Twig Furniture: I made some -- more along rustic fairy lines rather than cabin -- which are on my Northwest Naturals pages. I don't sell them anymore, but you may get some ideas looking at the pictures. http://gerdesdesign.com/northwest.htm Also, Wee Darlings makes great miniature twig furniture: http://www.weedarlings.com

And, here are some URLs to BIG 'twig' furniture sites that should give you some design ideas:

http://www.donnellydesigns.com/
http://www.livingcountry.com/cabinout.htm
http://www.kauffmanwood.com/
http://www.lodgecreations.com/
http://www.greensmill.com/
http://www.moms-place.com/
http://www.brightdesigns.com/

Anne Gerdes

Twig Furniture: Kathy wrote the following, and I agree! I have the same kit Carole is building (RGT Adirondack, still in the box), and Carole has been so generous about sharing pictures and suggestions. Kathy, my experience with twig furnishings is quite limited! But at Kentucky State Day last year, we built a log cabin. When I got it home, I had a great time just breaking twigs and sticks off shrubs in the yard (yes, unfortunately with the dry weather, they needed pruning out anyway). Being in Kentucky and having access to many "rustic" sites, keep in mind that the pioneers built things to be functional, not decorative. Use those knotty pieces of branch to show the trim spots, don't hide them! Also, Anne Gerdes' page has wonderful ideas for using natural items in a scene. I'd enjoy hearing about your progress!

Paula

Twig Furnishings: Kathy, you can get twig/rustic furniture from Terri Davis, RD 2, Box 230, New Paris, PA 15554. She does wonderful work and is very reasonable. OR you can go into the back yard and start a game of 52 pick-up!!!

Sir David Parrish

Twig Furniture: I just finished my very first twig pieces for Hunter's Fishing Retreat. I am almost finished with two twig and hemp bar stools. I just have to add the braces to the legs - waiting for the glue to dry. LOL I also made a very odd television stand out of two plain night stands trimmed in twigs and such!

Carole Pierce

1/2" Scale Furniture:  Oakridge has a big selection of the 1/2" as well as 1/4" furniture, both ready made and kits. http://www.oakridgehobbies.com/

Jerre

Using Twigs: A long time ago I was making a room box for a customer. It was a one room school and featured a pot belly stove. I was in a hurry to complete it so I went outside and got some nice size twigs to put as logs by the stove. I glued them in place and the next day when I was ready to deliver the box I noticed these pruney things in the place of the nice logs. Obviously the moral to this story is to make sure you pick dead twigs or age the wood before you use it. Just thought I'd warn you.

Deanna Spanjar

Adirondack Plans: In the May 1998 issue of Dollhouse Miniatures there are plans for an Adirondack Bench, by Peter Westscott and in the March 1998 issue also by Peter Westscott plans for an Adirondack Chair and Ottoman.

Pat Shaw

I was about to throw away one of those single serving Jello containers the other day, & thought hmmm... maybe it would make a good side table (upside down). You know, the kind of round end table with the skirt over it??

Sharron

Adirondack Chair: There is an Adirondack chair pattern in Dollhouse Miniatures magazine March 1998.

Pat

Folding Screen: You can make very nice looking screens using matboard which can be cut with an X-acto knife so you can make curves or whatever shape you want quite easily. For a raised panel effect, just cut a second set of panels 1/16" or so smaller and glue centered onto the first set. For hinges, you can use fabric, ribbon or thin leather glued to the backs with a small space between the panels.

Rose Stout

Screens: You might check out d. Anne Ruff who sells kits for making screens in both 1" and ½". Her address is http://www.danneruff.com I believe hers are made of either poster board or mat board and come with lovely designs, which you could leave off and substitute with your own if none are what you want.

Janet

Screens: There is a super book called "Dolls' House Needlecrafts," by Venus Dodge that has the best, easy to follow directions on how to make a screen like you described. The hinges are done with ribbon.

Leslie

Screen: Draw a rather simple arched or other design on 1/16" basswood. Carefully cut out with your Exacto blade (will take some time to do it carefully). Then use a file or sandpaper to complete the shape you're trying for. After you get it the way you want (for a 3 section screen this would be 6 pieces), place the top part back onto your basswood and with a sharp pencil, draw the top shape and the top outside edges (or as far as you want your design to go). Remove your "pattern," and draw another line below what you've just drawn. This is what you will cut out. Just the little top piece. When you get it cut out, and sanded to fit the base piece, sand the edges rounded. This will give you, not a carved out design, but a built up design. You could also choose VERY small findings to gently hammer into this piece for a carved out look. This piece will be glued on top of the base and will look fancier than just a plain edge. This is to be repeated twice for each section of the screen (your screen will not be 1/8" thick wood, but 2 pieces of 1/16" glued together).

As for your hinges, I would use fabric for the hinges. No one will notice that you don't have metal hinges since it will be standing zig zag. Once you have finished all pieces of the wood, cut strong, thin fabric (silk, etc. I have used the net that is the base for clay bricks when you buy them) and glue ½ of this fabric/net on the inside of one side (do both edges for your folding screen to zig/zag). Then glue the top wood piece onto that fabric. Let dry and hold the next section close to, but not flush with the completed section. Work it back and forth to see how much fabric is the minimum you can get by with and still have a working screen. Mark the fabric and cut allowing an edge to glue inside the next section. Repeat this until you have all sections done. Then complete your decorating as you desire.

Rita Pierce

1/2" Scale Furniture: Heaven knows it's not the best quality in the world, but a lot of the stuff in the various dollar stores is half-scale and if you are on a budget, it is cheap. You need to pick and choose very carefully, and use fingernail polish remover or sandpaper to remove at least some of the varnish.

I have actually gotten some of this stuff without any finish and could do it any way I liked. I got a wooden bathroom set that was a bit iffy (then found a nicer plastic set closer to scale) The wooden bathtub is going to be a bookcase, two other pieces became workbenches in the shed.The sink/vanity became a computer desk. The only thing I didn't use was the toilet itself. One of these wooden sets cost me A$2.50 – that would be US$1.50

Charlene

Screens: If you are making screens, this is how I do it. Cut out your cardboard shapes, i.e. if you are making a 3-fold screen, then you cut out 6 pieces of cardboard. You cover each piece of cardboard with the fabric you desire, silk, small print, etc. stretching the fabric over the cardboard, ensuring you cover the corners correctly, and glue in place. You then actually glue the covered pieces together ensuring that the overlapped sections face each other. I always used paper clips to hold it in place and even press them between heavy books. Then using a fine braid, glue braid around the edge.

To join the 3 screen together, I find the best way to do this is to actually sew it in place. Like 3 imitation hinges. Don't sew all the way down, do about 4 oversewing stitches, in 3 sections. Don’t pull the threads tightly otherwise it won't bend. You will end up with a lovely screen this way.

Make sure you create your master template first, and also when you have done 3 panels, ensure that you flip your template over and then do the other 3, otherwise you wont have them fitting each other. This is much better way than wood, unless you are decoupaging.

Pauline Mackenzie

Screens: I made a 'lazy mans' screen from the rubber matting on shelf paper and bamboo skewers. I wanted the top of the shelf paper for a different project but didn't like the thickness so just peeled the backing off. Looks like rubber lace. I cut it to the size I wanted, glued the cut to size skewers point up into a square with feet. Made 4 squares and glued them to one side of the rubber material with the width of a skewer apart. After that dried I bent the thing how I wanted it, placed a small piece of skewer on the opposite side of the material and glued it in place. If the bend is going backward so the 2 skewer squares meet, just glue them together. I took some pictures and used thin wire to hang them on this screen. This would make a contemporary screen or a Victorian one depending on how you decorate it. Screens did have lace or material on them at that time.

Carol (jody)

Repairing Roll Top Desk: The slats on our roll top desks are glued onto "brown" cotton blend backing. The fabric should be lightweight. Use Elmer's wood glue. Once the glue is thoroughly dry , work the slats in your hand until the piece is very flexible. Then reinstall.

Sharon Stockton

Upholstered Furniture: Check out sdk miniatures. Furniture comes in 1 inch and 1/2 inch scales and sure looks comfy to me! Susan is a member of SS and her site is on the Small Stuff links page under furniture. Her potted plants are beautiful and she delivers quicker that you would think possible.

Linda

Fernwood Miniatures: In my experience, these kits are excellent value.You should know in advance that you may have to supply your own drawer pulls, as well as hinges if you don't want to use ribbon hinging. Fern's catalog drawings are meticulous, and if you see a dot where a drawer-pull would be, that's why.I'm not sure I should even say that, because it would be awful to discourage anyone. She does a wide range of styles and types, frequently because a particular piece has been requested by customers, and does them in limited numbers, not as a gimmick but because it's a very small operation. In her catalogs she estimates the level of difficulty for each piece; older ones disappear as new ones are added. Instructions are detailed; parts are carefully bundled in assembly groups. You'll need to do some finish sanding; you'll need to follow the instructions; and you'll have a piece that's a bit "special" when you're through.

An ad in the current MC says that catalog may be obtained by sending a long SASE to Fernwood Miniatures, 12730 Finlay NE, Silverton, OR 97381. (And yes, I knew Fern as a member of the same club for several years, an acquaintance that's given me the confidence to say she's a lady of integrity as well as talent, and always willing to answer any questions that come up.)

Mary

House of Miniatures: House of Miniatures kits are available from House of Miniatures, 2388 Pleasantdale Rd, Atlanta, GA 30340-3126

Fax 770-242-1497, 800-679-9090 or http://www.miniatures.com

You can get a price list of their furniture, join their club and get what they send to you every couple of months or order your choice of individual pieces whenever you choose. No, I have no connection with their company; I too enjoy their kits.

Yvone