Stuffing Pillows: I have used craft sand in pillows and it makes them really drape as a real pillow would. I have always encased the sand in a lightweight cotton using a neutral color or one which matches the pillow casing, before stuffing it into the pillow itself.

Marilyn, MI

15th Rosary Beads: As a lapsed Catholic I would not call myself an expert on rosary beads but I have never been aware that the colour of the beads was anything other than personal choice. At school the nuns gave us blue plastic ones. My grandmother had a set that looked like real pearls (I've just had this copied in miniature for my dolls house) and I've seen wooden ones also. Unless a more knowledgeable person comes through with the answer I would guess that in the C15th rosary beads were made of wood for the peasants, and semi precious stones for the nobleman. A set in ruby red would be perfect.

Karon

15th Rosary Beads: One of our Sisters who is knowledgeable in 15th century customs, says that probably the rosary would have been made of carved wood. She looked it up in the Catholic Encyclopedia, and it stated that the rosary, at least part of the time in the 15th century, consisted of 50 beads, possibly as one chaplet, or with larger beads between every ten beads, for the Our Fathers. They could also have been made of ivory or filigreed metal, such as gold or silver. So you have several choices for authentic beads for your nobleman. At some museum she saw rosary beads of this era, and the carved Our Father bead opened up and had a scene inside, the Nativity. The bead was about the size of a walnut. Hope this helps.

Sister Olivia

Rosary Beads: Being a member of a Catholic family with members of the family in the religious community -- I asked them your question -- and good luck would have it -- my uncle (a Christian Brother) told me some used wood with small metal or rope chains connecting them back then -- the more wealthier parishes might have used pearl - back then it basically depends on what area of the nation. He found records in England and Scotland for that time of the 18C right?

Elizabeth Smith

Rosary Beads: to the person who was asking about rosary beads for your nobleman... check out http://rosaryworkshop.com/HISTORYjournalingBead.htm this page has a history of rosaries from 1st to 20th century. . . from knotted cord to present day beads and is divided into centuries for easy location of your time period. You should be able to find out what would be apt for your setting

Linda and Dean Brotherton

Support for bead Lamp: you would be better off to use a small piece of brass tube that is the width of the holes. If you use super glue like Zap or Duco Gel you can align the beads and glue them. If you feel you need a support and can't get tubing then try a painted round toothpick. Another way to get a type of tubing is to open up used ball-point pens and remove the tube inside. If it is really a use pen then you should have the ink to deal with.

Deanna Spanjar

I accidentally made a mini! A raised pattern button happened to be resting on a scrap of heavy gold foil paper from a greeting card. This was in turn sitting on an old spongy mouse pad (those are worth their weight in minis-never throw them away!) . And to top it off I put a heavy dictionary on it for about a week. I got a gold embossed dish! A couple of coats of Mod Podge on the back helped to keep the shape! And I had a good excuse for not having cleaned up my work table!

Marcie ~ In Sonora, CA

BEAD LAMP STURDINESS: Why remove the pin if you're not electrifying? I just leave them in place in non-working lamps made from stacked beads and findings. If the pin sticks out of one end, before you glue the last piece into the stack, use wire cutters (often part of needlenose pliers if you have any of those) to snip off the pointy end and leave just enough sticking up to hold the last piece in place, then glue that on and leave the pin in to stabilize the pieces.

Loretta.Sniarowski

Eye glasses: After spending the better part of the day making eye glasses for a doll, I have found a useful tool to use as an eyeglass form -- metal knitting needles (3mm ones worked well). They are nicely round, come in many sizes, easier to find than certain size doweling, you can pull the wire taut and it is a bit easier than using wooden dowels. Just tape the bottom of the needles together, and then wind the thin wire around the top (one end goes clockwise, the other goes counterclockwise). You can do neat things like pull the needles apart a bit to make a nose hole, and if you want a bend in between the two lenses, push a round toothpick in between. The glasses will easily slip off the needles. Then all you have to do is flatten the face part (used the flat end of my tweezers), and while holding the face part down I pulled up the ends of the wires for arms and cut them down to appropriate size. Does take practice to get them really nice, but once you get the knack you can belt these things off relatively quickly.

To get glass in them? Have been experimenting, and i think gallery glass will work, though I haven't quite got the right amount yet. You could use glue as well, but it is messy and not as convenient as the gallery glass (if you can find it). Nice thing about gallery glass as well is you can get it in a lot of different colors (sunglasses and tinted lenses!).

Kim From Canada

Hatstands: I've made very plain hatstands by gluing together a round wood bead, golf tee, and a round wooden base to stabilize, then paint it all a neutral color. Simpler the better, that way the hats get the attention, not the stand.

Loretta.Sniarowski

Hatstands: I've used tear drop shaped hatpins stick into bell cap jewelry findings with nice results. You may also use tear shaped beads or you could also use the heads of small plastic dolls which have spray painted either gold, silver or matte white. Being a doll maker myself, I often use just the head and shoulders of my porcelain dolls.

Marilyn, MI

Hat Pins - How to: For those making hat shops, a quick tutorial on hat (or corsage) pins. Cut a length that is easy for you to handle, perhaps an inch, of the finest beading wire in either brass or 'silver'. Dip it into the paint used to paint on tee shirts, (the thick pearlized kind) until a tear drop forms on the end. Stick it into styrofoam to dry. If you'd like it bigger, repeat. You can make pins of various colors and even imbed tiny rhinestones if you desire! When dry, cut off to the proper length.

Alice Zinn- Pt. St. Lucie FL

Row of books:    I glued rows of books on pieces of balsa wood, finishing the ends that would show with a matching paper.   I put these into bookshelves that I made from some of the Michael's hutches' which had two long doors at the front.   I "glazed" the doors with the clear plastic from packaging.  I distributed the books on the shelves in a natural- looking way and put some small ornaments among them to simulate statues, urns, and bookends.  Through the "glass" doors it all looks very realistic and cost next to nothing.  

SUSAN AT THE WHITE RABBIT'S HOUSE

Snow globe info:   The globes are about 1/2" diameter, give or take a bit.  Right now is a good time to look for them ....I found mine at a Hallmark shop... and they were "on sale!", snow globes. Yes, it is the Christmas balls that I am talking about ........ acetone removes the color and bleach removes the silver.  You can use a long pipe cleaner to get at any stubborn spots, which can occur. The most important thing is to rinse thoroughly before using the other  chemical......I usually just get a small container, put the chemical in, then submerge the globe, using a pipe cleaner to hold it under the surface.  I do the same thing to rinse.       

I did not use any kind of sealer on my figurines. I haven't had any problems so far with my figurines going soft, but then, a lot of my snow globes were gifts and so the owners may not be telling me. I do, however, lightly coat the inside of the base with silicone before putting the figure inside.

I mostly make my bases out of fimo, as the findings bases are a bit too bulky for me. I can also imprint the base with tiny stamps, or make it to my own choosing, because I find the neck of the bulbs can sometimes be a bit longish.   After baking the bases while already on the empty bulb, I then add the silicone inner coating. Then   I add the water, with one drop of glycerin, a few small, hole-less glass beads and the glitter.

Now I set the figurine into a dab of silicone, and give it a minute or so to sort of set up.   Then I put it into the snow globe.  There is usually a tiny space left by the water escaping, and I use this as an entry to "bleed" the air from the globe.  I sort of developed a "tool" for this, which is a hypodermic syringe with another needle attached to the original, the opening of the attached one placed higher than the other so I can inject the water while air escapes through the opening ...... if that makes sense.

If I get a leak, I try to "re-inject" the water, which appears to work ok.

Vickie

Snow Globe: I'm nearly there on my snow globe, found some glycerin in a sugar craft store, made a little clay figure, painted it and sprayed with loads of coats of varnish. I've made a collar around the bulb with Milliput and made a base for the  figure that fits this quite tightly. Now over the weekend I'm gonna get my ultra fine glitter, a few teeny, clear no hole beads, some distilled water and the   glycerin and put that in the globe. Then I'll place some putty around the figure on it's base, lower it into the globe, smear the putty around the edges to seal, keep the globe still for a couple of hours, then sand the base, paint it and hope it doesn't leak.

Jenny

Bra Uses: you should be able to harvest metal parts from bras, if nothing else –

-   the hooks and eyes that fasten at the back can be cut off; flatten the hooks and stick into a basket of yarn for non- working sewing scissors;

-   the eyes were used for drawer pulls in the mini olden days when commercial mini-hardware was unavailable and still are by some DIYers.  

- The metal loops on the straps, pulled through a hook, would make a hanging loop for mini-towels, or a base on which to glue greenery for a 1/24 scale wreath.

- The buckle-like loops pulled through a hook would make a toilet paper holder with a strip of paper wrapped around the lower bar

- the fabric's lace trim may be the right scale for mini curtain or sheet edging.

Loretta.Sniarowski

Stained Glass: I will tell you about my new adventures with stain glass. I don't have pictures up on my site yet but I was blown away by the results. If you buy the liquid leading at WalMart or your local craft store you can also get a set of Tips that are tiny, tiny and work wonderfully.

So you have your piece of plastic from your dollhouse kit or your piece of glass depending. Now put your pattern under the piece of plastic, unless the pattern is already on your plastic if it is from a kit, OK? Next Take your Liquid leading and trace the pattern either on or under you plastic, using the tip that suits your project the most. I suppose that you could use a pin or small brush if you were really coordinated. Once that is done set aside to dry. Now you have another choice. If you don't buy the glass paints you can mix clear drying glue and food colouring. The next step is simple as with a very tiny brush fill in all the little sections with the glass paint, (store bought or homemade) in whichever colour you wish. Let dry.

It turned out wonderful and now I am going to the mall and allow my kids to get those gumball machine toys so that I can have the plastic containers to make lampshades out of them. My dollhouse that will be posted on my site soon will have stained glass in every window. I am working on designs for Stained glass suncatchers also.

Oh, the greatest thing about them is if you make a mistake it just peels off, you start again. Wonderful, wonderful stuff if you ever wanted to try it, I recommend it.

Kathy Huffman

Lighthouse Furniture: I can tell you how I furnished my lighthouse if it will help you. Mine has 4 floors. Top floor has a Chart Table/Charts and telescope and binoculars. Next floor is Table/2 Chairs, Bookcase/books, Coffee pot/cups and charts on the walls. Next floor is Bunkbed, Hooked rug, First aid box, nautical pictures on the  wall.   Bottom floor is Row boat, hooks on wall for ropes, raingear, etc., bucket, barrels.  Mine has an attached Lighthouse Keepers room too.  In there I have a couch, table, desk, fireplace, rocking chair, another hooked rug, lamp, dog, and nautical pictures. I forgot, I have lanterns in the actual lighthouse too.

I bought those key rings that have those little battery run lanterns attached to them...took off the rings and set them around.(Got them at Wal-Mart) It looks really nice...wish I had a picture on here to show you.

Anita...BelAir, MD

Battery operated water pump For miniature waterfall:
Try www.micromark.com or more specifically
http://www.dxmarket.com/micromark/products/82089.html

George Hoffman

Fridge Magnets: fridge magnets which have been demagnetised for mini use - - they will be flat on the back. Yes, many will be, but these are great for what we call over here Vignettes, ie scenes in those deep picture frames which are great for people with very little room (like me!) You need all the depth you can scrounge in those things, and those magnets are great for sticking in a wall to give depth.

Florida Gill from Sanderstead