Frosted Mylar: check the art or drafting or blueprint stores. It's used by us graphic artists and by architects etc. for making first drawings of blueprints, ink drawings, etc. I used to achieve a passable scratchboard affect by drawing in ink on the mylar, and scratching off areas for shading.

Dave Pierce

Non-working shutters - I built a frame that would fit exactly around the window opening using 1/8"square stock. I measured and divided the space available into 6 section as my shutters are in 3 section folding halves. I made 6 small frames from 1/16" sq stock on the sides and 1/4 x 1/16 for the tops. (When glued up, they exactly fit lined up into the larger frame) The shutter slats inside the 6 frames were made from 1/16 x 1/32 stock. I cut lots of strips to the width of the inside of the frame and glued them in one at a time, at and angle to look like the shutters were partly opened. My purpose for this was just to let light from behind the box shine in and add realism. Then I took another strip of 1/16 sq stock and added over the top of the shutter slats to simulate the part that you move when opening and closing the slats. These are copies of the shutters we have on all of our windows. Like someone else has said before, the best way to make a mini is to have the full sized item around to look at!

Bonnie in Tucson

Attaching Plexiglass: I have found those Velcro dots to be good for attaching plexi to a house so it can easily be removed.

Beth

Small Scale Window decals: when I was making HO scale houses and buildings I came across a real neat idea for the windows. a lot of the kits I bought didn't have the kind of decals that I wanted nor could I purchase the kind I wanted separately so I started going through magazines and cutting out the smallest things I could find for my buildings. For instance if I was making a hotel I would cut out visa m/c discover ect.. if it was a fish shop little fishes... grocery store then products for that stores window, I would use two way tape to put the piece on then clear tape on the front to protect it then use an X-acto blade to detail it and there I had it a decal of whatever I wanted to put in the window of my store. needless to say I went crazy with this and now have so many of my own made decals. some that are so small they could be used for N scale houses also.

Rhonda Platzer

Attaching Curtain Rods: I've used screw back earrings found in thrift shops. Remove the earring as well as the screw and glue the bracket to the wall, place rod on bracket.

Marilyn of Michigan

Thin glass: I used to sell thin glass, by the sheet or custom cut. It is about 1/32 thick. It is now available from:

George Wrisley
17784 SE Paradise Dr
Milwaukie, OR 97267

503/653-2591

Dean Jenson

Thin Glass: It is offered on my web site under catalog>bldg components>windows>glass.

http://www.dollhouse-miniatures.com

Tom Berkner

Lexan: I've received a number of private e-mails and Diane also asks, "where can one find Lexan?".  Lexan looks like Plexiglas, except it is very bendable.  You just ask at the same place where you buy Plexiglas.  We have a store here in Victoria called Industrial Plastics, where this is available, so I would imagine any Plexiglas outlet would be able to help you.

Jonesy

Pictures for outside window scenes - Use old calendar pictures for the background in room boxes. I save any pictures from old calendars that might be appropriate for outdoor scenes which could be seen through doors or windows.

Anita Myers in Arnold, MD

lead thread: Esther wrote about the lead thread, maybe that is something that can be used in the bottom seam of curtains to make them fall more natural. Come to think of it, some normal size net curtains have a strip of lead beads in them too.

Dorothee

Curtain Rods: I used skewers and "crystal" pony beads as curtain rods in Rachel's house. If they're a bit large, they just look like the expensive art glass finials seen in home dec magazines. Another tip: use clip-on earring back findings (bag of 2 dozen about $2.99 at Michaels) for the wall brackets. I paper the round part to match the walls, so all you see is the fan-shape clip part. This allows you to change curtains easily if you decide to redecorate. The clip-ons also have little rubber pads that pull off and, glued to a bit of clear straw, make baby bottles, so you get two minis from one finding.

Loretta Sniarowski

Stained Glass: There are several good brands of glass stain on the market. They come in little bottles. Cut thin strips of metal tape and lay them in place. Burnish with your fingernail or a little stick. Drop in color. The really hard part is choosing the pattern. Decide you want Tiffany? Go to Jim's printables and choose his designs for glass. Computer stores carry decal "paper" to print onto. New company called Invent It has a clear decal too. Print off the design, sandwich it between thin acrylic if you want it to last forever or just stick the decal on your existing window and you are a genius. If you find a better design to print later, the decal can be removed by lifting it off and saved for another project.

Laurie Sisson

Stained Glass: I read recently about someone using the thin plastic windows that are laser cut and it reminded me that I bought one as a door insert on my room box. I wanted a more stained glass look so I used black acrylic paint and painted/rubbed it into the crevices. Be sure to do this on the cut side - the other side is smooth. I let it dry, then with an only damp Q-tip wash it off the "glass" area. It looks great.

Susan from St. Croix

Stained glass leading: I believe the stained glass leading you spoke of is a self stick leading strip, available, among other places, I'm sure, in Michael's. It comes in a long, light blue package and is made by Gallery Glass. It is called Redi-lead. It is available in various widths, and even circles. Only the narrowest width is applicable to minis. If you use this product, be advised, the edges of it stay rather sticky, and once you apply it, it can't be moved or changed much.

Alice Zinn

Stained Glass Leading: I have found the ONLY real suggestion for the lead strips in windows is to use copper foiling tape, cut into thin strips - a couple of millimeters at most (or 2 or 3 of those skinny lines on an inch ruler!), stick it onto the glass and use the soldering iron to run a bead of solder along the length of copper. You get a really fine lead line. Just blacken with paint on patina. It's an adaptation of the tiffany glass method and providing your design is not super detailed it works a treat.

Trace

Mica for Windows: Now this might take some experimenting by folks, but hey isn't that where our greatest mistakes are made(we won't mention the failures at this time)! On a HGTV show by CAROL DUVALL, they were decoupaging a box with mica. They showed how to stamp it and emboss, then peel them apart, and keep peeling the layers till you get a very fine one. Then they cut them with scissors! I was thinking the whole time, not about decoupaging on a box with added hand made tree paper, but how this would look in the window of a dh! Mini minds never give us a break! The show said you can buy mica 'leaves' in bags from craft stores.

Lisa in IN

MICA --where to get it: I read the post about mica, and it can be purchased in sheets from Van Dykes catalog (I just got some to crunch up and put in my marbles). The mica from Van Dykes is transparent, perfectly flat, strong, but a little smoky in color. It is called isinglass and was used in old stoves. I can't get to a catalog at the moment, but if anyone want the info they can email me.

Jane Walker

Painting: I'm also in the process of painting windows, and found a wonderful tape at the Builders place, don't know it's Proper name, but it's 'low-tack' tape, which means it doesn't leave residue on the surface when it's removed. Check the painting section in your building place or hardware store.

Painting the outside of the windows after they're placed isn't a problem, it's painting the inside after they're in place that is! And the task becomes more grueling if you need to do more than one coat and ? varnish. So, at least do the inside before you paint? But, won't you need to have the inside walls finished first?? It gets so complicated!!!!

And I believe (correct me if I'm mistaken) that the outside of the house needs to be finished before the windows are in place.

Janet Kay in Oregon

>> Painting the outside of the windows after they're placed isn't a problem, it's painting the inside after they're in place that is! <<

And that is why I don't glue in windows or doors. I use a bit of Minihold.

Carol

RGT's Windows: Congrats on your Newport purchase! It's a good sized house, and the instructions are very well done. I've built 4 of this model ! :)

My first suggestion in line with your question about assembling the windows first, then painting.... This is OK, but leave one side UNATTACHED - the plastic 'window pane' slides into the frame. I have sanded, etc., then glued

3 sections of each window frame together...after the glue was dry, I would go ahead and paint. along with the 'unattached' final frame section of each window. Once you've painted all the window framing, go ahead and slide in the plastic 'panes' then glue the final section of framing in place.

I would also suggest that you read thru the instructions, and begin to think about what paint colors you will want for certain areas, like the outer, exposed (exterior) edges of the floors....these need to be painted before you glue/assemble them....i.e., the second floor actually extends beyond the outer walls (on the exterior of the house), so it's far easier to have those areas painted before you glue the second floor in place - it will be on top of the first floor walls. I also use nails to hold the floor as well as a line of glue along the top edges of those walls...gives the house a bit more stability and strength.

There is a lot of 'pre-planning' in this particular line of RGT kits, but they really do turn out nicely. I hope I've helped - have a great time!

Laura in OKC