PaperClay 'Doll': Marianne asked about clothing dolls with this. I had wanted an old looking figure for a roombox so, just for fun, I cut a pic of a female figure from a mag article that featured crèche dolls. I sprayed the paper w/ a sealer first, wadded up some PaperClay and pressed it around the figure so it would appear 3-dimensional, tucking it in at the waist, pushing it out from the sides and back for the skirt and forming a ball at the top for the head and hair. I checked the PaperClay site and found that it could be baked to hasten the drying process. After it cooled thoroughly, I glued the paper to the form. (I think I used YES glue.)

I sanded it w/ an emery board (the large ones are great and can be trimmed to fit in tight spaces) to shape it up and used washes to try to match the costume and hair, as close as possible. Of course the whole front is still flat but if turned at an angle in the rear of a project, it will work. I placed an old bucket in her 'hand', which gives the figure more 'life'. Also, I think leaving just a slight edge of clay around the paper makes it blend together better. Some of the paper features can be highlighted w/ just a little bit of paint for effect. It sure was a lot of fun !!

Theresa Thomas

Making Mannequins Out Of Torsos From 7" Dolls - your finished project will be a little larger than regular scale, but don't let that stop you. The torsos should work fine. Your main problem will be attaching the torso to a base. I assume it has holes where the legs fit in, so you may need to fill in with putty or clay (and then bake) to attach to a dowel rod or some kind of pole for a stand. Then the bottom of the dowel or pole can be super-glued to a large metal washer or button for the base of the stand. Or you could make a tube out of plastic (like you would use for fake windows) and glue around the hips, and this would make a stand that would go all the way to the floor. (I assume you'll be doing long skirts, so it wouldn't be seen) Even posterboard would work for this. Probably you won't want to make it any taller than 6" overall, and 5 1/2 " at the shortest (figuring from the measurements you gave) I would not leave the arms on, since headless mannequins don't usually have arms, and it's easier to glue sleeves onto the shoulders of a Mannequin, rather than trying to fit them onto straight arms already attached to the mannequin. Good luck!

Paulette Stinson in Indiana

Torso: Missed the original e-mail for who was making a torso, I presume for a dress makers dummy. I'm a total beginner with little to work with this is how I did it.

First I made a mould from clay then I made a shell out of paper mache front and back separately then I joined the two together with more paper and glue, leaving an opening at the top and placing a doweling rod at the bottom and paper mache around it when dry place doweling into a button or support of some sort and fill the shell with plaster cast. when set cover with stocking fabric eyelet for neck section. Or finish how you like. I'm really happy about mine.

Carol Downunder

How to split threads. I am not real well coordinated. But I tried the method that was suggested where you lay the threads down and pull out how many you want. I tried this several time and always end up with a mess. In case there are others like me I am going to try to explain the way I do it. I hold the thread and anchor the number of pieces I want between the middle finger and my palm. I anchor the rest between my fore finger and thumb. With my other hand I insert my fore finger in the Y of the thread and anchor the rest with empty fingers. I then pull my finger down through the thread till I reach the end, It is now separated. Hope this makes sense.

Lee Ann in Roanoke Va.

Remove The Shine: Here's a suggestion for how to remove the shine from your slate roof: You might try the trick of using India ink mixed with rubbing alcohol. Whenever I've applied a light coating of this, it normally dulls the surface so it's not quite so shiny. Might want to try it on a piece of scrap to see if that works in a way you like.

George Held

Remove The Shine: To take the shine off your slate roof, go to the train store and ask for a spray can of Dull Coat, this will give it the dull appearance of slate that you are looking for. Hope it works for you.

Maxine from London, Canada

Holding things to paint: For holding dishes, and other little things, for painting: one of the best things I found was a little blue-tack (also called fun-tack, quake hold, etc) on top of a golf tee. Put the blue tack on the top of the tee, the dish on the blue tack, and you can hold by the rest of the golf tee. When you're done, you can put it in a piece of packing foam to hold it to dry as you go on to the next dish.

Trish in Sunnyvale, CA

painting small items

Holding things to paint: When painting tiny items, try wrapping double sided masking tape around a popsicle stick about 15 or 20 times. Place the items on the tape to keep them in place while you are painting them. When done you can unwrap the part of the tape that has paint on it and tear it off. Then you are ready to go again.

Shani Nelson

Brush size: I use 10/0 and 18/0 rounds for all the handpainting of flowers and such and for teensy trim on and around the furniture and houses. Usually Cornell. I also use #2 flat that is about 1/8" wide. I notice for some reason beyond me that different brands use the same numbers for larger brushes. I probably always use a smaller brush than I would have to but I do like them. I buy them at Michael's or Hobby Lobby or sometimes at shows.

Fannye in TX

Brush size: The smallest brush I have (can't imagine a smaller one) is an "American Painter" 1740 sable Spotter, made in Sri Lanka. I bought it either at Ames or WalMart, I think. It's perfect for applying glue to furniture kits; will put a tiny dot in a hole and make a fine line of glue on edges. It's been very durable, too.

Hilda Hardcastle