Curtain rods -- I've made them using very thin dowelling painted gold, threaded through hooks from a picture hanging kit, with a bead pushed onto each end. Didn't glue the beads, so I can take them down if I have to.

Kay Gale

Organization: Oh, that dreaded word! And those of you who know me know I've been picking away at this for a LONG, LONG time...However, have come up with a couple things that are helping...

I had some spare ceiling tiles around so hung one (so far) on the wall and have been putting a lot of my teeny supplies (beads, etc.) in mini ziploc bags and pushpinning them to the ceiling tile. Everything is visible at a glance.

Today was getting frustrated because I didn't what to just put all the small pieces of fabric in a box. Then I spotted a box of sheet protectors from another full-size project. So I put the fabric, some papers from the scrapbook store, pieces of felt, etc., in the sheet protectors and into a binder. Everything is visible, nice and flat and dust-free.

Maureen in Canada

DOMED HANGING WORK LIGHT

By Donna Carnall - 2 Apr 2002

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

1 mini suction cup (approx. 3/4" in diameter)--remove wire from cup

6" length of black crochet thread for "wiring"

small flat (on one side) white button (2 holes is all that's needed);

Acrylic paint: silver or pewter works well (I used pewter)

Glue (I used Power Poxy Stix-On Contact All Purpose Adhesive)

Sewing Needle

Nail or safety pin

Remove the wire from the suction cup---save it for possible use in another project. Heat a nail or safety pin, then melt a hole all the way through the center of the suction cup. The hole should be just large enough to pull the crochet thread through, but still fit snugly inside. Paint the outside of the suction cup with silver or pewter acrylic paint, let dry thoroughly.

Thread needle with black crochet thread, tying a knot in the end of the thread. Push the needle through hole you made in suction cup, entering the concave side, and pull through the knobbed side, pulling knot to the hole, but not into it. Push needle through one hole of the button then down through the other hole. Adjust thread length (to your needs) between button and suction cup, and tie a double knot snugly against button. Push needle back through one of the buttonholes, and cut thread to about a 1/4" tail.

"Pull Cord": Decide the length of "pull cord" desired, and cut a length of white crochet thread accordingly-adding just a little extra for 2 knots and possible miscalculations. Tie a knot in both ends, but before tying a second knot, thread a jewelry clamp onto the knotted end of the thread.

In the center of the concave side of the suction cup, place adequate amount of glue to adhere to knotted end of "pull cord" (the end without the jewelry clamp). Then glue the white pearl-like bead (light bulb) over the "pull cord" knot you just glued in. Let dry.

You're done! When ready to add the "work light" to your scene, attach button to "ceiling" with appropriate glue. Press well into place, and let dry. The light and cord hang free, and adds movement and life to the project. It seems to be an attention getter!

Donna--in the Land of Oz, USA

Choosing Colour Schemes: A little while back one of our members had posted concerns about choosing a series of colours to paint the exterior of her dollhouse. Now, on the other side of the spectrum, as a web designer, choosing colour schemes can drive me nuts, especially when I'm stuck for something very new and/or very different.

The following link may be of some help to you when deciding on a series of colours in miniature decorating: http://www.colorschemer.com/online
The colours you will see there are known as web-safe colours, however, they are basic colours and when you click on any of the small colour boxes on the left hand side of the screen, the right hand side of the screen will then display a colour scheme (of 16 colours no less!) that you can work with

For me, it's not only handy for web design, but also very handy for mini design. I have found this site so useful in trying to decide on
- DMC colours for a x-stitch carpet
- x-stitch pillow colours
- the interior colours of a room
- dressing a doll...colour fabric choice
- selecting colours for a miniature fairisle sweater, etc
Now, granted, these colours do not reflect actual colours by the colour name or colour number of acrylic paints or DMC floss numbers, but a dark hunter green is a dark hunter green, so if that is your preferred main colour, select the dark hunter green and you'll see all the other 16 colours that come up for you to work with. There are also 2 links in the Select Colour box where you can Lighten All or Darken All the resulted colours. This is also very good because if you do not like the results of your dark hunter green, you can select Lighten All and you get another range of colours, but a bit lighter.

Joy in Pointe Claire

Pins for glue Applicators: The pins that we use over here in the UK for our glue bottles are the brass lace pins or wedding dressmakers pins.

Sharon

New printable project on SS site: Dorothée very generously sent me a printable Cyclamen plant project for the Small Stuff Gallery. Check it out at http://smallstuff-digest.com/gallery.htm!

Anne Gerdes

Pins for glue Applicators: If you use the pins that pin together men's new shirts they will serve the same purpose and they're free and plentiful.

Lee from Melville, NY

Fuzzy and Freezer Paper: Many people have written about using the fuzzy paper available at scrapbook stores to make rugs. There is a fuzzy paper that is made for printers...supposedly won't get all that fuzzy stuff on your printer heads! I have sent for this and used it extensively for printing out rugs, and so far, my printer hasn't choked on fuzziness. I get it here: http://www.paper-paper.com/fuzzy-paper.html

Freezer paper is hard to find here in the LA area also, but I found the site for Reynolds Aluminum and they do have an e-mail address to ask for products in your area:http://www.reynoldskitchens.com/reynoldskitchens/kitchenconnection/products/freezer_paper/index.asp

Kaye in LA

Sandpaper: The finest I have found so far is 12,000 (yes, 3 zeros) micro mesh. Its used to polish aircraft windows, among other things. Makes printer paper feel very rough by comparison. I regularly use 2000 grit for polishing soapstone and alabaster.

Tom Berkner

Source for fine sandpaper: Try your local automotive dept at a Wal Mart or even an automotive discount chain. They should have wet-dry (silicon-carbide) paper from 220 down to 2500 grit by 3M. You will probably find some Micro-Mesh on the shelf right beside it. Papers rated down to 5 microns are in use, but these are pretty specialized.

Brian