DIY Doll House Furniture

^^The box was found on Joanns 70% Christmas merchandise aisle (plus an additional 25% off ) for a price of around $2.00.

I have this overflowing shoe box full of wood craft items: popsicle sticks, tongue depressors, clothespins large and small, old fashioned and spring type, toothpicks, beads, stars, etc. The situation was: either donate them or try to use the wood items in some form of crafting.

Last weekend I started glueing together doll furniture for Effervescent Ethel's dollhouse. Before I knew what was happening I had put together a room full of new furniture and accessories. Although I didn't make much of a dent in the supplies I ended up with some captivating doll house furniture I'm sure will make a particular member of our crew very happy Christmas morning!

Usually I would hop onto Google for crafty inspiration but this time I challenged myself to creating the furniture design with no outside influences. However over the last dozen years I have been greatly influenced by the Look-Alike books by Joan Steiner. Steiner's book have taught me to look at crafting (and dollhouse furnishing and decorating!) in a completely different manner. I applied Steiner's extraordinary work with this craft project. The second challenge was to use *only* what I have on  hand. That was much more difficult than the first challenge.

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Let's take the virtual tour!

I had to hustle and take these photos. EE was in the other room. Not a moment to lose!



The princess canopy bed

Another view of the bed.

Vanity table next to bed

Generic holiday tree with gift on spool table.

Writing desk with potted flower, mug on coaster and chair.

Front of chair. 

Large flower pot of feathers

Wood star design on bed's headboard. Initially I had planned to glue on a whole star anise pod to the headboard but all the pods in my spice pantry were broken. It would have meant buying more star anise but that was against the rules.

Bookstand. Didn't quite turn out how I had wanted but I'm not worried about it.

View of bedroom/boudoir.

Items used: (I tried to list everything I could remember.)

-wood craft items, assortment of
-glue
-scissors
-ribbon
-scrap paper
-glass beads
-glitter
-buttons
-broken silver glitter hair barrette (girl's)
-toothpick
-empty matchbox (devoid of matches)
-holiday box (optional)  I used this box to wrap the furniture. Left the lid off and have covered the top with holiday tissue paper.
-paint chip sample for rug
-scrap fabric
-feathers
-narrow ribbon for gift on spool table
-metallic self-adhesive stickers



Cost: very little cost





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IKEA doll bed quilt and pillow Part I

I purchased fabric to sew a quilt, mattress pad and pillow for the IKEA doll bed Effervescent Ethel is receiving for Christmas. I  returned to the quilt store and purchased batting, thread and an eighth yard of another fabric (see below). I was aiming for a simple quilt that looked like I merely rummaged through Grandma's old trunk in the attic with its mish-mash of fabric. Nothing really matches and I think I did a reasonably good job.



And let me tell you-it felt great doing some sewing two weeks ago after everyone else had gone to bed.That is until I broke my needle and then production stopped-like a semi heading a brick wall. After a quick trip to the local sewing machine store to buy needles and bobbins, I'm back in business. My sewing projects for Christmas are just about completed!

Note: Young and/or beginning sewers can make smaller versions of this quilt and hand sew it. A perfect way to teach them hand sewing fundamentals.


To do: 

-Put doll bed together (*update: done!*)

-Spray paint the doll bed    >>>> Rust-Oleum 2X in 'Seaside' (*update: done!*)

-Take pictures of the mattress pad and pillow then post on this blog. (Forgot!)  (*update: done!*)

Technique: In a nutshell, I sewed the 1/8 yard fabric strips together lengthwise then folded the whole piece in half. Inserted lightweight batting, applied the seam binding and sewed the edges together. Ran a featherstitch down each seam to secure the fabric and to add a decorative touch. Yo-yos attached and there you have it! Maybe an hour of my time was expended.

My understanding is these are all authentic reproductions of vintage fabric from the 30s.

Moss 30s playtime Chloe's closet 32596-11



As I mentioned above and after musing for a day, I went back the next day and bought an eighth yard of this fabric just because I liked it and had to have it.





Moss 30s playtime Chloe's closet 32596-11

Fabric print Once Upon a Story by Whistlers' Studio  #4344-0150


'Spend a day in the park with Whistlers Studios Once Upon A Storybook. This lighthearted collection is filled with cute scenes of children playing and sweet, little floral patterns.  The cheerful color palette entails classic 1930’s reds, greens, blues and yellow.  Once Upon A Storybook will bring joy, delight and splendor into any room of your home.'



   34211-2

Fabric by Aunt Grace Keepsakes  #4345-133

Why does my featherstitch here suddenly looks like an elongated zig zag stitch!?


Fabric by Aunt Grace Keepsakes  #4344-0150 

The featherstitching!

Mattress pad and matching pillow. I took the existing mattress pad and pillow included with the doll bed and covered with cute fabric. At the time (very late in the evening) I couldn't find my bag of filling (that's a lie-I was too lazy to go search for the filling in the stock barrels). In place of stuffing for the pillow I used about 12 large cotton balls, lightly pulled apart and used for stuffing! By the way, does this fabric look familiar? ;)

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DIY Doll: Söt Flicka 'Dalarna'

Introducing:



Söt flicka 'Dalarna'!

Cap'n's Log 8 December 1713

Greetings from the Ebony Oyster!

Every evening after Effervescent Ethel has gone to sleep in her hammock below deck, I've been working on a blasted sock monkey doll- which I was intending to give to Effervescent Ethel for Christmas. Most of the sock monkey was completed last week (when we were snowbound) and as I was adding the finishing touches, I looked at the doll, grunted disapprovingly and then the realization hit me like an iceberg: I'm not really a fan of sock monkey dolls. The doll looked and was built like a Russian wrestler-meaty and stocky-certainly not the look I was wanting to achieve.

Change courses to SSW and head to the Isle of Plan B! Therein lies the problem because as of 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening there was no Isle of Plan B  on the map. I jumped on the computer, typed in 'easy doll patterns to sew' on Google for ideas and inspiration and about 2 1/2 hours later 'Söt flicka Dalarna' emerged.

First, I foraged through the ship's fabric stock and found this retro Swedish inspired material: 'dalarna stripe' from the Alexander Henry company. I bought it over five years ago on the deep discount aisle at JoAnns in Port Royale and had a good half yard of it leftover. Bam! Swedish-themed doll and I'm gonna fly with it...!

I didn't waste precious time drawing up a pattern first on paper instead cutting out the doll shape directly from the fabric-no pins nor tracing either. The body and head were lightly stuffed with organic bamboo batting and I left the arms and legs unstuffed. I would probably stuff the appendages if I had to do it over again (lightly stuff). Button eyes added, a scrap fabric bow and skirt; yo yo decoration on the skirt (a traditional embellishment of mine) and a piece of lace for the belt. Her head is floppy but really I don't care.

Here's a quick sketch of the pattern I made. The doll is about 10" long. For beginner sewers I would suggest making the pattern smaller. This is a good sewing craft for learning how to hand sew. Head and main body are one piece; arms and legs were attached separately.

Two nights past I put together a little felt Dala horse aka Swedish horse for the doll. I used a simple Dala horse design found online and scraps of the 'Dalarna" fabric for the decorative harness and saddle. Lightly stuffed and sewn closed. Very easy and done in less than 25 minutes.


Out of red thread!

Dala horse print out I used:

http://www.supercoloring.com/wp-content/uploads/main/2013_07/swedish-dala-horse-coloring-page.jpg

You can find pictures of Dala horses here that will guide you as it did for me in decorating your own (or you can trace the one above directly off the computer screen):

https://www.google.com/search?q=swedish+horse&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=dcimUuCrMcXcoATP0YHIDQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1095&bih=1222




The doll's name by the way is (surprise!) Dalarna which is Swedish for dales/valley. Lastly, with this sewing project I cut corners whenever and wherever possible. Is it my best work? No, far from it. Did I enjoy creating her from beginning to end? A reverberating yes!


CME

Cost: varies but not much

Rations:


-scrap fabric
-sewing machine (this can be done by hand, too)
-scissors
-needle and thread
-buttons
-batting
-scrap lace
-red felt





This was my main source of inspiration:


http://nurturestore.co.uk/simple-easy-sewing-projects-make-a-doll


According to ancestor.com Söt Flicka Dalarna is the grandniece of:

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Round Two: Paint Chip Christmas Trees, etc.

Finished with our on board tasks (there's only so much cooperin' a salty dog can do!) and stuck yet in this bloody iceberg (all coopered up, hARR, hARR!), we've resorted once again to craftin' paint chip Christmas trees or ___________ (fill in the blank). To whit, until further notice or until this cursèd ice breaks and we are once again free to pillage the nearest craft stores, it be paint chip sample craftin', arrrrrr!

Signed, (<<<---don't worry your britches off, it's just red paint)

Shifty Eyed Shelley, Master Cooper and Protector of the Crafty Provisions and 'is assistant Blind Beck (mini-Cooper if you will)

9 December 17summin-er-othuh

Effervescent Ethel's (taking minimalism to a whole new exciting level: Minimal Minimalism!)

The Cap'n's contribution to the craft cause!

I do fancy the snowflakes!

 Cherry wine! Yo ho!

World's smallest greeting card!

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DIY Nativity

Original design Fimo™sculptures by Effervescent Ethel.  Manger design and construction by our beloved Cap'n Mad Ellen.

Loosely inspired by:


http://pinkandgreenmama.blogspot.com/2010/12/homemade-christmas-homemade-nativity.html

Provisions you'll need:


Figures:

-Fimo™
-*buttons (optional)
-glue

* I glued a button under the Mary and Joseph figurine so they would stand up straight. They were wobbly and uneven on the bottom.

Nativity:

-scrap cardboard or similar
-scissors
-tape (adhesive or masking)
-(optional) very small hammer
-glue
-specialty paper/construction paper and/or scrap paper to cover the box, construct the cradle and for the hay  (I used leftover scraps of paint chip sample paper to cover the floor interior, background and for the front of the manger.)

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(Photo found on Google.)

‘

Paint Chip Christmas Trees

Yesterday the Crafty Crew had ample time to craft our paint chip trees due to the fact we were snowbound on board her lady the Ebony Oyster.

http://blog.subtlecoolness.com/2012/11/25/christmas-tree-craft-from-paint-color


More inspiration here:





https://www.google.com/search?q=paint+chip+craft&espv=210&es_sm=119&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jJWiUv7THojtoATqkIDYAQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1101&bih=1222&dpr=1#es_sm=119&espv=210&q=paint+chip+trees&spell=1&tbm=isch



What you'll need:

-Paint chips (various colors of your choice)

-decoration ideas: (Holiday) buttons, (holiday) stickers, jewelry findings, yarn, greeting cards, sequins/rhinestones, feathers, pearls, etc.
-specialty paper for background and also decorating (for example we used self-adhesive glitter paper to make the icicles on the trees)
-glue
-scissors
-hole punch

Cost: price varies depending on the decorations




Cap'n Mad Ellen's joined in on the crafty fun!:

Real snow background!

CHECK THIS OUT-

Expanding the craft lesson (for teachers/homeschoolers):


http://the-room-mom.com/ranking-words/
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#12: Those Pop Art Circles

Number #12

Do you remember these? I do! Not sure if "pop art circles" (or "bad boys") is the correct name but I can recall drawing countless pop art circles in grammar school (when I should have been doing my school assignments). *By the way, this is an ideal craft project for teaching basic geometric shapes.*

^^Images from the following website:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/things-you-will-never-be-able-to-forget

"50 Things You Will Never Be Able To Forget

If we forget the past, then we are doomed to eat green ketchup again."

After completing your drawing including coloring now take the piece of paper and look at it. Turn the paper 90º and look at it, repeat until you've done a 360º. What do you see? Perhaps you don't see anything at all or maybe you see a mountain, or an octopus or a flower?


Effervescent Ethel saw a "bride mermaid" and I, Cap'n Mad Ellen saw a swan and added an eye.

Total: cost of the sheets of paper, crayons

*Variation: make square and rectangle designs instead of circles!



Cap'n Mad Ellen's

EE's 'Rectangle Square Dog' (which she chose not to color):

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