Chickens for the Coop: You need wonderful chickens? Sue Thwaite (LadyBug) has the most marvelous chickens in a variety of types in all scales! One of my favorites is a black mother hen (in 1/4, 1/2 and 1" scales) hovering over her baby chicks. They are under her wings! If I'm not mistaken, the chickens (and just about any other animal you could ever want or need) average about 4-5.00 each. You can order some or ask questions at http://www.ladybug-fairies.com

Carrie in Smithville, TX

Mini Racing Cars: I saw some today at the Frederick Show. They are small but would look large in a 1" scale dollhouse. Maybe you could write and request measurements. It came with the car on a stand with a poster behind the car. The name of the vendor is Miniature Corner Too! 2 Glenhollow Court, Reading, PA 19607. Good luck!

Marcy

Red handled silverware: It IS made. I have some for sale but probably your local miniature shop would have it too. Tell them it's ByBarb, the handles are red and come in both silver and gold metal and various color ends.

Sandy Dawson

Poker Table: Wanted to share how I made my own POKER TABLE, checkers, etc. for game room.... On Microsoft using the auto shapes and colors!  It was a lot of fun once I got the hang of it.... read your help file or just ask a child... really!   It was my 13 year old that showed me how to use it.... Experiment with the different sizes & shapes.  The table was about as realistic as I could get with the shapes & sizes available but it will hopefully give you an idea to go by.   This picture is the entire game set including poker table, cards, checkers and backgammon and we also sell the kits you can cut out & put together as needed for your scenes & room boxes. http://www.geocities.com/livinobx/bbgames.jpg

Lauriel

Mini teapots: I was at our local craft store and picked up a carded set of mini teapot ornaments that are shaped like vegetables. They were only $2.40 and are perfect scale. There are 18 to a card and are supposed to be used on the little trees that are so popular now but if you snip the string hanger they’ll look fine on a kitchen cupboard. They are made by Darice.

Lori

Victorian Kitchen Clock: You will need: a "Past Times" catalogue that features the clock, a piece of nice hardwood sanded smooth, a clock face either the size of the one in the catalogue, or smaller, but not bigger (Look under watchmakers) and clock hands to suit.

Instructions: Cut out the whole picture of the clock. Draw an outline of the clock onto your wood. Cut out the shape using a scroll saw. Sand edges and shape curves if needed. Cut out the face of the clock without damaging the surround. Stick the surround and the picture beneath it onto the wood. Crackle the picture. When dry, rub gently with some raw sienna or other dark brown pigment to bring up the crackles. Stick the clock face in place and use 2 part epoxy to stick the hands in position.

Barbara B, South Africa

Metal Minis: Someone wanted to know where to buy metal pewter minis:  I like dealing with a company who gives very good, quick service:  Reynolds Metal Miniatures, 1000 Central Ave., Wilmette, IL 60091  Phone:  (847)251-2455.  I have no connection with this company but love their stuff.

Marjorie in CA

Medical Supplies: If you're looking for medical equipment and supplies, I have quite a lot of it on my website http://www.spminiatures.com/doctor.htm

Carol

Art Supplies: If you are interested in very inexpensive miniature art supplies, easels, etc., you might try Martha's Metal Miniatures.  They paint up very nicely.  Their address is Martha's Metal Miniatures, 6440 McCollom Lake Rd., Wonder Lake, IL  60097, email address Oscaler@aol.com.

Carole Pierce in TN

Judaica in Miniature: http://www.fay-vourite.com/ has a lovely selection of Judaica.

Ami

Art Stickers: Dover Press publishes a booklet of 16 art stickers for $1 US, which contain acid-free ink, paper, and adhesives. Dover also publishes postcards featuring Renoir and Gauguin. These booklets are also $1 US. You can obtain a Dover Stationery Catalog (58461-5)from Dover Publications, Inc., 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501. I don't know if there's a charge. Dover is a great resource for such things such as quilting, art, paper dolls, etc., and you can't beat their prices.

Beabe

Plates: I just finished making dinner plates for a Victorian dining room. I selected a pattern from:

http://www.1800replace.com/

My original thought was to use them until I found a nice, affordable porcelain set. But, these are keepers! I splurged on some presentation paper. It made all the difference in the world (and I thought I had been using high quality paper!). Glued the paper plates onto some thin gold concave buttons, and then I remembered somebody recommended coating with clear nail polish . . . Eureka! Worked like a charm and gave a nice faux porcelain finish.

Jude

Antiquing a Globe: I used one of the "gaudy" globes as the base. Found one of those two-hemisphere maps in a puzzle catalog that was slightly larger than the globe's hemispheres to allow overlap. Painted the globe the background color of the maps, then decoupaged them to it. Had to slit around the edges to get them to curve around the ball shape, but with a little fiddling it worked. I also removed the globe from its original stand and copied a new deco-style stand from a real-size 30's original, that I had seen at an antiques show. I suppose a talented painter could just paint over the existing map in more subdued tones, but I decoupage a lot to make up for lacking that particular talent.

Loretta Sniarowski

Wreath Project: Check Bonnie Lavish's web site for her version of a wreath project. http://home.dmv.com/~lavish/ She uses floral wire and a strip of nylon net.

Anita Myers, Arnold, MD

Colored handle silverware: You can try Dragonfly for the colored handled silverware.  I have a couple of packs in the fiesta warestyle--their handles are a variety of colors, but I think you might contact Deb Laue(Dragon@psyber.com) and she might have a set all with red handles.

Dottie

Lampshades:

1. Go to http://www.miniatures.org (NAME website)

2. Go to Tips & Projects

3. Go to Find A Project

4. Go to Lighting

5. Finds articles in mini magazines on how to make lampshades

Cindy from Indiana

Psychic Minis: If you want some web pages to whet your imagination regarding the metaphysical roombox, here are three that suggest lots more accessories. Some of these might also be of interest to people doing fairy scenes:

http://www.themagicalblend.com/faq.html

http://www.almostradio.com/earthsongs/witch.htm

http://www.wildflowerswv.com/

For anyone needing tarot cards, there are gorgeous images on the next two sites. From four to eight cards are pictured in each of many styles. I'd guess you'd have a bit of leeway in the dimensions, so long as they come to hand comfortably. You could print some tiny patterned stuff on the reverse.

http://www.pointsoflight.com/

Mary, Oregon

Pretty Plates: The current issue (June/July 2000) of "Classic American Homes" magazine has some items of interest in the back advertising section. On one is and ad for old fashioned blue and cranberry decorative plates with some perfect plates to scan and decoupage onto card stock and make plates to fill a hutch or add to a wall.

Anne

Mini Hat Stands: There is a gal Linda Kravitz who makes the most fantastic Victorian hats I have ever seen. She does have the stands. Her web siteor email her

Cindy

Mini Musical Instruments: Ken Mannings musical instruments are exquisite. His address is 15468 85th Ave., Surrey, B. C., Canada V3S 6V9. His phone # is (604) 597-2991.

Marlene