Sunfish boat: Check with the local marine supply store for information on dealers.  Check the yellow pages.  Ifthere is no "local" marine supply store for you, go to the public library andlook up such suppliers in the yellow pages there.  The large main libraries and mostof the city library systems have phone books from all over the United States in thereference sections.  The library may also have books on the subject you want -they usually have sections where do-it-yourself is highlighted.

Jeanne

Easy Garden Ornament: Some gift shops are selling mini resin garden ornaments, including a gazing globe (witch ball)with a silvered glass-ball on a pedestal.  Around $8.00, it's quite usable, but itseems maybe a little bit clunky.   To improvise your own, all it takes is asilvered tree ball, diameter 1 inch or less; something for the neck of the ball to fitdown into; enough of a base to support it; and something between the top and the bottom. Inreal life a concrete pedestal 2 or so feet high is fairly traditional, but garden storesand catalogs are full of variations, both formal and whimsical. You can make a column of corrugated paper (as from light bulb packaging), glue this onto acouple of different-size flat washers, and maybe add a collar of clay or cording tothe top end.   Or saw one end off a short plastic cake-column. Or stick the cap of a lipstick tube onto rounds or squares of clay.  Or use a stack of flowerpots. Lots of possibilities.   I can't find any history for them, but myearliest sighting was in the mid-1930's, when a little kid exploring wintry small-town backyards(trespassing, really, but no one noticed, or minded) was brought up short by one. Magic. Old house, old garden: it would have been around a few years by then. Anyhow, one of these would "feel" right in a late-Victorian setting. Or, equally, could be part of the stock in a modern plant-and-garden store.

Mary

Stick-on labels and wedding bouquets: Among the office supplies there are usually packages of stick-on labels, and I buy oneof each size in white.  These are useful for all kinds of miniature purposes.

The round ones are good as a backing for making wedding bouquets and other floral arrangements.  I leave the labelwhite for a wedding bouquet, and sometimes paint it green or another color if I'm makingsomething else.  Leave the sticker on its backing sheet, and clip or tape thepaper to an index card so it can be held upright to see how the bouquet is looking.

Decide on the shape first - triangle, round, or s-curve. A tiny blob of clear silicone or extra-heavy Tacky in the center of the label serves as the base.   If using trailing greenery I usually insertit first, leaving it long.  If it's ivy I'm making, to avoid bulk and to make it hang more naturally I use beading wire or green thread, usually 3 or 5 strands. Add the focal flowers, then filler, inserting into the silicone blob.  When the baseis covered, tip any additional flowers with glue to insert.  Then add the ivy leaves, gluing them where needed in the bouquet and along the stems.  The last thing I do is trimming the streamers, varying the lengths.  Additional lengths can be added if necessary.

Use a second label as a backing.  If it is a gift, I write my name and the date before removing from the backing paper.   Very thin silk ribbon tied in knots at the ends looks good behind a round tussy mussy-type bouquet. Tiny lightweight angel lace or other lace cut into narrow lengths can be glued to this label if a frill is wanted to show behind the bouquet. I usually add these after the arrangement is complete, attaching the ribbons to the sticky side of the bouquet's label while I hold it upright.  I usually add the lace to the backing label,then put the backing label on to encase the lace edges and/or the tops of the ribbons.

Let the arrangement dry thoroughly before adding the backing label.   If the bouquet is to be in a doll's hand where the back can be seen, the labels can be scrunched into a cone shape while the glue is dampish, and, as someone on the list has already suggested, the pointed end of a toothpick can be inserted in the center for a handle.  If the bouquet is to be attached where it doesn't show, loops of white or green thread can be used as a hanger.

This procedure also works for swags and coffee-table type arrangementr bouquets, which you might want to s, and can also be used fo switch to different containers.  Put a bit of silicone or glue (or clay if you don't want it to be permanent) into the container, trim the label if necessary and insert with tweezers.  Add a bit of moss or soil to the top if necessary.

The same process works great for making mini gift bows, too. I have also used them to hold tiny quarter scale glasses andother objects, which are difficult to keep straight, then stuck the labels,trimmed to fit, on a shelf or in the cupboard.  If the label is painted the same color it'susually unnoticeable.  If you want it removable, put a second label on thesticky back, then attach with blue-tac or wax. 

Wanna

Victorian gazing balls: I was in the grocery store looking a little toys (as usual for mini ideas) and saw someiridescent shooter marbles that looked about the right size.  In my 1/2" 'dollhouse'I have a clear marble glued to half a brass grommet for a mini crystal ball.

Charlene Mirabella

Cake decorating columns: I use the stone paint on mine, it does take 2 or 3 coats to cover.  Or if I want a metal look I use Modern Options Bronzepaint.

Charlean

Victorian gazing balls: I use the small glass Christmas ornaments for the gazing balls.

Charlean

Snakes:  Archee McPhee's (in Seattle) is a very strange store – sort of a trick and puzzle type of place. This iswhere you would go for rubber chickens etc.  They occasionally have strange"stuff" that we can use.  I found some wonderful little vinyl snakes (2different poses) and they had lizards and perhaps some other small reptile type critter. They would need to be repainted for better realism but they're cute.  If any of you are desperate for a creepy crawly, email privately and we can figure something out.  They are definitely in 1/12 scale. http://www.archiemcphee.com

W. Marie

Witch's Caldron: If you can find an old rotary dial wall phone they had a great brass bowl, about 3 or 4 inches across,that acted as the bell, it would make a great witch's caldron.

Nancy

Globes and Pedestals: For all looking for the Globes and Pedestals while I was looking at some of the new things fromKathy who has the MiniFindings List saw that she has both, her email is bracken@coolminis.com

Lenora

Tiny Violins & Guitars: The Natural Wonders Store has an email address, and you can see the violin in their 11-inchsize.  The key chain variety is much smaller but is NOT 1/12 scale -- the guitar isprobably a little closer to scale.  But they're cute as cute as they can be.  Theviolin "plays" when you draw the bow across the strings, and the guitar "plays" when you strum the strings with your fingers.  They each play 8 different tunes.  Their URL is www.naturalwonders.com then go to "Discovery for Kids," then to"Activities."  You can try emailing their customer service and see if they will ship out of theU.S.

Anita Myers

Golf clubs: For those who do not wish to make their own golf clubs, our local hobby store carries 1/12th scale clubs intheir cake decorating section.  Of course, they are all alike - no variety and notbeing a golfer myself, I have no idea if they are putters or what.

Jeanette

Mini lawn mower: The push ones that work are actually made by Cottage Industries but Dee's does distribute forthem.  I just sold my last one and they are on backorder from Cottage.  Maybe Dee's hassome in stock

Carol

Mini-mowers: If it's a riding mower you want, check at your local Southern States or True Value Hardware store. They havebanks that are 1:18 copies of their mowers. I got one several years ago - can't rememberhow much it was, but not too bad. I remember expensive stuff!

Dani

Little shells - someone mentioned framing a mirror with them and that reminded me I had framed a picture of a lighthouse scene withthem and thought it was kind of neat. I want to make a shadow box for some of mine also. I seem to have ended up with quite a collection.

Linda

Easter basket idea: Check your craft store for small plastic bunnies about one inch high.  Some have carrots in their paws.  The ones I found today are white with painted eyes, ears, etc. painted. I use brown paint - there is even one called "chocolate"and paint the bunny all over. When it is dry - instant chocolate rabbit to adorn the basket. I bought twofor 65 cents today in Milwaukee. Variegated eggs can be made by taking several pastel colors of Fimo, making snakes and mixing the colors and then forming them into egg shapes. Place a pretty bow of silk ribbon on the handle and you are done.

Jeanette Zanio

Hangers: I was about to throw away a pile of cut ends off the pipe cleaners I use to make dolls up, when I thought, this is just the right size to make a padded coat hanger.

I twisted some wire around the center, formed the hook, and covered the pipe cleaner with ribbon, and finished of with a nice bow. It looks very good.

Hazel

Little Teapots: They can be found in the Oriental Trading Co. catalog.  www.oriental.com. Two styles: flowers $9.00 per dozen and Vegetables $6.00 per dozen.

Mary Kay

Athletic Cups: In the little sizes there is an elastic strap running from the two corners of the inverted triangle. This goes around the waist. Then there is another elastic strap that is attached to the middle of this waist band and runs down to the point of the triangle. The legs go on either side of this center strap. This design may not be the same as for the larger cups.

Mary Lou

Bed warmer: To make a convincing bed warmer for a 1/2" scale room setting: Use a small, round necklace clasp with a slightly domed top. Glue a very thin wooden dowel extending out from the side of the clasp (use a stained dowel about 1 1/2" or 2" long). Hang bed warmer on the wall or place it on the bed.

Darlene and MaParke

Pretty Plates: The current issue (June/July 2000) of "Classic American Homes" magazine has some items of interest in the back advertising section. On one is and ad for old fashioned blue and cranberry decorative plates with some perfect plates to scan and decoupage onto card stock and make plates to fill a hutch or add to a wall.

Anne