Crochet: you're getting lots of sources for crochet patterns, as a weaver I've found the hardest part of making miniatures can be finding the right yarn. I've got lots of colors of punch needle yarn on my web site http://weevings.com , it's a fine-but-fuzzy yarn that's a little finer than embroidery floss, but looks more like wool. And while you're there, do check out the doilies my friend in Finland crochets. She uses Gutterman silk sewing thread, which you may find in the quilting department of craft stores, or at sewing machine dealers. The hook she's using for the doilies is a #16, I believe, which you can get from Sandy's Lace and Trim. For patterns, my friend has mostly used full sized patterns, making modifications as needed. If you use regular sewing thread, try for all cotton, the polyester has "memory" that makes it want to stay straight, but with cotton, you can 'block' your work after it's made. Rayon sewing thread is made in lots of colors now, but the shine may not be appropriate for whatever you have in mind. I've got some very (very) fine wool and cashmere for weaving, mostly natural/cream, contact me privately if you're interested.

Bonni

Wallpaper: the best type of wallpaper paste to use is "Yes" Glue. It is now called Grandma Stover's and is the only one I sell. It does not warp your walls, especially when you apply it to foam core. I recommend thinning it just a tad so it is the consistency of thick creamy soup. Goes farther that way, also. When you wallpaper, cut a template first that is exactly the size you want. Then cut your wallpaper using your template as a guide. Going around the corners in the back of the room, run a very small margin of wallpaper around from the side wall to the back. Paper both sides and then paper the back. I apply paste to the wall as it seems easier to work with paper that is not 'gooey'. Smooth out the paper with an old credit card, at the same time squishing out the extra glue. Do not cut the window/door openings out of the paper until after you have applied the paper and it is dry. Then with a sharp X-Acto blade in your knife, gently cut out the openings. When you buy wallpaper, the rule of thumb is 3 sheets per room. Also, consider the pattern and match in the corners.

Betty Dann

Wallpapering: One of the best classes I have ever taken was a 'beginners' class with Brooke Tucker. I never have enjoyed a class so much or learned so much. It is from Brooke that I learned about "Yes" glue, which is still called YES glue. And is available at good Art Supply shops. I get mine in Seattle , Washington, at the Seattle Art Supplies Ltd. (BY the way I learned this about possibly 20 years ago now.) If you wish to remove the paper so some reason after it has dried- if you used YES you can dampen it gently and the glue will soften up and the paper can be removed. This glue also allows you to re-position your paper. I believe it is primarily used by and for professional artists to mount paper works. But someone on this digest will know a lot more than me about it. Another of the many things Brooke taught us when decorating is her NOSY NEIGHBOR THEORY. She says we all have at least one who will crawl into your rooms with a Dentist mirror and look at all those 'hidden' bits you thought you didn't have to do because they cannot be seen, and say OH!! you missed a bit here DEAR !! And she was so right. So paint, finish, paper, wrap everything.

Paddy

Wallpaper: I just started a new job a Ben Franklin Crafts working in the custom framing department. I was sitting there helping a customer pick out mat board for her picture when all of a sudden realized that we have mat board with patterns on it! This one was a white an off-white tiny stripe pattern but as i went through all our samples i realized we have lots of different patterns! And solid colors in about every shade you could need, We also have linen mat board and suede like pieces too. I thought that since I've read that so many people glue their wallpaper to card stock then put it in the house that this would do the same this with no gluing. This works out great for me since I'm a full time student and only work part time. I get as many scraps I want for free but we sell an entire sheet (30" by 40") for 5 dollars. I thought I'd share this with you guys. I know we have like 200 different types. Hope this helps someone!

Shannon in VA

Finishing Basics: Several folks have asked for a suggested list of steps to follow when building their first dollhouse. Here is one:

l. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, USE A GLUE GUN!
2. Instead, get a bottle of good yellow wood glue. (My personal favorite is Franklin's TiteBond, available at Ace Hardware Stores, but Elmer's or other yellow glue will work well, too.)
3. Find the directions and read them first.
4. Somewhere in the directions is a list of parts and it usually has sketches to show what they look like. Use a pencil (not a pen as the ink will run when you paint) and mark the part names or numbers on all the pieces. Don't punch out parts until you are ready to use them.
5. Check the parts to see if they need to be sanded or filled with wood filler. Some of the cheaper dollhouses (and some not so cheap) are made of flimsy, splintery, bad plywood.
6. Paint the trim pieces before you assemble them. That makes sense when you realize that it will be very hard, for example, to paint a corner piece or window trim after attaching it to the house-you will get paint from the main walls on the trim and when you paint the trim, you'll get paint from that on the main walls.
7. Again, DON'T PUNCH OUT PARTS UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO USE THEM.
8. Do not worry about painting the inside-that's later.
9. You can do the first floor flooring after assembling the foundation and flooror after the basic house is built.
10. Follow the directions to build each part of the house. Get the basic part built without the trim. Paint the main exterior walls.
11. Do the flooring on the first floor now if you didn't do it at step 9, unless you're using carpet and I would wait to do that until you do the flooring for the second and third floors as mentioned in Step 17.
12. Don't attach the windows now.
13. Now is the time to wire if you're going to. You will need to decide which room is which and where you want lights. For example, decide where the bathroom vanity/sink will be because if you want lights on each side of a mirror, you need to know where to put them. When doing wall sconces, shorten the wire, attach the lamp, but don't fasten it to the wall until you paper. Cut an X in the paper where you want them to go, slide the fixture through and then attach the paper and lamp to the wall.
14. Once the wiring is done, attach the main lamp fixtures. I like to drill holes in the ceiling for the ceiling lights and run the wires through the holes to fasten to the tape that I have put on the floor above. Attach all your lamps except the table lamps now. After papering, you can attach the outlets for the table lamps.
15. Wallpaper your rooms. Use a wallpaper paste designed to glue paper to wood. (My favorite is Grandmother Stover's Yes glue) Just paper right over the door and window openings. When it's dry, you can cut out these openings with your craft or X-Acto knife.
16. Now attach your windows, doors, stairs, and interior trim. Aren't you glad you painted it earlier?
17. If you haven't already done so, finish the exterior at this time.
18. Put down your second and third floor flooring.
19. Put in baseboards, interior cornices, and other incidental trim.
20. Now comes the fun of furnishing.

Dottie in Tucson

Ice Mold: Maybe you could use a small Jell-O mold made of transparent Fimo with slices of fruit and cherries in it for the ice mold. I have not tried this but it seems feasible. I might try it over the weekend to see if it works.

Mary

Oreos: I used to make Oreos using the Kemper small round cutter but it's really to scale for those Ice cream sandwiches. To make tiny ones I use a cocktail straw/stirrer and try this: Roll out Chocolate clay real thin, then lay white real thin over it- punch out the cookies and punch out a bunch of just chocolate ones. If you try to make a sandwich of all three layers the color will drag from the white to the Brown and make it look smeared. Put them together before baking and only bake for a few minutes on a coolish oven.

Gail

Pizza Cheese: Transparent Fimo will give you the look of cheese on your pizza- Spraying with a fixative will make it shiny or try floor wax like Future. Let me know if you need a pizza cutter though I've made those with a silver sequin, tiny wire- stuck in a wooden handle painted silver.

Gail

Easel: if you have Helen Ruthberg's books, one has an easel pattern and instructions. Basically, three pieces of wooden skewer about 5 inches long, a scrap of L-shaped molding about 2 inches long, a pin, a bead, and some super glue. Drill matching holes through one end of each skewer. Slip the pin through and super glue the bead on the end to hold in place. Flip the middle skewer back out of the way, then glue the L-molding as a "shelf" about 2 inches from the bottom of the other two skewers. After it's dry, stand upright. If you want, you can use tiny eye-pins and some chain between the back support leg and the two with the shelf to stabilize further. Paint if desired.

Loretta Sniarowski

Easel: The easiest one is three pieces of square wood as tall as needed. Drill a hole through all three at the top, down about a quarter of an inch or less.(Drill so wood won't split.) Run a wire (or nail) through the drilled hole and bend ends on wire to keep in place. Bring two outside edges forward and middle leg to back. Glue and "L"-shaped tray of wood to the front two legs to hold the painting. Now you can add paint, a thin chain to keep the back leg in position and friperies of laser cut wood and molding to dress it up.

Laurie Sisson

30s-40s Farmhouse: Someone else mentioned the water bucket and dipper - I remember our "camp" up in Maine, a cabin my great-grandfather (Pa) built early in the century. There was no running water until just a few years ago. Just the hand-pump outside, and that water bucket and dipper just inside the screen door. I have so many summer memories of running through that screen door (old wood one) and the sound of it banging, and the icy cold dippers of water. There was, of course, an outhouse. Electricity was actually installed back in the 60s or so, but there were still hurricane lamps everywhere. My mom has mentioned them as a big part of her memories from the 40s. There was also a woodpile about 6 feet from the porch (not against the house - fire hazard) for the big stone fireplace that was the center of the house. The main bedroom was on the backside of the fireplace, with the stone forming one wall of the room (bedroom door was next to the fireplace), and the brass bed (the only one in the cabin; the others were metal framed with no headboards) was against that wall.

Grace