HOW TO MAKE A SIMPLE FIREPLACE FOR YOUR DOLLHOUSE

One thing that adds character to a dollhouse is a fireplace.

• Start by taking a piece of firm card and cut it to the size that you want you fireplace to be.
• Next cut three pieces of Balsa wood. Keep one longer than the other two to be the mantelpiece. Glue them to the card using PVA (white)glue.
• Once dry paint the Balsa wood the colour you want your mantelpiece to be and paint the visible cardboard black. Next paint a few flames over the black background. Keep the deeper reds/orange on the inside and let the flames become yellow at the edges.
• Find something to make a grate. Here I've used a hair clip back but you can use tin foil, or any oddment that fits the illusion.
• A few cut up and dried out twigs make magnificent logs.
• Before you glue the fireplace to the wall it helps to have a hearth. I have used a few mosaic tiles but you can be creative and many oddments can give the hearth effect such as thick painted card.
• Glue the fireplace to the wall and find a few beads for vases and ornaments to pop on the top.
• The candle stick was made from a bead with a cocktail stick pushed through. Chop the bottom off the cocktail stick then paint your "candle". As my bead was thin and tall I glued it to a button on the bas with a glue gun but a wider bead can stand alone. Simple but effective!