Mini Knitting: I just started mini knitting too. I use no.20 needles . I ordered mine through the Dollshouse Draper in the UK. You will also find them at www.dollshouseworld.com it is the site of the magazine so you must go to their Craftclub for the needles. Their p and p can be high though, so watch before you order. I used DMC tatting thread no 80 so far. It comes in lovely colors and it is easy to work with. You can also use one ply wool but this often splits which makes it harder for beginners. DMC flower thread is also nice and I have even used ordinary darning wool.

Marianne

Mini Knitting: I notice a few postings about mini knitting. While my range is mainly for dolls from 5" to 20" I have recently added two patterns for minis - Diana and Joy. I have also just finished a new one for Kelly 4" - a lovely dress with pleated skirt, puffed sleeves and striped bodice. Will be posting photos to my web site www.daydreamswindow.co.nz next week. Have recently knitted my Joy pattern with no. 20 (1mm) knitting needles and DMC flower thread and it fits a 2-1/4" Hilda (or similar) beautifully. Will also be posting a photo of this one on a Janna Joseph Hilda baby.

Pam Jackson

Fairy Wings: we had angel tree ornaments at our last bazaar with the loveliest wings. The crafter had done the shapes with wire and stretched white pantyhose over them. They looked great. You could paint them, maybe with glass paint, to give them color.

Kay in Ottowa

Writing on cakes: I used a product called Scribbles 3-Dimensional Fabric Writer. It has a nice tiny opening & the bottles are small & easy to work with. Make sure the "frosting" has dried completely before you decorate. It comes in lots of colors.

Pam In St. Louis

Computer Desk: You asked about a computer desk. I make one that I also sell as a kit. Here is the link: http://www.miniature.net/sdkminiatures/compdesk.htm

Susan

Wing Back Chairs: I made wing back chairs using the instructions in How to Build Miniature Furniture and Room Settings by Judy Beals.

Chris W. in humid Minnesota

For aluminum, sometimes 'brass' covers, (or actually, you could get any finish with that metal finish Rub It, I think), use the buttons that are made to be covered with fabric. You can get them in all sizes, and the top piece is a bowl shape, and if you look for a punch that is used with leather, you can make neat teeny holes in the top part, and glue in lid ....what would you call them? Lid lifters? Or you can use them for bowls. You can even use the bottom parts of these buttons. Take a look at some.

MINIROSES

A good place for bicycles: As my BW and I were looking thru the toy area of our local Kmart, we found a set of bicycles in the toy section that seemed to be about 1"=1' scale. I based this on the fact my bicycle was rated as a 24" bike. The "toys" I saw were very close to that scale. I think they would work with anyone who wanted a 'bike in their display. There was even a "Bike Shop" set that had a lot of bike pieces that could be used in many ways for a room box

Dave Brazelton

Keeping the cats away:
1. Encase the house in Plexiglas and put house on a stand that cats can't get up on to get up on top of the house.
2. A run to keep the cats in while you are not at home
3. Spray the house with a "bad" odor (which to felines is usually citrus)
4. Keep everything in your very own room, under lock and key (keeps out the
yahoos who need to "find something" or to "store something, you have enough room in there") and you control who goes in or out.
5. Distract kitty. Buy cat furniture, liberally spray cat nip on them, and
show the cats how much better it is to sleep on and scratch their own stuff
(keep the cat's nails clipped, it reduces the need to rip into things)
Some of the ideas are less feasible than others. I think the Plexiglas solution would work best if you have room for it, but I would combine that with the distraction of the cat furniture. Mine used to go fiercely after furniture until we started buying cat furniture, and they exclusively sharpen on their stuff now, not mine. The fur on the shingles may be as simple as a hot day and excessive shed hair floating about, cat hair seems to go everywhere.

Kim From Canada

Keeping cats off: I would like to offer my suggestion for keeping cats off your dollhouse. My cat will not jump on anything that has an irregular surface or edge, so I lay crumpled newspaper on top of it. She cannot see to get her "footing" to jump and so stays off. It is lightweight and so won't damage anything, and if you're worried about ink transfer, maybe try crumpled white paper instead. When I don't need the paper it's easy enough to push the paper away (for me, it usually goes under the nearest armchair that has a skirt on the bottom to hide it.)

Sandra