Dollhouse Unveiled

Hopefully, you have enjoyed following the progress of the dollhouse made out of an old entertainment center. In case you are visiting my blog for the first time and want to see how the various pieces of the house were made, feel free to click on the embedded links that I have provided within the key words and it will take you to that specific blog entry in a new window.  Happy Reading!

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Pinterest gets Miniatured

I love Pinterest!  Who doesn't?  Even those who hop on once and don't see the benefit usually come around when it is time to plan a party, decorate for a holiday and the list goes on...

Dollhouse Ottoman

I created an ottoman for the dollhouse.  Before I begin, let me just say this was one of those projects where half way through it, you totally think of a much better way to go about it and end up with something different than you think... SO... that in mind.  I am going to tell you what I did... but I think you should not walk in my original shoes... follow alternate suggestions.

Re-purposing Old Shirts

As mentioned in the couch post, old clothing that is too used for a proper donation to goodwill can be re-used for other projects.  Think green before you send too small, too worn clothing into the garbage can.

Doll Couch - Adventures in Crafting

There is a reason why the description of this blog is .." an adventure in crafting".. versus "expert advice in crafting."

Slipper Chairs

Children's Art Hanger

I made something like this for my two daughter's but stenciled their names on some years ago of which was before the age of the Cricut, personal cutter system.  With the use of a Cricut, you can get crazy and make all types of designs and not have to worry about the splattering of paint, smudging paint lines or making a mistake that you need to figure out how to cover.

Dollhouse Bathroom Sink

I bought this cute bathroom tub set from Target - it is part of the "Our Generation" collection- retails for about $20.   It came with a bunch of little pieces that will likely get lost as soon as I move the house into the play room.  I decided to use the colors on the tub as a basis for the patterns on the bathroom walls, color scheme.  Although, you can't tell well, the tub is really a lighter version of the Boysenberry house color and looks great against an orange back drop of which was one of the colors on the bins that I am using as the overall color pallet for the house.   

The set came with a toothbrush and toothpaste but where were Molly and Julie going to brush their teeth at?  

So I set off to make a bathroom vanity.  I had a couple of failed attempts....  :/

I tried to construct one out of repurposed wood with moving cabinet doors but it was a little (ok a lot ) wonky and too short.  That led to trying to have the the sink just hover in the corner and it was too strange and too small.  

I came up with this.  Techinically, it is still a hovering vanity but much larger with "storage curtains."  This same vanity could be easily created as a stand alone vanity by adding four additional 1x1 boarding cut to size for table legs.

Supply List: 

• 8" piece of 1x3
• 4 pieces of 1x1 cut at 8.5" (for stand alone vanity)
• craft board cut or balsam wood board 8.5"x4"
• drill or nail setter
• 6 small screws
• 4 tack nails
• Two pieces of 3/8x1.5 craft board (found at Lowes) cut at 3.25"
• One piece of 3/8x1.5 craft board (found at Lowes) cut at 7.25" 
• small hacksaw
• clothing wall hook (this becomes the faucet upside down)
• 2 1/8" Cup Pull (found at Lowes in the door handle area..LOL) this becomes the actual sink
• fabric of your choice 7"x40" 
• Paint in a satin finish or craft paint and clear coat
• measuring tape/ruler
• wood glue
• hot glue gun
• clamp 
• sander, sandpaper
• two 1" wood screws

Creating the counter top.  

In order to repurpose some wood from the failed vanity attempt, I used two pieces of wood that when put together were the aproximate size of a 1x3 that I am suggesting you use.  The thin craft board was glued and tacked onto it.  This created a strong platform and a smooth counter top surface for the sink area.

I painted the newly built counter top the matching boysenberry.

While I waited for the paint to dry, I re-installed the clothing hook, upside down on the side wall of the bathroom.  If you are making a stand alone sink, you could  add an additional pieces of craft board to the counter top and create a splashboard to hang the "faucet" on.  I also hung a small cup hook on the other side of the bathroom for the dolls to hang their bathrobes on.

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Making the storage covers.  I chose a striped fabric that highlighted the colors found in the house and on the bathtub.  You will need a piece of fabric that is 7" wide and a minimum of 40" long so that you can create four 10" panels that are 4" wide.  If you are making a stand alone vanity, you may want to consider making an additional panel for the back side of the vanity or using another craft board to close up the back.

I measured, prepped and using my Serger cut 4 panels that were 10x4"

The end result was four panels that were ready to be installed.   Using my trust glue gun, I applied glue and placed two panels on the front and a panel on each side.  Place these half way down the underside board so that when you install the outside wood panels the fabric and glue won't be in the way of screws/drill holes.

Installing the outer wood panels

Grab the hacksaw, drill with a tiny drill bit, 1.5"x3/8"x2' craft board and began plans to make the wood panels.  

I measured and cut the wood.  Using the small hand saw, I cut the craft wood at the proper length for each panel.  Pre-drilled the screw holes to ease placement.
At this point my camera died and I had to switch to taking pictures with my phone so I apologize for the quality.




After creating the drill holes, place your tiny screws in each hole and screw them in.  I put 2 screws even spaced on each side on the upper half of the supporting board.  After the screws were in place and everything secured, I lightly sanded the edges to remove any potential splinters.  I painted the newly built lower outside panel to match the counter top.  I thought about painting it pink but decided to play it safe with the boysenberry

After the paint dried, I set out to complete the final installation of the newly built vanity.  I drilled two starter holes in the counter, partially screwed in the two large wood screws and called my husband for help.. LOL... I just didn't have the hand strength to screw it in to the wood framing of the dollhouse.

After it was in place, I used the hot glue to secure the cap pull.  I was really pleased with the outcome of this design on the fly vanity!

Now the bathroom is complete!

Dining Room Curtains - AG Dollhouse

Every pretty room needs pretty curtains...  

An American Girl Doll Bedroom

Kitchen Wall Art - Dollhouse

I have a large fork on my kitchen wall...   So naturally I needed to make one for the dollhouse kitchen.  I just finished this today.

What you need for this project: 

• scrapbook rub-on embellishment - in this case a kitchen set
• exact-o-knife or very strong hands
• 2 pieces of balsam wood 12"
• coordinating paint with your project

Using the exact-o-knife I scored each piece of balsam wood at the 8" point.  From there, I snapped them at the newly cut point.  I painted the wood a coordinating blue to match some of the other colors that will have come out in the dollhouse.  I hot glued them to the wall.  I would recommend using a balance to make sure the first piece is even.  After the gluing your new "frame" paint the inside a matching color, wait for the paint to dry, rub on your embellishment and if you like add a clear coat!

Kitchen Furniture - Dollhouse

Where we left off...  I just finished up the walls and the floor.  The room was looking a little empty.


I ended up making a table, chairs, turned a miniature dollhouse side board upside down for a kitchen cabinet, touched up the window and made some artwork...


So it started like this... I looked at my "master plan" and I poured out my junk craft bin... and started scrounging around!





I repurposed a candle stick, wood glued on a oval plaque from Michaels and painted it the same red as the front door.  I added clearcoat satin finish over the red paint to get rid of the dull color also to avoid it scuffing the other paint in the dollhouse during future play.  I think I will let the kids play with my... I mean .. their dollhouse...

I bought a sideboard.. some type of miniature cabinet looking thing at JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby.  Painted it Hunter Green to match the floor and Granny Smith Apply for the door fronts.  I ended up snapping off the cute handles and hanging it upside down for a ceiling cabinet.

I took the triangle sides from a DIY kiddie craft kit that I never made, that was given to us by someone who never made it  (maybe a smaller point in this is never my the kiddie craft crate) and decided to turn them into the chair backs.  I bought some square 4" plaques from Michael's for $1.  I drilled holes in them and added the shaker pegs for the chair legs.

The end result...$12 for a table, two chairs and kitchen cabinet... 

Dollhouse Kitchen - let's get it started!

I decided to go with Granny Smith Apple Green for the kitchen walls.  I needed something to brighten up the big space, offset the boysenberry but still match the green of the front grass.  So here is where I started.

The pic is a little bad.  I need to remember to use my regular camera instead of my phone.


The outcome didn't look terribly bad but I felt like it was missing something  and a little too plain.  If I wanted plain I would have bought a plastic house that came in 3 shades of pink.  I am on a mission to create an heirloom here... to give my girls what I never could have dreamed of having... something that my 8 year old wont be tempted to crayon blue on... so I had to spice it up... Pulling from the days of "Trading Spaces" when two neighbors actually traded a space... I went with the following...

...a striped sheen on the Granny Smith Apple green for the back wall.  I did this by using a single stroke of clearcoat.  Since up to this point I have used the "I am not great at painting" approach... I didn't tape it.  I made it look purposefully quaint.  

I painted the kitchen floor the matching hunter green, made square brush strokes of White Linen.  That was a little too bright.  I created a glaze from the granny smith apple green and the satin clearcoat to tone things down a bit.  I painted the side walls White Linen to make the newly striped wall a back focus.  

I will have a window on the right side of the room.  I think the end effect is nice.  Looks a little empty right now.  

I finally get to utilize my original master engineering sheet and start building....

Dollhouse Facelift

I struggled with the track doors what to do with them.  I knew I wanted to keep it.  How cool would that be to have a doll house that actually closes up.  Perfect for moving it around... the darn thing is on casters as well.  The casters and closing doors, plus the free delivery and cheap price is what made this entertainment center the one!  So I started drawing...

this is where we left off...  .  I had sketched out a rough front door scene and finalized my sketchings in the white paint.  I had put on the boysenbarney and hoped for a second coat to be the trick instead of lots of primer and new paint.  It worked.   The dollhouse was officially "Boysenberry" and "White Linen"

I went with a red door to make the color pop and to pull from the red in the bins.  I also have some prelimary plans to make the lower bedroom to the left red, pink and blue... kind of a new twist on Americana but not star spangled banner themed room

After painting the door, I added a coral orange window box and pot.  Shaded in the window with a sage green/gray color and framed out the window and door in the same White Linen color as the roof.

I am stoked about how this turned out!  I further framed the window door by imperfectly adding touches of black.  I added a little foliage (Bob Ross would of have been proud).  I finished off the front yard with a picket fence.  Every perfect house needs a perfect little picket fence!  I sponged some darker green on the hunter green shown to look like grass or shag because that little green area will also double function as a family room in the weeks to come!

Getting a Little Color

As mentioned before, I wanted to use the bins from Target as my color pallet.

So I went with Boysenberry for the primary structure and White Linen (got it in the unwanted color section for $2 whoot whoo) for the roof and trip.

 ... and wow-zers it was boysenbarney..

 I am hoping with the addition of some of the other colors, lime green, forest green, mulberry, pink, orange and red..... this house will come together in a good way.  I also think a second coat will help!

Dollhouse Takes Shape -finishing the peak

I purchased two slats (is that the right word) of scalloped edging from Michael's for $2.99.  So for $6 dollars - oh and I bought a little design square.  My daughter Avery asked me a bazillion times "What is that going to be used for?"  I kept telling her to embellish the roof.  Once It was tacked/glued into place, I think she finally figured out what an embellishment was...

Close up of the scalloped molding and embellishment.  I also picked up some picket fencing with the thought that I will have that keyboard drawer double as a pull out front yard and living room.

Once again, Tokie is supervising the progress either that or he is secretly snagging wood to chew on.. not too sure.

After adding back paneling, I tidied up the rough edges from when we busted out the top.  I used the corner panel molding to cover the rough edges. Would hate for a Julie or Molly to get a splinter while climbing into their loft! I bought the perfect storage bins at Target for the under area.  I plan on using them as the color scheme for this doll house. 

Making the Perfect Roof - $20 in Popsicle Sticks Later

I scored the popsicle sticks at the half way point and snapped

After combing the internet-highways and the craft stores, I finally came up with just using good ol' popsicle sticks for the roof.  I wanted it to look like shingles.  The itty bitty ones you find for smaller dollhouses would look like random wood chips on this beheamoth.  So I scored and split popsicle sticks... in fact 750 scored and split popsicle sticks.

This part of the process took about 2 days... in fact this is how I spent New Years!


Using wood glue, a ruler and two clamps, I layered them up the 35 inches of board on each side.  After gluing each strip of popsicle sticks, you need to clamp down the popsicle sticks for a few minutes to hold them tight while the glue dried a little bit.  I found that I could easily blow through 5 rows this way and the clamp down the 5th row for about a half hour before progressing to next set.

Here is the top of the peak. 

I clamped down the final row and made sure the glue was good and dry.  I added a strip of wall molding to cover the cracks, uneven edge where the two sides of layered popsicle sticks meet.    

The molding is in place and the finished roof looks great!