Mid-town Laundromat

Tanya has struck again with another wonderful project.
Her laundromat is so detailed and perfect.
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/5815043

Sandpaper tool

Chris from Canada wrote:
If you have always wanted one of those mini sandpaper tools with the rotating strip of sandpaper but don't want to spend a lot of money on something you're not sure you will use, here's my T2T solution. Find an old toothbrush with the type of handle that is flat, not one with the big grip built in. A child's toothbrush is perfect. Cut a thin strip of sandpaper the length and width of the handle. Fold one end of the strip over the tip of the handle so it covers about 1/2" to 3/4" on one side and lay the rest up the other side. Using two small elastic bands, attach the sandpaper to the handle placing one elastic near the tip and the other near the bristle end. Now you can sand in all those little nooks and crannies, moving the sandpaper and elastics when you need fresh sandpaper and using the brush end to help remove the debris. Ta Da! No more missed corners when applying varnish or sealer, and if you make up several using different grits of sandpaper you will always have just what you need. I cut several strips of 4 different grits, labelled each on the back with a pencil and put them in a baggie so I have refills on hand, without having to search for a whole packet of sandpaper to cut off one strip.

Make a mini Generator

Reminding us to use our "mini-eye" and check all equipment before tossing it, Marjorie Wannamaker wrote - here are pics of our real generator and of a small water fountain pump that doesn't work anymore. I think the small pump looks enough like the real generator that with a little paint, a couple wheels and handles and some labels, I'll have myself a one inch scale generator for my garage. What do you think?
The generator will go into my dollhouse garage. Not really a scene but means something to me; you see we live 20 miles out in the country and several times a year we lose power due to weather or power poles being hit. After several years of being without power in the dead of winter for five days, (this was before the oxygen came into use) we know what is necessary and what is not - like t.v.s, etc. LOL

Easter Basket

Glenna Humberstone made this charming little bunny in a basket for her Easter project.

She said : the tricky part was to get the bunny small enough to fit in the basket.
The instructions for making the bunny were in American Miniaturist Issue 36.
I made the Easter basket using the plastic square from a punch-out gum packet (Dentyne).
I then bought some braiding cord at Wal-mart. It comes in 3 different colors on one card for about $3.50 (12yds per color). I put glue on the outside of the plastic square, started at the top and wrapped the cord around the square , working my way to the bottom, then adding one final row on the top. Then to make the handle, I took about 12 ins of cord, folded it in half to make 6 ins and started to twist it up tight then held it while I held it in half again and twisted it together to make the handle.

Lamps

Maureen H from Canada Minis has done it again! Look at the wonderful lamps she made from ping-pong balls, jewelry findings and fish-hooks! The pretty floral decorations are fingernail decals.

She says: If you hold .ping-pong balls up to the light, you may be able to see the line where the two halves are joined so you have a built-in cutting line.
I bought the cat toys shown in the attached picture thinking I might be able to use them somehow. But they’re heat welded and I couldn’t separate the parts easily. However, I did cut the top section away from the join on one of them. It’s a bit smaller than the ping pong ball but you can hold it against the ping pong ball closely enough to be able to use it to pinpoint the middle of your ping pong ball half to add your chain or whatever. You can also hold it tightly against the ping pong ball and use a mechanical pencil to outline the open areas which will give you a rough template for stained glass.

Wreathed with Smiles!

It is near March and St Patrick's day soon. Susan Gearhing has made several seasonal wreaths.
http://susansminitalk.blogspot.com/2009/09/more-theme-wreaths-to-come.html

Serenity Prayer for Miniaturists

I have learned that I am better at working with my mind than my hands. Things don't look in reality like they did when I was picturing them in my head. I have learned that I have to accept this and as long as the work is good and pleasing looking I have to accept the things that did not turn out exactly the way I planned. If I continued to fight to get things exactly as I planned, I would get frustrated, then depressed and then I would quit. I've been there and done that and now I just accept the best that my hands can do. I won't settle for junk, but I also don't strive for perfection. My mental health can't handle aiming for perfection.
MaryLou Hasara, Portage, IN