Glowing Advent Village

How to Make

1. Remove the lids from 4 house boxes. To make a snowy texture on the rooftops, cut 4 x 9cm Modroc strips. One at a time, dip the strips into a bowl of water, soak for 30
   seconds, squeeze out the excess water. Press the Modroc over the top of the lids. Leave the edges uncovered so the lids will still fit onto the boxes. Leave to dry.
2. Brush coloured paint over the 4 box sections, you could choose a different colour for
   each house or paint them all the same. Mix acrylic colours with a small amount of white for a more opaque finish. Leave to dry.
3. Paint the ends and side strips of the roof lids in white, leave to dry, then paint coloured triangles at the ends and along the edges, matching the colours with the bottom sections.
4. To make a door hole, turn the box with one end facing up, draw 2 parallel lines, 2cm apart, from the top edge of the box down to the bottom. Carefully cut along the lines, bend the card over into a flap then cut it off across the bottom.
   To make a window hole, turn the box with a side facing up, draw 2 parallel lines, 2-3cm apart down to about 3cm from the top of the box, bend the card then cut off the flap. Repeat on all 4 houses to make doors and windows.
5. Brush the roof lids with glue then sprinkle glitter over the top. Shake off any excess glitter onto paper to re-use then leave to dry.
6. To make a landscaped base, glue 2 cardboard plates together then repeat with another 2 plates. Glue the 2 double layered plates together so they overlap, making an ‘8’ shape with the white sides facing upwards. Cut 8-10 Modroc strips, 20cm wide. Dip the strips into water then cover the plates. Smooth the surface then tuck the ends of the strips over the edges of the plates, leave to dry, then cover the reverse side. Leave to dry.
7. Glue the bottom sections of the houses onto the base. Add small twisted strips of Modroc around the bases of the houses to fill in any small gaps. Leave to dry. Wipe off any plaster residue from the houses with a wet wipe or a damp piece of kitchen towel.
8. Brush the landscape with glue, sprinkle glitter over the top and shake off any excess. Leave to dry.
9. Add coloured doors and windows by lightly brushing glue around the holes inside the boxes then sticking tissue paper squares over the top. Position the tissue pieces 5mm down from the top edges, leaving a gap, so the lid will fit on top. Handle the boxes carefully once the tissue pieces are glued in place.
   Using lighter coloured tissue paper will give a brighter glowing effect from the tea lights.
10. To make snowy trees, paint polystyrene cones with green and white paint, leave to dry then add glitter on top. Glue the trees onto the base.
    Add glitter stars to decorate the houses and trees. Place an LED tea light inside each house then carefully fit the roof lids on top.

Top Tip

For brighter colours on the houses, first paint the boxes white then leave to dry before painting a colour on top.