Mourning In Miniature (39 page)

1. Suction cups of the scale you’re working in. These are available in hardware or office supply stores, and often in the household section of a grocery store. Usually they’re made of vinyl or rubber and often are attached to a hook or another storage or hanging mechanism.

2. A rod or pole of the appropriate scale. This can be of wood, such as a barbecue skewer or a long toothpick, or plastic, such as a straw or other stick-shaped part. Remember it doesn’t really have to be strong, the way a real plunger does!

3. Acrylic paint of your choice.

1. Remove extraneous wire or hooks from the suction cup.

2. Make a hole in the top of the cup, big enough to hold the rod (handle) you’ve chosen.

3. Paint the cup inside and out. Black or deep pink are the most likely to give a realistic effect. Let dry.

4. Insert the rod into the hole at the top of the cup.

5. Place the assembly in a convenient place in your miniature bathroom, and never have to call a plumber again!

1. Fashion crackers from the appropriate color dough, either white or yellowish. Or paint the dough the color you desire. Make 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!