HOW TO MAKE THE HOUSES
“He went to the church, and walked about the streets… He had never dreamed of any walk, that anything, could give him so much happiness” Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
MATERIALS
• Saw
• Hammer
• Drill
• Scalpel
• Wood glue
• Pencil rubber
• Selection of old nails
• Selection of old washers
• White emulsion
• Black paint
• Salt
• Small tacks
• Offcuts of wood (the ones shown are a width and depth of 2in by 1½in (6 x 4cm) and 3in by 2in (7.5 x 5cm)
• Small scraps of wood for doors
• ¾in by 1½in (2 x 4cm) tall pine cones
Step 1: The offcuts are marked as shown and carefully sawn along the lines. Tall houses are approximately 4in (11cm) to the eaves, while smaller ones are 2¾in (7cm), with a 1in (2.5cm) rise to the apex. Each house is then sanded to the desired finish. Remnants of ageing paint can be left to add character.
Step 2: A mixture, approximately half emulsion and half water, is made and applied as a light wash. The houses are then left to dry naturally.
Step 3: Four 5mm squares are carved onto a pencil eraser to create a window shape. The squares are then lightly coated with black paint. While wet, the rubber is used to print the shape onto the wood, ensuring there is space for the door.
Step 4: Scraps of wood are cut to approximately 1¾in by ¾in (4.5 x 2cm) and sanded to the desired thickness and finish. Broken pieces of trellis or fencing are ideal. A dab of wood glue is used to attach the doors, and old washers, resembling Christmas wreaths, are fastened with tacks.
Next, rusty nails are carefully hammered into the roofs at different angles, to represent chimneys. A pilot hole is drilled for the larger nails to prevent the wood from splitting.
Step 5: Pine cones are dampened with watereddown wood glue, and salt is sprinkled through a tea strainer to give a frosted effect. The houses and trees are then arranged on a suitable piece of planking to complete the display.