Ballet Scene: A very effective and simple scene is to use a picture frame with some shadow box depth. ( Use any frame and put a box behind it.) Put an interior door at the back and wallpaper the walls. Put a mini framed photo of your ballerina on the wall and hang ballet shoes over the doorknob and on a clothes hook on the door, hang a tutu. If there are any pets, they could fit in the room with the tutu too.

Laurie Sisson

Hob-e-tack: I found a product called Hob-e-tack at my local hobby store that carries train supplies. It's specifically designed for landscaping, stays wet but is really sticky-- you can place things and then re-arrange them a bit but they'll stay where you put them.

Susan L., Atlanta

Time for minis: Keep a travel size kit with basics (scissors, glue, exacto knife, etc) in the car. Eat lunch at drive thrus and mini while in line and after obtaining lunch. Inhale lunch to have more time to mini. Or skip eating a lunch and eat a bag of chips or crackers when I get back to my desk. Carry kit in any place where you may have to wait, like doctors, dentist, etc. Don't tell my boss, but reading SSD at work helps save time too! No, I'm not allowed to mini at my desk.

Debby in KY

Unused tools: Yes, I have many tools that I love, but just don't dig out unless I'm doing a big project. I too am guilty of using my exacto instead of my wonderful chopper. Masking tape is easier to get to than my gluing jig. Toothpicks make fine paint brushes that don't have to be cleaned. My jeans and t-shirts make wonderful rags for wiping hands while I'm still wearing them! LOL and...yuck...most mothers know that a good spit wash works well in a pinch!!! VBG

Debby in KY

Museum putty: I found a few online sites for the museum putty:

http://www.safetystore.com/Quakehold.asp ($10.95)
http://www.organize-everything.com/museumwax.html ($11.99)
http://www.whitehouse-books.com/products.html ($10) This site also has a pretty detailed description of the stuff.

Celeste in Boston

Museum Putty and Gel: I have both and the brochure lists two web sites: http://www.museum3pack.com http://www.quakehold.com I haven't checked them out, but this is the company that makes them.

Ruth, Grass Valley, CA

Clear Museum Gel: This is the first time that I am posting but glad that I can answer this question. I have a jar of that gel. It is a clear and invisible temporary adhesive for securing your most prized possessions and is removable without a mess. It is a liquid that transforms into a solid film over time to create a secure bond and is completely removable and reusable. It takes about 30-60 min. for a complete adherence and, during that time reshapes itself to the bottom of the object you are securing.

I ordered mine from QVC and paid $11.25 + tax and shipping. You can call their product finder number and they will help you or email me and I can give you the item no. I will post it if I can do that.

Karen in Wisconsin

Quake Wax: If the clear substitute for Fun Tac referred to recently is Quake Wax (I'm trying to read five months' worth of SSD backwards so I don't know if this has been mentioned yet - and no, not literally backwards, but I might as well be for the time it's taking - never leave your computer for three months unless you absolutely have to), I've used this and *technically* I prefer it to Fun Tac, because of the color and the fact that it does not lose its grip the way Fun Tac can. But it's sticky, and I also tend to get into messes with it (hair, hands, objects not requiring it), so lately I've avoided it. "Small quantities" are supposedly available from the following address:

Conservation Resources Int.
8000H Forbes Place
Springfield, Virginia 22151
800-634-6932

Melissa

Quake Wax: Getting into the proverbial other ball of wax once more (regarding sticking small objects up, or down), I think the clear gel might be Quakehold, which is - I guess from some googling - equivalent to Quakewax but not the same thing. I haven'tused the former. The latter is a museum-use quality "microcrystalline"(?) wax for adhering objects temporarily permanently, or permanently temporarily, or whatever, which does not stain, or set up, or fall off in high temperatures.

Melissa

Mini-Hold I have found the Mini-Hold does stain. Be careful using it on wallpaper where you might want that section exposed later on. I find that it is very difficult to remove and therefore I do not use it when I go to shows. It also gets stiff with time. I carry a similar product but it is a bit softer and easier to put where you want.

One thing I like to do with the wax is make a pea size ball and put it on the end of a toothpick. Then you can stick little hard to hold stuff into it to paint.

Deanna from beautiful downtown Thiensville