Craft a few toys for your pretend pets...

The small pink rug above was cut from a real bath mat. Students can recycle all kinds of things
about the house to use in ordinary dollhouse play or displays. Our doll's pet dog and bunny are
romping around this tiny rug with their new chew toys.

       Here are a few toys that can be crafted from limited supplies for your doll's pets. The first is a bone sculpted from oven-bake clay. The shape you see above in the photo is very simple and an ordinary one for pets to play with in real life too. 

       The second to is made using yarn and a few beads from our sewing notions box. Choose three colors of yarn to braid together and then slip one or two beads over the braid. These should have extra large holes so that the braid may fit easily through the openings. Then tie off the braid in a loop so that the beads won't slip off. 

       Now your pretend pet dogs can chew and toss these toys around as much as they like!

How to make dog collars for doll sized pets...

Left, our 18'' doll pets stand five inches tall when seated on their haunches. Right, the doll 
collars with split rings and dog themed charms.

        Does your doll's pet have a collar to identify who they belong too? These sweet little paper wire collars are as unique to your pet as you would make them. Choose different papers and charms to add one-of-a-kind touches.

Supply List:

• paper covered wire 
• decorative scrapbook papers
• white school glue
• masking tape
• metal dog charms
• Split Rings (20mm for dogs 5'' tall)

Left, paper covered wire frequently used in packing lettuce in supermarkets and what it looks 
like after it's been cut and covered with masking tape. Right, the dog collars are decoupaged
with white glue and scrapbook papers.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Twist the paper covered wire into a circular shaped collar for a stuffed pet dog. The circumference should be approximately 2 1/4 inches across. This size will easily slip over the top of a standard sized plush pet dog measuring 5 inches tall when seated on it's hind legs. If your doll's dog is smaller simply use a shorter wire for it's collar. Twist the ends together of several lengths of wire to determine what size works best for your doll's pet.
2. Cover the paper wire with masking tape.
3. Decoupage the dog collar using any decorative scrap paper you wish and the white school glue. Let the glue dry over night.
4. Slip a split ring onto the collar and then add a dog charm.
5. Now squeeze the plush dog's head a bit to fit the collar on over it's head and around it's neck.

Craft a Brick Dog House for Winter Weather

See another version of this same craft here too.

        

        This craft belongs to a set of dog houses we made for a few of our doll's larger pet dogs. Larger meaning approximately 5x6 inches. This black labradoodle loves his warm, cozy brick home. He stays dry and safe there while protecting all of his human children from intruders! 

       You will need the following craft supplies to make this dog house: scrap cardboard, white school glue, masking tape, red sandpaper, green paper, and cotton balls.

 

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Cut 6"x12" cardboard piece for the walls and floor of your doll house craft. 
2. Score twice after two measured intervals of four inches. 
3. Fold the walls at the scored places. 
4. Now cut a 6"x 6" cardboard piece for the roof of the dog's house.
5. Score at the midpoint of the roof. Each half of the roof should measure 3" wide by 6" in length.
6. Cut two pieces of cardboard 1"x 6" and glue these at either side of the roof 1" from the overhang. A length of cardboard must span the roof underneath to prevent the walls from collapsing inside the roof. Use masking tape to hold these glued pieces in position white they dry if you need to.
7. Now squeeze a generous bead of glue along the edge of the walls before fitting the roof over these. Let the glue dry over night to ensure a strong contact.
8. Reinforce seams with glue and tape.
9. Tape raw edges with masking tape.
10. Paint the interior of the dog house any color you like.
11. Cut two identical, rectangle windows for both sides of the dog house. Paste these in position.
12. Cut long narrow strips of cardboard to frame the windows and paste these around the outside of the windows to frame them.
13. Tape onto the rooftop a smaller box, cutting it to fit, to act as a pretend chimney. 
14. Cut many rectangular shapes from the red sandpaper for pretend bricks and paste these onto all surfaces excluding the roof. 
15. Cover the roof with green paper and paste. 
16. Now unravel a few cotton balls to layer on the roof, on the top of the chimney and onto the window frames with white school glue. This will be the snow that has settled on the dog house during the winter!
    

Left, "A length of cardboard must span the roof underneath to prevent the walls from
collapsing inside the roof. Glue and tape the cardboard pieces in place, then glue
the roof to the outside walls leaving a decorative overhang." Center "Overhang on
the dog house roofs" Right, edges and corners reinforced with masking tape.

Left and Right, pasting on the red sandpaper bricks...

DIY Doggie Food and Water Dishes

The finished dog food and water bowls. 
Now our doll's dog Hobo can eat his dinner.

       Our doll's dog, Hobo, looks just like the dog in the old movie "Please, Don't Eat The Daisies" this is why we gave him this name. Plus he has a giant appetite! So we decided he needed a food dish and water bowl just for himself. Below is how we made these pet items yesturday. You will need to give similar pet crafts plenty of time for drying as well!

Supply List:

• Two large juice bottle caps of equal size
• white school glue
• masking tape
• tissue paper
• tiny pebbles (come in bags are dollar stores)
• a watery printed fabric or paper
• Mod Podge (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Aquire two large or small, depending on the size of your doll's pet, bottle caps of equal size and shape. Wash these out with warm soap and water.
2. Drizzle the inside of the caps with white school glue.
3. Press tissue paper inside the caps and layer masking tape onto the tops. One cap should have a slight mound, this is for the dog food bowl. The other cap should have a flat surface for the dog's water bowl.
4. Flood the dog food bowl with glue and press the pebbles inside from edge to edge. Use as much glue as possible. Layer the water bowl with a cut piece of water printed fabric or paper and glue. Let everything dry overnight.

Photos of the four steps needed to craft a pet dog's food and water dishes.

Craft a Cat Scratching Post for Dolls

Left, are the recycled cardboard parts tape together with masking tape. Center is the finished cat 
scratching post. Right is a close up of a doll pet cat called "Socks" relaxing inside the felt covered landing.

       Cat scratching posts come in all shapes and sizes: some have multiple landings, some have small shelters, others have multiple posts to scratch covered in all kinds of textures. I made our doll's cat scratching post using an old masking tape roll, one tube and a cardboard base. I chose a neutral shade of yarn to wrap it with and a gold felt to line the interior rest. But any color of yarn or felt may be used for the project. You can even chose to match your craft materials to the colors of a doll's favorite room.

Supply List:

• recycled masking tape roll
• paper tube or toilet roll
• cardboard
• masking tape
• yarn of your choice
• felt (any color) 
• white school glue

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. First assemble the cardboard elements together using white glue and masking tape. 
   
2. Cover the entire structure with masking tape
3. Slowly squeeze out small tracks of white glue and wrap the structure with yarn as you go.
4. Use glue to adhere any platforms with an alternate felt on top of the yarn wrapping if you wish. Now your doll's pet cat is ready to condition her nails and climb around her new playground!

Make a Cute Cardboard Dog House

Our doll's dog, Goldie, is looking for her new friend, Max, but he has yet to be adopted
 from the local shelter.

       This cute little dog house is decorated with paw print paper and painted cardboard letters. You can easily make a similar variation using a small box or even a milk carton. If you'd like to craft a dog house like this one, I've included measurements and directions below.

Supply List

• cardboard
• white school glue
• masking tape
• decorative scrapbook papers
• cardboard letters (we used MAX)

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Cut 6"x12" cardboard piece for the walls and floor of your doll house craft. 
2. Score twice after two measured intervals of four inches. 
3. Fold the walls at the scored places. 
4. Now cut a 6"x 6" cardboard piece for the roof of the dog's house.
5. Score at the midpoint of the roof. Each half of the roof should measure 3" wide by 6" in length.
6. Cut two pieces of cardboard 1"x 6" and glue these at either side of the roof 1" from the overhang. A length of cardboard must span the roof underneath to prevent the walls from collapsing inside the roof. Use masking tape to hold these glued pieces in position white they dry if you need to.
7. Now squeeze a generous bead of glue along the edge of the walls before fitting the roof over these. Let the glue dry over night to ensure a strong contact.
8. Reinforce seams with glue and tape.
9. Tape raw edges with masking tape.
10. Paint the interior of the dog house any color you like.
11. Decoupage the exterior with a cute paw print scrapbook paper. 
12. Glue the initials or an entire name of your dog to the roof using cardboard letters if you like.
13. Paint the remaining surfaces. 

Left, "A length of cardboard must span the roof underneath to prevent the walls from collapsing
 inside the roof. Glue and tape the cardboard pieces in place, then glue the roof to the outside
walls leaving a decorative overhang." Center "Overhang on the dog house roofs" Right, edges
 and corners reinforced with masking tape.

Craft Small Award Ribbons

These gold metal award ribbons for 1rst, 2nd, and 3rd place are 4" long.

       To craft these small award ribbons you will need: decorative paper, fancy ribbon, cardboard, tacky white craft glue, either number stickers or number candy mold (and oven bake clay), acrylic paints, and tiny cupcake or candy liners.

       First cut out a circle from the cardboard and center your number in the middle of it. Your numbers could be stickers or molded out of oven bake clay. If you're using clay numbers bake them according to the instructions on the manufacturer's packaging. 

       Above, I layered the numbers on top of glittery gold paper. Then glued this to cardboard circles. After letting this dry, I cut the gold paper ruffle from tiny, metallic cupcake liners and pasted these to the backside of my award. Lastly, I cut striped grosgrain ribbon to paste on the back of each award. If you want to use this little craft idea to make SWAPS you will need to sew a tiny safety pin to a circle of felt and glue this last onto the back of the award ribbons.

       Below, I layered my numbers on top of a scrap paper and then glued this to cardboard shaped flowers. Then a cut and pasted patriotic ribbon to the backs of the place awards. 

These patriotic ribbon awards are 3" long.  Make a few for your
 McKenna Brooks doll to share with her friends!

DIY Pet Beds for Your Doll's Dog or Cat

       Covering doll furniture with cotton and fabric is not as difficult as it looks. However, it does take a bit of practice and patience! After awhile you will get used to the process and improve greatly as you go. Start with something simple, like a tiny bed for Barbie's pets.

Barbie and Ken have many pets, so they need to have pet beds for both
dogs and cats.

These little cats sleep in the utility room so we've trimmed
out their bedding with yellow calico to match the decor of
the doll's utility room.

Supply List:

• Calico scraps and matching felt colors
• cardboard
• hot glue and hot glue gun
• needle and thread
• oval sponge (one cut in half or two separate)
• masking tape
• four beads of equal size for each bed

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Purchase your round sponge first before cutting or measuring any of the materials for this project. I cut my sponge in half to make two beds. However, you may decide to use two separate sponges for each bed instead. Cutting a sponge in half is not very easy to do. 
2. Choose your pet's bed fabric to coordinate with other furnishings inside in your doll's house if you like. 
3. Place your sponge on top of a piece of cardboard and draw around the circumference of it. Now you can cut this oval shape out to use as both a pattern and a part of your pet's bed.
4. To fashion the sides of the pet bed, cut a one inch strip of cardboard out and round off the corners a bit.
5. Now tape and paste this strip to the outside edge of the cardboard base to form the side. Let this dry. Make sure to leave a space around one half of the pet's bed without a side. This will make the bed easy to get in and out of. (shown just right)
6. Set your sponge onto the wrong side (A sewing term that means backside.) of the calico you have selected. Draw with a pencil around the edge of the sponge on top of the fabric. Now draw a second line approximately 2 inches away from this shape. You need to cut your fabric just a little bit larger than the actual sponge so that you can wrap the fabric and tape it in place over the top half of the sponge.
7. Don't worry about wrapping your pieces to look clean where you will be putting hot glue anyway. 
8. Now, wrap the cardboard pet bed in the same way, taping down the left over corners down to the inside interior of the bed. (see photo below)
9. Hot glue the covered sponge into the covered pet bed frame. 
10. Hot glue a oval piece of felt to the bottom of your pet's bed. (see photo below)
11. Hot glue on four beads for feet. (see photo below)
12. Sew seams down around the bed's wrapped edges if necessary.

Right, see how messy the inside of this bed looks! But, I'm going to hot glue the covered sponge over this, so it's o.k.
if it's a bit messy! Center, I have hot glued the matching felt to the bottom of each pet bed and this covers up the tape
used to wrap the bottom edges with fabric. Then I glued four beads on the bottom to act as 'legs' for the pet beds.
Right, my finished projects. I used a needle and thread to sew the seams down as well.

The doll's dog sleeps in the blue and green bedroom so we've selected a coordinating calico print to trim out his bed.
The dog is made from chenille stems. You can learn how to make one similar to mine by visiting Art Education Daily.