Little House Making Craft Party Part 1

This week I hosted the Little House Making Craft Party where my guests make Christmas Putz houses. It's a really fun craft for a craft party. I've written four blog posts showing the preparation for this specific party. But remember you don't have to make as extensive preparations as I do. People can improvise which you can see when you see their incredibly creative houses. Now I can finally show you the beautiful little Christmas houses that everyone made at the Little House Making Craft Party.

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This party is actually two parties because I host it on two consecutive nights because so many of my friends work weekends in the ER. I always hope that they can have one of the nights off so they can attend.

Surprising Black Roofs on the Christmas Putz Houses

You know how there are style trends and hot colors each year in the home decor magazines? Well, this year at the Little House Making Craft Party the hot trend was painting the roofs black for this year. I don't know how it started, but several people did it and the houses looked so cool.

The twin Putz houses below were made by good friends. Both were made using the Tim Holtz Village Dwelling dies.

The little house below is based on one pattern I made a while back with an eyebrow dormer. My friend added on the Bell Tower steeples and red accents. I love what she did with the house. I found the snowmen online and they proved to be very popular as you will see.

Scrapbook paper covering on the little houses

One option for decorating the houses is to cover the little houses with scrapbook paper rather than paint. Many people chose that option. In fact, during most of the party I cut out scrapbook paper that people chose for their house.

Tricks to covering the Village Dwelling die with Scrapbook paper

But I do need to tell you a couple of tricks to covering the little houses with scrapbook paper. First you have to cut it so that it matches the house because the house is not perfectly symmetrical. So on some of the houses I should have cut the paper with the pattern facing a different direction. I didn't think about that when I cut them out. Second, you can't just fold the paper and cover the house because the fold actually takes up space so I had everyone cut the pieces apart and glue each one on separately. That worked much better.

The house below has wonderful accents with the silver tinsel around the roof, the gold bell, the snowflake, peppermint striped roof and peppermint walkway. Also I like how she painted the pink base.

Now this is her boyfriend's house (I thought it was nice that she brought him along). He used corrugated paper he found in one of my scrapbook pads.

Don't you think he covered the roof and the base so nicely with the snow? This year I neglected to buy any little wreaths partly because I don't like the size, the color and the red bow that is stuck on them. So you know what? Everyone made their own wreaths with some garland I had available. You'll see them on a lot of the little houses.

And Make roof templates so people can cut out the scrapbook paper for the roof

Having roof templates available makes cutting out the roof papers so much easier for the guests.

I had a few pieces of gold embossed trim made with Tim Holtz Impresslits Cut and Emboss Folder that I put out. It makes this incredible trim that looks like German Dresden trim. Great idea for trim around the base, I think. Next year I need to make more.

What I love about this house below is the beautiful gold roof and gold window trim. Other great details are the door brads and how nicely the red tree is decorated. And I like the herd of deer hanging around the back of the house. Almost everyone had a snowman of some form or another.

Now for lots of painted little houses

Kids had fun making their houses at the Little House Making Craft Party

Thinking about this house cracks me up. Last year, the child who made this didn't make a house. His mother made one for him while he watched. I told my friend that she had to let her child make a house this year. Which she did. When they were getting ready to go, she told him to come over and decorate the trees. And he said, "I can't use the hot glue gun that's too dangerous." My friend is very protective of her child. He has learned well. I laughed.

So she ended up decorating the trees.

Most of the kids came early on the first day of the party and I didn't get many photos of their houses because I was busy cutting papers for people. I did better on the second night.

More Little Houses for the Little House Making Craft Party

These houses are unique and lovely as well. One nice detail on the house below is the stone path. I found some 6 x 6 paper pads that had textures which people cut out and used.

There are so many interesting details in the house below. I love the white houses with white snowflakes and white icicle trim, red beads on top and a red bell. Also the wreaths on the doors as well as the pearls around the base are great. Then she added a multi-colored forest nearby with a herd of deer as well.

One Village Manor at the Little House Making Craft Party

Ok, this was a terrible mistake. I should have made many more Village Manors. Remember this is my favorite die from Tim Holtz. One of my most popular little houses is the very first Village Manor I ever made. But I've never made a Christmas one. Well, I kept meaning to make some for the party, but I only got one done for one of the guests. She did an incredible job on it.

The funny thing is that it is easier to make the top of the Village Manor than it is to make steeples. Next year, I will be making many more Village Manors especially after seeing how wonderful this one is.

Well, that's all the houses that I documented. More tomorrow or the next day. I work tomorrow night so I'm not sure I can get all the photos ready for tomorrow. Feel free to add any of these houses to your pinterest boards. My friends will be tickled about that.

Thank you for stopping by. If you have any questions about hosting a craft party like this or about how to make the little houses I will be glad to answer.

Lucy