Paper for Flowers:   I use large rolls of a thin paper I get at a drafting store. It's thicker than tissue (which I also use) and thinner than most tracing paper, which you can use.  You must paint your papers.  I use Design Masters paint for everything but the leaf paper, and that is only because they don't make the shade green I want.  I buy custom mixed latex wall paint (I'm allergic to latex which is a major reason I've discontinued the kits) and I spray it on the paper with a large paint sprayer using an air compressor. You can use a foam roller for small projects and it won't create such a mess.  I go to Sherwin Williams for my paint.  I even paint the tissue paper.   I know you can get it in colors, but they fade.   Painting is a mess, my garage walls look like a modern art project gone wild.   When using these paints, ALWAYS wear a carbon mask filter rated for the paint, you're asking for serious lung troubles otherwise.

Diane Foster, The Colony TX

When I dressed a doll for my light house as a Merchant Marine Officer, I looked up Merchant Marine on a search engine. I then used "save as"on the pictures of the buttons and insignia I wanted. I Reduced them in size, then glued them on card touched them up with a tiny bit of gold paint and cut them out and behold-- Authentic Uniform!   Good luck. I did the same thing with   campaign ribbons.

Patsy

Mini quilt kits:  This one has a number of them, assorted scales and reasonably priced!  http://www.vickeysminis.com

Cathy Heimbauer

Incredible   miniature knitting and sewing: I have no personal connection to this site.  I am simply amazed by the miniature knitting and sewing.  Just had to pass this along to all of you. http://home.wxs.nl/~kort0112/fotosite.html

Kathy Peterson in Wisconsin

Scrub pad vines: Make up three plastic coated throw away plates --1st one with assorted green paints, 2nd one with white Aileen's glue thinned down with a little water.   3rd one with the green foam material we use for making grass, bushes, and other greenery.

Now pull your pad apart into pieces about 6x6"  swish around in the green paint, then lay on waxed paper to dry  (do several batches, as it won't spoil, and you can use it in so many places)  When dry, swish around in the diluted glue until it is pretty well covered. Then roll it around and around in the green foam plate until it is covered and again, let dry on waxed paper.

When completely dry, you can stretch and pull it to make vines as thick or as thin as you want. Apply glue to the surface where you want the vines, and hold just a minute until it stays where you want it. (For this part I change to Bond Gr-r-rip, which is wonderful for all gluing when you want a fast set, and it dries completely clear).

Now you can be as creative as you please by adding roses for a rose vine or climber, or morning glories, or even tiny bits of colored foam to be a whatever flowering vine. These turn out great on a trellis, the side of a house, a gazebo, a fence, or anywhere else you can think of. Try it, You'll like it!!!!!

Jan in Indiana

Feather sources:

* anyone in the sw, or wherever there are powwows, this is an excellent place to buy feathers-a lot of the Native vendors carry them and they're all legal.

* become buddies with your favorite gamesmen, I'm hoping for a couple of carcasses in a few weeks!

* another neat place is a local 'turkey/pheasant shoot' club.

* Any birds of prey (eagles, hawks, owls, et al) are illegal to sell or posses unless the 'owner' is tribal , and it's condoned and monitored for religious purposes.   My research also showed that any migratory birds or songbirds fall into this category-so yes the comment I read earlier this week about using domestically raised feathers is the safest bet.   If you have an 'illegal' feather it's possible (although not probable, imo) that the powers that be can come and confiscate *everything*-while they DNA test the questionable items! (end of feather rambling)

kath in ct

How to add wonderful scale wood "graining" to cheap wood (like the kind of wood left over form dollhouse kits). This works great for furniture.

1. Paint the wood with a very light yellow (I used Cream Coat's Cornsilk yellow), try for at lest two coats.

2. Let dry completely for a day.

3. Pour on a few drops of any color wood stain, take a large, flat brush and lightly run down it (in the way you want the "grain" to go), when your done before it dries you can add wood knots and all sorts of wood swirls by VERY lightly using the same flat brush. I would suggest to study some real good wood and reproduce the wood swirls. It's easier than you think, just try if you mess up you can quickly go over the whole thing with the brush and try again.

4. Let dry and seal with a high-gloss sealer. Or leave unsealed for a more rustic touch.

I hope your project turns out wonderful! I had great success with this, it was very easy!

Anna Hart

Puff paint:  the puff paint I use does not *puff* until you apply heat. I use a blow dryer. Make a few dots on a scrap of paper. After it has set for a day, apply heat and see if it does not *puff* for you. I use this type of paint all the time. It makes wonderful blossoms and a myriad of other things like rugs for those of us too lazy to tie French knots or do needlepoint with the canvas less than an eighth of an inch from our nose. There is also a puff additive you can add to fabric dye or liquid food coloring . It is made by Delta, called Swell Stuff.

Becky Holliday

Tea: To fill tiny cups of tea, I use Gallery Glass amber colored glass paint.   It may dry with a little depression in the center, but then all you have to do is fill it up some more.  It's much easier than mixing resin for something that tiny.

Mary Lou in Portage, IN

Bar Stool from champagne cage wire: Snapping the shank off a leather-covered button and gluing that on gives you a bar stool.  These are just variations on the cafe table and chairs of course.

Loretta Sniarowski