Decoupage A Llama Dresser

A recycled child jewelry box, saved from the dump.

       Broken jewelry boxes make excellent doll furnishings when they have been upcycled with a bit of sandpaper, fabric and glue. I purchased this one from a local Goodwill for $3.00. Then I took a trip to a sewing shop down the street to select a fabric to use for both decoupage and sewing our doll's bedding. Repeating the prints and colors of the same items within your doll house rooms will help these spaces look professionally designed.

Supply List:

• recycled child jewelry box
• sandpaper
• Mod Podge
• coordinating paint, fabric and paper
• beads for knobs
• spray paint in the color of your choice
• ruler and paper for making simple patterns
• hot glue gun and glue
  

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Scrub the jewelry box with soap and water. 
2. Use sandpaper to smooth out the finishes and prep these for new applications.
3. Spray paint the new doll dresser in the color of your choice. Use plenty of newspapers or cardboard boxes to spray paint with so that the working surfaces don't get paint on them. It is best to spray paint outdoors so that you don't breath in so many fumes!
4. Measure carefully the sides and drawer fronts of each part of the former jewelry box that you intend to cover with fabric or paper.
5. Cut out the papers and fabric for the decoupage process. 
6. Brush Mod Podge directly onto the surfaces that you have cut coordinating fabrics and papers for. Stick on the papers or fabrics, positioning these carefully. 
7. Now Coat that applied layer of fabric and or paper with a finishing coat of more Mod Podge.
8. Hot glue small beads to the dresser drawers and swinging cupboard door if these need new handles.
9. After everything dries, your doll will have a lovely dresser to store her clothing in.

I chose to decoupage my doll's dresser with blue llama fabric and plaid paper.
I used a orange spray paint to contrast with the blue fabrics and paper.

More About Upcycling Boxes:

• How to Line a Box With Fabric 
• Refinishing An Old Silverware Box

Apartment Dollhouse Modernized with Elevator

      The four-story, step-back construction of this pressed-wood or plywood dollhouse gives it more room than the average dollhouse, without taking as much floor space. One side of each room is open and only one wall of each room is provided with windows. The elevator shaft is incorporated with the chimney and has a door on each floor. A crank projecting from the basement wall operates the elevator by the braking action of a clothespin on the axle. A balustrade around the terrace and a tin awning add to the appearance.

Vintage doll apartment plans.

 

More Apartments For Barbie:

• Hope buys every dreamhouse for Barbie she has ever wanted!
  

Sew Groovy Textile Art for A Doll House

I chose to layer square patterns on top of the circles
 in this modern version of a doll tapestry.

       Anyone can use a doll house craft like this one to show off a few of their own needlework skills. 

       The fancy trim work on this miniature tapestry is much easier to make than it looks. All you need are some unusual yarns to tack around the shapes, to give it texture and pizzazz!

       Parents could supply their young ones with fabric glue and make this project a no-sew application if they need to.

       I made this modern tapestry for our doll house using the following supplies:

Supply List:

• three or four interesting, fuzzy yarn scraps
• a fabric scrap, modern dot pattern
• embroidery floss
• beads for the hanger
• a long wooden skewer or dowel
• hot glue
• fabric glue (optional)

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Cut and layer shapes with yarn trims onto one piece of select fabric for this tapestry.
2. Use either threads and a needle for the craft or fabric glue if you do not know how to sew yet.
3. You can choose to use any sewing stitch or color combinations to make an abstract version of this craft similar to my own example.
4. After you have finished your design, fold over a piece of fabric measuring approximately 1/2 inch at the top of your tapestry and sew it to the backside with a whip stitch or glue it in place if you prefer. This will create a long, narrow pocket for you to insert the dowel rod or wooden skewer.
5. Hot glue beads at either end to hold the wooden dowel in place. Now you can tie a yarn at either end to hang the doll sized tapestry on any wall in your own doll house.

Left, Hot glue beads at either end to hold the wooden dowel in place.
Center, Cut and layer shapes with yarn trims onto one piece of select fabric for this tapestry.
Right, Use either threads and a needle for the craft or fabric glue if you do not know how to sew yet.

Assembling A Plant Stand

Three different views of the same tiny plant stand.

       Our doll house needs some faux plants to brighten up the corners! I will show you how to cut your own plants from paper in the future, but for now, you can make a few select things with artificial plant picks. Plant picks are sold in hobby stores, flower shops and craft outlets in the United States. You can also find them at dollar stores. Try to select the smallest plants so that the arrangements you craft are to scale.
       To make this potted fern you will need the following supplies: fern pick, votive candle holder, small decorative rocks, white school glue, paper mache pulp, brown acrylic paint.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Clean the votive candle holder with warm water and soap. Be sure to remove all wax residue before continuing.
2. Fill the bottom of the glass votive holder with small decorative rocks and then pour a layer of white school glue on top of these. Let this layer dry for several days.
3. Mix a small amount of paper mache pulp according to the directions on the label of the package. Add a bit of brown acrylic paint to the pulp to color it to look like dirt.
4. Layer this brown pulp on top of the decorative rocks.
5. Take the fern pick and separate the leaves so that you have multiple fronds, each with their own wire, to stick into this sticky pulp "dirt."
6. Arrange the wired fronds into a pleasing plant formation inside the votive candle holder.
7. This plant arrangement will take about a week to dry. Put it in the sunshine if possible.

Left, votive candle holder and glass insert. Center, the artificial fern fronds separated from the pick.
Right, the decorative rock bits help to hold the wire fronds in place and also look attractive.

• DIY paper and aluminum foil houseplants for miniature dollhouse
• Assemble plants for a dollhouse or a miniature farm stand

Shelving for A Car Themed Bedroom

These motor trend, racing champions came with silver packaging that is perfect for displaying tiny cars on inside
 of our doll's playroom or bedroom. You don't always need to make something new for a doll house. Try recycling
something that you have found instead. All this shelf needs is a back made of cardboard and a few attachments
 for hanging.

       Here is an easy way to decorate the walls of a car themed bedroom inside a doll's house.   
       Our small boy doll just loves cars and old hot rods! So I decided to make his bedroom shelves by gluing cardboard to the backside of the packaging our tiny cars came with. Then I attached a tiny hook to the doll house walls and a small wire to the backside of the shelving unit. Now Barbie's toddler can display his tiny car collection on the walls of the doll house.

• Create a Minion Room Theme Inside of a Doll House
• Sisters Dollhouse Sophie & Chloe Bedroom Tour
• Disney inspired princess rooms for dolls
• Assemble a car themed toddler bed for a doll

Convert a Convertible For A Doll

In the U. S., beds that are bigger than cribs and cradles, but have a mattress smaller than a twin sized mattress, are called toddler beds. Most car themed headboards are designed as toddler beds, however there are a few that will accommodate a twin mattress.

      I recycled an old VCR rewinder shaped like a sports car for this next project. Although it was missing a few parts, I thought it would be a very nice car bed for a small doll. All it needed was a bit of cleaning, bedding and a place inside a doll's bedroom in order to serve a new purpose.

       Do not over stuff the mattress in this case, the heads bump up the padding and make sure that the cording is safely removed. 

       I sewed a simple blanket using a car novelty print for this little bed. Now the finished bed looks as though it were made for a child's room in a doll house. Little car beds are not as popular as they once were during the 1980s but the children still love to play pretend with miniature versions of these.

See Life Size Versions of Car Beds:

• 15 Racing Car Beds For A Child's Room
• Build a Race Car Bed for Your Child's Bedroom
• Imagine Sleeping in a Corvette Bed

Knot A Felt No-Sew Throw for Your Doll

Like fleece, felt does not either unravel when you cut it
or fray while you are handling it.

       Here is a doll sized version of a popular no-sew fleece throw blanket.

       The primary difference between the two crafts is the material used and way in which the two materials are tied together.

       Felt is substituted for the fleece because it is easier for a young person to tie it, when it is cut so small, and the tying method used is the same overhand knot children practice while learning to tie their shoes.

Supply List:

• two 9"x12" felt rectangles (22.9 cm x 30.5 cm ) any color you choose
• scissors
  

Step-by-Step:

1. Cut a 2"x 2" square from each end of the rectangle.
2. Cut fringe around the outside edges of both rectangles measuring approximately 1/4".
3. Layer the fringed rectangles on top of each other.
4. Now tie corresponding fringe from front to back, in an overhand knot, twice, working your way around the entire circumference of both layered rectangles, until you run out of fringe to knot.

Detail photos of the felt fringe both loose and tied.

Painting and Upholstering A Doll's Bedroom Bench

       What a big difference a little paint and fabric can make. It's was so easy to transform this little wooden bench into something bright and cheerful for a doll's bedroom. 

       I chose to cover my doll's bench in blue and orange. Blue and orange are complimentary colors. This means they are opposite of each other on the color wheel. Decorating your doll's rooms according to particular color wheel combinations will ensure that your color choices are tasteful combinations. Many interior decorators use color wheel combinations to design aesthetically pleasing rooms.

• The Color Wheel
• Color Theory 101: Making Complementary Colors Work for You

Supply List:

• cardboard
• paint for the bench
• a small wooden bench (from resale)
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• just a bit of fabric 
• felt scraps
• clear acrylic sealer
• typing paper (for pattern)

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Clean the bench with a mild dish soap and set it in the sunshine to dry.
2. Sand the surfaces of the bench lightly so that an additional paint will adhere to it's surface.
3. Dust the bench before painting it with any color you prefer. I chose to paint mine with a pale blue color.
4. After the paint dries you could rub down that sides with a bit of clear acrylic sealer. However, do not put any of this where you intend to glue upholstered pieces. 
5. Cut a paper pattern of both the seat and the interior back where there will be upholstering. You can do this by measuring these areas. If you have a fancier rounded cut bench like mine, simply press the typing paper along the edges of your bench in order to transfer the shape onto the paper.
6. Now cut out the transferred design where the creases are. Fit these paper patterns to the frame of the bench exactly before cutting out the cardboard template to match.
7. Cut identical felt pieces to glue directly on top of the cardboard templates. Glue these onto the cardboard and let them dry.
8. Now turn the fabric with it's right side down on top of a table. (The finished side of any fabric is called it's 'right side.') Place your cardboard pieces with their felt sides facing down on top of this fabric. Cut around the templates leaving 1/2 inch of excess fabric to all sides so that this may be folded over the edges of the cardboard and glued in place.
9. Use hot glue to firmly fold the upholstered fabrics around the edges. Try to work as neatly as possible. Although, no one will see the backsides of either cardboard pad, too much excess fabric will make you project a bit lumpy when done.
10. Trim away excess fabric on the backsides of the upholstered cardboard templates.
11. Now hot glue the cardboard templates onto the wooden bench.

A Walking Toddler Doll

Description of Coloring Page: pin curls, balancing hands, toddler doll, frilly dress, Toddler Dolls

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.

The Reading Dolly

Description of Coloring Page: book, reading, stripped stockings, lace collar, china doll, school girl doll, Childlike Dolls, porcelain or china dolls

• Naming The Doll by Caroline Morgan
• The Naughty Doll
• The New Doll by Seegmiller 

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.

Color Three Rolling Horses

Description of Coloring Page: wheels, pull toys, horses, ponies, antique horses, mane, saddles

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.

Glue Together & Paint Two Night Stands

Try stacking all kinds of shapes in order to configure a contemporary night stand.
Use spray paint to achieve slick, crisp surfaces that look professional.

       I glued together two modern or Mid Century modern looking night stands using two bottle caps, two spools and two empty tin cans that once held bee's wax. You could use a hot glue gun to stick these items together. I used a sticky wood glue. 

       In order for this glue to work on plastic and metal surfaces, it must be adhered to masking tape. So between each surface, I applied the tape. 

       Then I cleaned the tin cans thoroughly before masking them completely and spray painting the bottom halves of my night stands with blue paint.

       Remove the tape from the masked areas to reveal clean, crisp metal finishes and evenly painted surfaces on bottom!

• See how I made an 18" doll side table here from a box