Wallpaper Source: Some really great wallpapers can be found in the scrapbooking section of any store. I get mine at Hobby Lobby. There are great patterns, many of which work in different scales. Even better there are solid matching colors. Also, many of the scrapbooking stickers and page and photo borders make great room borders and decorations and are very near correct scale. I decorated a kitchen wall with a blue and white criss cross "plaid" for a sort of country look and used some ivy stickers along the top for a border. There are baby themes and holiday themes and sports and whatever.

Krista, Ft. Smith

Wallpaper Source: I am referring to the art supplies store ... the "decorative papers" section to be exact. I have found marbleized, plaids, solids with different textures, silk threads, etc... They also have papers that look like velvet, bark, tanned skin, etc. One sheet is usually enough to cover one room because they are really large size (some are 30 x 40, some 24 x 36). Prices vary, depending on the paper content, etc.

Nertha

Stucco/Fireplace: There are many ways to create stucco, one of the easiest is with Magic-Stucco a product that can be ordered by most miniature shops or our website http://www.suzisdollhouses.com.

As for your molded fireplace, again lots of different ways. You could form it with craft foam and then stucco over it, or with wood and stucco over it. You can probably get softer lines with the craft foam.

Suzi

Stucco/Fireplace: Check out the May issue of Dollhouse Miniatures. A Southwestern style house is featured with tips on how to do the walls and that type of fireplace. Website for Dollhouse Miniatures is: http://www2.dhminiatures.com/dhm/. I think you could order the May issue from them.

Linda in Colorado

Floors, ceilings and walls: After reading some of the suggestions on wallpaper I thought I would make my contribution for those of you looking for something a bit different and not too expensive.

FLOORS:: I like to 'decorate floors' in different ways. I have used thin pieces of cork in a room that has a beach theme. Just give it a coat of sealer. Looks great. I have also used mat board bought at Michael's out on their sidewalk sale. A black marble look with a sealer makes a good looking floor and the cost of the mat board was .25 to 1.00 for a small to a very large piece.

On the floor of my oriental room I am using handmade paper with a texture to it. This I purchased at a paper specialty store for $3.50 for a sheet. Enough to do a floor and a ceiling in a 12" by 20" room.

CEILING:: As I mentioned above I have used handmade paper. For another textured look I have painted the ceiling white and then torn pieces of white tissue paper and using 'Mod Podge'. I cover a small area and lay the tissue down and wrinkle it a bit to make the texture. I repeat this overlapping the edges until ceiling is covered. You can paint over it white or another color if you wish. Makes an interesting ceiling. I have also used "Paint'N Tex which gives a sand texture look. You put it into any paint mixture and paint it on. The brand name I used is "HOMAX" The last is using Wallboard Joint Compound. Spread on an area and then use a sponge and dab at it. This makes the textured look I use for the Southwestern look.

WALLS:: Here you can use the Joint Compound, the Paint 'N Tex method, the handmade paper which I used again in my Oriental Room, and something I am now trying is using brown wrapping paper. You tear the paper into pieces, wet them and spread out to dry. Using "Mod Podge" glue them down overlapping the edges. Then paint. It is very like the tissue paper method but heavier. You could do this for the ceiling too.

I have also used cloth by ironing onto a piece of heavy cardboard or mat board with "stitch witchery" or "wonder under" then gluing the board on to the wall. I have also made wainscoting using cloth.

Making Southwestern room walls I have used Styrofoam and covered it with Joint compound and the sponge method. If using foam core for this method you will have to coat the back as well with a layer of compound.

NOTE:: I do not remember where I got the cork pieces but have seen cork in Ben Franklin.

The paper Specialty store is "Paper Paper Paper" and I don't know if it is just local but I'm sure there are others.

Any questions? Write me. HoyleHH@aol.com

Ethel in Tucson

Painting Glass: When painting with acrylics (specifically, with the 2-oz. water-based bottles found in craft shops), it's advisable to coat the glass surface with a layer of water-based sealer/varnish, also found in 2-oz. bottles in craft shops. This will assure that the paint will adhere to the slick surface of glass. There's nothing worse than applying a subsequent coat of paint, only to have the previous coat(s) lift off! Follow Loretta's sponging techniques, then apply a coat of matte sealer/varnish for added protection to the finished piece.

Helen Lechman, Boucherville, Québec

Sealing Printable Wallpaper: Marker Fix fixative spray for marker drawings-stops color bleed VAPOR HARMFUL---use outside and leave paper there until fumes dissipate. I know you will want to rush back in the house to use it. DON'T. When dry, spray the reverse side, leave outside until you almost forget it is there.

Laurie Sisson

Wallpapering Tips: I was taught to wallpaper by Virginia Hecox, who used to have a store in San Jose. She was taught by Brooke Tucker. This method has lots of steps, but is accurate and not very hard.

1. Make a pattern of the wall you are papering, from newspaper or whatever, including window cutouts, electrical outlets that need to show, doors, whatever. Make sure it is accurate, or do it again. Usually you can take the newspaper and crease it along wall edges and all. Start with the wall you look at straight ahead as you look at the room (in a back opening dollhouse that would be the front wall of the room).
2. Transfer that pattern to a piece of poster board, thickness of poster board not an issue as long as it has some stiffness (1/16" thick or so). Cut out window openings and all. Place poster board against wall to be sure it fits.
3. Cut wallpaper slightly oversize to the pattern and lay face down on a piece of waxed paper. Cover back side of wallpaper with "Yes" glue. I use a couple of fingers to be sure the glue is evenly spread over the entire back, others use a brush. Then wash hands.
4. Lay poster board pattern on waxed paper, making sure you have the proper side facing you. Place wallpaper on poster board, making sure pattern is straight, etc., and gently smooth out the paper, getting rid of all air bubbles. I have used a brayer (roller) at times (never a credit card, it can tear) to make sure the paper is down, but my hands work just as well. DON'T cut out the window opening in the wallpaper at this time. Place an encyclopedia or dictionary on top of the whole thing (use waxed paper to protect book), and let dry overnight. That keeps it flat and makes sure it sticks together.
5. When dry, cut out the window and door openings, trim edges, etc. Feel free to trial fit again. Then cover back of poster board with Yes glue and glue it in.
6. Repeat above steps on the side walls. As you get more comfortable with it, you'll be able to do all the back walls, glue them in, and brace them until dry, then side walls, etc. and it will get faster.

Barb Jones, San Jose, CA

Sealing Printable Wallpaper: I bought this in a craft store, so most craft stores probably have it. Design Master Super Surface Sealer. Clear sealer and satin finish 656. This is great stuff. Use a very thin coat the first spray. Let dry well, then spray again two times. Really works good. You can even wipe the paper afterwards with a damp cloth as long as you are gentle. It seals the ink right up. Supposed to last and preserve and never yellow. For wallpaper, I would spray the back also. I think a good idea would be to print on very light card, for the wallpaper. It would give it more strength.

Barbara Del Duco

Painting Silverplate: Give it a thin coat of acrylic gesso. You can use gesso on just about any material that you want to repaint - glass, plastic, silver and stone included. I use the cheap one made by Liquitex - and I consider it to be one of the most useful "tools" in my tool box.

Lesley, Johannesburg, South Africa

Stone Finish - For a birdbath, the fast way to stone finish is a can of granite spray paint (read directions; if you don't also put on a top coat of clear acrylic, the finish isn't waterproof). However, that's the expensive way, too, since the best price I've seen on it is around $7/can at Wal-Mart. The slower way, and cheaper if you already have craft paint on hand, is to sponge paint it. Paint a basecolor, then use a cheap makeup sponge to dab on layers of lighter or darker color until you have the effect you want. Use several shades of the same color, e.g., gray base coat, white and dark gray sponging, or tan base coat, terra cotta and burnt umber sponging.

Loretta Sniarowski

Non-working shutters - I built a frame that would fit exactly around the window opening using 1/8"square stock. I measured and divided the space available into 6 section as my shutters are in 3 section folding halves. I made 6 small frames from 1/16" sq stock on the sides and 1/4 x 1/16 for the tops. (When glued up, they exactly fit lined up into the larger frame) The shutter slats inside the 6 frames were made from 1/16 x 1/32 stock. I cut lots of strips to the width of the inside of the frame and glued them in one at a time, at and angle to look like the shutters were partly opened. My purpose for this was just to let light from behind the box shine in and add realism. Then I took another strip of 1/16 sq stock and added over the top of the shutter slats to simulate the part that you move when opening and closing the slats. These are copies of the shutters we have on all of our windows. Like someone else has said before, the best way to make a mini is to have the full sized item around to look at!

Bonnie in Tucson

Leather for Wallpaper. - I just did a wall using brown wrapping paper. Paper bags can also be used. This method will give you the look of leather.

Tear the paper into irregular pieces [do not cut.] Wet well and crumple up. Spread out slightly and let dry. When dry, coat back with Mod Podge and lay it on your wall. I started in the middle but I don't think it would matter where you started. Take a piece of dry paper towel and pat down. The pieces should be down firm but leave in the wrinkles. Do the next piece and lay with edges overlapping the first piece. Continue until wall is covered. You can paint when all is dry. You can use this on desk tops as well or anything you want to give a leather look to. You could try this on a small piece of wood first so you could see if it is something you would want to do. I thought it worked quite well.

Ethel in Tucson

Wallpapering With Fabric: I never use wallpaper myself,I use material. Your choices are better, more variety, most materials stretch just a little, its cheaper, and its much easier to work with. Cut the piece of material slightly larger than your wall - if you want to use one piece to go around all three walls, go for it. No seams. Tuck your corners in tight and always, I say ALWAYS, smooth with your fingers to get out air bubbles. Then paint the walls with a small paintbrush, with a product called "Fabic Adhesive", it can be bought at your local hardware store. You may want to split it with a friend. I bucket (about 1/2 gallon) will last you the rest of your life. Trim around windows, doors, etc. with a very sharp X-Acto knife. Put in your baseboards, etc. over the top of the material. If you see a bubble later, just wet with damp cloth, prick with a straight pin and re-smooth. I have also done full sized rooms with this method and it lasts as long as wallpaper. Hint: Use a thin coat of fabric adhesive. The thinner the better.Colette in the Blue Ridge Mtns.

Filling Gaps in Walls: My favorite material for filling gaps in walls is Squadron white putty, which is in a tube like tooth paste and is available from hobby shops. I recently taught a class where I recommended using the Squadron putty. Many people had trouble finding it, so I tried some alternatives. One of the easiest to get and most satisfactory was Sellys Skimcoat - the finest premixed filler (spackle) my local hardware shop had. It comes in a big tube, is cheap and easy to get hold of.

Sandra in New Zealand

Weathered Floor: I've stained plank floors with a Minwax stain. Most paint stores carry this item in various colors. A grayish tint would be perfect. Sand and stain the "planks" before you install them. The longer you leave the stain on before wiping, the darker the color. You can vary the time on different pieces to give the floor an uneven worn look. Then glue them down with any good carpenters glue. I use Titebond II. Cut the pieces into varied lengths and alternate the joints. You can use a small brad to make "nailholes" in the end of each plank. If you do this before you stain, the holes will be darker than the flooring. Don't punch all the way through, just enough to put a dent in the wood. Basswood 1/8 x 3/8 strips works real well as planks. You can also vary the width of the strips to get a different look. Start from the front of the room and work towards the back so you can hide the last strip with furniture or fixtures if you have to rip it to fit. Also place the floor from side to side instead of from front to back so the room looks wider instead of long and narrow.

Spencer

Wedding cake columns: I used cake columns for displaying statues at shows. The customers insisted on having the column included. What the hey, I'm a sport, I can throw in a 50 cent column for a $150 piece. I did tell them where I got the columns and they were absolutely stunned. The cake columns I got were hollow at both ends so I took a thin piece of wood and glued it to the end.

checkerboard pattern. Look in Wal-Mart and the crafts stores' stencil - scrapbooking sections for the rub-on paint transfers. Several include checkerboard patterns mixed with florals or all by themselves in blue, red, green and white. Very easy to use and look nice. The small patterns are a gift to those of us who are painting-impaired and want that hand-decorated look on our mini hutches and other pieces.

Loretta.Sniarowski

Filling Gaps With Stucco: We just finished a wonderful dollhouse for a customer and discovered a trick I thought you might like to hear about. We put stucco on all the ceilings (it's pretty contemporary), so it left a small gap when we installed the cornices at the ceiling. By putting caulking in a monoject, we were able to fill in the slight gap and it gave the whole thing a wonderfully finished look. It also filled tiny gaps between sheets of wainscoting, between baseboard and floor or wall, etc. The small size of the monoject made it easy to get into tight places and the thin, thin line of caulk possible using this tool was just right for those tiny areas. It gave it a finished look and spiffed up the whole thing. It also filled in the mitered corners of the pre-made windows so they looked more finished. I don't think we will ever build another without using this to finish! I've used the caulking before (it's great to strengthen those awful tab and slot houses by filling in gaps where walls and floors meet as well as filling in the slots around the tabs) but this is the first time we've used it for finish work.

Dottie in Tucson

Painting: In fine art artists often paint a base picture in watercolor or acrylics and then when dry, paint over it with oil paint. The general rule is thick over thin. Thin, water base products, dry quicker. Oil paints often take months or years to dry completely. If the water based is painted on top of the oil, the oilwill not dry right and the painting will never set right.

Mary Lou in Portage, IN