This kit is for personal use ONLY. Please do not copy, distribute, or sell any part of this design or the instructions without my permission. Pre-Cut Auntie B’s House @2021 Jacqueline Smith
Before you start your new kit, think about how you will want to decorate it. You can paint the house, paint the house and glitter it, glitter just parts of the house like the roof, use the kit pieces as a guide to cut out decorative paper that you can glue onto the house, or just leave the building white for a modern look. If you leave any portion of the house as unpainted cardboard, I suggest spraying with a matte acrylic sealer like Krylon or Modge Podge Sealer.
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Suggested Material List . . .
- Pre-cut kit has been cut from White Kraft Board. This is equivalent to 120 lb cover cardstock or cardboard. Some of the pieces with tight folds are cut out of 100 lb cardstock as the 120 lb was too thick to make sharp folds.
- Aleene’s Fast Grab Tacky Glue. I put it in a bottle with a thin metal tip. If you are new to making kits, you may want to use Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue as this allows more time for you to reposition your pieces if you make a mistake.
- Bone Folder – A bone folder helps you make sharp folds when you are using cardstock or cardboard. While the kit comes pre-scored, I strongly suggest you make the scoring lines deeper with a bone folder.
- Multi-surface satin finish acrylic paints in your color choices. I find that if I use the multi-surface paint I do not need to gesso the cardboard first. Two coats are usually required.
- To glitter the house: Extra fine glitter or extra fine iridescent glitter and Spectra Glitter Sparkling Crystals (mixed 50/50) and Modge Podge. I like to apply the Modge Podge with a foam brush to one side of the building at a time, glitter, then move on to the next side. You may like your building glittered with only the extra fine glitter, but I liked adding a slightly chunkier glitter to it too.
- To make the snow: Woodland Flex Paste, Woodland Soft Flake Snow, and Hemway White Ultra Sparkle Glitter. Apply the flex paste and sprinkle a combination of the soft flake snow and Ultra sparkle glitter over it while it is wet. Use a little Modge Podge on a brush to add more of the snow mixture once the flex paste is dry.
NOTES . . . (read before starting)
- Due to variations by each builder you may find a trim piece a tad longer than needed. If this happens, simply trim it down to fit.
- DO use the cutting guide below to identify all of the pieces! It’s always a good idea to lay out all of the pieces before you start so that you have everything in the correct place. I include a few extra window frames in the kit.
Cutting Guide …
Your kit will include either the Regular Back, Regular Bottom Insert, and 2 windows OR the Putz Back, Putz Bottom Insert, and a strengthening ring for the Putz hole, depending on which option you chose when you purchased the kit.
Let’s get started . . .
The following instructions are to show you how the building should be constructed. I show the order of construction without any paint or glitter. Think about how you will finish the building and if any parts will need to be painted or finished before being glued in place.
There is no wrong way to paint, glitter and glue. Personally, I like to paint the trim and walls when flat, then glue the trim onto the building, add the vellum, and then glue the building together. I then glitter the completed building. However, I know people who glitter the building while flat before gluing it together. I suggest you try different methods until you find out what works best for you. Tutorials for various ways to decorate your house can be found on the Putz House Monthly Website. A tutorial on how to make siding for your Auntie B’s House can be found here.
Constructing the Building
1. Put the Porch & Stairs, and the Stair Railing aside until step #8 below. Fold all of your pieces towards the back or inside (mountain folds), except the top, bottom and side tabs of the Bay Windows, as shown below. Because the fold lines are so close to the windows, when you fold the Bay Windows use a bone folder to deepen the score lines and a straight edge to help make the folds. It may help to score on both side of your cardstock.
2. Glue all window frames in place. Glue the Bay Windows together as shown.
3. For the door, determine if you want it to be ajar or closed. If ajar, sandwich a small piece of vellum between the attached door and the additional door. Glue on the door. Glue the rest of the vellum in place if you are using it. Fit the vellum into the curve of the Bay Windows and cut off any excess.
4. Glue the bay windows into their openings. I slid the top of the bay window in, and then the bottom. Glue the Bay Window Supports over the bay window tabs on the inside. This helps lock them in place.
5. Glue the Back onto the Sides. Then glue on the Main Roof, and then the Porch Roof.
6. Check the fit of the bottom insert piece, adjusting any of the fold lines as necessary, and glue into the bottom of the house. I usually put the bottom insert piece flat on my work surface and lower the building onto it. I can then use a pen inserted through the holes in the sides to push the tabs against the sides of the building. The bottom insert piece helps to stiffen and square up the walls of the building.
7. Glue each of the Additions onto the sides of the building, aligning the edges. Glue the roofs onto the Additions.
8. Fold the porch piece, accordioning the stairs. Glue each of the stairs to the sides. I find it easiest to glue one stair at a time.
9. Once the stairs are glued, glue in the bottom and back of the porch piece. Attach the railing and glue to the front of the house.
10. For the Chimney, I made a separate fold piece to go over the top of the chimney. This adds a little more dimension to the chimney and when you glance inside it looks more finished. Glue it on before you glue the chimney together. When dry, attach the chimney.
11. Use the included cardstock to make a base. The kit also includes pieces for a fence and an arbor. Glue the two arbor pieces together to make them stronger.
Instructions on how to make the 3D tree can be found here.
This piece can be finished with any method you are used to. Don’t worry about it being perfect. Just have fun and enjoy the process!
Enjoy making your Auntie B’s House!! I would love to see your finished buildings. Please share a photo with me by emailing me at Jackie@acottageintheforest.com.
Examples for Inspiration
