'Mod Podge' is a liquid decoupage finish used to fix paper designs to a surface as both glue and the many layers of top coat used in that technique.   Since I'm not an artist, I rely on decoupage to fake hand- painted furniture.  

Loretta.Sniarowski

I have gussied up a scratch & dent Petite Princess Treasure View cabinet and buffet chest to look better than new – found architectural clipart the same dimensions as the drawer fronts, cut to fit, and decoupaged them to replace the original stained, ripped red velvet paper.   Looks fabulous if I do say so; always thought that red velvet was PP's one design flaw anyway.  

Fine artist and miniaturist Natasha Beshenkovsky has even designed a line of decoupage patterns sized to fit kit furniture, so those of us who are impoverished paint klutzes can still own a Natasha "original" miniature with a little effort!

Loretta.Sniarowski

UK/Wallpaper: "I also had problems finding wallpaper that I liked here in the UK, on a visit to my local DIY shop (focus) I found a solution. .....

Wickes the builders supply people do the best tiny patterned wall papers of all the DIY shops. They have just revamped their wall paper display section and provided us with those nice wall paper cutters so you don't tear it and damage your 'sample' Just fold the paper sharp and crease first. Then use the cutter. Several stall holders at fairs sell their papers. Lots of coordinating designs with borders too. My youngest always takes a full wall length when decorating, cannot look at little scraps. So my pieces are sooo much smaller than hers!

I often shop there as they are inexpensive for so many things. Also they sell the instant mitre fix. Kept in the locked orange glue cabinet. Not on the shelves. Its super glue with activator. No clamping as sets extremely strong in 5-10 seconds. A little tube attachment provided for miniaturists. LOL It is used for full size window frames etc. and I cannot part it once joined.

Pauline, UK

Laser cut items: Let me share an experience with you. I bought two pieces of laser cut fencing...and it is not inexpensive.

I painted the first fence with a paint brush and it turned to spaghetti. It looked crooked, came apart and absolutely useless. I was so disappointed, however, the second piece I pinned to an old piece of scrap foamcore, took it outside, and spray painted it. Voila.....I have one perfect piece of fence.

Knowing me it will be used in a landscaping scene somehow, and even the other awful one will end up being used somewhere...perhaps a haunted house?

Dawn Weaver, Belleview, Florida

Magnetic paint: I have used the magnetic paint in one of my dh's and really was disappointed with it. A friend of mine used it also, and she has to buy super strong magnets at Radio Shack. I don't like the magnets that she uses because they are too thick to look good imho. Regular magnets will not stay up on my walls, and I used 2 or 3 coats of the magnetic paint before I wallpapered.

Sherry in Tx

Magnetic paint: In a recent digest, some one asked about magnetic paint. I knew I'd read about it in Consumer Reports, but it took me a while to dig out the magazine. It is the March 2002 issue, page 8, if you want to read the entire thing, but they found the lightest magnets stuck with only one coat, but anything heavier needed more coats, and it begins to take on a funny texture. They did recommend sanding between coats for better holding power.

Oh, and it is PRICEY.

Dani, in Bradshaw, MD

Magnetic paint: I have been reading the posts with great interest and think this would be a wonderful idea, but it sounds like it doesn't work very well. Why not use thin metal on the walls under the wallpaper or whatever like one would use matte board, then the magnets would be sure to stick. Make sure you don't use aluminum though because it is not attracted to magnets. Is this possible? Any problems?

Susanna from Indiana

Magnetic paint: Susan wrote, "Why not use thin metal on the walls under the wallpaper or whatever like one would use matte board, then the magnets would be sure to stick."

How about using the metal that is used for the fronts of refrigerators and dishwashers. Some of the modern styles come with changeable panels in various colors and perhaps even various textures. You could ask if "replacement" panels are available. These could even be used for modern walls.

Peggy in Shoreline, WA

Gold plating: I have used a Minwax Detail Pen, made by the same company that makes Minwax stains. Try the hardware store. They have several colors. I find the gold pen is really realistic looking. It will only stick to some plastics so try it first.

BarbaraD

Gold Dipping: l don't know if this will help or not but the first thing l thought of when l read your post was an item I've seen in catalogs, such as Miles Kimball, etc. It's a dipping solution for renewing your jewelry. either gold or silver. It sells for about $20.00 a jar. I've never used it so can't say if it works or not, just a thought.

Aloha, Jerre

Gold Dipping: Avon cosmetics (no relation! ;o) ) here in England, have a very small bottle of nail polish in a pretty rich gold. It has a tiny brush and is meant for drawing dots, wavy lines, stars, etc. on your base nail polish. It looks like "real" gold to me. It's called Luxe Life Gold Nail Art and costs three quid here. More than I usually spend on nail polishes, but I immediately thought it would be great for minis. Not sure if you have the same in Indiana but could be worth a try if you experiment on a similar scrap piece of plastic first to see if you like it. I never wear nail polish but have a nice collection of asst. colours for paints. Love the cheap and cheerful and gaudy -especially the black! (I'm going to use my gold to paint the weathered skeleton of a physalis cape gooseberry globe to make a lamp shade. Would be great for gilding fairy wings from leaves, etc. too.) Has anyone else used this stuff?

Donna from Devon

Gold dipping: Maybe someone will have a realistic gold dip but I haven't seen a realistic one yet. Take faith THERE IS HOPE.

Contact your local lapidary (rock hounds) club and find if they have a member equipped to do "electro-forming" This is a poor man's version (relatively speaking) of electro plating. By painting any non-metallic object with a copper conductive coating, they make it possible to plate rocks, wood, and -yes- even plastics. Once coated with the copper conductive paint, they can then plate with real 18 or 24k gold. It may not be exactly cheap but you did say your tiara has special meaning to you.

Mel K. Las Vegas

Gold paint: I swear by Testors Enamel paints - I buy the silver and gold two at a time to be sure I always have them. They work on everything BUT fimo (they never "dry" completely on fimo) They turn plastic into silver and gold! I had a Chrysnbon (sp) pots and pans set and used the silver on them and had an relatively inexpensive array of pots and pans (roaster too) that looked fabulous! Consider that for your tiara.

Patty Johnson

Gold tiara: In an art supply store or probably even Michaels, AC Moore, etc. there is a product that comes in a little squatty pot about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. It is like paste and you rub it on with your finger. It comes in gold, silver, bronze, brass and maybe more colors. I have used this stuff on any number of things from picture frames on up. I'm not sure of the name and I can't find mine at the moment but I think it is called Rub and Buff.

Bobbie

MiniQult: YOU DON"T HAVE TO SEW! In the world of mini's, you can glue it! Just cut out that fabric with the tiny, tiny squares on it, on any really tiny print to the size you want, plus 1/4 inch, then press the edges under that 1/4, (make two sides the same or different). Cut a piece of flannel, or fleece or any other soft fabric about 1/8" smaller than outside fabrics. Make a sandwich with the fleece in-between the 2 outside fabrics with the right side of the fabrics facing outside (* that makes sense *) Put fabric glue on the turned under fabric. this will close the sandwich together. If you can you might want to take occasional in-out stitch with floss or even regular thread just to make a knot. Leave the knot with about a 1/8" "tail". You can make these knots across the quilt wherever you want and it will make the quilt puffy, or just leave as is. I find that if you press the edges so that it hangs down on the sides, you can have it hang nicely. The lighter weight the fabric is, the better it will drape. A "handkerchief" batiste, for example,, hangs better than one of the cheaper fabrics that have a lot of sizing in it. I also, find that if you wash your fabric first before you work with it at all, it removes all that sizing that stiffens the fabric and then afterwards if you need to stiffen it at all, you can just use fabric sizing or starch to make it smooth. If you want it to permanently be set on a bed. just a bit of glue underneath will hold it down. I hate to see quilts sticking out like a board from the bed, so sometimes I use a bit of tacky gum to hold them down too. good luck.

Ruthanne in sunny, hot, (86), FT.MYERS, FL

Painting Checkerboards: Here's my cheapo folk-art version; not for exactamente-type persons:

Draw a line for the lower edge of your painted checks. Look at the ends of all your wood pieces until you find one that's the size square you want; just dip it in one color - say white, if you're doing black and white. Stagger those colors on the line, one up, one down. Then use another piece of wood and fill in the blanks with your second color. Just experiment on a piece of scrap wood or paper until you get the hang of it.

Works for me - and probably Joann Swanson, who probably invented it lol.

Wanna in El Paso

Checker board border: Making a checker board border could be easy with the use of a rubber stamp. Close to my heart sells, small scale checkerboard stamps. You could paint your back ground white or what ever colors you want, and then use your paint on the rubber stamp. If you do check into rubberstamps you need to keep in mind that you do not have to use the entire stamp, you can pick what you want on the stamp. One set in their catalog 4375 Alphabet frame set, has a checkerboard border with dots around the outer edge. Easily you could take your paint brush and just paint the checkerboard area. I am sure that any one you find that sells stamps would be more than happy to show you how to do that. (S120 Annie Quilt set also has a checkerboard, I have not looked into the other stamping catalogs that I have but I do know that they are out there)

Also in the catalog they carry 'texture' stamps, these would work great as table cloths, etc. Fabric stamping is easy and a lot of fun to do. Having a lot of fun putting my different hobbies together!

Theresa McCann

Making checkerboard designs;: Needed the 2 different colors of paint. Also painters masking tape. It is blue and when placed on an already painted surface it will not removethe paint when "lifted". So paint your base coat and let it dry thoroughly. then place the masking tape over the base coat. Apply the tape in strips that create a checkerboard effect and then paint over the open spaces and the tape. Neatness is not required nor is a steady hand. After all is dry remove the painter masking tape and you should have the checkerboard pattern

DrBob

Checkerboard painting: I haven't seen this tip so I'll submit it. Use a stencil, ie a piece of paper or plastic with square holes in a checkerboard pattern. I've made my own by cutting very carefully with an exacto-knife. I've also seen punches online that can cut that pattern, not sure about the size, though... You paint the piece in the lighter colour first (easier to cover with dark), let dry, put your stencil in place and dab darker paint all over with a blunt brush or a sponge. The paint has to be rather dry to keep it from running under the stencil.

Saga in Sweden

Painting on plastic, glass or even metal: I am new to miniatures but not new to painting and I thought that I would put a few tips "out there" for anyone interested. I use only acrylic paints (Delta, Apple, Plaid...) and I use them on everything! What I use is different primers for different surfaces. One thing I use a lot of is Acrylic top coat or finishes. Krylon makes a good one ineither matte of gloss finish. I use the matte finish for a primer on glass, pottery and even plaster. Spraying this on glass gives a frosted look and I have used that when designing glassware (display purposes only) I have also dabbled in painting metal lately. I buy plain old roof flashing from the local hardware store and just cut with regular scissors. In this case I use a primer made by Delta that is intended for glass but works quite well on metal. I use the delta glass paints on the metal too. This is new to me and I learned it from the Carol Duvall show on HGTV. It was a very interesting show and I used the "tin flowers" idea to make a room box out of those pesky metal tins that fruit cake comes in every year at Christmas. I just cannot bring myself to throw them away and now I have a use for them. Anyone interested in this idea go to HGTV.com and Find the Carol Duvall show episode CDS-429 for directions. Very useful idea for making many things besides flowers!

Vicki Reiter