Customer Reviews

Creative Dough Crafts: 100 Delightful Designs to Make in Your Own Kitchen

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I received this book and thumbed through it, I was very excited about the designs that were printed especially the furniture for the dollhouse. I later found that some of the instructions were either incomplete or missing altogether. For instance, the instructions on the mirror on page 22 don't include the base holding the umbrellas. The instructions for the lamp only include baking instructions for the lamp shade...what about the base?? Instructions for the bed say to partially bake a segment....that's fine but at what temperature and for how long?? Another thing that would have been helpful is include templates of the different pieces (or at least the dimensions) to ensure that all of the furniture is in proportion to each other. I find myself having to do alot of guessing on how to make some of the items in this book. Maybe with a little luck I'll figure how to make that cute little basinet on pg 32!!!

As far as the designs go, they are unique which I really do appreciate. I just feel that if a picture is shown of an item in a how-to book, there ought to be full and complete instructions on how to make that item and every item shown.

The book is cheap, which is a plus; she is also a gifted tole painter, which is inspiring. However, there are no sizes given for the projects; this is a major drawback. The best that I could do for the 3-dimensional pieces that I wanted to make was to measure a full size piece and use it for scale (an eight-foot couch = an eight-inch doll house couch). I also bought a set of cheap playdough/cookie cutters to make pieces uniform. The rectangles make good cushions for the couch; squares are good cushions. A heart with the bottom point cut off is a great chair back.

Some larger pieces (note the hutch on right side of cover) are only 1/4-3/8 inches deep. I would like them as proportionally deep as a real piece. There are no instructions for the cups, saucers, or little cats scattered throughout the book. I do like her idea to score a piece of dough into squares and paint them to look like individual tiles; they look great.

The similar lack of sizes continue throughout the book, so if you want to make her centerpieces or wreaths you'll have to guess! For some of the thicker pieces I would air dry them instead of baking since the baking times are vague or absent.

Still, you can use this and its construction ideas to make some nice doll furniture. To make some nice salt dough dolls for the dollhouse, check out "Making Soft-bodied Dough Characters," by Patricia Hughes.