DIY Cardboard Castle Tutorial - Cost:$4

I have been getting lots of questions about how I made

this Cardboard Castle for my daughters' Storybook Princess Party..

So here's a full tutorial on how to make it yourself!

If you get free boxes, use paint you already have..

then you'll only spend $4(pack of zip ties) to make this castle!

I went into my dollar store and asked them if they had any extra boxes..

They were nice enough to let me choose the sizes I wanted and let me load up my car!

It always doesn't hurt to ask! You can also try places like Target or Home Depot..

(That's where I found boxes for my daughters' Sweetopia Village the year before!

Luckily I stopped by the day their trash compactor broke. :)

CAREFULLY cut out doors & windows using a utility knife.

I used extra cardboard to make a template..

and then traced that on both towers for my windows.

I cut out the drawbridge but left the bottom part connected so it could swing up and down.

You'll notice the stacked boxes...I cut out part of the bottom of one and top of the other so that they kids could fit in that space. (hope that makes sense!

photos below might help explain that.)

CONNECTING THE BOXES:

I would poke a hole with a pen through both layers of the boxes or sides of them if I was connecting that way.. and then thread a zip tie through it..and zip tight!

Just mess with it when you are putting the boxes together..

You will be able to sense where you need to add a zip tie to make it sturdy.

I didn't zip tie all 3 big pieces together (2 towers and 1 doorway)

because I wanted to be able to one day move it out of our play room....haha.

it's in the basement and ready to be moved up whenever we

decide it's time for a castle play date!

PS. I bought my zip ties at Target.

But you can buy that at any hardware store too.

Using scissors I roughly cut out rock shapes.

have fun with it! do more..or do less!

Random: For my church's VBS I made a roman village like this..
and used a darker share to shadow all the rocks when I painted them (with a sprayer)

For the drawbridge I poked two holes.. threaded some rope from my craft box and double knotted it on the outside. the strands lay inside for the girls to pull up to shut it!

I made up a flag design on my computer..with different patterns and colors.

then just printed them out..cut them..and sewed them together with white thread.

I now have 3 of the garlands hanging over the girls' play kitchen in the corner of their room.

I REALLY wanted to make clouds.

The quilting batting material was always calling my name!!

I kinda made it up as I went along.. but really just roughly sew them together. the looser the better.. and then just puff them out once you turn them inside out before stitching it closed.

I think these clouds would be so cute for a baby's nursery..

or for a variety of party themes.. toy story..noah's ark..etc etc.

This castle hosted plenty of tea parties and baby doll nap times.

The drawbridge was used a lot by the 3 yr old to keep her 1 yr old sister out.........

glad I didn't put a lock on the castle door. ;)

Here's a video of the cuteness in "action"

Hope that answers your questions..
just leave comments below if I missed something! :)