Calling all miniaturists!

NAME: National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts

Interesting that NAME's motto is "Only through sharing can we really enjoy our treasures."

Crafting has always seemed to me a community affair, from my first dollhouse to the latest one on my workbench. I've always enjoyed working with friends and relatives.

Writing the miniature mysteries has brought me into the much broader world of miniaturists through dollhouse stores, dollhouse museums, and the amazing, supportive online group, THE CAMP. Now I'm asking for help from the miniaturist community!

TIPS NEEDED!

Each of the five books in the series ends with "Tips" from Gerry Porter and her precocious granddaughter, Maddie. I'm working on number 6, and I'm running out. So I'm appealing to all my crafter friends, near and cyber, to help me out.

The Tips section of my miniature mysteries has step-by-step instructions on how to make a mini-something. I've included directions for making Halloween witches from glue, beds from kitchen sponges, a bathroom plunger, and many others.

I need your ideas! I'm looking for 3 tips for the next book. Send me a tip for "Mix-Up in Miniature" and if I use it, I'll acknowledge you and send a signed copy plus a crafts-related "prize."

To keep your entry private, send it to me at camille@minichino.com by September 1.

The guidelines are not rigid, but to give you an idea of the length and how the tip should be formatted, here's a tip for making cracker crumbs.

MINIATURE TIP FOR CRACKER CRUMBS

Add realism to your dollhouse or room box kitchen with crumbs from crackers, bread, or cookies, a sure sign that someone lives there!

MATERIALS:
Soft clay or crafter's dough or clay
Fine grater or crafts knife
Needle

STEPS for cracker crumbs:
1. Fashion crackers from the appropriate color dough, either white or yellowish. Or paint the dough the color you desire. Make small, small flat circle shapes, or small square shapes, or a variety, for your counter. Use a needle to make holes or lines before the dough sets, depending on the kind of cracker you've chosen. HINT: choose a color for the crackers that will show up on the counter you'll be placing them on.
2. After the dough/crackers are completely hardened (the method will depend on the kind of clay you've chosen), use your finest (real life) grater to shave the edge of one cracker until it is completely in "crumbs." If the crumbs are too big, cut with a crafts knife. HINT: wear gloves to protect your fingers while grating the tiny crackers.
3. Arrange several crackers, plus the crumbs from the one cracker you used to make them, on a counter in a haphazard manner, to look as though someone didn't clean up after himself!

You can also do this for breadcrumbs or cookie crumbs, just by changing the colors and shapes of the dough.