These juice (or milk) carton houses caught my eye a couple of years ago. I think the ones I saw were made from the small milk cartons you get for drinking in schools. But I am afraid, that I can’t for the life of me find the original post! Since then, though I have seen many variations – including cool light ones from Lila A and adorable bird houses and these lovely ones from Mormorsglamour (a nice alternative to ours, as they require no paint!). If you want to make these in a school environment, you may want to use old pieces of wrapping paper or news print to cover your house instead of (acrylic) paints.
Milk Carton House – Materials
- juice or milk cartons,
- acrylic paints in various colours,
- optional – pen & paper for windows, but you can paint these on directly
- scissors
Remember not ALL acrylic colours are OPAQUE – white usually is and pastel colours tend to be opaque (as they contain white pigment). You need an opaque colour to hide all the writing. So you may either want to add a white base layer first or mix a little white with your colour. e.g. that is why our house is light blue!
Diesen Bastelspass gibt es nun auch auf Deutsch: Getränkekarton-Häuschen
DIY Milk Carton House How To:
1) Paint your milk carton house in bright colours and let dry. We used the juice opening as a “chimney”, you could have cotton wool coming out of it!
2) Whilst drying get the kids to draw some windows – this is often easier for younger kids than painting windows on. It also allows for “errors” and they can make as many as they like. With mine, we practice drawing squares (and later circles and triangles) – I drew them in pencil and they copied them. They didn’t want to do them purely free hand and I thought it was great practice. I love that Red Ted added a “roof window” for his milk carton house. And a long “oblong window like Granny has”.
3) Cut out the windows and stick on. Then I cut a door with a Stanley knife for them and again they coloured them. You could add a bead as a door handle and other details, but the kids where happy with how they were. Add some Stone Ducks and Mushrooms and you are all set…
PLAY PLAY PLAY with your milk carton house! I love that later a playmobil family moved in.. and that Red Ted (yes, the 5yrs old boy!) loved his house so much, he took it to bed with him!
We also have some adorable Milk Carton Birdhouses:
Here is lots of more FABULOUS Milk Carton Craft inspiration:
Lois says
You know you have a winner when the finished project gets to sleep in the bed at night. They really are cute and would provide any child with hours of imaginative play.
becky says
am going to have a go with the milk carton houses top idea!
Red Ted Art says
Lovely! So pleased you like them!
Emma in Bromley says
Aww these are lovely! Reminded me, I’ve got a pin on my Pinterest board for something I’d like to make … A milk bottle igloo! http://pinterest.com/pin/108579040986076457/
Emma xx (@beachpebble)
Red Ted Art says
Oh my, Emma, how cool is that igloo!!!
Emma @Mummymummymum says
They are so cute Maggy 🙂
Sam @ Thrive 360 Living says
I completely adore these houses and I know my son would too. And of course I love your stone ducks. So much cuteness in one project. Love. Pinned!
Red Ted Art says
Ooh yes, I love it when all our little crafts come together and get played with one go!!
Jeanette Nyberg says
These are wonderful! I usually buy milk by the gallon, so I will have to make an exception next week in the name of art-making.
jet says
aaaw this is cute, the final picture with the little people in their gardens. Love it.
Great idea!!!! thank you for the sharing;-D
Amy says
What kind of paint did you use? We tried doing a milk carton school bus a while back and couldn’t get the yellow paint to cover the carton printing even after three coats! So when we made a milk carton princess castle, we had to cover it in construction paper!
Red Ted Art says
We used Acrylics. But I find even with acrylics, that some need a “white base” in order for it to be opaque, if that makes sense. So for example, I have a pale yellow, which is basically a white and a yellow mixed and I have mixed that in with the “normal” yellow to make it opaque. If you don’t want to mix colours (e.g. turn red into pink), I suggest a base coat of white first (boring, I know), but white is opaque and should cover all.
bamauthor says
As usual all your ideas are wonderful, but those juice carton houses bring back memories. I did the same thing with milk cartons when I was a little girl.
Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas says
Maggy thanks for sharing these on The Sunday Showcase. I featured them on my blog this week and pinned them to our Pinterest board.
Tilly says
Thank you for a wonderfully inspirational project. I’ve shared it on my FB fairy page Away With The Fairies.
Lysa says
Great idea!! My 4 year old boy will be delighted!!! Thanks for this!!