Make a Screen for Dolls and a Few Ideas for Decorating With Them

Folding screens are popular with home decor.  They can also be a fun addition to your doll space!  Use one as a room divider, a scene backdrop, a photo shoot backdrop or simply to add a little zing to your doll decor!

Today I’ll show you how to make a screen. Mine is decorated in a Japanese style but   remember that with a little patterned paper or paint the basic screen can be decorated in any style that fits the look you want!

How about a few examples to see this little screen in action!

• Set up a screen in the corner of a room as a decorative touch.
• Why not divide one room to give you two spaces?  It’s like a non-permanent wall to divide spaces like the kitchen and living room.
•  Use it as a lovely scene backdrop.

My screen has three panels.  You can add more panels to fit the look you want.

Here the screen is used as a backdrop.  It set the mood in this Japanese restaurant scene.  I used our regular doll table and chairs and the screen transformed it into a restaurant!

Screens also make great photo backdrops.  If you are interested in trying your hand at doll photography it makes a great backdrop!

Now let’s make one!  Here is a list of things you’ll need to get started.

• cardboard
• white paper (or patterned paper to make your own look)
• black paper (for Japanese style screen)
• paper cutter (optional)
• pencil
• ruler
• glue
• electrical tape
• scissors (or with the help of an adult an Exacto knife)

Making the Screen

Cut three sections of cardboard with scissors or an Exacto knife (Only if you have the help of an adult!).  My screen panels each measure 5 1/4″x 19 3/8″.

Using a glue stick, cover each piece of cardboard with paper.  I am using white paper but if you want a different style, any pattern or colored paper would work!

Black Line Details

Next we are adding the black lines to the Japanese style screen.  If you are making a screen in a different style you can skip this step.

To make the lines on the screen I cut 1/8″ strips of paper with a paper cutter.  If you have a paper cutter at your house for other paper crafting projects, you will know you can easily cut even, straight pieces of paper with it.  If you don’t have a paper cutter, simply measure and draw out the lines with a ruler and pencil and cut them out with scissors.

Next we will draw the basic lines where we want to place the strips of black paper.  Using a ruler and a pencil, measure the vertical lines so the panel is divided equally into 3.  Next draw horizontal lines, dividing it into 7 equal sections.  There are 2 vertical lines and 6 horizontal lines.  Note: Ignore the black outline on the next few photos.  That is the border and in the end I found it best to add the border last.

Glue the black strips of paper along the lines.

Border

For the black border on the edge, I used black electrical tape.  It is the perfect width to wrap around the edge, giving it a finished look.

Connecting the Panels

Once all three panels are finished lay them side by side.  We are going to connect the panels together with 1 1/2″ strips of tape.  Place 2 strips on the borders of the touching panels.

The electrical tape stretches a little and makes it easy to position the screen how you would like.  The adhesive on the tape is not super strong, so if yo are going to be moving it around a lot, I would recommend glueing the tape in place.  All Done!

This little screen is a versatile craft for doll scenes, play, decor, and more!

Just in case you are interested, here are the Japanese tutorials pictured in this post, all in one place!

• Easy Chopsticks Tutorial and setting a Japanese themed table.
• Japanese Hair Clip Tutorial
• Japanese Cuise served in a Bento Box
  
• Kimono is sewn by Anna…this one is still in the works!

Create to play and play to create!

Anna