Glass beads for perfume: Joann’s fabrics have the glass beads in little square plastic boxes $2.39. They are frosted, opaque andcrystal Czechoslovakian crystal glass beads. They come in shades of pink, pale blue, deeper green, crystal and black.

Gail Spector

Sources for Fancy Things: When you come to think of it, the eggers are just very specialized miniaturists, same as the railroaders. And they use quantities of stuff, lots of it gloriously ornate but also plenty that would fit into more mundane settings. Egg-stands that could be table bases; all kinds of jewelry findings; figures that can be figurines, statues, whatever... Give "egg art" to a couple of search engines and let them take you on voyages of discovery. But here's a trio of sites for starters:

http://creativeside.com

http://www.creativeside.com/

http://www.eggscope.com/

http://www.handsfull.com/catseggs/store/index.html

Mary

Waxed linen cord. I'm pretty sure that Barb Richmond has it but unfortunately I don't have her phone number. I don't think she's on the net. Someone from Ontario would probably know this better. (Really nice lady who besides doing nice wicker, makes fabulous bears. Also, any miniature shop that orders stock from Dees Delights can bring this in for you. They only carry the 25 yard spools but Dee's usually has this in stock. I personally never use it. I prefer the unwaxed linen cord. I ship that in from Ireland but only have 1/2 Kg spools of it. They are pricey but the same weight in waxed cord works out to over 100.00 more. Also, please remember, you are not tied to using a linen cord. Any cord at all will work. Just gives you different effects. Jute is pretty cool. I like the look of baskets made with this. You can also use crochet cotton. Or string of various kinds. I do my 1/4 scale wicker with a linen thread (not cord). Done it with button hole thread too.

Debi

Fimo canes: I believe the person you're thinking about is Donna Smolik. Her site is: http://home.flash.net/~wolfes You can E-mail her at wolfe@brigadoon.com.>

Sue in Ct

Resin casting info: Please checkout the products at http://www.smoothon.com. They have a very good white casting resin that is water-thin (no -bubbles) and an easy to use silicone r TV kit that is mixed one to one and doesn't need to be de-aired. They sell both items packed as a sampler. It's a really good deal and it includes a good how-to manual. The previous digest dealt with fireplaces. I've done miniature stonework for about 15 years. Check-out my website at http://www.vintageminiatures.com for samples). For a fireplace, plaster white glued to a wooden block or box, then carved when dry, gives the most realistic effect. It can be textured with a wire brush and carved very accurately with dental tools or chisels. I also like Durham's, but it is hard to work when dry and must be worked quickly even with vinegar or milk added to slow the set-up. An easy material to work with is Das Pronto, an Italian paper clay that air-dries. I roll out an even slab, white glue it to an armature and let it air dry. It carves nicely when hard, but is softer than plaster and somewhat flaky. It can be rolled on a mold for texture and drapes well over odd shapes. Thanks for listening and for the good info I've seen so far.

Mark Motich

Hollow Pumpkins - Instead of the lethal Styrofoam why not try a ball of aluminum foil. after it's baked it can be squished (like that word?) smaller and removed. Or you can use the kind of "peanuts" that are made of cornstarch and dissolve in water.

Gail Spector

Fimo pumpkins with foam balls: let me first give you a WARNING. When you make anything that will melt foam balls in the oven, the fumes are VERY toxic!!! If , as you say, you need to make a lot of them it could be downright dangerous. I make them for my park classes and here is the best way I have found to do it. I use a toaster oven and I always take an extension cord with me and set the oven up OUTSIDE where I won't have to worry about the fumes. Anyway, here is how I do them. I buy the smallest foam ball they make at the craft store (I think they are about 1/2", never measured them) and you kind of mash them to the shape of your pumpkin. (Pumpkins are never perfectly round). you condition the clay and roll it out to about 1/8th inch thick. wrap it around the ball and smooth off all creases. take the back of a knife and make your dents from top to bottom all the way around. stick a stem of your choosing (I pre-make the from fimo, but a stick is ok) into the top. with a single edge razorblade I then cut the "lid" but leave it on to bake it. It is much easier to carve the pumpkin before baking it, but if you want the kids to carve their own, take out the melted foam ball, return to the oven just long enough to warm them up a little and it will be easier to carve them after they get hard. Good luck, and be careful of those fumes.

Norieta in Hawaii

Pumpkins: watch out for the Halloween lights as well. I have seen strings of jack-o-lanterns, all you would have to do is cleverly place them so their faces were hidden. Also, found a cute pair of earrings at the dollar store, very teeny jack-o-lantern - it could be used as a decoration of some sort. The pair I bought, however, are decorating my ears (what a concept...;) lol!). They also had teeny little grave markers as well, for anyone interested in 1/4 Halloween.

Marbles for pumpkins: I bought a bag of marbles last year for various fimo projects. Most of them were too small, but there was the odd shooter in there (which is about 1/2 to 3/4 inch big). Would make a small pumpkin, anyway if you can find a bag that has one or two of the shooters included.

Okay, quick everybody, tell her what we can do with left-over little marbles! My suggestions are a tool for making fimo items like bowls, crystal balls, modern art and forms for small hats.

Kim Bulback

Hollow Pumpkins: Some years ago when my friend Judi wanted to make hollow pumpkins, I gave her some sculpting wax that I had here. She made wax balls and then made the Fimo pumpkin over. When she baked the Fimo, the wax melted and she had a hollow pumpkin. Had a bit of a messy tray too, but not too difficult to clean or can be lined with tin foil.

And the wax can be used again and again. I expect any soft wax could be used, not just sculpting wax, but I *know* that the sculpting wax works. I was certainly impressed with the end product!

Joy

Pumpkins: fill a balloon with sand, plaster, or any other powder material. Shape clay round balloon. After the pumpkin is baked the sand can just be drained from the balloon and no danger of it blowing up as the air expands.

Jacqui Marlin

When I was looking for posters for my X-Files room box (Mulder's Office) I did a search for sites selling full sized X-Files posters. They show small pictures of what they are selling. I just printed them. Perfect size for 1" scale.

Wanda

Thin Glass: Someone mentioned using microscope slides. They are 3 mm thick. Some have a section of ground glass at one end of the slide. For ULTRA thin glass try using the cover slip for the slide specimen This is optically clear and is much, much thinner than the 3 mm slide, some where around 1/2 mm.

Bob, Hollywood, FL

Dean Jensen/Thin Glass: I'm sorry to say that Dean Jenson is no longer doing miniatures due to poor health. This was in his last Newsletter to me in May. A loss of a very talented man. However, he has sold portions of his business. Thin glass is now being carried by: George Wrisley, 17784 SE Paradise Drive, Milwaukie, OR 97267 (503) 653-2591. He also sold his Roo Glues and Rainbow Design Items in 1"; 1/2"; and Quarter Inch items to other people to continue.

Ruth, Grass Valley, CA

Thin Glass: Microscope slides are not what one would want to use for window glass. They are a bit thick. Cover slips are VERY thin (.13mm to .25mm) and could work as individual panes in a window. I've found them at various scientific supply firms (VWR, Daigger, Thomas Scientific) in various sizes (20x20mm, 20x30mm and 20x40mm). If anyone is looking for "portholes", there are also round cover slips available (15mm and 18mm diameter generally), but these are pretty expensive. I think someone still makes a plastic cover slip, but the ones I used a few lifetimes ago turned yellow. Science-wise they were the pits .... miniature-wise they were worse than the pits. I did use a hole punch to make small circles for mini "spinning aircraft propellers" from them, but was not that pleased with those either. I'd avoid any plastic ones you may find .... unless they're free.

Howard, Concord, CA

Mini Blinds: Go to a home decor place or section of a dept. or discount store that carries place mats. You will probably find some that, cut up, will make lovely mini blinds! Hang them and use very thin string to make the long loops that go around them to raise and lower them!

Alice Zinn, Pt. St. Lucie FL

Very Thin Glass: For those of you who have requested it, I now have the 6oz glass on my web site http://www.dollhouse-miniatures.com under Catalog>Bldg. Components>Windows and Door>Components. This is .027" thick (thinner than veneer). This is thin enough to use in the doors of your china hutch (in 1/12 scale). The next size up at about .040" is micro glass.

Tom Berkner

Fencing: Miniature Corner has some wonderful imported wrought iron fencing. Not too ornate, but beautifully made. You can also get a gate in the same style.

Dottie

Exquisite hats, Parasols, Gloves, Shoes, etc. from Margaret Pitts:

http://www.cpitts.legend.yorks.com.

AnaMae

Mini Soufflé Dishes: As long as you aren't going to be baking in these, try good old creamer containers. (I wonder if the creamer container industry knows how many of their products end up in doll houses?) I have tried this method using a blade and it doesn't work. However, turn the creamer comtainer upside down on your work table, brace a SHARP pencil on something suitable, and slowly spin the container to make a cutting line on the container. You can cut it with sharp scissors once it's marked. If you cut close to the bottom of the container you have a tart pan. Cut a little farther up and it's a soufflé dish. By cutting closer to the rim, you have a lampshade to paint to match your decor.

NOTE: What you use as a BASE to support the pencil depends upon the height of your creamer container and where you need to mark it. A single or double thickness of foamcore or a jar lid will work well, and you can lay the pencil flat or point it down.

Dani

Cutting Lite Brite Pegs: I placed the pegs on a terry towel, held down the large end with my index finger and thumb and sawed the smaller end off with a fine toothed jeweler's saw. This is very quick and easy to do, and I've never even come close to needing a transfusion. You can also hold the peg inside a plastic bag and cut the smaller end off with wire cutters. The flying bits are caught by the bag.

Darlene Focazio on Long Island