Glue Bowls: funny you should ask about glue bowls. Judie from Daytona recently wrote to me to ask if I knew anything about them and I had never heard of them. Then she wrote back to tell me she had found the web site about them:
http://members.tripod.com/~PhyllisJoy/me/project6.html

Alice Zinn

Archaic Fitness Devices: When I read your message I was reminded of a movie which took place in a Health Spa or Sanitarium (not sanatorium) owned by Mr. Kellog. It is called "The Road to Wellville". They had many interesting archaic fitness devices and watching it may be of some help to you. It was a satire on the "American cults of hygiene, nutrition and cleanliness" at that time. I also remembered all the different contraptions in my old Sears Roebuck and other catalogs that would also be good reference books for older exercise devices.

Jean Day

Wire Hangers: I don't remember who asked about wire for clothes hangers. Paper clips (the colored ones) seem to work OK. Floral wire seems to be about the same thickness -- would that work for you?

Kay in Ottawa

Padded Clothes Hangers: the latest Dolls House World had a simple idea for modern padded coat hangers that might work for you. For each one, you need a chenille stem (pipe cleaner), preferably a decorative color, and a pierced earring finding, the kind with an open wire hook-type hanger. Remove the jump ring intended to attach pendants to the hook and slip the chenille stem through the wire loop where the jump ring was. Center the loop in the middle of the stem and fold the ends to meet in the center -- trim ends to shorten if the stem is too long. Glue the ends to the center, and you have a padded hanger. Decorate with lace rosette, flower, etc., where hook and hanger meet if you want.

Loretta Sniarowski

Wire Hangers: Hardware stores aren't the only places to hunt for good wire. Try Michael's/Total Crafts/Pearl bead section and look for wonderful coated wires on thread sized spools in beautiful colors. They will also have traditional wires in small scale. Since I bought hangers in pink, blue and green for my own clothes the little folks are free to have them too. Trac Auto also has various wires you could try out.

Laurie Sisson

Wire Hangers: I use 28 gauge black wire, found in many craft stores to make wire hangers. If you are going to make a lot of them, it pays to make yourself some kind of a jig to bend them. I cut a piece of hard wood (not balsa) the shape of the interior of the hanger. Bend wire around it with ends overlapping at the top, twist ends with a pliers, pop off of jig, cut one twisted end close to the twist and bend the other into the proper curve with a jeweler's pliers (or around a small dowel) so they will be uniform.

Alice Zinn

Using Empty Capsules: Shirley asked about using emptied vitamin capsules. I have used them several ways over the years:

One half of the capsule is good for old-fashioned soda glasses or dessert cups when placed inside a jewelry finding for the holder.
In quarter scale I used them (glued inside a base)
- - as hurricane globe with candle inside
- - to hold lemons and limes on kitchen counter
- - to hold tiny shells and soaps in bathroom
- - to hold iridescent beads representing Christmas balls
- - turned upside down to enclose teensy dome scene, bird, or figurine made from railroad person
Both halves together are good for:
- - storing the tiniest beads, Fimo candy and fruit slices, etc.
- - holding tiny lipsticks and other cosmetics that get lost so easily
- - in the compact toolbox I take to club meetings one holds sequin pins, another sequins, one with tiny gold beads, one with silver (I'm always using these for something) and far more uses than I can think of at the moment. And you are right; it is important to keep them away from dampness.

I actually bought a box of unused capsules from the druggist. If you live near a feed and grain place you can buy the giant horse capsules, too, although they are not as clear. A box of those will hold lots of beads, small findings, etc. The salesman there looked at me somewhat suspiciously at first, asking what I wanted them for. When I explained, he said druggies often used them. I didn't even want to ask him how.

Wanna in El Paso

Wine Goblets: I have painted vitamin capsules with tinted nail varnish, clear will do as well. Paint the capsule inside and out, they can be made into wine goblets. Glue one to a bugle bead, the bead to a sequin. I have only painted mine so far, this was an idea from a friend.

Gloria in Australia

Record Albums: unless your part of Canada has urbanized in 40 years (since I went through), it's probably quite a trip to a city large enough to have a party or cake supplies store. But if one is in range, check them for cake decor and party favors. Sometimes you find little Baggies with ready-made records, solo or with little plastic molded record players. The favor manufacturers haven't upgraded to CDs yet! If that won't work, if there's a fabric store around, look for buttons with a groove design. You could roll out some Sculpey or Fimo, use the button for a template and to press in the grooves, and then bake as many "albums" as you need. If all else fails and you give up on perfect authenticity, the http://www.printmini.com site has paper records (and CDs). Glued to either side of a black foamie sheet, they'll do in a pinch.

Loretta Sniarowski

Record Albums: Most party shops carry the little packets of plastic records that are just the right size. You can make your own using a piece of Bristol board. (art dept. of your hobby shop) Mark your circle. Don't cut it out. Use coins, buttons or a template to fill your circle with more rings. Use a stylus, sharpened wood stick, and meat skewer to trace around your patterns and create your record grooves. Paint your record with one coat of black acrylic paint. Now, you may cut out your work. I would make several light cuts. This will give you a cleaner edge. When released from the main board, you may file the edges with the fine side of an emery board. Make your record labels on the computer and glue them to the board with acid free glue.

Becky Holliday