This MINI size spring house is from the same pattern as the winter house I made last week. I scalloped the front of the roof on the spring house and added divided window panes rather than the larger ones used in the winter house.
The base of the spring house measures 6 1/2″ wide by 4 1/2″ deep. It is 4 1/2″ high as measured from the bottom of the base to the top of the pip tree.
The house sits on the base at an angle. It features paper and velvet flowers, a budding pip tree, and a tiny robin’s nest in the valley between the two roofs on the front of the house. The sidewalk curves from the front door to the opening in the fence.
The base is a beautiful spring-themed greeting card featuring a Carolina wren and her brood. A hole in the back of the little glitter house allows the use of a small LED light string to light this and other houses in your putz village.
The yard is enclosed with a poster board fence cut with decorative scissors.
I made the bird nest from paper-wrapped wire. The eggs are faux cookie sprinkles. The nest is 1/4″ wide
Made in shades of purple, green and yellow, this little house greets spring with an abundance of flowers.
If you would like to see more of my Putz houses, as well as Christmas ornaments I have made from upcycled holiday cards, please visit my Etsy shop.
If you are interested in crafting Putz houses of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information.
All proceeds from my Etsy shop benefit Kenya Mercy Ministries. They work with the urban poor of Nairobi, Kenya, particularly the children and their families who live in Kibera, the largest urban slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
This house came together more slowly than usual. I finished it last night, and listed it in my Etsy shop. The link can be found at the end of the post.
This house is the first edition of this pattern, which I drew in February of this year. When I am designing a new pattern, I always make a paper mockup before finalizing the pattern. This particular one, though a simple pattern, needed three or four adjustments to make it work. Never cut a new pattern from poster board or cardboard without checking it with a mockup first! It will save more than a few headaches.
I paint each piece separately. One coat of paint is left to dry, then a second coat applied. While wet, the paint is covered with fine, clear glitter. When dry, I assemble the house with hot glue. The stepping stones for the sidewalk are painted directly onto the base. There are two steps leading up to the door.
It makes a cozy looking winter house. It isn’t possible to see in the pictures, but the tree is dusted with irridescent glitter.
The base is made from a greeting card, featuring two small children with gifts, knocking at the front door. A hole in the back allows the use of a small LED light string for lighting this and other glitter houses in your Christmas village.
The house features a small bumpout on the front of the house. Evergreen trims the roofs of the bumpout and the front door.
Santa’s view. A puff of smoke is included for those chilly winter nights when the fireplace is needed.
Details include the stepping stones, the door knob on the front door, the poster board fence with fence posts, and the evergreen hedge and trim.
If you would like to see more of my Putz houses, as well as Christmas ornaments I have made from upcycled holiday cards, please visit my Etsy shop.
If you are interested in crafting Putz houses of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information.
All proceeds from my Etsy shop benefit Kenya Mercy Ministries. They work with the urban poor of Nairobi, Kenya, particularly the children and their families who live in Kibera, the largest urban slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
A light went out in my heart and life on July 20. God called my father home to Heaven after 91 productive years on this earth. Dad worked hard all his life. When he turned 75, he gave his business to my two brothers and “retired,” but Dad never quit going to work. He was there full time until several years ago, when his energy levels determined that afternoons were a better fit. He rarely missed a day. He fought cancer for the last four years of his life. He always regretted medical appointments that took him away from his desk. His last day at work was about a month before he died.
Dad and Mom married in 1952, the year after he graduated high school. They raised seven children and Dad worked hard to make our life as good as it could be. During my next to last visit with Dad, when he was easing his grip on life and finding it hard to stay awake, he whispered, “I’m sorry for the ways I failed you. I worked too much.” I cried when he said that. He said, “Don’t cry for me.” I told him, “I’m not. I’m crying for me.” His eyes were closed but he gave a faint chuckle and squeezed my hand. He understood. Dad never failed us. He did the best he could with the resources God granted him. We all should spend more time than we do with those we love the best, but I don’t remember ever thinking Dad was gone too much. He had to work. That was just a necessity of life as we grew up. It was God’s blessing to Dad that he loved his work. Dad asked to be buried in the clothes he wore to the shop. So appropriate.
When Dad’s father died, he realized that Grandpa hadn’t said “I love you” very often. He was a wonderful father and loved his family, but expressing love verbally was hard for him. Dad decided then that he wouldn’t let another opportunity go by when he could say “I love you. I’m very proud of you,” to his own family.
As much as he loved his family and his work, Dad’s faith in God was the most important aspect of his life. I am grateful for his example, living out his love for Christ in such a kind and generous way to all who had the honor of knowing him. I am eternally grateful that Christ’s intervention on our behalf means that death can’t separate us. We will be reunited one glad day.
I can’t imagine a life without my father in it. I was born a week after Dad turned 21. I am blessed, at my age, to have had him as a vibrant part of my life for so long. He loved us all, no matter the circumstances. We were his heart and his life.
This is the second edition of the pattern 071924. The first one is the blue winter house. The autumn house features fall leaves, sunflowers and four pumpkins. The putz is 6 1/4″ wide by 4 1/2″ and 5 3/4″ tall, as measured from the bottom of the base to the top of the chimney.
The base is made from an upcycled greeting card picturing pumpkins. A hole in the back allows the use of a small LED light string for lighting this and other glitter houses in your glitter house village.
The yard is encircled with a poster board fence. Flowers and autumn shrubs fill the yard. I had planned to put an autumn tree in the front yard, but didn’t have room for it.
The details include sunflowers and handcrafted pumpkins. On the back of the house is a tiny black cat.
I love the tiny leaf litter. It sets off the autumn theme so well.
If you would like to see more of my Putz houses, as well as Christmas ornaments I have made from upcycled holiday cards, please visit my Etsy shop.
If you are interested in crafting Putz houses of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information. Putz House Tutorials The blog can be searched for “tutorial” to find any that aren’t linked to the tutorial page. Working on that!
I am always happy to answer questions about the process. Please ask, if you are wondering about the details of putzing!
All proceeds from my Etsy shop benefit Kenya Mercy Ministries. They work with the urban poor of Nairobi, Kenya, particularly the children and their families who live in Kibera, the largest urban slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
This house is made from a pattern I drew last week. I love the way it turned out. Right down to the gorgeous aqua blue color. When I chose the card to use as the base, I assumed I would use the red and gold colors on the card as they are the most prevelent. But I liked that blue too much not to use it as a prominent color.
The putz is 4 7/8″ wide by 7 1/4″ deep. It is 6 1/4″ tall, as measured from the bottom of the base to the top of the chimney.
The base is made from an upcycled Christmas card, featuring a fireplace mantel with mittens in place of stockings. A hole in the back allows the use of a small LED light string for lighting this and other glitter houses in your glitter house village.
The yard has two bottle brush trees decorated with vintage mercury beads, faux snow and clear glitter. Wired beads decorate both sides of the front steps. While landscaping, I had thought about using several smaller trees, but it just didn’t look right to me. The two taller trees seem to set it off well.
The doors on my putz houses are always open, so guests know they are welcome to drop by any time. Christmas cookies and hot chocolate are waiting for company.
If you would like to see more of my Putz houses, as well as Christmas ornaments I have made from upcycled holiday cards, please visit my Etsy shop.
If you are interested in crafting Putz houses of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information. Putz House Tutorials The blog can be searched for “tutorial” to find any that aren’t linked to the tutorial page. Working on that!
I am always happy to answer questions about the process. Please ask, if you are wondering about the details of putzing!
All proceeds from my Etsy shop benefit Kenya Mercy Ministries. They work with the urban poor of Nairobi, Kenya, particularly the children and their families who live in Kibera, the largest urban slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
This summer house features a handcrafted wooden picket fence, a floral arbor with a tiny butterfly, and a budding vine growing on the house.
The putz is 4 3/8″ wide by 6″ deep. It is 5 1/2″ tall, as measured from the bottom of the base to the top of the chimney.
The base is made from an upcycled greeting card. The colors for the putz house are inspired by the colors of the card. This card features a beautiful, lush cottage garden. The house has a hole in the back that allows the use of a small LED light string for lighting the putz.
A budding vine grows over the house. The yard is filled with mulberry paper flowers and velvet forget-me-nots. A handcrafted, wooden, picket fence encloses the garden.
Enter the front yard through a floral arbor. Note the tiny butterfly. A variety of flowers and foliage are used to fill the summer garden with abundant color.
If you would like to see more of my Putz houses, as well as Christmas ornaments I have made from upcycled holiday cards, please visit my Etsy shop.
If you are interested in crafting Putz houses of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information. Putz House Tutorials The blog can be searched for “tutorial” to find any that aren’t linked to the tutorial page. Working on that!
I am always happy to answer questions about the process. Please ask, if you are wondering about the details of putzing!
All proceeds from my Etsy shop benefit Kenya Mercy Ministries. They work with the urban poor of Nairobi, Kenya, particularly the children and their families who live in Kibera, the largest urban slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
Adding an evergreen hedge to a Putz house adds extra color and a change of pace from a fence cut from poster board. A hedge can be put around the yard, against a building or along a sidewalk.
My personal preference is the evergreen that has some brown in it. Completely green is fine, too. I use this kind of roping for making tiny garlands, roping and wreaths, as well as hedges. Making wreaths and garlands for putz houses
To make a hedge, these supplies are needed.
Evergreen pipe cleaners / chenille stems or roping. Anywhere from a 1/2″ to an inch wide. Search “evergreen chenille stems pipe cleaners” on Etsy.com or on the internet in general. Be sure to check the cost of shipping. The ones currently available on Amazon are much more expensive than the ones I found on Etsy (June 2024). Amazon prices may be better during the fall/winter holiday season.
Large scissors for the first trimming of the evergreen stems
Fiskars 6″ scissors or other small scissors for fine-trimming stems. Optional
I don’t receive a commission from items linked on my blog. They are linked for your convenience.
The 1/4″ evergreen chenille stems and garlands are harder to find than the wider stems and garlands. I like using a wider stem, which I cut down nearly to the wire. The leaves are more random when cut by hand than they are on a uniform, manufactured stem. Either way works. This is my way. Your way is whatever you like best. Both are good.
If possible, the stem should be at least twice as long as the space needed to be filled with hedge. As it is shaped, the stem will shorten up a lot. I measured one stem at 16″ before shaping. After shaping, the hedge was 8 1/2″ long. I usually don’t measure ahead of time. I make long pieces of hedge and cut to length as needed. Multiple pieces can be glued to the base so they meet end to end, making a longer hedge, if the first piece is too short. The join won’t be noticable.
Using the round-nose pliers, the trimmed stem will be bent tightly into this shape. A series of “bumps.”
Trim the stem close to the wire. Do this over a wastebasket. It is messy. The bits have some static and will stick to surfaces, scissors, etc.
When a stem has been trimmed, there may be individual bits that are too long. I run my hand up and down the stem to show where these longer bits are. I use my small Fiskar scissors to trim those.
The round-nose pliers make it possible to round the stem into tight curves. Start on one end and turn the stem down into a cane shape.
Use the pliers to grip the short section of the stem. Turn stem into a cane shape. This is the first “bump” of the hedge. The short leg should be just long enough to go around the pliers. The first photo shows the first curve finished. Move the pliers from the short end of the stem directly across to the long part of the stem. In the left, the pliers are holding the short leg of the cane shape. In the second picture, the pliers have been moved to the long leg of the evergreen. Pull the long piece up, over the pliers, so it is headed in the opposite direction from where it started. Refer to the picture of the curved line above.
The first picture shows the next loop made. Repeat: After pulling the long end over the pliers, move the pliers over to what is now the longer leg and pull the leg over the pliers. The tighter the curves are made, the better the hedge will look. Try to keep the hedge “bumps” the same size.
Repeat until the hedge is complete. Insert the pliers. Pull the long end up over the pliers. Move the pliers over to the long leg and pull it down over the pliers. Repeat.
It’s a back and forth action. Keep going until the entire stem is done. When finished, check the beginning and the end of the stem to find the wire. It’s sharp. Be careful. When applied to a base, the sharp end should point down. Don’t leave it up where it could snag a finger. I always cut the ends of my hedge so both wires are pointing down to the bottom of a bump. If the stem is trimmed to fit a space during landscaping, it should be trimmed so the wire is pointing down. That wire will be enclosed in hot glue when the hedge is glued to the based, making the hedge safe to touch.
The finished hedge will look like the one pictured below. Trim any longer bits as needed. The individual bumps are not noticable. Even less so when snow has been applied.
The church, pictured below, has a pieced hedge. I didn’t have a length long enough to do the right side of the church and then all the way to the sidewalk. About two inches of hedge was glued down, at the sidewalk end, to finish the full piece.
In the first picture below, you may be able to see where I added an extra piece to the hedge. Once the snow is applied, the join doesn’t show. To snow the hedge, I use a syringe filled with Aleene’s True Snow. With slow pressure, I apply it to the hedge, while moving the syringe back and forth. A little goes a long way. I try not to cover the hedge. I also run the syringe along the bottom of the hedge, on both sides to cover any glue that may be showing. That can be seen in the second picture. Immediately, glitter the wet snow with the glitter of your choice. Allow to dry.
Note: Aleene’s True Snow and Aleene’s Glitter Snow look the same when applied. No glitter shows, so I buy the one that is currently cheaper.
The hedge has a little give for filling a space. If it’s a bit too long, it can be gently squeezed together to make it shorter. If it isn’t long enough, and the remaining space is small, the hedge can be gently pulled to stretch it a bit.
I am happy to answer any questions you may have about making hedges. Please ask!
If you would like to see more of my Putz houses, as well as Christmas ornaments I have made from upcycled holiday cards, please visit my Etsy shop.
If you are interested in crafting Putz houses of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information. Putz House Tutorials The blog can be searched for “tutorial” to find any that aren’t linked to the tutorial page. Working on that!
I am always happy to answer questions about the process. Please ask, if you are wondering about the details of putzing!
All proceeds from my Etsy shop benefit Kenya Mercy Ministries. They work with the urban poor of Nairobi, Kenya, particularly the children and their families who live in Kibera, the largest urban slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
I finished the winter church yesterday. The faux snow (Aleene’s True Snow) takes a few hours to set and a few days to completely dry. I photographed it today, but it won’t be ready to ship for a few more days.
Three steps lead to the arched front door. The church has a hole in the back that allows the use of a small LED light string for lighting the Putz.
The winter tree is made from an armature and lined with faux snow, using a syringe. The evergreen hedge is made from pine chinelle stems and shaped with round-nose pliers.
My Putz houses are constructed of white poster board, from patterns I draw myself. I cut each piece by hand. No diecuts are used in the creation of my Putz houses. The base is made from an upcycled greeting card. The doors of my Putz houses, churches, etc., are always open so visitors know they are welcome to stop by at any time.
If you would like to see more of my Putz houses, as well as Christmas ornaments I have made from upcycled holiday cards, please visit my Etsy shop.
If you are interested in crafting Putz houses of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information. Putz House Tutorials The blog can be searched for “tutorial” to find any that aren’t linked to the tutorial page. Working on that!
I am always happy to answer questions about the process. Please ask, if you are wondering about the details of putzing!
All proceeds from my Etsy shop benefit Kenya Mercy Ministries. They work with the urban poor of Nairobi, Kenya, particularly the children and their families who live in Kibera, the largest urban slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
The gray Thanksgiving / Autumn church is listed in my Etsy shop. It has a deep yellow roof and steeple. The Putz features a handcrafted autumn tree, four handcrafted pumpkins, a surrounding autumn hedge and a vine growing over the church roof. The base is made from an upcycled greeting card which features a beautiful wooded autumn scene.
A hole in the back allows the use of a small LED light string for lighting this and other glitter houses in your glitter house village.
The autumn details are abudant. An autumn hedge surrounds the church yard. I handcrafted the colorful fall tree, using an armature and sponge foliage. Tiny fallen leaves are sprinkled across the church yard.
Three steps lead up to the arched front door. There are four handcrafted pumpkins in the yard. Tiny paper flowers grow among the hedges. Three round windows are covered with flattened, metal bead caps.
Stroll through the church yard and enjoy the autumn scenery. The vine that covers the roof is made from brown paper-covered wire and beaded ivory pips.
If you would like to see more of my Putz houses, as well as Christmas ornaments I have made from upcycled holiday cards, please visit my Etsy shop.
If you are interested in crafting Putz houses of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information. Putz House Tutorials The blog can be searched for “tutorial” to find any that aren’t linked to the tutorial page. Working on that!
I am always happy to answer questions about the process. Please ask, if you are wondering about the details of putzing!
All proceeds from my Etsy shop benefit Kenya Mercy Ministries. They work with the urban poor of Nairobi, Kenya, particularly the children and their families who live in Kibera, the largest urban slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
This tutorial shows how I use preserved, dyed reindeer lichen to make autumn trees for Putz houses. Lichen is not a moss. Moss is a plant. Lichen is not a plant, but a combination of fungi and algae. Just FYI. 🙂
To make an autumn tree, you will need the following supplies.
I don’t receive a commission from items linked on my blog. They are linked for your information.
NOTE: Sometimes it is difficult to find leaf litter in yellow. I found it on the Walmart site today (June 2024). Sometimes the color received doesn’t match the exact shade of the color shown in the ad. I hope for the best! Walmart Leaf Litter
The leaf litter is made from the dried, dyed scales of birch tree seed pods. They make great tiny leaves. Check different sources for different shades of green, brown, red, orange and yellow. Some are brighter than others. If you have a silver birch, you can make your own. I don’t know if all birch trees make the same kind of seed pod. Silver birch is the only one I’ve seen mentioned online for making leaf litter. Making Miniature Leaves from Birch Seed Pods
When making a tree for a particular house, set the tree armature on the base next to the house and decide how it will fit. With a smaller base, the branches of the tree may need to be moved to fit the space. The branches can be gently bent, even when painted and glittered. In most cases, the branches shouldn’t touch the house. That can look crowded. Take into account that leaves will be added and the tree will be a bit larger than the bare branches are. If you have a tree that won’t fit, another option is to make another tree, with a smaller size armature. Or make a larger base.
I am using yellow lichen to make the autumn tree in this tutorial. Any color can be used as the base color, but I like to match the colors of the Putz house and the embellishments to the colors on the greeting card I used to make the base. When the lichen is done, leaf litter will be glued over the tops of the branches. Here are two examples of lichen trees with leaf litter.
The leaf litter adds detail to the yard of the Putz house. Below left, the individual leaves can be seen against the wall of the house and on the tree. Below right, I used leaf litter on the roof, on the tree, and on the ground. Note the leaf litter at the base of the fence.
The house below has a tree which was made from the wired stems of a flower bundle, with lichen and leaf litter. I will write a tutorial about making armatures from these stems in the next few weeks. It makes a tree with a different style than the store-bought armatures make. I use the flowers for my spring and summer Putz houses. I cut them off the stems so they take less space in my flower storage drawer. I didn’t want to throw the stems away, so I tried making a tree from them and it worked well!
The left picture below shows how the lichen was packaged. The bag at the bottom came in the small box. I ordered two boxes. Probably enough for 15-20 trees. On the left, half the lichen is still in the bag and half of it out. It fluffs a bit when it is taken out of the plastic bag. Lichen isn’t very stretchable however. It should fit the branch. It won’t help much to try to stretch it over a branch. There may be other bits of foliage or little sticks in the bag. Discard those. If the lichen has dark bits or spots, just cut them off.
The lichen has rounded tops of fine branching. As you go down the stem, branching becomes larger and more coarse. I usually discard the bottom third or so.
The lichen comes dyed in many colors. The color is water soluble, so don’t wet it. It may lightly color your fingers as you work with it, but it will wash off easily.
Tear the lichen to fit the branch to be covered. It pulls apart easily. A large clump can be divided vertically. The three pieces below left came from the end of the clump in the background of the picture. I glue the small, rounded ends on the ends of the armature branches. Lay a bead of hot glue as far down the branch as the lichen will cover and gently press the lichen into the glue.
I start at the bottom and work my way up the tree. If a bit of lichen looks too thin, as in the middle of the branches in the left photo below, glue another piece of lichen on top of it. Proceed until the tops of all branches are covered. At the top of the tree, cover one side of any vertical branches.
The next step is to cover the back of the top branches of the tree.
Next, turn the tree over to see the bottoms of the other branches. Cover as needed. Coarser lichen branches can be used as they won’t be as visible as the tops of the branches. Before adding leaf litter, check the tree for hot glue strings, globs of glue that are showing, and spaces in the tree that look like they need more lichen. Cover the ends of branches that are showing. At this point the tree can be considered done. Perfectly fine to use it as is, but I add leaf litter for detail and interest.
Time to add the leaf litter. Daub the branches, a small section at a time, with tacky glue. Don’t cover the whole area with glue. White or clear tacky glue is fine. Pour leaf litter over the glue and press it gently into the glue. Shake the tree over a glitter tray or a sheet of paper to collect the fallen leaves.
Continue to add leaf litter until the tree is finished. Look the tree over, and add extra leaf litter to any spots that need it. Below, in the picture to the right, the left tree is made with orange sponge foliage, and the right one is made with yellow lichen. The same leaf litter mixture of red, orange and yellow leaves was used on both trees.
To loosen the tree from the cardboard, slide a palette knife or other flat metal tool under the tree roots and pry the tree off.
If you have any questions about the process of making an autumn tree, please ask!
If you would like to see more of my Putz houses, as well as Christmas ornaments I have made from upcycled holiday cards, please visit my Etsy shop.
If you are interested in crafting Putz houses of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information. Putz House Tutorials The blog can be searched for “tutorial” to find any that aren’t linked to the tutorial page. Working on that!
I am always happy to answer questions about the process. Please ask, if you are wondering about the details of putzing!
All proceeds from my Etsy shop benefit Kenya Mercy Ministries. They work with the urban poor of Nairobi, Kenya, particularly the children and their families who live in Kibera, the largest urban slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
