diy gingerbread men + village wreath

true to form, i've re-used one project in the creation of another!
you'll recognize these ceramic village houses and trees from my last post,
where i shared my 'gingerbread' makeover - with paint!
i love seeing how many ways i can use something,
and how i can expand a seasonal theme to encompass many different projects.

continue reading to learn some secrets about this one!

first i have to share that an unanticipated challenge was involved
in the creation of this project...
when i pulled the wreath out of the storage bin and bag, it was YELLOW.
not a bright happy sunny yellow, mind you, but a dingy, dismal, faded white 'yellow'. 
i was sad. i was MAD. i was thinking 'SERIOUSLY??!!!'
and then i grabbed a can of KILZ white primer + paint and doused the thing - 
light bulbs and all.
it kinda' worked. KILZ is not bright white and the paint soaked into the plastic,
so this is the best i could color-balance it in my editing program.
and it will have to do!
 

now, on to the details...

i selected two of the smallest ceramic houses and three trees,
along with a flat house-shaped ornament that i painted to match.

some heavy felt was wedged into the inside bottom of the wreath for the houses to sit on - 

and a few unseen white chenille stems attached to the wreath
held the houses and trees securely in place.

a few white felt snowflakes added to the top of the wreath stand in for a bow.

the tiny sign (a plastic cheese / cupcake marker!),
some of my copious stash of white candy canes
(i have 60 in a baggie that i use, and thirteen unopened boxes - 156 canes!- from 2010!),
and one last tiny element finished off the wreath perfectly.

about that last element...
they are teeny tiny little gingerbread men.
and you won't BELIEVE how i made them!

it all started when i saw this at a local thrift store:

first, i thought i could use it as a topper on the tree, 
or as a final detail on a wrapped package. so i bought it.
then i had a brainstorm...
if this works with melted chocolate, wouldn't it work with HOT GLUE, too?!!!

let me show you how i did it:

tip: i tested this idea by doing ONE gingerbread man first. when it worked, i made more!

 fill each section of a silicone mold with hot glue (mine is HOT - i think low-temp would work)
then ever so gently, tap or shake the mold so there are no air bubbles in the glue.
 let the glue air-dry or speed the process up by placing it level in the freezer, like i did!
after it has hardened, it will pop right out of the mold.
the edges will be a little rough, but a quick buff with a nail file took off all of the jagged edges.

next up, paint!

my method was to paint the edges first - i was able to put a finger on the heads
and hold them in place while painting.
after the edges dried, i painted the tops and held one of the legs to keep them still.
it took two coats to get an opaque finish (the glue is a slick surface). 

when the brown paint dried, i used a toothpick and a tiny brush to add details in white paint.

the finished project is so happy! and has NO calories!

a dot of hot glue on the back of each one secures a small ornament hanger.
(not pictured)

so what to do about this yellow-y wreath?
i may just paint it. YELLOW! LOL

next up? a gingerbread tree!

related previous content:

painted 'gingerbread' village mantel

gingerbread dollhouse

white wreath with rainbow ornaments: 2020 

shared online:

funky junk interiors | new upcycled ideas #656

creatively beth | creative crafts linky party #123

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