Holiday DIY--The tiny village

It's been a good long while since I did a little tutorial, and even though these are super easy, I thought it would be a fun little DIY project some people might like to try without having to think about it too much.

What you'll need:

• Toilet paper or paper towel tubes, cut into various sizes. 
• An Xacto knife and scissors
• Cardstock for the roofs and windows
• Hot glue gun and regular glue or gluestick (not pictured)
• Scotch tape (not pictured)
• Parchment paper (not pictured)
• Flameless LED tealights

First, cut out a small square or rectangle of card stock for your window and use the regular glue to attach at the height you want. Then *carefully* cut out your window panes with the Xacto knife.

Next, you'll need your parchment. If you only do one window, you only need a piece big enough to go behind it. If you do two (one on either side of the tube) you'll need to just make another cylinder to go inside the whole tube.

Since parchment is designed for stuff not to stick to it, your best bet is to use a small amount of tape to attach it on the inside. When you're finished, you should have a nice opaque window.

Why? Because this is Christmas, not Halloween, and without the parchment your candle will give the impression that the cute huts are on fire, rather than warmly aglow with cozy light.

See what I mean? We want cutesy village, not burn and pillage. Anyhow. Moving on.

Next cut out your template for the roof. It is a half circle. Nothing fancy. Decorate it if you wish. Go nuts. One of mine has a little chimney. I might even do a glitter one later, who knows.

Wrap the roof into a cone shape, and hot glue the edge down. Then carefully put a bead of hot glue all around the upper edge of the house. Checking for level (I say this because my first house looks a bit...um...tipsy) push the roof down on top of the house.

Et voila! Tiny little casa de cuteness. (See what I mean about the drunkeness? Too many hot toddies this Christmas, I guess.)

Pop a fake candle in.

Light it up! Then make a bunch more.

Easy peasy.

Now turn down the lights and enjoy your fun little village!