Tag: happy tree

Idea #49: Easy Garage

49.26.dp.Garage Crafty Time Idea 49.

Crafty Time art tutorial by Dave Pierik, Shelton-Mason County Journal

Easy Garages

Happy Tree Village’s drivers park their favorite Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars in garages. Let’s make one, it’s easy and fun!

You will need:

Tools: template pattern (attached), scissors, paintbrushes. Optional: ruler, markers, masking tape

Materials: cardboard, school glue, acrylic paints

Cost: about 50 cents worth of glue and paint.

Time: about an hour.

  • Cut on the black lines
  • A layer of wet school glue on cardboard ready to put the pattern on
  • Gluing a paper pattern template onto flat cardboard

1. Cut pieces

Base, 3 walls (one piece), roof. Optional: sign.

  • Fold the 3 wall piece and glue it to the base
  • Glue top of walls for the roof piece
  • Fold the roof & door piece and glue to top of walls. Don’t glue the door down
  • Align and hold the roof in place
  • Masking tape holds pieces in place. Remove tape when glue dries.

2. Glue and tape

Fold the 3 walls on the dotted lines and glue them to the base. Fold the roof-garage door piece and glue to tops of the 3 walls, but don’t glue the door down. Optional: fold the sign and glue on top of the roof. Use masking tape to hold everything in place until the glue dries. Once it dries, peel the masking tape back off.

3. Paint

Once glue is dry, paint. It’s a good idea to prime everything with white paint first and let that dry, then paint any colors you like. You can also use markers or stickers, anything you want!

4. Optional: extras

Look at real garages. Some have roof vents and things on top. Plastic milk pulls make good roof vents. You can make chimneys out of a few pieces of cardboard glued together. Small bits of cardboard can make a garage door handle, windows and doors. Small bendy straws make good gutter downspouts. It’s a bit easier to add bits before you paint, but it’s also OK to glue details on later, and paint again as you touch up.

5. Garages

Happy Tree Village has some working garages now. What a great place for cars to go!

Crafty Time QR

What would you like to see next in Crafty Time?

Visit www.craftytimewithdave.com for more photos and project ideas.

Add your thoughts, email dave@masoncounty.com or call 360-426-4412.

See the display at the corner of 3rd & Cota Streets in Shelton, Washington, USA.

08.26 Feb 19 Shelton-Mason County Journal pg. 32Download
_Garage TemplateDownload

Idea #46: Blue Balcony Club

Buildings in Happy Tree Village come in many varieties, just like in real life. Let’s make a jazz club with a balcony!

Tools: ruler, scissors, paint brushes, masking tape.

Materials: Cardboard, white glue, flat toothpick, milk pull, paint.

Difficulty: moderate

Cost: less than $1 including paint and glue   Time: three to five hours or more of fun!

1. Measure, mark, cut & glue structure

Measure and mark cardboard. Base: 5” square. Walls: two are 4” square, two are 4” x 4” to 5” peaks at center. Cut and glue together at edges, leaving ½” of extra space at base for the sidewalk. Use masking tape to hold in place until dry. The roof is 5” wide x 6”, and folded in half. Optionally, (shown) the top layer of corrugated cardboard can be peeled away for a tile or metal roof look.

2. Balcony and bits

Corners, windows & doors: cut thin cardboard into ½” strips and fold in half for the corner trims, and ¼” strips along the horizontal floor divider line. Cut ½” squares for windows. Use a glue brush for better control. Balcony: cut a 2” cardboard square diagonally for the balcony support triangles, a 2” x 4” rectangle for the floor and two 1” x 2” and one 1” x 4” piece for the balcony walls. Glue on, above the front door.

3. Paint

Prime/base coat everything in white, then paint it any colors you like. Neon orange contrasts with the blues to get them to pop. The roof and doors are metallic blue. The windows are glossy black and the balcony and trim are neon blue. Sidewalks are gray. Use painter’s tape for cleaner edges. Paint 2-3 coats, including touch ups.

4. Details

Cut flat toothpicks or plastic canvas down for door handles, paint bronze. Use a milk pull for the roof vent, leave white. If you have access to a printer or even a color printer, you can create some paper signs. An orange bottle cap, a cocktail umbrella and some figures add pop.

5. The Blue Balcony

Happy Tree City now has a restaurant & nightclub, the Blue Balcony. Now playing: Live blues & jazz. Add your choice of cars and figures, and the stories you can imagine almost write themselves!

8-15-2024 Shelton-Mason County Journal Crafty Time with Dave page 24Download
1-35th scale dp bldg_Download
BLUE BALCONYDownload

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