Warped Shingles: If you want to un-warp shingles use a hair dryer. This will flatten out the shingles in no time. Learned from a friend who called Northeastern regarding warping 1/4" dollhouse kits. I also seal the shingles that come in sheets prior to extracting them from the pattern board. I live in Florida. Yes, shingles do have a tendency to warp no matter what glue you use. Mainly the more water in the glue (as in Elmers regular white glue), the more the shingles will warp.

Rhonda in Florida

Microbrush: Very very fine plastic applicators with a minute bit of fuzz on the ends. Ends taper into a needle point. 10 applicators in pkg. for $1.49. Handles are dead ringers for 1/2 scale bed posts.. They have a web site: http://www.microbrush.com I haven't used them yet, but did open the package and finger one. Neat thing! I think they'll work just fine. Washable too if used with washable stuff.

Judie

Styrofoam cups: The tops to a lot of glue bottles (Tacky comes to mind) look a bit like Styrofoam cups when you sit them on their closed ends.

Janet in Baltimore

Mini Quilting Supplies: For quilting supplies in miniature, such as rotary cutters quilting squares, cutting mats, try

Sylvia Hansen
12 Scott Dr N
Broomfield, CO 80020
(303) 404-0054
sylhansen@cs.com

Trish in Sunnyvale, CA

KLAY GUNS - Oh yes, you need to be Superman to get the polymer clays through it. But sometimes they can be really useful and here are some hints to make using them easier. 1. Knead your polymer clay (mixed with Mix-Quick to soften it all the more) until it is super soft. 2. You can coat the barrel of the tool with baby oil (I have never tried this but it is mentioned in a few instruction books. 3. Mix your color, fill the barrel and hand the Klay Gun to someone you know with strong hands (perhaps your DH), and have them extrude your clay. 4. If all else fails, you can try to stand on the two handles, plunger side down and your weight will extrude the clay. If anyone thinks I am joking here, then you have never tried to use a Kemper Klay Gun - desperation inspires ingenuity. There was also a question as to how to clean the gun. Bake the gun in the oven on low temperature for about 10 minutes. Let cool....the baked clay is easy to pick off the metal tool.

Mary Eccher

Extruding clay with a Klay Gun: I'm not sure if someone mentioned this already, but my sister
mentioned that a polymer clay artist on Carol Duvall recommended the following:
Roll the logs of clay that you want to extrude.
Place a clay log in the Klay gun.
Heat a clay warmer pad.
Place the Klay gun in the warmer pad for 5 minutes.
Remove Klay gun and extrude the clay.

Alix in San Francisco

Easy tool for Klay Guns: You can modify a caulking gun (found in any hardware store) so that the Kemper Klay Gun fits inside. Then, you can use the caulking gun's pressure (many, many times stronger than just using your fingers) to push the polymer clay through. I've done this for several years and it works great. Nan Roche wrote an article in the December 1999 issue of Bead & Button that explains how to modify the caulking gun. (Her version is slightly different from mine, and I think hers is probably better.) The article is clearly written and has pictures, so it would be a lot easier to refer to Nan's article than to decipher anything that I'd try to explain in an email.

If you can't find Bead & Button magazine in your local library, you might go to their website and inquire about getting back issues. It's at http://www.beadandbutton.com/

Leina Johansson

Hammering Brads into MDF: We recommend that you make a pilot hole first using a fine pin in a pin vice - you should then find that hammering in the brad should be easier - to fit hollow eyelets use a 1.5mm drill, but do not hammer the eyelet you may damage it, put it home using the insertion tool. We can supply all these items.

David & Joyce Betts

Applying Glue: I noted several people saying they use toothpicks to apply tacky glue. I found that the glue accumulates way too fast on the pick so I use a corsage or hat pin. When the glue builds up, (slower than on the pick) I just slide it off with my thumb and index finger and have a completely clean pin to work with.

Jeanette in Wisconsin

Old Wood Glue: Elmers, Titebond, or any other WOOD glue does get old. If you squeeze a bit out and pick it up with a toothpick, if it strings, it has started to cure so squeeze out a fresh dab. If it comes out of the bottle stringing, the whole bottle is bad. Before I discovered this, I used to buy glue at hardware or discount store and found the glue was old before I even bought it. I learned to buy it at lumber yards, cabinetmaker supply, or any place that would sell a lot of glue and professionals would go. Note: I said wood glue, this does not apply to Tacky glue or similar.

Dean Jenson

Paper Flower Glue: I use Bond Instant Grrrip glue, plus a teeny, tiny bit of Zap-A-Gap 'superglue' type adhesive to make my flowers and shrubs. I feel that Bond is a much better glue than Tacky...particularly for use with paper, leather and even wood. It's more expensive, but I don't know a single person who's tried it, and said it's not worth the price

Laura in OKC

Paper Flower Glue: Concerning the glue you are using for the fabrication of paper flowers you said, "I am having a problem with the glue. I have been using Aleene's Tacky, but the flowers and leaves are falling off after it dries with just a touch. Am I using the wrong glue? Not enough maybe?"

OK --- For about +90% of my paper flowers, leaves, etc. I use Sobo glue. It is a white non-toxic water base glue that dries clear. I always use the smallest amount possible, but that's a "personal touch" that you will have to develop. I buy it by the quart but it should be available in 2 oz. bottles at your local Arts & Crafts store. On occasion I will also use a little Super Glue and I do mean a little!

Keep in mind that everybody has their personal preference but hey, it works for me! Check out some of my finished 1", 1/2" and 1/4" scale floral arrangements on my web site at http://www.smallerthanabreadbox.com

Helen

Paper Flower Glue: many people are raving about the fairly new "Ultimate Glue" available in mini shops and possibly Michael's (or so I have been told). I have used Aleene's tacky with good results, but because you have had problems with that brand, maybe Ultimate will work better. Also, using a combo of fast glue and tacky is what one of the finest flower makers uses with her rice paper petals.

Jeanette in Wisconsin

Paper Flower Glue: I've been making and selling flowers and gardens for 8 years and I have always used Aleene's Tacky glue (original) for my petals. There are times if you don't use enough glue that it doesn't stick properly. I would try again using a little more. When you want a base of a flower to adhere really well, first dip in tacky and then a dot of zap-a-gap. But that's only on bases or areas that don't show because the zap discolors the paper. Good Luck!

Debbie Noland

Wood Glue: The best wood glue that I have found is called Roo Wood Glue. Sandy's Lace & Trim sells it, and possibly other dealers that have bought it from them. I have tried all sorts of different brands but nothing works like Roo. Sets up fast, but not too fast, holds very well. http://www.sandyslace.com/

Beth, In A Miniature Manor

Gorilla Glue: A while back I asked whether anyone had used this and had some interesting e-mail conversations about it. A couple of weeks ago I bit the Bullet and used it to glue the roof onto a half-scale, one room beach cottage taught by Syd Wagner. I put it on sparingly, using a micro brush; tied the roof down securely and put weights on it; and then sent a small prayer heavenward. Something worked, and the roof appears to be secure. Believe me, I'm not planning to test it by picking the building up by the roof!

Janet

Roo glue for wood, gorilla glue: We carry Roo Glue for Wood and have it at the shows we attend. Also have Roo MPG, for metal, glass & plastic.

Gorilla Glue is a moisture cured urethane product that is activated by humidity. It is used by friends who turn segmented bowls in full scale. Yellow wood glue and the other PVA glues allow the joints to slide a little (creep) and this property is especially bad on wood turnings. The MC urethanes don't creep. The glue has a relatively long set up time and requires clamping. There is also a dark glue line. Pam got me some Gorilla Glue as a stocking stuffer one Christmas. I asked her why and she said, "because you have every other kind of glue. Don't you collect it?" http://www.nh.ultranet.com/~smallife

Pete Boorum

Rice glue: I was reading a book on furniture repair ( full size) and there was a section on glues. One of the glues that got a lot of space was rice glue. Rice glue is made fresh using the "sticky" type of rice. Not Uncle Bens' type of rice.

The rice was cooked to make a small quantity and then while still moist and hot it was placed on the parts to be glued together. Then it was mashed to make a "mush" like gel. some more hot water can be added to loosen the gel. The parts are clamped together and any excess that comes out can be wiped away with a wet rag. This can also be used as paper to paper glue etc. The rice glue dries clear and can be painted or stained as regular wood because it is also an organic product.

The article said that if all the rice is not used you can eat what is left over. Japanese purists who make high end furniture ( hi $) will use this type of glue.

DrBob

Tonight I needed to sand some wood to make it smoother before applying a coat of spray paint. Couldn't find my (probably 20 year old) tack cloth! AHA! she said to herself, as she spied her package of Swiffer cleaning cloths. (I keep them handy to occasionally wipe fuzzies off of my desk when 'furring' my animals.) The Swiffers worked like a charm to get all the wood dust from sanding off of the piece I was working on! Just thought I'd share!

Alice Zinn- Pt. St. Lucie FL

Painting on Side of Building: I first find a copy of an old advertisement that I like. Sometimes it is from a reproduction catalog, often an actual package label I have purchased at an antique show. Before applying any medium, I rough the edges of the print with an emery board. I lightly spray my print with a matte fixative. I do not worry about applying an even coat over the entire surface. The more shades there are in the finished product, the more authentic the aging process will appear.

I use Mod Podge (Matt Finish) to make a decal. I like the decal technique more than decoupage for this particular application. In making a decal, we rub away the back of original printed item leaving only the ink on the decal material. This gives a translucent background to our image that will allow the color of the wall to show through the design in some areas. I think this looks more like it was painted on the wall than a decoupage application. Decoupage, unless you are incredibly skilled in cutting out tiny things, hides the side of the building by covering it with the paper your image has been printed on. Any transfer method you are familiar with will work equally well as long as the transfer is not shiny when dry.

Whether the wall of the miniature structure has been painted, bricked or sided, I apply my decal using Mod Podge for the glue. I apply a heavy coat of medium to allow more work time with the decal. If it is a brick structure, it takes time to press the print into the mortar area of each brick. I work from the top to the bottom. This makes it easier when I need to tuck the decal around the overlap of clapboard siding. I work air bubbles out with a small piece of sponge. I do not try to remove all wrinkles and bubbles.

If you do not want your structure to appear old and weathered - simply apply a light coat of Mod Podge to all exterior surfaces to make the highlights the same on all of your exterior walls. If your sign is to be new, take care to smooth it out carefully when you apply the decal.

I take care to brush a little of my medium across the entire side of the building. I also brush some on all other exterior sides of the structure. I do not attempt to be neat. I do not attempt to cover all of the area. I only want to randomly scatter another texture on the exterior finish. When the transfer has dried to the touch, I use a fine grade sanding brick to GENTLY knock off the bubbles and creases. I use the same brick along the entire exterior of the structure, knocking wear into corners, edges off of windows, etc. I also like to carve initials and other graffiti in the appropriate places.

Now I make an antiquing glaze using a matte finish, acrylic varnish mixed with burnt sienna acrylic in a ratio of 1 to 10.I apply this antiquing glaze to the entire exterior of the building, including all trim. Take care to work it into every crack where dirt and grime would live. Again, this is a thin coat, carelessly applied. I want wear, not a flawless finish, so some "raw" areas are desirable. Work a small area at a time. Apply with a sponge brush and dab with a damp sponge for a good variety of color and highlight. When this has dried for another 24 hours, I study the effect then reapply my sanding brick to knock off additional emphasis of age in certain high traffic areas such as stair treads, door frames, porch rails.

I complete the aging and application of a sign by applying a wash of water tinted with black acrylic to the entire exterior of the structure. Where I sanded the second time, or where no varnish was applied, this will darken the finish. I use a clean damp sponge to wipe away any excess. As before, I work a small area at a time.

Becky