½ Scale Doll Molds: Ellen in the UK wanted to know who sells and ships molds there - and wants 1/2 scale - I'm sure House of Caron has some molds in that scale - their web site is: http://www.houseofcaron.com

Paulette

Saving your sight: When I work on the really small silk gauze I put a dark or black piece of fabric on my lap. This allows me to see the holes in the gauze much easier.

Elise in Va

Tile Sealer: You might try using Deft Semi-Gloss spray on your tiles to seal them. Cut the tiles to fit your room then spray them before you glue them in. The more coats, the shinier they will be. I use two coats on the tile floors in my Southwest room boxes. Spray evenly and not too heavy. Several thin coats are better than 1 heavy coat. Let dry completely between coats. Sealing before grouting prevents the grout and water from penetrating the tiles and it also eases clean up of the grout. When the grout is completely dry, usually about 24 hours, you can spray one more time to bring the shine back to the tiles.

Spencer

Murals: Try a wallpaper book and look at the borders. I have a border in my real house that I used as a mural over chair rail in a Colonial house. It is 8 inches tall including a little plain border on each edge. But I cut it down formy house.

Martha Simpson

French knot rugs: There was a nice pattern and notes in an earlier Nutshell News about 5 years ago of a cat lying down with a border of flowers and a vine. Very nice indeed.

Trace a line drawing onto calico, put into a circular frame to hold the work firm and then stitch and stitch...your French knots until the whole surface is covered!!!! It will take time!!! I borrowed books from the library of rag rugs which gives some good ideas.

The Beatrix Potter books give some nice animals to try. A pattern from a tile catalogue can be used...make the rug 2ins x 3ins max. otherwise it will take forever, and use only say 5 or 6 colour of dmc One thread at a time.

Judith from wet Carterton, New Zealand

French knot rugs: I unfortunately do not have any patterns to offer, as I just draw on a piece of muslin with colored pencils and start knotting. I Usually looking at big people size rug to obtain the pattern. I would be happy to do custom orders if anyone was interested, (e-mail me privately tnt2075@prodigy.net ) just keep in mind they take a few weeks to complete.

For finishing I use an iron on embroidery backing after I fold in the edges, this also makes for a nice non-slip backing, so we have no doll accidents. There is nothing worse then a doll tripping and falling on one of my rugs. lol

Tasha in MN

French knot rugs: what I used in my rugs.... In the turtle rug I actually used silk embroidery ribbon, 4mm size. I wrapped the 4mm twice around the needle, if using larger 7mm size of the ribbon wrap only once. (the latter is tough for me as I get wrap happy) For the peapod rug I used DMC floss and generally I use two strands and wrap it twice. It all depends on the size of the "pile" you want. If you want to do something smaller like seat cushion I use one strand of floss. I find ribbon faster to work with but more spendy, it took about 16 cards of it for Mr. Turtle. You can't really tell the difference but the dolls tell me the silk is softer on their bare feet. (hehe) http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view? username=ministitchery

Tasha

Curtains and Valances From Sherise's Haunted Mansion: I'm still getting a curious amount of private mail about the curtains, and the valances, specifically in the poker room, and the nurses room, ( but the curtains are the same in the house throughout, maybe the picture in the poker room, or the nurses room, are better pictures, likely.) And outside of the people that I know first name, mostly on dollhouse miniatures, and this list, I don't know where they're listed so I'll generally answer on two lists. I don't want to appear rude by not answering the questions, or aloof, or act like I've got some great wonderful secret, I don't...it's really simple. An accidental kinda thing.

The "curtains" in the haunted mansion, are used fabric softener sheets, soaked in diluted white glue, and set (with a credit card and my Drivers License as carding) through a "pretty pleater". I really didn't buy them. That's all they are. Some of them I stretched and pulled to give the illusion of wear. I wanted a "fabric" that resembled lace, but everything was simply too bulky...it was unsuitable. I tried most everything I could think of, until I opened the dryer one day and figured...what the heck, worth a try ! The curtain rods are all made of metal ..I made them...(even on the French doors, front and back, and a small length of Victorian Bridal lace affixed to the rods (you really need the rods to give the illusion of dimension.) The greatest trick , I found was getting the curtains off the "pretty pleater" intact. Tough way to go. The delicate nature of the fibers in the softener sheets will lose the integrity of the draping if they are pulled harshly. I hope this answers those questions. But they've held up really well, and even upon close examination, people ask me where did you get such spider-like lace? I can only laugh, saying my boy was outside, getting dirty, playin' baseball. http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view? p=6&uid=482716&

Sherise

What do you do between floors: I use channel molding. That also hides the tapewire that I run up the back of the house. Make sure that the width of the channel is wide enough.

Carol

Painting spindles: If I had 30 spindles to paint (depending on size) I would insert a pin (any means of holding the spindle where the hole would not show) and dip it into the paint. Total immersion so to speak. Put a drip cloth under them when hung to dry.

DrBob...Delray Beach, FL