Little House on the Prairie - Our First Dollhouse

The Little House on the Prairie Dollhouse

Our little granddaughter will be turning 9 in November and she asked us for a "Little House on the Prairie" dollhouse. How does she know about the Little House on the Prairie TV show? We bought her the entire Little House DVD box set for Christmas one year and she loves the show.

Well, apparently since the show ran from 1974 - 1983 I could only find one that could be purchased on Etsy and they wanted $442, well beyond our budget. So my husband (Popoo) and myself (Momoo) decided to build her one. This was one of the most difficult tasks we have ever taken on. We had no plan. All we could find were pictures and a floor plan.

I truly have to give the Lord ALL the credit for this endeavor because without Him we could have never figured out how to build this and all the accessories that went with it. He truly did help us. He even supplied hard to find items for us. The Little House measures 20" wide x 15 deep" x 16 tall ".

Here is a picture diary of the construction of the Little House. We are so proud of how it turned out (with the Lord's help) we have to share.

We began this project August 24, 2019 because we knew we would need plenty of time. We finished October 5, 2019 . We worked a total of 199 hours. I am in the process of making a scrap book for our granddaughter so she can see the process. But the house, furniture, accessories and dolls are finished. Hope you enjoy viewing the work of our hands that was truly blessed by the Lord.

The first piece cut. 

All three sides cut. Note, the picture in the upper right corner. We didn't offset our windows. Argh. My mistake. we didn't have the picture when we went to cut the windows. We really, really regret that but no way were we going to re-cut those windows. We used transparency copy paper for the glass panes.

All three sides with the 'popsicle' stick for batten boards strips.

Front porch and window box attached to front.

Front door inside. Note the tiny coat rack. It was made out of a popsicle stick and wire and a bead on the wire. We bought tiny hinges and my husvand used another popsicle stick for the latch and wire for the door latch. It really opens.

Two walls glued with ledge for loft and ladder constructed of square wooden dowels and matchsticks for the ladder rungs..

After googling "How to make a dollhouse fireplace", I learned you can make realistic stones using cardboard drink holders or egg cartons. Just tear the cartons in pieces, dip in glue/water mixture. The chimney was built with a cereal box taped together. After the stones dried, I dry brushed brown, green and white paint to make the stones look more realistic. Roger went to McDonald's to see if they would give him some cup holders but they couldn't give them away. So, he bought a soda. He asked if that would be enough to get 2 holders but the manager said she couldn't do that. She did,however, let him have 2 if he would fill out their online survey. This is just one of many stories we have to tell about. LOL!

Charles carved "CICI" on the mantel with 2 rectangles that had circles inside. The "CICI" stand for Charles and Caroline Ingalls. Not sure what the rectangles represent. My carving is not as professional as Charles Ingalls but carving on a 3" x 1" piece of wood is not easy. The piece of wood was found at the Thrift  Store. It was perfectly square and not finished. I scratched, sanded and stained until it looked like a rough hewn piece of wood. That took me about 2 hours.

Mantel glued to fireplace. Not sure if can see the tabs at the bottom. I forgot to mention that the cereal box was covered completely in painter's tape so it wouldn't absorb the damp glued stones. The tabs were for installing on the floor. We cut slits in the floor and pulled the tabs through then glued them underneath the floor. That was very nerve racking.

Fireplace installed, Whew! Thank goodness for a Drimmel tool we used to cut the slits in the floor for the tabs.

Loft installed. My husband made the ladder out of square dowels and matchsticks.

Loft rails drying. We used square dowels for the rails. They had to be glued and stained. We used clothespins to hold the rail to the floor while the glue dried.

 Roof pieces and shingles. Each 1" x 1 3/4" shingle had to be stained and glued individually. It took 361 shingles. And that's leaving a good chunk of the roof off to have access to the inside.

Shingles being installed. Some places had to have weight (larger wrenches, hammer, etc) until the shingles dried.

The Little House was glued to this plywood board and we installed a turntable underneath so the house can be turned easily. I painted the 'yard'. I was really worried it looked too much like camouflage.

Little House glued to board. We used bottles of bleach, vinegar, etc to weight down the house until the glue dried.  Note the tiny flowers in the flower box.

Little House finished without roofing.  I forgot to mention we drew lines on the floor, then took a screwdriver to 'scratch' indentations to make the floor look like real wood planks. The stain settled into those scratches. It really looks like planks.

Furniture Construction 
We happened up on some wood dollhouse furniture at the Dollar Tree. The table was oval so we glued popsicle stick to the top of it to make it a rectangle. We had to build the chairs because the ones we found at the Dollar Tree were too large to fit under the table. 

Construction of the chairs. They are crude but we didn't have a plan so we winged it. 

Dining chairs and a rocker. We forgot that the rockers would make the chair taller so it ended up looking like the rocker that Edith Ann sat in on Laugh In. :)

Finished rocker with a tiny pillow and throw attached.

We soaked popsicle sticks and then rubber banned them onto this vitamin bottle to get the bend for the rockers. 

Here are a few pieces we built. Yes, we built all of these. Close up pictures will follow.

Here are the beds. We bought these at Dollar Tree but we had to cut one in half for Carrie. I made tiny sheets. (I didn't take a photo of those) and tiny bed spreads and tiny pillows. I also made tiny mattresses. I found a pillow cover and throw at the Thrift Store to make these out of. The mattress was made from a foam pillow. I had just replace my bed pillows and noticed the old ones were covered with a quilted material. I cut those up and glued them onto the bed frame. Sorry, I didn't make pictures.

We built the tiny desk and chair. The desk really opens. We used a straight pin for the hinges.

Tiny desk opened. The girls had to have a chalkboard and chalk so I made these tiny versions.   The chalkboard is a popcicle stick and the chalk are wooden dowels painted.

We made this tiny spinning wheel from a picture I found on line. I originally used a fancy button for the wheel but we were looking for a plastic horse and it came with a tiny wagon (too small for our dollhouse), so we robbed the wheel off the wagon and used it on the spinning wheel. It looks a lot better than the button.

Here is the 'fancy button' spinning wheel.  Glad we found the wheel pictured in the previous picture. We also made this wooden bucket out of popsicle sticks and a wood bead and wire handle. The sticks were glued on a plastic medicine cup. This is the fancy button wheel we first used. I forgot to mention it really spins.

Hoosier Cabinet with accessories. We found the tiny bottle on a plastic charm bracelet at Dollar General. We filled it with tiny beads to look like blueberries. The bowl was on a trinket wood shelf we found at the Thrift Store. It also had a large blue plate, 2 milk jugs and a bell. We pried them off the little shelf. I'd love to know what kind've glue they used. It was a pain to get off.

We bought this table at the Dollar Tree but I made the rolling pin out of beads. I made the pie crust out of polymer clay and used corn starch for flour. Just lightly brushed glue on the table and sprinkled the cornstarch. We found the bowl on another little trinket shelf. I made the wooden spoon out of a match stick.

Looking on top of the table.

We made this tiny wash stand from wooden skewers and craft wood. We cut popsicle sticks for the sides and back. We found the bowl at the Thrift Store on a trinket shelf but we made the pitcher from a wooden barrel. I used an earring hook for the handle. I made a tiny towel for the side.

Front View

I decoupaged a tiny flower on the pitcher.

I made a tiny towel to hang on the toothpick towel bar.

Accessories
I found out how to make and oil lamp from a bead, a clear pushpin and an earring wire by searching "DIY" dollhouse accessories.

Here are three finished oil lamps sitting on Ma's unfinished work table.

Two more oil lamps  Since the Ingalls's didn't have electricity, they needed several oil lamps.

A churn made from a wood barrel, a wooden doughnut bead and a toothpick. The handle really comes out.

A tiny fireplace poker and shovel made from a matchstick, wire and bead and an hors d'oeuvre fork tine. Painted black.

A fireplace took can made from a lamp part screw and a tiny wooden base.

A blueberry pie in the oven made from polymer clay, tiny blue beads and a metal cap. I actually mixed the beads with glue and blue paint. My lattice work isn't as professional as the ones I saw online but hey, my fingers are too fat to and so I had to use a toothpick to pick up each piece of clay. This was pie #2. The first one didn't turn out. The pie actually boiled over in the toaster oven but it made it look more realistic. We were having lunch while the pie was in the oven and when I asked my husband what he wanted for dessert, he said he was having a slice of blueberry pie.

Pa played a fiddle so I crafted this one out of two  popsicle sticks glued together, then traced out the shape and cut it with a Dremmel.  Jewelry wire was used for the strings and my husband made the bridge out of a tiny piece of scrap wood from the woodpile (a butter cup of wood scraps) then cut small slits for the strings to lay and be glued.  Thank goodness I made jewelry at one time, so I had a piece of jewelry string separator I used for the tuning knob. 
     This fiddle was too small so I had to make another one. We are going to tell our granddaughter that the girls are going to learn to play the fiddle and this little one is theirs.
   My husband made the tiny bow. That is thread for the strings. He used the end of a toothpick for the bottom and a tiny block of wood for the bridge. I used jewelry wire for the strings. on the fiddle. I had a tiny part from jewelry making for the knob.

Pa's fiddle and bow constructed the same way as the girls.

We found this tiny dog at the Thrift Store. When I went to pay for it, I told the lady where I was using it and she let me have it. The barrel was a bead I had in pack of wooden craft pieces. You saw the bucket earlier. 

     

The Little House  mantel had a gun mounted on the fireplace. Well I couldn't find a tiny gun so I crafted this one. I'm not happy how it turned out but it kind of, sort of looks like a gun, if you really use your imagination.

Since Ma and Pa love coffee we made this one out of a cut off thimble.  A cork was used for the base.  We added a wire handle with a wood bead and a tiny triangle of wood is the spout.  We used the cut off par of the thimble for the pie pan used in the blueberry pie. 

The Making of the 'Waldorf Bendy' Dolls.
I found out how to make these Bendy Dolls online but they were a real challenge. You bend the wire double and insert the embroidery thread, then pull it through the hole in the wooden bead to make the hair. We found the wood for the body at the Thrift Store. A pack of Jinga blocks. At least that's what we called them. I used florist wire for the arms and legs. My husband drilled holes in the body.

I decoupaged a tiny flower on the pitcher.

This is the doll skeletons. I wrapped them with embroidery floss. We made tiny shoes out of wooden dowels.  I gave Ma a little bosom by adding gauze.  :)

The Ingalls family before they received their new clothes. Again, pardon their nudity.

I couldn't find a pattern for tiny doll clothes so I had to trace one. Sewing tiny sleeves is a real challenge. My husband made me this turn tool from a straw and wire. I couldn't have turned those tiny sleeves without it. This is Mary's dress. The other dresses had gathered waist. Not sure why I did that when their aprons and pinafores hid all the work I did. Those were so difficult to sew when I got to Mary's dress, I went simple because she had a pinafore on top. I used the same pattern for Carrie's dress as I did Mary's and I kind've regret that because her little dress is not covered. So I gave her a bonnet.

Pa in his new duds with his fishing pole made from a stick we picked up on our walk.

Side view of Ma. Styling her hairdo was yet another challenge. I ended up putting her hair in a ponytail, dip the end in glue and carefully put it underneath the other hair, using a toothpick as a comb to tuck it under.  It turned out better than I expected. Thank you Lord.

Rear view of Ma's do.  I think she likes it.

Ma and Pa in their finest. I had to make three pairs of pants for Pa before I was satisfied with the size and quality. I found out how to make the hat online. I drenched felt in a glue/water solution and draped it over a bottle covered with plastic wrap, held in place by rubber bands.  I let it dry then cut off the crown. I then cut a 'doughnut' from felt and glue it to the cap for the brim. Black ribbon was used  for the band. I had to make two before it 'resembled' Pa's hat.

Rear view of Ma and Pa.

Pa, Ma and Laura finished.

Laura, Ma, Pa and Mary. Four down, 1 more to go.

Finally Laura, Ma, Pa, Mary and Carrie. The ENTIRE Ingalls's family all finished. It took me an entire day for each doll and the skeletons were already completed!

Rear view of the family.

I decided that the little Waldorf Bendy dolls were a bit fragile to be played with and after realizing they are too tall for their beds, I made these "Little House" peg dolls. I tried to paint them to look like the Bendy dolls. It wasn't easy, specially Laura's gingham check dress, but I guess they turned out ok. And....they can fit in the bed! :)

Moving Day
October 5, 2019 - First picture of the completed house with furnishings.

We found the box on the right at the Thrift Store a few months ago. We bought it because it was such a nice wooden box and they only wanted $2 for it. We had no idea how we could use it. It is the perfect storage box for all the accessories.

Pa just got home and Mary and Laura are looking over the rail to tell him hello.

Pa is hungry. Ma has the table set with  plates made from buttons with a tiny floral pattern decoupaged on them. I painted the edge blue. I'm not happy with how thick the rim paint is but it's the best I could do.

What's for dinner Ma?

Ma greeting Pa at the door.

              It's a surprise but there's blueberry pie for dessert!  

Ma is making a blueberry pie.

Pa can't wait for dessert.

Mary and Laura watching Ma making her pies. 

Mary and Laura are watching Ma bake the pie. Carrie just awoke from her nap.

Mary and Laura's bedroom is in the loft.  They like learning to play the fiddle.

Carrie sleeps in Ma and Pa's bedroom.

Carrie just heard Pa getting home.

The Bible was a book that was attached to another 'What Not' I found at the Thrift Store. I carefully pulled the book off the What Not and cut it in half. Then I printed a couple of pages from the Bible, after shrinking them to size and decoupaged them onto the book. Carrie is learning to read from the Bible.

Table is set for dinner.

Close up of the fireplace. We found the pot on another 'What Not' at the Thrift Store. I made the wire handle and attached it to the pot using a wood bead, as well.  The iron skillet was  made  from a bottle cap with a plastic piece cut into the shape of a handle and glued in place. We made tiny hangers from tiny screw eyes.

The bell was from the 'trinket shelf' we found at the Thrift Store. Ma always had a ceramic woman figurine on the mantel. We couldn't find one tiny enough so we printed out her picture and glued it on a cardboard frame.

We found the wagon at Hobby Lobby. Glad we didn't have to build one of those. We did have to put it together. I don't really like the horse but it was the right size.

Side view.

Closeup of the porch.  Note Ma's blueberry pie cooling on the shelf.  We're not sure if they had milk bottles in those days but they came on the "What Not" so we used them.

The little washtub was made from a condiment cup. We found some branches while on our daily walk and used them to make logs for the log pile and the fireplace. . The tiny flowers were a real challenge. I found them on larger flowers at the Dollar Tree.

This is the plaque we attached at the corner.

                     The Thrift Store Box we purchased before we knew what we could use it for.
                     It's perfect to hold all the Little House accessories.

This is the accessory box.

Close up of the picture and plaque on the box. 

                                            A close up view of the picture and plaque on the box.

Well, I decided to paint the horse. I think he looks better painted. I still wish he wasn't sprinting, He must've been a race horse before the Ingalls's bought him.  ;)



Thank you for taking a tour of the Little House on the Prairie dollhouse.    We hope you enjoyed the tour.   After building it, we believe that the dollhouse they are selling on Etsy for $442 is a steal!  We wouldn't build another one for less than $1500.  LOL!!!   We sure hope our granddaughter likes it.  For our first try at building a dollhouse, we believe it turned out pretty good.  Again, we couldn't have done it at all without the help of the Greatest Carpenter ever known,  Our Lord and Savior, Jesus.  To Him we give ALL the credit.