Christmas is almost here and Winter just arrived…so this is the perfect time to add a Christmas village to your home décor! Actually, this doesn’t have to be Christmas themed.  If you make it now, it could double as a Christmas village for next week, and become a Winter village for all season long!  Actually, this could last for many Winters to come since it’s study, made out of wood, and stylish! Here is how to get started.

You Will Need:

• Scrap wood like 4” x 4” s, 2” x 4” s, and 2” x 6” S
• Miter saw or circular saw
• Drill with ¾” paddle bit or hole bit
• Clamps or vice
• White acrylic paint
• Plastic cup for the paint
• Paint brush
• Sandpaper 150 grit & 220 grit
• Ivory tapered candles, “dripless” candles if possible
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks

How-To:

1. Mark where you want your “chimney” to be it should be placed off to one side. This will serve as our holder for our candles. Put the piece of wood into a vice or clamp it down using other pieces of wood to hold it into place.

2. Take your drill and paddle bit and start drilling a hole pretty deep into the wood. The hole needs to be deeper than the angle you are going to cut.

3. Cut your wood in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can make the roof of the house any angle you would like, just think of real houses! Some roofs are relatively flat, and some have steeper angles. It’s up to you and your creativity.

4. Take 150 grit sandpaper and sand down any parts that might be rough from cutting.

5. Take the 220 grit sandpaper and sand even more so you have super smooth edges. You won’t see inside the hole, so it doesn’t have to be perfect.

6. Take white acrylic paint and water it down so it’s about the consistency of milk. This is a whitewash.

7. Using a paint brush, add a layer of the whitewash that you have created to the houses. Allow to dry.

8. Take the copper tape and cut a 3” strip for each house.

9. Use hot glue to wrap each piece of tape around itself and glue it together creating a little cylinder shape. You will want the loop of tape to be about ¾” in diameter.

10. Use hot glue to secure the tape cylinder into the hole that you cut for the chimney.

11. Add a tapered candle to the chimney, set up your little village and enjoy!

For more festive DIY’s  make sure you head on over to Home & Family online. Share with us all of your Holiday crafts and DIYs on Instagram and Twitter @paigehemmis