Haunted Dollhouse: The Beginning...The Gathering...

From the moment I opened "Mixed-Media Dollhouses: Techniques and Ideas for Doll-size Assemblages" by Tally Oliveau and Julie Molina, I knew I wanted to make a dollhouse of my own. I love how imaginative they are! The possibilites are endless.  I wondered, What type of dollhouse would I like to make?  Many thoughts flew around in my head.  Then I stumbled upon the blog Artful Affirmations.  The fairy schoolhouse is beautiful!  The tutorials are very helpful (especially the one on making furniture) and provided more creative thought.  I had visions of multiple dollhouses...a street...a town...  But, of course, this all starts with one single dollhouse.  I really like the castle and gothic dollhouses in "Mixed Media Dollhouses" and also thought about a fairy dollhouse.  Since it is September, the beginning of fall, I decided to start with a gothic or haunted house.  Which is funny because I hate horror movies and the emotion of being scared, but I think a haunted house will be a fun way to start, a haunted house that is more fun that scary.  I don't have much faith in finishing by Halloween, but I will give it my best effort. 

I gathered some larger and heavier shoeboxes.  In "Mixed-Media Dollhouses", they suggest cigar boxes or wooden photo boxes.  Size doesn't matter--different heights or widths are fine and look great stacked together.  I just have a hard time planning this out in my head.  What room should be which size?  Which box? Should different sized boxes have figures, furnitures and fixtures scaled differently?  I always like to plan everything in my head ahead of time.  Then I took a trip to Jo-Ann Fabrics.  They had cardboard photo boxes on sale 2/$5, reg. price being $3.99 each.  I bought four to start with.  I like the idea of having all the rooms the same height, width, and depth.  If I need a bigger room, I can always take out a "wall", which they show in "Mixed Media Dollhouses".  If things go well this time, maybe next time I will use the shoeboxes.  I went through my craft supplies and gathered scrapbook papers, fabric and glitter.  I've considered what would be a good fit for a haunted house.  Not sure how to fit glitter in to the mix, but I'll figure something out.  There has be glitter somewhere!  I also found some interesting clip art.  If you have any ideas for the glitter, please let me know!