Artwork: I just received a new catalog called Victorian Papers - and it is full of gorgeous artwork and colorful tiny stickers that are perfect for mini greeting cards, book covers, etc. Just looking through it, creative juices start flowing! I can think of all kinds of projects to make. Their website address is http://www.victoriantradingco.com

Paulette in IN

Apothecary Jars & Guillotine's: Please excuse me while I enthuse a bit: I just received a custom porcelain order from Marsha at Porcelain Fantasies, http://www.porcelainfantasies.com/

I think I got her link off of Small Stuff, so I think it only fair that I share her wonderful work. 18the century apothecary jars are not easily come by, in any scale, and Marsha was extremely receptive and forthcoming with my odd requests (a leech jar, a barber/bleeding bowl, jars of laudanum etc).
http://www.sepulchritude.com/miniatures/ginlane/jars.html

These were all made to my specifications from blanks that she currently makes, some have slight alterations. She let me send her a bunch of pictures with examples + all the wording etc. Ooo, she was also extreeeemely comunicative during the process, firing off occasional emails letting me know what stage my order was in. Very comforting. And she also took pictures and emailed them to me as soon as they were done. I nearly wept, I tell you.

ALSO, regarding Guillotines ...
(just give me an excuse to bring 'em up) In the 60's Aurora models released the "Chamber of Horrors Guillotine", a plastic model that was quickly pulled from the market. They currently fetch a pretty price. But a couple years ago Polar Lights rereleased it (under $20 with retro packaging and all), and it is 1:15 scale (9 inches tall), I believe. I've had one for awhile ... Next project will be to come up with a way to tastefully, lovingly, and perhaps humorously create a setting for the beast. Well, "tasteful" is subjective I suppose. The Polar Lights Site:
http://www.playingmantis.com/pl/products_details.php?productid=125

they also have other nifty models ...
A site that sells the models: http://www.phoenix-model.com/polar_lights.htm

Kallisti

ATTENTION SPORTS FANS!: This alert is for Cincinnati Reds fans but may apply to others. Today's Cincinnnati Enquirer included a catalog of Reds merchandise with lots of mini potential. The autographed photo of the Big Red Machine, including Pete Rose in less notorious days, will find a place in my house. Posters, banners, photos, logos sized to decoupage on mugs. If the Reds have a catalog like this, I'm sure the other teams and sports do too, so if you need such items for a shop or kids' room, it may pay to contact them. This one was published the the Reds' "Merchandise Dept." at the stadium.

Loretta.Sniarowski

Bruce Steinke's Quarter Scale Furniture:
http://www.bjminis.com

144 scale Lodge/cabins: - I made the two-story "lodge" form a Northeastern Scale Models kit, then decided to design the rest myself. On the ones I designed, the roofs lift off and they are divided into rooms that copy the floor plans of various cabins I have vacationed in over the years. This was the very first mini scene I ever made, then I moved up to 1" scale! A good railroad hobby store was indispensable in providing the small scale milled siding, windows & doors, landscaping materials, etc. I used N-Scale things, as they seemed closest to the 1/144 that I needed. The lodge, the people and the car are the only things in the scene that were not my own design.

Chris in Minnesota

Beginners: It was so nice to see several letters from beginners in the latest digest. I hope they'll feel welcome in the mini world. I would offer a warm welcome, but some of us have already had all the warmth we want the last few days. A warm welcome to those in the southern hemisphere, anyway.

In my new website, http://francesarmstrong.homestead.com,I have a section specially meant for beginners. I had in mind those who were interested in smaller scales, but much of what's there applies to any scale. Even in 1/12 scale we try to reproduce things like pens, soap, jewellery, fruit and so on, when the results are smaller than our fingernails, and there can be problems gluing, cutting, painting or even picking up these things.

I've tried to provide links between pages to make exploring the site easier, and I'd love some feedback on whether the links are working. In return I hope even non-beginners will find something of interest. I'm adding new stuff all the time.

Frances Armstrong, Erin, Ontario

1/2" scale bricks: I think this as a cost effective alternative to make the bricks you want.
A real life brick is 8" long. X 4"deep X 2 1/2" high; translated into 1/2" scale this means we work with 1/16's of an inch. You do the conversion Real bricks have a smooth side and a rough side.
Concept: On a piece of wax paper, pour (for plaster) or roll out (for clay) the thickness that would be the thickness of the brick.( the height dimension) Fit a Jewelers saw with a piece of steel wire in place of the blade. Clay is easier.
If you want smooth face brick, do nothing to the surface. If you want rough face brick; select the grit of sandpaper that will give you the roughness you want in scale and press it on to the surface of the clay. Use the wire in the Jewelers saw to cut the clay to make bricks in the dimension that you want. Harden the clay. I am avoiding the words Polymer or air dry clay. You take your choice. Remove from the wax paper and use as brick.
I feel that air dry clay may be the simplest to work with for this project. More cost effective also.

DrBob...Delray Beach, FL.

Reference material: I have found a site that may help with visual references, (whist planning, building and finishing projects). - I am sure someone was asking about barns and architecture fairly recently. Any way it is available at: http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/

Most, if not all of the counties of England are available, are many"eras " of historical architecture. (and there are some great pictures too!) The site belongs to English Heritage and is added to frequently. I hope this helps someone out there with ideas.

Chris, from Lancs. UK

Roombox: I would use foamboard as walls in the "box house" you're making..lightweight, easy to cut, easy to finish...can't think of any reason I wouldn't use it, in fact. My colonial kitchen is made exclusively of it (shell). I glued wood "paneling" on the kitchen walls and just painted the 2 closet walls to look like wood.

Rita Pierce

Realistic tent: Last year I made a 1/2 inch camping scene for my grandson. I, too, had trouble trying to make a tent. Finally I took two square, thin pieces of basswood. glued them together in the form of a triangle and, when the glue was dry, I glued green cloth on the outside, also covering the open back triangle for the back of the tent. I left the front open, but glued narrow "hems" of the green fabric to the inside of the wood structure. This type is usually referred to as a "pup" tent. The camping scene turned out very well, and you can't tell the tent has a wood underpinning unless you touch it. Hope this helps.

Mary in MS

Fabric awnings in front of stores: What worked for me was to sculpt the basic shape in air dry clay over a wood frame. Work in all the sags, wrinkles, pulls and stress lines. When dry, seal with waterproof spray paint then drill many, many, many, many very small holes through the form, especially inside the wrinkles and such.

Lay selected fabric over the form, soak with sugar starch, then trim edges slightly oversize. The "softer" the fabric the better. Even if a bit transparent, you can make it opaque later with interior paint. Wash out all sizing. Overlay that with clear plastic just slightly over size. Press as best as you can and tape the plastics edges completely. The "back side" of the drilled holes should NOT be covered with this plastic layer.

Put the whole kit and caboodle into a plastic bag. Tape the opening of the bag to the hose of a shop vacuum cleaner. Turn on the vacuum to suck air and moisture out of the bag. It will suck the awning (tent) fabric snugly to the form through all those tiny holes. Let run for a while (30 minutes or so). Twist the bag to set the seal before turning off the vacuum and let sit overnight.

After you open the bag, CAREFULLY peel away the plastic cover and allow the sugar starch to completely dry before removing from form. You may find it necessary to peel a bit, let dry, peel a bit, let dry, etc. Spray a couple of very light coats of flat (dull coat) sealer to separate the sugar from insect temptations. Give a final trim to edges. (Note: Alternative favorite starches may be used. You may also choose to spray Pam or such on the plastic overlay to prevent the starch from sticking).

Reuse the form to support fabric while gluing matched narrow ribbon or flattened embroidery floss as "seams", edging, loops, etc. Build a support framework out of 14 gauge copper wire or such.

Mel K.