“Hi! Come play at my {doll}house!”
July 08, 2011
When I was gathering all my little inspiration pieces for my Quilt Market Booth, I knew I wanted to find and fix up a wooden doll house and wallpaper it with my designs. I had a really strict budget, so I looked at everything from Craigslist to discounted amazon deals. I just couldn’t really seem to find the right one! And weeks went by, and my weekly peek into thrift stores and my local classifieds produced nothing. And then…I found it. Forty bucks landed me this old (HUGE!) wooden dollhouse, furniture and an entire bucket of barbies.
There was A LOT of work to put into it, but that was just what I wanted: A fixer-upper. There were plexi glass windows to pop out (they were cracked, chipped and painted), trim to paint, floors to scrape and polish, and a good 3 coats of paint on the outside to hide all the dings and poor paint jobs over the years. And that still hasn’t made it spic-and-span. There are more touch-ups to do, but we finished it enough for Quilt Market. Horray!
Little did I realize that it would take 4 people on and off for 2 weeks to make this turn into the Doll House of our dreams.
Because the Children at Play collection nearly didn’t arrive in time for market, I decided to design my entire booth with paper. Oh, those were scary days! A fabric-less booth for a fabric show? It was time to get creative. And wallpapering a vintage dollhouse seemed to be one of my ways out of the mess I was in.
Thankfully, the fabric arrived at my doorstep a week early, but the dollhouse was still a head turner!
At the last minute, because there are so many rooms, and I wanted to show off the wallpaper job that Lindsey spent hours doing (we literally cut strips and glued into place each print…and most rooms boast crooked corners and frames!) we decided to light it up inside. My Grandmother has the most fantastic dollhouse, and it’s lit up, which makes all the difference in the world.
But we didn’t have ceiling space to spare, so we found these IKEA L.E.D lights that are flat and have a long cord with a switcher attached. Ba-Bing!
This dollhouse was rather well loved when we got it, and there are some parts of it that we just won’t ever really be able to fix, but that’s the charm!
This is my favorite room of the house. The study. I seriously wish I could have that as wallpaper in my own house! Meadow in Green is one of my favorite prints. And making this dollhouse with the Children at Play designs on paper was so much fun! I spent hours matching the colors to the fabric, but it was all worth it! And as you can see…don’t look too closely…this house was in such bad shape, it’s going to take a few more weeks to get it proper for close-up photos! Part of me wants to keep is just as is to always remember the crazy sleepless nights in the weeks before market. Like a token, you know?
There were some parts of the house that were un-salvageable. Like the wool fabric that was glued to the gorgeous hard wood floors? We Old-Englished some of them, but the main rooms were completely defeated. Thank goodness for discarded carpet samples that happened to be edged in the exact size of the house!
There is still decorating to do…curtains to add…picture frames to put up….and paint to touch up. But I don’t even have curtains up in my own house yet! Or picture frames for that matter! (They say it takes a good year or so to really move into a house, right?)
So thank goodness for colorful, lit up dollhouses that 3 children can play in at the same time. We’re having thunderstorms and rain all week, and this dollhouse is getting just the attention it needs!
Happy Weekend!!
xo
sarah
35 Comments for this entry
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my antique doll house find » Stolen Moments
July 8th, 2011 on 9:09 pm[...] This is what the internet does to you. You’re cruising along, minding your own business and then BAM! All of a sudden you have to make a project. First it was quiet books and now it’s a doll house. [...]
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{have you seen a more darling doll house?!}
August 12th, 2011 on 3:54 pm[...] credit] tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gussysews.com/2011/08/have-you-seen-a-more-darling-doll-house/'; [...]
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Dollhouse Inspiration | The Creative Salad
October 5th, 2011 on 6:02 am[...] all her handmade dollhouse miniatures posts here) 3. A Mousehouse Dollhouse (with many DIY tips) 4. Sarah Jane’s Dollhouse (featuring her line of fabric re-purposed as wallpaper) 5. My Little Pink Bakery (her Etsy shop [...]
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This house is gorgeous. You did a fab job. I just want to buy lots and lots of your fabric even more now.
I have been totally inspired by this, have already been looking on ebay this morning!
It’s amazing, such a great job! How cute is your lil blonde one in the pics : )
I love your dollhouse! I’ve have a bare one sitting and waiting for some paint and wallpaper for years — another one of those things I’ll get to when I retire. I’m itching to get my hands on some of your new fabric!
I love dollhouses!! When we worked on one once, I used thin strips of balsa wood (I think that was what it was called) from the hardware store so they would look like hardwood floors. Then I stained the floors. It was so much fun to stain designs on the floor. I had used a very thin piece around the floor in some areas and I stained the thinner pieces a darker color than the others to give that design distinction. So, if you ever want to pull up the carpet, you could try it. They also sell “floors” at craft shops, if you don’t want to go to so much work and just want the look of hardwood floors.
When we moved several years ago, I lost our dollhouse. Makes me sad, but like you, I’d love to find another one to work on!
Awesome! As the daughter of a lifelong wallpaper hanger, I can say with confidence that you did an amazing job. There is something happy about a rescued and “re-loved” doll house. Now I want to get one for my girls so I can ask my Dad to wallpaper it with your fabric! He loves? my constant challenges.
Best, Lori
What a brilliant idea, Sarah!It’s such a charming, cosy little house.
Its beautiful! We just bought our daughter her first dollhouse for Christmas last year. Definitely one of my favorite childhood toys!
I have an old dollhouse from my childhood…what fun to dress it up in your gorgeous designs! Hmmm.
That was a fab find Sare. And you did a great job on it. I love the what-do-you-call-them curtain hanger things on the window molding. If my girls would actually play with our house, I might put your fabric/paper on the walls. But just as I never played with my (now gramma’s) dollhouse, they never play with ours. We save it for when our friend Claire comes over.
What a beautiful dollhouse and great inspiration! I absolutely adore it!
Oh man–I blame you for the fact that I now must track down a vintage dollhouse to decorate!
Seriously–this is stunning. I just love your sense of style!
I found a doll house at a garage sale that looks very much like yours! I have been sloooooowly fixing it up. My goal has been to make a gingerbread house out of it, but I’ve been so busy with my church callings that I haven’t been able to devote much time to it. BUt you have given me some GREAT ideas, especially the IKEA lights! My daughter is all grown (and on a mission), but I should have this ready by the time I have grandkids. lol
What a great job!!! And a great product idea! If you sold printed wallpaper I would scoop it up immediately.
My FAVORITE post yet. Hurry to Handmadeology and list you blog in their newly
created blog list. I don’t want anyone to miss the joy your blog brings……
This is simply amazing! I love your new fabric line and your illustration style. I also loved listening to you at the Creative Collaborative in Provo last month. I wanted to talk to you, but you were surrounded my concourses of people. Incredible what you’ve been able to accomplish. I went to school with Lindsay Bowerman, what a cutie! So excited for you!
-Muffin
)
great idea! I lucked out on an incredible deal on a plan toys victorian doll house. it is beautifully made, but a little lacking in color. I might try to do something like this with it to liven it up.
[...] This is what the internet does to you. You’re cruising along, minding your own business and then BAM! All of a sudden you have to make a project. First it was quiet books and now it’s a doll house. [...]
The most adorable dolls house ever. Well done
Love the blue you’ve painted on the outside. Very vintage and sweet.
I have always loved dollhouses and my heart goes pitter-patter when I see them – especially abandoned, fixer-upper ones.
You’ve done such a brilliant job on yours! My heart when pitter-patter when I saw it.
This is absolutely adorable. Your children will be telling their children all about their amazing dollhouse. Imagine your grandchildren playing with this very precious house filled with your creative goodness.
Oh Sarah, bestill my heart. I have my old dollhouse (HUGE victorian) sitting in my garage awaiting her re-do. Can you tell me if you sell that gorgeous paper you used in it? I worked on that dollhouse when I was 8 (poor paintjob and all) and used all my grandfather’s scraps of velvet from his upholstery business. I have lots of vintage pink velvet floors
Thankyou for sharing! have a wonderful weekend
Kris
Oh how beautiful! My daughter now has the dollhouse my dad built for me when I was a little girl. That he fixed up again for her
What did you use to glue the fabric to the walls?
Hi Sheri! I used rubber cement on the walls. Mod Podge would work too, but I wanted the paper to be uncoated because I was wanting to present the colors just right. But mod podge would be nice and protective. Rubber cement works great too, cause it doesn’t warp or curl the paper. Have fun!
Oh how beautiful! You did an amazing job!!
Wow. I mean WOW! I can’t even think of a better word right now than WOW!
Except for maybe wowzers … nope … wow.
Thanks for sharing the transformation. I wish I had paid more attention to it at Market.
If I were a doll I’d want to live in your doll house……it is simply stunning.
Great job on the dollhouse! Years ago (about 6 actually), I built my then 8 year old a dollhouse and never quite finished it. It got wallpapered, but the roof never got shingled and it needs some revamping… You’ve inspired me to bust out the dollhouse and redo for my 3 year old! Thanks for all the ideas – and reminding us that imperfections can actually ADD to a project, rather than take away from it.
Cheers!!
LOVE your dollhouse! But you’re making me feel awfully guilty here. Several months ago I rescued a doll house from my neighbor’s trash (yes, I took it right out of the bin) I originally just wanted to find it a new home rather than seeing it go in the trash. But then my daughters & I started ripping out the bizarre assortment of upholstery fabric that was covering every surface, and we started getting excited about doing a complete makeover. I looked into replacement windows, got overwhelmed, and it’s been sitting in the basement ever since. At the very least, you’ve inspired me to find someone who will finish the job. Anyone here in eastern PA/central NJ?
that is too darn cute! we had a dollhouse that my Papa made for us when we were young and i think i might have to dig it out of the attic and dress it up – you have inpired me!
[...] credit] tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gussysews.com/2011/08/have-you-seen-a-more-darling-doll-house/'; [...]
I found an old dollhouse at Goodwill for 20 bucks. It definately needs a lot of work, but I am looking forward to it. I love what you did with yours and will use it as an inspiration piece while I fix mine up. I plan on giving it to 4 year old daughter at x-mas, with furniture and an adorable lil critter family to go with it. I can’t wait to see hr face when she sees it. I really love the ikea light idea. I hope that it works with mine.
[...] all her handmade dollhouse miniatures posts here) 3. A Mousehouse Dollhouse (with many DIY tips) 4. Sarah Jane’s Dollhouse (featuring her line of fabric re-purposed as wallpaper) 5. My Little Pink Bakery (her Etsy shop [...]
Sarah, your doll house is absolutely amazing! So, did you use your paper or material for your wall paper?
This is just beautiful. What’s the name of the Ikea lights, would love to get some for our doll’s house here. I wonder if Ikea do them here in the UK.
Thanks for sharing these pics.
Susie
Beautiful!!! Now i want to do this same thing! What did you glue the fabric/wallpaper up with?
Thanks for the beautiful fabric, inspiration, and fantastic blog! I am so excited to follow your work. I love it all.
Hi- I am so inspired! And just preparing to revamp my childhood house for my daughter. Would you share what type of paper you used? I noted that you said it was uncoated- so you used rubber cement.
Hi Sarah,
I am wanting to wallpaper my girls dollhouse and was wondering if I can get this same paper a you used. Do you sell your fabric prints on paper?
Thanks!