We are headed back to the coast again with a brand new papercraft! Let today’s design serve as a beacon in your ocean of creative ideas. It’s time to make a 3D lighthouse!
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In my most recent post, I mentioned that we took a trip to the Redwoods and the Oregon Coast a couple of weeks ago. And that is what inspired me to make some cute little sailboats. Well, as soon as I posted the sailboats, I started getting questions about—you guessed it—a lighthouse!
We got to see some beautiful lighthouses on this trip! They were so picturesque and definitely made for great creative inspiration.
Supplies
- Cardstock
- Vellum
- Dura-Lar Film
- Hot Glue
- Decorative Ribbon (optional)
- Bone Folder (optional)
- A Cutting Machine or X-ACTO knife
- My Free Template
How to Make It
1. Use your cutting machine or X-ACTO knife, along with my template, to cut out all of the 3D lighthouse pieces.
Note: If you are using the SVG files that includes the score lines, don’t forget to set them as such in Cricut Design Space and attach them to their shapes before sending them through your cutting machine. I used a lime green color to mark the score lines, so hopefully that helps! If you’re having trouble with the score lines, check out this video.
Assembling the Small Pieces
2. Start by assembling the base. Glue the two, grey rectangular strips together. Fold down the little tabs, and adhere them to the inside of the grey circle.
Next, assemble the lighthouse top. Glue in the Dura-Lar windows for the red lantern room. Fold the along the score lines, and glue the end tab ot the inside.
Assemble the roof by folding along the score lines and attaching the tabs to the inside. I also added a little bead to the top, just for fun.
Insert the bottom tabs of the lantern room into the slits of the white circle. Glue the raling around the perimeter of the circle using the tabs provided.
Insert the top tabs of the lantern room into the roof piece, but don’t glue them! This piece needs to be able to come off in order to add a tealight.
Putting it All Together
3. Attach your velum windows to the inside of the lighthouse structure, and the window panes to the outside.
Curve the body of the lighthouse around, and attach the long tab to the inside.
Fold down the little top tabs and attach your lantern room piece.
Lastly, attach your lighthouse to the base, and add any final embellishments to the piece!
This is a really cute and fun little paper project! And putting a tealight inside really completes the entire look.
I use Adobe Illustrator for all of my designs, and a Cricut Maker to bring my creations to life. For tips on creating fun paper cuts like this one, see the FAQ section on my website. Also, be sure to check out the other fun freebies available on my blog!
Enjoy putting this 3D lighthouse together. And don’t forget to share your super cute, finished product with me on Instagram!
*This post contains affiliate links. By clicking through my links to make a purchase, you are supporting this blog and the hard work that goes into providing free, quality designs.
Mandee is a professional graphic designer, amateur bird watcher, and rollercoaster enthusiast. She is a wife to hardworking high school teacher and mommy to three adorable little humans. She fell in love with graphic design when she started working on a comedy website with a guy she met her freshman year of college. Design wasn’t the only thing she fell in love with, and they were married a year and a half later. She created Designs By Miss Mandee to be a place where she could merge her passion for design with her lifelong love of crafting. 22 Comments on 3D Lighthouse – Summer Cut Files
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auntie em
June 30, 2021 at 6:20 am (3 years ago)Good Morning! Your lighthouse is just perfect. I love the ‘rope’ around the railing. Thank you for sharing! <3
Mandee
June 30, 2021 at 11:56 am (3 years ago)Thank you so much!! I’m so glad you like the design and the little embellishments. 😊
Deb
June 30, 2021 at 7:20 am (3 years ago)You create some of the loveliest things out there. Thank you so, so much for sharing your creativity and immense talent!
Mandee
June 30, 2021 at 11:56 am (3 years ago)Aww, thank you Deb! ❤️
L w
June 30, 2021 at 7:21 am (3 years ago)Perfect. Thank you so much. I am so excited to try this one
Mandee
June 30, 2021 at 11:57 am (3 years ago)Have fun making it!! 😀
Jan Perry
June 30, 2021 at 7:28 am (3 years ago)Thank you so much! this is really cute – and very like some UK lighthouses as well as yours too!
maman-cocci
June 30, 2021 at 7:44 am (3 years ago)C’est juste magnifique.
Merci
Toni
June 30, 2021 at 9:12 am (3 years ago)Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! Can’t wait to make this!!!!
Mandee
June 30, 2021 at 11:57 am (3 years ago)Yay! Have fun! 😊
Patricia Sugden
June 30, 2021 at 12:30 pm (3 years ago)What a beautiful family you have. Thanks for the file.
Mandee
July 1, 2021 at 11:32 am (3 years ago)Aww, thanks Patricia!!
Christine
July 1, 2021 at 1:39 am (3 years ago)Lieben Dank für die Datei
Janie
July 1, 2021 at 6:45 am (3 years ago)I’ve cut this out several times and it cuts too deep? I’ve changed the setting on my paper and it still cuts too deep.. I cut another design I have and it does find..any suggestions?
Mandee
July 1, 2021 at 11:36 am (3 years ago)Hi Janie! I don’t know what machine/software you are using for your cuts, but you may need to play around with the machine settings. For the type of paper I use, I typically set my Cricut to the “medium cardstock” setting, and use a regular, fine point blade. Feel free to check out my FAQ page for some other tips and tricks!
Janie
July 1, 2021 at 12:16 pm (3 years ago)I use Cricut design space. And I use the fine point blade..I switched from med to thin carstock… and it stills cuts too deep? This is the only design that I ever had a problem with..weird huh? Has anybody else has this promblem? Dang it and I just loved the design too😞.maybe it’s not meant for me to have this lighthouse..
Mandee
July 6, 2021 at 11:29 am (3 years ago)After looking at a couple of threads (where people have experienced something similar), it seems like it is usually the blade or the cutting mat that is the culprit. If your blade is too old, or wasn’t designed for the specific model of machine you are using, this can happen. Another woman said that her mat was too old, and causing her cuts to come out uneven.
If the problem persists, I’d reach out to Cricut support!
Janie
July 1, 2021 at 12:17 pm (3 years ago)I use Cricut design space. And I use the fine point blade..I switched from med to thin carstock… and it stills cuts too deep? This is the only design that I ever had a problem with..weird huh? Has anybody else has this problem ? Dang it and I just loved the design too😞.maybe it’s not meant for me to have this lighthouse..
Denise
July 9, 2021 at 11:53 am (3 years ago)The sailboats went together easily enough but phew, that lighthouse was a challenge! I’m going to put them on a shelf in the living room where my mistakes won’t show! Thank you!
Mandee
July 9, 2021 at 1:09 pm (3 years ago)It’s trickier than it looks, haha! But I’m glad you got it put together. Mistakes just give it ✨character✨.
Steffi
May 24, 2022 at 8:57 am (2 years ago)So schön, vielen lieben Dank.
Mandee
May 24, 2022 at 10:01 am (2 years ago)Glad you like it!!