Book cases with glass fronts - they're perfect for miniature scenes. Many years ago I bought an antique 3-section bookcase (each section fits onto the top of the lower section, and each has a swinging glass door that slides up into the top.) Mine was for a Dr's or Attorney's books, so each section is taller than usual. But I've seen reproduction bookcases out there this size for sale. The only thing you can't do is a ceiling. One section of mine is a miniature doll shop. Another is a miniature Victorian Dress and Hat Shop, and the third section is split into two rooms: a parlor where little girls are playing with their dollhouse, and a Bride's bedroom. The doors even have locks on them, for safe keeping. I consider that bookcase one of the best investments I ever made.

Paulette in IN

fold marks: When I make a fold line, I will lightly score the paper with an exacto knife. You may have to practice before hand so you know how many swipes you can get away with before you cut all the way through, and develop the light touch it takes, but I have done this on numerous boxes and book jackets and it works nicely:).

Kim From Canada

Folding cutouts and printables: I find that my metal ruler is perfect for folding. Just line your project up along the straight edge and fold with your fingers.

John Medeiros

Folding cutouts: take a scribe, inscribe a line on the *outside* (right side) of the piece you need to fold where you need to fold it, then lay a *steel* rule on the inside up against the fold line, and bend the paper back over the rule.

Molly/StormBorn

Folding cutouts: To make a nice fold on a cutout, I score the fold part lightly with the back side (dull edge) of a razor knife.

Karolyn (Plymouth Ma)

Strobe or Disco Ball: Do you mean "disco ball" as in the sparkly thing revolving over a skate rink or dance floor? Start with a ping pong ball (1.5" diameter" or the ball from a roll-on deodorant bottle (1" diameter). Start gluing colored sequins.
If you want it to slowly revolve, use an appliance timer motor mounted on the topside of the ceiling. Poke the shaft through a hole in the ceiling and connect ball to shaft with appropriate sized bit of brass tubing and epoxy glue.

For a strobe, go to a "real" electronics supply shop (as opposed to radio shack) and ask for a variable speed, reflex oscillator kit with LEDs. If no electronics shop in your neighborhood try to find a ham radio club. Those people should be excited to show off their electronic skills and expertise.

Mel K. in Las Vegas

Disco Ball, Motorized: Possibly a simpler way to get the ball to revolve would be a battery operated clock motor. Attach the ball to the shaft for the second hand, which would give you one revolution per minute. This can be used for other things. I made a toy shop that I wanted the dollhouse to revolve so all sides could be seen. Clock motors can be purchased from craft supply for a few dollars, or better yet check a thrift shop. Just be sure to get one that has a second hand. A battery operated second hand has a slight jerky motion, but I do not think it is Objectionable.

Dean Jenson

Disco Ball, Motorized: There is a quartz clock movement available with a "sweep" second hand, i.e. no jerking. Klockit is one mail order company that carries them but they don't show a web site. Phone 1-800-556-2548, they're in Wisconsin.

Ruth, Grass Valley, CA

Disco Ball, Motorized: At Christmas time, you can buy a small attachment for a string of miniature lights. It replaces one bulb. The ornament hung from this gizmo revolves. I adapted one for a hanging light in one of my stores. Possibly an oversimplification of your required solution, but often, the simple way is the most effective.

Becky

.0075 Butyrate: I have used the plastic report covers available at office supply stores as a source of thin clear plastic. It may not be butyrate, but it is clear and easily cut.

Dave

Boxes:
AMAC Plastic Boxes
http://www.amacbox.com/

Buffalo Creek Miniatures (acrylic boxes & bags)
http://www.bcminiatures.com

Marilyn, MI

Plastic Boxes: I needed little plastic boxes to mail out some items for a mini swap and swung by a place called Tap Plastics...they had numerous sizes of see through little boxes with hinged lids for 20 - 35 cents a piece, depending on the size of course. the 20 cent size was more than big enough to hold a cake on a pedestal just to give you an idea of size. I believe they are online if you don't have one close by.

Sheena

Ray Storey Lighting
http://www.raystoreylighting.com

As well as his lights, he has some fascinating lab things with unmentionable objects in chemistry beakers.

Andrea

Porcupine Quills: first you get a porcupine - more seriously I have gotten them three ways.
1) Straight from the porcupine. This one happened to be down the hole in the outhouse on a regular basis eating it so I'd kick the side of the outhouse to get him out (you have to do that anyway to use the outhouse for its intended purpose) and toss a blanket on him as he'd make his exit. Then once he escaped from the blanket and scrambled up a tree (after a while he'd only back off and glare at me) I'd pick the quills off the blanket.
2) From Native American friends - quills are used a lot in native dress with tribes just east of you and north of you - they often get them from road kill
3) Native American craft supply places also sell quills. They can be very thick to very thin, long to short so you need to have some idea of what you need. The ends are always brown and so you can get interesting patterns between the off white and brown parts.

By the way when you get them wet they get soft so you can bend them and then when they dry out they retain their shape more or less. The problem is 20 years later they tend to dry out and break at any bends.

Carolyn

zip-type baggies: I have 2 resources for reasonably-priced zip-type baggies -- Shipwreck Beads in Olympia, WA (360)754-2323 or http://www.shipwreck-beads.com -- also a wholesale jeweler's supply called Rio Grande, also known as the Bell Group, Their tollfree # is 1-800-545-6566, their website is http://www.riogrande.com It takes a bit of effort to get with these guys -- they are a " to-the-trade" supplier. When I got my account with them, about 11 years ago, they sent me an application for a Jewelers Board of Trade rating, essentially a credit check I think. I sent the completed application back to them and they forwarded it to the JBT, and as soon as they got the info back, they opened my account. They have 3 catalogues -- gems and findings, display and packaging, and tools and equipment.

The things I use the most of are the zippy-bags, shipping cartons, epoxy resin, RTV mold rubber and tools -- great tiny jeweler's tools! They carry several models of flexible-shaft rotary tools and I like my Dremels but my Foredom flex shaft is so much more versatile -- it has a foot pedal for very precise speed control! Anyway, call them at the number above, and you'll find that, along with great products, they have the absolutely most friendly and helpful customer service staff. And back to Shipwreck -- they advertise the world's largest selection of beads and I've been to their store and they're not exaggerating -- I thought I'd died and gone to bead heaven.

Vicki Horiuchi

Small Ziploc bags: Try eBay for those tiny baggies. There are TONS of listings and at very reasonable prices. You might also try PaperMart. Their site is: http://www.papermart.com/ and they carry different size baggies, both clear and ones with the white space/label on one side so that you can write on them. Use a sharpie, permanent ink pen for that, so the writing doesn't smear or rub off.

Gerda

White Straws: i went to the train shop with my husband today and found long white styrene tubes that look just like white straws but they are much more durable than straws and will last forever, styrene is very sturdy, there is 3 in a package and are 14" long and cost $1.79 they can be cut to any length the package says 1/4 " tube, my husband has a Walthers catalog that's for model trains, you can order directly from them and it will be much cheaper. here is the web address http://www.walthers.com

"Sue's Mail"

American Science & surplus: Someone may have mentioned this before, but it is worth posting again: American Science & Surplus is a fabulous source for small boxes, wood, motors, light bulbs, and random other things. They sell surplus items very, very cheaply... I just got an order of basswood today, about 10 nice 2"x27" pieces, for about $3.00 total.

Anyone looking for small boxes, wire, wood, tiny zip bags, motors, grain of wheat bulbs, yoga mats, cloth, ribbon, tape... I HIGHLY recommend you check them out! Their website is: http://www.sciplus.com/

Celeste in Boston

Porcupine Quills: It took a minute, but I found the resource for quills. It's Fire Mountain Gems -- 28195 Redwood Highway -- Cave Junction, OR, 97523-9304 -- USA -- phone 800-423-2319. Sorry I don't have a web address for them, my catalogue is an old one.

Vicki Horiuchi

Porcupine Quills: You can easily purchase porcupine quills from your local fly-tying materials dealer. Just check out a fly-fishing shop near you, or if you are without one go to http://www.llbean.com/customerService/aboutLLBean/index.html. They will be able to help you.

LL Bean has a large fly fishing dept and I'm 99.9% sure that they will carry porcupine quills. They are used to imitate the abdomens of large mayflies.

Brian