Hair Salon equipment: Try www.jlbminiatures.co.uk They have modern electrical equipment as well as specialist stuff for hair salon, hospitals, shops and offices.

Jane in Warwickshire, UK

Artist's Canvases: I have a set of canvases in various degrees of use done by Jeannetta Kendall. You can see them at http://www.spminiatures.com/athpaintset.htm They're at the bottom of the page.

Carol

Artist's canvas: I recommend the use of cambric fabric. This is the stuff that roller window blinds used to be made of -- they are now plastic. It has a very tight weave that really resembles canvas in miniature. I do stenciling and wall murals professionally and use this for samples or for the finished product which is then adhered to the wall. The hard part of this is "Where can you get it?" The only place I know of is Indiana Coated Products and they sell it in HUGE rolls -- much too much for mini folks. If you contacted them and explained your needs, they might be able to supply end cuts or scraps. It doesn't take much to make a mini canvas or floor cloth. For a studio, I would suggest making some stretchers and stretch some and would also have some in rolls. The cambric does not have to be primed and also works beautifully if you can paint mini pictures (I haven't been able to reduce my eye to that level yet).

Leigh Hill in Delaware

Telescope: I have a couple of modern ones from Nantasy Fantasy on my site at http://www.spminiatures.com/nfpieces.htm They're at the bottom of the page.

Carol

Telescopes: We carry telescopes on a tripod www.dollhouseportal.com Look on page 52 of the metals section. It has to be painted and finished. Hope it helps. http://www.dollhouseportal.com

Terri in SW Florida

golf stuff: For the lady looking for mini golf stuff. Sheila Seme, 34643 Sunward Loop Sephryhills, FL 33541 (Email gpage@innet.com) makes wonderful golf clubs and bags. Hopefully she still makes them, and that the above address is still good because if I remember correctly, her prices were exceptionally good. If you were a Dolls and Miniatures subscriber, you'll see some of her work in the Summer 98 issue, beginning on page 63.

Viola

Stiffening the inside of a Basketball: I think I'd try cutting one and then putting the soft carcass into a bowl. Line it with fabric dipped in that stiffener and then inflate a balloon inside to hold it in place. Let dry for a couple of days, then pop the balloon. This might stick the balloon to the inside as well, but that's not a problem. Just paint it.

I've seen deflated basketballs and footballs before, they're not exactly without form, but kinda tough - a bit of encouragement to hold their shape might be achieved even by stuffing a plastic grocery sack with stuffing of some kind against glue covered fabric, then unstuff in a couple of days to see what it does

Judie

Marbling is harder to describe than do. Many of the DIY books have instructions. Short version: choose a base color, a couple of related, slightly darker shades, and one dark shade for the veins. Example: cream, tan, light brown, and burnt umber. I use standard acrylics from WalMart.

Paint the base color, let dry. Pour a small puddle of each darker shade on a disposable palette (clean meat tray, paper plate). Dampen a small sponge in water and wring out, dab it in one of the darker shades, and then dab on the palette till it's fairly dry and leaves only faint sponge marks. Sponge them randomly all over the fireplace. Repeat in some areas if you want more intense color. Rinse and wring out sponge, dab in second darker shade and repeat, sponging in some new spots, overlapping the first sponging in others, and leaving small areas showing base coat.

While the sponged layers are still slightly damp, use a very fine brush (some people use feathers) to lightly trail veining randomly across the piece -- don't overdo at first, you can add more if it looks too sparse.

If you don't like the effect, keep dabbing on alternating thin layers of the base, accent colors, and veins till it looks right --marbling is really forgiving and hard to mess up as long as you use a light hand! When you're satisfied with the look, let it dry. If you want to tone it down a bit, dab a final layer of very diluted brown wash over the piece, gently blot, and let dry again. Finally, spray a coat of matte acrylic to protect your creation.

For fantasy effects you can even use wild colors not found in natural marble -- pale lavender base, dark lavender and purple sponging, gold veins! All metallic with silver base, gold and copper sponging, silver and black graphite veins! Marbling is fun to play with.

Loretta.Sniarowski

Rug Kits: For beautiful carpet kits, I highly recommend Orientals Expressed. http://mywebpage.netscape.com/orientalsxpressd/home.html

Michelle has some gorgeous designs in various sizes. If you dont want to pay $50+ for a kit, you can purchase just the chart, and furnish your own canvas and threads. Further, for a mere $15, Michelle will adapt one of her designs to suit your color and size requirements. You can send her a scan of your wallpaper, and she'll use colors to match. Before she completes the design, she'll send you a bit of it, to make sure that you like it, and if not, she'll make adjustments with color, etc. So, for $15, you get a custom designed chart to make the perfect carpet for your space.

Jonathan in Israel

Pumpkin Lamps: For those who are looking for lit pumpkins - we have some for sale on our web site. http://www.grandadsplayroom.com

Wiring & Lighting Instructions:We have written our own wiring diagram leaflet,written in non-technical language! AND we make and sell lighting for the Georgian/Medieval/Tudor periods to Victorian. http://www.grandadsplayroom.com or e-mail for advice on grandad@grandadsplayroom.com

Nanny Joyce