Free bar clamps: To all who glue; There are free bar clamps lurking in our closets.YES! Those plastic hangers with the spring clamps that hold shorts, slacks, pants (men)skirts, etc. You can wait for the plastic portion to break if you wish but do not throw the entire hanger away. Remove the clips with the metal rod they are attached to. The clips slide along the metal bar. They can be used as bar clamps by sliding the clips toward each other and clamping the parts to dry(after gluing). I place portions of an old sink sponge between the "clamps" and the wood so round or odd shaped objects are contour fitted. I have also removed the clips but kept a small amount of the rod inside the clip and also use them as small minimum pressure clamps. In this configuration they can also be used as bar clamps by clamping a long piece (construction strips) of wood between the rubber tips and using the upper portions of the clamps as the compressing clamp

DrBob...Delray Beach, FL..

Wallpaper: I am going to remind people, especially new people to the hobby, to BEWARE of the random pattern wall paper.

It is not always as random as you think when you look closely. Just cut 2 walls wrong---those pretty flowers did have stems after all, and they had a specific direction. The hint to buy 3 sheets of paper per room is good. That's why I buy 4.

Carol

Color matching: Mary Lynne: "For some reason, the paint I chose for my woodwork (which I very carefully matched to the leather wing chair) does not match the wing chair at all in the picture." Here is some information that might be of use. First, it may be the film that you use that causes colors not to match. Secondly, it may be the light.

Daylight is comprised of all colors of the spectrum mixed together. If you have ever moved to the window in a department store to appraise the "true" color of a garment or other object, it is probably because you don't trust the electric light...and that's probably wise. Many electric lights do not emit all the colors (wavelengths) and are not full spectrum like daylight. Consequently, they will not render object color well if they are not emitting that color. To put it simply, color is how you light it.

Incandescent light is great with reds, but weaker with blues. Some fluorescent lights render colors poorly and some newer types are excellent. Other lighting systems, like you see in warehouse type stores (example: Home Depot) may have what is called HID light sources. Most of them don't render colors well, although there are some high color rendering types available. Lastly, sometimes colors match under one type of light source but not another. They are called metameric pairs.

Many people think a great deal about color, but may not consider the lighting. Based on the information above, designers know that blue color schemes, illuminated solely by incandescent lighting- no daylighting or other lighting added- will not be as vibrant as seen in daylighting and some other types of light bulbs. The blues will "gray down".

I want to put attractive lighting fixtures in my lights in my dollhouse, but I also expect to have a (very) soft wash of light from outside the house, from a narrow flood light- not too much light that it washes out the mini lights inside. Not only will it allow us to see the details inside, it will help to illuminate areas where I have used dark finishes and colors.

Kathy from Tustin

Zap-a-Gap is cyanoacrylate or "super glue".What it is most useful for is assembly of light, non-porous or semi-porous materials (ceramic, leather, cork, wood and so on). It generally works best at temps of between 70-100 deg F. Some slower cyanoacrylates require the use of an "accelerator" that is normally sprayed on one surface prior to bonding. Zap-a-Gap is normally used as is, without an accelerator.

Brian, Roundwood Studio

Alligator clips: Alligator clips are one of my favorite tools! They are metal and are kind of like small pinchinhable clothes pins with teeth. You can get them in the automotive department at Wal- Mart or at Radio shack.Radio Shack has more sizes and styles to choose from, but are a tad more expensive. Still cheap considering how great they are for clamping tiny things together. The clips with the teeth will make little dents in some things, so get some of the flat ones (with no teeth) also.

Ginger in Sunny Arizona

Acrylic paints: It can be diluted when still wet to a degree that it looks just like water colors. I do that when making rubber stamped greeting cards and the result is really marvelous compared to the pens we normally use... but a lot more work

Jeanette in Wisconsin

Acrylic paint, I stand my little bottles upside down jammed together into a tray. That way, any air in the bottle dries out the bottom of the paint. Keeps the top bit good

Heather in Toronto

Clips and Clamps: Many inquires about various ways to hold 'while the glue dries' Clothes Pins are the all time favorite. Combine with rubber bands and you extend the usefulness to infinity.

Plastic bag (potato chip) clips. Great for long things.. Light spring. Watch the teeth, a bit of padding required occasionally.

Hair Clips. (the ones with small curved teeth) come in all sizes, good for many things, very cheap! If teeth break off, use them for furniture legs.

Small clamps from Hardware store: Be careful of extraordinary strength. Some can crush a mini. But all in all very nice. A bit pricey in some areas.

Alligator Clips: Electrical supply stores... got teeth, pretty strong...

Hair Clips - aluminum : Some are long and curved, some short (for pin curls - anyone remember pin curls?) Also good for heat sinks. .Bendable to customize holding ability.

Hair Pins and Bobby Pins: Good for some things. Handy to keep a few around.

Books: Great to stack against a 90 degree angle to hold. Also very useful for weight (yard sales - Library sales) choose for weight... content is a bonus if you're interested. A shelf of weighty tomes is impressive to visitors that take them as a sign of intelligence -a common misinterpretation.

Magnetic board: Sold for high price at mini and craft stores. Cheap and easy substitute is steel enamel plate (decorative) found in kitchen departments (used beneath hot pots on counter) coupled with cheap magnets from dollar store. Will hold nearly anything in an odd or unusual position if you get enough magnets. Most refrigerators have a few parked in forgotten places.

Tape: The usual method, but be aware that leaving overnight on raw wood can leave residue, not to mention it's sometimes permanently affixed to the object. . an unexpected and unpleasant surprise.

Bungee Cords: Light one, See Rubber Bands.

Bed pillows and upholstered furniture. May slide or slump before glue sets, Also be careful not to glue object to the couch. A warning sign like 'Wet Paint' might avert an unaware sitter. . .

Double sided Sticky tape: Some of this stuff really STICKS! Be careful!

Pots and pans can sometimes be used, as well as coffee cups and other appropriate dishes. Various glassware is useful for drying curved objects into proper shape, combine with rubber bands for good results.

Dresser Drawers are good for holding edges, making right angles in mat board and other neat shapes. Wet material, shut in drawer edge and leave overnight.

Judie

Add Acrylic paint ;extender to your palette paint. Its usually located with acrylics in most craft/hobby shops. Extender works to make you paint go on smoother and not dry as quickly - much better than water. I first started using it when I began decorative painting and has become a stable with my paint supplies. Hope this helps.

Dianna

Other temporary "Glue clamps"

Stationary clamps. The black, spring steel ones from office supply stores (or just from the office) Several sizes, very strong, very useful

Old fashioned screw type earring clamps

Springy strips of wood pressing into baseboards and other moldings at one end and propped against a corner or an opposite wall of the room setting

Coil springs bent to open the coils along one side while parts to be held are inserted.

The fingers of an overeager "helper".This secures some parts and protects others from alternative mischief. Hold this about 20 minutes until the Tacky glue sets up

My precision challenged wife considers that my 60 year old micrometer is a very fancy c-clamp

My strongest clamp is the garage door with the safety reversing sensor disabled. (NOT recommended but it sure do work good)

Mel K.