Attaching minis to wall:  There is a new product out that is called Kling Magnetic Paint.  It is not magnetic itself, but when applied like a primer on a dollhouse wall it will hold anything magnetic.  I've used it to cover the wall. Then I attach a tiny piece 1/32 inch thin strip of magnetic strip (with the peal off backing I buy at WalMart) to the  mini picture back or quilt back.  Presto...it stays up like magic and no spots or staining on the wall.  The Kling primer even works through wallpaper for those of you who like to wallpaper the walls. It's great for being able to re-arrange items so easily...no messy tape or tacky stuff!

I buy mine at Michael's in the pint size...covers lots of mini walls, but you have to special ask for it, as some of the stores have it ordered but not on the shelves yet.

==== More info on the Magic Primer and how I use it is here:

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/8157/products.htm

==== Pictures of one of my grand babies' personalized mini quilt is in the March 2001 Dollhouse Miniatures Magazine, with instructions on how I printed it to fabric. That's a carefully worded plug for the March 2001 "Printing to Fabric" DHM article, and I do thank all of you who have sent me the nice emails about the article :-)

Wilma Kinder, in the beautiful SW MO Ozarks

Fabric Ceiling: I used blue cotton with tiny stars on the ceiling of an artists bedroom this week. which matched a similar wallpaper that I printed out from MSAT cutouts. a site the newer members should investigate for over 800 free printouts and growing. it is located on yahoo clubs . the artists will try to make up items requested in minis. I used tacky glue and pre cut the fabric .to get a good edge i used the wall paper printed on cardstock in the same pattern on the upper wall. then a mural found on a real world art site to circle the mid wall then a chair rail to cover the seam to the lower wall paper. You could print out a wall paper onto fabric to make a similar combination. there is June Taylor fabric paper in WalMart. It is expensive but the easiest way to do the fabric printing.

Jane in Arkansas

One of a Kind Wallpaper: I made my own wallpaper. I took a digital photograph so I could get it into my computer. I used a photograph of a plate from a magazine. You could use a pattern from fabric and scan it...the idea is to get it into a graphics program on your computer so that you can change the colors or take out the round, plate shape, take out a shadow whatever has to be done to it. Then you copy, paste the best part into a program where you can save it. duplicate the pattern onto the page as many times as you need then print. You aren't done yet. As soon as it gets wet, your ink will run, so you need to spray it lightly with an artist fixative for use with ink. DO THIS OUTSIDE. Most of these things are not compatible with life.  Spray both sides and let it stay outside to air. THEN, you are ready to use it as wallpaper and its exactly what you wanted!

Laurie Sisson

Freezer Paper: The info on Eileen's web site, how to print on fabric are perfect   http://members.home.net/eileenmorgan/printables.html I have used them and they work fantastic.

One thing that I added to the info. is that I have set the printer, an HP610C to full resolutions, and used photo ink cartridge.

Joseph

Printer Fabric: June Tailor has introduced a product called "Colorfast Washable Printer Fabric Sheets" for use with home inkjet printers. The number on it is JT 900 and the barcode number is 7 30976 09999 1. Here in southwest MO, it is sold at Joann's, Hobby Lobby, Michael's, Hancock's and super Wal-Marts. June Tailor also makes a fabric sheet product that is NOT washable that I've seen in some of the Hobby Lobby stores in other parts of the state so you have to be sure the packet says "colorfast and Washable" to get the newest product. I've used HP, Cannon and Epson printers with it with great success. Also another product, Bubble Jet Set 2000 can be used to pre-wash 100 percent cotton or 100 percent silk to make those fabrics absolutely wonderfully washable and soft for custom minis. I've used BJS since it first came on the market and am a big fan of it too. I have more info on my home pages about the BJS here: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/8157/products.htm

This is the URL to email or call the June Tailor Company to find out what stores carry their products. http://www.junetailor.com/contact.htm

Wilma Kinder

STARTING A MINIATURE CLUB:

At your get-acquainted meeting,

1) Give everyone a little gift bag with perhaps a miniature greeting card saying Welcome to the Club! or something similar

2) Ask everyone to introduce themselves, tell what they know, what they want to learn, what they can teach.

3) Send around a sign-in sheet for names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses. Have spaces for suggested best meeting times, days; comments, questions, interests, etc.,

4) Hand out a list of the most basic tools and supplies; suggest purchasing one or two new items each month to build up a basic toolbox. Show some of your tools - X-acto knife, thin-point tweezers, pick, etc. ALWAYS PUT YOUR NAME ON TOOLS; use labels or tags.

5) Have a display of your finished projects and talk about them

6) Show different containers which could serve for displays

7) Provide a list of topics for workshops. I would suggest emphasis on different inexpensive techniques the first year, leading to a finished scene; i.e., a holiday scene or special moment in a gift bag, dome, other container, or roombox. For example:

Floors/Walls (wallpapering, wainscoting, wood stirrers or craft stick floors, "tile" from contact paper over paper and scored, etc.)

Fabric/pleater projects (skirted tables, pillows, chairs, towels, curtains, dust ruffles)

Rugs (braided, Bunka, transfers, print-outs, etc.)

Jewelry findings (lamps, perfume sets, etc.)

Paper (books, gift packages, greeting cards, calendars, etc.)

Flowers/plants (paper, Fimo, silk, naturals, found objects for pots, etc.)

Fimo, other polymer clays (food, shoes, purses, belts, etc.)

Finishing Treatments (marbling, crackling, stucco, etc.)

Kits (Chrysnbon, etc.)

Accessories (framing pictures, making baskets, painting metal minis, etc.)

Ribbon/lace/trims uses (shirring, ribbon roses; cutting lace, trims, into smaller elements; grosgrain ribbon fringe

Clothing (dresses, hats, shoes, etc.)

8) Have sample miniatures magazines, books, catalogs available for them to look through. DECIDE IN ADVANCE IF YOU WANT TO LEND THESE. If so, keep a sign-out notebook for title, name, date, when to return. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO LEND THESE OUT, explain that straightforwardly from the beginning. Include a stack of the subscription cards that are always falling out of magazines or a list of addresses/websites/phone numbers.

9) Suggest everyone go through every room in the house gathering up stuff for their I-Know-I-Will-Use-This box or basket, such as the following, and bring to the next meeting:

tools (small sharp scissors, tweezers, nail files and emery boards, etc.)

old jewelry, buttons, watches, parts of old chess sets,

index cards, matboard, posterboard, wallpaper sample books,

masking, cellophane and floral tapes

old handkerchiefs, men's silk ties, tiny print and solid fabrics in cottons, silks,

ribbons, laces, trims from old blouses, etc.

At the second meeting,

1) Have everyone show what's in their boxes/baskets and discuss what could be done with the items. If you've used something similar, show it.

2) Illustrate your storage and organizing methods for tools, supplies, collections waiting for a scene, etc.

3) Work up a schedule of topics for at least the next three meetings

4) For each workshop, the teacher should make a prototype, put together kits with supplies and tools needed (include written instructions where possible)

5) For each workshop be sure that the following are available:

individual work surface: sheet of construction paper, piece of wax paper, plastic placemat, etc.

for every two people, a plastic bag taped to table for trash

glue (Sobo or thin-bodied Tacky works great for most little projects; leave the thin-bodied out very long and it thickens quickly, anyway

glue palettes (plastic lids)

toothpicks

small squares of cut up wax paper, paper towels,

container of and spray bottle of water,

paper cups or small jars for rinsing brushes, etc.

cutting surface (self-healing mat)

IF EVERYONE IS PRETTY MUCH A BEGINNER, expect to do practically everything the first three years. IF YOUR NEW MEMBERS ARE EXPERIENCED, you still need someone dependable who can plan things and be available to teach a make-it-and-take-it on the spur of the moment when someone scheduled doesn't show up (sounds like it would be you).

As soon as the group has finished some projects to display, arrange to show them somewhere. This builds pride and enthusiasm and will also bring more members.

My recommendation is avoid business as much as possible; just have fun.

Wanna in El Paso

Modpodge : Modpodge is the brand name of a decoupage medium.  Looks like tacky glue in the bottle, but dries to a clear, soft matte finish.  Very useful in miniaturing if you want to decoupage plates as discussed recently on SS, and also if you like painted furniture but don't have the skill to do it yourself.  Find an attractive print or giftwrap in mini scale, paint one of those cheap unfinished wooden pieces a harmonizing color, cut the print to fit the door or drawer fronts, decoupage, and you have lovely "painted" folk art furniture.  Decoupage marble paper for countertops.  Decoupage patterns onto fabric to make faux embroidery, to add a matte "glaze" to bead pottery, etc.  Many mini uses.

Loretta.Sniarowski

Decoupage Transfer Medium: I think a similar product to the transfer glaze that can be found in the USA is Aleene's Transfer-It. It was popular about 5 years ago or more. Transfer-It was used with fabric.  You placed the transfer-it coated paper design onto fabric and let it dry, wet it good and rub off the paper. The design was left on the fabric. I am not even sure that they make it anymore as the new color printers and the transfer paper and printing on fabric sort of take its place. It can also be used by painting the Transfer-It on a color copy or a picture and letting it dry. Soak the dry coated piece of paper  in water to dissolve the paper, scrape the paper off and you have a transparencies piece of plastic that has the design in it.

Barbara D

Printing on pictures on fabric: Scan your pictures and then resize them, using Adobe or other photo software that comes with the scanner, to the size you want, or alternately, photograph them and then scan them and resize them if necessary. Buy Computer Printer Fabric from Walmart (4 sheets per package for $4.00) and print the scan onto the printer fabric, using your *Best* printer quality setting. Seal the fabric with a printer sealer spray that they sell especially for this purpose, in fabric stores, so that the ink with remain vivid and loose it's intensity.

Roz Weitzman

Photocopy onto fabric: I’ve tried the store bought iron on fabric sheets at Wal-Mart. Didn’t have much luck with them, either my iron was too hot or too cool. I iron cotton-poly blend material on freezer paper that’s been cut into 8 1/2"x11"sheets to fit my printer and print away.  I have made several memory quilts for family. I usually heat set with an iron. This is much cheaper too. I have printed some mini rugs and quilts onto this freezer paper too.

Pat Thompson

Freezer paper:  First I cut my freezer paper into 8 1/2 x 11 inch pieces. I usually do a dozen or more pieces at a time, as I seem to use them rather quickly.  I use bleached muslin fabric, [but have use old cotton bed sheets, if they’re not too worn thin] I get my iron good and hot, then place the freezer paper, shiny side down, onto the fabric, then press the paper onto the fabric, the shiny side has like a wax coating that makes the paper stick to the fabric. I then cut out the pieces of fabric with the paper stuck to them.  When you go to run these threw your printer, make sure there is no loose threads or wrinkles in your fabric paper. Wrinkles are easy to iron out before hand.  After you print on them, you can heat set them if you wish, I usually don’t, as most of the thing are for either minis or for keepsake quilts.

Pat Thompson

Computer printer fabric: Try a large fabric store like Joann's.

Roz Weitzman

Fabric for printing: A company called Pictorico makes a wonderful silk-poly printable fabric that drapes beautifully. It comes on a tear away paper so that additional paper is not needed. My suggestion is that you check the web site and order their sample package which includes a sheet of silk-poly and wonderful other papers. The silk comes in multiple sizes when you order in quantity. The web site also has a location where you enter your type computer and it tells you what to set it at for printing on fabric! www.pictorico.com

Gail

Freezer Paper: For those of you who cannot find freezer paper, may I suggest using label paper.  It comes without pre-cut labels here in the good ole USA, but even so, it works wonderfully to run cloth through your computer.   Iron your fabric (if it needs it), place on the sticky side of the paper & smooth with your fingers.  Trim edges so loose threads can't get caught in the printer.  I use it all the time as I threw out my iron years ago (LOL).

Sharon Begley

Printing on fabric: I recall reading about another method of printing on fabric.  You get the sticker sheets made for printers and stick the fabric on that, print then peel. Obviously this needs to be the full sheet rather than the address label sort.

Charlene

Quilters - Mini and Otherwise: This will be of interest to quilters - both mini and full-size. A while ago I got a book called Easy to Make Dollhouse Quilts by Janet Wickell - cost $3.95. All of the quilts in the book are "foundation pieced" and I wasn't sure how I would transfer the patterns to a foundation fabric.

I bought a package of "Fun-dation - Transparent Quilt block Piecing Material". Now it said on the package "convenient 8 1/2" x 11 size runs through your computer printers". It ran through my Epson printer like a sheet of paper. The pattern is printed so clearly and the lines are really fine and clear for stitching. It is absolutely the most amazing stuff. I don't often get that excited about products but this one is really super.

Paula in NJ

Fabric Gauge: Thank you to who ever suggested using an index card, with a 1 inch square hole cut out of it, when buying fabric. I did that and it works. Many prints looked small enough, but when put in the frame, they really were not. I also drew a line on the card and marked inches and half inches on one side of the line and quarter inches on the other side if it. I keep it in one of those plastic recipe protectors. They have been hard to find, but I notice that Current Inc., had them again, in the recent catalog.

MAP in Puyallup

Mounting Board Warning: Thanks, Ann, for mentioning NOT using the adhesive mounting board for finishing needlework. As a dealer of rare books, I have come across too many books and prints ruined by acidic glues, papers, etc. Also, having made miniatures for over 30 years now, I can see that using some other materials or supplies have caused bad results after a long time.

Every now and then I ask other 'old timers' to pipe up about such things, so newbies won't make the same mistakes and see hard work go down the drain

in the future, or at the very least, mar the good looks of a handmade item. Glues that come through fabrics to make ugly stains, fabrics themselves that 'self-destruct' (such as the velour type blankets that look so lovely but have a foam core) and oil based paints on polymer clays that never truly dried, nail polish coats that yellowed or cracked, 'rubber' dolls ruined by contact with some plastics, and such things are so upsetting when seeing how otherwise nicely an item was made.

Such advice can be ignored, of course, but for those who put a lot of love and time into their creations and intend to keep them forever, I am sure it will be appreciated.

Rose

Percale: For the younger people out there - every Joann Fabrics has percale – lots and lots of percale. They usually have a whole wall full of prints used for quilts. That's percale. If you're making a French knot rug, you probably want a plain color, not a print. I can't remember what they call it these days, but it's on the same wall as the prints at Joann's. Any cotton the same weight as the percale prints will work.

Nancy Norris

Waste canvas for embroidery and cross stitch: I think the product you want is called waste canvas. It looks somewhat like aida cloth except that their is a blue grid printed on the fabric and it is more loosely woven than aida cloth. It is used for embroidery and cross stitch on ordinary fabric. You can either stitch it on with a few catch stitches or "baste" it on with the washable basting glue that comes out in water. Either way works, depending on whether your item is washable. When you are finished with your work, you wet the waste canvas and the glue holding the threads lets go. Then you pull out each thread of the waste canvas and throw away.

Roy and Marcie Van Deren