12 Days of Christmas - Day 4

Another day and another winner of our giveaways!  We want to thank everyone for all your comments - keep them coming we love to hear from you! 

Today's winner is Olivia L “So so happy i found your blog! I have been trying to find poinsettias small enough for a table centerpiece and its my lucky day! thanks!” We will be sending Olivia a Floradoodle prize pack! Olivia sent us your address to Cheryl@Petaloo.com. We are giving away another giveaway of our beautiful Chantilly flowers so keep posting your comments and we will pick again tomorrow!

On the 4th day of Christmas I want to share a classic way to make a sweet little home decor piece. Each year my oldest was in preschool he created a gingerbread house out of a milk carton. So simple, so green and so sweet. That's exactly what we'll be doing today.

Supplies Needed:

Petaloo

• Velvet Hydrangeas in Blue - Chantilly Collecton
• Velvet Hydrangeas in Red - Chantilly Collection
• Velvet & Lace in Buttercream - Chantilly Collection

Pink Paislee

• Father Christmas Patterned Paper - Trading Cards x 2
• Father Christmas Patterned Paper - Around the World
• Father Christmas Punchout Tag Sheet
• Father Christmas 6x6 Petite Paper Pad

Other Supplies:

• 6x6" Canvas
• Milk carton
• Mica or clear glitter
• Gesso
• Green Paint - Ranger Willow matches perfectly
• Strong, Clear wet glue like Helmar's Quick Dry 450
• Foam Dots like Helmar's Zapdots
• Brown ink
• Scissors
• Foam Brushes
• Circle cutter or punch - 1 1/2"

 
Step 1. Find a milk carton in the size you prefer. Wash it out carefully. You don't want any milk left inside. Allow it to dry completely.

   

Step 2. Use a strong adhesive to adhere shut the opening of the milk container.

Step 3. Use a foam brush to paint two coats of Gesso all over the milk carton. Gesso is a paint primer and is wonderful for covering up nearly anything. Allow each coat to dry in between. If you are in a hurry, you can use a heat gun to speed up the process.

Step 4. Use a foam brush to paint on one coat of green paint. The coverage can be spotty, as we are going to cover it with paper and mica.

Step 5. Adhere the two white sides of the red 6x6 petite papers together. Only put glue along two of the edges and not in the center. Fold the paper in half bringing the two adhered edges together to create the roof.

Step 6. Cut 8 trading cards out of the petite 6x6 trading card paper and adhere 4 along the top of each half of the roof. Use a foam brush to smear wet glue over the entire roof surface. Over a tray or paper plate, pour mica over the roof and shake off any excess. Adhere the large velvet hydrangeas to the bottom edges of the roof. Set the roof aside to dry.

 
Step 7. Use a circle cutter or punch to punch out the Santas from the two Around the World patterned papers. You will need a total of 45 Santa circles.

Step 8. Use a small drop of wet glue at the very top of each circle to adhere the circles. Start at the top of the milk carton and work your way down. Layer each new circle under the previous. You will cover three sides of your carton. Each side has three rows of five cirlces.

Step 9. When all of your cirlces are on and dry, bend the bottom edge of each cirlce up. Do this to all three sides. On the top of each bend smear some wet glue, then cover with mica and shake off the excess. Do this for each circle on all three sides.

Step 10. Cut out your favorite Santa Trading Card from the Trading Cards patterned paper and adhere it to the front of your carton. With your finger or a foam brush smear wet glue into the top nooks on both sides of the carton. Fill each with mica and shake off any excess.

Step 11. Remove the pearl from the crochet Chantilly flower and adhere it as a door knob to the Santa Trading card.

Step 12.  Run a line of wet glue across one side of a 6x6 canvas. If you don't have a canvas you can use a box lid or create your own out of chipboard. Adhere the smallest velvet hydrangeas in alternating colors along the edge. Do the same for all four sides.

Step 13. Adhere a petite 6x6 paper of your choice to the top of the canvas. Use a foam brush to smear wet glue over the entire surface. Cover with mica and shake off any excess.

Step 14. Punch out the "Santa Please Stop Here" tag and ink the edges with brown ink. This will become your doormat.

Step 15. Adhere the milk carton centered and toward the back of the canvas. Adhere your doormat in front of the door.

Step 16. Center and adhere your roof to the top of the milk carton. If your roof is a little lopsided, use foam dots to straighten it out.

That's it! Now you can create adorable little masterpieces out of used milk cartons. It would be fun to cut out windows and use tree lights inside! There is no limit to how creative you choose to be with these!

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you are enjoying our blog hop. Be sure to stop by tomorrow, as it will only be day 5 and we have, yet, another fabulous project to share.

Happy Holidays!

Lori Gentile

 

Comments

[mbm]

please lori, can i have it? :)

[janet g]

so cute...love the idea!

[Brandi Campbell]

so sweet and so simple and charming. very nostaglic. can't wait to try it!

[Lisa Wilkinson]

this is beautiful! i am thinking of making some of these simplified with my children! thank you for this idea!

[lynn kopas]

Love this !! Such a great family tradition - and green to boot ! Thanks for sharing this with us and including directions !

[Angela Gutshall]

Lori, This is so gorgeous! Love it! You did an aewsome job :)

[Lynda aka alrlsmom]

Awesome idea!!! You have me looking at little containers in a new light...off to "treat" the girls to some chocolate milk at the store!! :o)

[Irit]

What a cute house!! Great idea for recycling and gorgeous flowers too!!

[Pamk]

those are so stinking cute. and very cute and economical lol

[irma B]

It's really nice! I'm going to try this. Love it!

[Kim M]

That is so pretty, I love those little trees. I am so glad you are sharing the instructions, this would be a cute project to do with my daughter.

[Larissa Heskett]

I LOVE THE IDEA!! THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE MORE!! HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!! =)

[Heaney]

this tutorial is awesome! I love recycling milk carton to make a house..what a easy-peasy but beautiful to make house.

[Rhonda V.]

What an innovative and sweet project for the holidays! I think my kids would love to help make a project like this!!!

[Lorileng]

OVER THE TOP CREATIVITY! I can remember making things with milk cartons as a child...it was nothing like this...so stinkin cute.

[Jolaine]

What an adorable and fun project!!! My daughter's class will be making milk carton gingerbread houses on the 17th, I think I'll surprise her teacher with one of these beauties. Thanks so much for sharing!

[Christine]

Fabulous idea Lori. Your house is gorgeous!
xoxo, Christine

[Crystal]

Thank you for the step-by-step. I love this little house. Having the photos of each step is so great. Thank you for putting this together for us!

[etta thomas]

How creative! Who would have thought a milk/cream carton could be so cute. Love the paper, flowers and the idea!

[conniemelancon]

this is so pretty! thanks for the tutorial.

[Heather Robertson]

how cute - what a great idea

[Diane S.]

I love your ideas and Petaloo rocks!!

[Arjanne]

That's a great idea!

[LynneF]

OMW...the cutest GREEN project EVER!!

[ruth tacoma]

Super cute project Lori! I love how you used the circle punches too...that got my brain going with even more ideas! :)