DIY Doll Grocery Store–Let’s Finish This Project!

I had every intention of posting the grand finale of our DIY Doll Grocery Store last week; however, some last-minute furniture pieces delayed me.  Not trying to boast or anything, but I think you’ll be impressed with the new additions?.

Honestly, I could spend eons beautifying this space and making little tweaks here and there, but I think it’s time we moved on, especially since there are other crafts I’m ready to start.

So let’s wrap up this project by finishing the outside before taking a tour of our finished, Barbie-sized supermarket.

Papering The Outer Walls:

This part is pretty self-explanatory.  Just cover all four sides of your box with scrapbook or contact paper.

I used red brick paper on the front and right sides and white brick-patterned paper on the back.

You see, when the store is open, the backside creates another large wall that works perfectly as a backdrop.  So, instead of making it identical to the other two walls, I changed papers to get a completely different background for photography and setting up scenes.

Now the dolls can shop at the department store before hitting the supermarket around the corner.

Trimming The Window And Hanging The Door:

After cutting the opening for the window, I glued a piece of plastic over it and covered the rough edges with paper.

That wasn’t enough, though.  The window needed embellishing.  More specifically, it needed window panes.

 

It just so happened that my mom was tinkering around with some Gallery Glass paint (she wanted to create a stained-glass window without saudering) at the same time I was working my store window.

The process was kind of captivating–not to mention pretty–so I decided to have a little fun with her supplies and used the self-adhesive lead and liquid leading to create “leaded” panes for my store window.

While it started as a wild experiment, this stuff ended up being a lifesaver.  I cannot draw straight lines to save my soul.  Even using a ruler isn’t enough to correct my slanted lines!  But these adhesive lead strips and liquid leading helped me to get straight, evenly spaced, panes.

Since the window turned out so nicely, I decided to use this same technique for the door.

I hate to admit this, but my air-headed self completely forgot to take pictures showing how to make the door.  It’s a pretty easy process, though.

Once I got to the doorknob, I must’ve remembered I was writing a tutorial because I resumed my picture taking.  Whew! Maybe, I’m not a total ditz after all?.

After gluing on the knobs, I hung the door using toothpick “hinges.”

How To Hang A Dollhouse Door With Toothpicks:

• Cut a toothpick in half.
• Push one end into the top of the door and the other into the corner of the door frame.
• Using a pointy tool (like an awl), make a hole going through the base of your doll room into the bottom of the door.
• Measure and cut a second toothpick for the bottom hinge.  If the floor of your doll room is thick, you may need to use more than half a toothpick, so it’s smart to measure before you cut.
• Insert the toothpick up through the floor and into the bottom of the door to finish hanging it.

Yay!  Our dolly supermarket has a door! Now I can stop the cats from lounging inside it when they think I’m not looking?!

After hanging the door, I covered cardboard with scrapbook paper and glued it underneath.

Then I created a cute sign inspired by some local craft shops and hung it over the door.

And with that, I deem our doll grocery store done!  Now, fellow doll lovers (and dolls) Tink is going to give y’all a tour of the market!

The Tour:

Hmmm, it looks like Petra isn’t here.  No matter.  We can tour the store without her. 

First off, we have the sales bins.

These freestanding bins are a My Froggy Stuff craft.  They were made using recycled 5 Surprise balls, wood dowels, and popsicle sticks.  They look fantastic (I particularly like the chalkboard sign at the top). 

Unfortunately, there is no way these little stations will hold all our Mini Brands and Mini Packs.  Nope, we needed more shelves, so we created a gigantic display to put the rest of our mini groceries.

Hmmm, if you ask me Petra needs help with her marketing strategy.  Seriously, how is 5% off soap supposed to attract customers?  I say mark them down at least 20%, but that’s just my expert opinion. 

Our next stop is something you all haven’t seen yet (well, except for a few glimpses in the pics above?): an IKEA-inspired shelf!

My human companion loves IKEA furniture, so when she saw a miniature version of an IVAR shelf on Instagram, she just had to make one for our store.

Creating this bitty shelving system was a cinch.  In fact, it came together faster than the foam board display!

The legs are small square dowels, and the shelves are thin Balsa wood.  The back is also Balsa wood (although I’m sure you could use popsicle sticks) and thin sticks are sandwiched between the front and back legs to keep the Mini Brands from falling out the sides.

Anyway, the freezer is another neat piece.  The door frame and outer walls are foam board, but the shelves inside are plexiglass.

Yes, we ditched the foam board counter in favor of one made from wood.  Best decision ever!  This wood counter blows the foam board one away.  It’s cuter and has more areas for storing our grocery store knickknacks.

This craft was more involved than my favorite IKEA-inspired shelves, taking almost an entire week to build (hence why this post is late).  However, I think all the time, sweat, and tears paid off.   It turned out pretty sweet, don’t you think? 

Speaking of sweet, did you notice that the counter doubles as a bakery display?  It has a clear front which lets you see all the tasty treats sitting on the shelves inside.

Now, prepare yourselves because I’m about to show you the best part yet!

Yep, the shelves, counter, freezer, even the clothing rack can be kept in the folded box which makes storing all the crafts we made a breeze.  It’s all organized into one tidy space, and there’s still room to spare!

Oh, look, Petra’s back–and she’s hanging an Open sign!  I guess that means the market is ready for business.

Jingles, those gals are scooping up everything!  I better get in there and grab some vittles while I have the chance.  Fly with ya later!

Well, friends, that’s it for today.

Now it’s your turn!

Did you enjoy seeing this craft come together?  Which tutorial was your favorite?  And (most importantly) how did you like Tink’s tour? (She’s a tad eager to get back to writing some posts of her own?).