Craft your own 3D Country Village

Imagine your own countryside retreat, filled with winding cobblestone streets, ancient stone cottages and with curls of woodsmoke gently drifting up from chimneys. Now you can bring your rural idyll to life with the Country Village collection! This exciting new range allows you to craft a whole street of 3D buildings from thatched cottages to elegant churches.

This range is so simple to use, and a really fun way to expand your papercraft skills! So why not join us for a stroll through the Country Village, who knows what new inspiration may be hiding round the corner?

First things first! We promised it was simple, and it really is – just follow these steps and you’ll be the mayor of your own tiny town in no time!

How to create a 3D building:

• There are two separate components for each building, a plastic template and a corresponding die set. Choose your building and bring together your template and dies
• Use the plastic template to trace around the outside and the score marks with pencil, cut out the shape of the building using your chosen cardstock and rub out any pencil lines
• Using the corresponding die set, choose your windows and doors, place them onto your cut out building shape and roll through a die-cutting machine
• Choose cardstock in a complimentary shade, select your window frames, roof, chimney or other architectural details from the die set and roll through a die-cutting machine
• Add wood, stone or brick textures to the walls of your building using the Village Textures stamp set
• Stick your decorative elements, window and door frames onto the corresponding die-cut area of your building
• Now it’s time to build! Following the score lines (shown on the packaging), fold your card into a 3D building and secure with glue tape or all purpose glue
• Finally, top your building with the die-cut roof and chimney details

When you think of a country village, the image of a traditional thatched cottage springs to mind straight away – so of course we had to make sure it was included in the Country Village collection! This Thatched Cottage set looks straight out of a fairytale, complete with that all-important thatched roof and a sweet picket fence. Why not let your creativity bloom and add floral decorations to the walls to give the impression of rambling roses or ivy?

Why not add some historic charm to your village with this Townhouse? Complete with a steeply gabled roof and Tudor-style wood paneling this three story 3D building is full of old-world authenticity.

This stately building is the Manor House – surely the envy of all the village, with a beautiful tiled roof, elegant windows and chimneys. This building is the largest in the collection and will measure 6.6” x 5.5” x 2” when built.

No village is complete without a Village Church! This set has everything you need to create a classic church, complete with a spire, cross and bell! (The clock has been added using the Village Textures stamp set.) For an extra touch, why not colour your own stained glass effect to add to the windows?

How cute is the Cosy Cottage? We think it’s so sweet it could be made out of gingerbread! This teeny little cottage will measure 3.3″ x 4″ x 2″ when built – the perfect way to create a quaint village with a mix of building styles and sizes!

We hope you have fun crafting your very own Country Village and can’t wait for a tour around your tiny towns! So make sure you share your project photos with us on Facebook UK, Facebook USA,  Twitter, Instagram UK, Instagram US, Pinterest UK or Pinterest US using the hashtag #crafterscompanion.