Geneva Vanderzeil
Instructor
In This Lesson
A dollhouse disguised as a cake? In this instalment of my 'Will it Dollhouse' series, I’m transforming a cake into a whimsical little home, complete with tiny cushions, garlands, and miniature presents. It was a rollercoaster of a build, but the end result is irresistibly cute.
You Need
Tools & Materials
- Papier mache round hat box 20 x 25 cm
- Paper pad multicoloured (Wallpaper)
- Red artificial cherries
- White For Life grout
- Piping bag kit
- Ribbon
- Jigsaw
- Wood glue
- Grout spatula
- Sharp scissors and craft knife
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Paint
Instructions
1
For the base, use a round hat cardboard box. I used one that is 20 x 25cm.
2
Using a ruler, draw a straight line down the centre to divide the box into two equal halves.
3
Cut along the centre line using scissors or a craft knife, following the line carefully from end to end.
4
I chose a wallpaper that matched the whimsical style of the dollhouse, brushed an even layer of wood glue across the surface, and lined the inside of the box with paper from a multicoloured pad.
5
Using a jigsaw, carefully cut the wooden base into two equal halves.
6
With a pencil, draw a line down the centre of the base.
7
For the paper tiled and wood herringbone flooring, follow the video instructions under the flooring section.
8
Paint the wooden base in a colour of your choosing. Once dry, glue the flooring onto the wooden base using wood glue.
9
Using a grout spatula, spread a layer of grout evenly over the outer surface to mimic the look of icing.
10
With openings facing inward, apply a thin bead of PVA wood glue to each box’s bottom edge, align to the marks on the wooden base, press and allow to dry.
11
Fill a piping bag with white grout and pipe rosettes around the bottom of the cake.
12
With that same technique, add piping to the top of the cake then add the fake cherries on top.
13
Mix a small amount of red colour into your grout to create a soft pink, stirring well to remove any lumps. Allow the mixture to thicken slightly so it’s not too runny. Mark out the piping placement in a semi-circle pattern, then pipe rosettes along the sides. Using the same mixture, pipe an even row of rosettes around the outer edge of the top.
14
Attach velvet bow ribbon to the sides for a decorative touch.
15
To make the mini cake, cut a small ring from cardboard and glue them onto a round cardboard base. Paint the whole piece in your chosen “icing” colour, then wrap each tier with scalloped paper strips for decoration. Finally, glue tiny beads and gems on top and around the sides to mimic piped icing and sprinkles.
