You can turn a bookcase into a lovely dollhouse for Barbie or other smaller dolls. Making furniture for the doll house can be fun and easy if you think recycling. Search through drawers and think twice before throwing out any containers or other material.

A three shelf book case is inexpensive and easy to reach for children. Depending on the width, each shelf can hold one or more rooms. One shelf can be a kitchen and attached dining room; another shelf the living room or family room, and the third shelf the bedroom. Be sure the bookcase is firmly anchored to the wall as you do not wish it to topple during play.

Here are some ideas for making furniture. There are many more possibilities and you will find that as you begin creating the decor, you will think of other ideas.

* Stick on shelf liner makes beautiful wallpaper. Cover bristol board and lay on the floor or stand against the walls if you don't want to clean or repaint the bookcase when your child outgrows the dollhouse.
* Glue small pictures from magazines to cardboard to make pictures to hang on the walls.
* Use sprigs of fake flowers and foliage and insert into  thread spools for plants.
* Carpet remnants or fuzzy material can be set on the shelf floors.
* Crochet or knit motifs or sew a quilt blocks. These make lovely throw rugs and can be adapted for bedding or cushions.
* Use fabric remnants as curtains, glue to a piece of dowel or painted pencil.
* String beads to make a beaded curtain.
* Boxes of different sizes and shapes can be transformed into furniture.
* Measure cereal and other boxes to find the right size, cover with sticky shelf liner.
* Use boxes to create a bed box spring and sew two pieces of fabric together stuffed with cotton batting for the mattress.
* Stuff fabric with beans to make a bean bag chair.
* Cover boxes and paste buttons in place to create faux cupboard doors and dresser shelves.
* Lamps are so versatile and can be made from many different items; a spray can top is a lampshade, a ping pong ball is a globe lamp.
* A compact mirror becomes a mirror and tray for the dresser.
* Match boxes glued together have ready made drawers.