Prairie Schooner in 1:12 scale pictures. Had a lot of fun making the wheels and spokes. Also the barrels on the side of the Prairie schooner. In case it gets missed the "bonnet" for the wagon was an old undershirt ready for the garbage and was given a new lease on life in a prominent position. Can be found at: http://community.webshots.com/user/drbob92031

DrBob...Delray Beach, FL

Stair Rods:  I used brass rods that I bought quite inexpensively at the local hobby/model shop. They come in pieces about 12 inches long, and are fairly easy to cut with wire cutters. They come in various thicknesses. I don't remember what gauge I bought--just the one that "looked right." Micromark also carry them http://www.micromark.com   but you have to buy a pack of them. The hobby shop sold them individually so you just buy what you need.

Elizabeth

Stair Rods: When my Mom did her dollhouse, she bought a long piece of tapestry ribbon that was about 2 1/2" wide and glued it down her stairs. She did have to cut it in places to fit, as the stairway curved some, making some of the steps wider on one side than the other. Then she cut small brass rods and glued a gold bead on each end, for the stair rods.

Paulette in IN

Stair Rods: I've added two new pages to my website, one showing how to make stair rods and their holders, and another showing how to install the runner on your staircase. If you can't find a suitable ribbon for your staircase, I also welcome custom orders for runners especially designed for the width of your staircase (no, they're not standard!!) and style of your house. Weevings Miniature Handwovens http://weevings.com

Bonni in NH

Small feathers; Feathers can be trimmed. Find a fresh kill chicken market or chicken farm.   Collect the small loose feathers (like the ones that come out of the winter coat) and with a scissors, trim them to size.

Dr Bob

Feathers: If you get a parakeet or a canary, you will have all the feathers you will ever need, all sizes and colors trust me I know:-)

Linda from Maine

For the smell in the dh try this: Place the dh in a large plastic bag (similar to a large trash [garbage bag])  Before you tie the bag shut place a few pieces of charcoal briquettes and some sheets of Bounce in the bag with the dh. Tie shut and leave it for a few  days. Every few days open the bag for a "sniff test". The Bounce works for me  in my tool boxes here in humid Florida. Bounce also makes a good tack cloth.  Sawdust clings to it. so I wipe everything down prior to applying any paint   or stain.

If the dh smells from "cats" as was stated and you are referring to cat  urine. GOOD LUCK!

DrBob...Delray Beach, FL

Cat urine odor or any stinky organic matter: For the person who had something marked with cat urine. The best product for removing animal smells or any organic matter odor, is Nature's Miracle by Pets 'N People, Inc.(310/ 544-7125).  I buy it by the gallon ($25.) at PetSmart or PetCo.  It's an enzyme and it actually "eats" the organic matter that is causing the odor.  It takes several applications and you can NOT apply detergent or cleaning solution to the area as well because it will kill the enzyme.

Kathy in Wisconsin

Urine odor:  I got an idea from another person here in SS. I have three small dogs and the last one we got, a Yorkie, has been very difficult to train. The people who had him didn't try to train him or take care of his ailments. So I'd find "accidents" frequently. I shampoo my carpets frequently but I could still smell the odor of urine. So, I had read a hint from someone on the SS talk about how coffee removed odors. I tried it in a bit larger scale and it's absolutely right. I bought a can of cheap coffee and spread a lot of the fresh grounds on the area of the carpet that seemed the worst. I covered it with a towel and left it overnight, and behold! no more odor! I have since repeated the procedure on other areas and a second time on the worst area and it's almost miraculous. I scrubbed the stain with an oxygen cleaner and got rid of most of the stain. But the coffee directly onto the carpet and leave it covered for 24 or more hours is the answer for odors. Then I vacuum it up and there are no coffee stains. (This is using FRESH coffee, not the used grounds.) And when I vacuum now the air takes on a fresh coffee scent from the grounds in the vacuum bag! I would think this procedure could be used in many different ways.

Becky Winsor

Dollhouse odor:  if I had the smell of cat urine in the old dollhouse, I would paint it with Kilz first--especially if you have a cat in the house.   I doubt that anything else will get rid of that odor and you certainly wouldn't want your cat to be attracted by the smell of another cat after you finish the house.   If you do use Kilz, I suggest painting outside and allowing it to dry outside as the Kilz can be pretty strong.  It will have no odor after it dries.

Carol