How to sew bumper pads for a baby doll's crib...

I discovered and purchased this rare doll crib from resale. I have no idea who manufactured it. It
is made using light weight plastic and paper fiber composite, although it looks just like wood. It is
 the perfect size for an American Girl Doll nursery! (measuring 9'' in length, 5 inches in width
and 7 and a 1/2 inches in height) The photo above is the finished result after the mattress, bumper
pad and tiny pillow are finished.

What the doll crib looked like before adding 
linens to it.

       Discovering a crib like this one in the size that I have is not an easy task! So I suppose that I will need to make it a future craft for this blog sometime in the future...

       For now I will finish this one for our American Girl Doll nursery.

Supply List:

• foam sheet for mattress to fit the interior of the doll crib
• approximately 1/2 yard of felt for the mattress cover and bumper pad (I chose a bumble bee print.)
• ribbon to coordinate with the fabric selection
• trim for the pillow
• cotton batting stuffing for the bumper pad and doll pillow
• ribbon tape measure
• 1'' foam padding for crib mattress

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Measure the interior of the crib from side to side for cutting the mattress to size and determining the length and width of the bumper pads. Our interior measurement is 8''x4 1/2''.
2. Cut the foam padding, 1'' wide, into a  8''x4 1/2'' piece.
3. Cover the foam mattress with two identical  8''x4 1/2'' plus a 1/4'' seam allowance and a long strip of same fabric for the sides of mattress measuring 26 inches in length and 1 1/2 inches wide. 
4. Sew all pieces right sides together leaving 1/4 inch seam and a three inch opening. 
5. Turn inside out and insert the foam mattress. Sew the opening shut with a whip stitch.
6. To make the bumper, cut two long strips of fabric measuring 26 inches.
7. Sew right sides together leaving an opening for stuffing.
8. Turn inside-out, right sides facing out, and stuff with filler. Do so without packing the tube too tight.
9. Turn in the end opening and finish the edges shut with a whip stitch.
10. Using a straight stitch measure 4 inches from one end and stitch a seam to form the first bumper pillow, make three pillows 2 1/2 inches each for the side bumper units. 
11. Then make the next side bumper pillow measuring 4 inches, followed by three more pillows for the corresponding side measuring 2 1/2 inches, three times. See photo below.
12. Where the two ends meet, you will need to tack on a ribbon on each end measuring four inches each.
13. Sew eight inch lengths of ribbons in the center of each to every place where the pillows are formed using a straight stitch, so that the ribbons may be threaded through the and around the bars of the crib to tie in a bow. In this way the stuffing of the bumper pads will be evenly distributed and the bumper made to look uniform and neat.
14. To make the pillow measure and cut two small rectangles, 3''x1'' with 1/4'' seam allowance. 
15. With right sides together sew around the pillow edges leaving an opening of 1/2 inch. 
16. Turn inside-out, stuff and whip stitch the opening shut.
17. Apply a rick-rack trim or lace to the edges of the tiny crib pillow.

Choose a delightful nursery print for this project. I selected bumble bees because it is a favorite
theme of my daughter. It is a flannel print. Above you cans see that I covered a piece of cut foam, 
 8''x4 1/2'' with the same print that I also used in the making of the bumper pads and pillow.

 

 

The full length of the bumper pad when stretched out. Making it one continuous piece it easiest.

 

Left the finished result and right, the tiny crib pillow with yellow rick-rack and bee motif.

More Cribs and Cradles for Your Dolls:

• Make a doll's cradle using a Quaker Oats Can
• Update a wooden doll's cradle for Barbie

Rocking Chair Repaint

       Here you can see two doll rockers I have refinished for our larger 18 inch dolls or baby doll sizes. I purchased them originally at resale for five dollars each. Both were painted blue by their former owners.

Left, I used a scrapbook paper depicting a woven fabric for the grey rocker.
Center, I sanded down some of the areas on the wooden frame to give it
an aged appearance. Right close up of the arm of the chair.

Photos of both rockers after they have been repainted and decoupaged
 to use with our 18" doll displays. 

Left and Center are close up views of faux staining technique. The original grain
 of the wooden rocker was not obvious enough so I chose to paint it back on using
a variety of brown acrylic colors. Right, an unusual vintage shelf paper, photo of
 cane web mesh decoupaged onto a wooden seat. 

More Rocking Chair Restoration for Dolls:

• Refinish A Doll's Rocking Chair
• Spruce Up A Heart Shaped Rocker for A Doll!
• Sewing Seat Cushions for A Doll's Rocker

Craft a Quaker Oat Can Cradle

Our sample Quaker Oats canister cradle as seen from above.

        Sometimes this craft does not include rockers when you find it elsewhere on the web. The oats can will rock without the additional rockers but it will also roll upside down and deposit whatever doll that lies in it onto the floor! So, I chose to include a set of rockers (with template) to prevent this from happening along with our updated variation of this favorite old-time cradle craft. 

       You may need to alter our template slightly in order to get it to fit to the diameter of your own cardboard can because cardboard tube sizes do vary. However, the decoupage layering of paper and glue will strengthen and bond the rockers to the can properly if the glue is given ample time to dry and harden. Parents may choose to allow kids to decorate their own doll's cradle after an adult or teen has assembled its' larger parts to avoid frustrations of younger inexperienced crafters.

Template for Quaker Oat Rocker.  

Supply List:

• Quaker Oats cardboard can (I used the largest variety measuring 9 1/2" tall
• box cutter or Xacto knife (Only adults may use this equipment prior to the craft.)
• white school glue
• decorative papers (I used plain black construction paper)
• a variety of yarns
• decorative card stock (optional)
• flannel fabric for mattress and blanket
• batting to stuff the mattress
• needle and matching thread
• print my rocker template below.
• additional scrap cardboard for the rockers
• masking tape

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut away an opening in the can using a box cutter or Xacto knife. I cut a 5"x7" opening into a large Quaker Oats can.
2. Reinforce the can by covering it entirely with masking tape to begin with.
3. Print and cut out two rockers for the underside of the Quaker Oats can. 
4. Trace around the paper templates several times to double up the thickness of the cardboard you will use for them. I cut two sets of rockers using double thicknesses of cardboard for the version photographed above.
5. Then glue and tape the rockers directly beneath the cradle opening. Let the cradle dry completely before decoupaging it.
6. I decoupaged my Quaker Oats can and rockers entirely with black construction paper. 
7. Then I pasted a patterned card stock to the outside areas of the rockers only. This step is optional.
8. You can decorate this doll cradle's end caps using yarn trims. I chose to repeat the motifs illustrated in the decorative card stock using left over yarn and construction papers from previous crafts. The yarn was glued onto the cradle's surface using white school glue. You may wish to replace this glue with tackier glue instead if you feel a child may have trouble or be impatient with the ordinary glue.
9. You can also line the doll cradle with a lightly stuffed flannel pillow 5"x7" and a matching flannel blanket just slightly larger. Now your little one can enjoy hours of dramatic doll play and it cost next to nothing to make a baby doll cradle from recycled materials!

Left, I converted a 9 1/2" tall Quaker Oats Can into a dolls cradle. Center, Use masking tape to reinforce structure
 of decoupaged cradle before covering with glue and additional scrap papers. Right, to cover corners with paper
neatly, don't forget to clip the edges with scissors into a fringe.

Yarn and decorative card stock applied with white school glue to the Quaker Oats cradle.

Left, I've decoupaged the cradle black and covered the rockers with a colorful card stock. Now I am ready to apply
a yarn pattern. Center, here you can see the pillow-like mattress I made for the inside of the cradle. Right, our baby
doll sleeps snug inside his colorful paper mache cradle.

Fabric decorated version of a Quaker Oat

 Can Cradle from Youtube

Additional Versions of Cradle Can Craft:

• How to make oatmeal containers baby doll cradles craft for kids - This illustrates different looking rockers.
• How to make a doll cradle with a recycled oatmeal box by Carolyn Wainscott - This uses upholstering techniques to cover the cradle.

"Remember when you were little...?" 1965 Quaker Oats Cradle.

A Redwork Doll Blanket

       I made this doll blanket, by hand, for a child who loves turtles and all sorts of little forest creatures. The redwork designs come from a wonderful coloring book by Diane Gaspas called “Forest Animals.” Dover publishes many coloring books for children that may be used for a wide variety of personal projects/gifts. However, because these coloring pages are copyrighted and are not in the public domain, they should never be used for profit or be misrepresented as belonging to another company or individual other than Dover or Diane Gaspas. I specifically chose these designs by Dover because the company was sponsoring a craft contest in 2012 based upon the development of handmade crafts/personal art projects using their products. 

You can see here that I traced the design in pencil and then stretched the muslin between a wooden hoop

 before working the threads into the design.

I decided to introduce just a bit of applique into the turtle’s shell.

Here I have worked a few red seed beads into the wild fruits hanging above my turtle’s head.

I trimmed the doll blanket in a red rick-rack. I thought it would add to the old-fashioned look of the blanket.

 I also rotated my muslin squares with plaid and printed squares. These had no red touches originally so

 I stitched some red threads into the plaid designs in order to blend my bold red colors with the neutral

creams, tans, and whites of my overall color palette.

This sweet little mouse may also be found in the pages of the same coloring book along with the bees,

 moth and snail that are stitched into the redwork designs.

Above is the final project ready for someone very special that I have in mind.

Build A Simple, Wooden Doll Cradle

Illustration of the wooden doll's cradle.

       This cradle is made of soft wood and finished with mahogany stain to make is bright and attractive. It fits a twelve inch doll perfectly. However you may change the dimensions to fit any sized doll you wish.

       The special feature of this doll cradle is the use of the bevel to lay out the slanting lines on the end pieces.

       Order the stock. Plane the end and side pieces to the largest dimensions. Use the compasses to lay out all the curves indicated in the drawing. 

       Lay out the beam of the bevel on B, set the blade to the line A. Then, with the bevel used the same as a square, draw all the other slanting lines on the head and foot pieces. 

       Saw to the curved lines with the coping saw and to the slanting line with the back saw. 

       Fasten side and end pieces together as indicated; then carefully plane the bottom edge of the side pieces square with the bottom of the end pieces. 

       Nail the bottom to the sides and screw through the bottom to hold the rockers.

Above are the mechanical drawings for a simple wooden doll's cradle.

More Doll Cradle Plans from The Web:

• Build an American Girl Doll Cradle With Heart Cut by Rogue
• Easy DIY Toy Babycrib From Cardboard by Little Ladoo

Sewing Seat Cushions for A Doll's Rocker

       This 18" doll sized rocker appears to have been sold frequently in the U.S. during the past 20 years. Although I am not able to find where it originates, I see it on the shelves at resale often.
       Draw your own pattern from paper as I have done, just left, and fit it to the doll rocker that you wish to cover.  Use the back lighting from a window to help you do this. Through just a bit of trail and error, you can accomplish this. When you think that you have an acceptable pattern, fold it in half and cut both sides again at once, following the outline of your shapes. This should give you even measurements for the chair cushions. Don't forget to draw the pattern again with a seam allowance.

       You will need enough fabric for both a back and front of two cushions, plus fiber fill, thread to match, fabric for a ruffled trim and ribbon to match. 

       You may sew your cushions on a machine or by hand. Because I chose to work with fine woven wool, I completed this project entirely by hand. Otherwise, the unraveling of the wool might have prevented me from sewing on the finer details.

       I also used less than half a yard of fabric for the project, in case you are wondering just how much material it would take for a similar set of cushions on a 18" doll sized rocker.

       Originally this rocking chair was stained and the surface was nicked and scratched. So I decided to paint the chair a brick red before adding the seat cushions.

• How to make a rocking chair for a doll
• How To Wooden Pegs Rocking Chair
• Refinish A Doll's Rocking Chair

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut and measure a paper pattern for your doll's rocking chair. There is trial and error in this process so you may not wish to attempt it unless you have a bit of experience in sewing.
2. I added a 1/4" seam allowance to the pattern and cut two of each, top and bottom cushions.
3. Straight stitch around the outer edges of each cushion, right sides together.
4. Leave a one inch opening on the back side of the lower cushion and at the base of the upper cushion for turning the sewn pieces inside out.
5. Stuff the cushions lightly and close the openings using an invisible stitch.
6. Cut long 1 1/2" strips of fabric for the ruffle and turn one end of the strips back for a clean hemmed edge before pleating and attaching the ruffle.
7. Pleat or gather the ruffle after hemming the strips of fabric. It will take, perhaps three feet of pleated fabric per cushion. This is a rough estimation of how much fabric I used. You may use more of less according to taste.
8. I also decided to sew a pleated ruffle to the top side parameter of each cushion because my material was woven wool. However some advanced sewers may choose to either pleat or gather a ruffle and sew it between the seams of their rocking chair's cushions on a machine.
9. Once you cushions are finished, you may like to sew in a bit of puckering on each cushion using hand stitching. Add buttons or beads if you like the look. I left my puckering plain. 
10. Last I hand stitched a satin lavender ribbon to cover my top seams around the ruffed areas and tacked on small ribbon beneath and behind the cushions to tie them onto our doll's rocking chair. See finished details in photos below.

Left, the finished upholstered seat cushions. Center, seeing if ruffle is wide enough. Right, up close look at lavender ribbon.

Spruce Up A Heart Shaped Rocker for A Doll!

Left, the backside of my heart shaped rocker. Center, the front side of the rocker. Right, Disney Moana
doll holds a Valentine chocolate box and relaxes in the doll rocking chair; the chair is a perfect for her size.

        I discovered this unwanted iron work rocker at resale. I don't know whether is was designed to hold a miniature potted plant or if the manufacture intended it for a doll? I have seen similar chairs with pin cushions as seats. Whatever the original use, I decided to add it to our growing collection of furniture for the doll house. 

       I painted the frame a bright red using some leftover spray paint from previous projects and cut some heavy cardboard for a back and seat to cover with decorative scrap paper.

       Then I simply hot glued these finished pieces through the iron work on the backside of the frame and from underneath as well. Now I have a sturdy little heart shaped rocker that fits our 11 to 12 inch dolls.

Left, the rocker is it looked when I first purchased it. Center, I've cut a cardboard back and seat for the rocker.
Right, this is how the seat will look on the iron frame. I need to cover it with paper or fabric.

Craft a Miniature Cradle, Sewing Cabinet and Piano Bench

       A bassinet, bassinette, or cradle is a bed specifically for babies from birth to about four months. Bassinets are generally designed to work with fixed legs or casters, while cradles are generally designed to provide a rocking or gliding motion. Bassinets and cradles are distinguished from Moses baskets and carry cots, which are designed to be carried and sit directly on the floor or furniture. After four months, babies are often transferred to a crib (North American usage) or cot (UK usage). In the United States, however, the bedside sleeper is the prevalent option, since they are generally bigger, recommended up to 6 months, and often used up to a year. Read more...

• Back to Klenke Index

"Baby can be rocked in a real cradle, as Mother sits in her rocker.
Yes, the dresser has a real mirror and drawers that open." Klenke

Cradle, Sewing Cabinet and Piano Bench Plans, Instructions included by Klenke.
See the Priscilla Sewing Cabinet in a photo by Klenke.

More for Miniature Baby Dolls:

• Update A Wooden Doll's Cradle
• Projects for a Dollhouse Nursery
• Recycled Doll Cradle Craft for Kids

Turn A Bookcase Into a Changing Table

       I discovered a doll sized bookcase at resale. It was a bit too wide and heavy for a fashion doll bookcase and too small for an American Girl Doll's bookcase. So, I decided to convert it into a changing table for our Barbie's nursery.

A bookcase for a doll may be transformed into a
very nice diaper changing table.

Supply List:

• corrugated cardboard
• toothpicks
• acrylic paints
• clear acrylic varnish
• Mod Podge
• tacky white glue
• felt square 
• printed fabric
• sandpaper (light weight)
• typing paper
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• masking tape
  

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Clean your resale item with soap and water and set it in the sunshine to dry thoroughly.
2. Lightly sand the surfaces so that the paint will adhere to the item. 
3. I choose to paint my changing table with four colors: black, yellow, blue and green. These colors match flowers in the fabric print I selected for decoupage portion of the project. I first painted the top shelf yellow, then the middle shelf a turquoise blue, and the bottom shelf a hunter's green.
4. Then using a tiny brush, I painted the changing table's decorative trim black. You may find that you need to repeat these steps several times to get good coverage.
5. I used a ruler and typing paper to make patterns of the changing table sides and back pieces. Then I traced around these patterns on top of my fabric with a white piece of chalk.
6. Cut the pieces out of the fabric and hold them up to the parts of the furniture you wish to decoupage to see if these are the correct size and shape.
7. Brush on the Mod Podge and firmly press the fabric cuttings onto the sides and back of the changing table. Layer more Mod Podge on top of the fabric and then let the changing table dry overnight.
8. Now measure the length of the shelves and cut two pieces of corrugated cardboard to fit the length that measure approximately 1/2 inch wide.
9. Cut toothpicks down to half inch pieces. Make sure these are all the same length before assembling the railing for the top of the changing table.
10. Using a tacky glue, squeeze a dot of glue on the end of each cut toothpick and nestle these inside every other hole of the corrugated cardboard interior. Let the glue harden before fitting the second piece of cut cardboard on top of the railing. This is tedious work but simple once you get used to it.
11. Now let this small railing harden prior to painting it a color of your own choosing. I painted my railing bright yellow to match the top shelf.
12. Glue the dry railing into place using a hot glue gun.
13. Measure the inside of the top shelf to make a cardboard cut out for the changing pad.
14. Cover the top of this cardboard with a piece of felt of the same size. Glue the felt into place with a small amount of tacky glue.
15. Now lay this cardboard shelf on top of the decorative fabric and cut around the cardboard, leaving enough fabric to wrap it around the corners and a bit of the bottom. Secure the wrap with masking tape. (see photo below)
16. Hot glue the upholstered changing pad onto the top of the changing table.
17. Now you can fill the shelves with all kinds of items your Barbie's baby may need: diapers, wipes, toys, a bathtub etc...

Left, the safety railing made from toothpicks and corrugated cardboard and the changing pad/mattress.
Center, the finished table. Right, the backside of the changing table's pad. You can see the masking tape
used to secure the wrapped ends of the fabric prior to gluing the pad down to the top of the changing table.

Different views of my finished doll changing table. See the matching cradle for our Barbie's nursery.

More Diaper Changing Tables:

• Lena Wiese builds a diaper changing table from wood and here she builds one from foam core.
• Use a dollar tree dresser for a diaper changing table
• Froggy crafts baby room furniture using craft sticks and cardboard

Craft a Car Shaped Ball Pit for Your Dolls

A tiny baby doll plays in his car shaped ball pit. Soon it will become a part of his bedroom in our dollhouse.

       Ball pits don't need to be round, standard shaped enclosures. These playful additions may be shaped like almost anything when you use your imagination. Just think about what you would like in your own bedroom and turn it into a ball pit for fun! After all a doll's bedroom can become any kind of a fun space, if you are willing to craft it yourself.

This ball pit, photo by Fredriksson, is
life size and inside of a pretend ship in-
stead of a car! Read more about ball 
pits at Wikipedia.

Supply List:

• a front end of a toy car
• Styrofoam balls
• papier mache pulp
• paper egg cartoon
• black tape
• black, white and orange acrylic paint
• red glitter glue
• masking tape
• cardboard
• white school glue
• two identical buttons for tail lights
  

Step-by-Step Directions:

        First you will need to acquire the front end of a toy car at resale for this project or if you have a small boy living at home, one of these may be easy to find. A project like this one allows for a bit of imagination because the ball pit could be made out of any size or shape of a broken toy vehicle. I purchased my broken car on purpose at resale. As you may well imagine, I got many strange looks from the cashier.

      Next, comes the most difficult part, shaping the wagon attached to the backside of the car from cardboard. This shape is made up of basic elements: a square, three sided wagon, wheel wells, wheel shapes, (cut from an egg carton) and the lip of the wagon that attached with a small hook onto the inside of the broken car.

You will need just the right broken toy for this project, but your version will look different from mine,
 depending upon the toy car that you find.

       Cover the entire wagon attachment with masking tape before adding the paper mache pulp to it's outside walls. This protects the cardboard surface, strengthens it and makes it mostly water proof. Well you can't dump the toy in a tub, but, you will be able to wipe it down with a damp cloth if need be...
       I left the inside of the wagon and the bottom side of the wagon free of paper mache pulp and opted to cover these with a black duct tape instead.

 

Masking the cardboard wagon before applying paper mache pulp.

       Below, you can see that I hot glued a couple of buttons on the back bumper to act as tail lights. Later, I then squeezed some red glitter glue onto the button surfaces to make these even more convincing. 

       I also left a part of the back bumper free from paper pulp so that I could paint a flat, smooth surfaced license plate.

Covering the cardboard wagon with paper mache pulp.

       Next, I painted the paper mache surface with orange acrylic paint. Then the license plate with the text "BAL-PIT" I used a bit of white black and white paint to make my egg carton wheels look similar to those original wheels of the car itself.

       Spray paint the little paper mach wagon with a acrylic sealer and add the Styrofoam balls for your dolls to romp around in.

Above is the finished car ball-pit for my playscale fashion doll's children. This looks great in their bedroom!

How to DIY a Doll Playpen

Left, Ashley doll is baby sitting. Center, someone small peeks through the sides of our playpen.
Right, peek-a-boo is easy to play from inside a playpen.

       You don't have to create a doll play pen with an ordinary round shaped bottle. Try something unique by recycling an eight sided hydrogen peroxide bottle. Below are the following supplies you will need for this baby doll furniture.

Supply List:

• recycled hydrogen peroxide bottle
• sharp cutting tool like an X-ACTO knife
• masking tape
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• a recycled soft mesh liner or bag (potato bag)
• felt  or fleece and scrap fabric (your choice of color combinations)
• waxed dental floss
• white cotton
• long, large sewing needle
• cardboard 
• metal or quilter's thimble made from leather

Step-by-Step Directions:

       First, cut out the doll playpen from your choice of recycled plastic bottle using an X-ACTO knife. If you are younger than 13 or 14 years of age, you will need to ask a responsible adult to do this first step in the craft process.

       As you can see from the photos below, I wrapped a piece of masking tape around my bottle to mark where I should make my cut using the text on the labels to measure a height appropriate for a playscale doll playpen. (approximately 3 inches)

       Cut away the side panels for the baby doll to see through, leaving the corner walls and floor intact. Reserve a top panel that encloses the entire surround of the playpen. (approximately 1/2 inch in width.

Above, you can see that I chose a bottle with an interesting shape. If you can not find a bottle like this one,
 do not worry. You can make a playpen out of any shaped bottle and it will look just as nice in
 your own dollhouse!

        I reinforced the corners of my bottle with extra cardboard strips and glued these in place. Then I cut the soft plastic mesh to fit the openings where the baby doll may peer through while he or she plays safely inside.

       Use the masking tape to cover all of the remaining brown plastic of the bottle. This step is necessary in order to ensure the fabrics will adhere to all sides during the upholstering of the playpen.

Every surface is eventually masked off so that the hot glue will adhere the fabrics to the plastic properly.

       I glued a hot pink felt layer beneath my kitty cat fabric to serve as a soft liner. Felt is frequently used in upholstered doll furnishings instead of foam or cotton batting. Whether you chose to use this substitute depends entirely on your own preference. I think felt lining makes upholstered surfaces look neat and trim.

The doll playpen has been lined with a matching hot pink felt. On the far right, you can see that I used
 a very long needle to turn under the edges of my decorative fabric with. I also recommend that you use a
thimble to protect your fingers while you work at upholstering doll furniture for the first time. If you feel
unable to work with a metal thimble, a quilter's thimble that is made from leather, may be easier
for you to wear.

       Next, you will need to cover the playpen with your decorative fabric. Turning under the edges as you proceed with a long needle and an invisible stitch. I used waxed dental floss for this process instead of ordinary cotton thread. The floss will hold my sewn surfaces firmly in place through much rough play over time.
      Cut your strips of fabric a bit larger than the felt liner in order to hide seams properly. Sew the thread from back to front and then back again through the soft mesh plastic.
       I left the felt showing on the lower parts of the inside of my playpen, knowing that most of this would be concealed by the thick mattress.

The doll playpen is almost finished.

       Last, you will need to measure the bottom of your doll's playpen and add a 1/4 inch seam allowance to two square pieces of fleece that you will cut out stuff for a pillow.

      Sew around the stacked fleece squares with a straight stitch; leave a 1 inch hole to turn your pillow right-sides-in and stuff it with a small amount of cotton. Close the opening with an invisible or whip stitch. 

       Hot glue the small mattress into the bottom of the doll playpen.

Craft a Sunny Little Ball Pit

The tiny doll inside our homemade doll pit seen from three angles.

One cherry tomato container clean and ready to use.

        You can make a sunny little ball pit from a cherry tomato container for your doll's nursery.         

       I chose to use this recycled container because of it's transparent walls and dome shape. Doll mamas can keep a close watch on their little ones through it's walls while they play!

Supply List:

• cherry tomato container
• Styrofoam balls
• one yellow felt square 
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• masking tape 
• light weight cardboard

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Clean the container with warm soap and water after the tomatoes have been eaten.
2. Remove the top part of the container to work on the bottom first.
3. With a small pair of sharp scissors, cut out the large bulbous dome from the bottom half of the container. This is very easy to remove and has a tacky lip on it that will stick easily to the top of the transparent lid. Just add a bit more glue to the lip and position this firmly onto the top of the container.
4. Now cut a round piece of cardboard to fill the space at the bottom of the container neatly with glue. Don't forget to cover this surface completely with masking tape.
5. Cut circle felt pieces to cover both inside and outside of the lower half of the container. the felt pieces should be slightly larger than the cardboard bottom.
6. Cut a long piece of felt to also cover the sides of the lower part of the container.
7. Hot glue on this long narrow, felt strip first. 
8. Clip the excess felt and turn this under the bottom of the container gluing it neatly as you work your way around the bottom.
9. Glue on one of the felt circles to cover this edge.
10. Glue the other felt circle to the inside of the container to cover the masked cardboard bottom.
11. Now cut an entry into one side of the transparent tomato top. 
12. Cut a thin strip of felt to line the edge of your opening.
13. Use the hot glue to firmly attach this felt to the outside opening of the doll's ball pit.
14. Fill the container with a doll and Styrofoam balls.

Left, You can see the masked cardboard bottom of the cherry tomato container here.
Right, Clip the excess felt and turn this under the bottom of the container
gluing it neatly as you work your way around the bottom.

• Watch out! cats love ball pits too!
• Ball pit fun.

Refinish A Doll's Rocking Chair

Left, this fashion doll mamma rocks her small baby to sleep in a coordinating cradle. (see how it was upcycled here)
 Right, the finished rocking chair with an upholstered cushion neatly glued to it's seat is ready for play.

       I found a very strange, decorative faux planter at resale. However strange it's parts, it will be charming in our family's doll house! The rocker fits the Barbie dolls perfectly. I gave it a modern paint application, two-toned, and glued together a tiny upholstered cushion to replace the potted plant. Now it looks like something our dolls need in their nursery!

The finished, painted rocker is ready
for a new upholstered cushion.

Supply List:

• a rocking chair, playscale size
• acrylic paints, multiple colors
• sandpaper
• cotton batting or similar materials
• fabric for the seat cushion
• hot glue and hot glue gun 
• clear acrylic varnish
• light weight cardboard
• pencil and paper for tracing

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Thoroughly sand the surfaces of the rocking chair so that new paint will adhere to the parts.
2. Using a small paint brush, color select parts of the rocker in different bright colors. I chose to paint mine in turquoise, hot pink, Kelly green and black.
3. Seal these surfaces with clear acrylic varnish and let the rocker cure/dry over night.
4. Trace the hole shape in the middle of the seat using a pencil and paper.
5. Cut out the circular shape and trace around this on top of the cardboard. Draw a second line around this traced circle 1/4" larger than the first. Cut along this outside line.
6. Take this cardboard circle and fit it to the opening in the rocker's seat. It should be a bit larger and cover the hole sufficiently.
7. Now trace around this cardboard seat onto the decorative fabric that you have chosen to upholster it with. While cutting this fabric out, cut approximately 1/2" larger than the size of the cardboard seat. You will need the excess fabric to stretch around the edges of the cardboard as you go.
8. Take a small bit of cotton and glue this to the center of the cardboard seat.
9. Center the decorative fabric on top of this cotton and gently pull it around the underside of the cardboard seat. You can use a bit of masking tape to secure the fabric while you pull it around all of the seat.
10. Now take a hot glue gun and secure the fabric to the underside of the seat cushion neatly. Trim the excess fabric as you proceed.
11. After you are satisfied with this cushion, hot glue it to the seat of your rocking chair.
    

Left, the hole where a artificial plant once was inserted will need to be covered with an upholstered cushion.
Right, the surface areas are in excellent condition. All these need is a bit of sanding before I paint them.

Above you can see how this little rocker was once used as a strange, decorative planter.

More About Rocking Chairs:

• The Rocking Chair by Chris
• Rocking Rainbow Toy Chair
• The Helinox Rocker for Campers