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Remodel & decorate in Mid Century Style

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Home / Holiday / Putz houses

A 1961 Shasta Airflyte trailer putz house DIY — free downloadable pattern

Kate - December 3, 2015, Updated: February 11, 2019

mini travel trailer christmasFor my final putz house design of 2015, Pam prodded me to create a mini vintage travel trailer inspired by the relaunch of the 1961 Shasta Airflyte trailer last September. Time to add some new elements to our growing Christmas Village subdivision!

mini travel trailer christmasThis little travel trailer has a secret underneath it — an opening for you to place over your flameless tea light.

mini travel trailer christmasSince the trailer is not anchored to the felt snow, I created a little forest scene, complete with several species of trees, and some miniature deer who are stopping by to investigate this visitor.

mini travel trailer christmasAssembly tips for this design:

  • Use lightweight cardboard (from cereal boxes or similar) or heavy weight card stock for this design. Skip the too thick cardboard boxes, which become too bulky to create the curve of the front, roof and back of the trailer.
  • No metallic silver paint? Use aluminum foil to create the chrome.
  • Once all pieces are cut out and painted, make sure to glue the wheels to each side before attaching the bottom of the trailer.
  • I attached the sides to the bottom first, then started at the back of the trailer and attached it to both sides, working my way slowly to the front.
  • Getting cardboard or card stock to curve in the right places can be tricky! Make sure to go slow — also, snow (glitter) can hide many sins. This is a difficult design to assemble folks! Pam says that for the curved top/front/back portion, she might try a coffee cup sleeve that is sort of pre-corrugated to curve easily.

mini travel trailer christmas mini travel trailer christmasAfter seeing my initial photos of the mini travel trailer putz, Pam said, “This needs a little something more!” and she searched out this flashing holiday lights necklace from Amazon that can be either draped over the top of the camper or arranged around the base. Once my necklace came in the mail, I could see that only one in three of the lights lights up, still, it’s a pretty addition.

mini travel trailer christmas mini travel trailer christmas mini travel trailer christmasWhat do you think? Cuteness overload?

Get our free pattern:

  • Click here to download Kate’s free Putz travel trailer pattern
  • For basic instructions and a list of materials needed for this project, see my first mid century Putz house pattern.

Make more midcentury “Putz” style houses:

  • See all the designs
  • Want to know why these houses called “Putz”? Read our vintage Putz house history and online guide.

CATEGORIES:
Holiday Putz houses

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27 comments

Comments

  1. tammyCA says

    December 3, 2015 at 11:50 pm

    Adorable! This is such a fun series..the handmade is precious & people appreciate all the hard work you put into it, Kate. 🙂

    • Kate says

      December 4, 2015 at 9:27 am

      Awww thanks Tammy! They are fun (and challenging) to create and I’m so glad that I have the opportunity to share my creations with you all! It is so much fun!

      • Mary Elizabeth says

        December 4, 2015 at 11:56 am

        Tammy, do post your trailer Christmas tree on the uploader.

  2. Laurie Louise says

    December 3, 2015 at 7:29 pm

    Oh, Kate, I love it! This may be enough to convert even craft-resistant me!

    • Kate says

      December 4, 2015 at 9:26 am

      Give in to the inner Krazy Krafty! 🙂

  3. Christy says

    December 3, 2015 at 7:05 pm

    I feel compelled to make this – not just because it’s super cute – but because I actually got one of the Airflyte re-issue campers after seeing a snippet about them on Retro Renovation.

    My “Putz” will be Matador Red, just like the real thing! 😉

    Love, love, love this site!

    • Kate says

      December 4, 2015 at 9:26 am

      🙂

    • Mary Elizabeth says

      December 4, 2015 at 11:55 am

      Wonderful! I think everyone who makes one should adjust the pattern to make their own trailer.

      When I was camping, I had Christmas ornaments that were various designs of trailers so that I could think of the spring season coming up!

  4. Carolyn says

    December 3, 2015 at 2:37 pm

    It was very early this morning when I read this post so just now caught the reference to a subdivision.
    Are these little boxes on the hillside, little boxes made of ticky tacky?
    That song was on a PBS special about folk singing in the ’50’ & ’60’s and my husband was amazed I was singing along. I think that strange look was amazement…Ach, he didn’t know trailers have wings either!

    • pam kueber says

      December 3, 2015 at 5:15 pm

      By Malvinas Reynolds – a wonderful singer songwriter – YouTube her!

      • Mary Elizabeth says

        December 4, 2015 at 11:53 am

        Malvina, right?

        • pam kueber says

          December 4, 2015 at 2:23 pm

          Yes typing on my iPhone while out and about

  5. Jay says

    December 3, 2015 at 8:25 am

    Hey! Nice putz. The woodsy setting is a great change from the subdivision. Shame all the bulbs don’t light, maybe a small battery operated set, because I think it adds a nice touch to the scene.

  6. linda h says

    December 3, 2015 at 8:23 am

    How fun! I like Pam’s idea of using a coffee sleeve. I have a paper crinkler, but then both sides would be crinkled. I guess I need to look the Shasta up online to see if that would work or if it would just look wrong.

    • linda h says

      December 3, 2015 at 8:39 am

      Well, since it has crinkly panels on the sides, I guess it would be OK to reverse that to smooth sides and crinkly top to make the top curve better.

      • linda h says

        December 3, 2015 at 10:05 am

        And maybe cut a piece of tissue paper into strips and glue them to another piece of tissue paper for jalousie windows.

        • Kate says

          December 3, 2015 at 10:17 am

          great idea Linda!

  7. Tracy says

    December 3, 2015 at 8:16 am

    these are all adorable, but this one tickles my tinsel!

    • Electrachime says

      December 3, 2015 at 9:39 am

      Well said.

  8. Carolyn says

    December 3, 2015 at 8:14 am

    If we keep in mind that putz houses are to be enjoyed for being uniquely cute and adorable and (insert your own adjective), we can take some of the pressure off to make them ‘perfect’ and just have fun with it.
    This would be a great project for the glampers who have to wait for warmer weather to take their rigs out again or to preserve memories of family vacations.

  9. Donna says

    December 3, 2015 at 6:44 am

    1961 Shasta Airflyte trailer putz house is just TOO CUTE!!! You do beautiful work.

  10. Erin says

    December 3, 2015 at 5:53 am

    Super cute! Once in architecture school, I steam-bent museum board (like mat board for framing pictures) with an electric tea kettle. It worked beautifully-might be something to try here!

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