kitchen sink/litter box:  ON suggested using   a restaurant jam container for a kitchen sink, painting it silver, or white for a bathroom..  Of course, to paint the outside of it, it must be  a clear one to begin with. ( Many of them are white.) And I also trim the rim and use one for a cat litter box, paintingthem blue, or green, or pink, or gold.   (I used to have a booth in a craft mall, and sold them in different colors.) Then I got some "grit" type granules from a model train store to use for litter, and made some Fimo poo to put in it.    

Dorothy

Working pinball machine: I have a working one-inch scale pinball machine at http://www.tinyheirlooms.com Look under other furniture. I've also got working air hockey, foosball, and basketball shoot-out at the store. Email me if interested. customerservice@tinyheirlooms.com

Tammy in Virginia

Tiny Shells: I saw a brilliant use of tiny shells at the Columbus Ohio show, making "living" souvenirs. Snip a fine fringe of green plastic bag or quilling paper, roll into a tube, and glue inside the shell for instant bromeliad just like the life-scale shell-filled air plants!  Really quick and really cute.

Loretta_Sniarowski

Bottles: For largish glass bottles try an optometrist or ophthalmologists that does contact lenses. My friend whose husband is one gave me a bag of little glass jars that contacts came in. For 1:12 scale they're large- sort of the size that you might store a lot of spaghetti in.

Laura Bentley

Minis in Japan: You didn't say when you are going but unless you can speak/read Japanese or have translation software on your laptop you may have a hard time communicating.  The same day that Tom Bishop holds his dollhouse and mini show in Japan (either June or July) there is always a teddy bear show in the same building and the people who run that show speak English and know a lot of the miniaturists.  That is about as helpful as I can be without any of my contact info around. I know Beth Stark from Liliput Land did the Bishop Show in Japan---you could try to ask her for some info.   Or you could ask Tom Bishop himself who also has had Japanese artisans at Chicago International Shows. 

Aside from the obvious miniaturists, you will see wonderful Origami paper in designs never sold outside of Japan from which you can make dozens and dozens of things in mini.  The finest silk "left-overs" and brocades and then there are all sorts of mini skate boards and items that the Japanese use for kids games.   Plus the greatest source of all are the shops and nurseries that specialize in bonsai plants!  If you are going to Kyoto ask your concierge for the name of the most famous fan store in Kyoto---no English---but eye candy and fans of every size and color imaginable---this is where you can buy tiny, teeny fans for the dolls that they use on Girls Day.   Also, try some of the antique stores and look for all the older ceramic Japanese dolls (in any of the cities).  If you are really lucky you will find a complete set still in the box with extra wigs and obis, etc.  If you are really, really lucky you will find a small shrine with the emperor and empress and lots of courtesans and musical instruments that will actually fold right back down into a box that you can hand carry onto the airplane.  Just keep your eyes open and enjoy. Personally, I obviously prefer the historical pieces because even I can make modern tatami matting myself.

Sara in Paris

Minis in Japan: I forgot who was looking for info on buying minis in Japan.  I suggest that you visit the flea market at the YOYOGI shrine in Tokyo.  It is held on Saturday and I think only the 1st Sat. of the month.   Ask at your hotel and they should know or be able to find out for you.  I hope you are in the city on the correct Sat.  I bought some wonderful old mini, handmade vases and kokoshi dolls (mini) and a musical instrument.  (Can't remember the name--it is stringed and very long.)  Most of my purchases were $1.00.  We bought a full size wedding kimono to hang on the wall here at home.   It is beautiful and was very reasonable. I forgot to say they had oodles and are all second hand.  Makes a wonderful reminder of our trip. Look at the gift shops at any of the shrines and usually they have things that work in minis.  I found bronze statues of gods, goddess, Buddha, etc. 

Staining

Clay Flowers: I use polyclay for certain flowers - roses, iris, orchids, fox gloves, poppy's etc - but I never use it for leaves strangely enough - even the thinnest clay leaf looks clumpy - just my opinion / technique

Lesley, South Africa

Champagne Flutes: Mary Eccer makes filled champagne flutes complete with bubbles. Her web site is http://pannikins.com/

Lynn in Milan

Glass bottles: I just got my catalog from American Science and Surplus, and they have a slew of tiny, tiny glass bottles AND corks, like 20 for $2.00 or something like that. Website is http://www.sciplus.com

Sue Veeder in Madison,WI

Pricing Tiny Pieces:   you said you keep all your items in tiny bags, which is smart. But can you make a display of a sample of each item, perhaps glued on some sort of a board, with the price in front of each? That way people can see each item clearly, but the ones they pick up to buy will be protected!

Put out a magnifying glass or two on your table as well...for people who   want to more easily see the tiny wonderful details of your work!

Alice Zinn- Pt. St. Lucie FL

Pricing merchandise at shows: One of the most frustrating things about shopping show tables is the lack of easily seen prices on items.  I know all those tiny things can be a  pain to price, but sometimes the difference between buying something and passing it up is how easy it is to determine how much it costs.  And things that are displayed behind glass with prices hidden underneath or things with no prices at all, will get passed by.  Sometimes the dealer is really busy and getting close enough to ask the price is difficult. Sometimes I know it's going to be more than I can afford and wanting to know is just curiousity. But I appreciate dealers who take the time to mark prices clearly.  It makes shopping easier and much more pleasant.  I've never understood the psychology of hidden prices.  Although things that are more expensive seem to have them more often than things that aren't. If something is really small having a display with the ones to buy in marked packages is a good idea.

I realize it's hard to merchandise a mini table because of the size of the items.   Maybe a sample board with prices would be one way to go.

Quinn

Mini quilt kits:  This one has a number of them, assorted scales and reasonably priced!  http://www.vickeysminis.com

Cathy Heimbauer

Incredible   miniature knitting and sewing: I have no personal connection to this site.  I am simply amazed by the miniature knitting and sewing.  Just had to pass this along to all of you. http://home.wxs.nl/~kort0112/fotosite.html

Kathy Peterson in Wisconsin

Tea: To fill tiny cups of tea, I use Gallery Glass amber colored glass paint.   It may dry with a little depression in the center, but then all you have to do is fill it up some more.  It's much easier than mixing resin for something that tiny.

Mary Lou in Portage, IN

Bar Stool from champagne cage wire: Snapping the shank off a leather-covered button and gluing that on gives you a bar stool.  These are just variations on the cafe table and chairs of course.

Loretta Sniarowski

Settee:  For quick DIY furniture I prefer pizza props (those three-legged plastic tables or Y-shapes).   Use an individual baked-potato basket or small rectangular basket with one long side cut away and the two narrow sides trimmed to armrests for the seating. Glue cording around the cut edges to finish neatly.  Then use wire cutters or toenail clippers to snip one leg off two pizza props, and glue each remaining pair of legs at opposite ends of the basket bottom.  paint, and it's a settee.  Add seat cushion and pillows if desired.  Nice cheap modern wicker for a beach house or porch.

 If you must have Victorian, wrapping cord around the prop legs to make them bulkier, gluing heavy lace trim on the wicker before painting, and/or making a dust ruffle to match the cushions will modify the look.

Loretta Sniarowski

For Secretaries' Day, one of our suppliers gave me a carnation that had one of those vials containing water on the end of it. Most of these that I see are green with pointed ends but this was clear with a rounded end (about half inch in diameter). Cut off and placed on a small wooden base, it would make a wonderful dome to cover a mini clock or floral arrangement.

Maureen in St. Albert AB Cda

Quick mini projects:  I enjoy making different sorts of fancy bottles/ flasks with beads and findings, you can whip out enough to stock a bathroom and a boudoir dressing table in fairly short order.  I put small furniture kits together on the "installment" plan, sand/ shape one day, stain another, glue another time, etc.  I usually juggle several small projects and save the rainy weekends and cold weather for the lengthier projects.

Holly

Fridge magnets: I went to the website of the fridge magnets and there are several other categories that would be useful for minipictures.  They are called itsy bitsy magnets and come in a hinged acrylic box of 48 tiles for $5.00.  They vary in size from 5/8" square to some a bit smaller or larger.  They had a baby motif, perfect for decorating, a boot motif, maybe good for a shoe store, animal motif etc.  The web site is http://www.fridgefun.com

Harriett -Framingham, MA

Tapestries: For the person looking for the vendor who sells tapestries, there is a web site that has tapestries to print and they are beautiful!  Try http://www.pixiedustminis.com    They even tell you what type of material to print on for the best results.  Good luck, hope you find something you like.

Ina