Paper Mache Dollhouse

When you go shopping for dollhouses just look at them to get ideas for decorating and design; dont really buy one. Spend a fraction of the cost and make your own dollhouse which will look completely professional. Paper mache boxes help you design a dollhouse that your little girl will play with for years. The paper mache house is lightweight, too, so she can easily carry it with her anywhere she goes.

Look around at a craft store and choose the paper mache boxes you want. Theyre available in many sizes so you can build a large house or a much smaller one. Look for square or rectangular boxes which are deep and wide. Choose an even number of boxes - one box for each room of the dollhouse and two boxes for the roof.

Remove the lids from the paper mache boxes and save them for another project. If you want, spray-paint the outside of the boxes and allow to dry. Cut a piece of scrapbook paper or fabric to cover the inside bottom of each box. These will become the back walls of the rooms. Cut a long strip of the same or different paper to cover three of the four inside walls. The fourth wall will become the floor; leave it as-is or, later, cut vinyl, carpet or other material to cover the floor. Cut windows out of the sides or bottoms of the boxes. These can be left open or covered with cellophane. Apply glue to one side of one box and stick it to another. Make two sets of these. Stack one set on top of the other and glue them in place. Now you have a 2 story house which has four rooms. If you want to add another story, you can, as long as it has just the two rooms. To make the roof, take one box which is the same size as the others, and cut one of the long sides off of it. Take the remaining flap and pull it over to the corner. Cut off half of the bottom of the box so that you have a triangular-shaped box. Tape the flap in place at the corner and at the bottom of the box. Do this to two boxes. Stack these on top of the dollhouse so that it creates a roof which slopes to the sides. If youd like the house to have more rooms, they dont have to be under the roof. Add another box onto the side of the house and put up tiny "railings" to make a rooftop deck. Do the same to the other side, if you want. There are no limits to the decorations and furniture you can place inside the new dollhouse. Cut fabric to make rugs, use bottle caps to make seats and a table, and find other things around your home to further embellish the dollhouse. Your little girl will treasure it.