![](data:image/jpeg;base64,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)
Share the JOY this Christmas with this simple wood house project.
![](data:image/jpeg;base64,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)
For my “Joyful Village," I started with some wood trim scrap pieces cut into simple whimsical house shapes. My pieces measure 4″ x 2″, 3″ x 2-3/4″ and 3-1/2″ x 2-1/4″.
![](data:image/jpeg;base64,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)
I painted each house with a couple coats of a nice brownish gray.
![](data:image/jpeg;base64,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)
After painting the houses…
- Create a roof with a strip of black corrugated paper.
- Add color to white embroidered letters (if desired) by dampening them with water, then rubbing them across an ink pad.
- Glue a letter on to each house.
- Make a mini wreath and swags using pine craft stems.
- Print out the date on white cardstock and punch out each number with a punch to fit inside small metal charm frames.
- Tie the charms to the wreath and swags with ribbon and glue them onto the front of each house.
![](data:image/jpeg;base64,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)