Upcycle a Bed for Barbie With Only One Dollar!

Left is the pink plastic bed I purchased from a local dollar store for a small 10 to 11 inch doll. 
Right, is how the bed looks with decoupaged sheets and faux wooden papers to mimic 
a real wooden bed. 

       For this project you will need: a plastic doll bed from a dollar store, rubbing alcohol, fine sandpaper, Mod Podge, decorative paper and or tissue paper, lace trim, faux wood printed paper, scrap cardboard, and some fabric scraps to sew a simple bed spread.

Step-by-Step Instructions: 

1. Rub down all of the surfaces of the plastic Barbie bed using plain rubbing alcohol. This will help remove any oils transferred from your skin onto the plastic. 
2. Use a sheet of fine-grained sandpaper to rough up the surface as well before applying Mod podge to the surface areas.
3. As you proceed, wrap and tuck and crease paper over each area of the bed to make marks where you will be cutting each piece to fit. 
4. Then brush on the Mod Podge and press the decorative papers in place. Let dry before applying a finish coat of the same to the exterior of the papers.
5. Then cut a bed spread to compliment your selected paper sheets. Leave a 1/4 inch seam allowance for the spread so that the covers may be sewn right sides together and turned inside-out on one end. 
6. Whip stitch the edges turned in 1/4" to close the spread. Now your doll may have two "looks" with one bedcover. 

Above you can see that I used white tissue paper and lace to create a surface that looks as though
the top sheet has been folded down and tucked into the sides of a neatly made bed.  I also covered
the pillow with the same paper to make it look as though the bed's pillow case matches the sheet
set. At the end of the bed, I folded the paper to look as though it was "made" and tucked in
at the very end of the footboard as well.

Left, the bed made up. Right, sitting on the bed with decoupage sheets and pillow case.

The doll is 10 1/2 inches tall and a Barbie even larger. Good thing doll's don't get bad backs! 
Center, the lacy side of the bedspread for our doll's fancier days. Right, the lavender furry
side of the bedspread/blanket for our doll's wintery nights.

• See a patio furniture set I altered that began with four dollar store chairs here.
• I made a Collapsable Doll stage with Catwalk using a dollar store trifold and two plastic table cloths...
• Only one trip to the dollar store and I had all the supplies needed to make two adorable, silky doll robes cut and sewn from pillow cases!