Howard, I don't have a formula so much, everything is pretty much right out of the bag or can. After I prime the house, I liberally paint on the Aleene's tacky glue(you can mix it with paint too), then I got one of these big glass bowls from Ikea. I hold my house over the bowl, then sprinkle on the sand. Then once the glue drys, if its a different color than white, I paint it with acrylic paint. I think I like Apple Barrel brand the best. I have a few other types, like Ceramcoat, but it is very runny so I usually only use it for mixing colors.
The sand I use is called Scenic Sand by Activa. It is almost spot on match for the white gravel sand used on the old green spot houses. I forgot, I did mix in a tiny bit of mica powder for a little extra sparkle, when doing an all white house, white goes quicker too, because you don't have to paint over the sand. But normally I just use it right out of the bag. I got the mica powder on ebay years ago, and I got a ziplock bag full...I don't think I'll ever run out.
I got the Scenic Sand from a pet store several years ago, they sold it with the Hermit Crabs...for the bottom of their tanks. It comes in several colors.
http://www.activaproducts.com/products/sand/scenic-sand
They have changed their packaging since I bought mine, but here is a pic of a new bag I have sitting around. I need to buy some black so I can do some Salt and Pepper houses.
Thanks
-B
P.S. I now use Aleene's for everything I do. I use the "original" for flocking, and I use the "Fast Grab" for assembly and everything else.
