Log Cabin:   A couple of years ago my brother in law made log cabins for my sister and I. Hers was finished with Min Wax stain and polyurethane, with very neat rows of chinking between the logs...looks like one of the new log homes in the magazines...

Mine was coated with Thomas's Bug Juice to give it that old grey look and sort of pushed in chinking to make it look like it had been sitting in the woods for ever.

We both used a wood filler from Home Depot...can't think of the brand...brown white and black label...we used white...it dries to a dull pale off white. If you have seen old log buildings with chinking still hanging in there the color is perfect..Sometimes you just luck out. Both of them are great if I do say so myself and a little praise for my baby sister...You wouldn't believe to look at them now that they had started out identical.

Annamarie in still chilly Stuart, Florida

Applying Yes glue on wallpaper: I have two ways of applying glue to wallpaper.  One is to use a stiff bristled brush, and sweep it on.  The other way, which is much faster, is to take a tongue depressor, dip it in the glue, and put a glob on the wallpaper, then using the entire flat side of the stick smooth it out onto the paper. It is kind of like toweling with a stick.   This method gives good, smooth coverage, and you can slide it right off the edges of the wallpaper   onto your underlying paper (wax, newspaper, or whatever).

Carol

Applying Yes glue on wallpaper: I use Yes glue (also sold as Grandmother Stover's) for wallpapering all the time.   I apply it to the wall, not the paper, using an old credit card to spread it very thinly.  Then I put the paper on and use another credit card to smooth out the paper.   This method seems to work quite well for me.   Tip: try to use the kind of credit card that does not have the raised embossed letters and is a bit more flexible - my favorite is actually an old auto club membership card.

Chris in Minnesota

Applying YES glue....I keep a small bowl of water handy, and use a sponge/foam brush.  I wet the brush, squeeze out the water (leave the brush damp), then just scoop out the YES glue with the brush, and spread it over the back of the wallpaper.   If it's pre=pasted paper, I even cheat a bit....I will wet the pre=paste with some water on the brush a little, letting that paste activate...then apply YES over that.

Laura in OKC

Separating glued Items: [Is there any way to get something apart that has been glued with wood glue without damaging the parts?...]

Depends on which wood glue, and what you are trying to separate.  You can try warm water or vinegar to help loosen the glue.  You can use a sharp knife to cut the glue line.

Tom

Multi-Grip Hardware, Household &   Marine Adhesive: Speaking of praising and glowing about glues... Here is the new glue I just discovered.   Works as well as Quick-Grab without the mess, or losing half the tube to the clogged nozzle; great bottle, somewhat  like theTacky Glue bottle but clear;   bonds Tile, Brick, Concrete, Wood, Glass, Leather, Fabric & Plaster.  Waterproof and dries crystal clear.  With all those credentials, silly me, I find it great for Polymer Clay work - neat and clean.

Anyway, it is Multi-Grip Hardware, Household &  Marine Adhesive (by Beacon)   I bought mine at my local hardware store (another place we miniaturists lurk).  Hope you can find it to try it.

Mary (Eccher)

Beacon Adhesives: Folks have been asking about where to find Beacon Adhesives. I ran a Google search and came up with this URL. http://beaconcreates.com/   Apparently they make a wide variety of specialty adhesives for home and industrial use.

Brian

Painting without brush marks:  Try a fan brush.   Varnish (unless it's really a thick coat...) isn't "given" to making profound brush strokes. It has a viscosity that settles out when it begins to dry, eliminating the brush strokes.) Acrylic can leave the brush strokes if you're using the wrong brush. A fan brush should solve your problem. Choose the finest grade you can afford, you'll be glad, they last a long time. Outside of 00 and 000 brushes, for all large coverage areas I use a fan brush. Stay with the acrylic...just try a different brush.

Sherise

Wallpaper/Fabric on Exterior: I have an Arthur that gave me such a fit when I got ready to shingle it (you know how easily the tab & slot houses get "out of square") that I wallpapered the roof with a pattern of climbing roses and cut out climbing roses to glue onto the sides so they looked like they climbed up and then just ran amok on the roof. I then painted it with three or four coats of modge podge to give it a bit of "body" (and overcome the "wallpapered" look), and was very satisfied with the results. I don't know why you couldn't do the same thing with the whole house, and imagine on a small house like the sweetheart it would give a wonderful "fantasy finish". I have a fat square from Joann's that is a pond scene (non-repeated) that I can envision being used for just such a purpose, and of course there are some pretty interesting full-sized wallpaper borders out there that feature scenics. We were in SC recently and I saw another small house in a shop that had been painted a very dark green all over and then had one-stroke roses and other flowers painted all over it -- it was really striking, and made the little house quite an impressive "residence." I think I'd give your idea a try -- and if worse comes to worse and you don't like the effect you can always pull off the paper or fabric. Build On!

Dayle in MD

Scents: I have two recipes for gel air freshener. They are just put in a container after mixing. If you want to control the scents then you put them in containers with tight lids or corks. Each recipe makes about a cup of air freshener so you might want to cut down the recipe. I haven't made them in miniature amounts, but I do make them for use in my house.

Recipe #1

2 cups of distilled water

essential oil/fragrance of your choice

4 packages of Knox gelatin

food coloring (optional)

1 tablespoon of alum

Heat 1 cup of water almost to a boil, stir in the alum with a whisk until dissolved. Add the gelatin and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and add second cup of water. Add fragrance to your taste. A few drops of essential oil will create a very light fragrance and of course more drops will make the fragrance stronger. Immediately put the mixture into the container of your choice as it will set up very quickly. The alum is to prevent mold from forming. I get my essential oils from the health food store.

Recipe #2 (this one doesn't mold, but you don't get to play with the scents or their strengths)

1 cup concentrated liquid potpourri

2 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin

Heat the potpourri almost to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in the gelatin until dissolved. Again, immediately put in a container. I found a variety of scents for the liquid potpourri at Wal-Mart that are quite inexpensive and smell quite nice.

Both of these recipes will slowly dissolve over time if left uncovered. They don't melt into a puddle, but evaporate. I don't know how long a mini amount would last uncovered, but a four-ounce jar left uncovered lasts a number of months.

Oh, my mother gave me these recipes a while ago. I don't know exactly where she got them as she mailed them to me typed up and said they came from a lady friend at her church. She said all the ladies were making them and were going to sell them at the church bazaar. I don't believe they are copyrighted material, just one of those things ladies pass around to each other.

Lee Ann, Hopewell, NJ