If you are interested in crafting Putz houses of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information. Putz House Tutorials
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 slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
I finished this mini schoolhouse yesterday. I probably would have put a green roof on it if I hadn’t wanted to use colors from the Christmas card I used to make the base. After it was finished, I was very happy with the roof color.
I had chosen a different card for the base, but it didn’t have red on it and that was the obvious choice for the schoolhouse, so I decided to go with this one instead. A small wintery village, with just enough red to coordinate with the schoolhouse.
I use greeting cards to make the bases for all my Putz houses. When lifted there’s a sweet surprise underneath.
Putz houses look alive when the lights come on. I use tiny LED light strings to light my Putz houses. The two larger bottle brush trees are decorated with gold and green pearl beads, faux snow and iridescent glitter.
The tiny deer is only 1/2″ tall.
You can see more of my Putz houses and Christmas ornaments in 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
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 slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
This Putz church is listed in my Etsy shop (information below). It is the original size of the pattern. The base measures 6 1/4″ wide x 3 5/8″ deep. The church is 7 3/4″ tall as measured from the bottom of the base to the top of the steeple.
The pattern I drew for the church was inspired by the church pictured on the Christmas card I used to make the base.
The fence posts are made from chopsticks. The door handles are made from tiny tube beads.
The lights are on and all are welcome!
Tip: When making a Putz church, fill the top of the steeple with hot glue.
Set the steeple aside, in a place it can stay upside down until the glue is hardened. Your steeples will be more resistant to crushing with the glue in the tip.
You can see more of my Putz houses and Christmas ornaments in 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
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 slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
Sometimes, when making Putz houses, it can be hard to find items small enough for use as embellishments, such as wreaths, snowmen, etc. Now that I am making mini and tiny-mini sized Putz houses, I have started making my own wreaths to get the sizes I want. It’s easy, it’s cheap, and they can be made in any size needed.
This tiny wreath is no more than 1/2″ wide.
The wreath on this tiny mini barn is about 3/4″ wide.
To make wreaths and garlands, you will need:
evergreen chenille stems / I like the ones with both green and brown bristles, but all green is fine. Chenille stems used to be called pipe cleaners, for those of us at the older end of the generation…
scissors
a tapered round stick (like a paint brush handle) for making wreaths in different sizes
a straight round stick (like a paint brush handle or a dowel rod) for making garlands or for making a lot of wreaths in one size
wire clippers
round nose pliers
flat nose pliers
hot glue gun
thin red cord for making bows
needle nose tweezers are helpful, but not required
The chenille stems I have are about 1/2″ wide. They are probably available in smaller sizes, but I am using what I have on hand. I trim them with scissors until they are very small. Below, the original stem is at the top, the trimmed stems are on the bottom.
making wreaths
Wrap the trimmed chenille stem around the stick. Use a tapered stick if different sized wreaths are wanted. Keep the coils close together.
If you want to make a lot of wreaths in the same size, find a non-tapered, round stick that will make the size you want the wreaths to be.
When the chenille stem has been completely wound around the stick, slide it off the end.
Don’t pull or stretch it apart.
To cut circles, use wire cutters to cut the loop directly above the end of the wire.
The cut will make a complete circle of chenille stem.
Cut all the loops.
Put a drop of hot glue on one end of the wire and hold the two ends together until the hot glue hardens. Don’t overlap the wire. Push the wire end to end and hold till the glue sets.
Some of the loops may not make a complete circle. Especially at the end of the chenille stem. That can be remedied with round nose pliers, like those used in jewelry making or beading.
Using the pliers, gently bend the ends until the loop makes a complete circle. The round nose pliers curve the wire rather than bending it at a sharp angle, so a nice circle is made when done.
Using a tapered stick, wreaths of different sizes can be made at the same time. I find this handy! I make several batches of wreaths at a time. When I need one, I have a good variety of sizes to choose from.
To the left is a 3/4″ wreath. The one on the right is 1/2″.
When the glue is hardened so the wreath is a complete circle, the bristles can be trimmed to round out the look of the wreath.
This paint brush made these nine sizes with one chenille stem. A thicker paint brush would make larger wreaths, a thinner one would make smaller wreaths.
bows for the wreaths
To make bows for the wreaths, use a thin cord. I like this 20-pound weight, 1mm, hemp cord which I bought on amazon. Hemptique
I used to have a piece of very small, wired, red cord which I really liked, but, when I had used it all, I wasn’t able to find a source for more. The wired ribbon was perfect for making neck scarves for tiny snowmen. It could be shaped to look like it was blowing in the winter breeze.
The hemp cord works fine and the three strands can be pulled apart for a fine thread to make tinier bows. I’ll show you how I do that below.
I find that leaving the cord attached to the spool makes it easier to handle the thin cord while making the bow. Tie a bow as close to the end of the cord as possible. Needle nose tweezers can be used to poke and pull the bow if needed. Pull the loops of the bow to make the center tight. Ajust the loops to the size needed.
Cut the cord from the spool and trim the ends to the length desired.
Use hot glue to attach the bow to the wreath to cover the spot where the wire ends were glued together. I usually glue bows to the top of the wreath, but they could just as easily be placed to hang from the bottom.
After making the wreaths and adding the bows, I put a tiny drop of white glue on the ends of the cord to prevent fraying. When dry, it won’t show.
tiny bows for the smallest wreaths
To make tinier bows, I cut about 24″ of the hemp cord and pull the three strands apart.
The individual strands are curly and need to be straightened before use.
I dampen the strand to relax the fibers. I just wad it up in my palm and spritz it with a little water. Here it is after being dampened. Doesn’t have to be soaked.
I cut two slits in a piece of cardboard. One slit at the top left and one at the bottom right. I slip one end of the damp strand into the slit at the top and wind the strand around the cardboard, catching the other end at the bottom. Any leftover can be slipped into a slit cut on the side of the cardboard. The strand should be taut, but not stretched tight.
After the strand is dry, remove it from the cardboard. The curls will be gone.
Make bows from the strand as explained above. Here is a picture of a wreath on the left made with the thinner strand. The wreath on the right has a bow made with the whole cord.
Leftover cordage is stored on a 2″ by 3″ cardboard, cut with slits to catch the ends of the cord.
The bits and bobs are stored in my ribbon drawer until needed.
Garlands
To make a garland for a fence or roofline, start with a trimmed chenille stem and a straight, round stick. The paint brush I use is about 3/16″ wide.
Curl the chenille stem around the stick, leaving a little space between the loops.
Remove the stem, but don’t pull it out of shape.
The next step is to flatten the circled loops to make flat loops. In this picture, the two loops on the right have been flattened.
I use flat nose pliers to squeeze the wire flat at the top of the garland loops.
This view is from the top, with the two flattened loops on the right.
The garland can be added to a roofline.
It can be added to a fence.
Here’s an example of a garland used on a fence made from twigs.
The smaller the wrapped loops are made, the smaller the finished garland loops will be.
If you would like clarification on any step in this tutorial, please ask!
You can see my Putz houses and Christmas ornaments in 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
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 slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
I think the blog problems have been ironed out. I had troubles in December, and again the past few months. In the mean time, I have made a lot of new Putz houses. Here are a few of them.
I draft all my own patterns. Lately, I’ve been making three sizes. ORIGINAL, which is 100% of the original pattern size. MINI, which is copied at 75% of the original, and TINY MINI which is 50% of the original.
This barn is a TINY MINI.
I particularly like the dark fence around this barn, which was made to mimic the one on the Christmas card I used to make the base.
This sweet, pale blue, country church is a TINY MINI. It was in my Etsy shop for a while, but I love it so much, I removed it for my own collection.
The base is made from a vintage Christmas card. This is one of my favorites.
This TINY MINI now lives in Ohio.
When the lights are on, the Putz houses come to life.
Another TINY MINI. I enjoy making this size. They are SO cute when finished.
This TINY MINI begged to be made when I saw the picture on the Christmas card. It’s one of the few I have made without window frames. I thought they would detract from the overall look of the Putz.
The Putz house is 1″ wide, 3/4″ deep, and 2 1/2″ tall.
The three peaked house is also a TINY MINI version.
I have a lot more to post, but will stop here for now. I hope you have enjoyed a look at some of my TINY MINI Putz houses.
You can see more of my Putz houses and Christmas ornaments in my Etsy shop.
If you are interested in crafting some Putz houses and bottle brush trees of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information. Putz House Tutorials
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 slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
This is Part 3 of three tutorials about how to construct a Putz house or “little glitter house” as they are sometimes called. This tutorial is meant as a guide to the way I construct a Putz house. Keep in mind that I have my own style and my own techniques, and the following directions will reflect that. Other Putzers have their own styles and techniques, so don’t take this as the only way to make a Putz. Or as the only way a Putz house should look. Everyone brings something to the table. Use what works for you. Change what doesn’t.
Part 1 covered cutting the pattern and installing the window panes.
Part 3 begins with choosing a base. I use upcycled Christmas cards to make bases for my Putz. I try to match the card to the theme of the Putz. I thought this card was perfect for a Christmas Tree Lot Putz house. The colors on the card usually dictate the colors of the Putz house.
The greeting card gives a little surprise when the Putz is tilted.
Here’s the link to my tutorial for making bases from greeting cards.
The base doesn’t have to be a box, like the ones made from greeting cards. It can be a piece of chipboard (uncorrugated cardboard), thin wood, even a container or jar.
For this tutorial, the fence will be made with sticks. I’ve also made fences using foam core, popsicle sticks, wooden skewers, chipboard, etc. Here is the link to my tutorial about making fences for Putz houses, using chipboard.
To begin, measure the length needed to go across the back of the base.
I use wire cutters to cut the stick to the length I want to use.
I like to find a stick that has a branching twig on it. That bit of twig can be used as a “post” for the fence. In the picture below, you can see how that works.
Before gluing the fence to the base, check the bottom of the base to be sure the picture will be oriented in the correct direction when lifted from the front. Glue the stick down well. I use hot glue. The glue will be covered with faux snow, so don’t worry about being too tidy.
You can see in the following picture, that I cut sticks for use as posts for the back of the fence.
Crooked sticks have character, right?
All three sides of the fencing are now secure.
Think about how the building will sit on the base. Because this is a tree lot, I like to leave room on one side for three to five trees.
Before the building is glued down, add faux snow to the fence. It’s much easier to add that without the building in the way.
I use Aleene’s Glitter Snow. It makes a fluffy snowfall and is easy to apply, using a squeeze bottle. There is also an Aleene’s True Snow. I buy the Glitter Snow because it is cheaper than the True Snow (go figure!), and it doesn’t actually glitter when dry so I can sprinkle on any kind of glitter I want to use.
To add snow, I use a plastic squeeze bottle with a small tip. I start on the inside of the fence and cover any hot glue. I like to mound the snow up a bit around the posts. I add snow to the top of the fency by dragging the tip of the bottle across the fence while squeezing out a very small amount.
When the snowfall is complete, and while it is still wet, sprinkle on the glitter.
Use a small bead for the doorknob. I’d use beads without holes (do those have a specific name?) if I had them, but a tiny seed bead works great. Glue it into place by placing a tiny drop of tacky, white glue on the spot the doorknob should be. I use a needle-nose tweezer to pick up the bead and place it on the drop of glue.
Make a final decision about where the building will be placed. Leave it in place, but don’t glue it down yet.
Decide on how many bottle brush trees will be added. Place them on the base, with the building in place, and decide how they will be arranged. If the building hasn’t been glued down, there is some fudge room for tree placement. If desired, a pencil can be used to make small marks for where the items will be glued down. Pencil marks will be covered with snow later.
I like to paint the tree bases red for a more festive feel. You could paint them gold or any other color. Your choice! While the paint is wet, dip them into fine glitter. Set aside so they can dry. When the base is dry, add some snow to the trees and glitter them while the snow is still wet.
The first step is to glue down the building. Do not apply glue where the front step will be added. When the glue has cooled, snow around it and glitter the snow. Much easier to do at this point, than after adding the trees. Glue down the back row of bottle brush trees.
Snow and glitter around the bases of the trees. The snow can be swirled with a palette knife, a toothpick, or a popsicle stick, etc.
Glue down the remaining trees. Snow and glitter around them.
I use cheap nail files for sanding as needed when making Putz houses. When they are worn out, I upcycle them as step material rather than throwing them away.
Cut a piece of the nail file to the desired length. Save those rounded ends. They make cute front step areas for small Putz, as shown below.
Paint the step with two coats of paint, allowing it to dry between the first and second coat. I attach the step to my needle-nosed tweezers for ease of painting.
After the second coat, while the paint is still wet, sprinkle it with glitter. Allow it to dry completely and glue it in front of the door.
When gluing down the step, push it as close as possible to the building so there is no gap.
The sign can be printed or hand written. I use Core’dinations Inkjet Printable Glitter Paper to print signs for my Putz. Cut to size. Leave enough room all the way around so the frame can cover the edge. To make a frame, I use a small stick, splitting just the end of the stick with wire cutters, then using a craft knive to slowly cut the stick in half, lengthwise.
If the flat side seems bumpy, it can be gently sanded by rubbing it over a nail file.
Hot glue the stick frame pieces to the sign. Trim the ends, if desired, with the wire cutters.
Each tree lot I make gets a unique name. I made a list of possibilities and printed them all at once on one sheet of glitter paper. When I need one, I can choose from that stock pile.
The tiny wreaths are hand-crafted from evergreen chenille stems. I plan to write a tutorial for that soon. Glue on as many wreaths as desired.
Snow around the step and along a path.
I use a palette knife to smooth the path and to spread the snow around the step.
While the snow is wet, sprinkle it with glitter.
Add some snow to the sign. Just a dab here and there. Glitter it.
Snow the roof. I start with the ridge line, then outline the rest, rounding the corners a bit.
I don’t try to smooth the snow out. When the glitter is added, it softens the snow. Note that I also added a touch of snow to the wreaths.
Go around the chimney and dab a tiny bit on the chimney cap. Glitter the snow while it is still wet. I glitter items over a glitter tray to catch the excess and pour it back into the bottle.
The Christmas Tree Lot is done! So cute!
If you have any questions about the construction of the Christmas Tree Lot, please ask! I am happy to help.
You can see my Putz houses and other Christmas ornaments in my Etsy shop.
If you are interested in crafting other Putz houses of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information. Putz House Tutorials
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 slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
This is Part 2 of three tutorials about how to construct a Putz house or “little glitter house” as they are sometimes called. This tutorial is meant as a guide to the way I construct a Putz house. Keep in mind that I have my own style and my own techniques, and the following directions will reflect that. Other Putzers have their own styles and techniques, so don’t take this as the only way to make a Putz. Or as the only way a Putz house should look. Everyone brings something to the table. Use what works for you. Change what doesn’t.
Part 1 covered cutting the pattern and installing the window panes.
This post, Part 2, covers assembling the house and painting it.
I will post Part 3 as soon as I have it completed. It will cover attaching the Putz to a base and embellishing the Putz with a fence, trees, snow, glitter, etc.
The list of tools needed for the three parts of this tutorial can be found in Part 1.
For the purposes of these tutorials, I am using the pattern I designed and drafted for this Christmas Tree Lot. Follow the directions and you can add this cute Putz to your own collection, proudly created by you! I’m going to make you work for it, though. You learn more by doing, so you get to draw your own copy of the pattern. The tutorial for drawing this pattern is here:
Part 1 of this tutorial showed how to cut the pattern, prepare the Putz pieces for assembling and adding window glazing. Now it’s time to glue the building together. I use hot glue, but that requires quick work. The hot glue sets immediately and leaves no time for wiggle room. If you aren’t familiar with the way the Putz needs to fit together, it could be stuck incorrectly and that is hard to correct when using hot glue. I would recommend new-to-the-hobby Putzers use tacky, white glue. It takes a short time to set (20-30 seconds or so, depending on the glue), but that gives time to move the pieces into the correct position.
Start by gluing the base to the walls. I like to start with the side.
It’s a good idea to take a moment to decide what is being glued to what and to see how it fits together.
Apply the glue to one flap at a time.
Glue all the base flaps to the Putz, then glue the side seam.
The flap that makes the roof support is something I like to add to patterns to help give stability to the Putz house. Not all Putz patterns include support flaps. It should be glued to the top of the Putz. Avoid overlapping where part of the support would stick out past the flaps it is glued to. Those overlaps will affect the straight lines of the building.
NOTE: Don’t worry about the bumps and rough areas on the outside of the building, if you plan to add sand to the paint to make a vintage-style texture on the Putz house. More about that later in this tutorial. If you choose not to use sand for texture, keep the outside of the Putz as clean as possible.
Set the Putz aside and cut out the remaining parts of the pattern. I save and use scraps of chipboard for cutting small pieces like the circle frame for the light opening. As shown in Part 1, use a dab of adhesive tape to hold the pattern to the chipboard while cutting out the pattern piece.
I cut the inside circle just inside the cutting line so the frame will be a tiny bit larger than the hole in the back of the Putz house.
I use scissors to cut the outside of the frame on the pattern line. Going slowly increases accuracy.
The chimney can be cut along the straight sides with an acyrlic ruler and the X-acto knife or cut it with scissors. Do what works best for you.
Score the dashed lines and fold.
Glue the chimney together.
The chimney cap is marked from corner to corner to help with punching a hole in the center.
Sometimes I punch a small 1/8″ hole and sometimes a 1/4″ hole. It doesn’t matter what you use. The cap and/or the hole are optional and can be left off the chimney if desired.
Cut the window and door frames. Again, I align the long straight edge of the pattern with the edge of the chipboard. If you aren’t sure if the edge of the chipboard is perfectly straight or not, you can cut it with the acrylic ruler before cutting the frames.
I cut all the lines that run in the same direction first, then turn the piece and cut the ones that run in the opposite direction. Saves time.
In this picture, the three sides of the door have been cut inside the door frame, and the four windows have been cut out.
I cut the door apart from the windows because it is a different height than the window frames. Then I cut the long lines of the windows.
Score and fold the door. I fold it all the way back and use the bone folder to crease the fold. That helps hold the door open a bit after it’s painted.
The door can be placed so the door opens on the left or the right.
When placing a door, I take my cue from the house. In the spring Putz houses below, note the placement of the doors. On the two houses to the outside, the doors are placed so they open away from the bulk of the house. The door on the church, in the middle of the picture, doesn’t open away from the bulk, because the tower is set back from the front edge of the building and it made sense to me that the door should open so it sits against the building rather than to the outside of the Putz. But that’s all personal choice. The door can be placed to open in the direction that makes sense to you. Because the Christmas Tree Lot door is rectangular, it can be used either way, opening right or left. If the door were rounded on top, like the door on the yellow house below, the fold in the door needs to be placed on the correct side before cutting the pattern piece because it won’t work upside down. Just a detail to be aware of when cutting out doors.
Cut between the windows, then pull the paper pattern off the frames.
As I cut these small pieces, I contain them in a box to keep everything together. The pieces are easy to lose on top a craft desk! The little house in the background is contained in a small, clear plastic box.
When I paint a Putz house, I use a flap from a cardboard box to paint the pieces on. I use the cardboard over and over until there’s too much paint on it. Then I pitch it and start over with a new flap.
Before we start to paint the building, I’ll go over what I do to prepare paint. You can definitely use acrylic paint straight from the bottle to paint your Putz houses. I like to add a few things. I don’t normally measure things out, but I did for the purpose of this tutorial to make it clear what I’m doing.
I start with the paint. For these instructions, I measured 14 grams of acrylic paint into a small container.
I added 14 grams of white glue and 3 grams of Floetrol.
Mix it all together.
I add fine, clean sand to the mix. I was going for 14 grams, but topped it out at 16. There’s no right or wrong.
Mix well. I dabbed a little on the cardboard to see if it had enough sand in it. Looks good. This will be plenty of paint, with some left over. I bought some plastic bottles to hold extra paint. I turn to these first when choosing colors for a new Putz.
In my paint drawer, the paints I’ve mixed myself are stored on the right side of the drawer. I paint the tops so it’s easy to see all the colors without removing anything. I love my paint drawer…
When I’m ready to paint, I separate the pattern pieces into piles according to the color they will be painted. I give each piece two coats, waiting between coats for the first one to dry before painting the second one.
Because I am using poly film in the windows, I don’t worry about getting paint on them because, once it is dry, it will come off easily with the use of a beveled wooden pick. This won’t work if you are adding paper windows. Paint carefully!
Note the cleaned up windows:
The first coat of paint will be uneven, both the paint and the sand. The second coat will even it out. Here it is after the second coat and before the glitter is applied. Paint and glitter larger pieces one side at a time.
After the glitter is applied, allow the roof to dry a bit before doing the other side. While I work with the roof, I bend the fold now and then to keep it from drying flat.
The small pieces can be painted on both sides, then dipped into the glitter.
If the small piece is too large to fit in the glitter container, the glitter can be spinkled on both sides, over a glitter tray.
I paint the outside and the inside of the chimneys. The paint gives strength to the chimney.
I tried to catch the light in this picture to show how the first coat looks when dry.
Second coat, still wet…
I paint and glitter one side at a time.
To glitter the back of the Putz, I put a little glitter down in the glitter tray, gently set the Putz front-down on the glitter, then I glitter the back.
Everything is glittered. At this point set the pieces aside and let them dry.
When dry, gently sand the backs of the frames to make them easier to glue to the Putz building.
Sand the top of the roof to remove bumps. This will ensure the roof will glue down tightly.
Sand the top of the chimney.
Glue the chimney cap on. Putting glue on both pieces helps it adhere tightly.
While the chimney dries, glue the frames to the house. Again, add glue to both pieces. Around the hole and on the back of the frame.
For applying the glue in a neat line, I use a fine-tip glue bottle. The bottle works best, when using tacky glue, if it is kept at least half full. I close the tip by putting a large straight pin in it. This keeps the glue from drying in the tip.
When all the frames are on, check them and pat down any that may have a gap. They will tighten down a bit as the glue dries, too.
Gently bend the roof and check it on the house for fit. Glue it to the top of the house.
I use a dampened Q-tip to give a final cleaning to the poly film windows.
I apologize for the unfocused picture. I will retake and replace it when I make my next tree lot. To attach the chimney to the house, check it against the roof for placement. Put a bead of glue inside the chimney and set it on the roof. A bead of white, tacky glue can be added around the base of the chimney on the outside if it seems to need the extra support. That will dry clear and, most likely, will be covered with snow.
Sometimes, even if the roof is bent during the painting phase, the paint may crack along the crease when it is dry and the roof is placed in its final position.
Use a fine-tipped paint brush and paint over the white areas, then glitter. It will probably be covered with snow anyway, but this ensures it looks good if any part isn’t covered.
Let the paint dry completely. The next step is to choose a base. That is covered in Part 3 of this tutorial.
I am always happy to answer questions about the process. Please ask, if you have questions about any part of this tutorial, or if you are wondering about other 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 slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
This tutorial is meant as a guide to the way I construct a Putz house. Keep in mind that I have my own style and my own techniques, and the following directions will reflect that. Other Putzers have their own styles and techniques, so don’t take this as the only way to make a Putz. Or as the only way a Putz house should look. Everyone brings something to the table. Use what works for you. Change what doesn’t.
There are three parts to this tutorial. I will post the second and third parts as soon as I have them done. I’m using the pattern for the Christmas Tree Lot pictured here for the purposes of this tutorial.
The following list includes all the tools needed for all three parts of this tutorial. I tried to list them in the order they are used, so some will not be needed until Parts 2 and 3.
a Putz house pattern / You can draw the pattern for the Putz I use for this tutorial, using this pattern-drawing tutorial. How to draw a Putz Pattern
self-healing cutting mat / If you don’t have a cutting mat, a 12″ by 18″ mat is a nice size for working with Putz houses. I use a 24″x18″ mat that I keep on my work space all the time.
Clear acrylic ruler / optional. I like a 12″ ruler for cutting longer lines of the pattern. An 18″ ruler tends to get in the way when positioning the ruler for cutting pattern pieces.
embossing stylus / Colored ones are nice because they are easier to find on a cluttered desk than wooden ones are.
window pane covering of your choice. I use translucent, poly file jackets for window panes. Yes, I buy the whole pack just for the yellow ones. I always find a good use for the others. Reproduction window and door inserts are available online. Search online for < replacement putz windows >. Reproduction windows and doors are useful for repairing vintage Putz as well as making new ones. For my own Putz, I prefer the poly film as window glazing. I am always on the lookout for a better film, though. Just haven’t found it yet.
detail hot glue gun / The link is to the newer model of the glue gun I use. Mine never drips, so no wasted glue. It has a light to show if the tool is on, which I have found helpful many times. The newer model also has auto shut-off if left for more than 30 minutes. I’ve had my older model for years and love it.
acrylic paint
white glue to mix with the paint / Optional
fine, clean sand to mix with the paint for texture / Optional, but gives a vintage look.
Floetrol or other paint conditioner / Optional. I find it conditions the paint for a nice feel and also helps minimize cracking that may occur when a painted piece is folded. I paint pieces before assembling, but that is optional, too. The entire house can be assembled and then painted.
paint brush / I like a 1/4″ flat paint brush. Fits the nooks and crannies while covering the larger areas quickly. I also use a fine point paint brush occasionally. I could Putz with just those two kinds if I had to. NOTE: Paint cleaner is good to have. It will extend the life of your brushes.
glitter / I like to use a fine glitter on the building and the base, then a coarser clear glitter on the snowy areas. Texture and color is a personal choice. Do what makes you happy!
glitter tray / I like two sizes, one smaller and one larger.
nail file for sanding / When the nail file doesn’t sand well any longer, I save it to make steps to the front door.
NOTE re: chipboard: Any light-weight chipboard can be used. Chipboard is non-corrugated cardboard. Any of the following are fine for making a Putz.
poster board, light-weight / can be used for the building and for the roof
poster board, heavy-weight for roof / Optional
cereal / cracker boxes
heavy-weight cardstock
Make a copy of the master pattern. I mark all master patterns with “MASTER,” using a yellow highlighter. If the master is copied in black and white, rather than color, the highlighter won’t show. That makes it easy to keep the master intact. Don’t cut any pattern with a yellow MASTER on it!
The master pattern can be used over and over. I use my printer to copy a pattern in different sizes to make original, mini, and tiny Putz houses. The red house is copied at 100% of the original size. It stands 4″ tall, as measured from the bottom of the base to the top of the roof. The other houses are copied at 80%, 70% and 50%.
Rough-cut the copied pattern pieces apart. I keep the pattern number till the house is done because I have a form I fill out when each Putz is finished and then posted to Facebook, Instagram, Etsy, etc. The form keeps all the information for each completed Putz together and the pattern number is added to that form.
I separate the pieces into two piles. The first pile will be cut from light-weight poster board. This includes the house pattern piece, the frames, and the chimney.
The second pile will be cut from heavy-weight poster board. This includes the roof and the chimney cap. I use the heavy-weight board for roof items to minimize warping that can occur when the board is wet from painting.
I like to use an adhesive roller to attach the pattern piece to the poster board. Just a few little dots of adhesive on the back will hold the pattern in place while I cut it. In this picture, I circled the adhesive with blue pencil to mark where I like to place them…mostly over places that will be cut out, but also on the outside edge of the pattern.
In this picture, I am holding the pattern up to the light to show how I like to line up the outside line of the pattern with a straight edge of the poster board. In this case, I knew the poster board was a 90% (right) angle, so I was able to line up two sides of the pattern with two sides of the poster board. This saves a bit of cutting.
Use an X-acto knife to cut the holes in the pattern. A new, sharp blade makes a big difference over a knife with a used blade.
I cut just barely outside the lines to make the hole a tiny bit bigger than the frame that will cover it. It makes for a cleaner look, once the frame is on. These cuts don’t have to be perfect because they will be covered by the frame, unless frames won’t be added to the finished Putz. Then these holes should be cut as carefully as possible.
An acrylic ruler can be useful for making clean, straight cuts. If you have a die cut set, you can choose door and window sizes from the set and cut the holes using the die.
You can see in this picture how much straighter the cuts are when using an acrylic ruler as a guide.
I like to make all the vertical cuts before turning the pattern piece to cut all the horizontal cuts. Just saves time.
I like to use an acrylic ruler to cut the long outside lines of the pattern.
For the smaller, shorter cuts, I like to use bonsai scissors. Also called straight trimming scissors. Solid lines are cut. Dashed lines are not cut, but will be folded after all the pattern pieces are cut and ready to construct.
When the pattern has been cut, and before the paper pattern is removed, score all dashed lines to make them easier to fold. I like to use an embossing stylus to score the pattern.
Gently peel the paper off the poster board.
The scored lines are visible in this picture.
Fold all the scored fold lines. Use a bone folder to make clean, crisp folds.
The next step is to add window panes, if wanted. I use transluscent film from poly file jackets. I am not totally happy with it, but it’s the best I have found so far. I do like the lovely, soft glow this film gives to a Putz when it lights up.
I save the small scraps to cover individual windows when only one hole needs a cover, like on the sides of the Putz.
Cut the film so each piece covers as many openings in each side as possible. I try to add about 1/4″ border if there’s room.
To attach the window panes, I use Crafter’s Pick Ultimate glue. I’ve never had a window pane pop off when using this glue. It’s a thick, tacky glue. There are other brands that probably work as well. White, school glue doesn’t always give the bond needed to adhere the poly film to the chipboard. If you are using reproduction windows, cellophane, vellum, or paper to cover the window holes, school glue would work fine.
Apply the glue liberally and spread it to cover the area.
Add the window film and press it to help it seal to the poster board. I have some of these wooden picks that have a beveled edge and they work well for rubbing the film to get a good seal.
When the building is turned over, there will be excess glue around the edges of the film.
I use the same pick to remove as much of the glue as I can. Do note that this works for poly film and will not be a good method for window panes made of paper, etc. If using those, be as careful as possible when applying the glue. I use a lot because I want the seal to be tight all the way around the edge of the window.
Don’t worry about getting it all. Glue that dries on the window pane is easily rubbed off with a finger. Again, this works for poly film and won’t work for paper windows.
Install all the window panes. The circle hole on the back panel isn’t covered. That allows access for lighting the Putz.
The Putz is now ready to assemble. See Part 2 for the instructions.
I am always happy to answer questions about the process. Please ask, if you have questions about any part of this tutorial, or if you are wondering about other 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 slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
This tutorial, explaining the way I draw a Putz house pattern, is meant for those who haven’t drawn their own patterns and want to try their hand at it. This tutorial can’t cover everything, but it sets out the basics.
I’m using this simple Christmas tree lot Putz as my example. I drew the original pattern March 26, 2019. Pictured below are two versions of the pattern. The one on the left is the original pattern size and the one on the right was copied at 80% of the original size.
Here are a few hints for drawing Putz patterns:
Draw solid lines for those lines that will be cut and dashed lines for those lines that will be folded.
Consider the printer/copier that will be used for copying the master pattern. How close to the edge of the paper does it print? 1/4″? 1/2″? The pattern should be drawn inside that restriction to make copying the pattern as easy as possible.
Leave room for an attached base, if you want to include that. I find it helps keep the Putz house stable when constructing the Putz. The “base” refers to the bottom of the house pattern, not the base the constructed house will sit on. The base for the constructed house can be a flat piece of chipboard or a box like the one below. The Putz shown in this picture is a barn.
Side note…Here’s a link to my tutorial for making Putz bases from greeting cards, if you are interested in making bases. Making bases from Greeting Cards
To draw a Putz pattern, you will need these tools.
1/4″ Graph paper
clear acrylic ruler that has 1/8″ measuring lines
eraser
pencil
pen or thin-line, permanent marker
White-out pen
Optional / templates for drawing rectangles, squares and circles
Side Note…RE: cardboard / poster board, etc. A heavier weight cardboard can be hard to fold. Using a bone folder will help. Light-weight poster board may seem flimsy but once it’s painted, it is quite sturdy.
Measure the object you want to make a pattern from. If you are drawing a pattern for something you can’t measure, like a picture, decide how wide and deep you want the Putz to be.
This Putz is 3 1/4″ wide.
It’s 1″ deep…
… 4″ high in the front…
… and 3 1/4″ high in the back.
Using the measurements, mark the graph paper with a guide of where to start drawing. The Putz measures 3 1/4″ wide and 1″ deep. Mark in this order, left to right:
the beginning point to the far left of the page
1/4″ for a flap
1″ for left side panel of Putz
3 1/4″” for front panel of Putz
1″ for right side panel of Putz
3 1/4″ for back panel of Putz (no flap on this end)
I labeled the pattern with red and blue words to show where the panels of the pattern will be. It makes it easier to show how the marks should be placed. These words can be written on your pattern with pencil if it helps you keep everything straight.
Draw a solid line all the way across, from the second mark to the last mark. This marks the bottom of the panels.
Below this, the base will be drawn, coming down from the front panel of the house. It should be the same depth as the side of the house and as long as the front of the house.
Draw the base with dashed lines, going down 1″ and across 3 1/4″.
Now the line that was drawn all the way across can be made dashed along the front panel of the Putz by erasing to make dashes. After making a lot of patterns, you learn where these lines are and which should be dashed and which should be solid.
Add flaps to the base.
Draw the sides of the front panel with 4″ dashed, vertical lines.
The back of the Putz is 3/4″ lower than the front, so draw the sides of the back panel 3 1/4″ with dashed lines.
Use the ruler to draw a dashed line that connects the vertical lines.
Connect both sides of the front panel to the side panels.
Draw the top of the front panel with a dashed line.
Draw the top of the back panel with a dashed line.
Complete the side flap with solid lines.
Draw a solid line 1/4″ above the the front, starting and ending 1/4″ shorter than the width of the front panel.
Time to draw the flaps for the side panels of the Putz. I drew this line in red so it will be easier to see through the ruler. Lay the ruler so it is in line with the dashed line, but allows a 1/4″ past the dashed line.
Draw a solid line. This line will meet the horizontal and vertical lines shown in the picture below.
Draw the other side flap. Draw the ends of the side and top flaps.
On the top of the back panel, make one large piece that will fold to the top of the Putz to make a support for the roof. I get the depth of this by measuring the slanted top of the side panel. In this case it is 1 1/4″ long. Draw, with a solid line, the top for the back panel 1 1/4″ tall and as wide as the back which is 3 1/4″.
Decide where the door will be and what size it will be. Rough it in for now, in case changes are made.
On to the windows. The Putz I am drawing this pattern from has a large double window. I’m showing how to draw single windows for this pattern because that is simpler for beginners. When I use a double window, I draw the center frame line to match the width of the sides of the window frame.
See the example below. The house on the left didn’t leave enough room between the windows, so the window frames are right next to each other. The house on the right has left enough space to make the windows separate. If the window frame for the house on the left was drawn as a single window with two panes, the frame piece between the panes would be the width of a single frame instead of two.
Here are a few window frames. You can see the window to the right has three panes, with single width framing between each pane.
This much attention to detail may not matter to many Putzers, which is fine, but I am a perfectionist by nature and it bothers my senses to see the frames touching. Doesn’t mean it’s wrong for anyone else. Just doesn’t work for me.
The windows will be placed between the left side of the front panel and the front door.
Determine how tall and how wide they will be. Draw them with solid lines. I try to make the spaces between windows as even as possible, but that’s up for interpretation by each Putzer. Make them the way that pleases you.
Draw the door with solid lines. I like to have the door opening 1/4″ above the bottom of the panel so there is room to add a step.
Draw the windows on the side panels. They can be any size. These happen to match the size of the ones on the front.
A Putz doesn’t need windows on the sides, but I like to add them because it’s another opening for the light to spill out when the Putz lights are on. Just adds that much more magic, as you can see in this picture of one of my spring Putz.
I use a tracing template to draw window and door spaces. I marked the template around the ones I use most often, just to make them easier to find when using the template.
I also use a circle template, most often to draw the opening for the light on the back panel of the Putz. I marked the two circles I use to make the inner and outer rings of the frame for the light hole. Another hole is marked “Silo.” That’s the hole size I use to make a silo roof when I’m adding a silo to a Putz barn. I have some thick, cardboard, spools from serging thread that make great silos. They are all the same size, so I know this hole size will work for cutting a silo roof from poster board.
Time to draw the circle opening on the back panel. Measure across the width to find the center. Draw the circle. If a template isn’t available, use a bottle cap or a coin to trace a circle. I usually set the circle up about 3/4″ from the bottom of the panel because I like to run a fence all the way around the Putz, even across the back. Setting the hole above the top of the fence will save wear and tear on the fence as lights are put in and taken out over time. Many Putzers don’t add a fence along the back. Personal choice. Do what makes you happy with your Putz.
The finished hole.
On a second piece of graph paper, draw the roof, door and window frames, and the chimney.
To draw the roof, mark a line as wide as the front panel of the Putz, plus half an inch for an extra quarter inch on each side for the eave overhang. To draw the vertical lines, measure up 3/4″ for the front overhang. and 1 3/4″ for the back part of the roof. Draw a dashed line across the roof at 3/4″ from the bottom.
Time to draw a chimney. The chimney has four sides. I decided to make it a 1/2″ square. It will sit on a slanted roof, so the bottom of the chimney has to have a slant. Sometimes I add a chimney to a Putz when the pattern doesn’t include a chimney. I decide how wide and tall it will be and sketch four of those squares or rectangles on a piece of graph paper. I add a 1/4″ wide block to one end for a flap.
Sometimes, it takes several sketching attempts before I have it just right, especially when the chimney will sit on an oddly angled roof. After you’ve made lots and lots of them, it gets much easier to “see” how the chimney needs to be drawn for a particular kind of roof.
Go over the pencil lines with a black marker. Remember to draw the fold lines with dashed lines.
To make the chimney cap, draw a square that is as wide as the chimney plus about an 1/8″ larger. That will give it a tiny bit of overhang. Same would go for a rectangular cap if the chimney was a rectangular shape.
Mark an X in the center for punching a hole when the house is constructed. It can be any size. I have a 1/8″ hand punch and 1/4″ hand punch that I use for making chimney holes. I like smaller holes for the mini Putz I make. Again, this is a detail that’s up to the Putzer. Do what works for you. Some even like to leave the chimney open without a cap. That works, too.
Window and door frames are optional. Another call the individual Putzer makes. To make frames, pencil in the needed rectangles, making them the same size as the door and window openings on the pattern, leaving 1/4″ between each for a 1/8″ frame all the way around. For this pattern, one door and four windows are needed.
Go over the finished sketch with a permanent pen or marker. I use the rectangle template to simplify this part of the pattern.
The next step is to mark where the lines for the frames start and stop. It can be hard to see that with the ruler on top the rectangles if they haven’t been marked.
Draw the frames in pencil and then mark them in permanent marker when they look right.
My door frames include the door, so the fold line of the door should be marked with a dashed line.
The last piece to draw is the circle frame for the light hole. I use a circle template. If a template isn’t available, use a compass. If neither is available, use a dime for the center and find a bottle cap or other circular object that has the right size for the larger, outer circle.
Mark the pattern pages with a name and/or pattern number. I mark them with the six digits of the date I drew the pattern. If drawn on March 26, 2019, the pattern number would be 032619. I also mark the pages “page 1 of 2” and “page 2 of 2,” etc. That has saved me several times, when I am not sure if I have all the pages needed.
I also mark all pages of my patterns with “Designed and drawn by Rhonda Ashby Coulter / ChristmasNotebook.com.” Add any information you feel is pertinent to your pattern.
When my drawings are finished, I go over them with permenant pen, but that’s optional. When the ink is dry, I erase all pencil lines.
The last thing I do to a master pattern is to mark MASTER on it with a yellow highlighter. When the pattern is copied in black and white, the word doesn’t show up. That keeps the master pattern intact. Don’t cut the paper with the yellow word on it! …ask me how I know…
I hope this tutorial is useful. Again, it just scratches the surface on pattern drawing. I hope to make some tutorials about more complicated features in the future. But it is enough to get a beginner started.
If you have any questions about the pattern, please ask. I have done this so long that it comes as second-nature and I may have missed points that beginners would find helpful. Let me know and I will update the tutorial.
If you are interested in other Putz tutorials, you may check them out here: Putz Tutorials
All proceeds from my shop support Kenya Mercy Ministries. They provide aid to children and their families living in the largest urban slum in Kenya. Thank you for your help when you purchase items from my shop.
I have looked through my records and, if I have my information complete, I have made seven Christmas Tree Lots. The first one was made in November of 2016. It found a home in Baltimore, MD.
Noel Tree Farms was purchased by a local friend as a Christmas gift for a family member. I love the paper in the background. Perfect “snow.” I made this one in December of 2016. I posted it to Facebook in the evening and the next morning it was sold.
Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm went to Tennessee, where it joined a few other Putz houses I had made. This one was also made in December of 2016.
The North Woods Tree Farm is currently listed in my Etsy shop. It was made in March of 2018, but somehow missed being listed at that time. I just found it in my inventory storage, so have now listed it.
This Holly Days Tree Farm is the same pattern used for North Woods pictured above. I like the corrugated roof on this one. Holly Days was made in March of 2018.
I believe Merry’s Christmas Tree Lot sold, but I can’t remember where it went. But how cute is that?? I may have to make a similar one for my own collection. Made in July, 2018.
This is Kringle’s Christmas Tree Farm. I love the metal banner. I have two more of those and will use them on tree lots, when I get around to making more. I haven’t made one since this one in August of 2018. I think it’s about time to make a new one!
You can see my Putz houses and other Christmas ornaments in my Etsy shop.
If you are interested in crafting some Putz houses of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information. Putz House Tutorials
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 slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
