my favorite and my best

Okay, as promised, I give you today my very favorite project ever.  It's the very best kind of creating--open-ended, purely for fun, child-like, and nearly free. 

Remember the diy dollhouse I told you about the other day?  Well, I gave it a go, and man, oh, man was it fun.  I turned it into a house for some of our best-loved and most read/watched characters:  Charlie and Lola...

 

Here they are in the kitchen... 

Not pink milk, alas, but cherry lemonade and cookies.  

And Charlie is eying dessert for this evening--a very attractive cake atop the fridge...

 

Lola's best friend Lotta should be ringing soon to come over and play.  We are waiting...

 

The living room is not terribly exciting.  Except for that big head on the wall...

 

This is Charlie's bedroom. 

He's fond of maps and globes right now, and has a guinea pig for a pet.  He dreams of one day getting a real surf-board with the Union Jack on it...

 

And here is Lola, hiding in her bedroom...

 

Where is she?  Oh, yes!...

 

Always lots of books at the ready, just like the little girls I know...

 

Also like the girls I know, she loves dolls...

 

and horses...

 

 

 

And that's that!  With huge thanks (and apologies!) to Lauren Child, creator of the wonderful Charlie and Lola books, among many others.

As I said, it was nearly free, since we have an awful lot of very tiny toys around here.  I made the Charlie and Lola dolls using iron-ons copied from books, and the paper for the walls I had laying around.  The pictures are cut from magazines.  The only thing I had to purchase was the foam-core board ($2.99, I think) and spray glue for the "wallpaper."

This was so totally fun for Sofie and me to put together.  I've been thinking about why it was so fun for me, and I think it's as I said at the beginning of the post--no expectations, purely for fun, room to be silly...I think I forget, sometimes, that you have to allow yourself those things to really enjoy creating.

I used the instructions at Cookie magazine for the walls.  There was one error in the instructions which was pretty easy to figure out, even for a math dunce like me.  But if anyone is interested in a tutorial, as their notes are pretty sparse, I would love to do one.  Just let me know!

I'm off to sub for the afternoon.  I hope you enjoyed the "home tour." 

Have a great one, all!

***

Update, Saturday, August 29:  

Hey, thanks so much for swinging by and visiting!  Just wanted to let you know that I will be posting a tutorial for the dollhouse tomorrow, August 30th.  So, if you are interested in making your own, stop back by and get the whole scoop! 

'Til then...xoxo.

***

Here's a link to the tutorial!  Hope you enjoy!

Comments

[nath]

you're so clever, Amy. this is wonderful, all the little details are so right on. amazing. i want to look at it again and again and again.

[Cyriaque-L]

That's a so cute doll house ! I find it marvellous and so funny ! Great great thing you created ! Congralutations !

[Lou]

Amy, this house is amazing and inspiring. You are so clever. I hope you don't mind but I have used some of your photo's linked to your blog on our blog.
Lou

[Lou]

Hi Amy, this house is so incredibly gorgeous and inspirational. I hope you don't mind but I have used a couple of your photos and linked to you on my blog.
Lou

[Erin]

wow! i am completely blown away by this! you did such an amazing job.
my three year old daughter adores charlie and lola (so do i actually) she would go crazy for this doll house!!

[Jessica]

yes! a tutorial! here from simple mom... thank you.

[Amy Hanson]

Hello, all! Thanks so much for your sweet comments! I'll be posting a tutorial on how to make the dollhouse tomorrow, Sunday, the 30th. Do check back, if you are interested!

And thanks so much for swinging by...:o)

[Michelle]

This is so great. We love Charlie and Lola and how fun!

[Wendy]

FANTASTIC! Love this! I will have to try to get my boy interested so he'll want to make this.

[sara's art house]

I LOVE this idea!!!! My daughter and I will have so much fun trying this.

[Lissy]

that is absolutely amazing :)

[Alexis J]

I loved your dollhouse idea sooooo much that we tried it on rainy afternoon! It was a lot of fun to make!
Check out our family version if you like!
Thanks again for the inspiration!!!

[Claire]

This is so awesome! Thank you for posting this. You've done such an amazing job decorating the place!I'm totally inspired to make one of these myself. No Charlie and Lola, alas, but I've got Chickenpants & Blythe...

[STELLAandHODGE]

So completely adorable. I love all the details!

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=617931298]

Hi
I think your dolls house is fantastic, you have got the Charlie and Lola style down to a T!
One question, where is Sizzles? Got to have a Sizzles or two...

[Giftofgreen]

Okay, I want to live in that house!!!!!!

[cocuklacocuk]

super love it, welldone.

[maggy, red ted art]

O-M-G this is so totally impressive!!!! Wow! What a GORGEOUSLY detailed dolls house! Will mean that if I ever make one with my kids (they are under 3 at the mo) i will have to put lots of effort in!!!

I do a "Monthly Get Crafty" carnival - would love for you to take part?! EIther with this dolls house, or anything else? this month's theme is "ManMade"

Here are Nature & Red for reference to see if you "like"!!!!! Please do get in touch!

http://redtedart.wordpress.com/2010/06/01/get-crafty-june-2010-inspired-by-nature/
http://redtedart.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/get-crafty-may-2010-all-things-red/

In Awe,

Maggy

[Kristen Marino]

Omg, where where where did you get that seahorse/mermaid paper?? I realize it's been a couple years since you posted this truly lovely dollhouse, but surely you remember where that paper came from?!