Quarter-scale kits. A delightful source is The Quarter Source. KBMini@aol.com They do have a mail order catalogue.

Dawn Weaver

Wicker on even number of wires: Needed a small table for half scale, wanted 4 legs, the top a 3/4 inch circle. Seems like the smaller my projects get, the more that odd number of wires shows up.

This is what I did, working on a total of 20 wires, cut a piece of cord 2 yards long, folded it in half, put the loop over one of the table legs, Starting with the looped cord end in front of the wire, wove one round back to starting leg, dropped this cord end, picked up the cord end that started behind the beginning leg, wove around, alternated the two cord ends to finish my table. Has anyone else tried this. It worked for me.

Pat

AUTHENTIC STUFFED MATTRESSES: Instead of using real straw, I would opt for shredded paper twist or something similar. I think that the straw may disintegrate and perhaps draw bugs too. For the mini friend that asked about the old crepe paper, could the paper twist that you can get at craft stores work for your needs also?

Fran

Stuffed Mattress: Why not use pulled-apart cotton balls for stuffy a 'lumpy' mattress? That's what I plan to do for the pirinhas (feather beds) in Baba Yaga's house.

Molly

Stuffed Mattress: I wonder if 'Perlite' would work as a filling to make a mattress look lumpy. Perlite is a white crumbled product used in making up a potting mix for plants. Also thought sawdust might work.

Bobbie

Twig furniture: Diane asked how to make the twig furniture.
http://www.zing.com/album/?id=3D4292788879
I started with a placemat that I found at TJ Maxx. It was made in the Philippines and the twigs were irregular and nubby (If you're lucky enough to find some, keep Alice Zinn in mind as she is looking for them, too). I didn't have a pattern, just flew by the seat of my pants and kept a 1:12 scale chair nearby to give me an idea of the size. I snipped the twigs with a side cutter & used Goop household glue to hold everything together. For the rounded shapes, soak the twigs overnight in water. When flexible, wrap them around a small round container & hold the ends together with a rubber band until dry. Hope this helps... any questions, let me know.

Jude ND

Lumpy Mattress: for the mattress instead of using foam rubber, you should be able to use cotton balls and be able to get a nice lumpy effect, but if you really wanted to be more authentic, I believe that they were stuffed with hay or corn shucks, so I would think that you could use dried grass clippings.

Rusty in Ky

Finishing Furniture: The furniture from that House of Miniatures swapmeet deal is turning out so beautiful. I am very careful now to stain before I put together. I've been using Minwax Wood Finish in Early American. This penetrates, stains and seals. I also bought the Minwax stain marker in the same shade. I used this marker originally when I was trying to figure what shade I was going to use. I used the pen until it was empty, and now I find that it is great, because of the felt tip, for dipping in the stain. Much neater than using a rag for staining.. I've learned to glue carefully when I put pieces together in case I have to touch up the stain later . So far, I like the look of just using this without putting anything over this finish. The finish feels velvety, and the pieces look like fine furniture.

Dolores

Sealer: I don't recommend using Watco as a sealer under paint because I don't know how long it takes for all the oil to evaporate. This is not a use recommended by the manufacturer. There could be an adhesion problem. It is a polyurethane filled mineral oil that is great in full scale but requires sanding between coats which is often difficult in miniature.

BTW be very careful with rags from Watco because they can self ignite and cause fires. Always put rags in a jar or can filled with water or directly into the wood stove. DON'T EVER PUT ANYTHING DAMPENED WITH WATCO INTO THE TRASH.

I use Watco almost exclusively in full scale for everything from kitchen cabinets to miniature room boxes. I like it because it is easy, there are no drips and it is a great look with unstained cherry or oak.

Pete

Tung oil: Tung oil is natural. It oxidizes in the can once opened and has a short shelf life. More than two coats of pure tung oil is not recommended because it may never dry. Tung oil varnish dries better. Tung oil is an ingredient in marine spar varnish.

This is a good natural finish for table tops and would be fine for floors and paneling in a dh. In my opinion it is too thick and hard to control for furniture, but I haven't used any in a long time. About 18 years ago I made a full scale coffee table in cherry and finished it with two coats of pure tung oil. The finish has held up fine. In those days I used it on lots of full scale furniture.

Pete

Chrysnbon Kits: The Chrysnbon products are WONDERFUL. Just remember to use a Testers glue, and I use Testers Model spray paint. The detail on these items is wonderful, and you really can't tell they are plastic when finished. If you need a dull finish we use a Testers Dull Coat. Testers comes in both gloss & matt. Their Gloss White is perfect for porcelain. Can even look very much like wood by staining. I have never had a problem putting together a Chrysnbon kit. They go together beautifully. I have made several of the Victorian Bathrooms. One thing about the Chrysnbon kits is all the neat accessories that come with each kit. ie: towel bars, t-paper holder, plunger, etc. Have fun!

Diane

Chrysnbon bathroom kit: that kit finishes up very nicely! The details that can be achieved in that material are more delicate than I've seen in porcelain. I've finished three of these kits... love 'em. Once you've got everything glued together and any flashing worked off, you can "prime" the plastic by using spray automotive paint. This makes it easy to paint on one of the acrylic craft paints. I've used eggshell enamel which gives the set an old fashioned pale yellow look. A couple of coats and you'd never guess there's plastic underneath. I've also done the cookstove several times!

Marilyn

Chrysnbon kits:  In my opinion, the Chrysnbon kits are marvelous. Yes, they are polystyrene and some people would not use them because of that, but you can't beat them for fine detail and perfect scale. They were designed and marketed for people who could not afford to by the equivalent in wood or other materials so that they, too, could enjoy fine minis. I have used the Victorian bathroom in vignettes and they look great. In fact, it would be hard to duplicate the fine detail in ceramic or porcelain for this particular kit. I have used the "oak" kitchen pieces in my Victorian house and my Easter vignette and am happy with the result. You can certainly mix these kits with other pieces made of wood, keeping in mind the scale of all of them together. Go for it unless the plastic bothers you - but they certainly are anything but "tacky", so have no fear on that score.

Jeanette

Mini cord/piping: I am working in some upholstered furniture. I usually glue the fabric to the wood using Gutterman HT2 fabric glue, but I can't help having the edges of the fabric frayed and worn. In order to cover the edges and add some trim to my furniture I needed some tiny cord trim I couldn't find in any shop near where I live. I know there are some miniature shops that sell these mini trims, but they are expensive, difficult to find and, worst of all, limited in colours.

But here it comes my wonderful mother with a brilliant idea. Maybe it's something you already know, but it was a discovering for me and thought it was worth sharing.

You only need DMC floss, scissors and the help of another person. You start measuring the desired length of the lace. Multiply this length by two, for the cord will be formed with a "bunch" of six threads twice the length required and twisted to itself in the middle.

Now take the floss and form the "bunch" with the six double-length threads. It is not necessary to cut each thread. Instead, when you reach one end, hold the end and start in the opposite direction. Like a zig-zag.

Once you have the six threads together hold one end and give the other person the other end. Start twisting each one in the opposite direction. When the strand is twisted enough, you have to hold (firmly!) your end, while the other person grabs the strand BY THE MIDDLE and gives you the other end. Tie the two ends together with a knot and ONLY THEN let the middle part of the strand loose. Voila! the two parts of the strand will twist to each other making a tiny twisted lace.

When I glue the cord to my upholstered furniture I usually twist it a little more. It can be sewed instead of glued. If you want a thicker cord you can use more than six threads, or less if you want it thinner. As DMC floss (and other trademarks, of course) comes in many, many colours, this way I get an inexpensive, easy, home-made cord.

Ali from Spain

Art Nouveau Furniture: In a pinch you can fake your own art nouveau. Decorate plain furniture ornamented with jewelry findings. Paint to meld the "ingredients" or consider them ormolu. You can order findings from JAF or prowl Goodwill/yard sales for likely bits. I just got some very nouveau large dangle earrings to disassemble and add to a commercial brass bed to glitz it up at the Goodwill for fifty cents. For ideas, see Patricia King's books; the Victorian furniture book has several nouveau designs.

Loretta Sniarowski

Art nouveau: My neighbor says that you can bend wood (and animal bones, btw) by soaking it in vinegar. I've never tried it, but if you want to duplicate the bentwood 'whiplash curves' in some Art Nouveau you might want to give it a try (test run first, of course).

Molly

Art nouveau: The Art Nouveau furniture in Patricia King's books is cheap import furniture or odds and ends (buckles, hair ornaments, pizza props) assembled into furniture that she decorates with nouveau-style findings as grillwork on glass doors, galleries on chest and tabletops, drawer pulls, etc. Then she spray paints the whole thing to meld the elements together (can also use faux finishing techniques).

Loretta Sniarowski

Decorating Furniture: << Could you please elaborate (a little bit) on decorating plain furniture with jewelry findings? >>

I have decorated furniture this way, and you might want to try it if you don't have luck with jewelry findings. When I was very, very new to miniatures, I didn't know much about where to buy supplies or how to make things, so I began experimenting... and the following little trick worked very well for me.

I decide where I want the decoration on a piece of furniture. eg: across the wooden top of a sofa. After staining that piece, let it dry. Then I put lots of tacky glue where the design should be. Then I applied a small ball of Sculpey over the glue. Then I pushed a design into the clay. The tool for the design can be just about anything. I've used decorative buttons, jewelry, even the end of a hair Toni permanent roller. Just about anything that can leave an indentation in the clay. Remember to dust the "tool" with talcum before pushing into the clay. Remove the tool. Now use an Xacto knife to cut away any unwanted clay. Then bake in the oven until firm. The design will stay on the wood because you first glued under it. But if for some reason it doesn't, you can glue it on later. Because you baked the clay and the furniture piece together, the design will take on the correct form to fit perfectly onto the wood.

Now paint the design with acrylic paint in a color to match your wood stain. When dry, give the whole thing another coat of regular furniture stain.

Viola

Decorating Furniture: Another way of decorating furniture to give it an intricately carved look is to glue on pieces of the metallic doilies available in party goods stores. The plain paper ones do not hold up as well when wet by paint and glues. Some of you may also find fancy cut out metallic paper strips and shapes made for scrapbooking and other crafts in some of the mini stores and craft shops. I seem to remember seeing some at Earth and Tree.

Alice Zinn

S-shaped Sofa: The s-shaped sofa has two names. The first is a "tête-à-tête", which literally means "head to head" in French. Colloquially, it means a frank conversation. In terms of your sofa, it means a place where two people can converse. It is pronounced tet a tet.

It is also known as a courting sofa. Ostensibly, a courting couple could converse closely and privately, but with a distinct separation between them, while a chaperone would be occupied with needlework or reading in another part of the room.

This piece of furniture originated in 18th century France, but became fashionable in Victorian times; more so in Great Britain than in the United States.

Jonathan in Israel