Gluing shingles: I have been building miniature houses for over 20 years and have never used anything other than white glue to attach shingles. In that entire time I think there might have been less than a dozen shingles that warped. Anyone familiar with Noel and Pat Thomas will find that they also use white glue to attach shingles. I just recent finished a RGT front opening kit for a customer and used shingles supplied by RGT. They were very thin (1/32") split pine shingles and as usual I used ordinary white glue and out of approximately 1400 shingles applied only 3 of them warped and then only slightly. I apply a thin line of white glue just below the pencil line I have put down and a thin line of glue along the top edge the already applied row of shingles. According to how long the row of shingles is I wait a few seconds or so for the glue to set and then start the next row of shingles. I also stain or weather the shingles after they have dried for a couple of days. To prevent the possible loosening of the shingles, an alcohol base weathering solution should be used. A good one is made by dissolving a little India ink in alcohol.

Garry Cosine

Warped Shingles: If you want to un-warp shingles use a hair dryer. This will flatten out the shingles in no time. Learned from a friend who called Northeastern regarding warping 1/4" dollhouse kits. I also seal the shingles that come in sheets prior to extracting them from the pattern board. I live in Florida. Yes, shingles do have a tendency to warp no matter what glue you use. Mainly the more water in the glue (as in Elmers regular white glue), the more the shingles will warp.

Rhonda in Florida

Microbrush: Very very fine plastic applicators with a minute bit of fuzz on the ends. Ends taper into a needle point. 10 applicators in pkg. for $1.49. Handles are dead ringers for 1/2 scale bed posts.. They have a web site: http://www.microbrush.com I haven't used them yet, but did open the package and finger one. Neat thing! I think they'll work just fine. Washable too if used with washable stuff.

Judie

Yellow Rain Slicker: There is an easier way of making those little yellow rain slickers and without sewing! Use one finger of a yellow rubber glove to cut the slicker from and then use small black hooks and eyes glued down the front for the closures. Makes a very convincing slicker. Cut off the finger approximately 1 1/2" from the tip of the glove. About 5/16 of an inch down from the tip of the finger cut horizontally int the front of finger until almost all the way through the glove finger, leave a "hinge to act as the flap that connects the "hood" of the slicker. Next, cut vertically down the center of the coat to create the opening. Make two little tubes out of a piece of the left over original glove material to make the sleeves. Glue sleeves and hooks on to slicker and you have it.

Marilyn, MI

Styrofoam cups: The tops to a lot of glue bottles (Tacky comes to mind) look a bit like Styrofoam cups when you sit them on their closed ends.

Janet in Baltimore

Bottle Caps: plenty of ways to use bottled drink caps. They make good planters; different flavors are different colors so you can coordinate them to room decor and to the type of plant. Glue one to the top of the wire cage used to secure champagne corks for a tall planter. Painted white, their grooved sides they look like the classic Corning casserole or soufflé dishes, so they make good containers for Fimo food. Find a clear plastic shank button that fits across the top for a lid, glue bead feet on the bottom, a sequin and bead control, and you have a mini crock pot. Many people also use them as the base for cakes, frosting with spackle and adding Fimo frosting flowers; you can also spackle and insert a sequin confetti "Happy Birthday" or "Congratulations" standing up on top. A bunch of them glued together and stood on end would copy the stacks of tubing others use to store brushes, mini lumber, etc., if you wanted to do a mini workshop. Start saving those caps and more uses will come to you!

Loretta Sniarowski

Bottle Caps: Take a pair of thin tweezers, and slip out <carefully> those little round inserts they put in the covers. They make marvelous picnic dishes. And I'm wondering if you couldn't paint and decoupage them for platters, being they are on a bit of the larger size. other then that ..make cakes. Put them on a platter... get some good puff paint, and go to town.. they are perfect cake size.

Beth in NH

Bottle Caps: You can make little foot stools and pin cushions out of them. Make like a tuffet. (spelling) Also if you put a few together and glue them to the height you like do this by two one stack for each side. Add gesso and paint decorate as you like. Then you can put a piece of glass, plastic or wood on top what ever you like to make a very nice desk. Then glue a few more together to make a nice stool for the desk. Add some cotton or a piece of foam to the seat and cover with fabric and trim with Bunka or ribbon. Make a nice vanity for a little girls room add satiny fabric, lace, beads and a nice bow to the front. Do the same to the stool. Cover the whole thing with fabric or leave the middle open for little feet. They look very pretty.

Leilani

Diapers: The size of "old-fashioned" nappies: Newborn size 22 x 22 inches, Regular size 28 x 28 inches. If you want to display it as folded nappies, it may be too bulky. Glue a piece of white fabric to a square of heavy duty tinfoil, fold in the raw edges, fold the nappy and display a stack somewhere in the scene.

Betsie

Mini Quilting Supplies: For quilting supplies in miniature, such as rotarycutters quilting squares, cutting mats, try

Sylvia Hansen
12 Scott Dr N
Broomfield, CO 80020
(303) 404-0054
sylhansen@cs.com

Trish in Sunnyvale, CA