Search This Blog

Featured Post

Christmas Crafts: Diy Elf on a Shelf with Outfit Tutorial

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks! For my first project for Christmas, her...

Sunday, September 30, 2018

Quick and Easy Dollar Store Tea Set Makeover

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

Finally, the last project on my list.  A pretty tea set.

Quick and Easy Dollar Store Tea Set Makeover

I wanted another cute little porcelain tea set for my dolls and stuff.  You used to be able to find them at most dollar stores.  Sadly that’s not the case anymore. 

So, I did the next best thing.

A pink and yellow plastic toy tea set bought from Dollar Tree, a dollar store chain.

I got a plastic set instead (see the doll blog for their reaction).  You can find this tea set at Dollar Tree as well as most dollar stores.

It’s the right size and is sort of cute, but the colors are kind of tacky.  The easiest way to fix the color issue was to paint it.

So let’s paint some plastic!

Getting ready to paint the tea set using acrylic paints, glossy Mod Podge, cheap brushes, a paper plate and one other tool.

I gathered up some supplies I had on hand and got to work.  I used acrylic paints, paint brushes, a paper plate for the paint, and glossy Mod Podge

The Mod Podge protects the work and makes the pieces shiny and pretty.

The strangest tool needed, emory boards for nails.  Can also use fine sandpaper.  Just lightly sand the surface of the plastic pieces before painting them.

I also used these, nail emery boards.  You could also use fine sand paper, but I used these because it’s what I had around.

So first, I lightly sanded the surface of all my pieces.  This helps the paint stick on better, or so I’ve been told.

Paint the pieces with 1-2 coats of white paint as a base.  Let dry  between coats.

Then I applied 2 coats of white paint to all the pieces, allowing them to dry between coats.  I painted one side of each piece at a time.

I was going to paint the pieces a different color after the white paint dried, but I decided they looked pretty that way and went with it.

Adding pink paint to bring out the details in the cute dishes and cups.  There are little hearts and flowers!

I then added some pale pink paint to bring out some of the details.

Finish with one 1-2 coats of glossy Mod Podge to protect and make it shine.

And finally, I applied two coats of the glossy Mod Podge (allowing to dry between coats) to seal and finish them.

The tea set looks so much nicer now.  The gloss makes the pieces look very porcelain-like, but since they are plastic I don’t have to worry about dropping them.

A close up of one of the tea cups, looks a little like porcelain now with the gloss.

I could have painted little designs on the cups like flowers and such if I wanted to, but maybe I will save that for another set.

A close up of the tea pot, it looks great too.

I really like how cute the tea pot came out.  There were little roses around the heart that I didn’t even notice until I started painting it.

A close up of one of the dishes, you can really see the cute heart pattern.

The plates look really pretty too, the hearts are so sweet.

A close up of one of the spoons.  It is painted white with pink on the inside.

I added a touch of pink to the spoons to tie them into the set, also because painting them white made them look too much like “disposable” plastic spoons.  Maybe next time I’ll try using a silver or gold paint.

The finished teaset in all its glory.

Over all, I think the tea set looks great and it would be fun to paint more of them in the future.

Here’s the updated list:

Six down and out.


Give it a try:

Read More »

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Sewing for Dolls: Pink Sweater Set with Navy Skirt

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!


After way, way too much time away, I finely have gotten around to posting my next project.  More doll clothes!

A cute doll outfit.  A pink sleeve less top with matching sweater, a navy blue skirt and a detachable bow pin.

One of my ball jointed dolls has been long overdue for a new outfit.  I had visions of pink and navy blue in my head, so I made this cute and classic set.  There’s a pink “sweater set”, a navy blue half circle skirt, and a tiny bow pin.  I wanted to add a cute beret, but my fabric choices weren’t cutting it.

The cute doll outfit worn by a ball jointed doll.

Here’s the new doll outfit worn by it’s cute owner.  (By the way, the headband she is wearing is made from this tutorial.)

Close up of the pink sock sweater.

The sweater set was made from a pair of pink knee socks (like these).  I just made another sock sweater and whipped up a knit top to go underneath.

The doll with the sweater removed to show off the sleeveless knit top.

The top is sleeveless because this is Arizona and Summer temperatures last into “Fall”. :(

The small ribbon bow.

The easiest piece to make was the bow pin.  Just make a tiny bow with ribbon (here’s a video for it), then flip it over…

The back of the ribbon bow showing off a tiny gold safety pin sewn on.

…And sew on a tiny gold safety pin.  Easy doll sized pin done!

Showing off the navy blue skirt worn by the doll.  You can see her cute shoes too.

The skirt is another doll sized half circle skirt, just made smaller for this 1/6 scale doll instead.  I used more of the poplin fabric leftover from other projects (a dress, a costume, a bag, and still counting).

If you’re interested in making this outfit for your own yosd sized ball jointed dolls or similar sized dolls, I whipped up a tutorial for the whole outfit with patterns for the skirt and top, instructions and other links.  You can find it here on my doll blog.

Here’s the updated list:

Five down, just one more to go.  So close!


Give it a try:

Read More »