Ideas for minis that you don’t want to sell but don’t have room for:

• Domestic abuse shelter:    The children that go to these shelter often come with nothing but the cloths on their backs.   A donation to a domestic abuse shelter, or similar.   If only for a decoration for the kids to ponder over, or for a fund raiser.   Even to loan a shelter of some sort would be a blessing to all who see.
• What about contacting a museum?   We have a children’s museum here, that often has seasonal displays, but nothing for the 'off' times.    In fact we have/had a doll museum in our down town mall.   See there is an idea.   You could start your own museum.   Oh wouldn't that be neat.
• Maybe you just need to add on to your 'big' house!   Create your own little world with in your new addition.   I can picture a room with shelves and tables, full of 'babies' just to walk around and admire.  
• I like the idea of the library.   We are homeschoolers here and are always on the look out for new art mediums, and special activities.   A lot of his groups meet in churches and schools.   They also let us display our things sometimes.   Schools often have big enclosed display areas.
• It appears that you do not want to get rid of your babies just need help on where to store them.   Maybe a manager of a book store would allow you to display your babies-would be a win-win situation for both of you.
• Nursing homes also are a neat idea, include into that idea assisted living, and retirement communities.   We have several of them in our area, all have several meeting area type places.
• You could also try hospitals-they too have display areas.

Theresa

Feathers: For excellent feathers of all sizes and colors, contact.....

This Bird Feather,  Sharon Webb
1750 Thuja
Anchorage, AK 99507
907-344-6147
WWebb10299@aol.com
http://hometown.aol.com/wwebb10299/myhomepage/index.html

I've had some of these feathers and they are great. Check out the website for pictures of some of them.

Grace Shaw,  Millers, MD

Non-Working Fan:   Use a chess piece or small wood candleholder for the stand (glue a bead or marble into the cup if using candleholder), a flattened bead cap for the arms that hold the blades, and popsicle-stick ends cut and sanded into paddles for the blades. Cut the center part out of a plastic flower frog for the blade shield to fit over the blades.   Glue the parts together and spray black.   Also check on line and in the magazines' classifieds for cast-metal mini dealers; you can probably find one there and just paint it to suit.

Loretta.Sniarowski

Feathers in the UK: I have bought small feathers in single colour packs from Fred Aldous.   They sell wholesale and retail craft products, a fun site too and often  have projects. I was lucky to visit their shop in Manchester last year.  An Aladdin's cave ! You often see their goods in other craft stores. http://www.fredaldous.co.uk/aboutus.htm

Pauline, UK

Patricia / Redwood City, CA

Sea glass: I was intrigued by the description of the house with all the sea glass - being a sea glass nut myself, I had to do a google search - this is the least   expensive site I found: http://crystalrivergems.com/products/glass/beachseaglass/frames/FrameSet.htm  I found sites charging as much as $16 per lb.!

Sue in NC

Small gluing jig: I make a 3" x 5" gluing jig out of Melamime with an 1/8" aluminum fence on two adjoining sides.  It is square in all planes. There are pictures on the web site under tools.   http://www.smallerthanlife.com/Tools.html

If you need a really small gluing jig we carry a square that measures 2" x 3" on the inside.   It lies flat on the table and is 1/4" high. This is also on the web site.

Pete Boorum

laser cutting: There was an ad in Miniature Collector (the new one that just came out) for laser cutting. I don't know anything about it, but understand that a cutting machine costs many thousands of dollars so maybe this would solve the problem. I don't know this person nor do I know anything about his reliability or lack of it, but it would be something to explore.

Dottie in Tucson

UK/Wallpaper: "I also had problems finding wallpaper that I liked here in the UK, on a visit to my local DIY shop (focus) I found a solution. .....

Wickes the builders supply people do the best tiny patterned wall papers of all the DIY shops. They have just revamped their wall paper display section and provided us with those nice wall paper cutters so you don't tear it and damage your 'sample' Just fold the paper sharp and crease first. Then use the cutter. Several stall holders at fairs sell their papers. Lots of coordinating designs with borders too. My youngest always takes a full wall length when decorating, cannot look at little scraps. So my pieces are sooo much smaller than hers!

I often shop there as they are inexpensive for so many things. Also they sell the instant mitre fix. Kept in the locked orange glue cabinet. Not on the shelves. Its super glue with activator. No clamping as sets extremely strong in 5-10 seconds. A little tube attachment provided for miniaturists. LOL It is used for full size window frames etc. and I cannot part it once joined.

Pauline, UK

Laser cut items: Let me share an experience with you. I bought two pieces of laser cut fencing...and it is not inexpensive.

I painted the first fence with a paint brush and it turned to spaghetti. It looked crooked, came apart and absolutely useless. I was so disappointed, however, the second piece I pinned to an old piece of scrap foamcore, took it outside, and spray painted it. Voila.....I have one perfect piece of fence.

Knowing me it will be used in a landscaping scene somehow, and even the other awful one will end up being used somewhere...perhaps a haunted house?

Dawn Weaver, Belleview, Florida