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HELPFUL HINTS1. To make your own wood aging solution... put a steel wool pad (not the kind with soap) into 1 quart of white distilled vinegar for about two days. Remove the steel wool. The vinegar will still probably look clear but if you brush some on a piece of wood it should age it. If not put the steel wool in for another day. 2. Homemade Wallpaper Glue - makes 1/2 cup...store in a covered glass jar. 1/4 cup of dry instant rice 1-cup water 1/4-cup warm water 1 tsp. Antiseptic, such as Listerine or Bactine Put rice in bowl. Pour in 1/2 cup of water and allow to set overnight. Pour this into a blender and add 1/4 cup of warm water. Liquify for 5 minutes. Do not mix or paste will be lumpy. Pour liquid mixture into a saucepan and add 1/2-cup water. Warm for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool. Add antiseptic to prevent spoilage. (With permission from Little Enough News). 3. Strong black coffee or tea ages paper nicely. Either brush it on or submerse the paper in it. Remove the paper and let dry. If a darker color is desired, do it again 4. Red wine can be used to stain wood. It makes a beautiful cherry or maple color. 5. Rubbing alcohol will remove dried paint in brushes. Put some alcohol in a straight-sided jar and put your paint bushes in. Use a clothes pin to pin the brush to the side of the jar so the bristles don't get bent. Leave in until the old paint starts to flow out when you swish the brush aro0und in the alcohol. Even works on oil based paints 6. Never leave a paintbrush in a water bowl. The metal part that attaches to the wood will become loose and the bristles will fall out. Always wash your brush immediately and lay flat. 7. Brush clear fingernail polish on acrylic plastic to make think leaded looking windows. 8. The insides of some envelopes make wonderful 1/4" scale wallpaper or 1" scale wrapping paper. 9. A few drops of Vinegar will soften glue that has thickened up. ( With permission from Little Enough News) 10. Fingernail decals make nicely scaled decals for dishes, cupboards, furniture, etc. They are available as water slide type or rub-ons. (With permission from Little Enough News) 11. Upholstery fabric makes great rugs. 12. Painted lead pellets can be used to make vases and bowls. They come in different sizes and shapes. 13. Use felt colored pens to color acrylic plastic to look like stained glass. (With permission from Rik Pierce) 14. Liquid shoe polish makes a great wood stain. It even comes with it's own applicator. 15. Blue painters masking tape is great to use for holding items while the glue is drying. It leaves no sticky residue and can even be safely removed from most types of paper. It comes in several widths. 16. Dried old coffee grounds can be used for dirt for landscaping. 17. Those clear Christmas Ornament Balls that open down the middle are great for creating small scenes for Christmas. Then hang them on your tree to enjoy. 18. These same clear ornaments can be used all year long with any scene. Simply hang them in front of a window. 19. Black sandpaper can be cut and glued on roofs to look like black tile roofs. File folders can also make great shingles. Simply paint the color of your choice. These work better on 1/4" scale roofs. |