Make your own home for decoration

There's no place like home . . . recreate your own, or make a model of your dream home. Kids love this one too – why not make a village?

Materials:

• STYROFOAM Brand Foam:
  • Cubes, 5", two
  • Sheet, scraps
• Paper, color(s) of choice: cardstock; corrugated
• Floral "U" pins
• Serrated knife
• Candle stub or paraffin
• Fine-line black permanent marker
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Toothpicks
• Scissors
• Thick, white craft glue
  

Steps:

1. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Cut one foam cube in half diagonally to create roof.
   
2. Place roof on top of remaining cube (house). Mark and cut narrow slice from bottom of roof so it exactly fits top of house with no overhang. Rub cut side with scrap foam to smooth. Glue roof to house. Insert toothpicks through roof into house for added strength.
   
3. Trace front, back and sides of house onto cardstock; cut out. Glue paper pieces to house. If necessary, use floral pins to secure paper to foam corners as glue dries. Remove pins.
   
4. Measure and cut piece of corrugated paper slightly larger than roof surface. Fold in half and glue to foam roof; let dry. If desired, use corrugated paper to create awnings and porch roofs.
   
5. For chimney, cut 1" x 1 1/2" block from scrap foam; cut bottom on an angle to fit roof. Cover foam with brick-patterned paper; glue to roof.
   
6. Refer to photo to decorate house with cardstock doors, windows and curtains. Note: Dark paper gives depth to windows; add light-colored curtains before window frames.
   
7. To create porches and window planters, make cardstock "boxes". First, cut rectangle of desired size from paper; fold up each edge an equal amount and unfold. Clip each corner along one fold line only, creating tabs that can be glued over box ends. Re-fold box and glue tabs in place. Glue box to house, open end down for porch and up for planter.
   

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For more project ideas, please see styrofoamstyle.com.