A Housewite's Diary

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 157, 21 July 1937, Page 14

A Housewite's Diary

Hints About The Home , Deck Ohairs. Instead of the usuai stripe^ eanvaj, xcn cover deck chairs with gaily coloured cretonne; fold 36in. wide cretonne dovm the centre and machine the selvedges together. Button Sewin^. Sew a button on over a darning needle and when it i^ on firmly, draw out the needle. By this means the button is sewn much looser and will not come off easily or drag the material. Ooffee. 4 , Bring out the flavour by heating ground coffee before pouring on the water. This way also makes one spoon of coffee & as far as a spoon and a-half that-is used any other way. Whitewash Marks. These can be removed from fumitur* floors, windows, etc., by rubbing thwn with a soft cloth slightly damped with paraffin. Coloured Dresses. When left hanging, turn instde out so that the sun does not fade Ihe colours. Mice Holes. , , Stop Up any suspecfed mouseholes with brokenpieces of glass mixed with plaster Paris. The mixture sets quickly, so do not delay using it once it is mixed. Flowers. Fill the flower bowl with sand to within an inch of the,' top and soak with water. Flowers will stand better last longer in damp sand, v Underskirts. Sew a length of baby tape neafly round bottom of hem of silk underskirt ar»d it will remain level even after many washings. Windows. Rub a little" soft soap on the sash cord s «nd some hard soap on the sides. Ihe windows will open and shut much easier. The Hat Problem, Juliet caps made. o£ a lattice-work of gaily painted wooden beads will solve many a hat, problem for the younger generation at holiday time, Completely unspoilable and capable of being slipped in a pocket when not.wanted they look smart and are just the thing to keep the hair in order when there is a breeze blowing. Latest Belts. Ever on the look-out for fresh novelties ' in the way of accessories, some bright person has thought of using maps for holiday frocks and jumpers. Instead* of "girdling the world" like the ShakeSpearean sprite, you use ihe world, or rather a map of the world to girdle you.. Ihe map is set in a leather belt and covered with talc, and is especially appropriate f Or cruismg wear. House "Dungarees." Dungarees for housework are what the modera young woman who looks after her home is adopting. Made of stoqt cotr ton prints these "dungarees" are actually more like bifurcated pinafore frocks tbqri their masculine eauivalents. A little mere than calf-length with wide cut legs, they are worn over short-sleeved bright cotton blouses. » Shining Eyes. From America comes a new; fashion in make-up that may make your' eyes literally "shine like stars." A silver eyeshadow for evening is being introducwi. The silver shadow is lightly applied over green or blue shadow that has been previously applied to the upper lips. The result is a subtle shine and sparkle above the eyes. Novel Vacuum. A vacuum cleaner has appeared that scrubs and polishes floors in addition to its ordinary duties. Such is the "1*1™ made for it. Fitted with the necessary attachments it is said to act as a lawn mower ! If all this is correct, then'husbands will be as much in favour cf this cleaner as their wivea. V Glass Eettles. A watched pot, so they my, never boils, but it should be fascinating to watch a kettle come to the boiJL I am told that this can be done by using a kettle made of glass that has appeared ' on the market. Through the glass you can see the water begin to bubble. It is one of the newest electrical gadgets, The glass, of course, is extra tough and of the heat-resisting kind, Sandwich Suggestions, Here are two sandwich suggesttoes S you are planning to go picnicing. First, a meat course. Mince cold cooked kidney, mix a little mushroom ketchup with it and spread fairly thickly between a slice of brown bread and a slice of white bread. Next, a vegetarian sandwich. Chop up some cooked spinach, spread thickly on brown bread, sprinkle with lemon juice and olive oil and top with a second slice of brown bread. Neat Gas Cooker.

For the small family, a neat little gascooker that hangs on the kitchen wall by a special bracket is a good idea. There is less of it to keep qlean, for one thing, and the smaller oven space, large enough for the joint for two or three people, takes less gas to heat than • the full-sized cooker, while it c«n be hung at a level to suit the cook so that there is no stooping. Labour Saving Cloths. Labour-saving table-cloths that do not require laundering wili be welcomed by the mother of children who are still at the age of frequent spillings at the table. There is no rubber in the composition of these cloths, so there is an absence of that rubbery smell that is a drawback to the usual sponge-clean cloths. Their surface has an attractive satiny appearance. The Blacksmith's Art Wrought iron, the work of British blacksmiths, is orie of those old-time crafts that is becoming extremely modern in use. Sideboards and tables wjth timber tops have wrought iron stands, firescreens, lamp standards and table lamps, fashioned like tbe old— fashioned branched candle-sticks, but with electric light bulbs instead of candles, are most up-to-date funiiture items. Most often they are ' painted to fit in wilh the colour scheme ths particular room they adpm,