Ladies' Columns

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 4746, 14 September 1935, Page 3

Ladies' Columns

BEAUTY. The question of having nice hands is by no means a superficial one. It is a subject that does not come under the heading of beauty only—it has a direct, psychological effect upon a woman's entire personality. A woman who is proud of her hands sits and talks naturally—she has confidence in herself—whereas the woman who has neglected her hands forfeits a tremendous lot of charm because, instead of being able to use them leisurely and gracefully, she ac quires the habit of using them quickly and jerkily, for fear of them being seen too much.

The question of hands is not only a question of manicure. The shape and condition of the hands themselves must be taken into account. Of course, see that your nails are always spotlessly clean and prettily varnished, but massage your hands also every night with special balm or cream, just as you do your face.

The correct movement for hand massage 1 is from the finger tips towards the wrists, with firm, even strokes, as if you were drawing on a tight pair of gloves. Pay special attention to the knuckles, which sometimes assume a darkish appearance, making the hands seem not quite clean. A cut lemon rubbed over them every day will work wonders. Now, to use your hands prettily. Except when you are doing something requiring strength and firmness let your hands be limp. If you let them flop naturally they will always fall into a graceful position. Pick up a pencil and put it-down, and observe how you did it. A lot of women just grab things and put them down noisily. Learn not to grab, but use your hands with smooth, flowing movements.

When you are sitting in a chair, talking to people, learn to keep your hands still—forget them. Don't fidget or gesticulate. A person who uses a lot of action to express thoughts is .generally lacking in concentration and facial expression. An occasional action can be expressive, but if you use your hands constantly while speaking, it detracts from your personal magnetism.

FASHIONS. SPRING HAIR STYLES.

New hats and new hair styles have come in together for this spring. To buy a new hat and try a new hair style is one of the best ways I know for getting that spring feeling.

Hairdressing styles strike a new high note just now —high at the back —high over the ears —high on the brow. You need no longer have your hair dressed in straight lines, with a side or centre parting.

One fascinating style has a forelock of hair cut short and curled upwards. The rest of the hair is waved backward and loosely curled in the nape of the neck. With a side parting, and on the "thin" side, a wisp of hair brought forward into a fiat ringlet will relieve the severity. This is ideal for oval faces, and piquant faces with pointed chins. The hair taken back brings the ear into view. This should be rouged on the lobe, gently, and a vogue in earrings has returned in a series of close fitting shell-like ornamentations which betray no fastenings. Another hair style has a long side parting, taken well over the crown, the top layer of hair taken back and curled upward. The hair at the back also is taken upward, loosely waved, and the curls are pinned into position on top of the head. You need to grow your hair at least four inches into the nape of the neck to adopt this coiffure. And if you aren't happy with hairpins, choose another style. Styles in hairdressing are delightfully varied this springtime, and infinitely grace-giving. Even the close fitting "helmet" of hair, severely shingled, has a soft gleaming appearance which is deliciously feminine. And with the shingle you can now be revolutionary, having the front hair layered to wave upward above the ears, over the , brow, "cockscomb" fashion, or lying flat across the brow, then softly curled upward to lend a fresh, youthful appearance.. The brow fringe is more than ever popular, but it should be thin, never heavy, and always waved or curled. Softness, if you please. And if you are investing in a permanent wave this month, do persuade your hairdresser to cut the hair to your new style before waving. Have the hair shaped to the head, not merely thinned or trimmed. In this way you can adopt the new style for the life of the "perm."

THE HOME. SPRING CLEANING. The Living Room: The end of August is the best time for waging war

on the moth eggs and grubs which may be lurking in your upholstered chairs. The best and most efficient re-agent is paradichlorbenzer, ob tainable at any chemist's. To clean upholstery, if you don't possess a vacuum cleaner, take the furniture out of doors, if possible, brush vigorously to remove the dust, then rub in hot bran. Leave for a while, then brush out. Sponge your leather chairs with warm water and vinegar, to remove stains. A teaspoonful of turpentine added to the white of an egg will restore the polish of worn leather, if rubbed in liberally with a cloth. Repeat if necessary. Lace curtains can be made spotless by sprinkling them with calcined magnesia, and rolling them between two sheets of dark blue tissue paper. Leave them all night, then rub and roll them gently, and shake out. Place between two pieces of soft sheet and press with an iron. The Kitchen: Tinware and brass and copper kettles can be cleaned effectively with a mixture of vinegar and table salts. Afterwards wash well with soap and very hot water, and rub with clean cloths while still warm. If the pan is burnt on the inside, fill the pan with water, add a peeled onion, boil, and the burnt matter will be loosened.

Dirty iron and steel articles can be cleaned with hot soda water; and if the iron is very slightly rusty, rub it with an ink eraser. Bad rusty stains must be removed by leaving the article for 12 to 24 hours in a solution of tin chloride and water, or of two parts of muriatic acid to three parts of water. When all traces of rust have disappeared, wash in hot soda water.

If you have a kerosene oil lamp, there is almost sure to be a carbon deposit attached to the metal of the burner. Scraping it with a knife is not very satisfactory and may scratch the metal. So place the dirty burner in a saucepan containing a solution of one part washing soda to five parts water and bring slowly to the boil. After 10 minutes remove the burner—it will then look like new.

GENERAL. FIRST AID FOR YOUR FURS. Furs seldom get the attention they deserve, and yet they are always expected to look bright and glossy, even after being out for hours in rain and fog on the previous day. This, of course, is expecting too much, for to keep furs looking at their' best they must have constant and regular attention.

Probably the only reason furs don't get the attention they deserve is because few women know how to look after them.

Purs cannot look really nice unless they are clean, but to save having to clean them too often, wipe them over with a soft damp towel at fairly frequent intervals. This will remove the surface dirt.

Remember to shake your furs be fore, and after, wearing; they will look all the better if you also make it a rule to give them a light brush or combing before you put them away. In the case of a fur coat, be sure to pay particular attention to the fur on the inside arms and underarms.

If fur seems to be inclined to be sticky after it has been worn in a fog or mist, beat it lightly with a small, thin cane, and then go over the surface with a silk handkerchief tied over a stiff brush.

If you have a' fur which looks rather shabby, sponge it over thoroughly with warm water. Dont worry if it looks bedraggled after this treatment, but hang it in a draught until it is dry, and then brush it well with a stiff, clean brush and you will find it looks fresh again. If it happens to be a dark fur you are dealing with, put a little brilliantine on the brush. Apply this sparingly, however, and be sure the brush is absolutely clean. You will be surprised how glossy the fur will be after this treatment. When you come home with your fur wet, wipe it down with a soft cloth, and then put it on a coat hanger and hang it in a warm atmosphere—in a draught, if possible. On no account dry it before a fire, neither shut it up in a wardrobe while it. is still damp. Apply this rule also to any coat or cape trimmed with fur. Dust is harmful to furs, so it is wise to make a practice of beating your furs at fairly regular intervals with a light, thin cane.

A USEFUL KNITTING HINT. This little hint will help you when knitting jumpers or on any fancy pattern. Some beginners find that after casting off two sitches when shaping a particular part, the pattern will not work out properly. That is, because they have not allowed for the stitches they have taken away. For

instance, if the direction states: "Cast off 2 stitches at the beginning of a row," that will leave one stitch less on the right hand needle, and will therefore dispose of three stitches. The pattern must then be continued from the 4th stitch of that row. The average knitter can follow the pattern under the needles, but where "made" stitches worry the beginner, counting in this way is a great help.

COOKING. A DELICIOUS RHUBARB SHORTCAKE. Ingredients: 3 lb self raising flour, i level teaspoon salt, 3 ozs butter, 3 ozs castor sugar, 1% gills milk. A fluted piedish is used, the base measuring 6£ins., and the top 7fins., and it should be about ljins. deep.

Sift the flour and salt into a basin and rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar, then add the milk and mix all the ingredients together. Turn the mixture into the pie tin, which should previously have been buttered, and put the cake into a fairly hot oven to bake. Thirty-five minutes should be sufficient time to allow. ' When it is cooked turn the shortcake out of the tin and let it cool.

FOr the rhubard filling: 1 quart sliced rhubarb, 10 ozs sugar, 1 oz flour, i pint cream for decorating. To make the filling: This should be put on to cook before the shortcake is made. Wipe the rhubarb sticks and trim off the green leaves, then cut it into lin. lengths and measure the rhubarb.

Put it into the top of a double boiler and sprinkle each layer of rhubarb with sugar. Cover the pan and stand it in another pint of water and cook the rhubarb till it is tender.

When it is ready, take out some of the best pieces of rhubarb and put them on one side for decorating the top of the cake. Then drain the syrup from the remainder of the rhubarb.

Take half a pint of this syrup and return it to the pan. Put the flour into a basin and mix it to a smooth paste with, a small quantity of syrup taken from the half pint. Heat up the remainder of this syrup and stir it on to the paste. Return the mixture to the pan and bring it to the boil, keeping it stirred. It should be about the consistency of a thick sauce. Let this boil gently for a few minutes, then cool the sauce. Split the shortcake in half, and when the rhubarb sauce is cold turn it on to the lower half of the cake. Distribute the drained rhubarb on the sauce and cover it with the cake top. Whisk the cream, spread it on top of the cake and decorate with the rhubarb. Serve the remaining syrup separately.

USEFUL RECIPES. CELERY SOUP This is very easily made, and is a most palatable soup. Two heads of celery 4 pints of stock, 2 ozs butter, 2 ozs flour, I pint milk, a little cream if available, salt and cayenne. Cut the washed celery into short lengths, place in a saucepan with the stock, and cook gently until tender. Rub through a sieve or wire strainer. Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour, and add the liquid and celery puree. Flavour to taste, with salt and cayenne, and serve with sippets of toast.

CELERY AU GRATIN. Two cups minced celery or cut into 1 inch lengths, 1 pint white sauce, crumbs, 1 cupful cheese, I teaspoon mustard, 1 dessertspoon melted butter. Cook the celery by covering with water and cooking rather quickly until quite tender. Drain and dry and keep warm. Use the liquid as a foundation for the sauce. When the sauce is hot, add all but one tablespoon of the cheese and the mustard. Flavour to taste with salt and cayenne. Add the celery and pour into a greased pie dish or a casserole. Sprinkle a mixture of crumbs and cheese on top. Add a small grating of nutmeg. Pour over it the melted butter and bake in a steady oven until light brown. Serve very hot, with thin bread and butter, as a luncheon dish. VEGETABLE CUSTARDS. Boil enough rice to make \ cup when cooked. Drain and stir in £ cup of cooked peas and 1 teaspoon of grated onion. Add salt and pepper to taste, 1 cup of milk and 2 beaten eggs. Stir the mixture in a double boiler, with the water boiling below, until it is tepid; then turn into custard cups or individual containers. Set these in a pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven until set. Garnish with a few cooked peas before serving.

RUSSIAN ROCKS. Mix together, in order given, 3 eggs, 1\ cups sugar, 1 scant cup butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, \ teaspoon salt, \ teaspoon ground cloves, \\ cups finely chopped raisins, \ lb pecan nuts, or walnuts, 1 teaspoon soda, 5 tablespoons water. Add flour to make stiff batter. Drop on oiled paper and bake in moderate oven. Makes three dozen.

GRAPEFRUIT JAM. Cut the fruit into slices, not too thinly, and remove any seeds. Allow 3 pints water to each large grapefruit. Pour this over the fruit and allow to stand for 24 hours. Bring to the boil and strain away the liquor, measuring it. Replace this with fresh hot water and allow to stand for another 24 hours; then boil steadily, without stirring, until the fruit skin is quite soft. Weigh this and allow a pound of sugar to each pound of pulp and liquor. Make the sugar hot, and have the pulp boiling before putting to gether. Boil steadily until it will jell. Bottle while hot and seal when cold. BAKEWELL TART.' Half lb short crust or tartlet pastry, 2 ozs almonds (ground), 2 ozs butter, 1 egg, 2 ozs sugar, almond essence, some raspberry jam. Line a flat tart plate, or a shallow tin, such as a Swiss roll tin, with the pastry, rolling the pastry thinly. Decorate and glaze the edges. Spread a thick layer of jam on the bottom of the tart. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, stir in the beaten egg, then add the ground almonds, and the almond essence, and beat well. Spread this mixture evenly over the jam, and bake in a quick oven about 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into sections and serve hot or cold.