The Holiday Living Room

This sofa table I made from wood scraps left over in the construction of the dollhouse. I spray painted it with a granite look spray.

On top of the table is a small mini village display. This entire set was purchased in 1998 from the Dollar Tree store.

Under the table is a small basket. There are small greens, pine cones and garden tools inside. I also made a candy cane from polymer clay to add some color.

The furniture is again that black leather look Beanie Baby furniture purchased from Macy's in 1997.

The coat rack in the foreground is filled with jackets, scarves, hats and bags in holiday colors. The scarves were purchased with sweaters from the Dollar Tree Store in 1998. They were tacked on. I just removed the scarf. The coats are mostly handmade and were purchased from various garage sales and flea market finds.The santa cap was purchased from the Dollar Tree store in 1997. They were packaged as a set of three.

On the table between the doll and the coat rack is a lamp. This came as a wonderful set from my friend, Yvette founder of Mattville. Thank you, Yvette! I spray painted the pink shade gold. The base was already black and came with the table, the fireplace, the fireplace tools (which really move), a mantle clock, picture frame, candelabra (see the dining room) and a Bentwood style rocking chair. The telephone really makes a ringing sound, annoyingly so at times and was purchased from Lechters. The plate of ribbon candy was made from polymer clay and put on a plate that I had spray painted gold. The Christmas cards (just one on the table, more on the mantle) were made from the pictures of address labels in magazines and catalogs. I just cut the image off the address label and glued it to white paper folded in half. The coke can I found at a flea market. The cat by the dolls feet came stretched out in a set of Pound Puppy type toys, but were sets of cats. They are spaced throughout the house.

The doll is sitting in a black leather-look chair. These chairs were sold by Macy's in 1997 and were designed for Beanie Babies, but are perfect for displaying fashion dolls. To the right of the chair is a small basket purchased at Michael's Crafts. It's filled with small twigs, which look like fireplace logs to this scale of furniture.

The tree was somehow made from cedar. The branches are very stiff and is sort of a bottle brush type tree, but just one single brush, not each branch. I purchased this at a discount store called Big Lots in 1998. The tree already had that snowcapped effect, but it did not seem overpowering. I purchased a strand of 10 battery operated lights to light the tree. The box with the switch and batteries are disguised under the bear and Life game. I decorated the tree with candy canes made from pipe cleaners twisted together and cut them to size with wire cutters. There are small balls and other miniature ornaments as well as a metal-type garland that I purchased at the Dollar Tree Store and Joann Fabrics.

To the left of the tree is a small sled. This was originally designed as an ornament from Target. I purchased this in 1994. There are similar sled type ornaments available today.

Under the tree I added different sized wrapped presents in foil and paper wrap. I found miniature bows to add some depth and character to the flat packages. You'll find unwrapped toys, giving the impression Santa just visited. I used Micro Machine cars and army tanks, small teddy bears, Polly Pocket miniature toys, a wonderful Fashion doll case that I purchased at a convention in Atlanta, a toy boat (sold as a set of four at the Dollar Tree store this year), and small gift bags with tissue from that same Dollar Tree Store in 1997. I tried to vary the size and dimension of the packages so that it would not appear so flat and one-dimensional. Here's the last closeup from the Living Room. This is a Pilot doll redressed in an army outfit. He's on leave. But not before bringing gifts!

The presents were purchased from various stores and were already wrapped.

The Tickle Me Elmer doll was made from the directions on Raz's Page. (Great project ideas!)

The boat he is holding was purchased in a set of four boats from the Dollar Tree Store in 1998.

The violins were ornaments, sold as a set of three.These were purchased from the Dollar Tree store in 1998.

The basket next to the chair holds some small newspapers that I reduced. There is also a nice Life magazine. The pictures are on the Life magazine website and just printed to cardstock.

You can see the small cars and toys and miniature bears that I have acquired over the past few years. A friend, Sheryl, sent me the two bears.They were released by Gund a few years ago and were billed as "the smallest Gund bears". They are fully jointed.

There is a toy drum, which is an ornament purchased as a set of three from the Dollar Tree store. I just glued some matchsticks that I covered the striking portion in white glue so they would not ignite. The doll box I made from pictures copied off the net and glued to a pink fashion doll box that I cut to size. The directions can be found here.  Scroll down to modern doll box instructions.

The skate board was a keychain. I just removed the key ring.

The Life game from Basic Fun, was a keychain also. I removed the key ring from the right top corner. You can see where it was attached. These keychains are available at many locations. I found this and a few others for $1.99 at Target.