Cardboard Gingerbread House Craft
There’s something so sweet and nostalgic about a gingerbread house for the holidays. If the thought of decorating a 3D house intimidates you, try making a cardboard gingerbread house instead! It has such a classic charm and looks great displayed as a garland or village. Plus, it’s a great way to upcycle all of those Amazon packages.
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Did you grow up making gingerbread houses? I loved adding gumdrops to mine. (I might’ve eaten more than I used to decorate.) There was a lot of finger-licking going on, no matter how hard my mom tried to keep the frosting in check.
I never imagined how fun it would be to decorate cardboard gingerbread houses. I felt like a kid again! Letting my imagination run wild, drawing curly cues, hearts, and snow-capped roofs, was liberating.
The best part? You won’t need many supplies to get started.
Supplies
- Cardboard
- Craft knife
- White paint pens or puff paint
- Jute twine (to hang)
- Striped ribbon (optional)
- Hot glue (optional)
- Ruler
Step 1: Cut the house shapes
For this Christmas craft, you can put your cardboard shipping box to good use. I cut down pieces of Amazon boxes using a craft knife.
A self-healing mat helps to protect your work surface when cutting through cardboard. Trust me on this one!
Tip
For a traditional house shape, mark the midpoint of the cardboard width at the top with a pencil. Then, measure a few inches down from the top on each side. Use a ruler to connect the dots, and cut along the lines.
I made a few houses with flat roofs as well, since the variety makes it more visually interesting. You can also add extra details like a chimney if you’re feeling creative.
Step 2: Draw gingerbread house details
I used my favorite paint pens to outline the details of my gingerbread houses. You can also use a paintbrush or puff paint for a different look. I found that puff paint was harder to control, but it does give a cute frosting impression.
I love using paint pens to have more control over the finished design. You can see more paint pen projects in my collection of painted flower pots.
Tip: Draw details from the top down to prevent smudges.
Gingerbread House Design Ideas
If you’re stuck thinking about what to draw, here are some of my favorite gingerbread house design details:
- Christmas trees
- Snowflakes
- Hearts
- Stars
- Scrolls and loops
- Dots
- Leaves and vines
- Wreaths
Experiment with different shapes for the windows and doors. Have fun with it!
Step 3: Create a garland or gingerbread village
If you’d like to make a gingerbread garland, use hot glue to attach jute twine or ribbon to the backs of the houses. You could also hang them using clothespins, either clipped to the top or glued to the back.
Another option is creating a cardboard gingerbread house village. Try creating a slit in the front of the house and inserting a small piece of cardboard perpendicular to the house to make it stand on its own.
I can imagine a tradition of adding new houses to the gingerbread village each year! Both kids and grown-ups would have a blast creating their own designs.
You can also create gingerbread house ornaments, similar to my gingerbread muffin tin ornaments.
Be sure to pin this project below and tag me on Instagram if you try this (@firstdayofhome)!
Pin it for later!
