Supplies
- 2 One pound packages Terra Cotta ACTIVA Activ-Clay
- Acrylic Paint: Dark Brown, Off White, Brick Red
- White Craft Glue
- Paint brush
- Water basin
- Toothpick
- Rolling pin
- Plastic wrap
- Plastic knife
Directions
Note: This log cabin was constructed in pieces: 4 sides, the roof and the chimney. It measures 6" x 6” x 7” tall. You can make it any size but may need to increase the number of packages of Activ-Clay. This log cabin can be made two ways: you can roll coils and stack them together, or you can roll out slabs, cut the walls out, and carve the grooves in the walls. The one pictured was made with the slab method. Keep extra clay in an air tight bag or covered with damp paper towel so the clay does not dry out.
STEP 1 Cover your work space with plastic wrap.
STEP 2 Create paper patterns, 1 for front and back and 1 for the sides. Front and back, 6” wide, 4” up to where the angle goes towards the peak, 3” to the peak. The sides are 6” x 4”.
STEP 3 Roll out the clay to ¼” thick. Lay the paper patterns on the clay and cut around them with a plastic knife.
STEP 4 With the plastic knife carve into the clay lightly to create the look of tree bark. Then with the round end of the paint brush carve the grooves (logs) from side to side.
STEP 5 Cut out the door and windows. For the windows you can cut out 4 small openings for each window or cut out one opening and then put the muttons back in.
STEP 6 Roll a coil/snake about 1/8” thick, flatten slightly carve bark lines into the clay coil, use this to make the trim pieces for around the doors and windows. Press in place and trim as necessary.
STEP 7 Set all the sides aside to dry. This will take about 24 hours.
STEP 8 Now you will connect at the walls together with white glue, to help the walls stay in place while the white glue is drying use hot glue on the seams on the inside.
STEP 9 Roll another coil about 1/4” thick, press on the corners of the cabin them remove until they are dry, when dry glue onto the corners of the cabin with white glue.
STEP 10 Now roll out more clay to ¼” thickness for the roof. Once again use the plastic knife to create the look of bark and use the round end of the paint brush to make the grooves. It should hang over all sides about ½”, so measure the opening before you cut the clay. Lay the sheet of clay over the sides, press down lightly and let dry.
STEP 11 Once dry fill in any gaps around the roof line with clay roof. Make another coil to go along the top of the roof. Press on lightly, remove, let dry, glue in place once dry.
STEP 12 Make a rectangle ½” square 3” long, carve brick lines in the chimney, cut the bottom at an angle to fit on the roof, set aside to dry. When dry glue to the roof.
STEP 13 Make the stack of logs by rolling a coil 1/8” thick, carve in the bark design, and cut 10 pieces 1” long. Put 4 on the bottom then 3, then 2 then one. Glue together when dry if necessary.
STEP 14 Make more logs of different lengths for inside the fire ring.
STEP 15 Make 5 bigger tree stumps to go around the fire ring.
STEP 16 Roll out a piece of clay 1/8” thick, cut it 5” long ½” high carve brick lines in the clay. Bring the ends together forming a ring, set aside to dry.
STEP 17 Stack the logs for inside the fire ring in a tee-pee fashion. Glue as needed.
STEP 18 Paint the chimney and the fire ring brick red thinned with water, wipe with a paper towel leaving more paint in the grout lines.
STEP 19 Paint the tops of the tree stumps and the grooves between the logs off white.
STEP 20 Thin the dark brown paint about half and half with water, paint this mixture all over the cabin and all the other logs, wipe with a paper towel leaving more paint in the grooves.
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