Pictures to Frame:  The Feb. issue of Art & Antique magazine (pg. 88) has an article on the Carole & Barry Kaye Museum of Miniatures. There are 4 photos. Although there is really nothing new therein, it is interesting and well written. Most of all, it is always nice to see the hobby touted in a quality publication.

If you decide to buy the magazine you will find many quality pictures to frame (including a nice nude for over a bar in a saloon), some interesting scenes to be viewed out a window, a great article and pictures of French 40's furniture, and some gorgeous chandeliers to replicate.

Joann Swanson

Tin Cans: I made tinned food for a kitchen setting by cutting a piece of dowel that was a fraction small in diameter and wrapping tin sheet from the hobby shop around it. The ends I painted in metallic silver, but the tin sheet I cut so that it stuck up around the edge of the dowel by approx. 1mm. It just added that 'rim' that cans have on the top and bottom. Then I just stuck labels on that I scanned out of a supermarket catalogue. I even prised some labels off the stuff in the pantry and scanned them, then reduced them.(Don't recommend that though - we have about 7 tins in the cupboard and we don't know what they contain!!!) Another hint springs to mind - If you do pull labels off tins from the cupboard, write the contents onto the tin in felt pen!!!!!

Tracey

Fuzzy Slippers can easily be made of fur. Just glue the fur over some small thin cardboard templates, even stiff interfacing would do and that comes in black so it may look better inside the slipper.

Tracey

Simulate Cans: you can use the silver end of a pencil, it looks kind of like a can. Just add a label. If you want to use wooden dowels, it might be a good idea to give them a coat of white glue (Elmer’s) first to hid the wood grain & to help make the silver more shiny and tin-looking.

Viola

Cans: Go to your friendly Drug store and ask them to save the little canisters that come in medications to keep them dry. Paint them silver and you have lots of cans to put your labels on. They come in many different sizes.

Flo

Tin Cans: Depending on the size of the label, you can use pieces of a small dowel, lollypop stick, or Q-tip with the ends painted silver. You could even roll strips of paper into a cyclinder to the desired diameter, or glue a circle of paper to both ends of a piece of drinking straw. Once the label is glued on, you won't be able to tell what's underneath.

Rose

Cosmetic & Perfume Bottles: The little plastic string-like tags that come on clothes, shoes etc. that hold the price tags, not only make wonderful stoppers for glue syringes as someone else has already described, but they also make very cute perfume bottles etc for your dollshouse dressing table. You need the ones that are a cylinder shape; cut off the bottom thread that protrudes out of the "bottle" shape and trim the top thread to your own desire. Paint the bottle shape with iridescent, sparkly nail polish and the top with Gold Paint. or you can cut off both the top and the bottom thread; painting the "bottle" with the nail polish and fixing a gold bead on the top as the stopper.

Patricia

Jello: You can make jello from the gel type candles. They are at dept stores and candle shops. Have your molds ready, I spray mine with a mold release first, light the candle, and as the candle gel melts scoop it with the spoon and pour into your molds. :) you can even add "fruit" or make the type of soap that has stuff inside :) My grandbaby's favorite. This is so easy and fun. If you want some red I have a large red Cinnamon scented one from Christmas. Hmmm.. cinnamon Jello.... LOL

Sue Thwaite

Swing Sets/Jungle Gyms: We had the table next to Toni and Kevin Hassevoort, "A Little More in Miniatures", at Livonia. They just started making miniatures this year. They have fabulous yard items including wonderful wooden swing sets and jungle gyms. They have a web site in the process of being developed, but I visited it today and there are some definite problems. I couldn't get anything but the home page and a lot of HTML. The url is http://www.alittlemoreinminis.com. But you can e-mail them at toni@alittlemoreinminis.com.

Mark and Sharon Stockton

Scarecrow: To the person who was looking for instructions for making a scarecrow, there are directions in the September 1986 issue of Nutshell News, page 102. We used raffia in place of straw for the scarecrow.

Juanita in Missouri

1/2" Glassware: We carry 1/2" glass and bar ware by Linden Swiss http://miniature.net/smallstuff/vernon.htm. We, also, make 1/2" dinner on the potters wheel. If you would like more information, please email me.

Eileen Vernon in Virginia Beach

Glasscraft: <In the UK, Phil Grenyer of Glasscraft does lovely cranberry glass>

For those that are interested; Phil now has a Website - http://www.glasscraftuk.com his e-mail is phil@glasscraftuk.com

David & Joyce Betts

glass colors: My brother is a glass figurine dealer. Ruby glass is made with gold and is generally more expensive than other colors. Cranberry is usually slightly lighter, but colors can vary depending on the company and what they decide to call them. I am including a link to his home page, where he sells glass made by Mosser, Boyd and others. You might find it interesting to explore the site and see all the different colors glass is made in. Unfortunately, these are NOT dollhouse scale minis, but you might enjoy seeing all the different figurines and stuff anyway.

The link is: http://www.riverroadtraders.com/

Bonnie Gibson

Oriental Accessories: If you're interested in some of the most fantastic miniature Oriental Floral Arrangements I and probably anyone else has ever seen, go out to Helen David's web site at http://www.smallerthanabreadbox.com

Deb Road

Oriental Items: If you are looking, I make Japanese mini dolls and accessories in quarter scale, as well as bonsai trees and oriental flower arrangements in 1:12 scale.

You could also check out http://japaneseminis.homestead.com/FurniturePg4.html This is the web site of Bob Read, a friend of mine who makes wonderful Japanese miniatures.

Mindy Skelton

Oriental: I'm planning an eighteenth century chinoiserie bedroom for my new house, so I've also been looking at oriental stuff. Microscale decals make some lovely detailed waterslide transfers and you can use them to make oriental plates or to decorate ordinary pieces of furniture. If you're in the UK Jennifers of Walsall stock them, in the USA I know Ron's has some, and the manufacturer is Krasel Industries of Santa Ana, but there's no website address on the envelope I have.

Lynne Connolly

Oriental: Alice Zinn has an entire booklet of nifty Asian accessories, including kimonos, and Tom has her collected works available on line from Earth & Tree, which is how I got my copy. Also think about found objects - -- look for Asian-style decorative beads at craft shops. Book and gift shops' card section often have blank cards printed with beautiful Japanese screen designs, and sometimes have hand-painted silk bookmarks (I have found them at Barnes & Noble and Borders).

Loretta Sniarowski

Oriental Accessories: To those inquiring about Oriental Miniatures: I carry a good selection of oriental items including cloisonne; ivory; stone; quartz; jade; ceramic; mud, etc. in all sorts of animals and figures. Although I do not have a catalog, you can contact me privately and will try to be of help. ANNARTW@aol.com

http://worldofminimania.com/

Ann Weiner

Oriental miniatures: I've started a mail-order business selling Japanese Miniatures and my latest catalog is now available. I work in 1/12 inch scale. My mother is Japanese and makes all the authentic futons, zabuton (floor pillows), purses, etc. I also have a NYC potter making pottery for tiny Japanese tea cups and more. I'm just starting so I will be offering many more products in the future. Please feel free to e-mail me personally with questions, or go to my web business card http://www.japaneseminiatures.com.

If you are looking for Japanese displays in 1 inch, or Japanese homes in 1/2, 1/4 or 1/144 - Bob Read, of Small and Smaller does beautiful work. Like me, he focuses on authentic Japanese homes/displays. If you want to see his work his website is http://japaneseminis.homestead.com/homePg.html

Tina Chrismore

Pentel Eraser caps: Pentel mechanical pencils have plastic caps that make perfect new-style Tupperware tumblers. The "smoke" color looks just right. I measured my real Tupperware tumbler and the pencil cap looks identical. I have seen them in light blue, smoke, and clear. I imagine the clear ones can be painted on the inside for different colors.

Marcie Van Deren