Witch's cottage: I just finished "Witch Hazel's",a wonderful establishment built in Froggy Bottom Swamp. I used sheet Styrofoam for the base. It can be carved, sanded, and coated with spackle or plaster. I use plain old Elmer's glue and toothpicks to hold my basic rock designs together until the glue dries. Test other glues before you use them, many glues will eat the Styrofoam. Then the rocks are basecoated with either plaster or spackle. I like wattle and daub myself, but did my structure in a stucco style. The swamp water was made with 50 Year Clear Silicone, although I usually use Envirotek . A word of caution using Styrofoam. If you are using an electric Styrofoam cutter, the fumes emitted are poisonous. The same would go for using a heat gun. I use both tools, but always make sure I have plenty of ventilation. Most people who know me don't think I do though ;-)- "Brain damage already".

Shaun

Witches Cottage: For sedimentary, layered rock formations, why not bust up and use some old acoustic ceiling tiles? They break up easily with edges presenting rugged, natural shapes and glue easily to build up as high as you want, having mostly vertical or receding layers but also some points of overhang. Spray with varying yellow and brown rock tones of Rit dye in the spray bottles normally used for glass cleaner and such. Seal with clear varnish and sprinkle with Woodland Scenics Dark Green Ground Foam for patches of moss. Add very minimal bits of lighter green on some edges as new growth. If you put trees or shrubs on top, don't forget to have a few gnarly roots exposed in the rocks by erosion. Just the tiniest glint of gold sparkle deep in one crevice may give a few viewers a small, individual discovery.

Mel Koplin, Las Vegas NV

Insulating spray foam: Rocks: I have used the foam insulation product that DAP puts out to seal cracks, gaps and openings in your home. It is easy to use and is paintable. I spread aluminum foil on my table and sprayed out very small amounts of the foam (it expands ) on the foil and let dry. You can build on a piece by spraying irregular areas of foam on the small pieces you made the day before. You can also sand, cut, beat with a mallet or use whatever you think of to reshape once it is set up. It is flammable so do not try to use heat on it. This method has worked for my son on train scenes that he has built in the past. I have also used it to make boulders for fairies to sit on.

Dottie (Florida)