Monday 22 June 2009

Tiny new friends

As soon as I saw this tutorial for travelling matchbox houses, by Trixi over at Coloured Buttons, I knew that I had to make the 'big' girls one each.


It was one of those things that you see and just know they will love.

And I was right.


I completed the little houses using craft glue and some gorgeous rainbow coloured wool felt that I bought from Shelley as well as various bits and pieces from my ribbon box for some of the details.
Mine are in no way as lovely as the one made by Trixi, with her tiny button flowers, but my girls don't seem to mind.

I was a little heavy-handed with the glue - but using craft glue meant I had to be to get the felt to stick together. I think Trixi uses a hot glue gun - which I may have to invest in if I am to make more of these.

Once the houses were complete, with Shelley's help I made up little pipe cleaner/bead people to go into them and stitched on their tiny felt clothes.

The girls then had to wait a week til I was at handwork circle the following Thursday for their dolls to get hair.

By that time I had been given very strict instructions about what they both needed.

The person in the purple jumpsuit with a pink heart on front was (apparently) a boy, called Joshua. He was to have orange short hair.

The person wearing the yellow shift with the purple heart on the front was a girl called Madi who needed long pink hair (which is tied in a ponytail down her back)



Coincidentally they have cousins with these same names. (who would have guessed!).

So I dutifully put the requested hair on and left them by their beds ready for play.

No amount of cajoling would convince the girls the dolls looked lovely without faces, they could then be happy or sad and who would know except the person playing with them.

So I reluctantly added a smiley mouth and eyes.

I should let it go I know.
They are, after all , not really mine!

I can't tell you the adventures these two little people have had already in osteopath waiting rooms, across the loungeroom at Grandma's house and in the back yard at home.
They hang around the girls' necks on their ribbon and are always there ready for play.
Thanks Trixi - for this great tutorial.
If you haven't checked out Trixi's blog then do yourself a favour. As a long-time craft/sewing teacher to kids she has an adundance of great ideas for keeping kids entertained or things you can make for them.

10 comments:

willow and moo said...

They are gorgeous! I know Miss Moo would love one of those.

Natalie said...

These are just so adorable! I can see why they are adored by your girls. What a fantastic idea, and I think yours look gorgeous.

Cass said...

Karen these are absolutely fantastic, well done

Unknown said...

Wow Karen, they are gorgeous!

Nikki said...

Oh Karen. I want to play with them! They are just beautiful, amazing. The detail is incredible and the dolls are too cute (even with happy faces!). You can see how much work you have put into these. Wow. Wow. Wow!

Lily Mulholland said...

They are beautiful. No wonder the girls love them. I don't have the patience to make such detailed things though!

Kirsty said...

These are super cute. My smallest would absolutely love them.

Trixi said...

Hi Karen, I think your houses are amazing and your little dolls are really cute. I really liked the way you dressed them. I know what you mean about the faces. The girls in my classes always insist their dolls have noses as well. Also I use pva to stick on the felt to the match box and use the hot glue gun just to stick on little things like buttons. I am overseas now but will post about your doll houses when I get back.

Unknown said...

Oh my goodness! These are super duper cute, I have to make one too, tomorrow if I get time, well i don't know when, but it better be soon! They are just the sweetest!

Belinda said...

THe cutest things I have seen this year!!! Gorgeous!