I have had good luck using pencil sharpener shavings as ground cover on my dioramas. Using colored pencils in the sharpener gives you several shades of shavings. I use red, yellow, and orange for fall landscapes; various greens for spring and summer; and brown and black for winter. Blowing a mixture of salt and talcum powder across the groundwork gives winter colors a nice, frosty look.

Tip submitted by:
Richard GaughenPlymouth, Massachusetts