the puffy paint, then shake off the excess and let dry.
8. Finally, if you would like, add a snowy layer of cotton balls, polyfill, or shredded paper to your roof or as a part of a winter scene.
