I had been buying and selling dollhouse and minis on Etsy since mid 2016. I didn't have my own house at the time but a dear friend of mine gifted me a dollhouse that she no longer needed. It is The McKinley, a Greenleaf house that hangs on a wall. It had been hers for years and she already put some really good work into it.
I adore the wallpaper in most of the rooms. It's the bathroom paper that is too dark for my taste. The bathroom, while being a decent size, is too small for paper that dark. I feel like it has a disappearing (?) quality to it? You can't really tell the depth of the walls and it just sort of swallows everything up. I prefer the colors to be on the lighter side. The other rooms are light yellow, and pastel blues and floral whites. All much better suited to the decorating schemes I have planned.
When I was a kid at one point we had brown carpets, brown bookshelves, a brown sofa with brown chairs. I felt like I was living in a cave. It was brown with a capital B. I promised myself that when I had my own house that Brown would not be allowed in the door. I like the light vibe that white gives a home. Give me cottage-y style with lots of whites and pinks, washed out pastels, and lightweight furniture. I want to feel that at any moment, a cool breeze from the ocean will blow and make my wispy, lacey curtains sway and wave. ~siiiiiigh~
So naturally my dollhouses will be drenched in shabby chicness as well.
While visiting my sister one day, her husband suggested that I should take the attic room of the McKinley and set it up like a stock room. He said that it might be cool if I were to store the pieces that I have for sale up there and it would look like my dollhouse was in the vintage selling business too.
Now, that's sweet. But my brother in law had no real idea of how far down the rabbit hole I was at this point. There was no way that all the stuff I had listed would fit in there. I had boxes upon boxes in piles here and there. It's a bit obsessive, but we avoid thinking too deep on the subject. Ignorance, I say! Turn a blind eye? No problem, I'll turn them both! I can't see a thing over here, sitting in the middle of my dollhouse tornado.
However, his suggestion did plant a seed in my mind. I had a packaged dollhouse kit that was just hanging around. At that point I had been sorta kicking it around my office and it was always underfoot. I thought, "Well, wait, I could use this kit and build something new. What about if I make a mini version of my Etsy shop? Create a little brick and mortar (balsa and wood glue) shop, selling all types of random vintage things that you find at a thrift shop?" The seed exploded, like a giant beanstalk, and next thing you know I was making plans to build my shop.
The house that I had was The Primrose by Greenleaf. They are advertised on the Greenleaf website as being an addition to The Laurel, but holy cow, The Laurel must be huge in person. The Primrose in the picture is sitting next to The Laurel and it looks relatively small, but in real life, The Primrose is a pretty decent size. The Laurel is a monster of a home (I say monster with all the respects. I don't want to make it mad.) I could probably build one and move my family right on in.
So I had a house and I had a plan. I knew the color scheme I wanted and it all just took off from there. Now, since I had never built a dollhouse or attempted anything of this sort before so it was a lot of trial and error for me. The errors that I made were a great way to learn and I had so much fun putting it all together.
Before you see the pictures of the house, you must first know a little about the "history" of the shop. Because yes, of ~course~, it has a back story. If I am not 100% in (i.e. overboard, extra, endlessly ridiculous) then what's even the point?
Sooooooo....
The building is in a northern seaside town, facing a gray ocean, a haven for tourists. It's an old building that has sat for many years, withstanding wear, inside and out. The worn floors and woodwork are reminders all those who have come before, owners, tourists and town folk. The facade weather-worn from the sea, wind and the years. It was probably a bakery or a tackle shop in one of it's previous lives. The new shop owner, her name is Cosette, is looking to make a fresh start. She decided to take a chance and breathe life into one of her favorite dreams. The idea of opening her own vintage shop is something she has thought about for years. She has a great eye for lovely and unique finds and has cultivated an interesting collection of objects and a great inventory for her shop.
Cosette bought the building and slowly restored it to suit her tastes. Now that most of the work is complete, she is open and ready for business! If you find yourself in the area, stop by and say hello to Cosette and her kitty, Samantha. They would love to see and and, who knows, you might find something you just can't live without!
CocoaTea By The Sea Shop
Front
I used a piece of foam board for the base. I wasn't sure what to use but I wanted it to be lightweight. A plywood base would have been too thick and heavy. I found the foam board at the Dollar Tree. It was a large poster board size and I cut it to fit. It has been working so far, but it isn't the best option. It doesn't feel all that strong and next time, if I use it again, I will double up on the styrofoam so that it's thicker and stronger.
The sand pathway was actually hard to complete. I didn't expect this step to be something that I would get stumped on. I figured I would just spread some glue, sprinkle the sand on and tilt the board so the sand would slide and stick where it was supposed to.
That thought was.... not correct.
I used a regular craft glue at first, but it was really difficult to spread and it was ruining the grass flocking and the sheet paper. A glue gun would not have worked either. It would have been too thick, uneven and I'd have to use a massive amount of glue. Plus hot glue isn't that great at sticking to the flocking. It was the same as if you were to take a piece of chewed gum, dip it into loose dirt and then try to stick the gum to something. Not gonna happen.
I settled on using a spray glue and had to immediately place the sand directly on top. There was no tilting and sliding the sand around. Plus the sand would get clumpy when wet from the glue and it was so hard to lay it out evenly. It was much more difficult step than I had expected it to be. When I was finally done I sprayed glue on as a top layer to seal it.
The fumes from the gas were awful and left me with a massive headache. If you choose to use that glue for anything, make sure that you are outside and wear a mask or whatever. You really want to avoid inhaling the fumes. Trust me.
Also the little border of shell and stones was fun to put together. I used the stones from the Dollar Tree craft section. I chose the smallest ones in the bag and put the rest aside for future use. The miniature shells add a nice little touch. I had some on hand, but since I live close to the beach I can stop at tourist shops that sell them. Actually I stopped by once and bought a few from one of the stores to use on the next project I am planning.
The stones were all glued using the regular craft glue. It worked in this case because I put the glue on the stone itself and them placed them. I didn't have to spread the glue like with the sand. Craft glue worked great here, and I used it to place both shells and stones. The best part it that since it dries clear I was able to make a mess with it. Otherwise I would be tediously, neatly, gluing and placing each one. Ugh
Pretty sure the fence was from Hobby Lobby, but they can be found just about anywhere. Oh, the sand was from the Dollar Tree craft section as well.
The sign was made using a piece of left over balsa from the cut out sheets for the house.
I kept the frames that the house pieces popped out of cause
I figured I could find a use for them. Maybe I could make some picture frames, maybe boxes or whatever. I actually ended up using some to make the front
steps since I messed up the original one..
So the background is that balsa wood, reshaped, sanded, softened and painted. The sign name was also painted and distressed for a weathered look. The name was a great buy from a shop on Etsy that makes laser cut names out of wood. The script is beautiful and the size is perfect. Even the way it was packaged was done with care. If your interested in checking it out, the shop name is "FranJohnsonHouse"
The fence is attached using hot glue. That was a bit hard as well. The grass is made of a roll of paper that has green flocking on it. The paper doesn't really crease well. If it is sharply folded the flocking comes off. You can see that a bit in the above picture, along the front edge, under the fence. There's a few places where it rubbed off. The sheet itself didn't stick to the foam board very well either. Both of these things made the edges... sort of loose?... the paper was kind of floating on top there, instead of being firmly pressed flat. As I already said, the glue didn't stick to the flocking that well and I found I had to put in a little more care in some places, just to make it stick. The fence is kind of wonky in places due to that, but I like the look. Kinda imperfect, kinda banged up, works for me.
The mail slot is made with a rectangular brass finding. The center is cut out so I attached it to the door and then used a pencil to black out the area in the middle. I beat the door up a little to get the look I wanted. Chopping out a couple of pieces at the top helped make it look rougher and I sanded it so much before painting and again after I painted it.
The look of the roof was really important to me. I had a very specific idea of what it would look like. The shingles that came with the house were really flimsy and had no depth to them. I might use them on another project but they just wouldn't work on this house. After racking my brain of how to get a rough texture it came to me that I could use sand paper! Brilliant! Except that sandpaper wasn't the correct texture either. Even if I went down to a 60 grit, the paint would wash out the gritty look. Then I had an idea, and I went to the area with the electric sanders. Finally I found what I was looking for! The grit was really low, like a course 30 or something. The paper was really thick and bright red. It was exactly what I needed though. I cut it up into these little rectangles, ruining a pair of scissors or two and completely shredding my fingers. I'll be wearing thick gloves next time, that was a painful lesson.
Okay, so now they're cut up and I painted them with a few different paint colors. I had three different shades of gray. I painted them with a base coat using the darkest gray. I went over that with the other two colors and added it on randomly. It was a lot of painting and repainting to have a natural, realistic look. These were able to be applied using a glue gun.
It's funny, but I am really proud of these shingles. To go from an idea of what I wanted and having no idea of how to achieve it, to completed shingles that look even better than I imagined they could, it's very satisfying, isn't it?
PS when I was at Home Depot a worker offered the idea of using an actual roofing shingle. It was one of those "smack your forehead" moments. The shingle section was messy and there was some loose pieces floating around. They looked perfect, but were entirely too thick for me. Just putting it out there in case someone else can use the idea.
Potting Area
The gray decoration on the wood paneling is really the escutcheon of a drawer pull. I have a bunch of them that I scored at a yard sale, all with different styles. They look so pretty and delicate. They're pretty dead on and look so much like the full size decorations sold for using as wall art.
Of course the siding was made using popsicle sticks. Cut, sand, glue, paint, distress. The awning was made using popsicle sticks as well. It is being (poorly) held up using two columns that are just sized and painted dowels. I've got to figure out a better way to affix them. Right now they just hang there limply, not doing much of anything.
It looks a bit boring on the potting shed side. All the basics are there. Sink, pots, yard tools, garden necessities, but something looks missing. Maybe some more plants? I could add some hanging planters with ferns, maybe ivy or another viney plant. Maybe a shelf above the sink would look good. It would eat up that empty space and I could add a few more little display pieces.
The package that the lights came in had one of those "Try Me" buttons and that it what is being used in the above picture. They're supposed to be disconnected at that little white connector. The real battery pack is included in the package and it matches it's own little connector with the one above. I used the temporary one at first because I liked how small and discreet it is. The only drawback is that the switch doesn't lock into an "on" position. Which explains my clothespin being used to keep it pressed and lighted. lol
I added the fairy lighting as an after thought. I wasn't planning to use any lighting but then I saw these strands at Dollar General (HA I bet you thought I was gonna say Tree) and I knew the house would look pretty with them. I ran them along the ceiling lines starting at the left side of the attic room over to the other side and down around the first floor. I used hot glue to adhere them and it was kinda awkward trying to do it when the house had been mostly completed. If I had thought about it ahead of time then the placement would have turned out much better and I'd probably have burned myself much less. I'd also have been able to hide the switch somewhere more discreet. But that's another lesson learned. And honestly, I'm pretty sure it isn't that much of a flaw to anyone but me.
The awning also serves as a hiding spot for the string lights. I really should have come up with something more refined than that, but whatever, it works for now. I'll figure out something next time around. Any tips? I'd love any ideas that you may have.
The sea sponges were made by cutting up super tiny pieces of a real sea sponge and gluing them into the crate. I mini shells that are in the other crate were leftovers from the stone/shell are in the front. They're also glued in with regular, clear crafting glue. The white display shelf was also made using that same leftover balsa that I used for the shop name sign. It is glued directly to the front of the shop.
The other side
I don't know what to call this side of the shop so "the other side" is gonna have to be good enough. There's a bunch of outdoor items for sale on this side. Again, this shelf is glued directly to the building. The legs being so thin and small didn't give the shelf much of a footprint and it wasn't able to stand alone.
The wrapped wood balls are from the Dollar Tree. They come in pack of four (?) I think. There are so many uses for these, I have a bunch of them in my supplies. Wouldn't they make great chandeliers, mobiles, fireplace decor etc?
The Japanese glass float was found on a trip to Micheal's. The "coral" in the metal tub is a real sea sponge with a very architectural feel.
Inside House
First Floor
Before you say anything, I know I know! The table is brown! Capital B Brown. lol I let it slide because I was excited to take the pics and have it finished. The table is in line to be refinished so the brown won't be around for much longer :)
Welcome to the shop! Finally we're at the point that was the most fun. Decorating!
The Basics:
The floor is made from popsicle sticks. You know the drill: cut, sand, glue, paint, distress.
The baseboards are popsicle sticks as well.
The wallpapers are from a scrapbook paper book that I picked up at Michael's. It was supposed to be $20 but I found it in clearance (!) for $5.99. It has a ton of pages in it and they all have really pretty, delicate imagery.
Antique cash register and miniature business cards for Cosette's customers to take along with them.
A boss needs her tech to handle her business and to keep an eye on the newest local sales. And, of course, Instagram too 😊
Samantha! Every picture of her is blurry, she's always running off when she sees the camera. I suppose she doesn't know how cute she is.
I love the crystal in the window for casting rainbows. And the tiny knick knacks, adorable.
This is one of my most favorite pieces in the dollhouse. Well, to be honest, it's one of my most favorite pieces in my real life too. My oldest daughter drew this for me in the beginning weeks of
opening my Etsy shop. She was 7 at the time and surprised me with it. I absolutely love it and I cried because she's the sweetest, most thoughtful child. It really touched me and at the same time it also makes me laugh too. There is a person running down the hill shouting "Don't take it all!" and I am there behind my table, saying "Yay, People!", facing a very long line of customers.
Oh my gosh, I could eat her up, I love her so.
The original hangs right next to my desk and my mom had the wonderful idea to
shrink it down to scale and print it for my mini shop.
Absolutely. Yes. Perfect idea. Done.
I made this with a metal dream catcher charm from, I think it was from Walmart. The idea was great on paper, but the tied lace makes it stick out from the wall at the bottom and that makes it pop off the wall at the top. I can probably add a jump ring, or any other type of loop from the top, and let it hang from there, instead of from the dream catcher itself. I don't like the look of the metal charm so much, but I do love the lace strips. I'll make another hoop from something more natural and see if I can create a prettier, more delicate one.
Another thing that I have to work out, but again, is fine for now.
The door is decorated with another escutcheon for a drawer knob. The roses on the front cover the hole in the center. It was brass and so is the skeleton key above the window. They've both been painted and distressed.
The door itself was a bit of a trial and error. Initially I thought I would attach the door to the frame using miniature hinges and nails. I had both on hand, but I did not really consider the execution of it. I did not consider that the pieces were so super tiny. I did not consider the time and patience I would need to complete that little task. I did not consider that I do not own the amount of patience required. Unfortunately when I did take the time to consider this, the frame was already attached to the wall and the door was glued together. There is a very easy method to attach a door by using tape, look it up, it's very helpful. I'll post the steps when I actually do it again in my next house, but you can easily google it and you'll find tons of how-to's. The trick allows the door to move and it involves running tape along the edge of the door and then gluing the two pieces of the door together to hide the tape. Then you place the tape along the edge of the bare wood doorway and glue the framework over that. It hides the tape very well and the door swings back and forth with ease.
I did not know that.
My frame was all put together and glued very firmly in place. My door was painted and distressed. They were both steps that were crossed off my long (oh so long) list.
I could either, most likely, ruin the work I had done by trying to pry the frame apart and then pry the door apart. Or I could find new pieces and start over. Or I could have a door that doesn't open.
Ugh.
None of those options pleased me. I set it aside to come back to later.
The answer that I came to was to just go ahead and use the tape anyway. What I did isn't isn't very clear in this picture but you look back at some of the pics that show a different angle. I ran the tape along the edge of the finished door. I covered that with a couple of thin popsicle sticks that were painted to blend in with the door frame. Then I placed the tape along the edge of the finished door frame and covered that with sized down, painted sticks that blended in as well. The finished product is a door that swings and still looks great. I've told that story to family members as they looked at the house, and most said they had not even noticed that until I pointed it out. Yay!
Onward!
The curtains were made from lace that I had on hand. The pink lace is really 2" or 3" wide. The width of the lace matched the width of the window. I just made a cut that was about 3/4" the length of the lace to make it look like there's two curtains. The valance is a thinner strip of lace and I glued it to the pink one, bunching it up along the way. The top edge of the pink lace was folded over the curtain rod and then hot glued to itself. The tiebacks were made the same way.
The end brackets for the curtain rods are decorated with spades. They have holes in the center so that they can be nailed to the wall. I attached the rods to my walls simply using glue so that left me with tiny unsightly holes. Minuscule holes that were unnoticeable and insignificant and so naturally, they drove me crazy. I had some pink glass beads on hand and they worked perfectly to cover them. The beads are squared and fit perfectly on the spades. Now they look sparkly and fancy, and still...are barely noticeable. hahahaha
Oh well. At least they shine 💕
The medallion is another of the escutcheons I talked about before. It is brass that's been painted and distressed. I painted the ceiling white and decorated it with a paper doily from the Dollar Tree. Again, this was an idea that turned out differently than I expected. The doilies are the ones they have in the party section. They come in packs with three or four different sizes, you know the ones, and the paper they are made of is so thin and delicate. They feel stiff and fine at first but, they are white. Of course, I needed it to be pink so I painted it. When it was wet with paint it lost much of the detail that was in the pattern. The water content in the paint also made it fragile and easier to break or reshape itself. I was disappointed at the time, but looking at it now, it looks great.
If you try this I suggest to paint it slowly. Little by little and use a thin layer of paint each time. On the plus side, those packs have about a bazillion doilies in them, so there is plenty of room for trial and error. Close up you can see how it wrinkled when I was attaching it. I used Mod Podge to attach it and on top as a finishing coat. It's glossy now because of that. Do they make a matte mod podge? I need to look into that.
Another of my mom's contributions! My first sale dollars! Proudly hanging up for all to see. Between my mom and my daughter (actually all three of my babies) I am nothing but blessed.
Upstairs
The attic room
The Beauty and the Beast Rose
It was just a stray rose but looks great when paired with these bell jars from Hobby Lobby.
I added the ruffle to the edge of the attic floor as well as to the edge of the roof over the attic. I didn't like the rough look of the plain edges on both, and this sweet little tulle ribbon is the perfect touch to softened it up.
The roof was original larger then it is now. The top strip was much wider and hung down lower. Leaving it that was would have hidden much needed space and made it feel smaller. I used an Exacto knife and trimmed it down to a more open size.
~~~~~~~~~~~
So there you have it. My first dollhouse build. I am very happy with the way it turned out. It took me about 2-3 months to finish it. I mainly worked on it at night and around the kids schedule. With the exception of a few pieces, everything in the shop was built or customized. Almost everything was transformed in some way.
I wanted it to have a realistic look, not a cartoon-y type of dollhouse. Not that there is anything wrong with that look, but I was hoping to make something that would skew the lines and make it hard to tell if it was mini or full sized. I know I didn't hit the mark 100% but i truly am pleased with the work I put in.
That's it for the moment, but now that Cosette has had some success for her shop, it seems to be time for her to do some home shopping. She's going to need a cozy home to go to after a long days work. I've got ideas and I've started on some of them already. Her home is the next major project on my list. Check back to see the progress on it. Plus I've got a ton of tips, tricks and ideas to share.
Leave me a comment below to share you thoughts on the shop house or have any questions or suggestions for me.
Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you soon!
