MATERIALS NEEDED:
STYROFOAM* Brand Foam:
Sheets, 18″ x 12″ x 1″ thick, three; 1/2″ thick, two
Other Materials:
Pre-mixed latex spackling
Acrylic paint, gingerbread-brown
White rice paper, two sheets
Cake-decorating supplies: bag; coupler; star and round tips in various sizes
Serrated knife
Candle stub or paraffin
Fine-line black permanent marker
Pencil
Ruler
T-square
Fine- and medium-grade sandpaper
Small putty knife
Plastic mixing bowl
Large flat paintbrush
Small, smooth natural sponge
Disposable palette
Water basin
Paper towels
Plastic wrap
Large cardboard sheet
Scissors
Utility knife with new blades
Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
Thick, white craft glue
Silver-ball cake sprinkles or other candies of choice (optional)
Socket/cord fitting for nightlight-size bulb, three (optional)
Hand vacuum cleaner or tack cloth (optional)
Download pattern (104K pdf)
http://www.howtomakestuff.com/2006/01745.pdf
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cover cardboard with plastic wrap. Place on work surface. Note: When project is complete, move cardboard to another room to protect village as it dries.
2. Refer to Diagrams 1-5 for building measurements. Use ruler, T-square, and marker to transfer cutting lines to foam sheets as shown. Walls and doors are cut from 1″-thick sheets; roofs and stairs are cut from 1/2″-thick sheets. Note: Steeple sections should be separate pieces from church front and back.
3. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Use serrated or utility knife to cut out building parts. Use T-square or other straight edge to ensure good fit in finished project.
4. Use glue gun to assemble buildings. Refer to Diagram 6 to glue walls together, with front and back sections sandwiched between sides. Glue doors to church and one cottage as shown; glue stairs to church door. Glue steeple sections together; set aside.
5. Assemble roofs by gluing right side overlapping left side along peak; check fit and angle by placing roofs on buildings, but do not glue roofs to buildings at this point. Glue roof to steeple.
6. Use utility knife to cut windows as desired in cottages and round window above church door.
7. To display village with lights inside, use pencil to press cord channel into back bottom edge of each building. This ensures buildings will remain level.
8. Place generous amount of spackling into plastic bowl; stir vigorously with putty knife until very smooth.
9. Use putty knife to evenly spread spackling over outside surfaces only of all buildings, steeple, doors, and roofs. Note: Edges and undersides of roofs and window openings will be hidden by “icing” later. Spread spackling over both sides of awnings.
10. Fill in cracks at joints with additional spackling. Use putty knife to make surfaces and joints as smooth as possible. Let dry completely. Note: To speed drying, gently wipe surfaces with damp sponge; rinse sponge clean as needed. Wash all tools thoroughly before spackling dries.
11. Lightly sand surfaces with medium-grade, then fine-grade, sandpaper. Vacuum surfaces with brush attachment, or wipe with tack cloth or damp rag. Apply second coat of spackling to any rough areas; let dry and repeat sanding.
12. Glue roofs onto buildings. Glue awnings to church door as shown; edges should not overlap.
13. Paint all visible building surfaces with two coats of brown paint; let dry.
14. Cut pieces of rice paper to cover windows, 1/4″ larger all around than openings. Glue paper over windows, outside buildings, using white glue.
15. Place generous amount of spackling into plastic bowl with very small amount of water; stir together. Continue adding very small amounts of water until spackling reaches thick “icing” consistency. Test small amount in decorating bag fitted with star tip to ensure spackling can be squeezed out easily, yet still keep its shape.
16. “Ice” gingerbread buildings. Start with round tips for wall, door, window, and roof details; finish edges, including window openings, with star tip. If desired, place cake sprinkles or other decorations directly into wet spackling. Let dry.
17. When dry, unwrap plastic from cardboard and gently peel away from spackling at bottom edge of buildings.