1" sponge Brushes: Not only are these great for painting and staining, once you are done with them, you can remove the foam brush part and you have a great little plastic piece that is just perfect for spackling and caulking. Once you are done with using them to apply filler, you can use the nice wooden handle for making bed posts, table legs and, in my case, railings for my log cabin loft

Reva Losiewicz

For the SSers in Flood Areas that have water damage to books, magazines, room boxes, etcetera:: If you have a large local library or University near you check with them about book restorers before you toss out all your miniature books and magazines. If you are willing to pay for the restoring the items can be 'freeze dried' and restored to readable condition. It's what large libraries do when they have devastating losses of reference materials and books. It's worth looking into. Might also check to see if the room boxes could be dried out the same way.

Patricia / Redwood City, CA

Seed Beads: They make great flower centers, bottle tops, candy for jars in a pinch (I don't like the holes, but most folks don't notice them), necklaces, wheels on toy cars. Beaded curtains, eyes and noses on stuffed animals, for making in-scale Indian corn. They are great for the wood beads that use to be strung on baby cribs and playpens, and strung together for wooden bead baby toys. In 1/4 scale they are good lamp parts, tea cups (add beading wire handle), and lots of stuff.

Bev

Metal Miniatures: There was a couple at the Cincinnati show that sold metal miniatures with the majority of the items being priced under $1.00. He had so many that I think you could have stood there for a couple of hours and not really noticed everything he had. I had to laugh when he handed me a box lid and asked if I would like a shopping cart. He does shows and mail orders so I would expect he would have a catalog if you inquired. The address is: Parker Miniatures 3231 E. Linda Lane, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452.

Elizabeth Cooper

Recycling medical supplies: It's been a few years since I retired and packaging may have changed, but here's a few more ideas of things I saved. The twist off protective caps on tube feeding bottles make great holders for mixing small amounts of paint. The white protective caps on Solu-Medrol turn into flower pots after sanding down the side. The tapered end of the 6 and 12 cc syringe holders when cut off make great hanging baskets and bowls. Small gauge butterfly IV's become garden hose. Cut off the tabs, shorten the needle, paint the tubing green, coil, and attach the other end to a 'Reallife' brand faucet. The caps of IV needle holders make good 1" scale tumblers or jars plus they're already colored.

Rose from MA

Spice Uses: poppy seeds can make great "chocolate chips" when mixed into Fimo cookie dough (champagne color). You'd think they'd be too big, but since they are partially hidden in the "dough" they work PERFECT! Poppy seeds also make very convincing chili-mix with raw umber and burnt sienna acrylic paint, add some glue or acrylic medium to the mixture to give it some workability-mix together and put it in a bowl or pot--delish! dried dill works well as "garnish"-you know, that smattering of herbs on top of the plate of pasta, or even on top of that chili. dried parsley seems to keep some of it's green when it dries-it works well with other things (like Fimo lettuce) as "salad mix". White rice ground up in a coffee grinder (I've got to do this when my hubby isn't around or he complains that this is the reason why the blades are getting dull...) mixed with raw umber paint and glue makes very convincing hamburger meat. It also makes convincing wet "cat food". Again, with the ground white rice-you can make great potato salad with the help of some watering yellow paint. Obviously, these two rice suggestions aren't from the spice section of the grocery store, but since we were on the topic of food....

Monika

Fake Stairwell: Yes, you can put a hint of a stairway against the back wall. You can also save some valuable space 'upstairs' by putting a false wall maybe two inches from the back of the house, with an open door showing a room beyond. Perhaps put just the edge of the toilet bowl or a chair back sticking out into the doorway, so it looks as if there's more back there. This is a good way to use damaged pieces - remove the chair seat, and just glue the back so it sticks out a half inch or so. Cut a toilet shape from 1/4 inch balsa and sand it to round the edges, then paint with Ceram-Coat to make it shiny. A plain closed door glued to the back wall can also give an illusion of rooms beyond, and not use even the two inches of floor space, but that trick works best if you've "set the stage" with other "open" rooms elsewhere.

Dani

Historical Figures: Mr. Stuart (as he insists being called) is not only a really wonderful artist, but a very interesting man as well. He doesn't work in Miniature, his historical figures are 20 inches or so I believe. I thought I'd give the group his web site because it is certainly wonderful to see his work. http://members.aol.com/gsfigures/index.html

James Peacock

Scale: Well, where it is true that furniture comes in all kinds of sizes, I guess the real art of miniaturizing the world is perspective. I think that as long as something "looks like it belongs" i.e. it makes sense to the eye, then it is in scale (one of the tricks in stagecraft, I believe). Of course, this means a bit of planning so you aren't caught at being creative;). I have been quite enjoying the doll that I have in my cabin, as she acts as an impromptu ruler. When I am concerned about scale, I will put the item up near her, or imagine her walking by the item (can she reach into that cupboard, would she hit it with the fridge door, can she move through that hall easily, etc.). Usually your eye can spot a fraud very quickly -- I have a scotty dog that I have named "dog-zilla", as it was supposed to be 1:12 scale, but really is 1:6 scale (he is not only bigger than the collies in the cabin, but is bigger than the great dane I have as well!). Put on my Barbie's lap, however, he looks like the perfect size. Just all a matter of perspective:).

Kim From Canada

Measuring: I seem to recall a physics professor telling me it doesn't matter what you are using to measure with, it is the consistency that counts (accuracy over precision). Saying 1/4 inch plus two lines is totally legal, as long as you remember which two lines, and you don't switch rulers on yourself :)

Kim From Canada

Thanks to all...Thanks to all of you for your nice comments on the tile house. This really isn't a totally unique idea - I have seen some other mini scenes made from weird stuff (including eggs, tiles, tin cans, tree stumps, gift bags, and on and on....) and I bet we could turn almost anything into a cool scene. And I can't begin to tell you the times I have been inspired by the projects made by people on this digest. OK, everyone give yourself a big pat on the back!

Someone asked how I cut the openings - that was the hard part!!!! I cut the holes with a tile drill. I went around the opening and made a bunch of holes close to each other. Then I broke out the inside area with a hammer. Broke the tile in a few places, too.... But I wanted that rustic look so a few cracks didn't matter. I used a coarse file to smooth the openings. I wanted to use a tile saw I have, but it fits in a hacksaw and the throat depth wasn't enough to allow me to cut the openings that way.

Someone else asked how I distressed the wood on the Michael's hutch. It isn't actually distressed at all, but rather sponged painted to give it that blotchy look. The base coat just looked too flat and boring, and this doctored it up nicely.

Another person mentioned the cactus. That is made from some pod that I collected. My husband and son were with me and they are trained enough now that they don't even bat an eye when they see me picking up weird stuff. I don't know the name of it, but I bet someone on the list knows what it is. http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=345686&a=4165987&f=0 (link to tile house)

Bonnie Gibson - Tucson, Arizona

Pattern reduction: if you are always looking at patterns that need to be reduced or enlarged. Get a pantograph. It is a fantastic little instrument that permits one to copy at just about any percentage of reduction or enlargement. Its is a pure mechanical device. Start looking at sites that offer drafting supplies.

DrBob

London Museums: London holds at least three museums of particular interest to miniaturists. The Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood shows a very large number of old dollshouses many of which are featured in the books we read. The Geffrye Museum which is just five minutes or so away, so you could do both in one day, which is full of real size domestic interiors, fantastic for inspiration. And of course the Victoria and Albert Museum which has just about every item of beauty one could imagine from silver and gold, to fine porcelain, to needlework samplers, and period clothing.

Karon

Spanish artisans: I'm Maria from Spain. I'd like you to take a look in a marvelous Spanish web. They're a new artisans but their work is simply wonderful. their web is: http://perso.wanadoo.es/carolinaartesanas I'm sure you enjoy it and it will be very useful for you.

Maria

How to dust your miniatures...A LONG time ago I read somewhere that a very easy way to dust fine details on ornaments (and miniatures) is to use an old fashioned shaving brush (the kind you use with foaming soap in a mug). When my Dad passed away 4 years ago, I asked my Mum for his brush (which she thought was a bit odd), but I use it all the time to dust my miniatures. It works like a treat, as you can really get into all the nooks and crannies. Of course, being reminded of a loved one makes dusting seem less of a chore!

Linda

Laminate Samples --The Better Homes and Gardens magazine--June 2001--has different ideas on how to use the samples (of course, they are in real size, but who says we can't miniaturize them!!)

Leslie in WA

Laminate samples: The first thing that sprang to my mind is paving/decking for landscaping--use the stone-like ones for paving, and the wood-like ones for decking?

Molly/StormBorn

white soda straws. Places like Party Time, or Party World, that sell paper products for all kinds of parties, have straws to match the plates. Perhaps the Wedding section would have white.

MAP in Puyallup

White straws (tubing): My wife purchased some shoes and in each shoe was a white flexible rod that was the length of each shoe. Perhaps a trip to the local ladies shoe store may solve your problem.

DrBob

White straws (tubing): For the person looking for white straws for drainspouts...you can buy 1/4" white tubing in the lawn and garden section of the big box hardware supply stores. It comes in many colors in fact so it can be used in misting systems and coordinate with house colors.

Jackie