Devilled Eggs? Nah, make mine Jewelled!

Sandra Manring does wonderful miniatures.

These unfortunately aren't real eggs....I tried at first using them but ended up breaking them, so I started using the plastic ones from craft stores. I sand a lot to make them smooth, cut holes or whatever in them and then coat them with several layers of nail polish....they have such wonderful colors now that they could be wonderful. I then colored lace with a gold or silver pen and applied rhinestones. ..the tiny figures are RR figures and sometimes men that I cut the legs shorter , apply a dress and hair and no one ever knows.

Sandra's photo sites are:
http://community. webshots. com/user/ britishrose101
http://www.picturet rail.com/ abritishbrat

Rock Pile!

Chris from Canada wrote:
Here is a free, quick and easy fake stones for gardens, walls, waterfalls and the like.

Last summer I opened a new package of air-dry clay, used about half for some floor tiles then wrapped the rest tightly in plastic wrap. I put it in that special place most everyone has, WIKICFI , aka 'Where- I-know-I can-find-it' , and promptly forgot all about it. Needless to say, over the 9-10 months it languished in WIKICFI before I discovered it, the soft clay had turned into a rock hard lump. I was just about to pitch it in the trash when the light bulb turned on: a big rock when struck with sufficient force breaks into many little rocks! All it took were some good whacks from a hammer (with the lump in a plastic bag to control the flying debris) to turn this trash into mini rocks.
If you check inside to see what is happening, you should have some miniature rubble, small rough stones, and stone dust along with some large pieces of the lump. A few more whacks to these, and you can fill some baggies with your new stones. They can be shaped with an emery board or file, or even shaved with a craft knife if you need a flat surface. Colour can be added by dry-brushing or whatever technique you are comfortable with. When you are satisfied with the colour, make sure to seal it with a matte-finish sealer for protection.

Recycle Bins

Susan Ghearing took an ice cube tray and made great recycle bins!
Read how she did it on her blog. Scroll down.
http://susansminitalk.blogspot.com/2010/05/new-miniatures-i-have-made.html

Get Crocked!

Tanya has made a crock pot from a CPVC cap found at her local hardware store. Check her Picturetrail site to see how she did it!
http://picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/17115956

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