I have been asked where I get the items that I use for my HO spec models on my BLOG mncircusfan.blogspot.com. I am always on the lookout for items to use to build spec floats and wardrobe in HO and now also O scales. I come from a background of building costumes and sets for theater and private parties so I have always had to think out of the box on projects. I have for years wondered what could I use, where could I get items small yet with detail and are these items going to cost an arm and a leg?

The answer; I stumbled into a scrap booking store one afternoon to buy a gift card for a friend that I know loves to scrapbook. How odd I felt walking around in a store that I was the only male as far as I could see and had several women ask if I was lost. Well I spent over two hours and a bit of money but I came up with many ideas. My store of choice is Archivers!  <http://www.archiversonline.com/stores>. Archivers has over 40 stores around the US. I would bet if you don't have an Archivers store by you there is another scrapbooking store close to you.

In looking around I found sequins in many shapes, these make great decorations for floats or even as a fancy umbrella for your HO act. Try using a flower shaped sequin just above your web girls to add a little flash. I have used large sequins to make dresses by cutting them and gluing to the body of an HO women.  I also use a product called Fun Flock by Stampendous found in most scrapbook store. I spread glue on an item then shake Fun Flock out of the bottle giving the look of fur or some dimension to your items or props. Use white to give your polar bear trainer fur cuffs and trim. I also came across a wonderful selection of papers and cardstock that are acid free so they don't yellow. I have use these to make ring mats and spec blankets for some of the animals along with folding for some very interesting curtains over wagon doors. Many stickers and trims with sticky back on rolls are also found along with small metal hinges and rivets to use. One of my favorite products has been the Quickie Glue Pen that I found in the glue area. The pen is wonderful when you take your time giving you a very small line that you can use the Fun Flock or fine glitter on to again give a little glitz to your display.

Other places to look are right in your train catalogs, use HO flowers like the Lupinen from BUSCH item number 1218. I cut the flowers off and turn them upside down they make nice plumes for your animals. Sunflower plants with a hole drilled thru the center of the flower make interesting cuffs for your HO people. Stack them together to create funny novelties for your novelties stands.

I guess my point is look around take a trip with your wife to the scrapbooking store or hit up a craft store for items that you would not look at. I have found scrapbooking items at Target and Wal-Mart also. I am in hopes this helps someone else ad some glitz to your specs.

This spec float consists of one jeep and two wagons. I used Preiser figures and also rounds from a scrapbooking store painted the colors I wanted. I also scratch built the wagons using wheels kit bashed from a farm wagon and misc. wood.

These are elephants from the Great Circus series and small butterfly scrapbook items that I cut up and glued on. The harness is all drawn on with marker.

I have been using just the sides from the wonderful kits put out by Circus Train Miniatures for many years. The kits are harder to find now so if you find one on Ebay I would pick it up.
I start by spray painting the metal sides with a standard primer that I found at the hardware store. I have found that painting the primer makes the color painting  look better, making the colors brighter.

I use standard glues found in most hobby stores Zap-A-Gap etc. I found they are perfect when gluing the wood and metal parts together. All of my wood parts are glued to each other with wood glue and then I seal the wood before painting.

This first picture is what they look like after I had them glued up. The kits are very simple to understand and are very nice for HO scale. You can see that I am making several of this same cage. For this run I will have a total of 5 made, one green, two yellow, two a blue-green.

I use floral wire for the bars on all of my cages, most of the time I can find them in a dark gray at the local craft store. I like to use the gray wire best letting you see thru to the animals. Glue the bars to the back of the metal sides and let them dry for several hours to make sure they are in place to stay. I really haven't painted the insides of most of the cages other than maybe a bit of a white wash to give it some character. I glue in animals before I cut the wood for the roof making sure to keep track of what roof goes with each wagon. I have been leaving the roofs loose on the wagons but paint them in place to match everything up.

Both of these pictures show the paint on the sides done and still looking to finish the under gear and wheels. I have started using small strips of wood for the ladder on the front painted black. I will be touching them up with a bit more black before they are done.

One by one they are getting finished but I think you get the idea. I have used the same kit for each and will now use some different scroll painting as long as I don't go blind trying to do it. To the left is a finished wagon and below is what they all look like now loaded on a train. I am making cage boards with custom made decals and will show that as another tip soon.