Idea 44: News Cabin

Log Cabin

Once you’ve read your newspaper, grab scissors & glue for some fun with this!

Materials: newspaper, cardboard, glue & paint. Tools: scissors, ruler.

1. Roll newspaper logs. First, cut a stack of pages, about 1/8 of the way up from the bottom. Roll from the bottom up, run a stripe of glue along the top of each one as you go. After doing a couple of these it gets fast and easy. This cabin base is 4” square, inside of a 5” square of corrugated cardboard.

2. Assemble base. Measure an area and cut logs to size as you go, alternating the overlap at the corners and gluing each with a stripe of glue.

3. Assemble top. Start with a folded piece of thin cardboard from a food container, approx. 8” x 5” and fold the 8” side in half. Carefully cut and glue newspaper logs in place. Glue base and top together. Let dry.

4. Newspaper shingles. Cut 5/8” along the right edge of a several pages, and then cut shingles with the textured portion facing down. Glue on, working from bottom to top.

5. Cabin. Add a cardboard chimney and a cotton ball for smoke, and paint it if you like. This cabin fits right in to our Happy Tree Village display!

See the display in at 3^rd & Cota St. in Shelton, WA or visit www.craftytimewithdave.com for more crafty ideas to try at home!

Bonus tips and photos:

Bonus photo – detail and paint: A few newspaper logs help to stabilize the cardboard for the chimney. Paint big areas first, and then go back for touch-ups on the second coat.

Bonus tip – bricks: If you cut up a colorful food box, you’ll have colorful bricks. Be sure to alternate their widths for the chimney, then glue them on to a pre-measured piece of cardboard.

Bonus tip – door knob & hinges: Cut a tiny slice of the stick from a Q-tip to create a doorknob to glue on. You can use cardboard or three wider slices for door hinges.