Irish Pub: Don't forget the dart board in your Irish Pub.

MAP in Puyallup

Pubs: I saw the post from the lady who is doing the scottish pub but is someone doing an Irish or English one too. Sorry, if I missed something. Anyway here are some ideas for pubs. I made a room box one some time ago and had a great time with it. For a typically English pub try:
1. Beams on the ceilings and walls
2. A real coal fire with coal scuttle nearby
3. Dartboard
4. Dominoes on table
5. The mandatory old man who has been using the pub for years and years, who gets grumpy if someone is using 'his' seat when he arrives (strange but very true), oh and not forgetting his old dog, who sits patiently under the table - - usually to be found with big doe eyes and that 'don't you feel sorry for me' look on his face so that others will feed him crisps/peanuts for the duration.
6. Beer would be traditionally handpulled - you can make these by cutting up staircase spindles set on a plinth
7. This last one is a bit more recent, but a must in any self respecting brit pub - PUB GRUB!!!!!. Just use your imagination for this - sandwiches, crisps, peanuts, chicken in a basket, scampi, even the traditonal Sunday roast. Just generalised a few things here but if you want any more info, just email me, I'll be happy to help.

Also, must tell you about my latest addition. I went to my local (ish) dollshouse shop on Monday and came away with a fab new house. It is the latest in their range and very reasonable price wise. Its called Victoria Street. You can start of by getting, say, the house, then there are pubs, shops etc and they can all be joined together in such a way that you can run a drainpipe between them and make the whole street. PLUS, you can get back yards too. Its a really great idea and a good way for continually extending (space allowing). They also have a village school and.....wait for it........a Church with mini gravestones!!!!!!! yuk, not my idea of a fun project but he did say he had sold one or two. Have a look at them at http://www.miniaturescene-york.co.uk

Vee (Scarborough UK)

Pub accessories: To all those looking to make pubs, just found the following link,
http://www.dollshousepub.freeserve.co.uk

Havana Holly

Pubs: For those working on pubs (this may have been mentioned before), I believe the March, 1984 issue of Nutshell News has a article and pictures on this.

Marilyn in Baton Rouge

Dremel: For ease and safer way of using a Dremel rotary tool.  I have used   the flex shaft offered by Dremel for many years. Using Flex Shaft handpiece I don't have to hold the awkward tool itself instead I hold a 1" diameter handpiece with choice of bit in chuck.  

MicroMark`s Page:   http://www.dxmarket.com/micromark/products/60889.html    ( If you choose a flex shaft choose "Dremel" made)

With the stand (on this page holding Dremel, flex shaft.

MicroMark`s Page: http://www.dxmarket.com/micromark/products/50352.html

and using a speed control (on this page) it allows you to give a lighter touch and better control.

With my work piece in a vise:

http://www.dxmarket.com/micromark/products/81314.html       

http://www.dxmarket.com/micromark/products/21123.html  or ???

The Dremel drill stand; It is a low cost entry level accessory for the Dremel rotary drill, but with lots of patience it will achieve marvels.

http://www.dxmarket.com/micromark/products/50288.html  Somewhere Dremel offers a table top holder for the Moto Tool with a swivel, sorry I lost source.

Some of your project pieces you can hold in your hand while using handpiece.

Note;   Just like brushing your hair, if you brush against grain hair will stand up.....  therefore if you push tool against grain the tool will kick back. Try to go with grain, however there are times you have no choice, so use lighter pressure.

NOTE ! Using the circular saw chucked in Dremel "Freehand" is a VERY Dangerous way to use it. Only use in drill press or some other controlled set up

When using any power tools ..... listen to them, after using them over time you will hear when they are running correctly or straining and when straining. trouble is coming either a jamb, kickback or a bad finished product

=== Curious George;   Just what kind of things are people trying to accomplish with a Dremel tool?

I see that at the Tom Bishop Show in Chicago they offer workshops  (unfortunately my try this AM would not open site). If you check offerings it would offer new tool users a great opportunity to get some hands on basics from the workshops.

Most of the woodworking classes offered at the IGMA Guild School use other type tools than Dremel rotary. Tools such as "Overhead Shapers, Cameron drill press’s, wood and metal lathes, table saws etc.  

You can with patience make something with a hammer and screw driver, but a tool designated for a specific purpose does it so much easier, faster more accurately and far better quality of finish.

George Hoffman ~ IGMA Fellow

Florists shop: another suggestion to have in shop... Stacks of floral foam(comes in bricks, and round shapes.) Plastic forms that hold foam and wooden sticks to wire flowers to. How about the colored aluminum that one finds around pots of flowers, dish gardens on the shelves too. I didn't see a watering can and a sprayer/mister. A frig. for keeping flowers cool... usually glass fronted. Balloons are also available in florists these days too... they usually have unblown -up ones on the wall with prices on them. Helium container to blow them up with and that thin twisty paper ribbon that they come on. Flower arranging books... Container of those packets of stuff they use to keep cut flowers fresh... And, if it were my mum and my shop, a tiny doggie bed with a small lap dog in it, or if you're so inclined, a cat...{:-) Finally, I didn't see a chair of any sort for this hard-working woman at all! How's she gonna have a cuppa without a wee table and chair somewhere... and maybe a stool at the arranging table or counter?

RWitterman

I Spy roombox: I had an idea for a roombox and just wanted to know if it sounded good to others...I was reading to my children from one of their I Spy books, which use a lot of miniature items in the pictures. Wouldn't an I Spy roombox be fun and cute to do? A great way to display some of those mini extras that don't have a home yet. It would even be fun to donate to the library or an elementary school. I am just not sure if you would start with some sort of setting, or what? I think then you could type up an I Spy poem or story and either put it on the back wall of the box or framed along with the box. Please let me know what you all think.

Tasha in Melty MN

Sampler Kits: My good friend, Annelle Ferguson, recently launched her web site which is chock-a-block full of wonderful needlepoint Sampler Kits. Enjoy!!!

http://www.ministitches.com/

bobbie

Draping   fabric.   To get your fabrics to drape well, I work on foam board with a gazillion straight pins and when it is exactly the way I want it, I spray it with a thin starch - several times.   For that really elegant look and drapeability, use silk - nothing beats it for doing exactly what you want, and no need to spray anything on after.   I also make round tablecloths with ease, by inverting the cloth and table into a teacup, and arranging the folds.

Dawn-Moree in Welcome, MD

rigid 0.5 mm knitting needles: If you want rigid steel 0.5 mm for knitting needles, ask any surgeon for a piece of 0.5 mm K wire. (Kirshner wire). I used it to "pin" and hold cut bones together. The K wire comes in a variety of thickness'. They are not expensive and can be purchased in packets of 5 or 6.( Its been a while; and I can't recall )They come round pointed or "trochar" which has a three sided point. They are about 10" long and are cut easily with a wire cutter.

Drbob