Tin Ceiling: There are two sources that I know of for tin ceiling products. JR enterprises - 3D reproductions 53 Case Road, Port Jarvis, NY 1277l makes a raised 3D type plastic panel "tin ceiling". The one I have is #TC 153GLD (gold) I know they also make it in white and in several widths & patterns.

The other is Houseworks - Tin Ceiling #73l3 is small circles, Sheet size approximately 11x17. They also have 2 or 3 patterns. Houseworks phone # is l-800-24l-5818

Try your nearest Miniature shop first. They can probably order it for you. I have used both products. The directions say to install with double face carpet tape or silicone cement. I have used Bond 484 but Aleene's Super Tacky or liquid nails should work also. Check on a scrap for glue compatability with the plastic. Be sure to weigh it down if gluing. You might also check at your nearest Home Depot or Home Base type store or wallpaper store for textured ceiling paper. Ours here in CA carry several styles. All three of these products can be painted with acrylic paint with no problem. I used the plastic sheets for a ceiling in an old building (art gallery). I did have a problem with recessed lighting canisters. They got too hot (left it on too long for a mini display) and had some damage (melted close to the lights). Whoops! But for short term lighting I think they would have been OK. Or even regular light fixtures would have worked. Just not the spots. The tin ceiling is one of the focal points in the building everyone notices.

Diane in SF Bay Area

Old Painted Sign on Building: Your question prompted me to go looking through my binders for a series that Pat Thomas did for Nutshell news. Noel and Pat are known for their incredibly realistic buildings including dry rot, peeling paint, worn stairs, and they did a few old buildings with signs on them. The way that Pat described her 'worn' signs was something like this. After making sure the walls were well aged, Noel would trace the sign he wanted onto the building, very carefully. Then they would use water color washes until they liked the looks of the sign, and then, the hardest part, they had to attack the sign with an emery board and finger nails, to wear parts of it away. They finished the whole wall with a 'dirty water' mix...or, Bug Juice, which I believe they still sell. (But, I can't find a site for it! I know it's usually sold in the ads in the back of DHM.) Here is one site which shows some of their incredible aging. Porttownsend.html

Kaye in LA

Joy Lee, in N.C.

Cedar Shakes: I would recommend an aniline dye stain. The type of stain that you might find at Wal Mart (i.e.: Minwax)is a pigment stain and leaves a muddy finish on small parts that are difficult to rub out properly. Go to Garrettwade.com and check out their line of aniline stains. These are usually alcohol based and leave a nice clear color on even difficult to stain softwoods like cedar. PLUS they come in a nice wide range of colors (reds, yellows, greens). They are a little pricey, but you may find that they are more than worth it. Prepare a dye bath, dip the shakes or just let them soak for a few minutes. remove them from the bath, and spread them out on a paper towel that is on a work surface that you don't mind if it gets discolored. Wait till they air dry or blot them dry with a paper towel. Because the dye particles in an aniline dye are much smaller than those in a regular pigment stain, you get much deeper and even coloring. Quick Easy Simple.

Brian Poor

Cedar Shakes: Real Good Toys sells a shingle dye. You can get it in a reddish-brown or a gray. You put the dye along with water in a gallon milk jug. You add the shingles by the hands full and pour the liquid into another jug. Then you remove the shingles and put them on layers of newspaper with plastic under that. You keep working back and forth until you have the amount you need or the shingle dye is gone. You can get this in your local dh shop or I sell it. You can also do a thinned paint wash over the shingles after they are applied. You get a more even color this way, but I happen to like the shingle dye effect or I just leave the cedar natural and it darkens by itself.

Deanna

Facades: I have created exterior facades from cardboard, architectural details from molds made from my ornate costume jewelry, wooden odds and ends, styrofoam packing materials, paint, sand and cornmeal. (the tenement backdrop shown in my PP is made from the items mentioned here). I like using various items to create stone, bricks, stucco finishes.

Pearl

Vi in Hamilton

Jacqui in Hilo, Hawaii

Bending Plexiglass: In my own case I did use my oven and ended up with 250 degrees F - 15 to 20 minutes and just kept watching till it seemed to sag. I had placed on sheet of alum. foil and removed wearing heavy cooking gloves, and bent over my form for 2 sided front on gift box display. My bend was a soft curve, which was what I was after. As plan on having the 2 box sides -glued together to box top, protect it when I want to store.

Regina, Wilmington, DE

Joy Lee, in N.C.

Deanna

Painting over Tape Wire: o, you can't just paint over tape wire and have it look good. I apply a very thin coat of spackling compound to the wall before I paint it. This just covers the tape wire so it seems to disappear.

Tom Berkner

Bricks: I've just finished "laying" a brick floor in the basement of my Federal dh. I used "Foamies" which come in 8 X 11 sheets (if you have small children or grandchildren, you'll be familiar with the product). I painted the sheet first, let it dry and then drew lines 1/4 " apart on the reverse horizontally and then lines 3/4" apart vertically. The product cuts easily with scissors. Piece by piece, my daughter has glued these tiny "bricks" to our basement floor (the house is not assembled yet). I'm not sure if anyone has thought of this yet, but I am pretty proud of myself! So far the effect is just what I was hoping for and the foamies has just a little bit of texture when you paint it that makes them really look like bricks!

Dorothy in California

Bricks: I used this method to make the facade of a local masonry building before it was torn down. I needed brick walls in a couple of places. First I carved bricks into a sheet of 1/8" thick basswood. I sealed it with varnish then covered it with plaster of Paris to give it texture. I gave it a final sealing with a fixative. Over this I painted many layers of liquid latex. Once it all dried well I removed the latex and poured in plaster of Paris. I repeated the casting process until I had several dozen sheets of bricks about 3 inches high and six inches long. I cut out every other brick on each end so they would finger into the next sheet. I glued these bricks to the plywood wall with liquid nails. After the wall was built I cleaned up and aged the bricks then painted them brick color. (Use acrylics, they soak into the plaster best. To get a good brick effect I did not paint all bricks the same color -- some are darker than others. After the paint has dried well I gave the bricks a coating or Flat Deft spray. When the Deft has thoroughly dried I spread in the mortar and wiped it right off. The mortar will dull the gloss of the Deft.

Bill Hudson

Bricks: you do not seal the plastic brick sheets before painting. It's plastic so the paint won't sink into it. Just spread the grout color onto the brick and wipe it off immediately. Then make a pad of cloth or paper towel, dampen it, dip a color, tap excess off onto paper towel and dab all over the bricks. Use several colors this way, even some dull green, and you will be amazed at how well they look.

June in London, Ontario Canada

Bricks: For a real brick idea on foam core I would suggest: just paint and sand. I did that on my house. It's a lot of work, but when done it looks beautiful. First 2 a 3 layers white paint, then a layer of thick red-brick paint. Immediately after the last layer, blow the sand in the wet paint till it drowns (sand will be red too). When the red layer wit sand is almost dry, scrap away the parts to simulate the joins with a not-sharp thing, an embroidery needle for instance.

Marina from Holland

Aged Tile Floors: Suggest you lay your tile as per normal. Determine positions of appliances, tables, etc. Scuff floors a bit with fine emery cloth over probable traffic patterns where glaze will have been ground away. Don't forget extra wear in front of sink and stove and under the table at specific seat locations. Rub in a bit of lamp black or dust from charcoal briquettes. Clean up the black as best as you can and overcoat with a lighter color grime. (Cigar ash works very well). Clean again. Work some appropriate stains into grout. A bit of rust color from under the sink and darkness of damp near an outside wall. When all is beginning to look old but cared for, cut out one or two tiles and replace with very nice new ones. A cracked tile under a stove leg is reasonable to expect and certainly a heavy bowl or something has been dropped from the kitchen table to crack another. Finish with an eggshell or semi-gloss topcoat and then blend a high gloss of the same brand along edges and obscure corners where there has not been heavy use or traffic.

Mel Koplin, Las Vegas

Aging Floors: To add age to your floor, use "antiquing gel" it is sold at most hobby supply stores in the paint section. Its very easy to use, and water based. You just brush it on, let it set a couple of minutes, then wipe off.

Sloan

Aging Floors: I also wanted an aged look to the kitchen floor in my farmhouse. I used brown wax shoe polish on the floor and then wiped it off. Gave it a softer look than stark white. Wax buildup?

Shirley in Kansas

Aging Floors: For aging the floor, if it is wood, try a few coats of tea. Worked well for me.

Dr. Bob