11.10.2013

Tea Light Village Tutorial


2015 Note:
I have continued to expand Tea Light Village and made the files available at my sister site. Visit 3dcuts.com for mote information about additional Tea Light Village Files. I have 9 buildings available now!

Project Description: 

Tea Light Village is a tiny series of buildings designed specifically to fit over tiny LED Tea Lights so readily available these days.  The lights provide a warm glow which brings life to the village display.



Warning: Only use LED Tea Lights. DO NOT use regular candle tea lights.


I gave my sister-in-law a Tea Light Village fore Christmas this year. She sent me this photo of it on the mantel in their beautiful log home in the Colorado Rockies.


This specific tutorial is for the simple buildings including the cottage, town house and village store.

Files can be purchased as a group at 3dcuts.com here for savings.

Files in the Tea Light Village series include with links to the cutting file at Silhouette:
There are 4 tutorials for the series:

Tea Light Simple Building Tutorial

Tutorial assembled using Silhouette Software Release 2.7.18. This tutorial assumes you already know how to use the Silhouette and Silhouette software.

Supplies Needed:

  • Templates from Silhouette On-Line Store (links above)
  • Glue dots 3/16"
  • Silhouette Cameo or Portrait
  • Card Stock 
  • Wax paper
  • Glue
  • Scissors

Steps for completing the Buildings:

1. Download the cutting file for your Silhouette Cutting machine from the Silhouette Online Store (Link for all three files n the series located above.)

2. Prepare the files:
  • The downloaded Silhouette file for the combined town house and village shops looks like this.  Each building will fit on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of card stock or can be cut from a 12 X 12" sheet depending on your Silhouette size and paper supplies. 

  • To use a Portrait or smaller paper, copy and paste the appropriate pieces into a new file.  
  • Note: If all the parts are grouped together, you will need to ungroup them to move them.  
  • Select the image, go up to the OBJECT menu and down to UNGROUP. Then copy and paste the parts needed into a new document.

  • Here is the town house on an 8.5 x 11 page.


  • And here is a layout for the village shops: You may need to rotate and rearrange parts to fit everything on one page.



3. Cut the files
  • The cut settings will depend on the paper you use. I have been using white index card stock and cutting at a speed of 3, a depth of 33 and the blade set to 3.
  • Carefully remove the cut files from the backing mat.

4. Add wax paper scraps to the inside of all the windows. This will allow the candle light to have a more natural glow.
  • I cut rectangles of wax paper to fit the windows on each side.
  • Use regular paper glue to hold these in place.

5. Assemble the building
  • First fold all dotted lines in ( toward the wax paper side).

  • Using glue dots, connect the side walls together.
  • Work to keep things square. Bottom edges should line up.

  • Place glue dots along the tabs for the roof. Apply then to the portion closest to the fold first and press the roof in place.

  • And then continue to the other side of the roof including gluing the tab that slides down by the side wall.

  • Add glue dots to the first roof and then glue on the roof cover which adds the overhangs.
  • Work to center the roof.

  • Now, make additional buildings and trees to make a complete village scene.
  • This same set of instructions applies to other Tea Village buildings as well including the town house and village shops.


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© 2013 Marji Roy, Ashbee Design

Sharing this post at some of these link parties. They are worth checking out for other ideas.




33 comments:

  1. These are just charming. I loved the little Putz houses we had under the tree when I was little. I was thinking about making some similar little houses with the Silhouette and you've already designed them for me!

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    1. Send a photo when you have yours done and set up. Time for me to pack up the Halloween stuff and start some winter things, I think I'll start with this village on the console table.

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    2. We've finally started construction on our retirement house. I'll be moving from Missouri to a temporary rental in North Carolina so that I can supervise. I'm not sure when I'll be able to play with paper but I'm looking forward to making the little houses.

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    3. Building a real house is so much more fun (and challenging) than paper ones. I love a good building project but don't have one in my future. Enjoy! I saw the pics on your blog and will check in to watch the process.

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    4. thank you so much for sharing your wonderful project or idea, its fun and i realy love it.... thank you..

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  2. So cute! I love all your buildings. I keep buying them altho I have no place to set them up. Oh wait! I just thought of a place that might work! Thanks for the files.

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    Replies
    1. There is always another ledge! Or make a ledge!

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  3. Thank you so much for sharing your fantastic project on The Inspiration Board at homework. I featured you today! Have a great weekend.

    carolyn
    homework &
    DETAILS

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    1. Thanks for the feature. I always love your blog.

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  4. What a great idea and perfect for a weekend projects, Thanks!
    Over The Apple Tree

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  5. Replies
    1. Thanks. I love them in the evening when glowing.

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  6. How cute! Thanks so much for sharing! What a fun project!

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  7. What a fun project, the little village is adorable. Love the tea lights!!

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  8. These are just adorable! I made a zillion glitter houses last year and it was so much fun. I love the simplicity of these. Thank you for the patterns and the trees! I love those trees.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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    1. The trees add so much to the village, especially if you make them in a variety of sizes. I like the trees so much that I have done centerpieces of just trees!

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    2. Thanks for visiting and commenting.

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  9. Hi! I must purchase a silhouette! Lovely project.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Ursula, you should. It has changed my crafting life!!!!

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  10. This is so pretty! What a great idea to use wax paper on the windows. I have a silhouette, so I might give this a try for a little shelf that I am currently painting and framing in. Thank you for sharing it and your cute Ho Ho Ho tree and sleigh at What We Accomplished Wednesdays.

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  11. I think your project was awesome and that's why I featured it at Craftionary.. :) Thanks for linking up at The weekly creative.. Come by and see other fun projects that got featured along with you.
    Have a great weekend! :)

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  12. thank you! I made some way back in the early '70's-I had seen them in the Eaton's & Simpson-Sears Christmas catalogue so I hand cut them with scissors. We used them for years with a string of mini-lights. I look forward to using my Sil SD this time around using coloured paper instead of gluing & colouring them. They'll be easier to arrange because the tea lights will permit more flexibility than the sting of mini-lights. I've been going to piece meal a village now I won't have to!
    Thanks again!

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    Replies
    1. Have fun making it Libby and send me a photo when it is done and set-up!

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  13. I have just made two of the smaller house and trees, put tea lights in them and they are wonderful, can;t wait to set up for Christmas now - thank you

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  14. Marji Roy, this is absolutely the most perfect and beautiful paper village I have ever seen! I've completely fallen in love with it and want it in my home so, so badly! I have no access to a silhouette or cricut machine. Is it possible to print these templates on a regular printer and hand-cut the houses? I know that might be a stretch, but I just had to ask. Thank you!

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  15. Ive tried doing this on a cameo 3 and it just isn't working for me. The windows are being cut in an overlapping fashion. It's as if the page isn't advancing properly. I tried another default pattern that came with my cameo and it cuts fine. I've tried this 3 times now and I keep getting this problem. I've double checked all my cut settings. Too bad. I wanted to make this for my daughter.

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    1. Curious. All I can recommend is trying alternatives. You are the only person that has contacted me with this problem. Is your mat still sticky? I know I get over cuts if my mat isn' sticky and the card stock can slide. I have also had repeated problems with print papers (not card stock). The windows are tiny so there isn't a lot of room for slight errors. Did the blade stick in a corner and cause a pause? Try turning the pattern on the page before cutting and see if that makes a difference. So many people have had success with theTea Light Village.

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  16. Ik woon in een verpleeghuis en kan niet veel met mijn handen, maar met mijn cameo en jouw prachtige huisjes, kan ik het hier toch nog gezellig maken, dan je voor deze mooie patronen. Liefs Marian

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    1. I am glad you enjoy creating the village. I will continue designing a few new buildings every year.
      Marji

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  17. I love these but do you have a cut file for a Brother Scan and Cut? Or Cricut? I want to make these!!
    Thank You 💜

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    1. They are available in svg format for Cricut and Brother Scann Cut at my website 3dcuts.com. Just click on Store and the Tea LIght Village

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