Electric guitars, banjos and many other musical instruments: Go to http://www.firebirdarts.com/indexmin.shtml Another SSer (I'm sorry, I don't remember who) told me about this site and I have never seen it mentioned anywhere else. The range of instruments they have is very large. They have them in 1/6 and 1/12 scale, electric guitars, banjos and many other types of instrument. Their prices also seem very reasonable ($5 for the 3" banjo) although I have not ordered from them so cannot speak for the quality. The instruments are arranged by type rather than scale so do make sure that you don't miss one that would work for you.

Wendy in Clinton, NJ

Working grandfather's clocks: As someone pointed out Orvin Fjare does make some beautiful grandfather's clocks which are quite pricey. I have one (not for sale) in my dollhouse which you can see at http://www.spminiatures.com/house/livingroom.html. There are working grandfather's clocks that sell for about $70 which I think are in Dee's catalog (too lazy to look it up).

Carol

working grandfather clock: I found a web site for a craft store called Crafts, Etc. that has a working grandfather clock. They are temporarily out of stock, but maybe they will get some in soon. It sells for $24.99. The web page address is: http://catalog.craftsetc.com/viewProduct.cfm?item_id=378278.I just placed an order with them today on the telephone, and they were very nice to deal with. They have quite a few miniatures listed under the crafts section of their catalog. I hope this helps the person who was looking for the grandfather clock.

Terry T. in WV

Working Clocks: Someone was asking about working grandfather clocks. Try Small Time: http://www.small-time.com/

Colin Bird

working clocks: Both Dee's and Aztec have working grandfather clocks. They are usually in the $40 to $70 range and look very good. The working part is a quartz watch. I think one of them even has a working mantel clock. Contact your local mini store to get them. I keep them in stock all the time and think most other retailers probably do, too.

Dottie in Tucson

Snow: Snow is easy to do - you can build up drifts or snowmen or whatever with PaperClay, foam core, etc. When you have it shaped the way you want, apply a layer of Snow-Tex or Outdoor Snow decorative snow (comes in a 4 oz tub and can be found at craft stores or places like Wal-mart) The most effective touch is to buy the most ultra fine iridescent glitter - so fine it almost looks like powder - in a tiny glass vial - and sprinkle it on the wet snow. It looks very realistic. You can also create patches of ice for your mini people to fall on with Envirotex - just pour it on areas to simulate ice. I used this technique for a pheasant woodcarving and it turned out very effective - except no one believes it is real snow when it is 90 degrees outside...

Bonnie Gibson - Tucson, Arizona

Christmas "whirligig": Mel K. said his wife wanted "one of those wooden, candle powered, Bavarian, Christmas whirligigs.'" The article Wanna in El Paso was referring to is in Nutshell News, Dec. 1985, page 98, written by Dee Snyder It is called a "Weihnachtspyramide". Now let's hear everybody pronounce that one!!.

Ruth

Chariots: Fontanini has a Roman chariot in various sizes (they do religious scenes, but also scenery which is secular because except for the burning bush how religious can a bush be?) but I can't remember if the chariot has a person permanently in it.... The web site is   http://www.roman.com/fontanini/fonthome.htm

Religious stores and some gift shoppes which specialize in 'collectibles' carry Fontanini and it is fabulous, although I have to admit I've never thought of belly dancers.  Now of course I won't be able to look at even a palm tree from the collection WITHOUT thinking of belly dancers!   Thanks, Sandi Fellmer!!   LOL  :-)

Gail from Ballouville

Dreamcatchers: For those who want to try their hand at dreamcatchers, you can get them down to smaller than dime size, by wrapping the outer ring with tan thread (actually any color works.....depending on the look you want) then use the thread to make the webbing. The teeniest of beads can be used to enhance it.....even a tiny crystal.   Some Native Americans believe that there should be 3 things to represent spiritual connections.   I often put a shell the size of a seed bead on them, if I am going for a natural look....but I have also made Fantasy ones of all colors, such as lavender and pink (for a mini baby girl's room) The webbing is the tedious part, but worth it!

Vickie in balmy NC

Looney Tune Mini Fabric: I once used my baby girls cotton undies that had itty bitty "rug rats" characters on them for crib sheets in my mini nursery.   They're great scale, cotton, and just the right amount of fabric.   I've seen Tweety undies at WalMart.   I know I sound almost as bad as the gentleman who absconds with his wife's bras, but if anyone understands, I know ya'll do.   Anyway, I've told myself recycling is a good thing...Hehehe!

MsPBody

Firefighter hats: Island Crafts makes inexpensive one inch scale firefighter hats.   I have one at http://www.tinyheirlooms.com   under Accessories, Misc.

Tammy in Virginia

Button Uses: Some buttons make great frames for pictures cut from magazines. Buttons can become covered powder jars when you glue a metal "lid" shaped button to a colored glass button used as the jar. Some buttons are realistically shaped, so a pig shaped button can be glued standing on a table to represent a piggy bank, for example. Tiny flat buttons can be glued as wheels on a painted rectangle of cardboard to make a base for a child's pull toy. Just glue   a tiny plastic animal charm on top of the platform (or use a paper picture of an animal you glued to cardboard and cut out)   and you'll have a cute toy. You can add a pull string made of thread with a seed bead on the end.   It is so satisfying thing to see what you can create using your own imagination. In time, you'll find that you start looking at the world differently

Darlene From Long Island, N.Y., Doll Artisan, IGMA

Sarah in Paris told us about two sources for vintage style miniatures, which I checked out further.

One is Barbara and Lew Kummerow, who make very high quality, detailed lamps and small "electrical" appliances from the 1920s and 1930s.   I have never seen such items available anywhere else, at least not at this quality.  They make a vacuum cleaner, two heaters, a fan and an iron.  I bought the last mixer and toaster, and I don't know if they'll be making more. They also have the BEST Tiffany-style, Arts & Crafts and Frank Lloyd Wright style lamps, which are very realistic and highly detailed. Unfortunately, they don't have a website, but I recommended that they get one. They do shows and mail order.   They do have email, and they sent me pictures as attachments.  If any of you are interested in these items, send them an email to: kumini@thegrid.net    These minis are just too great to be sold only at shows - they should be available world-wide, so encourage them to get a website.

I also placed an order with Bob Carlisle, of Carlisle Miniatures.   He makes a mall but very unique line of furniture and some accessories, primarily from the 20s, 30s and 40s.  He makes three different styles of radios (the best I've seen), some occasional tables, including one specifically for placing a radio on top, with a shelf below and pockets on the sides for magazines.  He makes a Jenny Lind bed, a kitchen table with matching chairs, and an Art Deco bedroom suite. He makes a telephone table and sewing table that are just SO vintage! The sewing table opens from the top and the front.The prices are very reasonable for all-cherry construction.   Bob is also a Machinist, and makes his own hardware and radio dials, as well as a sewing machine (comes with the table) and a candlestick style telephone (sold separately from the table).  He doesn't have email, and only does mail order.   So, send a SASE to:

Carlisle Miniatures
703 North Elm
Creston, Iowa  50801

Jonathan in Israel

Medical stuff:  I think a company over here in the UK sells all sorts of medical stuff I think they are called JLB miniatures http://www.jlbminiatures.co.uk/

Sharon

Metal Castings: You can make your own castings by making a model in wax. Use the wax model to make a bivalve(2 halves) cast (Negative). Melt solder into the mold and take out your finished metal objects.

Dr Bob

Firefighter hats: I happened to see Kim's request for a 1" fireman's hat. I have them. You can contact me at fantasyworkshopa@cs.com

Marilyn

Turned Toothpicks:   a friend who knows I do miniatures returned from vacation with mini art that used the toothpicks -- three glued together at the pointed ends into a teepee shape, a fourth trimmed and glued horizontally across two of the legs made a table-top size easel, displaying a hand-painted art deco floral of calla lilies.  Very nice, but it's unsigned!  

You could also stain most of the pick, paint the turned section ivory with an antique wash over it, or paint it gold, and add an ivory or gold seed bead to the point for a fancy cane -- but of course that's just a variation on the umbrella.

Loretta.Sniarowski

Medical furniture and equipment: This website: http://www.countrystoreminiatures.com   has a great selection of medical equipments, furniture and accessories. When you enter click on find and put "medical" in...first thing to come up is an examining table, sink, chair and then keep scrolling!!!

Cathy Heimbauer

Medical Miniatures, Stockton miniatures also carries some items, hope this helps! The link to their site: http://www.stockton-miniatures.com/page25.html

Michelle

Bunka: use for "embroidered" flowers by (for example) gluing a light green snippet on a darker green, topped with a bit of flower   colored bunka- it's surprisingly effective when kept tiny and smooshed flat. Perhaps I missed this idea for cording- try gluing fabric around wire.   It   helps with draping, too.

Betty in New Jersey