JOTTINGS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19147, 15 April 1924, Page 5

JOTTINGS.

Jewelled hods for shoes were very startling in the . eighteenth century, but today the woman who would be gorgeous is satisfied with nothing less than all jewelled shoes. Thus we see evening sandals solidly encrusted with brilliants, from the tips of the slender toes to the ankle straps and the base- of the delicately-curved heels. • • * beery woman wears embroidery nowadays, and hints on the care of it are useful. Often it is a mention of cleaning embroidery which adorns material that will not wash. The best way is to cover the embroidery with a paste of powdered •trench chalk and alcohol, lay a piece of clean muslin over it, and roll up, Leave in a dark place for a. few days until the alcohol has evaporated, then brush off the dry chalk. To iron embroidery lay face down on several thicknesses of rough towelling and iron the back. If bully creased, cover with a cloth wrung out of cold water. • • » Dyed suede is now being pressed into service for cushion covers. These make the most delightful additions to libraries and hall furnishing. Originally introduced for motoring and travelling purposes, (hey have become so beautiful that they make a wide appeal to those who study household decoration. Cushion covers of euede, showing two colour effects, are most artistic and charming. The reproduce all (he charm of the best silk velvet covers at less than half their cost, while the wearing qualities of cushions covered in this way are practically everlasting. * * • Advice on cleaning wallpaper is usually concluded with the instructions to clean with a ball of dough rubbed in vertical lines. Now this advice is all right as far as it goes, but it ran bo improved upon considerably if the ball of dough is made in the following manner:—'Fake 2lb of flour, and add to it a heaped dessertspoonful of salt, the same quantity of soda, and n piling tablespoonful of crushed lump ammonia, Mix this un with a pint of water—preferably rain water. Then in a greased receptacle steam tne mixture for half an hour. While it is still hot, knead it thoroughly with the hands and divide into pieces of convenient size. If it is not to be used at once, store in an air-tight tin. • * » White china, without decoration, but following old Wedgwood conventions, is coming into its own again. And it is really very restful in an epoch that is inclined to over pattern most things. It lias such a clean look, too. ]i needs, however, to be very good; common white china shows its lowly origin more than any other kind of ware. Also it calls rather for coloured tablecloths, not merely mats. Or if they are mats they need to be of a generous size; linen of clear vivid colouring, with just a black or white edge and no “needle work.” , For special occasions I should like a black linen tablecloth to use with white china, with a few white fiow’era in a jade preen bowl for the centre. Black candlesticks and green candles, and if candle shades are used they might have a pattern of black, white, and green. The cloth should only just fit the table, and have a plainly bound white scalloped edge. • * * When woman cuts off her hair she deliberately flouts all man’s preconceived notions as to the charm upon which ho places the highest value. To flout a man’s opinions by apparent indifference to them is. of course, the quickest and surest way of arousing his interest. The natural consequence is that when he again sees woman, snorn and dewy eyed, but more alluring tnan ever, with a head like a graceful flower, tie falls in love anew. Woman knows all these things, and a lot more besides, She knows she can keep her husband in terror and subjection by threatening at stated intervals to bob her hair. As a matter of fact, man only comes again into his natural birthright of a serene mind when the scissors have done the deed, brom experience nothing will dissuade a woman from being shorn, once her mind has begun to toy with the subject.