I cannot freaking WAIT til Christmas. These gifts are coming along SO well for my little girl.

I have decided with baby #3 coming in a few months, that this Christmas I’m going to really support my daughters already growing interest in nurturing her baby dolls. I also want to encourage more independent, pretend play. And I LOVE how much she loves taking care of her babies.

This bed plan was originally from a really cool idea that Ana White has to do those Home Depot make/n/take projects for a birthday party, making little doll beds out of 1x2x8 furring strips. I switched a lot of things up though because I wanted to make this a cute boho rattan bed.

Check out my blog/podcast on Gift-giving that Supports Development here.

Check out my DIY Baby Doll Ring Sling Blog Here.

Supply List

2 - 1x2x8 pine furring strip (home depot)

12- 2” wood screws (home depot)

4- 1” wood screws

Wood Conditioner & Stain (I used natural) & Polyurethane

Cane

Wood glue/sawdust or wood filler to fill holes

Plywood or thick cardboard

Tools

Miter Saw

Countersink drill bit (optional to hide screws)

Drill

Sander

Cut List (per bed)

1x2x8’s cuts:

• 2 - 17 3/4”

• 4 - 9 1/2”

• 4 - 6 1/2”

Plywood:

• 9 1/2” x 17 3/4”

Instructions

1. Secure your headboard and footboard first. Pre-dill all your holes (with countersink drill bit) and then screw your 2” screw into each side of the board. You will need 4 screws on the headboard and 4 on the footboard.

I used these clamps to keep the boards lined up and tight.

2. Screw your 17 3/4” board to the headboard and footboard, as shown in the picture with the 2” side creating a railing for your bed.

3. Screw the plywood into the bottom of each wide board with 1” screws

4. Fill the holes with wood glue and saw dust (or wood filler), let dry and sand the entire bed

5. Use pre-stain and condition the wood, let dry and within 2 hours stain your wood

6. Lastly, add polyurethane

ADDING CANE

1. Cut your cane to size

2. Soak your cane for 15 minutes min. in warm water

3. Use wood glue/super glue to secure the cane to the head and footboard, I chose to secure it to the outside of the boards

4. Put something heavy on the cane until the wood glue dries (~2-3 hours inside)

Bedding

I did the cheat binding method to create a few mattresses for these beds.

The way this works is two right sides together like you would sew a pillow, with the batting on the outside. Sew at 5/8” all the way around leaving an opening to flip it right side out.

Next, flip it and sew all the way around the bedding at 1/8” to create the cute bound doll quilts.

Check out my blog/podcast on Gift-giving that Supports Development here.

Check out my DIY Baby Doll Ring Sling Blog Here.

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