It’s party day! If you took the challenge…….
you know the one that’s totally not sponsored by Pinterest, that Katie dreamed up to get us all to start doing and stop pinning, the one she hosts once a season with her bff Sherry and two guest bloggers, (ummmm…. I know, my English teacher called, and she wants my diploma back #runonsentencetrouble), then today is the day to show and tell!
I love these challenges! It just feels so darn good to get something that you’ve pinned and dreamed of doing, finally done! It’s good to check stuff off the list. Especially since I’m soooo good at adding things to the list. If you remember when we announced the challenge last week I had something kid related on the brain.
and this super sweet mod podge art from Ten June,
and I put my own spin on things to create a dollhouse for my sweet little girl.
I made it out of a ClosetMaid Cubeical I bought at Target.
I was going for more of a town home style dollhouse and made a mod podge art piece for the roof.
Here’s a quick run down of how I got from pinning to doing to done.
After I put the cubeical together, I added some legs (that came from an old jewelry armoire currently collecting dust in my garage). I liked the idea of adding something curvy to all the straight lines.
I gave them the gold treatment with a little rub ‘n buff aka my bffl (best friend for life).
Being the super smart diy’er that I am, I actually tried to glue these legs on….
not once……..
but twice!
But I’m not easily defeated; I busted out the big gun.
But in true Carmel fashion I have to keep it real for you all. I should have used a thicker wood block or a shorter screw because in a couple spots the screw went too far. #goaheadandgetthegigglesout
You live and learn I guess. It really doesn’t matter as the itty bitty furniture camouflages my mistakes.
Oh yeah, and just for a little added support I used some wood glue, though with them being screwed in place I’m not sure that was neccessary.
Once the adding-some-legs debacle was behind me I got busy with my hand saw.
I wanted to hide the screws on the sides. The cubeical kit comes with white screw covers, but if you’ve ever built one of these before you know they have a tendency to come off. I decided to use moulding to hide them.
Believe me when I say anyone can do this. I mean if I can do it – a cat or a dog probably could. I always make some notes before I start cutting wood.
I attached them with wood glue and held them in place with painters tape until they were dry. Clearly you can see I also rubbed ‘n buffed them as well.
I also used spackling in the corners to hide any imperfections in my cutting.
Because what’s better than a dollhouse? – a monogrammed dollhouse – duh! Sanded and stenciled with rub ‘n buff – boom – done.
Now on to lighting. Oh yes, my friends, this dollhouse lights up!
I bought them at Rite Aid. These are those nifty push lights with led bulbs that are battery operated. Once again – rubbing ‘n buffing – I know right?! Last time – I promise.
With the body of the house done it was time to get to roofing. I started by cutting out little paper bricks.
I painted the canvas the same color as the walls (Olympic Moonstone) and used white trim paint to free hand a roof line. Using black acrylic craft paint I outlined the roof. Then I just laid each paper brick down one by one with mod podge with one final coat over the entire canvas when it was all done.
By far, my favorite part of this project was decorating this tiny house with my daughter, so let’s take a tour!
I heart the kitchen!
I found this piece of scrapbook paper that looks like a giant framed chalkboard in my paper stash. I couldn’t resist adding the Be Nice or Leave. She received a bunch of dollhouse furniture for her birthday back in July and now she finally has somewhere to use it all. The “natural fiber” rugs are scrap pieces of wall paper.
In the dining room I added another one of my favorite quotes.
This is an open back frame from Hobby Lobby that I attached to the wall with a command strip.
And this floral and brass dining set, as well as the coat rack in the corner, was mine when I was a little girl. My mom found a box of my old dollhouse furniture and gave it to my girl this past summer.
My future designer picked out the leopard rug herself. I never would have thought to pair the leopard with this floral print but it totally works! This “rug” is just a piece of patterned felt from Hobby Lobby.
The bedroom is also sporting more of my old furniture – brass bed and rocking chair – apparently I’ve always been a gold lover. 😉
The mini canvas I picked up at Michaels and painted a little abstract floral art. Ha!
The family room is my favorite room in the house.
The layered rugs basically kill me right along with the abstract art and the fireplace! The fireplace was the only new piece I bought for this house. Hobby Lobby has a ginormous dollhouse section with lots of fun accessories. This fireplace came in a natural wood color, and I painted it white. The keys on the wall are stickers from the scrapbook section at Michaels. The sculptural piece on the mantel is two jacks (remember those?). The flower pot is a lego piece.
For the bathroom I created a tile wall with a white chalk marker and black card stock.
I really wish my laundry room looked this fun and clean!
When I bought the fireplace at Hobby Lobby I also bought the dress form which came with those tiny gold scissors. I mean really, how could I not?! My girl and I decided the laundry room should be multi-functional, so it’s also the sewing/craft room.
For artwork I punched out circles from chalkboard vinyl and added them to scrapbook paper hanging them from clothespins which are attached with command strips I cut down to size.
So that’s the story of how I finally, thanks to the Pinterest Challenge, created a home for my girl’s Lalaloopsy dolls. She’s obsessed with these tiny dolls!
They’re totally diggin’ their new home!
I love all the little details. It’s those little details that totally make a house a home – right?
I can’t even tell you how special it is to see her playing with my old dollhouse furniture.
And one of the absolute most fun parts is the way it lights up at night!
Seriously, I can barely take it!
But this takes the cake for sure!
She loves it!
And when the day comes that she no longer wants to play with mini Lalaloopsy dolls, after I cry my eyes out, I’ll put this prettied-up cubeical in her closet and she can use it for more grown up things – tear. Let’s hope that day is a LONG way away!
So, did you take the challenge? I can’t wait to see your projects!!! I’ll be featuring a few favorites later this week! Be sure to check out my co-hosts Pinterest Challenge projects:
Sherry – Young House Love
Katie – Bower Power
Sarah – Ugly Duckling House
and link up your project with them as well!
(*Update – Just wanted to add that I did secure the dollhouse to the wall. No issues with tipping over. The canvas covers, so you don’t see the anchor.)
');
LOVE this! If our baby #2 is a girl, you better believe I'll be doing something similiar! And the lights?! Genius! xo