Month: December 2020

Crafty Time

By Dave Pierik, Shelton-Mason County Journal

Tunnel

Happy Tree village is car, boat and plane-friendly. So, now for trains!

Tools: compass, ruler, scissors and (optional) an old steak knife, paint brushes

Materials: cardboard, newspaper, Styrofoam, school glue, masking tape, sand, acrylic paint

Time: two to four hours.

1. Mark

Mark and cut a clean piece of corrugated cardboard with two semi-circles 3” tall x 4” wide, allowing a 3 ¼” central area with ½” gaps and about 5” extra on each side to allow for the road or tracks on top. Allow 1” of width on each side of the tunnel, cut and fold.

2. Peel

Peel the top layer off of a piece of cardboard. These corrugated, wavy shapes are cool to work with and fun to paint. Bend and test fit this for the tunnel. Stuff the interior gap areas with wadded up newspaper. Glue in place.

3. Assemble

Carve and test-fit Styrofoam hills for each side. Glue each in place. Fill gaps with glue, sand and masking tape. Tip: if you have snacks, eat them now before you get paint on your fingers!

4. Paint

Work dark to light in natural and earth tones. The base coat is black and brown, middle coats are grey and dark green. Pick out the edges with the lightest colors, tan, light green and light grey. Use pure white last and sparingly for a few highlights.

5. Happy Tree Tunnel

Choo choo! Chugachugachugachuga…

What would you like to see next in Crafty Time? Visit www.craftytimewithdave.com for more photos and project ideas.  Please email your feedback to dave@masoncounty.com or call 360-426-4412. Visit our office to see the display!

Crafty Time

By Dave Pierik, Shelton-Mason County Journal

Hills

Happy Tree village is kind of flat. That’s fine, but let’s make some hills.

Tools: scissors and (optional) an old steak knife, paint brushes.

Materials: cardboard, Styrofoam, school glue, masking tape, sand, acrylic paint.

Cost: mostly free but maybe $1 worth of glue, paint and masking tape.

Time: one to three hours.

1. Cut and glue

Mark and cut corrugated cardboard to each hill’s base size and shape. Cut or break Styrofoam to that size or smaller and glue it down. For taller hills, add extra layers of Styrofoam. Wrap the entire structure tightly with masking tape and set aside to dry.

2. Shape

With your fingers and/or an old steak knife, break and/or cut and carve the Styrofoam into the hill shapes you want. It makes a huge mess which honestly is part of the fun.

3. Sand

With an old brush, paint glue on areas desired, especially any seam lines or areas that don’t look natural yet. While the glue is wet, grab handfuls of sand and drop it on there. Gently shake off the excess. Let dry. You can also add a bit of sand to your black and brown paint/glue mix for the base coat.

4. Paint

Work dark to light in natural and earth tones. The base coat is black and brown, middle coats are grey and dark green. Pick out the edges with the lightest colors, tan, light green and light grey. Use pure white last and sparingly for a few highlights.

5. Happy hills

Now I’ve got more fun terrain for that 4×4 Santa brought me!

What would you like to see next in Crafty Time? Visit www.craftytimewithdave.com for more photos and project ideas.  Please email your feedback to dave@masoncounty.com or call 360-426-4412. Visit our office to see the display!

50.20.dp.Snow and Lights.Crafty Time

Crafty Time

By Dave Pierik, Shelton-Mason County Journal

December in Happy Tree

We’ve imagined ourselves in another time and place, and created it one building at a time. For fun, let’s play and celebrate with snow and lights!

Tools: none.

Materials: Fiber fill (pillow stuffing), LED lights string(s) with batteries if needed. Optional: Some tape. Cost: about $10-20 total

Time: about an hour total.

1. Let it snow

Fiberfill or a similar pillow/stuffed animal fill can be pulled and shaped as you wish. Cotton balls or similar materials also work for this. Pinch small pieces between finger and thumb, and pull it gently apart until it creates gentle drifts. Place strategically throughout your setup, imagining where the snow would fall.

2. Plow the roads

Imagine Happy Tree as a community, and how people would respond to the snow. After thinking about this, I chose to remove the snow from the roads, which would have been plowed and also driven on. I also cleared most of the sidewalks and doorway entries for most of the buildings, as people would do.

3. Add lighting

Small LED lights come in strings on twin, thin wires. The lights shown are battery-powered but LEDs use very little power. The wires twist nicely around the streetlights from Idea 10: A Park (June 25, 2020 Shelton-Mason County Journal). Add tape to the bottom of the lamp bases to help keep them from tipping, and twist and bend light wires around the entire setup. Add extra strings of lights if needed.

4. Test and adjust

Look close, but also stand back to adjust lights and snow placement. Interior lights for the church and castle can be done separately with battery-powered tea lights. Note that LED lights do not produce heat, and that’s a very good thing. These buildings are made of cardboard, so even though they are protected somewhat by a layer of paint, be careful not to use hot lights or candles.

5. Snow all aglow

Happy Tree village looks great in the dark now. Each building plays a part, and the snow and lights really tie it all together. 

What would you like to see next in Crafty Time? Visit www.craftytimewithdave.com for more photos and project ideas.  Please email your feedback to dave@masoncounty.com or call 360-426-4412. Visit our office to see the display!

49.20.dp.WorshipCenter.Crafty Time

Crafty Time

By Dave Pierik, Shelton-Mason County Journal

Happy Tree Worship Center

Happy Tree’s citizens need a gathering place for prayer and life events. Here is a classic old country church with backlit stained glass effects. This is fun to make. Enjoy!

Tools: ruler & compass, scissors, paintbrushes, colorful permanent markers.

Materials: Old junk mail window envelopes, cardboard, school glue, masking tape, sand, baking soda, acrylic paints, four small round beads, battery-powered tea lights. Total cost: about $2

Time: about 8 to 12 hours total.

1. Stained glass prep

Using the clear plastic from some old junk mail window envelopes, fill all the space with colors and designs of your choice, saving the black for later. Once the ink is dry, carefully glue another clear piece over the top. Set aside.

2. Cut pieces

Mark and cut from cardboard: Steeple peak – mark four 2” x 3” rectangles, with 1” marks on the 2” side, cut 4 triangles. Steeple base sides: four 2” x 2 ½” pieces and one 2 1/8” x 2 1/8” base roof.  Three roof pieces 8” x 4”. Two front / back panels 7 ½”W x 6”H, mark 4” side heights and 2” in from L. to R., cut angles. Two side panels 7” x 4”. One base, 8” x 8”. Test fit & cut approx. 1” x 1½” windows & doors.

3. Pre-assemble & prime

Glue the steeple peak triangles to the steeple peak base roof. Use masking tape to hold it together until dry and set it aside. Glue the steeple base sides to the front of the building’s center roof. The building front back and sides go on the base. Reinforce glue lines with sand, and shake off the excess. Prime with white paint mixed with glue, adding a small amount of baking soda to help fill small gaps. Set aside to dry.

4. Glue & detail

Glue the inner frames of the windows, and carefully align and place each piece. Add masking tape until dry. Paint black outlines along color changes on the outside. Cut a hole in the bottom to allow access to tea lights. Glue the roof pieces and steeple together, then paint additional details. A wash of water with brown and black will bring out shadows. A drybrush with white brings out highlights.

5. Worship Center

Happy Tree Worship Center has cheery, inviting warmth to it. Depending on layout space and preferences, this building can be made smaller or larger by scaling the measurements in step 2. You could also create a sign that reads: “Bingo night Thursday, win a casserole.”