Grape Vine Wreaths: When I make grape vine wreaths, I use the thinnest stems from my bridal veil spiroria (my spell checker can't even spell that). I cut them while they are very fresh and pliable and then I soak them in hot water just before I use them. They will bend very easily then. I tie them with tiny brown thread and put thedecorations over the thread. They are realistic and easy to do. They last forever. (Well, maybe not that long - after all, I haven't lasted forever yet).

Carol Atchley

Mini Windup Alarm:  Make your own mini "big Ben" brass alarm clock.

Materials:  3/8" brass tubing from model supply -OR- 3/8" brass compression sleeve from the plumbing section of you local hardware store.  2 Brass beads about 1/8" diameter,  1/32" solid brass rod, 1/16"  solid brass rod -OR-  1/16" brass beads,  brass foil or thin shim stock,  piece of card stock,  photocopy of a clock face,  super glue, clear lacquer spray paint, a bit of thin clear acrylic.

Tooling: small bench vice,  small center punch and hammer, razor saw  -OR- tubing cutter, 1/32" & Maybe) 1/16" drill bits with pin vice or moto-drill, mini hack saw, light metal file, wire cutter, scissors.

Miscellaneous: toothpicks, emery boards, working place mat AND SAFETY GOGGLES

You can make an alarm clock body cutting a ring from the length of tubing. The compression sleeve also makes an interesting body for the clock though it has a little more shape than was/is authentic for such pieces.      Mark carefully for two large bead "bells" with a clapper between them on the top of the clock. Each of these marks should be indented with the center punch and then drilled through with the 1/32" bit. Hold your clock body firmly in the vice while center punching and drilling.

Flip the clock body upside down. Mark, punch, and drill four holes for EITHER. 1/32" rod to secure the 1/8" beads as feet  -OR- 1/16" round rod feet.  If necessary, enlarge the holes in all beads to accept the 1/32" rod.

Use a piece of 1/32 rod to help hold the larger beads as they are filed flat on one face (with hole in middle of flat face. These may then be super glued onto a short piece of 1/32 rod and that wire glue into the side, top holes of the clock. Glue another piece of 1/32 rod into the middle hole as the clapper.

NOTE: A lot of this assembly work you will want to prepare for and prefabricate but not assemble until after polishing all parts nice and shiny with household brass polish.

Insert rods into "feet holes" on bottom of clock body. Bend slightly as needed to extend straight up inside of clock body to top. These will be used to position and mount your clock face and back cover. Secure with super glue at top and bottom.

If you are going to use beads for feet (with 1/32" rod) slip beads onto rod with a tiny bit of super glue to hold.

Cut bits of card stock to fit neatly inside clock body both front and rear. Install clock face on one. Position front one first, assure rightside-up alignment and apply super glue from back.

Cut foil or shim stock for back body of clock and secure to second piece of card stock. Assemble.

Allow super glue to fully cure over night. Clip, emery board, file excess wire from feet until clock sits erect & stable.

Find scraps of smaller brass wire and smack one end with a hammer to flatten it out. Do this to form "handles" on two windup keys. Shape with a file. Use a needle to punch holes in back of clock for the two "keys" plus two unflattened bits as time and alarm "set" screws.

Touch up polish of clock and coat with fine layer of clear lacquer. Lastly, cut a front "glass" out of acrylic and fit over the face. Do not put hands on the clock. Miniatures are timeless. DO use safety goggles whenever cutting, drilling, clipping, or spraying. There is so much yet to see.

Mel in Vegas

Wine Glasses: I have some glass wine glasses on my website which I think are nicely done and "reasonable." Of course, the definition of reasonable is subjective. They're at http://www.spminiatures.com/glasscrdecan.htm

Carol

Mel's clock: I would like to add one more idea to Mel's clock.  If you find the vise wants to crush your copper tubing, or other small, round, hollow items...insert a dowel into the tube and cut or drill the tube and dowel together.  I've even used a pencil or twig, because I didn't have the proper size of dowel. It is cheaper to cut off a little dowel, than replace crushed tubing.

Ann in AZ

Menorahs: I have a few sources for you.  The first is "In the Beginning" which has a very nice selection of Judaica, including several menorahs.  Go to their web site - http://showcase.netins.net/web/novacon/dollhouse/itbindex.htm - and request their catalog (it's free).  They have only one seven light menorah, and unfortunately it is not pictured in the catalog.  However, the price is only a few dollars, so you could just take a chance order it.  If you are looking for a sterling menorah, Don Henry makes a beautiful one, which you can see on and purchase from the SP Miniatures web site: http://www.spminiatures.com/index2.html.  It has nine lights. HBS http://www.miniatures.com  has a couple of menorahs in their catalog, but they are also nine lights.  The thing is, they are so inexpensive that you could easily cut off the outer branches, and file the cut spots smooth.

Jonathan in Israel

Painting on glass - This is easy if you use glass paint. There are several kinds, some oil base and some water base. I like the water base ones the best for cleanup reasons. If you don't like what you did, just wash it off and start again. To seal the paint, you bake the glass item for about 15 min. and it is permanent. Put the painted items in the oven, then turn it on. This way the glass doesn't have to adjust to a drastic temperature change. Let them cool in the oven, too. I had some avocado trimmed corel plates and since I hate avocado, I painted them teal and purple. They look absolutely fantastic and you would never know they used to be green.

Sandy

Making Wine Glasses - You can purchase empty medicine capsules online. Cut one side down into a cup shape. Add a clear sequin bottom and the clear plastic cylindrical do-dad from clothing price tags as a stem and you have a 1" scale wine glass.

Iris Broyles

Teapots: To everyone who wanted teapots, I found some in the Oriental Trading catalogue. They have small crochet boxes, wooden fans, resin animals, rattail ribbon, just so many things and they have a web site. www.oriental.com

Alberta

Cauldrons & Pots: We can supply cauldrons - boiling pots and all sorts of nice things to go into your witches den! Give us a look on; http://www.grandadsplayroom.com

David &Joyce Betts

Moonshine Jug: I think I have what you're looking for on my website by Alex Meiklejohn. I have a 1" scale jug and a smaller one that is probably 1/2 scale which Alex calls a syrup jug. It's two toned - dark brown/tan, has a handle on the neck and a cork stopper. You can see it at

http://www.spminiatures.com/meikle.htm

Carol

Train Set/Car: SPENCER GIFTS (in your mall) has a tiny train set, about three inches wide (if that much) for under $3.00 which really works. That is perfect for a mini toy store or a mini boy's bedroom. THE DANBURY MINT has the James Bond 007's Aston Martin car with all the gadgets and very detailed. The antenna slides up and down. The console panel opens. The seats are genuine leather and the driver's seat tilts forward. The hood opens to reveal the stunning miniature six-cylinder engine. There is the gadget in the taillight which opens to dispense oil (but doesn't) like James Bond did when followed. The front and real license plates rotate. There is a telephone hidden in the driver's door. A whirling tire slasher slides off the left rear wheel hub like the original. Working "rams" pull out from both bumpers. Machine guns are fixed in the ready-to-fire mode. If you are interested, you can order if from The Danbury Mint, 47 Richards Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06857. It's half-inch scale and cost $149.00. I bought their LSU jalopy that came with a lot of extra minis related to football. Really tops in quality!

Karen

Raheb Books: You can purchase the Barbara Raheb mini books through a dealer named Larson or Lorson Books. They are in Anaheim, CA.

Michelle Geoffrion-Mahler

Mason Jars: Just found these mason jars yesterday. They look very good! They're at:

http://www.virtualdollhouse.net/basement.htm

Linda Peterson

Butcher Shop Accessories: Go to this site and then check out meat market- there are individual pictures of the numerous pieces offered. http://www.miniworld.com

Sheena

Raheb Books: Barbara's books can be purchased/found on the House of Miniatures website - the link is below. Barb Syrcher has a fantastic selection of titles available and is great to work with. http://www.miniworld.com/house

Laura

Butcher Shop Accessories: I have a number of items suitable for a butcher shop. You can check the items on my page at http://www.spminiatures.com/meat.htm

I also have an old fashioned counter with white wrapping paper on a roll http://www.spminiatures.com/storefixtures.htm

Carol

Chickens for the Coop: You need wonderful chickens? Sue Thwaite (LadyBug) has the most marvelous chickens in a variety of types in all scales! One of my favorites is a black mother hen (in 1/4, 1/2 and 1" scales) hovering over her baby chicks. They are under her wings! If I'm not mistaken, the chickens (and just about any other animal you could ever want or need) average about 4-5.00 each. You can order some or ask questions at http://www.ladybug-fairies.com

Carrie in Smithville, TX

Dani in Bradshaw

Plates: Recently there have been several people asking about plates so I thought I would contribute as follows, although this will be old news for many of you: I make plates and bowls from a two part clay that we can get in South Africa. It is similar to Prattley's putty that is used for fixing car parts. However, in England I think Milliput would be the closest. Otherwise air drying clay such as Das, which is available in white, would do the trick and maybe now Paper clay. These instructions are for the two-part clay:

I take a pea-sized piece of each clay and mix the two together thoroughly. I then roll it between 2 pieces of wax wrap, on a tile, using a glass as a rolling pin. This gets the clay smooth and thin. I take my mold, which is usually a lid of some sorts, and put a THIN layer of Vaseline as a release agent. I lay my clay over it and use my craft knife to cut off the excess. I smooth edges with a "wet" finger. (Sorry, nothing else works!) I leave these to dry overnight and then pop them off their molds. I wash them with HOT soapy water to remove any Vaseline residue. A light sanding smoothes off any rough edges and imperfections.

I make colour photocopies of plates reduced to the right size. They must be full face on, bright and clear. Of course, if you want a dinner service, and not just plates to hang on the wall, then you must make bowl-size copies and side-plate-sized copies, as well. I paint these with decoupage transfer medium, leave to dry and then cut them out VERY accurately. I then soak them overnight or longer (they take no harm left for weeks). Meanwhile, I paint the back of the plates with decoupage deco-varnish to give the back a finished look. I rub the paper off the back of the photocopied plates leaving a thin transfer. I slide this onto the wet plates with deco varnish, position it, smooth out any bubbles with a wet brush and then leave them to dry. 3 coats of deco varnish, with drying time between, finish them off with a shiny finish.

Barbara B, South Africa

Snowshoes: the last time I was at Fred's Dollhouses and Miniatures store in Pittsford, Vermont (they advertise in every Dollhouse Miniatures magazine phone number: 802-483-6362), I saw exquisite snowshoes. I think they may have been made by a local crafter. They were expensive, but they were perfect. On the other end of the scale, my sister got very cheap snowshoes at Michael's.

Melissa