I wanted a Christmas tree for the dollhouse. But I didn’t want to spend any money on one. What to do?
I had some bottlebrush trees from our Dickens Village days that I had thrown in my wrapping paper bits/fabric Easter Eggs/ ribbon drawer in the den. I pulled out the tallest tree and pondered bleaching it. I googled ‘bleaching bottlebrush trees’ and what should come up first? My friend Terri’s video! Thank you Terri, it was extremely helpful!
Bleaching it took a while. I get impatient. I probably should have gone even lighter, but what the heck, I was just playing around. I looked through all my little bits for decorations I could glue on the tree. Here’s the finished product:
That’s a bit of French silk ribbon winding its way around the tree. Plus some little beads and sparklies I had in my studio.
The wider view. It wasn’t quite tall enough so I put it on a stand. I’m not sure I’m happy with that little crochet skirt but it will do for now. Or at least until I start obsessing about some other possibility.
The den just got a touch of Christmas – the red ribbon wreath on top of the blue armoire. Less is more.
There’s still so much to do in the dollhouse: moldings, more wallpapering, more wooden floors, finishing touches and more furniture! Winter always seems to be the perfect time for work on the dollhouse. I’m starting to get that ‘itch.’
Another new scarf in the Etsy shop:
I have two more coming up in the next few days and I want to assure you that if you place a timely order, I will get it out to you in time for Christmas. The shop link is in the menu above and on my sidebar.
Happy Thursday.
What a darling dollhouse! Ours has been neglected for several years. I think it needs an update!
Also, a lovely scarf. :-)
Thank you!
Very pretty! I made a similar tree for my daughter’s dollhouse last year. I left in her house as a surprise, and she thought a fairy left it there. Ahh, youth…
I love that! I could use a fairy around here…
So charming Claudia, just like your “grown up” cottage! XO Christie
Thank you, Christie! So good to hear from you.
Adorable! I’ve always wanted to just lounge & relax in your cottage – it’s always so cozy! Can definitely say the same about your dollhouse – if I could just miniaturize myself!
Me too, Deb!
Claudia, this is just precious! This is the perfect house to decorate for Christmas. Why didn’t I think of that? Also, it makes me wish a giant hand (a genie perhaps?) will come in and decorate mine for me. I always wanted to find that genie bottle on the beach. Maybe if I knew how to spell it, I might find it. You think?
XO,
Sheikla… yes, I’m keeping the name so that I won’t embarass myself and spell it incorrectly again! Santa really needs to bring me some new specs! As far as the word “genie” goes, I have no such excuses except a tired brain. I spent yesterday dealing with trying to get one paragraph rewritten for a newslestter. It had to go through a committee first, and while I am done, they are not. You know the drill. ;-)
I think ‘genie’ is spelled correctly, Ms. Sheila! At least it looks that way to me. You need a dollhouse!
Adorable Claudia. I don’t like working with bleach but it worked out well.
Me, either. But I used 1/2 bleach, 1/2 water and it did the trick.
Your tree looks perfect, Claudia! I think the color is just right and wouldn’t show up as well if it were snow white.
That’s a good point, Gina. Thanks!
I Love posts where you show us your dollhouse. I usually go back and read them again. I think The tree is perfect!
Judy A-
Thank you, Judy. It’s time to do a bit more rehabbing in the two rooms I haven’t even touched yet.
Cute tree…did not know you could bleach them, but when you think about it, it makes sense. I still have my dollhouse…it’s metal, and does not have the charm of yours. Yours is just like a miniature farmhouse! ;)
Oh, but Donnamae, my childhood dollhouse was made of metal and I remember it very fondly.
You know, I guess I just assumed this was your childhood dollhouse! Did your metal dollhouse have plastic furniture too?
Yes, it did! I bought this one via Craigslist about 3 years ago. If you go up to the navigation menu just under my header and click on “Around the Cottage” you’ll see a page for “Dollhouse” and you can see what I did to renovate this dollhouse. I’ve been working on it off and on for the past couple of years.
I just checked it out! Wow, Claudia! You did a lot of remodeling….this is fantastic! So cool how you used Popsicle sticks for the flooring…really impressive! ;)
Thanks, Donnamae!
I just love your dollhouse, more and more every time I get a new glimpse! Your tree turned out perfect! :)
Thank you so much, Tracy!
My gosh- that is just the cutest thing, Claudia. I have a dollhouse that I really need to redo one of these days. I love yours- xo Diana
Thanks, Diana. Yes, you should have some fun with your dollhouse!
I think it’s the perfect color of pale for your creamy, dreamy, dollyhouse. Your dollhouse is so fancy compared to mine.
Well, I’m having fun decorating and renovating – at my own pace. I’m trying to fix it up just the way I want it!
So sweet. Now I want a dollhouse.
I recommend it highly.
I’m glad you got to put up a tree this year! :)
cute tree..love the hardwood floors
I love the little bottle brush tree. It is the perfect addition :)
Laura
The tree is just perfect in it!
hugs, Linda
Looooove the shabby chic tree! I have a tree in my attic of my dollhouse right now.. I need to bring it down and put it back up in the living room.. or should I say, the parlour? I got the parts to get my house lights working but busy hubby hasn’t installed it yet.. I think some prodding is in order, don’t you think?
((hugs)), Teresa :-)
When I was a child our (real/live) Christmas trees (which were in reality a beautifully formed branch cut from a very mature pine tree) stood in a bucket of damp sand – the bucket was wrapped with Christmas paper to disguise it. Maybe you could do something similar with this tree, perhaps standing it on a block of wood or a little box wrapped in mini Christmas paper you can print for yourself. Just Google images of Christmas wrapping paper and you’ll be spoilt for choice!
I was in the hobby supplies store today buying balsa strips to make so me fake window framing and I saw the bogs of the little pine trees in the miniature railway section, they looked just the perfect size for dollshouse Christmas trees but you’d need a lot of houses to justify buying a whole bag of them!! :)
It’s a delightful little tree. I kinda miss decorating with the dolls house my father made for my daughter, but it moved out with her last year.
The tree is so dear, Claudia, and just the right size. I love your doll house.