We got back from the school run last Monday to find a rather large delivery. The large delivery was, in itself, very dull. But it came in a large box with a lot of bubblewrap. So, after lunch, we put the box- along with a second smaller, document box- to good use and made a Gingerbread House.
Here’s how to make a Gingerbread House:
Secure the base of the box, then cut two triangles from the sides of the shorter two flaps on the top of the box. This creates the angled slope for your roof.
Using tape (I used duct tape for strength), stick the roof together: attach the two longer flaps to the angled ends. From the cut-off, cut two small triangles to add to the top of the short ends so that get a point.
Take the second box, remove the bottom and the top, and cut the square central section in half diagonally so that you are left with two v shapes.
Rest these over the top of your roof. Using your spare bits and pieces, cut lengths of card as needed to fill in any gaps. Secure the roof together with more duct tape and fix in place.
You can just smother the roof in bubble wrap now, but if you want to, you can make a chimney.
I simply made a small square-shaped ‘tube’ from leftover box card, then I cut two triangled from opposite sides of the ‘tube’ to allow for the pitch of the roof.
I trimmed the third edge to the shorter height, then stuck with more duct tape to the roof.
Next I cut a door in the middle and a window at each end to peep out of.
Then Dimples and I went mad ripping and cutting up bits of bubble wrap and sticking them to the roof. I also added some to the gabled (pointed) roof end and along the window ledge.
Dimples also stuck on some gingerbread shapes, and decorated the house with markers before she moved in.
*edited to add: I also used the document box lid to create a ‘fireplace’: the lip of the lid created a ‘shelf’ area which we used to hold our battery-operated tea-lights. Then I cut a square of card that fitted inside the box lid, and on one side drew a fireplace with mantel. On the reverse I drew a dresser. Then Dimples could change the scene around depending on what she was playing.
So cute Kelly! We love this! Hope you didn’t get any cardboard cuts though! This is the perfect time of year for some creative GIANT gingerbread house making! Wonder what George from Amazing Spaces would think?? We are sharing this on our Twitter feed on Friday morning! Thank you and have a great Christmas!
Karin (on behalf of Wauwaa)
Thank so much Karin/Wauwaa
wow… you are amazeballs KI… really, that’s what memories are made of xx
Thanks Ali!!
That is fantastic, might remember this for the next big box we get
Thanks Lucy. It’s worth doing: we got weeks of fun from it.
What a fabulous idea!
Thanks April.
Amazing! My brain can’t follow your simple instructions– I tend to zone out and hand instruction sheets over to hubby if it’s more than 3 steps– but I love the end result. The bubble wrap icicles are a nice touch.
Love love love this! And so did Pip Squeak when we came to play. Perfect.
Thanks for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!
Maggy
That is super cute! I think we would love to have a try at making one. Where did you get the funky tape from? I can see all sorts of cool crafts being made with that!
the coloured duct tape I bought in America, but I like the tapes from dots and spots: http://dotsandspots.co.uk/31-thin-decorative-tape
I love it! Brilliant
Thanks Tracy. We had such a lot of fun making it!