Gingerbread House Tissue Box

by KimberlyStoney

10K6612

Intro: Gingerbread House Tissue Box

This is a great project to have kids decorate with stickers, Gelly or paint pens (I like Posca acrylic pens but sharpie pens could work), patterned paper (scrap booking or wrapping paper), pom-poms, sequins, whatever the heart desires!

You could cover it with felt and add cute felt candies.
You -- do you!

The cutting is definitely an adult’s job.

STEP 1: Gather Materials and Tools

Materials:

Corrugated cardboard

Decorating supplies: Stickers, Gelly pens, paint pens, patterned paper, scrap booking paper, wrapping paper, pom-poms, sequins, felt scraps tissue paper etc.

Tissues (in a box)

Tools:

  • Hot Glue Gun (and glue sticks)
  • X-Acto knife and cutting surface
  • Ruler

This project is easiest if it’s made so that the cardboard bends with its “grain”, the direction the corrugation runs. Make scoring lines so that they're in the same direction corrugation (the parallel ridges or grooves) too.

STEP 2: Gather, Measure, Score and Cut the House

Measure and cut a 20” long by 7.5” piece of cardboard (corrugation vertical on long side).

Next, cut an 8“x 6“ piece for the roof (corrugation vertical on long side) and then lastly, cut a 6“x 2“piece for the chimney (corrugation vertical on long side).

On the 20” piece, measure, mark and score a vertical line every 5” across the length (lightly use the X-Acto knife to cut through only the first layer of cardboard).

Draw a line 5.5" up from the bottom edge.

Divide the 2nd and 4th sections in half (2.5”) and make a mark at the top of the sections.

Draw connection lines from the top marks down to each side intersection to designate 2 roof sections.

Cut the top edges and roof sections off.

Fold the scored sections back and forth and then hide the score/drawing lines by folding them inside the house.

Use a line of hot glue to connect the 2 edges- hold in place until the glue is cool so that the pressure of the cardboard doesn’t force the house to spring open.

STEP 3: Decorate While Flat.

Draw your designs when the house (or roof) are flat.

STEP 4: Gather, Measure, Score and Cut the Roof

Measure 4” to the middle of the 8" piece of cardboard (i.e. half).

Score the line.

Fold the cardboard back and forth.

Measure and mark a 1.75” x 1.5” rectangle in the center of the roof – long sides of the roof and rectangle lined up.

This may seem odd to cut the hole as a rectangle and not a square but when the roof is angled, the hole changes size.

Cut the rectangle out.

Bend the score line back and forth and then flip the roof over and decorate if desired.

STEP 5: Gather, Measure, Score and Cut the Chimney

On the last piece of cardboard, measure, mark, and score lines alternating 1.25” and then 1.5” apart.

Fold the scored sections back and forth and then back- hide the score/drawing lines inside the chimney.

Fold the chimney together and use a line of hot glue to connect the 2 edges- hold in place until the glue is cool (so that the pressure of the cardboard doesn’t force the chimney to spring open).

STEP 6: Put It All Togther

Add/push the chimney into the roof, THEN hot glue the roof to the house.

Reach inside and add dabs of hot glue to the chimney to secure in place.

Decorate your Gingerbread House Tissue House any way you like...

Decorate more!!

12 Comments

AzureOzma 5 years ago

Last year at Dollar Tree I found Halloween and Christmas boxes made just like yours. I simple cut a slot at the peak of the roof, put a box (check your size) of tissues in and voila, a very cute 5 minute or less tissue box. This year I haven't been able to find them or they are much too small but I did find pretty boxes with flat lids that I just drop the tissue box into. I'm going to try your lids and see if I can get them to fit. I'll probably try your idea to make room specific boxes.
Thank you for a great idea!!

Penolopy Bulnick 5 years ago

I love it! It looks great decorated with those snowflakes and circles :)

KimberlyStoney 5 years ago

Reinforcement hole stickers are the best! so many uses.

DawnN2 5 years ago

I love this! I've seen the commercial ones in white plastic but this is sooo much better! I think I'll try it with puffy white ink - so that it looks like frosting.