Needlework supplies: Silk Gauze, etc: I always kind of hesitate to "advertise" on SS, but just thought I would let everyone know that I, too, have gauze (32, 40 and 54 count) along with 22 count monocanvas, 24 count Congress cloth, and various and sundry small count cross stitch fabrics. Also, I've recently made arrangements with Joan Adams (the designer of the Aubusson rug that I show on my site that everyone always writes and says "where can I get that pattern?"!) to sell her patterns at shows and/or from my website. She has been finding it difficult to keep up with her needlework business since she broke her arm, and after I told her how much interest that one rug generates, she agreed to let me offer her rug patterns. I received the first set of patterns last week and already sold about half of those, so I will be replenishing my supply, and hope to try and get some pictures scanned and posted to my site very soon. http://www.angelfire.com/wv/minipix

Mary Lynne in Huntington, WV

Artisan chairs: PHYL in Kentucky asked about artisans who make chairs. My personal favorite is Colin Bird in England, although I don't know about French country, but these are wonderful works of art. Worth a look even if, like me, you are just looking.
http://www.colinbird.co.uk/index.shtml

Barbara B in South Africa

Great Halfscale (1/24th scale) website: I just received my first order from Kathy Thomas' new halfscale (1/24th scale) website and am a happy camper! The order was packaged great, complete and came very quickly!

As a halfscaler, I'm thrilled to have an easily available website devotetd to halfscale (1/24th) products and building components, so I hope anyone out there who's interested in halfscale will think about this site when there's something you need.

I don't know Kathy, but I've heard she plans to continue to add to her inventory as her business grows, so I thought I'd offer a satisfied "customer testimonial" to help her out! http://www.halfscaleminis.com

Debra

Yogurt cups in minis: i started a scene in a cup. I cut an opening in the side put the cover on and build a scene in it. id say it would be about 1/4 or 1/2 size. I have so many of them I have them tucked all over the house. I agree on the things small.

Claire

Pharmacy Ideas: I purchased a book in a home decorating shop that opens in the middle to make a pharmacy scene for my son and daughter in law. I cut an opening and added a bay window for one side where I made a display of an ancient pharmacy book made by Barbara from South Africa. She does beautiful work and her prices are very reasonable. Her site is: http://www.bbminiatures.homestead.com

Juanita in Missouri

Pharmacy Ideas: I find that making a room box sometimes isn't as appreciated by a non-miniaturist as we wish and then WE'RE the one disappointed. However, it would be great to make a shadow box that could include a miniaturized photo of her diploma, photo in graduation garb, miniature morter and pestle, tiny medicine bottles/pill containers, perhaps even an antique medicine bottle, not to scale but most old pharmacy bottles are, by their nature, small...you can usually find at antique shops and shows for about $10, sometimes with raised printing naming the pharmacy and location. Background could be a lightly Xeroxed crest of the school she graduated from. I've found that many non-miniaturists become intrigued with this kind of introduction to our hobby. Whatever you do, don't make it a dust catcher. Sometimes a book end can be that.

Molly Cromwell

Pharmacy items. I have quite a few (including mortar and pestles) on my website at http://www.spminiatures.com/doctor.htm

Carol

Pharmacy Ideas: When I was growing up, all the pharmacists had these magnificent bottles and decanters in their windows, filled with colored liquids (vivid blue seems to stand out in my mind; fuscia and maybe red or yellow). I never knew what those were for, or what they did, but they were beautiful in a child's eyes, and I thought they could heal the world!

Dollladie

Pharmacy Ideas: i was thinking of some ideas and thought i would pass them along... you need make one of those pill counters.. they are just flat piece of plastic and on one side is a curved (U) pieced of plastic connected to the other piece of plastic..the counter looks likes a cake icing spatula lol no joke! LOL well at least they used too! Kinda long and was metal..Need some bags to put the prescriptions in and maybe some little labels for the bags and maybe some get well soon cards for under the counter and a computer and printer and a telephone and a calendar and clock and some prints for the wall, a little display on the counter of misc items like lip balm or clippers or nose pads..a lot of pill bottles and lotions and liquid bottles.. now in a pharmacy the bottles that are in the back are the ones that they come in and the empty bottles are under the counter where they stand, that they used to give out prescriptions.

If you are going to have shelves out front like at WalMart, then you need a wide variety of stuff like all kinds of headache stuff, slim fast stuff, diet stuff, vitamins of all kinds and birth control stuff, eye glasses and a blood pressure machine, first aid stuff..

I would go to a couple different drug stores and check them out what they all have.. Take a pencil and paper and write it down.. and if you know your pharmacist ask him or her some of the other odds and ends in the back... ohhh on the door that separates the public and the pharmacy have a hanger for a medical coats or smocks.. not sure what they wear there.. maybe in the back have a lunch bag with a soda on the counter?? Just some ideas..

JenniferKY

Tea Shop Furniture: We made a half-scale tea shoppe in a teapot once for a state day. I, too, thought there would be plenty of room for everything I wanted to put in it. I only planned on two tables, each with two chairs but ran out of space. I ultimately cut the front legs off the chairs and glued them real close to the tables (had used table cloths that came to the floor) so it took much less space and once you glued them in place, you were all set. Now, I'm not going to claim that I thought of this, since I didn't, but it sure did work well for me.

Dottie in Tucson