You may remember my post for Living Locurto, the Mother’s Day message box project below.
I’ve had that on my mind as Mother’s day approaches and wanted to engineer another type of box to share, but in a different style. Little paper houses. Engineering cardstock takes me back to my good ol’days as a package designer and I wish I had more time to create them for crafting.
As I worked on these, I must have had 5o completely different ideas come to mind of how to use these houses for various things, such as gifts, decorations, favors, etc. But since I don’t have the benefit of all that time on my hands, I’ll share 3 and give ideas for many more.
To create your own custom paper house, use the templates below. You can digitally add images or patterns, or add them once you’ve printed out your template. Card stock works best for these houses. The only difference between template one and two are the top roof-lines. No. 2 is scalloped.
I created templates also for the individual panels, you can print to card stock, cut out the panel windows and place over designs, patterns, or photographs to trace each panel shape for attaching to pre-printed houses.
To make little houses with the designs I’ve provided, click on image and save to your computer. Place into your software and scale the image down to fit a letter-size paper, then print to white cardstock. 
I’ve created this tutorial using the House of Stamps design made from scanned vintage postage stamps sent to me by a very generous JSIM reader, Tracey Ireland. This template has an additional reinforcement piece that you can trim out and glue to the front and then cut the center section out of it and through the house layer.
Once printed, carefully cut out the template with scissors or a craft blade along the cut lines. You can refer to the solid lines in the templates above for trim lines. Note that the roof-line cuts down into the house a bit.
Fold along all perforation lines. Scoring your perforation lines will make for more accurate and clean folds, although I didn’t score mine for this tutorial and they turned out just fine. I used my fingernail to crease each fold well. 
Use an adhesive to adhere the side tab to the side of the house.
I used American Crafts this to that solid glue runner, which applies the perfect width of adhesive to the sections of these houses!
Glue the bottom roof sections together.
The houses can remain flat for mailing in a greeting card!
Tuck a roll of stamps up through the bottom and thread out through the hole.
Close the bottom and you have an actual House of Stamps!
The Chocolate Covered Cherries house was just a way to use a gorgeous graphic from a vintage candy box.
Label the front and tuck little notes or actual wrapped chocolate covered cherries inside as a gift!
The roof top can be folded up and together or one over the other, however you want.
I designed some sweet little patterns for the Home Sweet Home paper house.
I thought this would be a nice way to present a home-improvement gift card as a house warming gift to friends. A card will fit perfectly within the box. You can punch a hole in the top, add a grommet if you have one and fill with sweets to hang from your neighbor’s door on May Day. Then ring the bell and run!
Some other ideas for making and decorating little paper houses are:
- Photo houses- cover with pictures of your family
- Cut out a vintage image, scrapbook paper or the cover of a magazine.
- Line up different houses on a shelf for some great conversations pieces.
- Add/cut out windows and a door, top off with a chimney.
- With windows and doors: write a note on the backside of the cut-out but before folding for a surprise message for whoever opens the door or peeks into a window.
- Fill with scripture, love notes, words of encouragement and so on. Do not glue the top, use a colorful bulldog clip to keep it closed but easy to open to retrieve the notes.
- Create shower, wedding or other party favors. Fill with most anything lightweight! If using heavier contents, be sure to tape or seal the bottom closed.
- Trim your house with ribbon, ric-rac, tiny dingleballs, lace, or paper doily edging.
- Glitter your paper house for any occasion or make Faux Putz Christmas houses sprinkled with sparkly mica flakes.
- Instead of a roll of stamps, have a roll of well wishes coming from inside the house. Before stuffing inside, perforate between each note with your sewing machine. You can create a roll from strips of cut paper taped together.
- Embellish with scrapbook stickers and other goodies.
- Cut a round hole in the front of the house and tuck in some dry moss to make a bird house.
- Use as a gift card holder and add tiny bunting along the front of the house with a message such as Welcome Home or Happy Birthday.
I could go on, but I should probably sleep at some point. I would love to hear your ideas on how you could use the little paper house templates!
Adorable! Make several and you've got a tiny village for your kids to play with!
I can't wait to make some! These are going to look darling in my little girls' playroom!
Oh wow! These are so cute. I love them!
Seriously adorable!!! I can't wait to make them. Thanks for sharing!
Jessica
http://www.MomShots.com
I envy your job. You are my crafting hero.
Thank you so much for these darling little houses . . . and for all the wonderful printables you share!
Thank you!!! LOVELY
A stamp house for stamps! Adorable!
So sweet houses! Thanks for templates! =)
Love the stamp house – I think it'd be nice to make houses for different occasions, a little paper house with a snow covered roof would look fab on the Christmas tree!
That is really cute and thanks for the templates.
Greetings
BT
wowww!
amazing!
Cathe, oh how sweet they are, thanks so much for sharing.
xo Dorthe
So cute! I can't wait to make myself one to hold my buttons and trims… Thanks for sharing!
Lovely design and brilliant ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Oh my, those are cute! Love that polka dot cutie! Thanks for the tutorial, cannot wait to give it a try… my kids will love it!
Have a happy day! Just popped onto your lovely blog and became your newest follower, looking forward to your future posts…
Oh I love your little houses! Thanks fo sharing them!
greetings
scrapkat
Hi there.
Have now looked at your blog in hours and I really love your style. Fabulous things and everything that you submit to us readers. Incredible blog …..
You have here a follower from sweden;)
Have a great day and weekend.
Hugs, Britt-Inger
uaooo it's so cute!
Amazing! Really nice work!
wao!!! amazing! so many great ideas! Thank you
can't wait to try them (family pictures and use them as Christmas decorations could be great as well
)
Very cute!
Cathe -
Thank you so much for this tutorial and the templates. I have been dying to make some houses but did not have a template and you have given us some wonderful ideas! Thank you!
Elaine Allen
Wonderful! Than k you for such a great tutorial.
These are incredible!!! Thank you so much – I happen to be on a house kick myself (birdhouses made of paper) and these are PERFECT for my collection! Thanks again!
Oh gosh, cutest little project e.v.e.r! on my to-do list asap! Thanks for sharing…reblogging on http://crushparty.blogspot.com!! I love your blog!! and your tweets!
These are cool! I think I will print some for my grandson to put together.
Thank you!
http://christiecottage.blogspot.com/2010/04/thursday-thoughts-passing-of-friend.html
oh. my. goodness. pure adorableness! I bookmarked immediately. Thank you for sharing this!
So cute and love the little stamp house!
Cathe, I bow to your crafty-greatness! Thanks for these fab templates. Just the thing to brighten a gloomy day. Sally
How lovely.Thank you very much
So cute! Thanks for sharing these adorable little templates – since my blog is called "Posted from Home" I will HAVE to make the little postage stamp house
I love these!!!
Cathe: I so love what you do for all of us out here in the blogosphere. I hope you don't mind but I have linked this post to mine. If you have a moment check it out. Thanks for your generosity, http://lindaomasoldebaggsnstuftshirts.blogspot.com/
Just a quick note to let you know that a link to this post will be placed on CraftCrave today [08 Apr 02:00pm GMT]. Thanks, Maria
These are great! Thanks! Love the stamp dispenser!!!
The houses are wonderful. I can't wait to get creative with the pattern. Thanks so much!
How adorable are these houses thanks for the inspiration
these are so cute Thanks for the template these would be great as little keep sakes for a going away party! or for a house warming! love love love the idea!
Wonderful! Thank you for the post.
Brilliant! Thank you for sharing!!!!
\Brilliant! Thank you for sharing!!!!
Son muy bonitas. Thanks for sharing!!!
Hugs
Charo
So sweet and so versatile! Amazing… love it!
oh my gosh….that little stamp house is the cutest thing I have ever seen!!! Love it!
Wow! Theses are so adorable!
I found your blog from Linda at Olde Baggs 'n Stuft Shirts. I just love your houses I am definately going to give them a go over the weekend.
Brilliant! I needed a hostess gift for a woman who is having a bunch of people she swaps art with come visit her house. a little house of stamps would be a perfect gift!
I love little houses! Thanks for the templates and all the ideas for using them.
good lord woman you are ridiculously clever!
Your little paper houses are very sweet. Great gift boxes and super just for cheering someone up with a smile. Thank you for sharing. Happy creating…
I would love to make some of these adorable paper houses. So cute!! The sky is the limit on choices. Great gift ideas. Love & blessings from NC!
They are just amazing!!!
Oh my I could die of cuteness – I may use this for teacher appreciation week in May with a little treat in each one !!! Awesome as always : )
This is a nice work of art. Utilizing used paper and stuffs to create a craft is just my thing. I will surely try this tutorial.
Thank you for sharing these – I can't wait to make one!
Wow, those are the cutest! My daughter would love these.
Wow, Cathe, we do a big fundraiser in the fall for Habitat for Humanity and these would be perfect for favors or something!
Thanks for your generosity.
Those are toooooooooo cute and I love the truck photo too!
Have a great weekend!
Melinda
I just had to bookmark this! don't know when i will get to make one, but I love these houses. You are brilliant!
Fantastic! A well of ideas!
You are just toooooo talented Cathe!
I do believe I want to live in that little paper house.
And I want to hang in that tree!
xxooxx ;o)
Happy Weekend!
Happy to have found your site…I'm hooked! Very nice & informative..Thanks!
Love your blog and read it regularly. You showed the "whY I Love you box" that you wrote about previously. Can you tell me where I could see the info for that project. I would love to make one.
Blessings…sherry
Hi, First I wanna say that I like your blog, you have so many great ideas.
I have made 2 little houses as a money gift for 2 girls, they loved it! The first one I used your cute red template and the other one I made a little bit different and coloured the house in purple with the name on it.
I just made a new post of it on my blog and linked to you.
Greetings from Holland.
Heidi (La Flotte)
Hello Cathe, from the blog La Flotte from Heidi, I come by to see these wonderful blog of you and how lovely are those little houses, thank you so much for the inspiration and sharing it with us.
Warmly greeting, Mea
Sheri wrote: You showed the "whY I Love you box" that you wrote about previously. Can you tell me where I could see the info for that project. I would love to make one.
…….
The link is in the text just above the photo, but here it is again! Thanks for asking-
http://justsomethingimade.blogspot.com/2009/04/message-box-for-mothers-day.html
Adorable little houses! Thank you for another wonderful project, Cathe!
Aww, that is SO cute! I can think of so many fun things I want to do with this. Thanks so much for sharing this, I'll be linking.
Definitely going to borrow your pre-printed designs and make some pop up cards. Like this…
http://extremecards.blogspot.com/2008/11/gingerbread-house-pop-up-card-tutorial.html
Thanks!
Carol
Extreme Cards and Papercrafting
What a lovely gift! I love the stamp one if only UK stamps came on a roll like that how cool. And so generous to share the template thanx hun I will get round to using it. And when I do I will defo give you the credit
Love Dawn xx
Oh my gosh, these are wonderful! Thanks for the great examples and templates. You are so generous AND creative.
Hello there..I don't know anymore how I came here, but there is was, your beautifull blog
) Very nice, the little houses! So cute..
Greetings from Holland..
Sonja
These are so stinkin cute! Thanks for sharing.
How cool!! can't wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, THANK YOU!!! I have been wanting to make an advent calendar that is house boxes so they can hang on the tree AND hold a surprise for my daughter. This is JUST what I was looking for. THANK YOU for sharing!
I adore paper houses – love all these ideas and I want to start printing and cutting right now!
I made a pop up card and appended it to my post about pop up gingerbread houses.
It's here:
http://extremecards.blogspot.com/2008/11/gingerbread-house-pop-up-card-tutorial.html
Carol
P.S.
Also will be sending readers your way for graphics to make this pop up village.
http://extremecards.blogspot.com/2010/04/it-takes-village.html
I love it!!! thanks for sharing!!!
this is just the cutest project! thanks so much for sharing! -rebecca
I will find time to create this great project and will let you know =)
Sweet and fab design..thank you for sharing your work with us..I appreciate that..take care..
Ooow, these are sooo lovely!
I can't wait to make some (:
Just found these while snooping around your blog
This is such a great idea, and thank you for all the templates and samples! 
This is a great idea. I think I can turn this into a Post-It dispenser project! Thank You for the inspiration. Your projects are lovely, and I bet the hard copies you printed out of your blog would be greatly appreciated to the love ones you pass it on to too! Thanks again.
I'm so glad I remembered this post. I'm making a monopoly board that's more than 4x the regular size. I'll have to change it a bit, but your template give me a great starting point for my mongo houses and hotels.
oh my god, i just discovered your blog very talented …
You are welcome to visit my studio
http://www.tamiporath.co.il/
Thanks for sharing, it looks lovely!
Pingback: November 4 ~ Gifts for Moms & Grandmas « Sew,Mama,Sew! Blog
Hi Cathe
I saw your project on the sew mama sew tutorial list & thought it just looked lovely!
I am doing a handmade Christmas workshop with the guests in our local womans refuge & was wondering if you have any thoughts on how I could perhaps make something like the house, but more on a Christmas theme? Or if you have any other ideas of some sort of paper craft I could do with them?
Thanks so much
Karen
Hi Karen,
I will try to upload a plain template today, one without graphics. If you cut holiday patterned scrapbook paper down to fit in your printer, you can print the template to the back side. OR use the template for house walls and roof shapes to add patterned paper sections to the house after printing to plain card stock. You can also rubber stamp the flat plain-printed template with Christmas stamps.
Ok, that didn’t make sense. There is a plain template in the post! You can use that one : )
This is so adorable! Would we be able to use this template to create items for selling or is it personal use only? Thanks
Hi Ashley, Thank you for asking. Yes, feel free to use the house template to create things to sell commercially. I only ask that the art of the template not be sold, but I know that’s not what you’re asking. I’d love to see what you make!
awesome! thanks for the quick reply
Pingback: Cigar Box Doll Bed and Postage Stamp Quilt | Just Something I Made
cute little houses….Great ideas with so good explanations to go with… Thanks for sharing!
adorable, all your versions.!!!
Pingback: DIY : Splendides maisonnettes à suspendre | Le Meilleur du DIY
Merci beaucoup !! vos petites maisons sont magnifiques
These are adorable – thanks for the instructions and images!!
Thank you so much fot this great idea, so great to decorate for a party. The little houses filled with sweets hummmm, njammie and with X-mas filled with littlr chocolats or as a adventcalender. So great , thank you very much !!!
These youngs houses are charming, I like!!
I am going to try to make them for my tour(ballot), thank you very much for these tutoriels…
Pingback: Photography crafts for props
Aww.. cute… these houses are really cute ..i love them
Pingback: Spunti divertenti per ecologiche casette fai da te!
Pingback: Haunted House Luminary & Party Treat Box Templates | Just Something I Made
Maravilhoso, estou pensando em fazer umas , para decoração de natal aqui em casa.
Parabéns a artista.
abraços
Maria Izabel
How did I miss these the first time around? Oh, yeah…I didn’t know about you then. Looks like I have some reading to do on posts before I became a follower. So sweet.
Pingback: Decoração fácil: Móbile Home Sweet Home | OFF-FASHION
Fantastic little houses. Thanks for sharing.
thanks for your good ideas for sweet box houses
Wow, such a great Idea, now I know what to do with my kids for the weekend.
thanks
http://www.moshesamuel.com
Israel!
love the cherry one!!! made one for my Dad’s Christmas package, can’t wait for him to see it
only thing had a problem with was the sides of the house may need a flap thingy to stay in place?
hope you do more of these, love them!
Hi Cathe,
Just wanted to commend you on such an amazing website! Your inspiring ideas and constant appetite for creativity has touched so many people.
The Little Paper Houses project, is a WONDERFUL idea! I was stuck on what to give a friend of mine for a unique gift, and once i saw this… ta daaaaaaaaaaaa…. Again, THANK YOU, for sharing your wonderful ideas
<3 Karen
Pingback: Greeting Card Houses
Pingback: Postage stamp craft
Pingback: Building the house of the Lord | Five Halos
Thanks for posting this! I adapted the design for use as part of my Halloween costume, where I went as Jacobs Hall at University of California San Diego (Google “Fallen star UCSD” to find out why a small house was key).
This is a great resource. We’ve added a link to this site under our free patterns list (page 3). I love your ideas.
thanks so much…..good idéa
My daughter wanted some small houses to decorate the file cabinet top in the office and these will be perfect. Thanks-you very much
Merry Christmas and may GOD BLESS
Hoe maak je die house of stamp.
Graag de werkwijze en de patronen aub
Pingback: Paper House Luminaries and Mobile | Just Something I Made
I’m just brimming with ideas now, Cathe. Thanks so much!!!
Hi neighbor,
I just found you. Love your little houses. I live in Napa. How about lunch sometime. Crafts are a dieing art. I would like to know people that are still doing crafts.. Were do you go for your supplies now that Ben Franklyn has closed?
These are great I love them. So many of my friends have children that it will keep me busy making these for presents etc. Thank you so much for letting us have these templates.
Can we make and sell these – please let me know.