DIY Christmas Crafts For Adults
If you’re looking for unique DIY Christmas crafts for adults, this little Christmas village planter is such a fun project! It combines a rustic wooden brick mold with detailed clay houses to create a decorative planter that can be enjoyed throughout the year.
Fill it with loose flowers for spring and summer, dried stems for fall, or Christmas greenery and miniature bottle-brush trees for the holidays. It’s also one of those Christmas crafts for adults to make and sell, since every planter can be customized with different colors, finishes, and seasonal arrangements. So grab a wooden box and let’s get started.
Materials Used – DIY Christmas Crafts For Adults
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- WOODEN BRICK MOLD OR SMALL WOODEN PLANTER BOX
- IOD CHARLBURY LANE MOULD
- IOD AIR DRY CLAY
- CORNSTARCH
- SMALL PAINTBRUSH FOR CORNSTARCH
- BRAYER
- TITEBOND WOOD GLUE
- WHITE CHALK STYLE PAINT
- PRAIRIE GREY DIY PAINT
- WATER
- STYROFOAM BOWL FOR PAINT WASH MIXTURE
- PAINTBRUSHES
- CHIP BRUSH
- DAMP CLOTH
- PAPER TOWELS
- HEAT GUN
DIY Christmas Crafts For Adults Video Tutorial
DIY Christmas Crafts For Adults Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Silicone Mould Prior To Adding Clay
Begin by lightly dusting the inside of the village house mould with cornstarch. I like to apply it with a small paintbrush so it reaches all the detailed areas.
The cornstarch helps prevent the clay from sticking and makes it easier to release the delicate houses without damaging their chimneys, windows, or other small details.
Step 2: Press the Air-Dry Clay into the Mould
Choose a piece of air-dry clay large enough to fill one of the houses. Press the clay firmly into the mould, making sure it reaches the edges and all the intricate details.
Use your fingers to remove the excess clay by gently pushing it toward the edges. Smooth the back with your fingers, and then roll a brayer across it to create a flat surface.
A flat back is important because it allows the finished casting to sit snugly against the wooden planter.
Repeat this process until you have cast all four houses.
Step 3: Place the Mould in the Freezer
Tip: Place the filled mould in the freezer for approximately 20 minutes. This step isn’t required, but it makes removing detailed clay castings much easier.
The clay will firm up enough for the houses to pop out without stretching or breaking. It will quickly soften again, so you’ll still be able to shape the castings against your planter.
To remove each house, turn the mould over and gently pull the flexible mould away from the edges. Allow the clay casting to release rather than tugging on the clay itself.
Want more tips on using air dry clay? Grab this free lists of tips and tricks for getting perfect clay castings!
Step 4: Arrange the Houses Along The Front Of A Wooden Box Or Planter
Before applying glue, position the clay houses along the outside of your planter. Experiment with the arrangement until you’re happy with the spacing.
I alternated the houses to create a charming little village across the front of the wooden brick mold. You can use all four houses or adjust the number to fit the size of your planter.
Step 5: Attach the Clay Houses To Your Planter
NOTE: It would have been easier to lay the castings on a flat surface to dry and harden before glueing down.
Apply a light, even layer of Titebond glue to the back of the first clay house. Bring the glue close to the edges, but avoid adding it to any portion of the house that will extend above the planter.
Position the casting and gently press it against the wood. Press carefully so the soft clay conforms to the surface without smudging its details.
Continue until all the houses are attached.
Step 6: Support the Clay While It Dries
Air-dry clay castings can move or slide before they are completely dry. To keep the houses in position, I placed a paint stick underneath them as a temporary support. I positioned mine approximately ⅛ inch above the bottom of the planter.
I also used another paint stirrer to brace the taller portions of the houses and help them dry upright. Adjust the supports as needed while drying the clay from different directions.
Allow the clay houses to dry completely. Mine dried overnight.
Step 7: Extra Reinforcement For The Taller Houses
Before the castings were dry, I wanted to make sure the two taller houses wouldn’t bend. To reinforce them, I rolled two small pieces of air-dry clay and placed them behind each tall house.
Glue the clay supports to both the wooden planter and the back of the house. Stack the pieces if necessary to fill the space. Because they’re behind the houses, they won’t be visible from the front.
Again, you could let the clay castings dry on a flat surface before gluing on (as long as your planter is straight). You could also use epoxy resin or similar type of medium.
Step 8: Paint Your DIY Christmas Crafts With White Paint
Paint the entire piece with white chalk-style paint, including the wooden planter and all four clay houses. Apply two coats if necessary for complete coverage.
Pay close attention to the tiny windows, doors, rooflines, and other detailed areas. Paint can easily puddle inside these small spaces and hide the details, so check your work as you go and remove any excess paint.
Allow the white paint to dry thoroughly.
Step 9: Mix a Grey Paint Wash
To highlight the architectural details, create a paint wash using Prairie Grey DIY Paint and water.
There isn’t an exact formula for this mixture. Add a small amount of paint to a bowl and stir in enough water to create a thin, watery consistency. You want the wash to flow easily into the recessed areas of the clay houses.
If your wash feels too thick, add a little more water. You can also lightly mist the project with water after brushing on the wash.
Step 10: Reveal Details Of Your DIY Christmas Crafts For Adults
Working on one house at a time, brush the gray paint wash over the surface and into all the crevices.
Use a damp cloth to gently wipe the wash from the raised areas while leaving it inside the recessed details. This makes the windows, doors, bricks, and rooflines stand out beautifully.
Use a folded paper towel to dab excess paint out of tiny areas where the wash may puddle. If you remove too much, simply brush on more wash and repeat the process.
On the flatter sections of the planter, use a dry artist’s brush to move and soften the paint rather than wiping it all away.
Continue until all four houses and the planter have the softly aged finish you want.
Step 11: Dry Brush the Raised Details With White Paint
Once the paint wash is completely dry, use the original white paint to dry brush the raised areas.
Dip a chip brush lightly into the paint and wipe most of it onto a paper towel. Very gently drag the brush across the surface, allowing it to touch only the highest details.
Begin with very little paint and gradually build the highlights. This final layer brightens the raised details while maintaining the subtle shadows created by the gray wash.
Step 12: Decorate Your DIY Christmas Crafts For Adults
Now comes the fun part—styling your new planter!
Fill it with loose flowers for an everyday display, or turn it into Christmas décor with:
- Faux cedar or pine greenery
- Cream-colored winter stems
- Miniature bottle-brush trees
- Pinecones
- White berries
- Battery-operated fairy lights
The interchangeable arrangement makes this one of my favorite fun Christmas crafts for adults. You can enjoy the little village at Christmas and then refresh the planter with different flowers and greenery as the seasons change.
More Christmas Crafts For Adults
Looking for more Christmas crafts for adults? Check out these fun ones below:
Wood Projects for Christmas Decor
Lamb’s Ear Christmas Decor
Snow Globe Christmas Craft
Alcohol Ink Ornaments
DIY Acrylic Ornaments
DIY Velvet Ornaments
How to Make Air Dry Clay Ornaments
Painted Wooden Christmas Trees
Paper Mache Christmas Tree DIY
A Beautiful Handmade Christmas Gift or Craft to Sell
If you enjoy making Christmas crafts for gifts for adults, this village planter would make a lovely handmade present. You could personalize it with a favorite paint color or fill it with greenery that complements the recipient’s home.
It’s also a wonderful choice if you need Christmas crafts for adults to make and sell at holiday markets or in an online shop. Try using salvaged brick molds, small wooden boxes, or handmade planters to give each one its own character. You could offer them filled with Christmas greenery or sell the planter separately so customers can style it themselves.
If you love upscale DIYs, grab my five most popular projects you can do in a weekend!
Create Your Own Christmas Village Planter
This project puts a creative twist on the traditional miniature Christmas village. The soft gray paint wash and white dry brushing emphasize all the beautiful details while giving the houses a wonderfully weathered finish.
Whether you’re searching for handmade décor, Christmas crafts for gifts, or simply new Christmas crafts for adults, I hope this project inspires you to create your own little village planter. It’s an easy piece to customize, fun to decorate, and pretty enough to display long after Christmas is over.
OTHER USEFUL LINKS FOR INSPIRATION:
Pinterest
Youtube
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Until Next Time! Happy Creating!
Love, Joanie
