Activ-Clay Log Cabin ~ Project Designed by Carolyn Stearns

Make this wonderfully realistic Cabin using Activ-Clay

Instructions:
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.

1. Cover your work space with plastic wrap.

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”.

3. Roll out the clay to ¼” thick. Lay the paper patterns on the clay and cut around them with
a plastic knife.

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.

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.

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.

7. Set all the sides aside to dry. This will take about 24 hours.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

14. Make more logs of different lengths for inside the fire ring.

15. Make 5 bigger tree stumps to go around the fire ring.

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.

17. Stack the logs for inside the fire ring in a tee-pee fashion. Glue as needed.

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.

19. Paint the tops of the tree stumps and the grooves between the logs off white.

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.

Project Designer: Carolyn Stearns