How to Make a Mini Train Village

Make a miniature village for your train display or window scene using a few simple tips to design and assemble. A little imagination will transform simple cardboard and craft supplies into a quaint village of houses and trees.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• cardboard sheets
• exacto knife
• templates
• pencil
• scissors
• ruler
• glue
• glitter (optional)
• tree twigs OR brown and green pipe cleaners
• modeling clay
• quilt batting (optional)

1. Draw a simple house template of the walls and roof for your buildings using a pencil and ruler. Trace each side of the house and roof onto your cardboard, then cut around them with an exacto knife.

2. Draw and cut small windows in your houses. Use excess pieces of cardboard to cut matching shutters and doors, or small four-sided chimneys (cut at an angle so they will stand straight on your house's roof).

3. Paint your walls, roof, and additional features with craft paint. Once dry, glue them together. Dust the tops with glitter and glue for a "snowcapped" roof if you want.

4. For trees, cut twigs from your trees and press into a small piece of modeling clay to give it a base for balance. Dry the clay and paint to match the bark.

5. For hand-made trees, cut brown or green pipe cleaners into small strips and wind around longer green strips to form branches. Cut a strip the height you want your tree, then wind the branches around the "trunk" in staggered lengths. Set the base in modeling clay to hold your tree upright.

6. For snow-covered ground, cut or fold a piece of thin quilt batting to fit around your track. Nestle your trees and buildings into place, then dust lightly with glitter.

Tips & Warnings

• For a "green grass effect, use green felt or fabric instead of snow.
• Add "fall foliage" to your mini trees by using a mini leaf paper bunch and a little glue to snip leaves from colored construction paper and attach to your tree branches.