DIY Art Deco Miniature Theater

The dolly Art Deco theater is an alternate design to our stick puppet theater. In this version, I show
 how to use a simple cardboard box to shape a theater, instead of Popsicle sticks. The design
is made a bit more sophisticated with the addition of columns on either side
and a flamboyant, Art Deco proscenium arch.

       I first found a Art Deco print in a magazine which inspired my simple design for this miniature puppet theater. You can see that magazine page applied to the columns of the theater facade above. Advancing the designs used in craft for children may have it's origins in anything that is found unique to their environments. Something as simple as the pages of a magazine, wall papers in their bedroom, playground equipment they see at a local park or the stacking of blocks on the family room floor can all influence their personal preferences when constructing a toy theater. Once they have learned to include the necessary elements of the theater: the side flats, curtain, backdrop, stage and proscenium arch, they will be able to alter their designs to look like more like something out of their own imagination!
       This Art Deco theater is designed for finger-puppets specifically. The finger-puppets if they were life sized would be hand-puppets. To recognize the difference between a theater designed for hand-puppets or finger-puppets as apposed to stick puppets/marionettes, you must look to analyze it's construction. If the theater has a roof and side flats (in this case the columns/walls are the side flats) then it is intended to be displayed on top of a table or cupboard. The table would have a long skirt to conceal the puppeteer. The cupboard would have a wall, doors, or curtain to conceal the puppeteer.

       If your theater has no side walls or roof, then it would be designed primarily to display stick puppets or marionettes. These open areas make it easier to move puppets manipulated with strings or long sticks.

Parts of the puppet theater curtain.

Supply List:

• masking tape
• decorative magazine paper
• Mod Podge
• blue felt for curtains
• wooden skewer and bead
• cardboard tube
• scrap cardboard box 
• white school glue
  

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Start with a sturdy corrugated cardboard box. The one I used for this craft was ''squarish in shape'', 6'' x 4 1/2'' x 1 1/2''.
   
2. Cut away the backside entirely, this will be the backside of the dolly theater.
3. On the front side of this box theater cut away the lowest flap only. Leave the side flaps and the top one intact.
4. The side flaps will need to be cut back shorter, so that you can view the puppet shows. I cut these side, vertical flaps back so that only 1 1/4'' remained on either side of the front facade. 
5. The next step is the trickest one and that is to shape this little theater to tilt up. Because this step may confuse a child making a similar theater, they may choose to skip this particular step. But in order to craft one exactly like mine you must shorten the floor of the theater to 4 1/2 inches in length. 
   
6. Now tighten all of the angles of the theater using masking tape. Then mask all of the surfaces. While doing this. Also mask the upper-most-flap open and up to create the proscenium arch. I gave this piece a slight curve on either side as well to intensify my design choices. The proscenium arch may be shaped however you choose; it is a purely decorative part of your puppet theater, intended to draw the attention of the audience to center stage.
   
7. To make the side columns on the front of this box theater, I cut a cardboard tube in half and mounted two identical pieces to each side of the front two flaps using masking tape and white school glue.
8. Cut an additional piece of cardboard to mount with glue to the bottom of the theater. Do this by tracing around both the floor and the columns on top of an extra piece of scrap cardboard. Cut it out and glue it in place, mask it with tape. This will close off the tube openings at the bottom of the theater and strengthen it's base.
9. Decoupage the entire theater using magazine paper and other decorative papers. I painted some of the surfaces and used magazine pages to decorate the columns. All of these choices at this point in the craft are completely dependent on your own aesthetic tastes.
10. Using a sharp tipped nail poke a hole at both sides just below the proscenium arch to insert a long dowel behind the front facade. This dowel will hold a curtain behind the columns, across the stage.
11. Glue a wooden bead to one end of this long dowel, so that it may be removed easily when changing out the curtain. See photo of parts of curtain above.
12. Cut two pieces of felt, 5''x 4''. Attach small loops at the tops, evenly spaced apart with a needle and thread. 
13. Poke the skewer through first hole, bead side out and work the curtains onto the skewer. Then poke the end of the skewer through the second hold at the opposite end to make the theater curtains.
14. You can cut two identical small ties to gather each side of the felt curtains together. Now the finger puppet theater is complete and ready for a show!
    

Left, center and right are is the theater before painting or decoupage. This puppet theater is not
exactly square. It is slightly narrower at the bottom and larger at the top. This was done to
 give a dramatic appearance to it's construction.

 

Related Content:

• Read more about designing children's puppet theaters quickly . . .
• DIY Cardboard Box Puppet Theater! by LaurensLittles
• There Are All Kinds of Puppets!

How to make an old-fashioned spool doll . . .

Vintage spool doll for children four and up. Don't 
make it for a toddler because he or she might 
put the parts in the mouth.

       What a nostalgic, dangling doll this is. If you have any old wooden spools or wooden beads he would make a delightful addition to a small folk doll collection.

Supply List:

• Spools: For the toy in Plate 14, thread spools of all sizes, also spools from an adding machine or cash register for body, arms, and legs. 
• Beads: Wooden or glass beads to form the joints of the toy (Fig. 1). 
• Plastic Lacing: Use a strong lacing which will withstand boiling when the toy becomes soiled (Fig. 10). 
• Decorating Materials: Water colors or wax crayons (Figs. 7 and 8) for decorating the spools, clear shellac, and spar varnish. 
• TOOLS A saw for separating spool ends for a hat or collar (Fig. 3), and paper clips to hold spools for painting the toy and hanging to dry (Fig. 2). 

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1.  1. From some office or bank, secure six adding-machine spools for the limbs of the toy. Cut two in half for the arms (Fig. 1). Use an extra large spool for the body and one large enough for the head. Others of varying size may be used according to the craftsman's originality. 
2. Arrange the spools in the likeness of the human figure, with longer spools for the legs. Use large spools for the body and head, and short ones for the arms. 
3. For a collar or a hat, saw off one end of a large spool, and turn it upside down for the collar. The remaining part may be used for a hat over the "head" spool. 
4. Sand all spools. (optional) 
5. Decorate the spools using water colors to paint them to resemble clothing. Wax crayons, nail polish, or a burning tool can be used to make facial features and other decorations.  
6. Straighten paper clips and insert them into the spools to hold them when applying the finish and to hang them on a line to dry. 
7. Apply a coat of clear shellac and let it dry. 
8. Sand the spool lightly and apply spar varnish. 
9. String each part of the toy separately with plastic lacing. 
10. Use beads, preferably wooden ones, for hands, feet, knees, and elbows. 
11. String the ends of the lacings for both legs up through the body and join with the lacings of both arms. 
12. Lace all ends through the head. 
13. Hair may be made from short strands of colored yarn secured to the lacing between the head and hat. 
14. Tie above the hat and leave a loop handle.

Related Links:

• Check out our wooden doll craft index . . . 
• Find more old-fashioned doll folk crafts at our "Doll Crafters and Young Puppet Masters Art Camp"

Interior Decorating for Comfortable Homes Of The 1920s

       Frank Parsons was the president of the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts in the 1920s and was considered a leading authority on interior decoration. Here are a few examples of his work to help dollhouse enthusiasts transform a small property into something period.

Color palettes in rooms from this decade vary widely. Here we see the use of color to make a 
room look spacious and comfortable. Although there are red accents around the room the
colors appear harmonious and not overbearing. 

       The green tile surrounding the blazing fire in this comfortable modern home has been chosen to harmonize with the green carpet patterned linoleum. A touch of the complementary red, and the blues and yellows are blended in the fabrics to make the room cheerful. It is not overcrowded with furniture, but rather is arranged to give a spacious, open effect. Comfort and utility are two of the primary requisites of every living room.

The front hallway and
living room beyond.

       This interesting use, after some of European manners, of a carpet inlaid linoleum floor through hall and living room, illustrates how effectively a pattern can be employed in floors, as well as on walls and in hangings. The small all over design gives the effect of a rich carpet, and yet the floor is easy to keep clean and care for and is also durable. (just right) The staircase here features stained treads and painted white risers. The wall behind has square paneled walls and the ceilings have painted wooden beams.
       In the cherry dining room illustrated below, the early American furniture is happily combined with the Chinese area rug and the warm wooden floors. One feels that this room has been planned in good taste and the floors contribute much to the atmosphere of refinement. A formal painted mantle frames a modern electric firebox and a mirror hangs above it.
       The next photo illustration of a formal dining alternative includes a wooden floor that blends with the lovely wood of the Sheraton furniture, the colorful draperies and the fine rug. Notice also the early American built in corner cupboard used to store fine china. In this room there is also a fancy tea cart and two sideboards.

• See more vintage Ideas in Home Decorating from 1929

A drawn rendering of a formal dining room from 1920.

This photo alternative furniture arrangement for a dining area includes a picture window and 
hot water heater. Combining curtains with shades and sheers was very popular in this decade.

Above is a family room decorated with Oriental rug and cozy upholstered seating. This 
fireplace is a wood-burner with a traditional brick liner and classic painted wooden mantle. 

Here is a open space living area and dining room combined inside of a California bungalow. 
Furnishings include a multitude of texture and pattern. Wicker and wood chairs and a builtin
window seat invite relaxation and floral curtains and a rug are cheerful reminders of home.

This old-fashioned back staircase in a stately Colonial home has a carpeted staircase to keep
the noise level low during use. The curved banister has stained handrails and painted 
balusters. Plush rugs and paneled doors add to the charm of the hall where the 
historical staircase is featured.

A drawn rendering of a casual sitting area at the foot of a large staircase. The distinctive floors
are Parquetry. The fireplace is decorated with unique cast-iron andirons. 

The sun parlor has a black and white checkered floor, very
popular in the 1920s. 

This rendering shows an Arts and Crafts Bungalow from the same decade. Parquetry floors 
combined with a wrap around fireplace mantle with flanking bookcases. The windows
are small and above the bookcases. Note the stained glass shade on the lamp and
velvet upholstery are very period as well.

The upper landing leads to bedrooms and a shared family bathroom.

The master suite includes and sleigh bed, large dresser, a writing table and nightstand.

A sitting area upstairs with chaise lounge next to the fire surround.

Toddlers play in their nursery. The furnishings are child sized these include: a rocking horse,
a child-sized rocking chair, a table and writing desk, plus many old-fashioned toys.

A girl's bedroom includes a large vanity and mirror and twin beds and comfy arm chair.

The attic has been converted into a spare bedroom for guests. different furnishings are 
grouped and upholstered in floral prints. The space is carpeted for extra warmth in winter.

The Little Lemuel Heart Paper Doll

This little Lemuel paper doll would be a sweet assignment for Sunday school based upon Proverbs 31.

       To make the little Valentine paper doll, fold across the middle a piece of red cardboard three inches wide by five and one half inches long. With the fold at the top, draw on it a heart, and cut. Be sure to leave the connecting fold at the top, cutting an opening in the middle one and 1/4 inches wide. On a piece of then white cardboard draw a head, two arms and two legs, and cut them out. The measurements for these are given in the illustrated directions below. Make a dot on each one and on the heart at the exact spot shown, and punch holes through these dots. Slip the head tab through the opening at top of heart. Push a paper fastener through the hole in the upper heart, then through the head tab, arms and legs, and through the under heart. Bend the fastener at the back. 

       If you like, print a message on Lemuel's red heart coat. He will move his head, arms and legs in a pleasing manner.

"Lemuel" means devoted to God in Hebrew!

American Girl Dolls

Vintage American girl magazine,
 1993 cover.

       American Girl is an American line of 18-inch (46 cm) dolls released on May 5, 1986 by Pleasant Company. The dolls portray eight- to twelve-year-old girls of a variety of ethnicities, faiths, and social classes from different time periods throughout history. They are sold with accompanying books told from the viewpoint of the girls. Originally the stories focused on various periods of American history, but was expanded to include characters and stories from contemporary life. Aside from the original American Girl dolls, the buyer also has the option to purchase dolls that look like themselves. The options for the line of Truly Me dolls include eye color, face mold, skin color, hair texture, and hair length. A variety of related clothing and accessories is also available. A service for ordering a custom-made doll with features and clothing specified by the owner, dubbed Create Your Own, has also been introduced in 2017. (see photo below)

       Pleasant Company was founded in 1986 by Pleasant Rowland, and its products were originally purchasable by mail order only. In 1998, Pleasant Company became a subsidiary of Mattel. The company has been awarded the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award eight times.

       The Historical Characters line of 18-inch dolls, which were derived from the 18-inch dolls made by Götz in West Germany (known as Germany from October 1990) during the late 1980s to the 1990s, were initially the main focus of Pleasant Company, founded by Pleasant Rowland in 1986. This product line aims to teach aspects of American history through a six-book series from the perspective of a girl living in that time period. Pleasant Rowland came up with the idea after she returned from a trip to Colonial Williamsburg, where she noticed there was a significant void in the toy market for younger aged dolls and saw an opportunity to provide an alternative to baby and adult dolls. Although the books are written for girls who are at least eight years old, they endeavor to cover significant topics such as child labor, child abuse, poverty, racism, slavery, animal abuse and war in manners appropriate for the understanding and sensibilities of their young audience.

"Choose the doll that's just right for you!" credits here.

       In 1994, Pleasant Company released a line of contemporary dolls called American Girl of Today. In 2006, the product line was renamed Just Like You; it was changed again in 2010 to My American Girl, and in 2015 to Truly Me. This line has included eighty-eight different dolls over the years. Each doll has a different combination of face mold, skin tone, eye color, and hair color, length, texture, and/or style. American Girl states that this variety allows customers to choose dolls that "represent the individuality and diversity of today's American girls." A wide variety of contemporary clothing, accessories, and furniture is also available, and there are regular releases and retirements to update this line. Each year, a Girl of the Year doll is released who has her own special talent; for example, Mia St. Clair, the Girl of the Year for 2008, was an ice skater, and Marisol Luna, the Girl of the Year for 2005, was a dancer.

       Bitty Baby is a line of 15" baby dolls targeted to children aged three and older. They are cheaper than the 18" dolls, and currently retail at $60 each.

       The Bitty Twins line debuted in 2003 to represent slightly older toddlers and/or preschoolers. The Bitty Twins were the same size as the Bitty Baby dolls. They were discontinued in June 2016.

       Hopscotch Hill School was released by American Girl in 2003. The dolls were 16-inch (41 cm) tall, came with jointed limbs and painted eyes, and had a slimmer overall body shape. They, along with the stories which came with the dolls written by Valerie Tripp, were aimed at elementary-age girls from four to six years old, and were sold until 2006.

       A reboot of the Historical Characters line dubbed as BeForever was launched in August 2014, complete with redesigned outfits, a two-volume compilation of previously-released books, and a "Journey Book" for each character, with players taking the role of a present-day girl who found her way to the past and met up with one of the Historical girls. The line also coincided with the relaunch of Samantha Parkington, whose collection was previously discontinued in 2008.

       In June 2016, American Girl unveiled Wellie Wishers, a separate doll line similar to Hopscotch Hill School aimed for younger children and with a focus on the outdoors, positioning it between Bitty Baby and the BeForever/Girl of the Year/Truly Me dolls. As the name implies, dolls from the line wear Wellington (wellie) boots, and have a body design distinct from the classic, Götz-derived American Girl dolls. The line was released on June 23, 2016. The names of the Wellie Wishers are: Willa, Camille, Kendall, Emerson, and Ashlyn.

       In February 2017, American Girl released a new line of 18" dolls called contemporary characters. The first doll in the line was Tenney Grant, an aspiring country singer and songwriter. Other dolls of the contemporary line include Logan, Tenney's bandmate and American Girl's first ever boy doll, and Z Yang, who is interested in photography and making stop motion videos.

       In December 2019, there is a report of declining sales for The American Girl Doll Brand. Following four years of declining sales at Mattel, American Girls sales rose 13% in the fourth quarter of 2020. (Wikipedia)

 Return to the Doll Guide Index Page

How I Make Miniatures Using Beads and Buttons

       The word "bead" has it's history in Middle English. Sometime during the 12th and 13th centuries, what was once a verb describing a "gebed" (bede) or prayer activity in Old English, became the modern noun, a physical object shaped like something you string on a chain.

       The confusion lies only in the pronunciation however, gebed and bead are actually two distinctly different words that sound alike when spoken in modern English. They also have shared history in that early Christians would count beads on ropes and chains to recite prayers based in the numbered events of Christ's life. 

Far left, counting the gebed or rosary beads in order to pray.  Next, praying with folded
hands and eyes closed.  Center, praying prostrate. Right, praying while "laying on
hands" or with hands lifted up. All are body positions during prayer; all are ancient. This
is why the term "precari" became a reference for prayer instead of only praying with beads
 over time because it included all five physical positions while praying.

      The word "bead" did not replace "gebed" because of the same phonetic sounds however. The English peoples shifted into the use of the word "precari" rooted in Latin meaning to beg, entreat or ask in earnest, in order to reference a larger interpretation of methods used for praying in general. So the term "gebed" or "bede" is used only when speaking about the praying of the rosary. 

During times when beads were 
handmade, sumptuary laws 
establishing privilege and rank 
were strictly enforced. This is why
The first immigrant Amish in America
outlawed the wearing of buttons
on their garments in protest of 
this distinction among people. 

       The verb form of "beading" that means stringing was in use by 1873 and is still used today.

• History of Beads by Chickasaw
• The Pearl Story by Victoria and Albert Museum
• When beads became currency in America...
• The History of Buttons, Zippers, and Other Fastene
• Collector Chronicles talks on antique buttons
• How to measure bead sizes using a gauge.
• DeeBee's Handicrafts reviews tools for the miniature craft artist...
• One man's trash . . . 

       There are many bead shapes and all of these seem to be manufactured in endless kinds of materials today. When referring to a specific bead it is usually described in English with the kind of material it is made with first and the shape of the bead second. 

       So I might refer to a bead as a plastic polygon bead or a crystal capsule bead or a clay cone bead. Some beads are named after the things that their shapes "look like" instead of with proper geometric terms. People often call beads things like: teardrop beads, or hourglass beads, or donut shaped beads. And still even more beads have popular old names given to them such as Millefiori beads cut from Murano glass in Italy or Cloisonné beads soldered and painted from the Near East. There are so many beads with so many descriptions that one could write an entire book on this information alone!

The very tiniest beads are often
 used for weaving on a bead
 loom.

       In this collection I will also include miniatures made with buttons, because buttons are beads with a different function but with the same construction. When people refer to beads as buttons, it is because these are used to attach clothing elements together; that is when a bead becomes a button. 

       The idea of "miniature" may be loosely translated at this blog as well. Some larger bead and button crafts are more suitably used for larger dolls and some are better used for smaller dolls. But all dolls that are not life-sized replicas of humans are often considered miniature versions. 

        On the internet this term miniature also refers to the most popular 1:16th scale dolls. If you read and observe a bead craft for an 18 inch doll on my blog, simply size down the craft instructions by altering the bead selection to something smaller. The instructions will still apply for multiple doll sizes.

My Bead and Button Crafts for Children and Dolls:

1. Assemble a small button card for a sewing basket 
2. How to craft a mermaid birthday cake 
3. Make a button display for your dollhouse 
4. Make a Bead Doll Necklace
5. How to craft footstools for Barbie and much smaller dolls too.
6. Sew a doll sized Santa head stocking
7. Craft the ultimate unicorn cake for your doll's birthday party
8. Craft a stethoscope for a doll nurse or doctor...
9. Trim ''no sew'' scout vests for your dolls and decorate them with buttons and beads
10. Salt and pepper shakers for your doll's kitchen.
11. Collect beads for stringing inside of a doll.
12. Christmas ornaments made with beads here...
13. Craft faux nail polish from beads.
14. Miniature flower vases made using beads here
15. How to make doll jewelry, easy and elegant!

The Little Girl and the Tiny Doll

Lost among the frozen foods!

      Little girls do find tiny dolls in the strangest predicaments, it' true, but you'd never guess where this tiny doll ends up . . .  

       When playthings are unloved, taken for granted and mistreated they can be tossed into the strangest accommodations and that is what happens to a miniature doll while her cruel owner is visiting the market with a parent one day. However, not all perilous circumstances are the end of life stories. Sometimes frightening events can lead to wonderful beginnings. 

       Lost, cold and all alone among the frozen veggies, this tiny doll day-dreams of happier, warmer days in a garden far away in her dreams while sleeping. She wakes daily to dodge shifting frozen foodstuffs. She barely can keep from being crushed! But one day, while eating ice-cream, someone curious and fluent in doll speech peers over the the frosty landscape and spies the lost doll in despair.

      This child thinks this little doll must be cold so she determines to return with a few warmer things she sews for the doll all by herself at home.

       Check out this book by Ardizzone Edward to discover what happens to the little doll and her new best friend!

• "The Little Girl and the Tiny Doll" read aloud by Koinonia Federation
• More about the illustrations of Edward Ardizzone
• I found a lost little doll from Poland in a shoebox . . . 

How to craft a toast rack for your doll's kitchen . . .

This toast rack was made for our American Girl Doll's 
breakfast table. 

     You can craft a playful toast rack for your doll's kitchen table using recycled cardboard, paper, white school glue and sandpaper for the toast of course... Use decorative papers or acrylic paints to match the design of the toast rack to your doll's kitchen.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Make the pretend toast first for the dolls so that the toast rack may be measured to hold the bread slices perfectly. Generally speaking a slice of bread is just slightly larger than the hand of the doll you are making it for. So use a ruler to determine this measurement against the doll's hand. 
2. Cut out as many slices as you like from the scrap cardboard; I decided to craft six slices for the example toast rack craft. 
3. Layer several cardboard toast cuts together with white school glue. Let dry.
4. Next position the toast shapes on top of brown sandpaper and draw around the shapes to make stencils of the toast to glue on the outsides of every piece. This texture makes the bread slices feel as though they have been dried out from toasting.
5. To make the rack to display your breakfast toast, cut out a length of cardboard for the bottom of the rack and two identical end pieces and five divider pieces to position between each slice of toast. 
6. Glue all of these pieces together as seen in the photo example here. 
7. Once the rack is dry you may then decoupage colorful papers to cover the segment parts of the toast rack.
8. Brush on a layer or two of Mod Podge to seal the toast rack for play.

Left, the toast rack with pretend sandpaper toasts for our 18 inch dolls. Center, the rack as seen
from above. Right, the rack as seen from a different angle.

Sisters Play With Old-Fashioned Toys

Description of Coloring Page: big sister and her baby sister, seated in a highchair, pull-toy elephant, teddy bear in a stroller, bouncy ball, baby book, performing mechanical monkey, a boy and girl doll each, the baby holds a rattle and a string of beads

• Color more sisters as they wash their dolly's clothes
• Color two sisters who love to sew for their dolls
• Color these sisters while they serve their dollies tea...

Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

Make an Indoor Garden Room for Barbie

DIY a garden room for your Barbies or Fashionista dolls.

A trifold cardboard display cut in half
to make two room displays
 for Barbie dolls.

       Begin to craft this garden room for 12 inch Barbies/Fashionista dolls by cutting a cardboard tripod in half. My tripod came from Walmart on sale for 79 cents. 

       After cutting it in half, cut a sliding door for the center of the trifold. This particular door does not literally open but still looks very realistic. Cut trim from scrap cardboard and also a garden view photograph from an old recycled magazine. You will need a very large photo for a doll-size sliding door; if you can not find one of these in a magazine, try looking for a larger size in a wall mounted calendar. 

        I papered the rest of the interior with a rose bud print paper and cut cardboard to trim around the top of the ceiling and floorboards. This was then covered with the same faux wooden print paper used for the sliding door trim. 

       The rustic white-washed wood paired with a all-over rosebud print reminds me of the popular Laura Ashley interiors of the 1980s. I think these rooms are becoming popular again? But with Barbie, they have never really been unpopular. 

       Below I will link to some revisionist 80s rooms for your to view at YouTube.

• Rustic Wilderness: SS26 Colleciton by Laura Ashely
• Wallpaper Direct discuss Laura Ashley 100 Years
• English Cottage Decor by Dantier and Balogh Designs

Left, Directions for the handcrafted daffodils is here. 
Right, Instructions for crafting the creeping phlox is here. 

Read how to assemble a fern inside of a plant stand here.

       I recycled bottle caps, sawdust, brown paint, hot glue, masking tape, plastic plant picks, white glue, decorative paper and twine to make potted plants for this doll diorama. 

Step-by-Step Instructions for Crafting Potted Plants:

1. Clean recycled caps using warm soap and water. Let dry.
2. Clip down the parts of limbs and leaves from a purchased pick that you wish to use in this potted plant craft.
3. Using masking tape, wrap and twist the plastic plants inside of a tape 'ball' that you will press into the inner parts of each cap. Leave about 1/4 inch of space open from the top of the cap.
4. Flood this shallow area with white glue.
5. Sprinkle in sawdust over the glue and let this harden overnight.
6. Paint the sawdust a brown dirt color. Let dry.
7. Mask the parts of the outside cap that you wish to cover with decorative paper scraps or hot glue twine around to give each potted plant a different aesthetic look.

See how to make permanent windows for dollhouses here. Left, local parks and recreation 
publish a magazine that not only has lovely photography but also focuses on public 
education and information for those who live in my home state.

       I made this movable window in very much the same way that you would a hanging painting. Cut a paned window frame from cardboard and then double up the three sides of it excluding the top with two layers of cut cardboard strips and white glue. Let this construction dry and then cut a backing from cardboard scrap and carefully glue this on the backside of the cardboard window panes. This creates a slotted opening at the top of your window panes where you can slide in views of landscapes, cities, backyards etc... whenever you wish. This window may be moved and used by hanging it from wire in any of your doll trifold dioramas. 

See how to make a larger potting bench for American Girl Dolls here.

       This potting bench or workbench for a Barbie, standard sized doll, was purchased from a second-hand shop. I had to reinforce it on the back with large tongue depressors and also lift it slightly to make it the right height for our dolls to use. So I glued on beads and extra cardboard to accomplish this.

See how to refinish doll-sized wicker furniture for conservatories here.

 

      This little metal bench turned out to be a perfect addition to our growing 12 inch doll furniture collection. I spent only five dollars on it and use it in many dioramas for photography and play.

Left, step-by-step directions tutorial for the zebra plant is here. Center, is the sliding door surrounded
by plants. Right, is the movable paned window with a landscape inserted behind the panes. The 
outside panes have also been covered with wooden faux paper to make these look more realistic.

The T. D. Lady Pipe Doll

Costly toys are soon forgotten,
Laid upon the shelves,
While we're having endless fun
With those we make ourselves.

Don't forget to paste paper mittens to the cape. This suggestion is vintage for sure.

       A white clay pipe, a T. D., used to cost two American pennies. Perhaps it costs more now, but these little pipe dolls may be made with ones that are chipped, worn or have broken stems. The most unique recycling craft for an old T. D. in disrepair; pose it as a dainty lady. You will need the largest wooden spool you can find, one on which linen or packing thread comes. Insert the pipe-stem into the spool, making it stand upright. With your paints, make features on the pipe bowl - eyes blue, brown or green and brows dark. Paint on scarlet cheeks on each side of the long "nose" shape of the pipe. Then dress the lady.

       Fold a paper napkin in two, but not exactly in the middle, letting one edge fall below the other to make a double border. Hang this fold on narrow baby-ribbon and gather it, tying a bow under madam pipe's chin. Tie another ribbon around the waist. The spool and pipe-stem are now covered. Fold another paper napkin from corner to corner, but not exactly in the middle, letting the corners form two lines. Drape this around the bowl of the pipe, or lady's head, making it look like a hood with her face peeping out. Tie another ribbon around the neck allowing a bow to hang in front like bonnet strings. The border of the shawl, or cap, should hang below the waistline. 

       If you have no paper napkins, you could use crepe paper, but have the skirt and shawl of different colors. Any bright tape or cord may be used instead of ribbon. A bottle dressed in this way makes a striking lady doll. The bottle will stand alone without a spool. A dark bottle makes a lovely Indian maid too!

• The history behind T. D. Pipes... 
• See how Kit and Caboodlers make pipe necklaces here.

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Who is the Knitting Nancy doll?

       Spool knitting, loom knitting, corking, French knitting, or tomboy knitting is a form of knitting that uses a spool with a number of nails or pegs around the rim to produce a tube or sheet of fabric. The spool knitting devices are called knitting spools, knitting nancys, knitting frame, knitting loom, or French knitters. 

       The technique is to wrap the yarn around all of the spool's pegs, twice. The lower loop of yarn is then lifted over the upper loop and off the peg, thereby creating stitches. The yarn is then wrapped around the entire loom, creating a new upper yarn on each peg. 

       This process is repeated until the project is complete. Spool knitting frames typically have four or five pegs (or brass nails), although the number can range to more than 100. Though not exclusively, the term "loom knitting" often refers to frames with more than those four or five pegs. 

Above is a video showing "how" to 
use a French knitting doll...

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Vintage Knitting Nancy Doll Ad