2026 Project No. 10 - Noel Manor Castle

[Howard]

Hello everyone,

Castles are one of my favorite project categories, and I’ve probably made about a dozen over the years. For this project, I looked for inspiration on two well-known websites—Paper Glitter and Glue and A Cottage in the Forest—as well as through numerous online image searches.

Here are the links to both sites. Each offers many patterns for houses and castles and are worth exploring.

https://paperglitterglue.com/

https://acottageintheforest.com/category/cottages/

My raw-cardboard version is shown below. The towers are made from two cardboard tubes, such as from gift wrap, paper towels, or transparent kitchen wrap. The tube diameters I used may vary slightly from yours, but anything close will work. See the photos and drawings in the PDFs for details on each tower and related parts.

I haven’t chosen the final finish or colors yet, but I’m leaning toward a light sand texture under metallic craft paint. The color palette will likely be brighter and more cheerful than the drab grays usually associated with castles.

I’ll post photos of the finished castle later. Stay tuned.

Howard

[Howard]

Hello everyone,

I didn’t expect to finish this castle so quickly, but some projects capture my full attention—and for me, that’s creativity at its best.

The sand-textured finish ended up a bit coarser than planned, but the primer coat and metallic paint helped smooth it out. The castle stands 9 3/8" tall on a 4 1/2" x 6" x 3/4" base.

The windows are attached to the white poster board pieces. During pre-assembly, these two pre-curved pieces were made, cut, and test-fitted inside their towers to align with the window openings. The panes are red acetate, with 1/32”/1 mm gold tape used for the mullions. This tape is available on the internet and is sold as “fingernail decorating tape”. It may also be found by searching for "pinstripe tape".

Here is a tutorial forum partner PutzinVT posted a while back: https://cardboardchristmas.com/html/pin ... rames.html

Now I’m looking for the right figurine—or I may make a flattie—with a fairy tale Christmas theme. I’m also already thinking about the next project to share with you next month, or maybe sooner.

Stay creative and stay tuned.

Howard

[Antoinette]

Wonderfully unique rendering, Howard. I'm boggled by your originality. What did you use for the delicate window muntins?

[Howard]

Antoinette…

Here are the window details…The panes are red acetate, with 1/32”/1 mm gold tape used for the mullions. This tape is available on the internet and is sold as “fingernail decorating tape”. It may also be found by searching for "pinstripe tape".

Here is a link to a tutorial done by forum member PutzinVT…our friend Steve…
https://cardboardchristmas.com/html/pi ... rames.html