So, I'm just about the most environmental person I know, but it isn't on purpose.  It's because I can't drive so pretty much I carpool everywhere, and most of my art is recycled, bargain art.  It's just always been that way.  I made five bird masks out of milk containers.  I made a skeleton out of old denim.  It's just how I roll, yo.

Here's a great resource for materials: construction sites.  Now, hear me out, I'm not saying that you should steal stuff that's they're using or about to use.  I'm talking about stuff in their We'll Throw it Out Later pile. 
I came across two little pieces of wood that looked like half of a house each, and I figured I could make a dollhouse within a dollhouse.  Because it won't open, I want to make the outside as groovy as possible.  The pieces are a little irregular, but I consider it part of the charm.  It is the Crooked Cottage.

How it started:

What You Must Do:
Sand it. 
Paint it with white so whatever is going to soak up into the wood already does it by the time you choose a base color.
Choose a base color.
Paint.
Detail.

All of my detail work is done with toothpicks, cardboard, paper, part of a popsicle stick, and embroidery floss. 

The finished product: