Curtains: Don't pay money for the dollhouse curtains you see in the stores and catalogs! Just look at a picture and make your own! You can make them for .50 or a little more! You can use material scraps or lace. Look at Wal-mart's selection of trims and laces. You'll find everything you need there! As far as curtain rods, use tiny dowels with beads on the ends. Very cheap!

Sue

Bay Windows: I went to Home Depot today and found something that may be inexpensive and useful to some of you. It is the Jiffy Herb Garden, consisting of peat pots and seeds for oregano, basil and parsley plants for under $5. The interesting part is the packaging the kit comes in. It is in two halves that snap together to form a mini greenhouse, but each half has the shape of a perfect bay window in 1 inch scale. Even though they are made of plastic, I guess parts of it could be painted or trimmed.

Cheryl Kerfoot

Whimsical Windows: I used the top portions of those wonderful, thin oriental fans as windows in my bark/twig house (only 9 inches high with small windows). These particular ones have a butterfly design (they're not all like that). I painted them and applied clear gallery glass. Only problem is that now I have to electrify it so that the light can flicker through the windows! I have christened it my "Butterfly House," and now I need to find a sheet of butterflies to cut out and apply all over it. The fan came from Pier One but I don't know if they still sell them. I've used pieces from the fans for so many projects of all scales. Very delicate and fun to work with.

Theresa Thomas

Faux stained glass: Try gallery glass. You can buy it at Craft Stores or Wal-Mart. They have simulated liquid leading and window color. I used it on my Tudor and it looks great.

Penny Johnston

Window signs: I made window signs for my mum's project by using the computer to print out the name in mirror image, placed it under the window glass, and used it as my sign writing guide to paint it with glass paints on the inside of the glass. You just have to remember which order to paint in - the reverse of doing it from the front i.e. outlines first, any highlights and main color last. Unless of course you stick to plain colored type. Mine was orange type with black outline and white highlights - looked like the letters had been made of balloons. Believe me (from one person who didn't think of that) it looks pretty weird from the outside if you paint it to look lovely from the side you're painting on - kind of like you threw up on the inside of the window! HOWEVER, if you do it in the reverse order to usual, it looks good.

Tracey

Signs: Besides making signs for your store, you can make the name of your store and the hours it's open on a transparency and then glue it to the window of your store's door and/or put it on the window of your shop.  I started doing that recently and the mini stores, restaurants, etc., look more real. 

Karen Niklaus

Window Lettering: In Jessica Ridley's book, the Decorated Dollhouse, she letters the sign for her hat shop with Letraset.  She rubs the letters from the Letraset sheets onto her sign.  It is incredibly effective. My sons also have used Letraset and they highly recommend it.  I think it is available in office supply-arts supply shops.

Susan McLachlan

Lettering on Windows: When we did the front window of the beauty shop, I designed the lettering and logo on the computer and printed it out on a transparency. Since the transparency is thin and won't hold its shape, we sandwiched it between two very thin pieces of plastic and then inserted it in as a window.

Fay

Shop signs: I hesitate to post my tip on shop signs, as many will have problems obtaining them.
I live in a small town of 10,000 people, and checked with my local sign shop.  He made signs for two stores, 4 signs, and didn't even want to take my money--I insisted he take $10.00 for the signs. But if you go to a big sign shop in a large town, you may get quoted $5.00 per letter.  But may be worth checking around.

Anyway, the process is as follows:  They type the words on their computer, change the fonts and size, and it is printed on vinyl with a paper backing. You place this tape (for lack of a better word) on the glass or surface of the building and press it down like dry transfer lettering.  Pull up the paper tape, and there is your sign, letters spaced perfectly.  All you have to do is make sure it is straight.  If you are putting it on glass, ask for mirror image, then you can put the sign on the inside for more protection.  Many colors are available. He told me he could go down to about 3/8 inch high, and lettering in small sizes needs to be "plain" curly-cues are a problem.

Dean Jenson

Marlene, I have used blank clear sheets of Aleenes Shrink plastic (unshrunk of course) to replace windows in one of my houses that was "viewed" by a one year old.  :)

Denise

Stained Glass  and "Leading": I've never used real glass paint - so far I've experimented only with the leftover paint that comes with children's (plastic) stained glass projects. I  paint it on plastic sheets and the result is really quite acceptable.  When my current supply of leftover paint runs out though, I plan to give the special glass paint a try.

3-D fabric paint, especially Iridescent Charcoal Grey, makes wonderful leading on homemade stained glass windows.  Almost as good as real life.

Bea

Stained glass: I did use thin plastic sheets for my stained glass! The method I used was to lay the pattern under the plastic and then etch the design on with the tip of an Exacto knife. I then used a toothpick and spread just a drop of glass paint inside each etched area! The "etching" actually kept the paint contained (If you use just a dab) so that it did not run into another color, and (to me anyway) looks like miniature leading.

Linda

Valances: Probably the weirdest thing  I've scavenged so far is a funny-shaped plastic thingy from a holiday turkey (maybe it kept the giblets from falling out), which will become the mini-version of  those plastic frames used to make no-sew window valances by stuffing fabric into them.

Loretta

Window-making hint:  Use those green plastic containers fresh strawberries come in.  Cut off a section in the window size you need.  Paint appropriately, and glue on clear film or whatever for "glass". You will have to add framing, but this works for the window panes portion in many scales and is less expensive than buying ready-made windows and easier than cutting tiny wood pieces to the exact size needed.  I have also printed on a colored printer pictures of stained glass windows and doors from the internet on transparencies and had great results. 

Cindy McDonald

Stained Glass Windows: Try this web site http://www.blueplate-it.com/omm/windows.htm

Gail

Stained Glass Windows: I met a lady on eBay who does stained glass windows. Her name is Muffett and you can reach her at fidelio1814@hotmail.com I drew a pattern for a couple of windows and she did them for me.

Stained Glass Windows: Old World Craftsmen Dollhouses, Inc. sells stained glass. I'm not sure if they have it on their site, but the lady of the house/company is the stained glass craftsperson.

Judi

Stained Glass Windows: If you want to make stained glass windows for a dollhouse, find a book with color photos of stained glass windows, pick out what you would like for your dollhouse and have a color copy made on a plastic transparency. It might take some experimenting to get the exact size you want, do your experimenting on size in the cheaper black and white paper then when you get it right do the actual color copy.

Deb

Doubling Stained Glass Transparencies: When you take color pictures of stained glass in to have them photocopied on transparencies, get two. The colors are intensified when two copies are used together. Using cheaper b-and-w copies to get the sizing just right leads me to speculate about something else: if you want custom stained glass - say, for a contemporary room - might you not trace or create the shape you want with thin black lines; enlarge to convenient size and color it with paint or ballpoints, then have it shrunk back desired final size in a transparency?

Mary

Stained Glass Windows: There is a book of miniature stained glass patterns that your mini store should have or can get for you. Don't think you have to worry about copyright because it is patterns and how could you use them if you can't copy them? There are in black and white. Many fit the standard miniature windows and doors.

Mary Kay