Dried Apple Wreath:
Twine cord used for wrapping pkgs to mail
glue
Fresh cranberries
asst. bead *ornaments, dried baby's breath and misc. greenery.

Dip a 3" piece of twine in a mix of half glue and half water. Wrap it around a plastic aspirin bottle or similar size and tie it ....not tight but firm. Let dry completely. You can use two pieces for a twisted look. Slice a few cranberries very thin. lay out to dry naturally or in a warm oven. you might want to dip them in lemon juice and water first to preserve the *white* inner side. When everything is dry. place *apple* slices around *wreath* until you feel good about how it looks then glue them in place. Add little pieces of baby's breath sprigs between the slices, and decorate to please. Finish with a small bow at bottom with little one inch tails. Voila'...a pretty wreath for your front door ...:)

Mary Ann

Paper-Wrapped Wire: http://amsi-minilandscaping.comThey have white and green cloth covered wire sold by the bundle. They have wonderful landscaping materials and are extremely helpful. They extended me a 30% discount since I have a miniature business. The man's name is Tony and his wife is Mary. They provide landscaping used for small scale miniatures in Hollywood. I searched for 2-1/2 weeks to find their site on the Web.

Jean

Christmas Minis: Last winter I got some adorable scale Christmas balls for decorating a tree from Smaller and Better things Beautiful detail!

janetkaybb

Flower Making Sites: On projects, page two of my site you will find about a dozen links to sites with instructions for making flowers http://www.miniaturereality.com/Project2.htm My personal favorite is Michelle's Minis.

Karolyn

Large Brass Chandeliers: Someone asked about large brass chandeliers. I sell a range of lights including a 6 arm brass chandelier with matching wall lights. http://www.littlebylittle.co.uk

Sun Bonnet: Here is a very, very easy way to make a bonnet (it's how we made them in grade school for ourselves, out of construction paper). Try it out of paper first - if you use cloth for the final ones, you might want to stiffen the fabric a little first (I think colored paper would be fine, though, for bonnets so small). Your piece of paper/cloth should measure about 2" by 1.5" (after you get the technique it'll be easier to figure out sizing). Lay it flat the long way across, and measure it into thirds. At each third point, cut a slit from the bottom up, about 1/2 way up (that's 2 cuts total).

______________

Grace

Mini Bow Maker: Bow Maker, you can make one out of toothpicks.

You will need:

- 6 six tooth picks
- masking tape

Cut a strip of tape, lay it out flat. Lay the six toothpicks next to each other. The two outer ones should be at least 1 1/2 inches above the others.

Paulette

DOMED HANGING WORK LIGHT

By Donna Carnall - 2 Apr 2002

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

1 mini suction cup (approx. 3/4" in diameter)--remove wire from cup

6" length of black crochet thread for "wiring"

small flat (on one side) white button (2 holes is all that's needed);

Acrylic paint: silver or pewter works well (I used pewter)

Glue (I used Power Poxy Stix-On Contact All Purpose Adhesive)

Sewing Needle

Nail or safety pin

Remove the wire from the suction cup---save it for possible use in another project. Heat a nail or safety pin, then melt a hole all the way through the center of the suction cup. The hole should be just large enough to pull the crochet thread through, but still fit snugly inside. Paint the outside of the suction cup with silver or pewter acrylic paint, let dry thoroughly.

Thread needle with black crochet thread, tying a knot in the end of the thread. Push the needle through hole you made in suction cup, entering the concave side, and pull through the knobbed side, pulling knot to the hole, but not into it. Push needle through one hole of the button then down through the other hole. Adjust thread length (to your needs) between button and suction cup, and tie a double knot snugly against button. Push needle back through one of the buttonholes, and cut thread to about a 1/4" tail.

"Pull Cord": Decide the length of "pull cord" desired, and cut a length of white crochet thread accordingly-adding just a little extra for 2 knots and possible miscalculations. Tie a knot in both ends, but before tying a second knot, thread a jewelry clamp onto the knotted end of the thread.

In the center of the concave side of the suction cup, place adequate amount of glue to adhere to knotted end of "pull cord" (the end without the jewelry clamp). Then glue the white pearl-like bead (light bulb) over the "pull cord" knot you just glued in. Let dry.

You're done! When ready to add the "work light" to your scene, attach button to "ceiling" with appropriate glue. Press well into place, and let dry. The light and cord hang free, and adds movement and life to the project. It seems to be an attention getter!

Donna--in the Land of Oz, USA

Fuzzy and Freezer Paper: Many people have written about using the fuzzy paper available at scrapbook stores to make rugs. There is a fuzzy paper that is made for printers...supposedly won't get all that fuzzy stuff on your printer heads! I have sent for this and used it extensively for printing out rugs, and so far, my printer hasn't choked on fuzziness. I get it here: http://www.paper-paper.com/fuzzy-paper.html

Freezer paper is hard to find here in the LA area also, but I found the site for Reynolds Aluminum and they do have an e-mail address to ask for products in your area:http://www.reynoldskitchens.com/reynoldskitchens/kitchenconnection/products/freezer_paper/index.asp

Kaye in LA

Baking Mini Food: I second Kim's suggestion for smooth ceramic tiles for baking mini food and other clay items. Depending on your oven, many toaster ovens will easily take a 6" tile for larger/longer items.  I also prefer the glazed tiles.  I make twisted candy sticks and prefer cutting to length after baking.   Get several in white and a couple of a dark color like green or blue. White and translucent Fimo shows up better on the dark tile.  As you are cooking with one tile, get more food ready on the extras.   Write your name on the bottom if you are going to a class where several use tiles.  No mix ups with someone wanting your better looking strawberries!

My favorite trick for baked "cookies" is to lay rolled out clay directly on the tile and then use the Kemper punches to cut cookies.  Peel the excess away leaving the cookies undisturbed.   If the baked clay "sticks" to the tile, you can pop it off with a fingernail or razor blade.  You can also dust the surface with ordinary cornstarch.  I quit using baby powder when I ruined some red cookies trying to get the baby powder off.

Kathy in KY

Turned Toothpicks:    if you are doing quarter inch, they make perfect table legs and bed posts. I also saw one shortened, sanded flat on the plain end and shaped into a yad. (Used by the readers in synagogues and some churches to follow the words in the text without getting finger oil on the pages.) It even had a tiny ring and chain on the end to attach it to the lectern.

Dani, in Bradshaw, MD

Turned Toothpicks:    I used some of mine to make little beds for the 7 dwarfs in the Snow White Cottage I made last June with Lady Bug Thwaite during the Molly Cromwell Show in Sturbridge.   The first one was a bit large for the house (trial and error working well here!) so it became a doll's bed in my little girl's room in my dollhouse.

I used the toothpicks for the bed posts, cutting the ones for the footboard a bit shorter than those for the headboard.   I used the ends of a craft stick (popsicle stick) for the headboard and footboard, again making the footboard shorter than the headboard.   I trimmed the stick on each side to get it narrow enough for the cottage.  The first one I didn't trim so it made a great toy bed.   I used the center of the stick to make the base of the bed.   I have some thin foam, the shapies type of stuff, that I cut to size for the mattresses.   I haven't put bed clothes on them yet but they are really adorable, IMHO.

Lissa from Rutland, MA

Castles: Anyone who may be interested in suits of armor, candlesticks, pewter articles etc. Take a look at Tony Knott's web site. He has made pieces for film sets and the like, all beautiful stuff! http://www.tonyknott.com

Peter and Annie

Tinker Toys: After my last post I checked my files. Go to http://www.cottageofminiatures.com and check Artisan. David's bag of tinker toys is $16. and it gives information on how to place an order.

Ruth

Mini Tips: I've just added another album to my PictureTrail site, called "Mini Tips" http://www.picturetrail.com/miniwhimsy/601438  As I come up with ideas and techniques, I'll add pictures to that album. So far, there is a picture of the tiny "bottles" found in burned out Christmas lights.   Also (and I've been meaning to do this for a long time) there are "glass slippers" molded from hot glue onto the feet of a doll I'm making.

The trick in doing the slippers is to dip the doll's foot into a hot glue pot just enough to coat the bottom of the foot, making a sole.   After the sole had cooled, I added a high-heel by dipping a toothpick into the hot glue and attaching a tiny bit of glue to the doll's heel and pulling it down slightly.   After it cooled, I cut excess length off the high-heel with a scissor.   Then, with another strand of hot glue (while it was still warm), I made a strap to cross over her toes.   They look like glass slippers -- or could be "Jellies."

Anita Myers, Arnold, MD

Jewelry Boxes: Those little square flip top metal pillboxes like my grandmother used make the PERFECT jewelry boxes for 1/6 scale dolls, maybe even smaller. They're gold-tone and have maybe cloisonne decor on the lid. I found one in a fashion boutique, and another at the Thrift Store. I recently saw a plain one at WalMart in the Pharmacy section with all the modern style plastic pillboxes. Anyone interested, happy hunting!

MsPBody

Aged Paper: I can tell you how I make my old scrolls, papers, and maps. It's easy and you can't mess up because the more you ruff them up the older and better they look. I use Velum paper. It is a little expensive but a pad can fill 10 mini libraries. To make the paper look old, I usually stain by rubbing a wet tea bag over it, letting some areas stain more that others, then let it dry.

After dry you can put it through the printer or you can hand print it with a very fine brush and water color. Cut the pieces of paper to size, and then roll or fold the paper the shape you desire. Velum holds the shape well. Then very carefully and gently burn the edges of the rolled scrolls. You don't need to burn them much at all. Rub the excess ashes of the paper. I've also herd some people putting paper in the oven to give it the old look too. But I haven't had too much success with that. Burning makes the paper look old because "real" old papers are actually burning extremely slowly too. That's why they are brown and brittle.

If you look at my web site you can see some of my miniature old scrolls, papers and books: www.evminiatures.com

Ericka Van Horn

Glass Bottles from Christmas Lights: [ http://www.picturetrail.com/miniwhimsy/601438  

 Do you have to do anything to the glass parts that come out the outdoor Christmas lights to make them into bottles?]

Just remove them carefully, Kathy!   The broken glass from those lights can be very sharp.   I recommend using safety goggles and putting the bulb inside a paper bag -- then tap it gently with a hammer.   The outer bulb will break, leaving the "glass bottle" inside.

You have to work the "bottle" loose, because it was originally attached to the outside bulb, joined to it inside the metal screw base.   After the outer bulb is broken, I usually break off any excess bulb that remains with needlenose pliers, sort of crushing it.   There are small wire leads into the "bottles" which can easily be cut, twisted, or just broken off.   If you have a Dremel, you can sand the bottom of the "bottle" to make it smoother, but you would certainly need safety goggles for that.

These "bottles" can be painted with Gallery Glass, and would look great on a shelf in an apothecary's shop (like up on the wall behind the counter).   Any irregularities on the bottom of the bottles can be hidden that way.

The "bottles" on my PictureTrail site are just as they were removed from the bulb -- no sanding, etc.   You can still see the wire leads on a couple of them.   Once they're painted with Gallery Glass and mounted on shelves, you won't notice the metal leads or irregular bottoms.

Anita Myers

Asian (oriental) style minis: http://www.simbatta.net/ made in Korea

Alice Zinn

SHINING UP PEWTER: I've had pretty good luck shining up pewter this way: wash well in warm water with dish washing liquid (like Palmolive, etc.), using an old toothbrush to scrub it. This gets rid of the whitish release agent often left on the pewter. Then dry and buff with a dry paper towel. They look a lot more silvery after this treatment, although not as shiny as chrome.

Celeste