missing python-config and building python on Windows

[Damon Register]

I am attempting to build gtk and glade using mingw/msys.  It seems that some
of the packages require python.  I installed 2.7.3 using the installer from
python.org.  That worked for some of the packages but now I am trying to do
one that needs python-config which I don't find in the installation directory.

I tried building from source using mingw/msys but that had too many problems
so I gave up on that.  I thought I might try building with MSVC 2010 since
it appears to be supported and I have that at work.  There are a few problems
with this:
1. though I have looked in a few readme files, I don't see instructions for
    installing what I have just built using MSVC.  Where can I find the
    instructions for installing after building with MSVC?

2. I have searched the project directory but I don't find python-config.  Is
    this some sort of optional thing that isn't built by default?  I tried
    searching this list and although I find a few questions about it, I don't
    see an answer to where I can find it.

3. It seems that MSVC doesn't produce the .a library files needed for linking
    into a mingw built program.  Do I have to do that fun trick to create the
    .a from the dll?

Damon Register