Guild School: The Guild School is in Castine, Maine in June. It's held every year in the Merchant Marine Academy while the sailors are out at sea. You need to contact the Guild www.igma.org first, and see what classes you are interested in, then sign up and show up! Your housing and meals are included in the fees. If you can't get to Castine there are also "Study Programs" held in various parts of the country. Check them out on the web page. The Guild's teachers are all either Artisans or Fellows of the Guild.

Yes, it is intensive - a whole week devoted to nothing but miniatures -and also lots of fun! Particularly the lobster dinners. You might consider taking classes at Tom Bishop's Chicago International Show. The list of classes is HUGE, and the teachers are excellent. Check that out at www.bishopshow.com

Nicole Walton-Marble

CIMTA Directory: For those of you wanting to locate stores during your travels, you might go to the CIMTA site http://www.cimta.org and click on the shopping guide. All supporting members of the organization are listed, many of whom have linked web sites. Not all stores belong to CIMTA, but a great many do and it is worth a try.

Ann Hendricks

Guild School: The Guild School lasts about one week, commencing on a Sunday and ending on Friday evening of the next week with graduation. All room, board, and 36 hours of instruction are covered in one fee (extra classes, airfare, sale night and classroom fees are additional.) To get the best information you can log into the IGMA website at www.igma.org. You can also email the school director for further information at badavis@cats.ucsc.edu. You can also call IGMA toll free at 1-800-711-IGMA for any and all information regarding the Guild.

Sandy Wall

San Antonio Shop: There is a listing for D's Dollhoses & Miniatures at the www.cimta.org/guide.htm The address is 19418 Yanan Rd. Apple Valley 92307 ph is 760-252-3336

Lisa Lynn

Bunka: I carry KAO brand bunka which I feel is the best. It has the most even curl when unraveled. I have pictures of this on my web site to show the difference. I carry over 90 colors. http://www.minidolls.com

Michelle Geoffrion-Mahler

Foamcore, gator board, etc: If you are looking for a place that distributes foamcore, gatorfoam, etc., try the following site: http://www.gatorfoam.com/main.htm. International Paper website, it has detailed information about all the products, their qualities,etc., as well as lists of distributors around the USA and the rest of the world.

Elaine from the We(s)t Coast of Canada

Woodworking news group: If you are looking for a site that is woodworking oriented, real-life size but will help with our mini projects, go to newsgroups ->rec. and scroll down to woodworking and join the group just as you joined Small Stuff.

Bob in Hollywood, FL

Woodworking: You can find a chat line on woodworking at www.about.com . You will see a selection list on the left hand side of the screen. Scroll down and find woodworking. I don't know if you will find what you need there, but it's worth a try I think.

June Fefekos

MINI ROSEVILLE: The miniature Roseville pottery, as well as many other styles, are made by Vince Stapleton, 120 West 7th Street, Leadville, CO. 80461. I have a lot of his work.

Beth, In A Miniature Manor

Removing shiny finishes: To take the shiny finish off cheap $ store furniture, dip a rag in some oil and then into pumice powder and rub. This is the fastest, easiest way I've found to cut the high gloss on these pieces. Took forever to find the pumice powder. Finally found it at WoodCrafters after hitting every home improvement store in the area. It's in a 16-oz can for around $5.

Quinn

Hardwood floor:  Go to a building supply like Home Depot and get samples of hardwood flooring.  They come in about 6" square pieces and the pieces each have seven slats of flooring joined together with little metal strips underneath.  Pull these strips out and you now have lumber to build your floor.  I glued the strips to heavy cardboard and set it into the room. Looks great.

Sandy

When I do rock work, I glue them on with tacky, then cover the glue with a mix of beige and black sand to imitate mortar. And, did you know you can *BUY* sand? Train stores sell a variety of colors, very fine grain.

Lee

Copper Patina: I have a product called "Patina It" that came to me packaged with another called "Blacken It". Blacken does just what you think it does, and "Patina It" makes copper green...that look of "ver de gris" ... or is it "verde gris"...hm. Still looks right.

Anyhoo, it's been a while, but I think I got it from MicroMark. It's very easy to use, the only real caveat is that the copper has to be very clean for it to work evenly. It's made by a company called "A-West", addy is Box 1144, Woodstock, GA, 30188. It is an eye irritant, and bad vapors etc., but it's OK if you use some common sense. Not so much of a vapor problem if you're working on a small miniature area. I've used both solutions on copper African masks that I make, and it works very well.

However, Judy Herman Appelbaum gave a great class using acrylic paints to paint on the same effect, using colors that closely resemble the greens of the copper. They can be applied in a wash to clay pots and urns, turning them into fake old copper. The application of a bit of bronze or copper paint inside helps too.

Dave Pierce

Plastic boxes: The wholesale source that I use is AMAC in California. There is a $100 minimum order and 25 is the smallest amount of each style that can be ordered. They are nice to deal with and ship quick. e-mail info@amacbox.com or 1-800-852-7158

Domes: Bards 1-800-323-5499 out of Mundelein, Ill Sales@bardspro.com or www.bardspro.com I have not used this source yet, but was told they ship quick and good to deal with. They have a LOT of display stuff.

Porcelain Dolls. Beverly Parker wrote a wonderful little book about pouring, cleaning and making miniature dolls. Can't remember the name, having a senior day, but you can get the book from Jackie at House of Caron. You can also get wigging book there, pattern books as well as most of the best miniature molds. Jackie is wonderful to deal with and very knowledgeable.
http://www.houseofcaron.com 1-800-432-8992

Jan Smith in Florida

Nursemini's website:

http://www.angelfire.com/ab3/nursemini/index.html

If this is your FIRST attempt, I can't wait to see what you do when you get some experience under your belt. I hope others check it out too -- just plan to have plenty of time available for play.

Anita Myers

I use http://www.abwf.com/ for pictures and I use the wallpaper there for all kinds of things.

Laura Miller

Church Items: We carry a complete line of church furnishings and accessories, including items for a Jewish temple, which will be in the online catalog after my next update, which should be within the next few days. We also make custom pieces, if you don't find what you are looking for in our present stock. Hope this helps "anyone" interested in doing a religious scene. Mark and Sharon Stockton, Miniature Artisans, 1" & 1/2" Scale Online Catalog: http://www.stockton-miniatures.com

Sharon Stockton

Fine Fabrics and Silks? If you are visiting SF there is a 5 story bldg there that has all kinds (yup 5 floors of it) Britex Fabrics, 146 Geary is the address. No Catalog and if you mail order you have to have a snip of the fabric you want to order.....That does us in...Right? The wide silk ribbons are excellent for upholstery. If you go be prepared to spend a fortune but if you are looking for really beautiful things a friend has brought some to show. The georgour silk ribbon(wide enough to upholster with) is about $35 a yard but you could do quite a bit with that much. Worth looking at any rate!

Anita

Britex fabric: http://www.britexfabrics.com/

Sheena

Fabric Shopping in S.F. - If Gunne Sax (dress manufacturer) is still in business, they had a factory outlet So. of Market St. (I believe on Howard st.) and they are a wonderful source of tiny prints on lightweight fabric. Her designs were very frilly, lacy and feminine - and old fashioned. I still have some of the fabrics in my "attic shop" and they are great for mini scale - if the outlet is no longer there, try thrift stores for old dresses and cut them up! It sounds sacreligious, but it is a great source.

Jacqui Marlin