How to make a lunch pail for a Pioneer doll...

       The Pioneer school children did not have access to kitchen workspaces or refrigeration, so their meals were simple and had to be carried inside of a simple pail. This lunch pail could be made of wood or of tin which seemed to be preferred - because it was light weight. Some children might have simply carried their lunch items wrapped in a large kerchief or inside a small basket as well.

Finished lunch pails for pioneer dolls.

Supply List: tin looking lunch pail

• toilet roll, cardboard tube
• chenille stem or scrap wire
• white school glue
• extra cardboard (perhaps)
• recycled tin lid from dinner roll packaging (optional)
• scrap fabric or decorative paper for the pail lining
• masking tape
• acrylic paints: grey or metal look
• twine or yarn

Step-by-Step Instructions for The Tin Lunch Pail:

1. Cut the paper tube the size that you would prefer your doll's lunch pail to be. Mine is approximately two inches tall.
2. You may need to layer this cardboard tube if you feel it is not strong enough for play. Use white school glue between layers of cardboard.
3. Use masking tape to cover a tin lid from a dinner roll tube and then glue this to the bottom of the lunch pail. If  you have a second lid this may be used for a lid. However, this is optional. (Cardboard covered in masking tape works well enough for this step if you lack the recycled tin lid.)
4. Cover the rest of the tube with masking tape to make it more durable for play.
5. Glue on twin around the center of the outer sides to give the pail a bit of texture and ridging. 
6. Paint the doll's tin pail using pewter colored acrylic paints.
7. Poke holes directly across from each other on either side of the pail.
8. Loop and bend a wire handle for the doll to carry her lunch pail with.
9. Paint the wire to match the pail.
10. Layer white school glue and decorative check paper on the inside of the lunch pail. Let dry and then cut a bit of calico to use for wrapping the lunch items to stick inside the pail.

       The foods pioneer children might have carried in their lunch pail to eat at school included: apples and other seasonal fruits, corn muffins or sometimes called Johnnycakes, baked potatoes, hard boiled eggs, sliced homemade bread, a pickle, dried fruit, simple sandwiches, and salt cured meats. These items would be wrapped in a fabric napkin to keep the insects from landing on the food while it sat in the lunch pail until the time for eating. I made some of these food items with clay and painted them. 

 

Lunch foods for pioneer children. Left, simple sandwiches with jam, johnny-cakes and roll.
 Right, potatoes, tomatoes and radishes. Ruby talks about her school lunch long ago.

 

       To make the wooden pail you will need: small clothes pins, a toilet paper tube, hot glue, white school glue, brown acrylic paint, wire and scrap paper or fabric for the inside finishing of the wooden lunch pail. 

Step-by-Step Instructions for The Wooden Lunch Pail:

1. Cut the paper tube to size, approx. 2"
2. Take apart the clothes pins, these small pails are made with these half sides.
3. Glue the pins around the paper tube using hot glue. Try to space these out evenly if you can.
4. Hot Glue a shaped wire handle to the inside of the pale.
5. Glue a bottom to the bucket cut from cardboard.
6. Paint the wooden lunch pail brown.
7. You may glue a wire around the outside of the bucket to further bind the wooden clothespins together.
8. Cover the inside of the wooden pale with layers of glue and scrap fabric/paper to finish off the surfaces.

Left, bottoms of each pail, the wooden one has a paper bottom painted with silver acrylic and
 sides made using dismantled clothespins, stained a brown color. The tin pail has a real tin bottom
(lid). It's sides are painted toilet paper tubing. Right, see the blue and white checkerd paper lining
 inside each bucket; this is decoupaged. When the lunch pails are packed the food is also wrapped
 in gingham or calico fabric napkins.

2 Doll Lamps Made From Recycled Materials

       Below are two alternative methods for constructing eighteen inch, doll sized, toy lamps for your American Girl Dollhouses. These lamps do not have working parts such as batteries. Versions here are more for play and can be easily made by a child of nine or ten. 

A finished doll lamp next to a silver photo frame.

Supply List:

• cardboard tubes or toilet roll tubes
• Dixie cups (paper)
• cup cake liners
• paper egg cartons
• wire
• cotton balls
• tiny beads
• white acrylic paint
• white typing paper
• ribbon
• decorative scrapbook paper
• masking tape
• white school glue
• small empty bottles
  
• spools 
• wire

More Methods for Crafting Doll Lamps:

• How to make a dollhouse lamp - Barbie lamp shade - Easy doll table lamp decor by Tanis Gallery
• MyFroggyStuff also makes a Barbie size lamp using beads and paper condiment cups.
• Dollhouse Ceiling Chandelier that really works - Light pendant including battery operated tea lights. No wiring needed. by Loy Dollhouse

Left, Tiny wire armature details on top of our lamp shades are made from cotton batting wire,
parts cut from paper egg cartons and beads. These are glued together and then painted white.
Right, Three finished bottle lamp examples decoupaged in colorful printed papers. The shades
on the left and right are constructed from paper Dixie cups.

The lamp shade above is constructed using an empty masking tape roll. One end is covered with 
cardboard measured to fit, the other end is left open at the bottom. On the far right, you can see
the underside of the lamp shade. Note, the spool used to attach the two parts of the lamp. The
spool hold up the shade and attaches it to the base of the lamp that is made using a paper tube.

Directions for The Cardboard Tube Lamp:

1. Cut the cardboard tube to the size you desire. 
2. Place it on top of a piece of scrap cardboard and trace around the outside of the tube. Cut the circle template out and repeat the step again. Now you have two circles that may be glued to either end of the tube in order to seal it off. 
3. At the top end of the tube glue a sturdy recycled spool.
4. Now decoupage all the pieces glued together with either a figurative or geometric decorative paper.
5. You can also seal this with Mod Podge or white school glue to protect your finished surfaces.
6. Next, decoupage a recycled masking tape tube using the same technique, only cover one end with cardboard, however.
7. Glue the shade onto the base of the cardboard tube lamp.
8. To add details to the top of the shade: clip and cut smooth texture wire, parts of a recycled egg carton and beads.  I used cotton wrapped wire but you may use any wire you have on hand. The lamp fitting and finial are constructed from cardboard and beads, then painted white to match the wire.
9. Paint the bottom of the lamp base to blend with other parts of the lamp design.

The recycled bottle covered in a navy and white diamond print.
The upper bottle neck is covered in a solid red paper. The
lamp shade is an inverted paper cup cover with a cup
cake liner for a "pleated" shade detail.

This lamp version is decoupaged with orange and white paper
details. It will look nice in a mid-century modern doll space.

Left, Here I have masked the parts of my doll lamp with tape.
This helps the paper to stick to the plastic elements. The shade
here is a plastic part recycled from a Pillsbury cinnamon roll 
package. Right, you can see that I have included a paper tube
construction glued to the inside of the lamp shade so that the
bottle neck will fit snuggly in place. All of these parts are 
glued in place in order to give the lamp durability for play.

 Directions for The Recycled Bottle Shaped Lamps:

1. Cover all parts of the lamp, both the body and shade with masking tape.
2. Glue the bottle neck to the inside of the lamp shade. In order to do this your lamp shade must be closed at the upper end. 
3. To lend the lamp strength for play, you may glue a cardboard collar around the parts connecting the shade to the bottle neck. Add additional glue to the inside of the collar. 
4. Decoupage the base of the lamp with a patterned or solid paper. Cover the shade with cloth, paper or cupcake liner for a decorative detail. 
5. I also added faux lampshade fittings to the top of the shade to give these little doll lamps added realistic details. See the directions above.

How Mary and Laura made butter...

CC license for wooden butter churn
diagram. This is a fancier churn that 
shows and additional bucket exten-
sion. But there were also versions of
this model without the bucket 
attached. See our water barrel to 
observe how these look and are
made in real-life.

       The most historically prominent types of butter churns are the plunge churn, which is a container, usually made out of wood, where the butter-making action is created by moving in a vertical motion a staff that is inserted into the top.  The staff used in the churn is known as the dash, dasher-staff, churn-staff, churning-stick, plunger, plumper, or kirn-staff.

       In the first Little House book, Little House in The Big Woods, we read about how Laura and Mary helped their Ma make homemade butter inside of a churn. Here, I've included a wooden butter churn craft for your Pioneer dolls to play house with. Don't forget to add a shredded carrot to the butter in order to turn it extra yellow!

Supply List:

• Popsicle sticks
• natural looking twine 
• wire (optional)
• brown acrylic paints
• paper-mache pulp (for butter inside the churn)
• chop stick or dowel rod
• white school glue
• hot glue and hot glue gun (optional)
• scrap cardboard
• paper towel tube or toilet paper tube

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. I used a toilet paper tube for the following craft and made it a bit sturdier by laying several of these tubes together with glue. However, you may use any cardboard tube you have on hand for your doll's butter churn and some tubes are sturdy enough not to layer them together. If you want your churn to have similar proportions to mine it will measure 5 1/2 inches tall with a opening that is 2 inches circumference. 
2. Attach the wooden craft sticks lengthwise to make the wooden slats of the doll butter churn look authentic. You can do this with white school glue and then wrap the sticks temporarily with the masking tape in order to hold the wooden sticks in place white these dry. Then you can remove the tape later. Alternatively, you may prefer to hot glue the sticks in place so that your project goes quickly.
3. I also wrapped the churn with additional thin cardboard pieces around the craft sticks and painted these to look like metal bands. 
4. Don't forget to plug the bottom of the churn with a round piece of cardboard and glue. Just trace around the faux churn with a pencil on top of cardboard to get the exact shape of the opening before cutting the bottom out. Attach it with glue.
5. You can see from the photos that I cut a dowel rod to act as the churning stick. If you are teaching this craft to a larger group of kids, chop sticks are better alternatives because these can be recycled and they are already cut.
6. The dowel fits through a faux wooden lid. This was cut from cardboard to fit the inner circumference of the tube. It doesn't fall inside at an awkward tilt because I took a narrow, sturdy strip of cardboard and attached this about 1/2 inch from the lip of the tube's opening. Do this with glue and masking tape. You can see this slightly lifted edge in the center photo just below. 
7. You will also need to cut a hole in the lid for the churning stick to fit through. This is an elaboration that is unnecessary when teaching little ones in a crowd. Ultimately, they will probably loose detailed pieces like these during play and the churn is a cute craft without all of the additional details anyway. 
8. I chose to further alter the surface of this butter churn toy with more painting on the outside. If you have wood print papers these may also be used to decorate the toy.
9. Apply lumps of paper mache pulp smeared to the inside surface of the tube and paint this surface yellow in order to fashion a churn with processed butter included. If you do this, do not glue an "agitator" to the end of your churning stick or "dash." Because the paper pulp will inevitably be chipped away by over-active imaginations. I chose to include butter details because our doll churn is put on display in the doll house. But it would be much more efficient to exclude this detail when children wish to play house with it instead.

Left, you can see the toy butter churn finished without further painting and it looks very cute

 at this stage. Some of you may choose to go no further in the altering of the surface. 

Center, here I am showing the interior of my doll' butter churn. You can see the raised 

edge just  inside the tube. This is made in order to keep the lid from being plunged 

further down the  tube while kids mimic the churning process, pumping the churn dash up 

and down to make  butter, of course. Right, the bottom of the churn is made of cardboard.

Left, the dash or churning stick balanced on the edge of the churn prior to painting.
Center, painted paper mache pulp was used to add faux butter to the interior lining.
Right, our dash doesn't include an agitator at it's bottom so that the stick may still
be moved up and down during play.

Dairy Day Butter Making from the Littleton Museum...

 

 

Woman from 1904 churning butter on her back porch, see old freezer.

 

Restoring An 18inch Doll's Desk

       Many of you may recognize this popular doll's desk once sold by Walmart. I believe it is still available online at Amazon. I discovered it at resale for $2.99. All that was left of the doll desk can be seen below on the far left. The desk is was not terribly expensive to begin with, however, I enjoy restoring most of what I can get my hands on, irregardless of monetary value.

Left, the My Generation Doll Desk purchased from resale. The drawers are missing as well as all the accessories
 and chair. Center, my restored version of this desk. I've added drawers, wall paper, memo board, desk set, a tape
 dispenser, journals, paper weight, pencils, paint brushes, wooden chair and tiny erasers. Far Right, you can see that
 the chair fits neatly beneath the desk with plenty of room for a doll to sit on it.

       The original fourteen pieces that came with this desk set included: one white plastic desk, a battery operated lamp, one fashion magazine, calendar, map, paper journal, lap top computer, wall paper, birthday card, sleepover invitation, two sticker sheets, a fuzzy fur covered desk chair and a small fluffy pink rug.

Construct a cardboard box for each opening. Test these for correct size by moving them in and out before finishing
them with white paper and glue. I used masking tape during this process so that I could get an accurate fit for
each drawer.

I covered these panels with decorative
scrapbook papers and Mod Podged
the outside surfaces to keep them clean.

Supply List: Drawer Repair, Faux Leather Desk Set and Ribbon Memo Board:

1. cardboard (medium weight)
2. masking tape
3. coordinating decorative papers
4. white tacky glue
5. hot glue and hot glue gun
6. faux leather (recycled purse)
7. blue spray paint (for the chair)
8. one toilet paper tube
9. white typing paper
10. thin red ribbon (2 yds. at least)
11. ruler 
12. Mod Podge

Steps for Restoring the Missing Drawers:

1. Measure to fit a new set of drawers into the interior drawer spaces left open in the desk.
2. Construct a cardboard box for each opening. Test these for correct size by moving them in and out before finishing them with white paper and glue. 
3. I used masking tape during this process so that I could get an accurate fit for each drawer. (see photo above)
4. The outside panel of my drawers is a bit larger in it's profile in order to cover the openings for the drawers to match the profile of the desk cabinet. 
5. After covering the drawers with white glue and white typing paper. I added secondary panels to the front of the drawers with pulls. I made the pulls from cardboard but you could use beads alternatively. 
6. I covered these panels with decorative scrapbook papers and Mod Podged the outside surfaces to keep them clean.
   

Left, Measure to fit a new set of drawers into the interior drawer spaces left open in the desk. Center, I
measured and fit a cardboard rectangle for: the back wall paper for the desk interior, the ribbon memo board,
 and the desk blotter. I taped these up to make sure they would fit and look nice together before covering
them with decorative scrapbooking papers. Right, although the drawers looked like they were the same size,
I soon discovered that each needed to be cut and fitted to their own openings. The drawer on the bottom needed
an additional sheet of cardboard applied to it's bottom in order for it to fit properly inside the cavity.

This doll's ribbon board is not tufted, however the ribbons are interwoven and tacked on top of a bright
stripped, decorative scrapbooking paper. On the left, you can see that I have secured the ribbons to the back
 side of the cardboard memo board with masking tape. On the right is the finished ribbon memo board. I glued
 the memo board directly to the new wall paper that I cut and pasted to an additional cardboard piece. Both wall
 mounted decorations: the background and memo board, may be removed from the backing of the desk if desired.
 These fit snug against the inside wall of our doll's desk but are not permanently attached.

Doll faux leather desk set.

Steps For Making The Ribbon Memo Board:

1. For the ribbon memo board, cut a piece of cardboard 6 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches.
2. Cover the front side with a decorative scrapbook paper. 
3. I chose to lay my ribbons in a square woven pattern across the front of the memo board. Most memo boards have ribbons that weave together in a diamond pattern but, I felt the square pattern better suited my stripped paper. You can choose to weave in squares or diamonds it makes no difference in the end. 
4. Make sure that there is 1/2inch ribbon to wrap around the edges of your cardboard so that you can glue these down neatly with hot glue as you go.
5. When you have finished weaving the ribbon, use masking tape to seal the back side of the cardboard. 
6. Use a bit of white glue to tack down the ribbons in the front at the places where the ribbons cross over each other.
7. Now you can attach your memo board to the back wallpaper in the interior of the desk with glue or sticky tape.
   

Steps To Make The Faux Leather Desk Set: office desk caddy, blotter and box for holding paper

1. For the desk caddy, you will need one toilet paper funnel. Cut this in half length wise. 
2. Now cut the half piece in three sections. Make each section a different length.
3. Roll the sections into tiny funnels and tape each one together. 
4. Now cover each funnel with faux leather and/or decorative paper. Use white glue to stick the papers and fabrics together neatly. Set these aside to dry.
5. Print out the template below. And cut the oval base out for the caddy. 
6. Trace around it onto cardboard and cut out the shape. 
7. Cover this oval with paper on one side and faux leather on the other using hot glue. 
8. Hot glue the funnel shapes directly onto the oval base. 
9. Now cut out the two templates for the covered paper box holder. Below are photographs of how this box is lined on the inside with paper and on it's outside with the faux leather. Use hot glue to assemble the box.
10. Cut white typing paper to fill it up.
11. Now cut a piece of cardboard 5 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches.
12. Cover this on one side with decorative paper.
13. Then cut long narrow 3/4" strips of faux leather to wrap the corner with. Trim the leather off at the back as you go. 
14. Cut a backing for the blotter from the faux leather and hot glue this to the backside of the blotter to create a finished looking piece.

Step-by-Step photos for how the box for writing papers is assembled.

Click directly on the image to download the largest file size.
 Drag the png. into a Word Doc software program and use your
cursor to drag the image right until you see the templates
measure approximately 6 inches across, then select print. If
you want to make a set for a Barbie shrink all the measure-
ments by half. (50%)

The faux leather desk set is finished. There is one large blotter, a box for paper and a caddy
for paint brushes, pens, pencils, erasers etc...

Above you can see that I spray painted the desk chair blue. I found this 18inch doll's chair at resale for only
a few dollars. It is made out of wood and very detailed. I prefer wooden chairs like this one because it will
 hold the doll's weight without toppling over.

See More Doll's Desk Reviews and Crafts:

• DIY Office Supply for A Doll's Desk - Crafts for pencils, pink erasers, journals, paper weights and tape dispenser!
• My Life As A Doll's Desk Review by Cupcaketastic Queen

Maui Souvenirs and Snacks Shack

           As we recreate our own version of a Hawaiian family market, we will post pictures, instructions and links to product crafts and furnishings included in our Maui Souvenirs and Snacks Shack here.

Hawaii General Store and Souvenirs:

• DIY your own leis for dolls - Nothing says ''Aloha'' like a lovely leis!
• Craft burlap rice bags for a dolly marketplace - Rice is one of several food staples on the Hawaiian Islands.
• Paper money printables for 18 inch dolls - tourists need a way to pay for gifts and snacks
• Learn how to make produce crates - practical storage stacked inside the gift shop
• DIY a doll size, freestanding water cooler... - to quench the thirst of tired tourists...
• How to craft pineapples using pinecones - a clever way to use pinecones
• Craft Fashionable Doll Flip-Flops! - styled to compliment a variety of beach fashions  practical protection from hot sandy beaches
• Make fun, easy beach balls - for fun in the Summer sun!
• DIY Boogie Boards and Surfboards for Dolls - made for 14 - 18'' dolls

Tropical themed, window seat display

 

       To make this window display, acquire a box measuring approximately 19'' x 13'' x5'' deep. Cut a grid from additional light weight cardboard for the window and paste it to the back of the box. Cut also a from a thicker cardboard, a ''seat'' to glue inside the box 4 1/2'' from the base of the open box. I then cut additional pieces of cardboard to support the seat from underneath and make a short wall. 

       Then decoupage the inside grid ''window'' using an outdoors scene. A decorative paper of clouds or a view from a magazine (page) are easy to find and paste carefully between the mullions or panes of a window to make it look like a real window. Also decorate the interior walls of the window display using tropically themed wrapping papers and faux wooden papers on the exterior. Press on tiny hooks where you think it best to hang merchandise.

• See printable of diamond shaped mullions you can print out for a shop or dollhouse
• See similar ways to craft windows for a dollhouse or shop
  

This grocery counter is made from a recycled desk supply catty and box ''stand'' beneath.

        Above and below are detailed photos of another display counter included in this doll shop playset. I decoupaged the large front shelf using a cheerful printed lemon paper, the exterior sides of the box stand using a textured woven canvas and finally the interior of the stand using a Shabby Chic wooden paper print. This is where our dolls display tropical fruits to sale inside the snack shack.

The top opens up for more storage and the bottom box ''stand'' can be easily removed.

The spinning eyeglass display case on and off stand.

       To craft this ''spinning'' display stand for sunglasses, you will need a tall spool (thread cone) with a stand combined. Plus a toilet paper cardboard roll and an additional large, recycled cap off of a juice carton. Cut sunglasses or sunshades from fashion magazines and also purchase tiny, white head stick-pins to fit beneath the nose piece under each pair of eyeglasses on the carousel display.

       It is important to make the carousel display one uniform color at the top and bottom. You could paint these components if you can not find them in the same color. Mine were already originally green. The toilet paper tube may be any color. I needed to cut the tube lengthwise in order to fit it snugly up inside the cap at the top. I then secured it with tape and additional glue.

       Glue the sunglasses or eyeglasses directly onto the tube, equally spaced. Stick the tiny pins at the nose piece for each pair of eye-wear to look like these are balanced on ''hooks.''

       The top tube piece is not permanently attached to the serger spool so that when it is put over the cone it may be easily to spin the display by the attached cap. Now your dolls can pretend to purchase twelve different  styles of eye-wear if they choose.

''fresh'' silk flowers, you-pick from old crayon catty

Dollar store wash clothes make easy beach towels.

''Aloha'' dollar store sign

Bolts of Hawaiian print fabrics wrapped around cardboard
cut-outs, 6 1/2'' x2 1/2 inches. These were made to fit into
a merchandise cabinet display.

More Related Content:

• Craft a farmer's market for your dolls
• Hunt for more grocery crafts on this blog

Craft an Inglenook Fireplace for Your 18inch Dollhouse

Our version of a doll inglenook has a faux 
cast iron wood burner.

       An inglenook (Modern Scots ingleneuk), or chimney corner, is a recess that adjoins a fireplace. The word comes from ingle, meaning "fireplace" in Old English (from Old Scots or Irish aingeal, "angel" or euphemistically "fire"), and nook. 

       The inglenook originated as a partially enclosed hearth area, appended to a larger room. The hearth was used for cooking, and its enclosing alcove became a natural place for people seeking warmth to gather. With changes in building design, kitchens became separate rooms, while inglenooks were retained in the living space as intimate warming places, subsidiary spaces within larger rooms.

Supply List:

• masking tape
• sturdy cardboard box and cardboard scraps
• paper mache pulp
• novelty printed brick on cotton fabric 
• Styrofoam (thick cut) for mantel
• black, brown, yellow, and white acrylic paints
• acrylic sealer or Mod Podge
• hollow paper tube
• recycled plastic lid and clear plastic sheet (for wood burner door)
• small cut tree branches for logs and supports for the mantle (These are sold at the dollar store or search your own backyard.)
• sandpaper 
• paper toilet tube
• faux wooden paper

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Inglenook Fireplace:

1. Tape together a strong, thick cardboard box for the fireplace/ inglenook. I found a box with the opening already cut away at a local Sam's Club.
2. Then I resized my doll's inglenook to the shape and proportions of approx. 12"x14"x3".
3. Mask (with tape) the areas that you will be covering with fabric and Mod Podge in advance.
4. Use a large soft brush to apply the craft glue/ Mod Podge to the cardboard surface. Then layer on your novelty printed, brick fabric onto the box surface. Reapply the Mod Podge onto the surface of the fabric and let the cardboard fireplace dry in the sunshine.
5. After this surface has dried, you may then mix and layer on the paper mache pulp to the inside of the inglenook. I elected to paint my surface white after the pulp was fully dry. I had to wait a few days before I could complete each of the above steps.
6. It is important to give your surfaces plenty of drying time between applications so that the cardboard does not warp while you work. 
7. It is also important to remember to construct a paper mache project like this one, in a hot dry environment in order to achieve the best results.
8. I cut a mantle to fit on top of my inglenook from foam insulation. 
9. I masked the bottom of the mantle with tape before hot gluing it down on top of the fireplace. Then I used a heavy tin (or book) to apply pressure to the top of the mantle while it dried.
10. After the Styrofoam mantel was successfully mounted, I dry brushed the side surfaces with three different brown colors of paint, alternating the layers to acheive a wood-like surface.
11. Next, I layered a wooden looking paper onto the mantel top with Mod Podge.
12. You may need to use a bit of sandpaper between gluing the surfaces to give your project a professional looking surfaces.
13. Hot glue two cut pieces of wood (shaped from tree limbs) to the underside, edges of the mantel, to look as though these were supporting the mantel.
14. After finishing the inglenook, I sealed all of it's surfaces with an acrylic varnish.

Directions for the Woodburner:

1. In order to construct the woodburner, I removed the lid of a baby wipes container from it's original container and then reattached it to a smaller box constructed with thick cardboard. I had to cut a corresponding hole, mask off the surfaces where I would be gluing the pieces together and also cut a round hole at the top of the box for a cardboard chimney pipe.
2. The chimney pipe was cut from a toilet paper tube and sized to fit into the hole.
3. I used glue to attach a wooden block the the bottom of my wood burner to act as a foot.
4. Then I painted the entire woodburner with black acrylic paint.
5. After the paint dried, I then cut a small piece of plastic to line the inside of the woodburner's door.
6. I stacked wooden faux logs inside the woodburner for appearances. 
7. With a bit of hot glue and manipulation, I mounted my faux woodburner inside the inglenook. Now the dolls will have a very romantic looking fireplace for their future winter parties!

Left, First you will need to tape together a strong, thick cardboard box for the fireplace or inglenook.
Right, use a heavy tin (or book) to apply pressure to the top of the mantle while it dries.

Left, I had to cut a corresponding hole, mask off the surfaces where I would be gluing the pieces together
 and also cut a round hole at the top of the box for a cardboard chimney pipe. Right, hot glue two cut
 pieces of wood (shaped from tree limbs) to the underside, edges of the mantel, to look as though 
these were supporting the mantel.

Make a strawberry, heart shaped doll cake...

This doll's strawberry, heart-shaped cake has faux,
edible lace for decoration.

       Heart-shaped cakes don't always need to be make for Valentine's Day. This doll is celebrating her birthday with a lovely chocolate cake topped with ruby red strawberries. She can't wait to share it with all of her doll and teddy bear friends! 

Left, is the unpainted doll cake. Right, the strawberries
 and cake walls have been painted.

 

Supply List:

• scrap cardboard
• masking tape
• hot glue and hot glue gun
• Sculpey
• brown and red acrylic paints
• Mod Podge
• white school glue
• dark brown felt
• scrap white laces
• 1-2 recycled toilet paper roles

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut the size and shape of a heart, twice, that you would prefer for your doll's cake from a piece of scratch cardboard.
2. Cut a recycled toilet paper roll once, lengthwise. This cardboard will become the walls of the cake. Toilet paper roles are very easy to shape to the outer edges of cardboard shapes and this is why I use them instead of stiffer cardboard. You will not need the cake to be as long as a standard cardboard toilet roll. Cut this one down to approx. two inches.
3. Use masking paper and white glue to hold the shape of the cake walls in place about the circumference of one of the heart shapes.
4. Next, glue and tape on the second heart on the opposite end of the cake. When you are done; you should have a cardboard tube shaped like a heart.
5. Mask the entire surface.
6. Using Sculpey or your favorite air dry clay, make enough strawberry shaped fruits to top of the heart shaped cake. See photo below. 
7. Let these clay strawberries harden or bake them in the oven, if these are made with oven-bake clay.
8. Glue the strawberries to the top of the cake.
9. Paint the strawberries red.
10. Paint the cake sides a deep, chocolate brown color.
11. Cut the brown felt to fit the bottom of the cake and glue it on.
12. Now hot glue white scraps of lace to the outer sides of the cake making a pattern. The dramatic color contrast between the lace and the cake color makes this doll cake stand-out from all the rest!

Left, the strawberry pattern seen from above is shaped like a
 heart. Right, the lace glued to the surface mimics edible
lace often used in decorating fancy cakes!

Susie is only 2 years old and she can bake

 a chocolate cake! Kids can do so much if

they just try...

Visit dolls, Mariah and Billy to see what their

cooking in the kitchen!

How to Craft Baba Yaga's Fairytale Hut

       I handcrafted this Baba Yaga hut for my younger child. She has always loved Slavic folktales and collects some unique paraphernalia around themes found in these stories. 
       Baba Yaga is a common witch caricature associated with these foreign folktales. Sometimes she plays the villain, sometimes the hero, depending upon the author, time of harvest, culture or country where she is found. Her hut is always trying to run from her and any persons who might try to enter it's curious enchanted rooms. 

Baba Yaga's reluctant hut, from Russian folk tales. This is a home that
deeply resents it's own keeper! Some of us are all too aware of that 
scenario in real life . . . That's o.k. little house you just keep on runnin'!

Supply List:

• scrap cardboard, both thick and thin
  
• one small recycled box for the lower half of the hut
• one large, recycled Quaker Oats paper can  or a salt box for the upper tower half of the hut
• white school glue
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• acrylic paints - browns, white, yellows, black, grey and green
• chenille stems (for chain)
• 2 identical blocks of wood for stand
• two identical dowel rods
• masking tape
• faux wooden scrapbook paper
• dismantled pine cone scales for the chicken legs
  
• giant lotus pod for the roof
• paper mache pulp
• one nail
• one paper, recycled toilet paper tube
• Mod Podge
• wood glue
  

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut two identical wooden blocks for the base of this project. The wood should be heavy.
2. Drill holes in the same locations on both blocks, large enough to insert two identical wooden dowels several inches apart.
3. Insert the dowels using wood glue and let this stand dry overnight. (see photo below)
4. Now tape and glue a small box on top of this platform. 
5. The top part of this box should have it's upper flaps ''peaked'' using masking tape and glue to form a simple ''V'' shaped roof line.
6. Cut the bottom of a large Quaker Oat can to fit snugly over the peaked roof top. This should be in a ''U'' shape. 
7. Glue an up-side-down, dried lotus pod to the top of the can to assemble a unique roof shape for this old fairytale folk hut.
8. Crush masking tape in an eyeball shape for the window attachment to the tower. Stick this on tight and shape/glue a window frame from light weight cardboard to frame around the eyeball.
9. Smooth and fill in this window to the soul of the enchanted hut using paper mache pulp. Save the remaining pulp to shape the ''chicken feet'' of the hut at the hut's platform base. Wait for the pulp to harden and dry completely before painting these crazy features of Baba Yaga's home.
10. Next cut the window frames and door from scrap cardboard and attach these to the hut with glue.
    
11. Move on to cutting the shingles for the roof and sides of the hut walls and glue these firmly in place.
12. Cut a hole into the side of the hut for the chimney flu using the recycled toilet paper tube, masking tape and several types of glue. You can assemble the larger elements of the hut using hot glue but then save the white glue for the finer details excluding the pine cone shingles; these must be applied with hot glue and adult supervision.
    
13. At this point in the project you will need to prepare the work area to use a hot glue gun in order to make the faux stone tower. Apply the hot glue in small random lumps about the tower's surface. Let dry.
14. Shape a large bulky chain using the chenille stems. Wrap white glue and paper about the surfaces of the stems to make these smoother and thicker. Make and attach a cuff from cardboard and attach the chain to a large nail hammered into the base of the base and also to one of the chicken legs on the hut.
15. Hot glue the pine cone seed scales to form both the small arbor over the door and also the upper feather-like parts of the chicken legs. These scales are torn from the peduncle of the pine cone using pliers and strength. 
16. Now you may paint the entire cardboard home for Baba Yaga using natural, weathered-looking acrylic paints. I applied thin washes of brown, green and gray on the shingles and roof.
17. I painted the hut's eyeball green and also the platform. 
18. Use warm yellows and orange to paint the chicken legs too.
19. Paste faux wooden papers on the window frames and door the make these look more realistic.
20. I painted the interior of the window flat black and grey. Later I made a bone shaped handle for the door knob at my daughter's request. However, you don't need to attach one if you wish, Baba's hut is always trying to keep both her and any visitors from entering the house anyway...
21. Paint the stonework about the tower grey.
22. Mod Podge every surface to seal the finished hut.
    

Left, the beginning of a Baba Yaga hut craft for an eccentric daughter with a passion for
everything Russian folklore. Where are you gonna buy it? Well, I can't so I guess I'll just have
 to make my own gifts for her? Right, door and window details.

Left, the painted details of the roof's wavy patterned shingles are painted in shades of brown. Right,
 the ''witchy'' stone tower has an eyeball window! Who knows what this pathetic, unhappy hut used
to be at one time, a person or a chicken, or both . . .

Left, the back of the hut. Center, details of the hut's shingled walls. Right, see the rickety stove
pipe sticking out from the side of the house.

Left, see the hut in it's basic parts. Center, the chicken's feathered legs are made using pine cone
scales and a hot glue gun. Right, the roof top is an inverted lotus pod!

Left, the hut's chicken legs are always moving the hut about the fairyland forest, so these must
 be chained down so that Baba can find her home at least some of the time anyway... Right, Baba's
 home is done and ready to be gifted to my younger daughter; she is crazy about Slavic folk tales.

• Make a doll cradle using a recycled Quaker Oats can...