Tea light paper houses - with free templates and cut files

Here is another project I have been working on for my Christmas mantle. These light houses look so darling when lit up in the evening with an LED tea light. I love the flickering. I have made a gif below that shows you the look by night.

I have also included in the post a download link where you can get the pdf template and svg cut files as well.

Here are the instructions:

Here is how you make an LED tea light house. (please don't use a real candle for this project). I use these LED lights

First cut out all the pieces. If you are going the cut-it-yourself-route, you could skip all the roof scallops. Just make sure you fold the roof so the lines are on the inside.

These files have score lines, so when you open each file, you have to set the layer marker next to the score line layer to score line. And then you have to attach both the cut layer and score layer together. Here is a tutorial on how to deal with score lines in svgs.

I am using 110 lbs white cardstock and I set my Cricut to one dot past Fabric to get all the scallops in the roof cut out completely. I also sized the roof with this thickness of cardstock in mind, so if you use a different thickness, keep in mind that you may have to re-size the roof.

The house consists of two files for the walls. One piece has two windows in it and one piece has a door and a window in it and there is a roof piece as well.

Make all the folds where the score lines are. Make the lines sharp by using a bone folder or similar tool. Below I have made all the folds in the three pieces. I made a score line where the door opens as well.

Score lines go on the inside of the fold to get a crisp line.

First put glue on all the flaps. It is easier while the pieces are still lying flat.  Then stick the two wall pieces together by attaching the two wall side flaps on the door-window piece to the wall sides of the window-window piece. The house is seen upside down in the below image.

Then fold down the floor and stick the three remaining flaps to it.

For the roof also glue all 6 flaps. Then line up the free edge of the triangle gable with the corresponding flap on the adjacent scalloped roof rectangle. Line up the bent edge at the same time so the bottom of the roof is completely lined up. Repeat for other end of the roof.

Then glue the final two small flaps to the bent edge on the other sides and your roof is complete. It should look like what you see in the picture below.

I made these houses with lids so that you could use them as gift boxes as well. A bit see through, granted, but maybe if you wrapped your item in a tissue paper ball, it would be a sweet idea for a hostess gift or a gift card situation. Remember to include an LED light with the gift card.

I display my houses at an angle and slide the LED light forward towards the front corner. That way you can't really see the LED light so much, but you see the glow.

Here is a gif to show you the flickering of the LED tea light houses in full action.

Want to make some yourself?

Download here for free - for personal use.

This is a free download for personal use. You may not sell this download or offer it on your site without my prior written permission.

Here is the tutorial for how to handle score lines in SVGs.

If you have any suggestions for SVG projects you would like me to make in the future, please let me know in the comments.

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About Katja Kromann

I am a Danish American decorating life in Seattle. I love all things design and I am especially passionate about color, scale and texture.

I can’t think of anything more fun than coming up with a new project, making it, photographing it and sharing it with you on my websites.

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