DIY TV Christmas Village
Level:
Advanced
How-To:
Home Decor, Christmas Decor
Seasonal Event:
Christmas
DIY TV CHRISTMAS VILLAGE MATERIALS:
To create the full-size TV Christmas village:
- ½” MDF cut to:
- 22” x 34” x2
- 22” x 21 ½” x2
- ¼” MDF cut to:
- 34” x 22 ½” x2
- ¾” wide balsa wood cut to 7/8” length
- 1” Moulding cut at 45-degrees to:
- 22” x2
- 34” x2
- Jigsaw
- Drill
- 1” drill bit
- Wood glue
- Nail gun with ¾” or 1” brad nails
- 6” table legs x4
- Angled table leg hardware
- Paint in brown, dark brown, white and blue
- Paintbrushes
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Optional:
- Circular saw
To create the control panels:
- Craft wood panels 6” x 7” x2
- Burlap
- 1 ½” ABS pipe caps x2
- ¾” PVC pipe cap
- Silver spray paint
- Black paint pen or sharpie
- Wood stain and rag
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
To create the antenna:
- 6” wooden craft round
- 4” foam ball half
- ¼” Wooden dowel cut to 12” x2
- Silver spray paint
- Silver or grey craft paint
- Paint brush
Optional:
- Remote control lazy Susan
To create the tabletop TV Christmas village:
- Wooden craft box
- Foam core
- ¾” Wide balsa wood
- ¼” Wooden dowels x2
- Craft paint in brown, white and blue
- Paint brushes
- Silver spray pant
- Black paint pen or sharpie
- Wooden craft round
- Half styrofoam ball slightly smaller than diameter of craft round
- Burlap
- Bottle or pipe cap
- X-Acto knife
- Cutting mat
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Christmas village figurines
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
INSTRUCTIONS:
To create the full-size TV Christmas Village:
- Cut the wood down to size or have it done for you at the local hardware store.
- On one of the 22” x 34” pieces, draw the “screen” cut out to one side. Leave at least 8” on one side for the control panels.
- Drill into one of the corners of the “screen” to create a hole for the blade of your jigsaw.
- Cut out the “screen” using a jigsaw.
- Cut the moulding and ¾” balsa wood to length.
- Build the tv box. Apply wood glue along each edge where there is a connection, secure in place using a nail gun.
- Attach the moulding to the front edges of the TV using hot glue.
- Attach the balsa wood piece vertically as the divider between the “screen” and control panels. Use hot-glue to secure.
- Attach the legs. Screw the leg hardware onto the bottom of the box and screw on the legs.
- Paint the TV. Apply a drybrush of brown to create a wood grain effect on the outside. On the inside, apply a coat of white paint, allow it to dry and then add a drybrush of blue over the top half to give a sky effect. Allow the paint to dry before adhering or placing anything.
- Spray paint the pipe caps and ¼” wooden dowels which will become the dials on the control panel. Allow them to dry.
- Add finish to the craft wood for the control panel. Stain and allow to dry.
- Wrap the other craft wood panel in burlap. Secure with hot glue.
- Use a black paint pen or sharpie to add the notches and detailing to the pipe cap dials and the antenna.
- Adhere the dials to the stained panel.
- Glue the control panel and speaker onto the TV box.
- Create the antenna. Place the two dowels into the styrofoam half and glue that to the wooden craft round. Paint the ball and round grey or silver and allow to dry.
- Place the antenna on top. Secure with glue if desired, but not attaching it will make it more compact when stored.
- Place the lazy Susan inside then your Christmas village on top. Decorate as desired with faux snow etc. and enjoy!
To create the tabletop TV Christmas village:
- Create the front face of the TV, cut a piece of foam core to the size of the open face of your wooden box.
- Create the “screen” of the TV. Draw out the “screen” of your TV to one side, leaving a few inches for the control panel and speaker. Cut out using an x-Acto knife.
- Adhere the foam core to the box.
- Cut the moulding for the TV and divider between the screen and control panel to size out of balsa wood to appropriate sizes. Adhere with hot glue to the edges of the face of the TV and divide the screen from the control panel area.
- Paint the TV. Paint the exterior brown, add a dry brush of a slightly darker brown to create a wood grain effect after the first coat has dried. Paint the interior white, then add a dry brush of blue at the top to create a sky effect after the first coat has dried.
- Cut two pieces of foam core to size for the control panel and speaker. Paint one brown for the control panel, wrap the other in burlap for the speaker.
- Paint the bottle or pipe caps silver to create the dial, as well as the ¼” dowels for the antenna. Set aside to dry.
- Place your Christmas village into the box and decorate with faux snow or other elements as desired.
- Add the detailing to the antenna and dials with a black paint pen or sharpie.
- Glue the dials onto the control panel.
- Glue the control panel and speaker onto the TV
- Create the antenna, stick the two dowels into the styrofoam half sphere. Glue the foam half sphere to the wooden craft round.
- Paint the foam half-sphere and craft round grey or silver.
- Place your TV Christmas village into your décor and enjoy!
