DIY: Travel-Sized Doghouse Playset

I have had this idea bouncing around in my head for a while. If you remember awhile back, I reported on a trip to Michael's during which I got some cool little boxes with lids. I have been thinking about turning one of those into a play set for Little A to use when we have to go out or for when we travel. So, finally I got around to it.

Here's what I started with:

-The paper mache box

-A couple plastic pups 

-Some scrap paper

-Scissors, glue, paints, etc

Then I got to work. As a side note, I couldn't find my modge podge because we just moved and it's still packed so I used just regular glue. IT. STUNK! The entire time I was doing this project, my mind was throwing a tantrum for modge podge. This project will be much better when I can coat it with paste but *shrug* what do you do?

So, the first thing I did was to put some nice scrapbook cardstock on the lid as a "roof" for the playset.

And this is the reason I NEED modge podge!

(I like that one of the pups is in the background as if waiting for his home to be finished.)

When I realized that pasting on cardstock without the right paste would stink, I decided to paint the box instead of papering it. Then I added paper to the inside of the bottom of the box as the "floor" of the doghouse.

The door is just another piece of paper from my scraps.

This next part is my favorite. I cut up some pieces of green grass paper and laid them, overlapping, in the inside of the lid of the box. I also added a round piece of water themed paper as their little water dish. 

After that I just threw some stickers on the side and it was finished!

I won't be giving this to Little A until I get a coat of paste on it but I am super happy with the way it came out! I have a feeling that she's going to have a lot of fun with it.

Another plus to this project is that it was incredibly cheap. The box was 2 dollars from Michael's, the pups were maybe 69 cents each from the toy store and then the rest I had on hand. So, for less than 4 dollars, Little A has a fun new travel toy.

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