Christmas Countdown Shadow Box

Hello!! How is it already December? I have been in full Christmas Crafting mode here. This project is inspired by the beautiful advent calendar made by Paula Cheney. As I was thinking of making my own version I thought that the Mini House Room 4X4 would be the perfect piece for a Christmas scene and calendar.

Start by assembling and gluing together your Mini House Room. 

Cut Background paper to size and decorate as desired. Cut coordinating paper to size for all remaining surfaces of the Mini House Room. I ran all my pieces thru my Xyron for quick application. I covered all of the exposed edges with design tape. I used papers for the Tim Holtz Christmas Paper Stash. 

I used the numbers from Tim Holtz's Christmas Alpha Tiles. I colored them with Gold Alcohol Ink. I did need two packs of the Alpha Tiles to have enough numbers. I used a nail to poke a hole thru the House and used mini brads to hang my numbers on. 

Then came the fun part!! Making a mini scene within the box. For the snow I used Grit Paste and Distress Rock Candy. Apply Grit Paste using a palette knife. While the paste is still wet sprinkle with Rock Candy for the perfect shimmer. I added snow to the peak of the roof and the floor of the house. 

The tree is a mini bottle brush tree. I removed it's original base and added it onto a bingo marker.

Santa and the reindeer are also from the Holiday release. Santa was painted with red and black acrylic paint and aged with Mushroom Alcohol Ink. The reindeer was painted with Tarnished Brass Distress Paint and aged with Mushroom Alcohol Ink. 

. I am so excited to start counting down to Santa's arrival!! I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial. And I hope you are finding time to sneak in some Christmas crafting. Happy Creating ~ Jennalee 

Dear Santa Christmas Village

Hello!! Can you believe it's already that time of year? I love decorating for Christmas!! It's always fun to add a new handmade piece to my collection each year. The theme for my mantle this year is Dear Santa. I love postal ephemera and mail art and love to collect vintage postcards which were the basis for this idea. The Cabana Row Houses are the perfect size and base to build a vintage-inspired Christmas village.

The Cabana Row Houses come flat. They are already scored and easy to fold. I started out by making copies of vintage postcards from my collection. I cut them to size and ran them thru my Xyron. For the gables of the houses, I used scrapbook paper, again cut to size and run thru the Xyron. I did the same for the roofs (not pictured). For the roofs be sure to remember that the bottom side will also be visible so they will need to be covered as well. 

After assembling the houses I added additional pieces of ephemera to each. And my favorite detail snowy rooftops!! For the snow I added Texture Paste to the ridge of the roof with a palette knife. While the Texture Paste was still wet I sprinkled Rock Candy glitter on the paste. Set aside and let air dry. 

I cut a base for each house out of chipboard and attached the houses and trees with Distress Collage Medium. Once dry I added snow using the same technique as used on the rooftops. 

I added a couple reindeer from Tim Holtz's Christmas line of Idea-ology. To color my deer I started with a base of Tarnished Brass Distress Paint and allowed to air dry. Once dry I added some Mushroom Alcohol Ink with a paint brush. 

For the Santa also from Tim Holtz's Christmas line of Idea-ology I painted his suit with some red acrylic paint. Once the paint was dry I added depth to all the white details using Mushroom Alcohol Ink and a paint brush. Adding the Alcohol Ink really makes all the details in his face and beard pop. 

I am so excited to decorate for Christmas and display my new little village!! Thanks so much for stopping by. Happy Creating~ Jennalee