This past December I made my nieces farmhouse doll beds based on this DIY from Ana White. If you’re into DIY, let me tell you, her site is the most amazing rabbit hole I have ever been down. I want to make just about everything on it. It’s a super fun place for inspiration so I wanted to shout her out and these doll beds in specific. They are no joke. Perfect for an American girl sized doll. I’ll let you head over to her post linked above for the materials list and instructions but here are a few notes and add on’s from my experience.

Notes:

• I followed this one to the T which is rare for me. So my only note is to definitely include the optional support beam across the bottom. My toddler got right on this bed as I was making it and so did my nieces when they saw it. It’s small for them but large enough where they think it can support them. And with the beam, it can!

• I painted them with a white chalk paint and am really happy with the finished look but I also think a wood stain could look beautiful.

• If you’re having Home Depot do your cuts for you as I did, just make sure to double check them all before you leave. The second from the top piece for the headboard and footboard are a good 1/2 inch short and it’s not my favorite look, but I was already home when I realized this so I went with it anyway. Obviously, during this quarantine, stay home!! I’m not advocating to go buy and cut for this or any other project, but I’m keeping this here in case you read it in the future when hopefully, we’re all back to a normal, safe environment.

Add On’s:

• Foam Mattress: I bought foam to make a mattress and it really completes the look. I was in a time crunch and am not an expert sewer so I used an old sheet and hot glue to cover it. It was really easy.

• Bedding and Pillows: I used that same sheet, pillow stuffing and hot glue to make some pillows, and just cut a fleece fabric for bedding. You want the fleece to be the length of the bed and a few inches wider on each side so that it hangs down. Going back, I’d have made my a little wider. I did mine in a Christmas theme because it was a holiday present but it could be cute to get a few different fleeces to change it up based on the season.

• A Doll: If you’re giving this as a gift, you could definitely pair it with a new doll.

Okay, get to it!

Have you made doll or barbie furniture or accessories? Right now a friend of mine is making miniture things for her daughter’s dollhouse. Think books for the bookshelf, miniature wall art, etc. Lots of felt. I love it.

A note on carpentry and the root chakra - I’ve mentioned before that wood working can help bring the root chakra into balance. I know it sounds a little hokey but why not give it a shot? And definitely check out my last post for more activities to ground yourself and your child. It’s a weird time. Stay safe.

A note on toys and gender - My mom asked me a fair question of why I didn’t make one for my son as well and the truthful answer is time and work. Making three of these at once was no joke. I finished just before the holidays so the focus was Christmas presents. Mateo does have a doll and she came with a little cloth bassinet so I also didn’t think this would be so exciting for him as he already has a little bed for her. I also have one nephew and offered to make one for him but he was only just a year old at the time and my sister didn’t think he would be into it from an age perspective. Hopefully, he can share with his sister as he gets older. All this said, definitely make this for a boy as well!

Did you make this DIY? I’d love to see it! Comment below or tag me on Instagram.

A note on affiliate links - This post contains affiliate links. The amazon items linked above are the same price to you, but a small portion gets kicked back to me if you purchase through these links.

For inspiration from our day to day life, follow us over on instagram @plantbasedbaby.us. Here’s a preview below of what you can expect.