School Presentation on Miniatures. Don't pass up the biggest source of information available - your public library. With a little help from the Librarian, your daughter should be able to trace the "History of Miniatures" all the way back to the beginning, or very close to it.

Your library should be able to request additional books from other libraries across the country and you'll find out that this will turn into one heck of a "history" lesson for all! Believe me, I've done it many times over. I'm a stickler for detail when it comes to designing and/or reproducing anything in miniature.

Helen David

Paper, Matboard and Foamcore: First off, get Joann Swanson's books "Granny's Kitchen" and "Joann's Do It Yourself." Both books will get you on your way. After that, just looking at the stuff that Adam did, miniatures like 1/4" scale motorcycles, airplanes, jeeps and stuff that were made out of paper and I was hooked. His stuff was fantastic. Very realistic. Had no idea they were paper until he told me. After that I just started practising. I use matboard and foamcore to make my roomboxes, tables, fireplaces, etc., painted to simulate wood, stucco, metal or whatever. I make faux rooms with pictures, 3D by layering several pictures together in strategic spots, and bending in the right place. Really looks great when looking through a door to another room. Lot's of work, very time consuming, but it sure looks realistic when viewing. Takes up less space because instead of another room you have the illusion of another room. I'm one that really loves the illusion of the whole thing. THANKS JOANN, you really started me on my way with that. She had an article on a bridal shop one day that had paper dresses hanging bent just so, that you would have thought were dresses. I always add stuff to them like ribbons, etc. that add some dimension. So there you have it for anyone interested. It really just takes jumping in there and trying it.

Kathy in E. TN

Eggshells: I have done Eggshell Mosaic work plenty of times and I can tell you that the eggshells contain two membranes which must both be removed, otherwise the membrane can dried out and the eggshell will fall away. To make sure the membranes have been removed, place them in a saucepan and cover with water.. Add two or three teaspoons full of meat tenderizer and simmer for two to three hours. Strain the water from the eggs and remove the membranes. The first membrane will be discolored by the meat tenderizer and will come away quite easily. It is the second membrane which is hard to see and even harder to remove. Keep running a fingernail over the inside of the eggshell and if membrane is present it will feel slightly slimy - if no membrane is present it will feel slightly gritty or chalky under the fingernail and has a 'dry' feel to it. Then, cover the eggshells in household bleach and leave to sit for five days. After 5 days you rinse them really well and leave them on paper toweling to dry.

Brown and white eggs will work well with this treatment but quails eggs and other fine, speckled eggs tend to bleach white and lose their lovely markings, although they are beautifully fine.

Glue them to your base piece with water-based white glue such as PVA. Place a gob of glue down and then using a needle push the eggshell piece onto the glue, and roll it flat with a piece of dowel. This will flatten it into the glue but will also crack the shell into several smaller pieces. Use a needle or something sharp to push these pieces slightly further apart. Once you have covered your base item, leave to dry and 'setup' firmly for several days. Then grout with a mixture of polyfiller (wallboard compound??) and a teaspoon or so of coloured acrylic paint to tint the grout. Cover the entire object and once dry sand smooth to reveal the eggshell mosaic underneath with really fine (180 or 150) silicon carbide paper. Allow several years to complete even the smallest pieces LOL! This is my favorite method which I learned from a book by Jennifer Bennel called 'Masterstrokes' which is THE bible on painted finishes. Good Luck with whatever it is you are covering!

Trace

Stained Glass Book: Dover Publications still carries the stain glass booklets.  They are presently putting in a web site and you can leave your email address for them to contact you when it's up and running.  Go to www.doverpublications.com

Billie (OK)

Stained Glass Windows: The book on leaded window designs from Dover is a great resource for all periods of stained glass - I found that very few of the designs were of the right size for commercially made windows but if you are doing custom windows it won't matter.  You can have these photocopied at Kinko's or a similar place on sheets of acetate which make it easier to work the designs with lead and coloring...and its also clear so the colors are brighter.  At Michael's (probably at other craft stores too) they have small bottles of fake leading (I find the nozzle top they give you is a bit too "heavy handed" with doling out the fine lines so I use a small tube injector thing I got with a bottle of Aleene's glue - it's like a syringe but with a bent tip).  It lays down a very nice 1"scale line.  When that is dry I color between the lines. I used a transparent color kit specially made for this type project...but I saw transparent paints formulated for doing "stained glass" projects located in the same area as the liquid leading (again at Michael's - more for less). I think the beads need to be done in an oven to melt the pellets so I don't think that would work for your dh.  If I remember right you sprinkled them in a form and when they were melted you ended up with a "stained glass ornament or what have you. The acetate deal really works out great - had a friend who was selling them at one time.

Ana Gerard

Stained Glass Windows: Yes, to owning the Dover publication, "Dollhouse Stained Glass Windows."  I used their designs on two of my Oakmont stained glass windows.  You can see pics of the finished window here: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/8157/journal.htm and click on any of the stained glass links. OR here to see a close up of the window plan I modified for the

dollhouse: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/8157/oakbath.htm

Dover Publications has several excellent books for "full size stained glass patterns."  The designs are almost in one inch scale in the books, they can easily be "reduced" to exact one inch scale on a copier or scanner.

Some of my favorite Dover stained glass pub's that work great in mini are:

* Decorative Doorways 151 patterns for sidelights, transoms etc.

* 162 Traditional and Contemporary Patterns

* Floral 96 designs

They are often available in public libraries and online at amazon and sometimes on eBay. Online you can just do a search for stained glass and Dover.

Wilma

Good Beginning Book: Someone was requesting nominations of good books for people just starting out. My candidate would be an early entry into the field, Helen Ruthberg's 1977 The Book of Miniatures - Furniture and Accessories. It's out of print, but - just for an example - I checked with Powells.com and they have three used copies, starting at seven dollars. This is a 240-page trade paperback, absolutely packed with tips, improvisations, and patterns, with photos and drawings on almost every page. Some of the examples may look a little clunky and naive, especially if you've been browsing all the incredible work on people's web pages, but you can alter what you don't like. She writes:"What I'm trying to do is acquaint you with a bit of this and that from as many aspects of dollhouse furnishing and accessories as this book will allow me to cover" It's book that can really spark the imagination. You might be able to inspect a copy at your local library; might also find it in a local used-bookstore.

Mary

Tudor decoration: I have a hardcover book, Tudor, 1500-1603, one of The Connoisseur Period Guides, which I bought at a used bookstore. It contains 180 pages of text, over 200 half-tone illustrations, about 50 line drawings and 4 pages in full color. The initial volume in the series, it was published by Reynal Company, Inc., New York, and edited by Ralph Edwards and L. G. G. Ramsey. It is incredibly detailed, covering architecture, interior decoration, furniture, painting and sculpture, as well as handicrafts, costume, music and printing. Strangely enough, I cannot find a copyright date, but it must go back a ways because the original printed price on the book jacket was $8.95, and it was listed as published in New York, 17, N. Y. Probably no longer in print, but perhaps you could check one of the sites for out of print books.

Wanna

Books: I just got Victorian Dollhouses by Nick Forder on the recommendation of a Smallstuff member - it is fantastic. The book has over a hundred pages of full color photographs of finished rooms and all the different kinds of furniture appropriate to different Victorian periods, with very helpful descriptions of how the pieces would be used and why Victorian householders favored various items. I found the book through Bibliofind.com, my favorite used bookstore site. I've received books through Bibliofind from England and Australia as well as U.S., so think the booksellers who list are generally happy to ship out of the country.

Kay Dreher

Seashell-inspired fantasy pieces were popular in the 1880s, called "Grotto Style" There's a wonderful book called "Fantasy Furniture" by Bruce M. Newman (Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., ISBN 84-78-1119-0) that includes pictures of all kinds of fabulous furniture, including Grotto; Black Forest--with woodland scenes featuring branches and bears; Horn Antler--crafted of real animal by-products; and Belle Époque--fantastic samples of Art Nouveau furnishings.

Lee

White House: There is a wonderful book that comes very close to seeing the White House replica in person. It is called "The White House in Miniature" by Gail Buckland. The photographs are wonderful and include many close-ups. Check out the internet bookstores.

Barbara

Pharmacy / chemist: There is a book called the Victorian Chemist and Druggist published by Shire. It isn't miniatures but has a lot of information of things used in a pharmacy. Some fascinating gadgets you could make.

Roberta Pijper

Making furniture: There is a booklet called the Cabinetmaker's Guide for Dollhouse Furniture, Vol. 7 (Upholstered Furniture). It is $8.00 plus $2.00 mailing handling. It can be ordered from Dorsett Publications, 603 Depot St. NE, Christiansburg, VA 24073. They accept checks or money orders.

Elizabeth Cooper

Victorian clothing: Two sources I can recommend are Joanne McCracken's book "Dollhouse Dolls" and the British magazine "Dolls House and Miniature Scene". dolltedemf@aol.com. The McCracken book was published in 1980, so you might be able to find a copy on-line. She not only has lovely patterns, with ideas for a personalizing them, but instructions for doll making that even *I* have managed to reproduce. (My lack of coordination is a by-word among my friends! Sorry, I can't help you with the 'homemade look' problem.) The British magazine is pricey ($87 a year!) but really well worth every penny, in my estimation. In addition to patterns - men, women and children - for all eras from Tudor to Edwardian, they also have mini-history lessons on the monthly theme, so if you are planning, say a garden or a nursery, you know what and why to put in a Tudor setting rather than adding Victorian anachronisms.

Dani

"The Decorated Doll House: How to Design" Create Miniature Interiors by Jessica Ridley or "Making Doll House Interiors" by Carol and Nigel Lodder: I have used both of these books and find them very good.

Dani

"The Decorated Doll House: How to Design" Create Miniature Interiors by Jessica Ridley or "Making Doll House Interiors" by Carol and Nigel Lodder: I have used both of these books and find them very good.

Jeannine

Old Nutshell News: Old issues of NN and Dollhouse Miniatures can be ordered from their website http://www.dhminiatures.com The website is searchable if you are looking for articles about certain topics.  Very prompt service.

Martha Simpson Nock

Brooke Tucker's books: There are two books on Brooke's roomboxes:

Interior Design in Miniature - Brooke Tucker Originals
by Anne Day Smith
Boynton and Associates, Inc.
ISBN 0-933168-75-6

Brooke Tucker's Golden Christmas
by Brooke Tucker
Kalmbach Books
ISBN 0-89024-260-7

I think that both books are wonderful. The second one (Golden Christmas) presents some room settings, but is mainly focused on a Brooke's Christmas roombox with directions to build it.

Cristina

Brooke Tucker's Books: If you would like to order them on-line, both of Brooke Tucker's books were available at MiniBooks - Great books, too, BTW, as I'm sure you know!

Jenny Dahl

Brooke Tucker Rooms: People listed Brooke Tucker's books lately, but there is a book that was recently published (just before last Christmas) that isn't one of hers, but features some of her most recent room boxes and has a great interview/article with her.

It is called The Dollhouse Book, An Illustrated Guide to Miniature Mansions. Little Living Rooms, Cozy Castles, Diminutive Dwellings, Small Shops and the Dolls and Furnishings that Inhabit Them, by Stephanie Finnegan. This is my all-time very favorite miniature book!

No how-to's... this is for drooling and dreaming. Amazon has it around $25, ISBN 1-57912-077-6

You can also go to Brooke's website to see many of her wonderful room-boxes and Put-Abouts. Don't forget to check out the class schedule page, because the classes are linked to even more photos. http://www.brooketucker.com

Anne Gerdes