Cotton Pipe Cleaners: Marianne was looking for pipe cleaners which are suitable for bears and other animals. I have some made by The Chenille Craft Co. in Gurnee, IL 60031 , which are perfect for what you want. They come in a variety of colors, called giant cotton stems #5524 20 pieces 9mm x 12".

Lee from Melville, NY

Cotton Pipe Cleaners:Fred Aldous sells them in the UK his web site link page for pipe cleaners is http://www.fredaldous.co.uk/  Lots of different one. Cotton and chenille, different lengths and thicknesses. I bought some on impulse just before Xmas and they do not show the wire when bent. I was spoilt for choice on colour selection.

By the way it is a fun site. Lots of craft ideas. Staff very helpful. They do sell direct and also to craft shops in the UK. So they pack all their own stuff like this up them selves. Possible they will make you a pack with the colours you want.

Pauline UK

Giant Cotton Chenille Stems: Here's some sites where you may find what you want: http://www.grumpy.org.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_PIPECLEANERS_55.html  http://data.synasoft.com/chenillekraft/products.cfm?categoryid=111

http://www.fibrecraft.com/html/chenille.html  http://www.gy.com/product/601231%5Cindex.htm

Gerry

Wool felt: If anyone is looking for 100% wool felt, I just came upon a site that has it.   Wool felt works beautifully for making miniature hats, etc, because unlike the synthetic felt carried in most stores, it is soft and "mold-able". This company sells single squares and swatch packets at reasonable prices. The address is http://www.achildsdream.com/woolfelt.htm#Wool_Felt

Darlene from Long Island

Molds for miniature ceramics/porcelain: This message is for the person who wants miniature molds... try www.swallowhilldolls.com  I believe I got this link from ssd...looks very interesting!  They have molds for many different items including tea sets etc.

Kathy in Wisconsin

Ivy Vines - and other great stuff: For Ivy Vines and all kinds of brass foliage try Scale Link based in the UK. They don't carry 1/24th specifically, but lots of 1/12th and also  1/32.    http://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Scalelink_Etched_Brass_Frets_2.html

Lesley, South Africa

Tubing bender: Micro-Mark carries a mini tubing bender that should be just what you are looking for.   Check their catalog on line for this item.   Their web   site is http://www.micromark.com

Spencer

Reducing to 1/4" scale for 1" scale can be very simple, if you can find the right thickness wood.  Just divide everything by 4.   The problem arises from things like 3/8" plywood (which is usually only 11/32" thick), either way, it doesn't divide nicely into a standard plywood size.   For 1/4" scale structures, I usually us 1/4" plywood for the floors, and 1/8" plywood for the rest of it.  This makes a very sturdy house, in which the floor and wall thickness are approximately to scale also.

From there on, it's just a matter of calculating.  Since I do everything on a CAD system, the recalculating merely consists of tell the system that the new units are 1/4 the size of the old units.   The computer will do the rest.

For windows, doors, etc, I use Grandt Line and I cut the holes with my computer controlled router, which is accurate enough to do the smaller scales.

Tom Berkner

Popsicle stick floors: I made a floor for my very first project out of popsicle sticks. I used Elmer's wood glue and stuck them right to the floor of the project. It never occurred to me that I might want to redecorate someday. That floor has been serving my little family well for over 22 years, now.

Pat, Huntington, NY

Needlepoint Tip: For those of you who think they can't needlepoint, here's a trick. Look at a needlepoint chart - and use a coloured in chart, it's much easier. Say it represents a flower. You will see petals, stamens, a stem, maybe a leaf. eek! Too much! STOP. Look again at the chart, and see it as a sequence of coloured squares in each row eg 2 cream 3 green 2 cream 1 red 1 dark red 1 red 2 cream. Just focus on counting. Pick a colour, load your needle, and follow the count of that colour.Say it is the green of the stem, mostly 2 squares wide.Notice if it slips to the side, so it hops one square to the side, which will make the finished embroidery appear to curve a little, But just count - ignore the flower. You will sit there muttering eg '5 green, 4 green', fill in the 5 and the 4.And when you have finished, stop and have a look, and you will have a flower.

Helen from York, England