Cigar Boxes: What would I do with a cigar box? Make a cigar shop or maybe a little corner store that sells soda, candy bars, cigars and cigarettes. Picture a counter and a man standing behind it, with the counter covered in stacks of newspapers, and a girl in a school jumper, coat and mittens hanging from a string (or maybe held in one hand), and she is on tiptoe getting a chocolate bar (Hershey's?). The shop would be small and cramped and maybe a bit dirty and dingy, worn linoleum, walls covered in posters and merchandise, a broom and dustpan on a wall, the wall behind the counter filled with cigarette cases (though I dislike smoking and I'll bet it ruins miniatures; stains and the smell) and a clock with Marlboro or something on it. . . The possibilities and accessories are endless!

Rachel Bartgis

Mini Levels: Betty Dann of Designs by Dann sells a mini level that is about 1 1/2" long and about 1/2" high. Works great, especially in quarter scale. I have had one a long time and my club was wanting them, so I know Betty has them. Her email is DesignbyDan@aol.com

Betty in Ky.

Gas Station. I haven't done one, but I have created something similar. a maintenance area for a friend who maintained the FedEx vehicles. The best discovery I have found and have shared it with many mini folks is the *chainlink fence*. I bought all sort of things hoping to replicate chainlink since the area that held the hoses, pipes, fan belts, etc were locked up behind this 10ft high fencing. Much of the things, I thought would work, like painting plastic canvas just didn't look right. I came home one day and DH had changed the air filter on the car and the old one was sitting there. just sitting there! The mesh like material looks just like 1/12 chainlink. I have also used it to create fencing for my old neighborhood playground.

Pearl Jordan

Civil War Widow: I want to do an attic scene of an old woman looking through a trunk of mementos of her beloved husband. He was killed in the civil war and she never remarried. Each year on their anniversary she spends the evening going through this trunk, looking at his things, reading his letters which she keeps tied with a satin ribbon...frayed from so many years of reading and re-reading the letters. She will be in a chair in front of the trunk and parts of the mementos will have been dragged out in sight. A Confederate flag, frayed on the edges; his Confederate uniform...possibly with dark stains (blood; he was wearing it when killed) but don't know if that would be too gruesome for some people. Other things as I can find them. Tears are on her cheeks as she reads these letters. In the background behind her, but watching her is the ghost of her young husband seen in a cheval mirror. Hopefully I can find one with somewhat of a look of longing and love on his face. Have wondered if I printed the picture out on transparency (light ink) and attached it to the mirror, then maybe sprayed with a matte finish...would this work do you think? Maybe the mirror is in a corner of the attic with lots of spider webs (to help obscure the image of the husband-ghost). Any ideas about how I could do this?

Rita Pierce

Hairstylist scene: I taught in a high school and it was a really creepy sight to see those heads being carried around. Besides all the obvious beauty supplies and equipment for your shop, how about a small accessory counter, too? They sell jewelry, scarves, makeup, sun glasses, etc. in my beauty parlor. Also, in some really upscale salons, you will find small coffee counters and don't forget the manicure station.

Pat, Huntington, NY

Hairstylist scene: You know the sanitizer jars full of combs that are supposed to be on the counter, well how about using a clear glass jar, carve the combs from wood and paint, then fill with resin. Or, those carts on rollers that are used to hold all the perm rods....make one out of Q-tip sticks (remove the cotton) and those little jelly containers you get from restaurants. Use beads to look like the wheels. A hair dryer chair could be made from a basic chair kit (you know what style) and the dryer hood could be made from half of a small, plastic Easter egg. Don't forget the black rubber mat on the floor under the stylist chair (the one used to make standing all day a little easier on the old dogs). Use cardstock painted black and sealed with a matte finish.

Sloan

Mother's day project: Just sit down and think about what she likes -- favorite colors, music, pets, fancy cooking or baking (vs. every-day chore cooking), gardening, or any kind of needlework, bingo, or cards? What is she proudest of accomplishing in her life? What do you admire about her most? Does she have any unfulfilled dreams? How many children/grands/great-grands does she have? Once you've "interviewed" yourself and written down some of these ideas, you'll have a list to work from. Then use a few pieces of DIY or ready-made furniture (table and chair, maybe) and add accessories to remind her of the things that mean something special. Examples: Copy and reduce family pictures to frame and hang. Clip, frame and hang pictures if she likes art. Roll some balls of single-strand yarn, put in a basket, stick pins into one for knitting, etc. Also, once you get a list, use Dogpile or Google or another search engine, type in one of your categories (say, she likes Van Gogh -- type in Van Gogh) and see what kind of printables you come up with.

Loretta.Sniarowski

Seed Beads: seed beads can be used for foodstuffs in clear jars as if they'd been canned: yellow is corn, green is peas, etc. You could also use them to make beaded lamp shades, the ornate things at the end of light pulls like on ceiling fans, drawer pulls, cupboard handles, put them at the bottom of a clear glass vase for a special flower arrangement (like marbles in "real" life), On top of lids for pans, canisters and/or cookie jars, centers of flowers, decorations on tiny little hats, and of course dresses, tops, etc. Okay, out of ideas for now!

Sloan

Seed Beads: They make great flower centers, bottle tops, candy for jars in a pinch (I don't like the holes, but most folks don't notice them), necklaces, wheels on toy cars. Beaded curtains, eyes and noses on stuffed animals, for making in-scale Indian corn. They are great for the wood beads that use to be strung on baby cribs and playpens, and strung together for wooden bead baby toys. In 1/4 scale they are good lamp parts, tea cups (add beading wire handle), and lots of stuff.

Bev

Metal Miniatures: There was a couple at the Cincinnati show that sold metal miniatures with the majority of the items being priced under $1.00. He had so many that I think you could have stood there for a couple of hours and not really noticed everything he had. I had to laugh when he handed me a box lid and asked if I would like a shopping cart. He does shows and mail orders so I would expect he would have a catalog if you inquired. The address is: Parker Miniatures 3231 E. Linda Lane, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452.

Elizabeth Cooper

Scratching post: The cat scratching post can be found on my site, http://www.bulback.com/personal/kim

I believe it may be under "projects".

Kim

Cat Condo: I should think the cardboard core from a roll of toilet paper, covered with mini-scale carpet and with the appropriate openings cut out, would make a nifty cat condo.

Molly/StormBorn

Baba Yaga's house: As a first-time miniaturist, I don't want to get over my head! Besides, it's something *different*. I've long since figured out the chicken legs: coat-hanger wire armature covered with 'heavy duty' papier mache. Since the only mini samovars I've seen are around $300 (beyond my budget for a single purchase, I'm afraid), I'm thinking of making one from jewelry findings or Fimo. What would you finish Fimo with to give it an enameled metal type of look?

Molly/StormBorn

Baba Yaga's House: For the person who wants chicken feet for a Baba Yaga house but is not interested in using real ones (GROSS!!!-LOL) or creating their own, decoy carving places carry cast pewter "study" bird legs for carvers to use as is or copy when creating their carvings. They may not have chicken legs, but will probably have pheasant legs or something similar that you could use. I have bought these before, and since they are cast from the real thing, they are very realistic when painted up.

Bonnie Gibson

Mask roombox idea: Since masks and Mardi Gras go hand-in-hand, you might want to consider the festive appearance of the exotic feathered masks, with beads and the traditional gold-green-purple colors found at Mardi Gras. Colorful ribbons flowing from the masks are a possibility. If your daughter-in-law collects African masks, you'd probably want to switch gears and go with earthy colors and animal prints for wallpaper.

Leslie Ann, Fresno, CA

Masks: Could masks be printed out on cardstock or photo paper and given shape with a stylus or something for dimension? It wouldn't take that much for mini. With a little embellishment, like feathers and maybe a little sparkle, iridescent or dimensional paint, they could be really neat.

Lita

Masks: you can make masks easily with paper towels, PaperClay & white glue. You need heavy-duty paper towels and a mask form, which can be a dolls head that you've covered with foil or plastic wrap. Cut the paper towel into two basic "mask shape" pieces (cut out eye holes, mouth, etc. into an oval that will fit over the form). Use a mixture of white glue and water, dip one of the paper towel pieces into this mixture and drape over the mask form. Place the second mask piece over the first and, using a round toothpick or something you can roll over the form, press the two pieces together and into the shape of the form. When this is dry add PaperClay features. Let the whole thing dry and paint or decorate as desired. You can see some finished masks made this way on my web site

http://www.minimotion.com

I also have some polyclay forms available from left over kits I did for our club but they aren't listed on the site.

Tori West

Aga cookers:miniature Agas can be found at the website of Gable End Designs, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 7BXTheir website address is http://www.jeremy.collins. dial. pipex.com

They are lovely Aga cookers, and come both in kit form and ready made.

Annie Logan

AGA cookers: there is a company in the UK who I think ship abroad called The Dolls House Emporium who do two sizes of AGA cookers very reasonably priced at =A35. 50 for a small one and =A37. 90 for a large one, there web address is http://www.dollshouse.com

Sue, Hull, East Yorkshire

Gasoline Pumps: Aztec Imports has a number of them.

http://www.aztecimport.com/photos/Gearbox/gbgaspumpsmain. html

They only sell wholesale but you could check with your mini shop and if you don't have one, you could order from someone who represents Aztec.

Carol