Recycled Superhero Headquarters

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Cardboard
• Utility Knife & X-Acto® Knife with #11 blade
• Cutting board
• Metal ruler or yardstick
• 4" circle for door tops and windows
• Loctite Spray Adhesive, 13.5oz
• Mineral spirits & rag (to clean nozzle of spray adhesive)
• Matte Mod Podge, 16oz
• Hot glue gun/glue gun sticks
• Assorted Artist's brushes, 1" & 2"
• Palette
• Black Sharpie® Marker
• Black foam board, 20"x 30"x 3/16"
• Clothespins
• 3/4" masking tape
• 12"x 12" paper, assorted solids and prints
• 2-16oz each of Acrylic Paint: Apple Barrel, Black, White, Bright Yellow, Kelly Green, Pumpkin Orange
• 2oz Deco Art: Burnt Orange
• Spray area
• Optional: Assorted lettering and other embellishments
• Brayer
• Sea Sponge

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut all cardboard parts for frame of house using templates as guide. A second layer of cardboard may be added to the side panels. With the addition of a 2nd layer, cut openings after panels are laminated. Use spray adhesive to layer cardboard. Add layer to center portion of base, to the underside of the base, 4" flaps on three sides will fold the opposite direction from the additional layer of cardboard. Add layer to 2nd floor, attic floor and room divider. Cut door opening in room divider. Add trim to sides, top trim flush with top edge and straight strips in line with bottom edges of horizontal slots. Optional: Add masking tape to cover all trim edges and square openings cut edges. Press firmly and paint over tape immediately.
2. Paint all the outer sides of cardboard with white paint. Let dry. Paint a coat of Pumpkin Orange paint. Let dry.
3. Dry fit all parts together. Clothespins and tape may be used to temporarily hold parts together. Fold base side 4" flap up. Place one side against the 4" flap, front of side toward side of base without flap. Use a clothespin to hold in place. Repeat for other side. Place lower panel of back against the back 4" flap. The 2 flaps at the back of the sides will wrap around the back of the back panels. Slide the 2nd floor in the lower slots of the sides. 2" of floor will continue past the back panels. Slide the room divider panel into the center back panel. Place the center back panel on top of the back of the 2nd floor. Slide the attic floor in the upper slots of the sides. Add the top of the back stacked on top of the attic floor. The top back panel should contour to the angles of the sides. Mark lines where back and sides meet horizontal and vertical extensions beyond the frame of house. Mark lines for room divider location if 2nd floor rooms will have different color floors.
4. Determine finishes for each room.
5. Areas to be painted will need to have a primer coat of white paint for brightest colors.
6. Mark horizontal lines on insides of sides, from the tops of the slots out to the front edges of the house. Continue the decor of each room out to the front edges of the house along horizontal lines.
7. Paint areas first. Add black paint to the horizontal board on the back of the 2nd floor and the back of the room divider, both extend beyond the back of the house. Let dry. Add paper to areas. Mark location to be papered. Apply a thin coat of Mod Podge. While the Mod Podge is still milky lay down the paper. Roll over the paper with a brayer or press by hand. Press out any bubbles. Thin paper cannot be repositioned. Cardstock may need a slightly longer time to adhere. Do not add a coat of Mod Podge to the surface of paper until the Mod Podge that was used under the paper has fully dried.
8. Clothespins may be clipped to edges paper to hold in place until set.
9. Edges of cardboard may be wrapped in paper. Cut strips of paper 1" plus the thickness of the cardboard. Score the back of paper 1/2" in from both long edges. Crease the paper at the scored marks. Use Mod Podge to glue one side of paper at a time to the cardboard. Hold in place with clothespins. Settle the paper so the fold is centered on the front of the edge of cardboard.
10. Coat all surfaces with at least one coat of Mod Podge to seal. This will enable the house to be wiped down with a damp cloth to clean.
11. Fit all parts together using hot glue to permanently attach. On edges of slotted floors and divider, on the exterior of house, add hot glue to keep the parts in line.
12. Add paint to exterior of house. Dampen sea sponge. With a brush add a line of Burnt Orange paint around the edges of the trim. Immediately tap out brush marks with sea sponge or stipple with brush (tap paint to surface by holding the brush perpendicular to the surface and tapping with tips of bristles of brush). Texture all exterior surfaces with Burnt Orange paint adding more to the bottom edge of house and around all raised surfaces. Add less texture to the raised areas. Add to black areas as well. To keep an irregular texture continually turn the sponge when applying paint. Add more texture with Bright Yellow applied with sea sponge. Add small amounts of yellow to sides, more along the top edges of the trim lines. Highlight the edges and the top of the roof by adding larger amounts of yellow.
13. Curved staircase: Cut sides and 10 steps as per patterns. If paper will be attached to the sides of the staircase use the cut cardboard as a pattern prior to assembling the staircase. Second riser and tread pattern without flange is for paper covering for steps. Start attaching the steps at the bottom step. Hot glue the riser sides to the inside of the inner and outer curves. Fold the tread down to lay on top of the inner and outer curves tread. Fold the flange up. Place hot glue on the front of the flange and attach to the back of the bottom of the next step up. The tenth step flange will remain flat with the tread. Locate the staircase on the base panel close to the right wall, wall with a door off the 2nd floor. Slide the top step under the 2nd floor. Mark and hot glue in place.
14. L Shaped Table: 3/16" foam board, black. Cut three legs and tabletop. Fold legs at center and fold flanges opposite direction. Attach flanges under tabletop at ends and angled in center.
15. Day Bed: Cut two backing panels and use as pattern if adding paper to panels. Overlap backing at corner. Cut bed panels. Hot glue to two sides of bed. Optional: Add pillows to bed. Two layers of foam board with a complimentary embellishment glued to the top layer. Cut the boards in the same shape but wider than the embellishment.
16. WOW! And WHAT! Couches: Cut out pattern adding 2" below the dotted line. Transfer onto foam board. Transfer the lettering onto paper, trace over lettering with marker and fill in the shadows. For high impact, cut out the letters. Place a contrast paper behind letters or let the foam board show through. Mod Podge the letters to the foam board. Cut two side panels for the seat. Cut one seat panel with scored lines. Bend the seat at the lines to match the front curve of the seat. Hot glue the seat to the inside edges of the side panels. Mark and glue the seat to the back lettering panel matching up the bottom edges.
17. Ladder: Cut two legs and 16 rungs from black foam board. Hot glue two rung sections layered together. Place an end of rung on the back of a leg in the 1/2" opening (as located on the diagram). Hot glue behind and at the end of the rung (inside the solid 1/2" folded length of leg). Fold the 1/2" side sections, between the rungs, to the back and glue. Dry fit ladder starting on the 2nd floor small left room up 2" past the attic floor. Keep the left leg against the side wall, in front of the end of the L table. Above the top rung the legs should fit around the attic floor. Glue in place.
18. Two shelves: Cut out parts for two sets of shelves to ut all cardboard parts for frame of house using templates as guide. A second layer of cardboard may be added to the side panels. With the addition of a 2nd layer, cut openings after panels are laminated. Use spray adhesive to la

Craft Hack Tips and Tricks:

• Adding registration marks with a pencil prior to adding Mod Podge will ensure paper is added in correct locations. Avoid applying Mod Podge over marks. Additional Mod Podge may be added under the paper at the marks once the bulk of the paper is pressed in place.