1:6 Doll Furniture

Repainted Furniture for 10 - 12 Inch Dolls

The Curl Up & Dye Salon needs furniture.  These inexpensive vanities and chairs were on Ebay -- so I bought them with fingers crossed that they might work.  They are the correct size which is great.  However, they did have issues.  

Once the mirror is attached the vanity falls over backwards.  I fixed that issue by adding hot glue on the underside of the table top on the opposite side of the mirror.  

They came with butterfly buttons for the front of the table.  I removed those and replaced them with small nail heads and painted them black.  They are glued in place with the hot glue.

Before painting these I sanded the little sharp bumps left from their original molds, and I washed them with warm soapy water to remove the mold release agent.  Then I sprayed them with Testors Dull Coat lacquer.  You cannot paint these successfully without the Dull Coat - the paint slides off.  In between coats of paint I used the Dull Coat again.

Painting the mirror requires some prep- I used a piece of paper that I placed over the mirror and creased it around the inside edge.  I cut out that shape and used plain water to adhere the paper.  This kept the Dull Coat from hitting the mirror when I sprayed it.  

When you paint- paint everything- including the undersides.  If you don't do that, the color will reflect when taking photos.  You can paint them white - that way they won't reflect the loud pink.

I want a slightly Gothic look to the furniture for the salon- and since the dolls are colorful, I want things to be muted or at least closer to a gray scale.  When I take photos it will look better that way.

Also, adding paint adds visual weight to the pieces. They seem more "there".

The little drum style table was made with a Tropicana orange juice bottle cap, the plastic spools from some little plastic bags and paper for the top (to cover the Tropicana name).  Hot glued the legs on.

You can paint doll furniture and give it a totally different look.  If you need ideas, just look online at places like West Elm and IKEA.  You'll find patterns and colors galore to inspire you :)

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.

~PB Ray

Gothic Style

Shelf Units You Can Make 

for Your 1:6 Dolls

One of 3 shelf units made for the Halloween Haunt Shoppe

This is what you will need:

1. Empty Food Boxes

2. Scissors                 

3. Glue                      

4. Marking Pen         

5. Ruler                      

                 

Cut the ends off of the box.

Using a ruler or straight edge mark even lines across the box.

Cut the box on the lines.  

If you want all of the shelves to be even, cut only even slices. 

On this box  I chose to leave the bottom one wider than the others.

Turn your pieces as shown and glue one to the other.

Now that the glue is dry, it will look something like this.

Cut 2 sides and glue them on one at a time. 

I let mine dry in between so they I am not fighting to keep it straight.

Next get a larger piece of cardboard box.  I used a Cheerios box panel.

Put your shelf unit on top and draw a line around the unit.

Remove the unit and create the design you want to have around the box.

Cut it out.

Glue the shelf unit to the backing board.

If you want feet like mine, make two more measured strips of cardboard.

Divide them in thirds, with a 4th section that will be used to glue

it into a triangle. Cut them out and bend on the measured lines.

Put glue on the short flap and glue it to the inside making your triangle feet.

Glue them on the base.

Let everything dry completely.

Paint with acrylic paints.  

I painted mine black, but yours can be any color you like.

Here is my set of 3.  You can see the variations.

Short shelf next to Monster High doll- she is about 10 inches tall.

I am working on the interior of the Halloween Haunt Shoppe.

This is where I am at today. 

Have some fun making something new for your dolls!

Cheers, PB

1:6 Furniture For Our Dolls

 

 

 

There is a new store on etsy and it is offering some 1:6 doll furniture that is really special.  I could not resist the Living Room set, and the photos here are of that set.  One of the things I found special about this furniture is the weight.  The pieces are heavy enough that they don't tip over or move while posing your dolls.  What follows is my interview with Debbie, the owner of Napkin Maps on etsy.

 

Q: The name of your shop is unusual, how did you come to choose Napkin Maps?

Debbie:

My husband and I were coming up with a list of names for another business we are interested in. Napkin Maps ended up on the list and I just loved it! The name really has nothing at all to do with my work but something about it reminded me of "me".

Q: When did you start creating 1:6 furniture?

Debbie:

Last year one of my granddaughters was showing me some doll furniture she wanted for Christmas. I felt as though we already had enough plastic in the "doll area" and wanted it to look more "real". I made a lot of furniture for her and everyone loved it. After enough people said "you should sell this", I decided to give it a whirl. So, really only a few months.

Q: What is your process? Do you make drawings? Do you start with one thing and go from there?

Debbie:

It's all about color for me. I usually start with a fabric swatch, and then start thinking about the wood. Light wood, dark wood etc. I start assembling fabric, wood scraps, paper, different textures, and start building a story. I do some photography as well and that is one of my favorite parts of this - getting the good picture. When I think I'm finished with some of the dioramas I have built, I sit back and ask myself what I would put in there if it were my house.


Q: The Fireplace set I purchased from you is exceptional in its detail. The chopped wood is to scale and looks perfect.
I noticed that you have re-purposed wood in some of your offerings. How do you choose your materials?

Debbie:

I used to do a lot of assemblage art and so have some old wood in my shop. Modern fabric mixed with old wood is really appealing to me. Everything I make is something I would want in my home (on a larger scale of course). 

Q: Your style is a wonderful mash up of Mad Men meets Today’s Modern. Is that what we would find in your home?

Debbie:

Yes, in some rooms of my home. The fireplace wall is something I've always have wanted to build in my living room. Until that day comes my motto is "make it small".

 

Thanks so much Debbie for taking the time to answer my questions.  I love my Living Room.  I am saving to buy the Spa Style Bathroom...!

 

 

Visit Napkin Maps here:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/NapkinMaps

 

 

Next Up:

For awhile now I have been wanting to do a circus theme with my dolls.  My doodles include props and fashions and animals...and I have finally started.  The photos that follow are a peek into what will be coming. A work in progress.

 

 

 

 

 

Remember that comments made in April and May will get you entries into the next drawing.  The prize will be one of my handmade creatures- I have not decided which one yet.  When I do, I will post a photo :)

 

Cheers, PB