I am thrilled to Welcome Cate Price to Escape With Dollycas today!!
Decorate a Dollhouse on a Dime
By Cate Price
While writing A Dollhouse to Die For, I came across so many clever ideas to decorate a child’s dollhouse that are both easy and inexpensive. Many items you probably have lying around can be repurposed into furniture or fun accessories.
For instance, the tiny plastic stands that come in pizza boxes are ready-made doll’s tables, especially when covered with a cloth. A stack of matchboxes makes a great chest of drawers, with the addition of brass paper fasteners for drawer pulls. Empty thread spools can be used for table bases, stools, and perhaps a plant pedestal.
Coat buttons, or buttons covered in fur make nice little throw pillows for the sofa, and empty eye shadow containers can be repurposed into picture frames or serving trays. How about a drinking straw for an easy curtain rod, with the addition of fabric scraps or old handkerchiefs for curtains?
If you’d like to create a grandfather clock for your house, After Eight mints have an ornate clock design on the wrapper. Small candy boxes, like Russell Stover chocolates, make the ideal doll’s bed, with wooden beads glued on for the feet.
One of my favorites is to make a bistro chair out of a champagne cork holder. (My editor sent me a couple of finished ones as inspiration!). I’ll attempt my own step-by-step guide here:
• Remove the bottom wire from the “cage” and straighten it
• The cap is now the seat and the four twisted wires are the legs
• Form the center of the straight wire you removed into a circle design
• Reattach it to the two back legs to form the back of the chair. Voila!
Of course, this means you’ll have to empty a bottle of champagne in order to create a chair. And most bistro table sets have two, right? Decorating a dollhouse can be fun!
Start saving empty toothpaste caps, odd bits of jewelry, and Popsicle sticks for vases, chandeliers and hardwood floors. It’s even more enjoyable if you can share the creation of these charming accessories with a child.
(There are more decorating ideas in the Millbury Ladies’ Home Companion in the back of A Dollhouse to Die For, together with other craft tips and recipes).
So think small, and let your imagination be your guide!
~Cate
About Cate Price
Cate Price was born in England and came to the U.S. when she was sixteen. She is a regular sight on the streets of her home town walking her two amazing rescue dogs, and enjoys gardening, yard sales, and cooking with friends. Her previous (unpublished) books span the genres of romantic comedy, romantic suspense and murder mysteries, and have finaled in numerous contests, including the prestigious Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Romance Writers of America.
Writing the first book in the Deadly Notions mystery series proved to be rather an expensive project, because while researching auction houses, she also became addicted to bidding on box lots. She is currently hard at work on the next book in the series.
Links:
Cate loves to connect with readers at her website, http://cateprice.com/ on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/catepriceauthor or Goodreads at: www.goodreads.com/cateprice
A Dollhouse to Die For
(A Deadly Notions Mystery)
2ND in Series
Cozy Mystery
A Berkley Prime Mystery
The Berkley Publishing Group (May 6, 2014)
Published by The Penguin Group
Cover Illustration by Ben Perini
Cover Design by Diana Kolsky
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
E-Book File Size: 1714 KB
Amazon: ASIN: B00FX7R7BK
B&N
Daisy Buchanan thinks of her shop, Sometimes a Great Notion, as more than just a business. For her, it’s a haven of vintage sewing notions and other treasures, excellent coffee, and camaraderie. But when an antique dollhouse provokes some bizarre behavior on the part of a customer, Daisy makes it her business to find out what secrets are hidden behind its tiny doors…
Daisy loves her store and some changes in town put that store in jeopardy. While Daisy is dealing with that her husband Joe finds a new hobby. Add to this a very unusual murder and they have their hands full.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I absolutely loved this story. Daisy and Joe are one of my favorite cozy couples. Retired but not ready to stop working and they have both found new passions. We found out about Daisy’s in Going Through the Notions and now Joe seems to have found his too. Plus their lives are not easy. In addition to trying to catch a killer, they have to work to find time together, and must deal with leaky pipes and emergency home repairs.
I also enjoyed Daisy working with Cyril to restore the dollhouse and Joe being mentored by Mac in his new project. Tony Serrano, the hunky detective, still makes even married women’s heart beat a little faster. Eleanor, Laura and Martha are back too. The main and supporting characters are so well developed. It is so easy to feel like you actually know them.
The mystery itself was a complex and had its share of surprising twists. I read the book all in one sitting. I just could not put it down even to go to sleep.
The book also includes tips for decorating a dollhouse and a preview of Book 3, Lie of the Needle.

Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 2 copies to give away!
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I really like the tips you gave us for creating dollhouse furniture; very creative!
You’re welcome! Hope I sparked some ideas!
I love finding new cozy series! Thanks for the interview. Can’t wait to start reading
Those bistro chairs are SO going to be a project for me! I love it. Thanks for the terrific idea.
I was surprised at how easy they are, and they look so cool. Have fun with the champagne, too 🙂
Wonderful cover!
the book looks fantastic, thank you for the chance to win 🙂
Great ideas and book sound fun!
This sounds like a great fun read. Thanks.
Wow, great ideas for dollhouse fun!! My daughter is 15, but I may be able to talk her into doing some of these 🙂
Is on my to read list. Thank you for the giveaway
A captivating story and great giveaway.
Sounds interesting, love the cover!! Thank you!
I love the bistro chairs, such a cute idea. A friend of mine was decorating a doll house and I was amazed the odds and ends she used to pull together some cute ideas. I remember her using scrapbook paper to use as wall paper. This book sounds interesting, thanks for the chance to win.
Sounds good. Great bistro chairs, etc. RRR!
Such cute ideas for doll house decorating. Maybe I’ll have a granddaughter one day.
I have always loved dollhouses – I think this is going to be a fun book.
Such a wonderful series – can’t wait to read the next one!
Thank you so much. Hope you enjoy this one, too!
I love the chairs. Who woulda thunk it:) Now I feel like getting crafty!
The cover art for your cozy is adorable. I fell in love with cozy mysteries because of the cute and colorful covers and quirky titles.
I am very fortunate to have such a great artist, Ben Perini, designing my covers. I just saw a draft for the next one, LIE OF THE NEEDLE, and it’s fantastic. Beautiful colors.
I loved my dollhouse as a child–but it would have been so much better if I would have been creative with the furnishings like you are.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.co,
Those chairs are cute but for my Barbies (Yes even at 59) I have crochet patterns to make chairs and couches and tables. A friend even crocheted me a Christmas tree. You use cans stuffing and plastic lids. Been too busy reading lately to do anything with them tho.
Ooh, I love the idea of the crocheted Christmas tree!
I just bought the first book, today. Love the ideas as I never had a dollhouse.
Thank you so much. Hope you enjoy GOING THROUGH THE NOTIONS!
This sounds like a good book. I am going to have to pick it up. Thank you for sharing!!
Just looking at the cover makes me interested to read the book. I will have to google to see what the name of the first book is.. Love the cute bistro chairs you made. Thank you .
I am looking forward to learn what is so spectacular about the dollhouse. that makes it worth killing for.
Love the dollhouse…wish I had one like that when I was little.
Now I know the perfect present for my sister-in-law. I must try my hand at those bistro chairs! Thank you!
I never played with my dollhouse when I was a child, but it’s fun furnishing one for my granddaughter.
The bistro chairs are so cleaver!
Oh, the idea for those bistro chairs is just amazing! The photo of the doll house is amazing too, puts the one I had to shame!
It sounds like a great series. This book would be a really fun and interesting read. I love the cover. Thanks for having the giveaway.
I loved the first in this series and am looking forward to reading this one as well.
sounds good.thanks for the chance