Mouse House Bedside Table
My kids won't sleep with the lights off. Yeah, you know..the imminent threat of monsters, etc, etc. I've looked at night lights, but sockets in our old house aren't in the most useful places. So I decided to make them beside tables that included a night light in the form of a little built in mouse house. When evening comes, they can look forward to turning out the lights, checking on Mr. & Mrs. Mouse in their little living and dining rooms and drift off to sleep.....at least that's the plan.
MATERIALS
Bedside table with an open shelf
3/4" Plywood
Dollhouse window
Paint
Scrapbooking paper
Wood glue
Spray adhesive
Single bulb socket with bulb
Dollhouse furniture
Mouse (preferably, not real)
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STEPS
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Measure the open shelf of the night stand and cut a piece of the plywood the exact size of the opening. Ideally you want this to be able to sit snugly in the opening alleviating the need for any sort of fastener to hold it in place. Once you've done that, place the dollhouse window on the plywood, trace for the opening size and cut out the opening.
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Attach the window using wood glue. I'm making two, so chose different style windows for each. (Don't won't the mice to feel like they're living in a cookie cutter development.)
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Paint you window unit to match your table.
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Drill a hole in the side of the table that will fit your single socket.
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Measure and cut your scrapbooking paper to be wall paper and use the spray adhesive to attach it to the inside of the self.
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Use a utility knife to cut away the paper that covers the hole your drilled, slip in your single socket and add your bulb.
Arrange your furniture, add your mouse, and then slip your window unit into the front. (Tip: if your window unit won't stay put, add a strip of felt to the edge of the bottom or sides of the unit and that should do the trick.)
Turn on the light and say goodnight to Mr. Mouse.