Paint a watermelon jewelry box for a doll...

       To paint a small three inch jewelry box similar to this one, you will need to have a wooden one that is manufactured in an arch shape. I found this one in a thrift shop for just a few pennies. Gather together the following art supplies: sandpaper, acrylic paints, Mod Podge, black puff paints, decorative and paper.

Left, I had to glue the sides back onto this worn looking jewelry box and wrap a
rubber band around it's edges to hold everything in place while the glue dried.
Center, the inside of the box is decoupaged with red and white checkered paper.
 Right, the doll watermelon jewelry box is finished.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Sand down the wooden jewelry box until it is smooth and ready for painting. Wipe of the dust from it's surface.
2. Layer the Mod Podge on the inside of the box only, with a decorative paper. I chose classic red checks because this reminded me of taking watermelons on picnics, but you may select any paper that appeals to you.
3. After the paper decoupage dries, paint the arched top of the box red and the sides green so that the small box looks like a watermelon.
4. Add painted details like lighter green stripes on the sides and use black puff paint to make the watermelon seeds on top of the red melon flesh.
5. Seal the box with more Mod Podge when you are satisfied with the decorative painting.
   

Sew a doll's electric blanket for cold winter nights!

        This handmade electric blanket will keep your American Girl doll warm and cozy on a cold winter night or a chilly spring morning. Our DIY even features a pretend control panel and electrical plug! This sewing project is for those of our visitors who really love to quilt. The raised cording intended to mimic the heating cord inside of an electric blanket is made using piping sandwiched between two layers of fabric. I blanket stitched my version in place. I also sewed a fur backing to one side of my electric blanket that is also in this lovely blue-green shade of color.

Supply List:

• Sculpey oven bake clay
• tack or white button
• two toothpicks for the prongs of the electric "plug"
  
• solid colored cotton fabric
• faux matching or coordinating fur fabric for the backing (optional)
• needle and thread
• cotton piping or cording for the faux "electrical cord" 
• tiny button prints for the electric blanket control panel
  
• hot glue gun and hot glue

Left, a close-up photo of the detailed quilting and blanket stitching in our 18" electric doll blanket.
Right, the finished electric blanket with a quilted, 3 dimensional surface.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut your doll's blanket to the size you would like to quilt. Although my version shown here is full sized, made to fit a particular doll bed, you could make a smaller lap version of this electric blanket and there would be less work involved.
2. Hand-baste the piping in place in a curved pattern on the back side of the cotton fabric. Use a bright red thread for this so that you can see it easily when the time comes to remove it. 
3. Pin the backside of the fabric blanket in place and quilt closely to the abstract piping placement on both sides to create a casing for it. After doing this you may remove the basting.
4. Now quilt the all "open" spaces left over, using a simple straight stitch. Follow the abstract piping patterns for a professional look.
5. I went back over the piping with an additional blanket stitch.
6. On opposite corners of the doll electric blanket sandwich end pieces of piping. One ending will be for the pretend electric cord, the other for the cord with the control panel attached.
7. Sculpt a small plug using oven-bake clay. 
8. Push two tiny clipped tips cut from toothpicks into one end of the plug and glue in place.
9. Shape a control panel for the electric blanket using oven bake clay as well. 
10. Remember to include a hole at the top of the plug and the bottom of the control panel, using the end of a pencil so that the piping may be glued inside of these clay pieces after they have been baked at 275 degrees in the oven. (check instructions on package of clay)
11. Hot glue a button or tack as a dial and cut tiny printed numbers from a magazine for the decoupaged switches on the control panel. (see pictures below)

Left, tiny plug made for a pretend electric outlet. Right, the fake control panel for our blanket
features printed buttons and tack

Paint a strawberry jewelry box for a doll...

I decided to "upcycle" this small sized jewelry box for our 18" American Girl dolls.
It looks lovely inside the dollhouse! I used pistachio shells, Sculpey clay and puff paints
to give it a three dimensional, strawberry design.

Supply List:

• small wooden jewelry box 3'' wide
• pistachio shells (3)
• green Sculpey oven bake clay
• yellow and white puff paints
• leaf molds
• red and black acrylic paints
• decorative green paper
• Mod Podge
• wood glue
• hot glue gun, hot glue

Small discarded, wooden trinket boxes like the one used above are easy to find at a flee market,
or in a second-hand shop for a dollar or two.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Sand the outside of the jewelry box in order to make the paint that you will use adhere to the surface properly. 
2. Clean the sanded surfaces with a dry, soft rag.
3. Glue the three pistachio shells, using wood glue, to the lid in a pattern similar to the one shown on the sample jewelry box shown below. Let these dry.
4. Now paint the outside of the box with black acrylic paints.
5. Paint the pistachio shells red.
6. Mold the green Sculpey clay and bake it as directed before gluing these tiny leaves and buds to the upper parts of the strawberries using hot glue.
7. Take a permanent ink marker and draw on the tiny black seeds of the strawberries on their red flesh.
8. Use both yellow and white puffy paints to squeeze out the flower petals and centers around your strawberry design. 
9. Paint stripes and additional flowers on the outer edges and beneath the lock of your jewelry box to give it more unique design if you wish.
10. I lined this doll sized jewelry box with a bit of green patterned paper on the inside using Mod Podge.
11. When you have finished decorating your dolly jewel box, brush down all the surfaces using Mod Podge as well. 
12. Leave the lid open while waiting for the acrylic to dry so that your surfaces don't stick together.

Left, the box lid with newly glued nut shells in the shape of strawberry cluster.
Center, you can see the mold I used here to make the petals and leaves of the strawberries. 
This mold is optional, of course. You could shape tiny petals yourself with a toothpick instead.
Right, the painting strawberries up-close.

The finished doll jewelry box dries with it's lid open in order to prevent sticking.

More Doll Sized Jewelry Boxes:

• Miniature jewelry music box by sugarcharmshop
• Miniature jewelry boxes dollhouse tutorial by AkameruKawaii
• Use vintage display box for Barbie's living room

A Printable Amish Sampler Quilt

Identification of sample quilt blocks or patches.

       This Amish Sampler is made up of eight different designs. It is an Amish "interpretation" because the patches are pieced and quilted using a bold, simple color palette most frequently associated with the overall designs of Amish quilters. The printable faux quilt pattern below is Playscale or 1:6.

1. Ladies' Beautiful Star Patch
2. Basic Mosaic Square Patch
3. This blue patch is a simplistic interpretation of the Primrose Patch
4. Mosaic Patch in the shape of a blossom
   
5. Star of Many Points Patch
6. Tulip Patch
7. Mosaic Patch in Orange
   
8. The Basket Patch

Go to the following links to see how to use heat transfer papers:

• PPD light transfer paper 
• DIY T-shirts using avery iron on transfer paper for light fabric (they make papers for dark fabrics) 
• Transfer paper for dark fabrics 

        After you transfer the sampler quilt below to dark fabric, finish the edges with a colorful or black bias tape. Add "quilting" details with a bold yellow thread.

       You could also make a comforter using the same design by layering your printed fabric on top of a black fleece. Then quilt the two sides together between each block to give the doll comforter a bit of dimension. 

Printables at our blog are not to be redistributed from any other online collection or sold
 for profit. They are the property of kathy grimm and are for personal home use only.

Amish Diamond star block sewing with Lorena's Quilting.

How to sew a doll's pillow with two sides...

I made this little doll sized patchwork pillow for our patchwork doll bedding.

       Below are the basic instructions for making doll pillows by hand. I've linked to a variety of helpful teachers in order to include a diverse selection of examples for this simple beginner sewing project.

Basic Supplies for any two sided Doll Pillow:

• fabric
• needle and thread
• ruler or tape measure
• scissors
• cotton batting to stuff the pillow(s)
• trim: ribbons, bows, rick-rack and lace (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions For Sewing a Two-Sided Doll Pillow: Hand Sewing

    1. Cut two identical shapes with the same length and width.

    2. If there is a difference between the front and the back side of the fabric, make sure that the two right sides of the fabric are facing each other when cutting the pieces out. Identify right and wrong sides of fabrics by Colleen G. Lea

    3. Be careful to cut the fabric along the bias so that the fabric stretches properly while stuffing the pillow(s). How to cut fabric on the bias by Tammy Neisinger.

    4. Sometimes is may be necessary to match striped or plaid patterns when sewing fabric sides together. 7 tips for matching plaids and stripes when sewing by Beth.

    5. Thread a needle using matching or near to matching thread color. Whitney talks about thread colors.

    6. Knot the end of the thread. How to tie a knot in a thread by Sewing for Beginners.

    7. With the two right sides of the fabric faced together, match both the length and widths of both pieces, pinning these in place if necessary.

    8. Sew three edges of the two-sided pillow together using a straight stitch or running stitch, leaving an even narrow seam as you go. How to Sew a straight stitch by hand by CyberSeams

    9. Backstitch over the end of the thread before trimming it off of the needle so that the thread does not work it's way out of the fabric where your sewing has ended. How to backstitch from Red Ted Art.

    10. Turn the pillow inside-out, right sides facing out. There should be one continuous neat seam  allowance around three sides of the two sided pillow prior to stuffing it. What is a seam allowance by Professor Pincushion

    11. You may wish to clip the corners of your work as you sew around these, this is optional if the hem of your sewn edges is narrow. If your hem is wide this is necessary in order to get the corners to lay neat and flat as you sew. How to sew the perfect corners by Daily Sew.

    12. Remove any pins and proceed to stuff the pillow with filler. Use a dowel or unsharpened pencil to help fill out the corners of the pillow as you stuff it. Be careful not to poke an instrument through the fabric while stuffing it.

    13. Pin the open side of the pillow neatly shut, turning a narrow edge under while you whip stitch this side closed. How to finish an opening using a whip stitch by Wendi Gratz

    14. You may choose to use a ladder stitch or invisible stitch to finish your work alternatively instead of the whip stitch. How to hand sew a pillow closed using a ladder stitch by Jann Newton.

Easy, No-Sew Doll Pillow Directions:

• DIY American Girl Doll Pillow No Sewing Needed! by RoseSprinklePie - This version uses tacky glue along with the fabric
• No-Sew doll pillows by CreativityLover - hot glue version
• Pillows made with Heat'n Bond by Thrift Diving

Piece A Simple Patchwork Quilt for Your Doll's Bed

Top left, each fabric patchwork square measures 4"x4". Bottom left, the back of my quilt is lavender.
Right, a heart and flower motif ribbon dresses up a simple decorative pillow.
A doll sized teddy bear also looks sweet with the old-fashioned country, patchwork quilt.

       Doll patchwork blankets do not need to actually keep your dolls warm so if you can not afford the batting or haven't the skills as of yet to quilt a finished pieced blanket, do not worry, your doll's country blanket will still look quite lovely. Our sample pictured here has no batting and is only finished along it's edges. I will gradually post more complicated versions of miniature doll quilts in the future. In the beginning, it is best to learn one technique at a time, practicing your hand stitching with simple sewing projects.

The arrangement of pillows for our patchwork doll quilt.

Supply List:

• 20 4"x4" inch squares with 1/4 " to 1/2" seam allowance - prints and solids in cotton, For every square across have a print or solid to match it's number. If you have a quilt four blocks wide, then you will need four different fabric prints/solids for that quilt.
• needle and thread
• 1/2 yard of solid colored fabric for backing
• quilt batting (optional for doll quilts)
• scissors (used for cutting fabric)
• yarn, embroidery floss for tying your quilt (optional)
• light weight cardboard (cereal box recycled)
• pencil or quilter's ink pen (ink washes out)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. To make a template cut a 4"x4" square from cardboard.
2. Trace around this template on the backside of your fabrics using a pencil or quilter's pen. Leave a 1/4" to 1/2" seam allowance.
3. Cut out squares and sew them together using a straight stitch in a simple grid pattern. (shown below)
4. You may prefer to lay out your squares in a pattern prior to sewing the block together so that you will know which patterns look best sewn side by side.
5. Iron your raw seams flat as you go. 
6. The quilt example made for our doll's bed measures 17"x21"; that is four squares wide by five squares in length. Lay this finished piece on top of the fabric chosen for backing and cut that backing out leaving the same seam allowance. 
7. You can choose to bind the front and back sides of the doll quilt with a layer of cotton batting (sheet) between but I elected to leave this out for this particular project.
8. I turned the right sides of my pieced blocks and the backing together, sewed around the edges with a 1/4" seam allowance while leaving an opening of approx. 4".
9. Turn the quilt inside out with right sides facing out and whip stitch the opening shut. 
10. Now you may tie the corners of the patchwork to the back of the quilt or quilt the top in the ditches of the block patchwork by traditional means. Both of these finishes are optional for a doll's quilt. 

More Doll Patchwork Quilts:

• Make a quilt for a doll bed with Rob and Ruby Appell - cute daddy daughter team
• How to make a patchwork doll blanket by Monica Skov - very detailed steps
• Doll Bed Quilt for American Girl Dolls by Needlepointers - lace trim around the edge

Sample block patterned quilt (life size) for a real bedroom,
 plus cute pillows to match. I've since made a similar pillow.

 

A Simple Block Patterned Quilt

      This square, block quilt pattern from Kentucky was published in a tiny column of the Daily public ledger., May 30, 1907. It reads, "Here is a pieced sample of a quilt which some of your readers have been asking for. I have not seen it in any paper as yet. Thought the ladies would think it strange that I did not send it in after I had written about it. I have seen several inquiries about it lately - Alberta."

      Patterns as simple as this 4'x4' square sewn together to create an entire quilt make excellent projects for beginners. You can cut the squares in advance using scrap fabrics and carry these in a small tote or basket along with: quilters thread, sharp needles and a pair of scissors. Work at piecing the squares during the free moments of a car ride or during a long journey/vacation. Before you know it, you will have a lovely quilt top to tie or quilt into your fist handmade blanket!

Quick Tips for Planning Patchwork Quilts:

    1. If you have the luxury of purchasing fabrics for a patchwork quilt, it is important to select both solid colors and prints. This will help an inexperienced sewer to experiment with sophisticated fabric combinations. How to pick fabrics for your quilt with Nancy.

    2. It is also very important that some of your fabrics are dark in intensity (value) and some of the fabrics are much lighter in comparison. Quilters refer to this as contrast. 5 Tips for Using Color and Prints in your quilting by Melanie Ham.

    3. Fabrics sewn together should also be made from the same materials when you are a beginner. If you are going to quilt with cotton fabrics... all of the fabrics used in your quilt should be made of cotton. If you are sewing with wool, all of the fabrics in that patchwork quilt should be made from wool. 

• Fabrics made from alternative materials stretch in odd ways when sewn together. You will have greater trouble keeping seams intact, your project may stretch unevenly as you sew, and the strength of your threads will break down quicker.
• Wool, cotton, silk etc. all fade at different rates. So if your quilt has cotton in it, this will fade differently than say a hand-dyed wool. The overall visual appearance of the patchwork will look strange once the patchwork begins to age and is washed.
• Quilts made from a variety of materials also break down in the wash. Threads do tear apart quicker due to tension (shrinking and pulling).

    4. Prior to cutting and sewing, your fabrics need to be laundered. This removes chemical treatments given to fabrics in stores in order to keep them looking pressed and clean longer.

• Some folks are very sensitive to these chemicals and have allergic reactions to them.
• Fabrics depending on where they are from could bleed into the wash the first few times they are soaked. If you do not wash them in advance to quilting, these could bleed into the parts of your quilt that have contrasting colors. This is a disaster simple to avoid with prewashing. More reasons - 6 tips for prewashing fabric by SewingDIY.

Decoupage Doll Hangers

After cutting out the initial cardboard hanger shape, test it to see if it will
 fit over your doll's closet rod. Sometimes there is not space enough for
thick hangers inside of doll trunks and closets. If the hanger does not fit,
 you will need to craft hangers using wire instead of cardboard.

 Craft Supply:

• decorative scrap paper
• masking tape
• tacky white glue
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• tiny decorative bows
• cardboard
• printable from below
• Mod Podge (optional)

       Cut out the hanger pattern from the printable below after printing it out from your home computer. Lay the pattern on top of scrap cardboard and trace around it. Cut two to three identical cardboard hangers and glue these together to give them stiff durability. As these dry, press them underneath several heavy books to keep the flat.

       Then cover the hanger(s) with masking tape. Spread white tacky glue onto the masked hangers and press the tacky surface on top of the decorative paper of your choice. Clip tiny slits into the curved areas of paper that will need to be wrapped over the hanger edges and adhere these down with more tacky glue if needed.

       Turn the hanger over and repeat the same step. Use hot glue to attach a tiny decorative bow on the front side of your finished hanger. Seal the paper surface with Mod Podge if the paper isn't glossy enough to wear well.
       Why not make a whole set to gift to a friend? A doll can never have too many hangers. It gives her more reasons to go shopping, of course!

Left, layer the cardboard hangers to give them strength. Center, cover the cardboard hanger with masking tape and
then decoupage it using decorative paper. Right, the dolls now use these cardboard hangers to display their dresses.

Doll Clothes Hanger pattern for play and home use only.
Do not redistribute the pattern from alternative websites.

More Clothing Hangers to Craft:

• Attractive, vintage coat hangers for a child's nursery 
• DIY wire hangers for doll clothes

How to Make Felt Carnations for A Doll

Above is a charming display of felt, pink and lavender carnations with an Easter lamb, bunny, chic and egg.

Our doll Elula loves to smell flowers.

       For this felt floral craft you will need felt, wire, hot glue and a hot glue gun and a sharp pair of scissors. 

       Cut the felt into long narrow strips approximately 1/2" to 3/4" wide. 

       Then snip along one length on one side only, a fringe with your sharp scissors. (see photo below)

       Slowly roll the felt around the wire, smearing small sections of the inner felt with hot glue as you go.

       Repeat the same steps with a shorter width of green felt in order to roll outside leaves around the carnation petals.

       Glue on a few snippets of green felt leaves to the stems.

       Gather a large bunch of the felt carnations into a doll sized vase to arrange a sweet Easter display if you like.

• How to make life size felt flowers from S. Nuraeni
• Jenny Chan makes a felt carnation flower bouquet for Mother's Day
• The felt flora design blog by Deidre Kindall
• How to make felt roses for a doll

Left, the felt strips are fringed on one side only for faux carnations. Center, now
we will wrap the felt with fringe side up onto the wire using hot glue. Right, the floral
carnation heads are done. Next we will repeat the same step using green felt for leaves.

Elula loves to see her Grandmother's decorations. She is too small to reach
them on her own without a chair. A smaller lavender carnation sits on the
vanity table a long side a vintage metal egg and ceramic Easter animals.

Craft a Heavenly Heart Shaped Bed for A Little Doll...

Our little doll is thinking to herself, "I must be dreaming,
because this bed feels just heavenly."

The Dove chocolate box received on
 Valentine's Day last year.

       I recycled a nice tin candy box from last Valentine's Day for this year's special gift. 

       It made a perfect heart shaped bed for a tiny doll and best of all... it was decked out in someone's favorite shades of pink! 

       This project is perfect for an older sibling, mother or grandmother to craft as a gift for a young child. 

       Because your Valentine box may not be the same size as my own, I have neglected to include measurements here. However, the process is not difficult for someone if they have a bit of sewing experience!

Supply List:

• a heart shaped candy box
• felt for a fluffy, heart shaped mattress
• embroidery floss and thread
• cotton batting
• ribbon bows
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• decorative trim: lace or ribbon 
• matching fabrics and trims for tiny blankets and pillows
• masking tape
• embroidery needle
• cardboard

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• Make sure your candy box is clean and dry before beginning. 
• Trace around the outside of the heart shaped box using a pencil on top of a light weight piece of cardboard. Now you have a pattern to make the mattress with.
• Cut two pieces of hot pink felt in the size of the pattern exactly. 
• Then cut a very long, narrow piece of that same felt for the edge of the mattress, approximately one inch wide.
• I used a blanket stitch to attach the sides of the doll mattress. But you may use any stitch that pleases you or you may even attach this piece of felt using hot glue if you do not feel like sewing.
• Leave a two inch opening on one side of the mattress so that you can fill it with cotton batting. Then sew up that opening with an invisible stitch or a showy blanket stitch if you prefer.
• Now you will need to use a long large embroidery needle to 'tuft' the mattress with. Poke this all the way through the back to the front side. Your knotted end of the embroidery floss should catch as you pull the floss hard enough to 'tuft the back to the front side. 
• Double back with the needle through the front to the back of the mattress and repeat this step three times before tying off the embroidery threads on the backside of the mattress. 
• Tuft several areas equally distant from one another till the mattress is completely tufted.
• I then sewed on the tiny bows to the front side for decorative reasons.
• Set the finished mattress aside.
• Now mask off the upper edge of the candy box in order to help the hot glue grip the eyelet lace and ribbon. I used a 'Hello Kitty' ribbon because it is a favorite of the child receiving the Valentine bed.
• I also cut a small piece of felt and trimmed it in the same ribbon and lace to coordinate with the mattress. Except I used a a pale pink felt for the bedding and pillow.

Left, I shaped the mattress by tracing around the heart candy box with a pencil on top of cardboard.
Center, after stuffing the mattress with cotton batting, I used an embroidery needle to 'tuft' the mattress.
Right, the backside of the mattress.

Left, the top half of the candy heart shaped box has been masked with tape so that the hot glue will adhere
 better to the lacy dust ruffle. Center, the felt mattress fits perfectly inside the candy box. Right, the dust
 ruffle completes the look of our heart shaped bed.

Left, I made a tiny pink felt pillow for the doll's heart shaped bed. Center, I also trimmed a blanket in the
same 'Hello Kitty' ribbon and eyelet lace. Right, everything plus the new doll is tied together with a pink bow.
 Somebody will be pleased as pink punch this Valentine's Day!

5 Ways to Make A Dresser for A Dollhouse

Back row left, handmade, paper mache box dresser with working drawers. Back row
center, paper mache, box dresser with false drawers. Back row right, working drawers
 in pre-fab boxes stacked from a dollar store. Front row left, chalkboard painted block
with paper mache mirror. Front right, painted pre-fab doll dresser from a dollar store.

      I've included five simple ways to make a doll's dresser in this post. The dresser in a dollhouse collection sometimes has working drawers and sometimes the drawers are merely decorative. If the dresser is for a very young child, parents may opt to include the latter in order to avoid the tiny drawers getting lost. In either case, small dressers make a charming addition to any dollhouse and these five examples are very easy to craft.

Doll Dresser 1. -  Purchase and Paint

This tiny dresser can be found in the toy sections of dollar stores. 
There is also a matching table that goes with it.

       I painted this first doll's dresser with bright yellow acrylic paints, glued on a decorative paper to hide some of the flaws in the wood and applied a bright red color to the tiny drawer knobs and around the wooden feet.  The unfinished version of this dresser may be purchased at the Dollar Store and is the least expensive of all our dollhouse dressers.

Doll Dresser 2. - Paint a Block and Add a Mirror

Left, you can see that I had only just attached the mirror after photographing this example.
 The glue will dry clear. Right, is the finished example of a chalk painted block dresser with
 plastic gems for knobs and aluminum foil for the mirror. The woodgrain is drawn on with
 chalk markers and the drawers do not open.

       I made this second dresser with a block from our toy box. It's drawers are only painted on but, it can survive rough play and would be the best choice for a enthusiastic toddler to handle, had I left off the dresser mirror. This particular dresser is part of a larger collection of hand painted, chalkboard furniture that I will post later after I have finished it.

Doll Dresser 3. - Stack a Few Boxes

Stack and glue your dollar store box purchases together. Don't forget to apply a bit of
 pressure to the interior of the boxes so that the glue will spread and dry evenly.

       It doesn't get any easier to craft than this third dresser example. I purchased two identical boxes with two drawers each and then stacked them on top of each other using some extra tacky craft glue to make this simple transformation permanent. This quick fix cost me two dollars at the local Dollar store!

Doll Dresser 4. - Wrap a Box

Dollhouse furniture doesn't need to be so serious. Dress up a dolly's dresser using
polka-dots and cartoonish lines if your prefer!

       To make the fourth dresser, you will need decorative paper, white glue and scissors to first wrap a small recycled box. Then add a bit of detail using beads for false drawer pulls, scrap cardboard for the pretend drawer fronts and a black permanent ink pen to draw on wood grain. Brush on Mod Podge to keep the surfaces clean.

This paper mache doll dresser is lent a bit of strength and
 durability by stuffing it's interior with cardboard.

Doll Dresser 5. - Craft A Box Dresser

       I manufactured the fifth dresser from three little soap boxes, all having the exact same proportions. These boxes became the functioning drawers of our doll's dresser. If you wish to make a dresser similar to this one, you will need the following supplies and measurements:

The finished paper mache doll dresser with
drawers that actually open.

Supply List:

• three small boxes of equal size for the drawers
• extra cardboard (for the cabinet portion)
• decorative scrapbooking papers
• three small buttons (for drawer pulls)
• wire or pipe cleaners
• white school glue
• Mod Podge
• ruler
• scissors
• masking tape

       The size of my paper mache dresser was dictated by the proportions of the small boxes that I used for the crafting of the tiny drawers.

Photos of the small drawers in progress.

       I took these three small soap boxes and cut off the top portions of each to form the cardboard dresser drawers. I reinforced the sides by lining the interior walls and bottoms with thicker cardboard and masking tape. Each of these drawers measured: 1 /3/4" x 3 1/2" x 3/4".

Left, I am checking to make sure that I have cut the cabinet correctly to accommodate
 the drawers. Center, I don't want the space for each drawer to be too tight! Right,
 everything is measured twice.

       Measure and wrap cardboard to fit the drawers. This part of the dresser is the cardboard cabinet and it measured: 2" x 3 3/4'' x 3 3/4".

Left the cabinet portion of the dresser is finished. Center, the foot details on the sides of
my dollhouse dresser. Right, the top 'collar' of the dresser. Furniture designers don't
 include these on dressers anymore, but my version is a very old design.

        I also cut little legs into the side walls of the cabinet to give the dresser a bit of character and cut scalloped lower and upper trims for the space between my cabinets legs and to also make a 'backsplash' for the cabinets top.
       Then I covered the outer parts of my dresser's cabinet with a decorative paper and the interior of the cabinet with white typing paper.
       Next, I covered each of the little drawers with white glue and typing paper prior to cutting cardboard drawer faces with decorative paper. Firmly glue the drawer faces in place and let these drawers dry over night. 
       It's important to let the dresser drawers 'cure' or harden overnight so that the walls will shrink and harden. Cardboard swells just a tiny amount when it is wet. So it becomes impossible to tell if the fit for the drawers is right until this swelling goes down. Do not leave the cardboard drawers inside the cabinet while they are still swollen and wet or they will stick!
       On the following day, I punctured the center face of each drawer with the tip of my scissors to create a hole big enough to push a wired button through. Twist the wire once inside the hole of the button itself. Then thread the button through the drawer hole. Pull the wire ends open across the backside of the drawer's interior wall. Glue and tape this wire down so that the button is firmly attached to the drawer.

More From The Web:

• Furniture ideas for a child's dollhouse
• DIY Modern Doll House Furniture
• Mini IKEA Dollhouse Furniture for Dollhouse

No-Sew Frankenstein's Monster Pillow

Monster pillow wonders, 'What is that scary creature!'

       Even though this project is a no-sew project, you may still need an adult to help you with it, depending upon your age and experience.

       Read all of the instructions and look closely before beginning. Ask mom or dad to help you with your first attempt. Soon you will get the hang of it. 

       When working with an iron or hot glue, have adults present and helping.

Supply List:

• green fabric scraps
• double sided adhesive tape
• fabric glue
• stuffing of some kind: pellets, cotton etc...
• small amounts of felt: blue, black and white
• fingernail scissors or tiny Fiskars scissors
• black thread and needle for scares (optional)

 Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Cut a 3 1/2" x 10" rectangle from green scrap fabric that you have for this no-sew pillow project.
2. Apply a double sided adhesive tape or fabric glue to the right sides of your green rectangle. (Remember the right sides are the front parts of a fabric.)
3. Fold the rectangle in half with the adhesive strips facing together and iron the pillow case shut. You may use the glue adhesive and omit the ironing, but wait for the glue to dry overnight before turning the pillow inside out.
4. Take a sharp small set of scissors and cut a small 1" opening on the front of your pillow's face. 
5. Turn the pillow inside out. Now the right sides of the pillow are on the outside and the edges are turned neatly inside. 
6. Push cotton balls or plastic pellets through this opening to stuff your small pillow.
7. Cut a strip of your fabric to insert into this open hole and glue it shut with a glue gun. I used the back side of the fabric facing out through the hole to make the surface where my monster's face looks scared more obvious. (see photos below)
8. Cut small stripes of the green fabric and roll these up with a bit of fabric glue or hot glue to make the bolts for the monsters neck/head. These are the electrodes that Dr. Frankenstein plugged in electricity to bring his monster to life.
9. Glue these hardened fabric bolts to the side of your monster pillow's head.
10. Cut blue felt fabric hair and eyebrow to glue to the monster's face. (for front and back, See photo below to copy if you'd like.)
11. Cut out eyeballs, mouth and buck teeth from the black and white felt. Glue these down using fabric glue.
12. Now you can add some black scare seams with a needle and thread if you want.

Left, Apply a double sided adhesive tape or fabric glue to the right sides of your green rectangle.
 I've ironed this down and now will peal it away before folding it in half and ironing it shut. Right,
 Take a sharp small set of scissors and cut a small 1" opening on the front of your pillow's face.

Left, Push cotton balls or plastic pellets through this opening to stuff your small pillow.
 Right, Cut a strip of your fabric to insert into this open hole and glue it shut with a glue gun.

Front and backside of my no-sew Frankenstien's monster pillow. Wow what a mouthful. 
I think he needs a few black scare stitches before he's done.

What is this Frankenpillow's story? It looks like these two are up to no good! 
Is the spider taking him for a ride or taking his seat?