What can you do with toilet paper rolls? In another article elsewhere on this site, we look at how you can turn toilet paper rolls into gift boxes. This time around, we’ll turn a toilet paper roll into a birdhouse ornament. You can easily modify this project to make an ordinary house simply by changing the details, like adding a door and windows. You can also do away with the hanger, and make a tabletop village of toilet paper roll houses!

In our example, the house is decorated with paper after the basic shape is formed, although you may find it easier to cover the roll with paper before cutting and folding it into shape.

You will need:

* Toilet paper roll
* Patterned paper
* Washi tape or deco tape (optional)
* Scrapbook embellishments like flowers or punched shapes
* Masking tape
* Crochet thread or twine
* Cocktail toothpick
* White glue
* Straight edged scissors
* Scallop edged scissors
* Craft knife
* Ruler
* Pencil
* Bone folder

Flatten a toilet paper roll and fold it lengthwise, using a bone folder to make crisp folds. Unfold the roll to form a square tube.

Measure the width of one side of the square tube, and then using this measurement, mark off the same length from each end of the roll.

Cut along the folds from both ends of the roll up to the marks, forming tabs. For the bottom, fold two opposite tabs inward, then fold the other two tabs. Glue down the last tab.

For the top, fold two opposite tabs inward until their edges meet at a peak; this will be the roof. With the tabs in this position, trace along their edges onto the adjacent tabs. You’ll notice the peak is a little below the edges of the adjacent tabs; trim off the excess so that the edges of the tabs are now flush with the peak. Next, fold along the traced lines to form triangular tabs, and then glue them under the roof, leaving the peak of the roof open in a slit. You’ll add the hanger here later.

Cover the sides and bottom of the house with patterned paper, cutting and gluing the paper into place, but leaving the slit uncovered. You can also use washi tape or deco tape to decorate the house.

Cut a rectangular piece of patterned paper that extends slightly beyond the edges of the roof when folded crosswise. Trim the sides of the roof with scallop edged scissors. Make a small slit in the middle of the fold to accommodate the hanger. Note: To have the scalloped edges showing at the front of the house, cut all sides with the decorative scissors, make a light score along the long sides, and then fold the edges down.

Cut a toothpick so that it’s slightly shorter than the width of the house. Form a loop on a piece of crochet thread or twine, then tie the ends twice onto the tooth pick. Insert the toothpick through the slit at the top of the house, and seal the opening with masking tape. Trim the excess tape. Take the rectangular paper and carefully pass the hanger through the slit in the fold. Glue on the roof. Finish off by embellishing the house with fabric flowers or punched paper shapes.