THE UTILISATION OF CHRISTMAS AND EASTER CARDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2203, 21 August 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE UTILISATION OF CHRISTMAS AND EASTER CARDS.

By Quefx Bke. 'I'm. practice 1 of sending Christmas and Kilter cauls ii ucl valcntiues at the different M'.hims, has increased to such an extout, of Lite }eai\s that there is scarcoly a household in tho land that has not amonysfc its treasures a large collection in" those ncautiful creations of modern repioduetive art. Some people are good enoutrh and thoughtful enough to send them Lo decorate tho bare walls of our hospitals, aud ie is almost unnecessary to say that they arc most gratefully received by thos<o institutions. 80 me of Prang's later productions arc .so beautiful and in biu:h perfect tab to that they arc quite "\vot thy of ti 'lining 1 , and so treated they in, ike vciy handsome pictures for boudoirs, bediooms, ,md one's own private snuggen Ikm ( utly s.iw I'zang'.s "Four SeaMi-." set, m ,i p.umelled frame with an (Ktoid I)onl<-t, ,md ii u as quite a gem in its w.i\ Vnr tho.so that are not quite woilhj nt haming, the novt best u>e to put, them u> to fashion them into bcicen^ Then 1 is no need to go to any e\ pou.se over the matter. The giouudwoik is .simply made out of the common, necessary clothe.s-hor.se, that < .111 be purchased tor a few shillings On each bide and at the bottoms and top:> .uc fastened thin pieces of wood or stiong caidboaul, which serve the purposes of , 1 border. The woodwork itbelt is either ebonised or painted si*me ilaik color, such as invisible green or a rich daik brown. Red plush hinges take the place ol the ordinary webbing. The margins of cardboard are covered with some plain tint of fancy paper, a " greeneiy-yallery " being usually prefened. Wlien all is ready the cards are arranged on each pauel in an artistically careless manner, taking care to keep the ay eight of color somewhere near the middle of the composition. The back of the bcieen is first covered with brown holl.md oi Turkey twill. Over this some of the new flock art paper is pasted, a blight red being very eliective. Again, a pretty fancy table can be made w itli a do/en cards. The shape is atiipod, and can be fashioned by any caipenter without much ingenuity. The top is in the form ot a triangle. The legs aieco\eicd with plush of some warm color, a small mn ror is sunk in the top of any preferred shape. The outside edge is bound with the plush, and the space between this and the mirror is filled with the cauls. The edge of the table may be finished with fancy fringe. Between the plusli and the cards there will possibly be a law edge exposed; tins can be concealed by means of gold braid or furnituie gimp. When finished, this table makes the prettiest ornament imaginable for a drawing-room. Japanese fans of the largest si/c make capital fire-screens. The stems are inserted into a holder with a foot to it. Here the carpenter will have to be requisitioned again, as this is the most difhcult part of the work to an amateur. The best holder I have seen was made from the foot part of an oldfashioned music stool. This had been covered with plush, and a Liberty silk scait draped the frame. The fans, on which the cauls weie arranged, were grouped in tan-form into the top of the stand, and securely fixed by means of wedges. The fans were then tied at the top by bows of ribbon, and a few dried glasses were arranged between them. An excellent use to put art cards to is to fix them on the now fashionable tambourines, without which no modern diawing-room is complete. The edge ot the tambourine is fii.st covered with plush or silk, and then j the cuds are fixed on the bottom, overlapping 1 each other at certain points in oidei to do away with tho appearance of founality. These are hunir on the walls,' and aio sometimes urihsed as card re- ! ci'Ht'it, or pi iced (.11 the shelves of our niriulfls, win' h they certainly adorn Sometimes as an additional finish they ;ue fe-kioned by gaily coloured ribbons. As articles for ba/aaiv, they command leady .s.ile, and fetch large prices. For the decoration of the back ot a cottage piano when exposed to view in a room tbese cards make excellent ornament". The whole of the back is first covered with the strongest biown holLmd. Then along tho bottom, for about 'J ft. to 3ft., is pasted a handsome paper dado. Above this thrio is an LSiu. bonier of dead gold paper fi ved, and on this the cards are auanged, either 111 groups ji 1 in any other wiiy ;i timtful fancy may dictate. To cnuvii tho edifice there is festooned along the top a valance of Oiiental silk, plnnh, velveteen, or sateen. At each end it is deftly caught b ick with a cord and tuisvls, maclung below the dead gold bolder. This ornament is only to be seen to be thoioutrhly appicciated, and I ventuie to think that it is one of the haudsf;uie-,t way.s uf hiding the ugly back ot our popu'ar musical instrument A stin.il box about the si/c of tho ordinary cigar-box can be made into a very useful and pretty accessory to a toilot table. First of all it will be necessaiy to line the inside with some material, such as quilted satin or sateen, or fancy papers. The edge is boidered with plusli formed into a halflound and padded underneath. The cauls are then fixed to the outside, and all exposed edges are finished with fancy In aid, some ot the fiinges of the cards often working in excellently in this connection. It a lid is desised it can be made of thin wood bound with plush, aud a card let in to the top. A large box treated in a similar manner makes an elegant woik basket. The common Zalu hat is capable of wonderfnl transformation, it is first wiicd and then twisted into any desired .shape. The whole of the outer part is ornamented with the cards, and the inner rib is treated in a similar manner. The crown is lined and padded with silk and velvet. If desired, a handle can be formed of wire, covered with plusn, and a bow of ribbon placed at one pidc by way of finish. The edge is most effective when completed with ornamental furniture friuge. Panels of mpboaids, cabinet**, and brackets are capable of very clever ornamentation by means of cards. I remember an old deal cupbo ud being treated in the following manner by a skilful housewife. It was iiist eboni-ed with Jud.xon'a ebony paint. The beads on the panels were picked out with gold paint, and in the centre of each «>f tho foin panels was 'fixed one fairly,si// d cud, round the paces was sprigged .1 tmy gold bead mi tied al tho corners. The top of the cupboard was obonised, iind a narrow hinge held by brats.studded nails fini'hed its edye. A circulai plaque was placed at the back, flanked on uthei side b) ;i lepousso jar, a. Japanese fan, aud a little Quaker grass in the jars made a thoionjfhly artistic and inexpensive nook. The maker told mo that the whole anrangeuicnt cost a trifle under thirty shillings. All these trifles can be made at home. ;ind those who have leisure hours will find no moro delightful employment for them th-in fashioning the^e ornamental accessoiies to a house. — The Aii'stialasian.

Sirvn. liwly took place at the ronfi'irnco ot the South Australian TempciciK'f alli.uk o in Adelaide, owing to tin- pic mcx' ot a will known publican. Jle .innojed the assemblage, which was elm-fly compo.ed ot cleigy and wom^i, by moving amendments L-j the piinupal motions, and expressing his opinions m foiciblc language. A munber ot thoso pi( sent knelt do'.vn to pray for him, but one muscular teetotaler threatened to t.il c him by tho hcols and pitch him out. Tne challenge was promptly itfi-i-pfcd, bu!: some laymen rushed Ictvnrn thf antairomsts, whih 1 all the vrom^n and fiomp fainted. Finally order \va c > re-torod, and resolutions in favour of the total cloiing of public-houses on Sunday, and the t>trmjL r ent application of tho present lifjiur laws, were passed.