This was a really fun project not only because it was a surprise for my daughter, but also it gave me a chance to really use my imagination and let it run wild. The first thing I had to do was pick a color, with the help of the Last Homely House section I was able to pick the color that they use in Baggend, a yellowy color called ocher. At the store the color looked a little to yellow so I had them darken it with a little black.

So off to paint I went, it only took a couple of hours to paint her room yet I thought the color was still a little too yellow and I wanted to get a time worn look. I had some light chocolate brown paint and I added 1/2 a can of glaze to 1/2 a can of the brown. I then took a small brush and made large strokes of the mix against the ocher. Using a dry cloth I swirled the paint onto the walls using a circular pattern. This worked very well and when I got to the corners I just rubbed it in. I thought it looked best that way because the corners will reflect the light differently and really gave it a appearance of being there for hundreds of years, very hobbity.

Once done painting the real fun began. We were on a very tight budget and I had to furnish the whole room for under $100.00 US dollars. So off to the garage sales I went. I found a small hutch to hold her stereo, books and non-hobbity things for $1.00 (it was really quite ugly but I saw the gem underneath). For the same amount I also purchased an old wood chair that needed to be recovered.

Feeling quite pleased with myself I went to some more sales to see if there were more treasures to be found. As I was looking around I spotted something metal in the free box; it was an old chandelier in an ugly condition yet surprising similar to the one Gandalf had hit his head on inside Baggend. Since free was my favorite price I took my little treasure home before someone else could nab it.

All that was left was to find some baskets and material. I had already been to six sales and was way under budget and the hopes of finding just what I needed was looking a little like Frodo trying to make his way to Mt. Doom. Then like the light of Eärendil the day got a whole lot brighter. Not only did I find two large old looking baskets but there, under a pile of old Christmas stuff, lay a piece of white silk fabric with fringe. “Oh my gosh” I thought as I carried off my treasures to pay. I have found all I needed and I was well under my budget.

Once home I decided to make a list of things I would have to purchase from the store such as curtains (Kmart) and fabric dye (green and red). You may notice that her windows look like they are stained glass but the aren’t! This is a wonderful product that looks so real (and the most expensive item for the room) that you can get at Home Depot. It is a Mylar product that sticks to glass with the use of water. The instructions are really easy and are included with the product.

Next I would have to dye the white fabric. So using my washing machine I added 4 packets of green dye (instructions are on the inside of the box) and cold water filled the machine for a medium load. Once full place your fabric in and let it sit for about two hours. Then run the machine for a normal cycle, dry and then you’re done. Make sure you run your machine again before doing any more laundry or what ever you put in will turn the color of what ever dye you used. I also dyed a white bedspread and pillow shams only this time using red dye. Since this was a larger load I used 6 packets of the dye and left it sit for 4 hours.

Now I could start putting it all together. I used the green fabric to cover an old yucky table that we used for a bedside table. I stapled it around leaving the fun fringe hanging on the bottom then used some extra trim and chair nails to cover the staples so that they wouldn’t show.

Next came the chair, I had some red velvet fabric that my daughter had used as a cape (this is also where I took the trim that I used for the side table). This project was the most time consuming. You will need a staple gun and a lot of patience; just take your time and you can do it but make sure you keep the fabric tight as you go around the chair.

The little hutch was easy, I just had to sand the top and paint the doors and sides a leafy green. Don’t try to be to perfect as you want it to have that time worn feeling. You can use whatever colors you wish, I tried to keep to the more natural shades to give it that Shire feeling.

Over her bed I used white tooling and a string of Christmas lights, then using a staple gun fastened the tooling into the ceiling and walls leaving the lights to float on the tooling. Now she had stars to look up to. I then tied the tooling with a red and gold cord. I used the baskets I had purchased to hold her artwork and books, placing them on other books that I had stacked on the floor.

Over her bed I hung a banner of the Tree of Gondor (this project will be listed in the arts and craft forum). I hung green v-shaped topper curtains over the widows and two velvet green long curtains to cover the closet. We spray painted the chandelier black and hung it up using tapered light bulbs to give that candlelight feeling.

Almost forgot – how can you have a Hobbit hole without Bilbo’s beloved party sign? This we nailed with square nails to the front of the door.

My daughter loves her hobbit hole and so do all her friends. Just remember use your imagination and you too can make your own hobbit hole.

~ Kimberly (mr_weewee)