Felt Gingerbread Cottage
You can craft a cute candy-covered cottage to display year after year. A gingerbread house made of felt looks just as temptingly sweet as the real thing, but doesn't require a sticky mess in the kitchen (or contain the calories!).
Begin by downloading or photocopying a template for the type of cottage you would like to make; the same pattern used for an edible house can be used for an inedible one. Cut the pieces from brown felt, pin them together and blanket stitch the edges with white embroidery floss or machine sew.
Decorate your little house to your taste. The decorative possibilities are endless, but here are a few suggestions:
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Hand or machine sew a decorative swirly pattern into the gables before assembling to resemble an imprint in the cookie
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Use pointed lace along the edges of the roof for icicles
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Cut white felt in an irregular shape to place atop the roof for snow
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Choose brightly-colored buttons for faux candy to embellish the roof, windows, door, and so on
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Line the edges, and other areas you prefer, with tiny beads