FEMININE DEFLECTIONS

Southland Times, Issue 19461, 28 January 1925, Page 10

FEMININE DEFLECTIONS

LITTLE TOUCHES THAT COUNT. PROVIDING ATMOSPHERE. (By Pauline Bouchier.) Hasn't it sometimes happened that you tre greatly cheered by the atmosphere of someone’s home, although at first you can not tell why? Perhaps it is the lightness of the room, or some pretty piece of furniture which especially attracts your attention. Little things Ute flowers, for example, make such a difference. A large jug, of just the usual cottage type, filled with real or fine imitation flowers looks so pretty. Real flowers of course, are better than any artificial ones. SHELL FLOWERS. I wonder how many people know of the pretty shell flowers ? These are made with ordinary flat sea-shells. They can be bought from those shops which sell accessories for home crafts, and it is quite a simple matter to bore a hole at the bottom of each shell and thread through it a fine piece of wire. Then get some twigs from the garden and twist the wire stem on to the twig. It won’t do to have the wire showing, so bind a strip of brown paper over it. These shells are arranged in clusters of threes and fours, and look very much like waterlillies. They can be coloured too, either by dropping them in some dye, or by soaking them in coloured ink: they take mauve and reds very well. Another way of filling your jug is to make long paper leaves. A thin piece of green crinkled paper shaped to a point each end, and with a strong piece of wire glued down the centre makes an admirable leaf. It is well to scrape the wire for this leaf before gluing to the paper, making it supple and curve gracefully. A jug of coloured shell-flowers, and paper leaves, filled out with some maiden-hair fern is most effective. Of course, to make the very best of it, the jug should be carefully placed in a good position where the light will catch it, not tucked in a corner, or by the side of some imposing piece of furniture, which makes it look insignificant, and so takes away much of its beauty. A’our flowers should be loosely arranged. Never squeeze into one small jug, or vase, as many as possible. A few in a glass vase where the whole of the flowere, stems as well as blossoms, can be fully seen is a beautiful arrangement. If you are really fond of flowers you will appreciate the fact that they are ’admired entirely, in the glass vase, the vase not taking up any of the admiration. TINTED PHOTOGRAPHS. Some of your choicest snapshots should be enlarged when most pretty results can be had by tinting them. With a little practice, you can wash them over with a weak solution of paint very successfully. The paint needs to be lightly brushed over the picture, giving the right shades to the different parts of the photographs. With a very weak solution of paint it is impossible to spoil the snap. Of course, you must get the right colours, blue across the sky, and browns and greens in the trees and pathways, etc. When the walls of your rooms are quite plain, either papered or distempered, passe partout pictures show up well. It is better not to have many pictures on the walls, but just a few, and change them from time to time. At one time your coloured snaps can be put up, then postcards of Japan are quaint, and also very fashionable just now. You come across many gems of pictures on the covers of magazines, all of which are very suitable for the passe-part-out frames. CHELSEA PORCELAIN. UNOBTRUSIVE MASTERPIECES. (By Fay Howard.) A realm of real romance lies at the back of some of the most unobtrusive ornaments that decorate the home, and it is this romance that prompts the connoisseur to search some of the very unpretentious little antique shops, hoping to find, as sometimes is the case, a little masterpiece of pottery, hidden away amongst grubby little almost valueless articles. It is a well-known fact that there is a distinct popularity for Chelsea porcelain decorations now. Records of it date back to 1745, but its actual origin is hidden in antiquity and doubtless will never be known. One can discern the approximate time of individual pieces by certain styles. There are Chelsea fragments that reflect all the colour and intricate design of the East, and are especially suitable for the woman who prides herself in her boudoir of Oriental atmosphere. There are also many French models which could be similarly adapted. EARLY SPECIMENS. Chelsea’s earliest phase showed a distinct similarity to Dutch Delft—this explains the lovely productions of simple blue and white ornaments so suitable for the Jacobean room. By considering the characteristics of old pieces it is, with a little care, fairly simple to introduce antiques into the home without bringing a discordant note into it. A wide choice of refreshingly different objects in Chelsea antiques alone can be collected by the amateur. About the earliest kind are the jugs, figures, busts and toys in translucent white. Then come the second-period models of statuettes, animals and birds of a denser milky-blue ground decoration, with some ancient Japanese emblems. The Oriental atmosphere remained still around the third period, but the decoration was plainer and less intricate. This alteration, of course, made a decided improvement in the style of the pieces. The final period is distinctly French in its appearance with that wonderful wealth of colour and gilt. Yet there is a very strong appeal which these groups of plates and vases possess—probably owing to their naive and quaint conception. There is extreme beauty in old Chelsea porcelain, but a novice setting out to buy it should first acquaint herself well with the markings, otherwise she will be unable to value the pieces put before her. Wonderful was the development in the ancient work of art, but more so is its increasing popularity with time. THE HANDY NEEDLE. BAGS AND MOCASSINS. (By Dorothy Leyland.) T suppose a good many of you have acquired at different times odd motifs of embroidered net, cloth, velvet, etc., and have put them away knowing that they will come in” for various purposes some time. Here are a few suggestions for the needlewoman to use them to good advantage. MOTIF BAGS.

Two oval or diamond shaped motifs, with the addition of a length of ribbon velvet, will make a delightful afternoon bag. Cut the ribbon into two lengths (the length required will Vary according to the size of the motif) and gather one length on to two sides of the diamond, or the lower half of

the oval motif. Do the same with the second piece of ribbon and motif, then join each half together, leaving the upper half of the motif, free as the opening. Line each motif and attach a ribbon handle. In the same manner large motifs may be used for the, centres of handkerchief case?, nightdress sachets, fancy boxes, etc. A beautiful sachet may be made in exactly the same manner as I have described for the bag. but the ribbon much be gathered all round the motif and lined with a circular, flat piece of silk or satin, with an interlining of cotton wool. The bottom of the sachet is made quite plain and exactly the same size as the upper part, then the two are sewn together half way round, the other half being left open to insert whatever the sachet is to hold. The front of a hat may be decorated with a motif, and if this is not quite as large as you could wish, it may be enlarged by the addition at the edges of folds of ribbon or velvet, one fold being allowed to project beyond the other one as far as you wish, folds being added ad lib., until the required size is obtained. MORE NEEDLEWORK. Here is another suggestion that you may find useful—a pair of mocassins. These are also quite easy to make from leather or juede. and there are such lovely colours in these two materials that it is a delight to handle them. Cut out in paper first an oval shaped piece, elongated, or with a tab to come well up the instep, for the top of the foot, then cut out another paper pattern of the exact shape of the foot. This is best done by standing nn the paper and marking the foot off with a pencil held upright. The reason I say cut out in paper first is because you can then cut out the outline symettrically after doing it roughly in the first instance. When cutting the suede, however, remember to cut the foot part two or three inches wider all round than the pattern,

for this has to come well up the sides of the foot where it is gathered on to the top piece forming the toe of the mocassin, and the back of the shoe coming round the sides and heel of the foot is left plain. The suede must be lined first before the top and bottom are joined together, and quite the warmest and most satisfactory lining is lambs’ wool. The edges of the lambs’ wool and the suede must meet exactly, and the suede and lining of of the bottom must be over-stitched together to the suede and lining of the toe piece, the lower part (or sole and sides combined) being gathered quite evenly on to the toe. Eo complete the mocassin a strip of fur is doubled in two and stitched around the edges. Either buy the fur by the yard, or the best parts of your cld stole might be just the thing. Marabout also answers the purpose admirably, and if you haven’t some fur by you this is considerably cheaper to buy. IN THE FIRELIGHT. DAYS WE LIKE. (By Helen Grieg Souter). "How I hate Monday,” exclaimed a shorthand-typist to me the other day. "I am so lazy and stodgy and have that borntired and never-rested feeling towards my work, which, generally speaking, I like immensely.” Such an experience is not uncommon, and a well-known doctor has recently traced it to the ail-Sunday tennis habit, which so many girls indulge in nowadays. They play from the time they leave their office or place of business on Saturday till the light fails, and then they devote eight hours or more to their favourite game on Sundays, overstraining heart and muscles, and then wonder that they are nervous wrecks on Monday morning and “feel like nothing on earth,” as they say thmselves. Exercise is excellent, but it must be undertaken in moderation and such girls would feel far happier and fitter in every way, if they spent an hour or two in church as their mothers and grandmothers did, than on the tennis courts. Most people, like the hero of “Sally in Our Alley,” love the day that “comes between Saturday and Monday,” not necessarily because of its religious observances, but chiefly on account of its chances for rest and the respite it affords from the daily round.

Saturday, perhaps, is the most popular day of the week with all classes, and yet i have known shrewd men of affairs who, in spite of all the superstition which surrounds Friday, deliberately choose it for doing business, signing contracts and so on, more especially if it happened in conjunction with the number 13. WEATHER ON ANY DAY. There are some people whose nerves arc disturbed by the weather and others on whom the wind produces a peculiar effect, but it has been left to a meteorqlogist to discover that certain days exert certain effects upon us. The idea is one which may either comfort or frighten us, but like everything else the truth cuts two ways. If on certa:n days, we may expect disappointment and non-success, then on others we may naturally look for compensation, good fortune and the best of luck. This clever scientist states unreservedly that as the week draws towards its end, people of all ages and both sexes decline in bodily vigour and mental power. Th er spirits steadily fall, but as sure as Saturday morning dawns, there is a perceptible change for the better in their mental and physical barometer. But what of the effect of Saturday on others?. It would add materially to the strenuousness of our lives if we had to discover and make a mental note of our relations and friends’ good and bad days, so as to avoid anything which might clash with ourselves or affect injuriously our own interests. It would be a thousand pities, for instance, to risk Aunt. Julia’s displeasure if we chanced to call and rub her up the wrong way on her bad day. It might mean the forfeiture of that long-promised legacy! There, too, the course of true love might run quite smoothly if we could only make certain which were his bad cr may it not even be said, his worst davs.

OUR BAD DAYS. We are all conscious at times of bad days, when everything goes wrong from the moment we get up in the morning and buttons drop off, ladders appear in our stockings and all our keep money and everything else, it seems, deliberately disappear from our ken, and so it goes on through every hour till worn out and disgusted we retire to rest. What’s the explanation? It’s hard to say, but the old fashioned remark of childhood days that we had risen off our wrong side is as good as any, and psychologists would point out that the cause is in ourselves and traceable to a ’ wrong or distorted mental attitude towards things in general. SAVING SPACE. AVOID OVERCROWDING. (by Nina Brett). Small houses, small flats, small rooms, generally a result of small purses, seem to be the order of the day in these unsettled times. This being the case it behoves us to be a little more careful about our comfort in this respect, to use more forethought when we have to remove into smaller places and to exercise our ingenuity when we are there. Such an attempt at hard thinking will serve a double purpose; in addition to making us more comfortable in the long-run, it will also enable us to occupy our minds to such an extent that we shall not have time to feel miserable at a change which may, at first sight appear to be for the worst. Here are a few experiences and suggestions which anyone in a like situation may find profitable. They have been tested and found eminently satisfactory. THE FOUR CORNERS. My friend and I found after such a move recently, that a bedroom for instance, has only four corners; and in a small bedroom these four corners encroach one upon the other in a far too friendly manner, in fact they almost throw their arms round each other’s necks. One of them in our case, was very much occupied with the door, so much so that it resented the near approach of any article of furniture as an intrusion. Three corners then remained, and, of these, two were occupied by the head of the

double bed and the chest of drawers respectively, and there remained one small recess for the wash-stand and the wardrobe. What was to be done? The idea of the usual wash-stand and wardrobe was abandoned altogether, and along one side of the room was erected a shelf. This end of the room was occupied by very high folding doors communicating with the'sitting room, so the shelf was put up from end to end of these, strong supports being fixed to hold it at either side, and above it a similar shelf was put at the top of the door frame, being about two feet above the other. USING SHELVES. On the top shelf of all we stowed away

all our odd suit cases, “grips” etc., filled with things we only needed very rarely, and on the under shelf we put hat boxes and lighter odds and ends. A rod was fixed to the edge of the lower shelf, which was of a comfortable reaching height, and a curtain was run on this—-rose-coloured, to match the mahogany of the furniture—and behind it we hung up all our frocks, coats, etc., and on the floor we stowed heaps of other things—shoes, boots, and so on. A smaller curtain was hung round the top shelf in like manner. By the way, it is not necessary to have such a “wardrobe” the exact width to take the coat hangers, for these, if hung on a rod, will hang ; obliquely, or if screws are put into the shelf • they can be twisted to the right angle to . allow the hangers adjusting themselves to I a sloping position. THE WASHING-STAND. Then came the question of somewhere to wash, and the disposal of several more trunks. The bed proved sufficiently accommodating to take the smaller of the ■ trunk* «under its ample wing, but the largest was still left unprovided with a home, so this was put in the one remaining recess formed by the projection of the wall containing the fireplace and the one con-

taining the window. The .services of a carpenter were agair requistioned, and he made us a sturdy dea table, containing one drawer of ample di mensions, and sufficiently large to fit. righi over the trunk and there to stand firmly This was curtained round with material tc mutch the “wardrobe” and the top wa.‘ covered with an oblong of enamelled tin such as one uses for the protection of the wall behind a cooking stove, and made tc fit exactly. For the accommodation of the towels wc invested in one of those contrivances made of four independent "arms” swinging from a small block of wood. This was screwed to the side of the window jamb at a higher elevation than the top of the table to allow of the “arms” swinging out at right angles when necessary.’ At other times it remained flat against the wall. And now our room, which we thought at first sight could never be made to contain one half of our things, looks quite nice and by no means overcrowded. MRS PEPYS’S DIARY. WEDNESDAY, January 21. This being Mr Pepys’ birthday, to rise early and to prepare for him a surprise of my own making—namely a salad, the which poor Liza Burke did acquaint me of in a letter from her dreadful Hawaii, though what use she hath for such things is a mystery to me.. For this do require three large firm, ripe tomatoes, the which to peel, being careful to keep their | shape (This being a ticklish business in very truth). First cut a slice from the stem end of each, and carefully to remove the pulp from the centre and to drain it of all juice. Next to drain one cup of grated fresh pineapple, and mix with tomato pulp. To add 4 cup chopped walnuts, £ teaspoon salt and peppeer. Mix (generously) with thick mayonnaise and refill tomatoes (slowly), it being a fearful spectacle if any be spilt on the outside. Lastly to garnish with lettuce and pieces of walnut, and to sprinkle very finely chopped nuts on the top. This to make a very palatable savoury, but, Lord! it were well Mr Pepys hath only one birthday in the year, the price of walnuts being monstrous even for such an occasion. THURSDAY, January 22. Do write out for sending to Mistress Bassett for using in her children’s holidays when ever she would be making for them fancy cakes for a party as she is like to do, (and more than is good for them I doubt not, she being of an over-indulgent nature to my mind), some ways of tinting the icing for cakes of a harmless nature and to give them a more pleasant flavour than the colouring you would buy. Also to save expense which is no light matter. Do bid her, therefore, if she would have her icing a pure white to add to it strained lemonjuice. If she would have it a very pretty cream indeed, to use strained orange juice. To make of it a delicate pink, most pleasant to behold, to put 1 tablespoonful of strawberry jam into’a cup, to add to it a very little boiling water, to stir well and to strain, then to mix with her icing sugar. If she will do this, I promise her she will be pleased. FRIDAY, January 23. A very strange thing indeed that it should happen so, as I think, and not the first time, neither,' that while I sit a-writing to Mistress Bassett for her aid, she should be writing to me of something she would have me send her. And this time as near to what I have written as to beg me tell her of the way of making almond icing for a cake. So seeing the hand of Providence in this, do set about it with a good will. The way of it to pass through a sieve |lb of icing sugar, to mix it with 41b. of ground almonds, 1 egg, a little lemon juice and such flavourings as you shall choose; knead all together well when your icing should be ready for use. For flavouring you may take your choice of maraschino, brandy, essence of almonds, vanilla or sherry, but to my mind maraschino the best of these. Also I would have any using this recipe to remember that they may use castor sugar instead of icing sugar if that should suit them better, or half of each, but that the castor sugar must be fine and well sifted. And some do say use but the yolk of your egg, beating your mixture well to make it serve you as moisture enough. SATURDAY, January 24. To my kitchen where I see my maid Jane putting of some prunes to soak in a basin of cold water for cooking for the Lord’s day, this a plan she hath always followed, she sayth, and her mother before her. Do bid her try a method more up-to-date to procure a much better flavour to her fruit and a much richer syrup also, and this to put the fruit, having washed it and no more, into an enamelled saucepan with sugar and flavouring, and to pour in enough of boiling water to cover it. Then to stir, and to replace the lid that the goodness may be kept in, but not to put on the fire until it shall have stood 12 hours at the least, but then to stew on the fire in a very gentle manner, till the fruit be quite soft. And at the last not to uncover your saucepan when you have removed it from the fire, but to let the fruit get cold in it. Having

so instructed her I leave her to follow what I have said, she promising me very faithfully indeed that she will do so. MONDAY, January 26. This day to Mr Pcpy’s cousin Gladys, there to drink a d’sh of tea with her, this even a diversion after my own heart, she being of an industrious turn of mind to please me well. Dp find her in very good trim and agog to show me how she hath busied herself to cover'with a tunic of silver metal lace her black chiffon velvet dress of last winter, the lace hanging in an uneven length at the bottom, to be in places longer than the velvet as the fashion now is. Then bound at the neck and arm holes (after which a little drapery of lace about the arms, but not much), with a narrow band of velvet and a sash of a fair width round the hips of same, with a bow of long ends to the side of it. The effect of the lace over the velvet very pleasing indeed, I think, and a very fine way of making the most of a dress no longer fresh enough, for wearing when you would look your best and feel it also. So do compliment her highly on her ingenuity, and leave her well pleased with herself and with me, as I believe. TUESDAY, January 27. To lunch this day with Mr Pepys’ Aunt Lettice, and she full of disgust, she sayth, at the inferior quality of the mixed peel she hath been served with of late from the grocer, it being, she declares of a hardness and poor flavour, not to be borne, very ill to compare with what she could buy at a less price, in the time before the War. So hath determined to make her own; also offers to write out for me her manner of doing same. For which I thank her heartily, though, as Mr Pepys can ill stomach it, the use of it to me would be very small and unlikely to tempt me to the trouble. But for those with a family of a different mind, I would write it here very willingly. The manner to first soak this peel of oranges and lemons in salt water for 3 days. Then to p6ur on your water and to drain well your peel. Now to boil in fresh water until fine and tender, and then to add of white sugar lib. to 4 a pint (about) of the liquor in which the peel hath been boiled. Then to boil the peel in the syrup until it candies. When you have drained your peel on a dish until cold you may pack it away in a tin, and keep in a dry place, and I pray God you will be well rewarded for your pains.

IN THE TWILIGHT. THAT “FAMILY” HOLIDAY ’by (Mrs Courtney James.) It is difficult to avoid writing about holidays at this season of the year when all around there may be heard conversation on plans for the annual treck to sea or country. Holidays have become an annual institution, although it is now a little bit difficult to realise that there was a time, and that not so long ago when holidays were almost unheard of. The rich went where they wanted to at any odd time; occasionally the middle-class took a few days off; while as for the ‘working-class,” many of them went a whole year without any break in their toil beyond the Sunday respite NECESSARY CHANGE. All that is changed now, and rightly, so; for physicians are agreed that a holiday—a judicious one—is a fine medium for toning up both body and spirit. It means a “change” and that is the desirable thing. Change of scenery, of air, and of diet, will often work wonders with the person who has become “below par,” through the monotony of doing the same things day after day, and meeting the same people, and eating practically the same food. Even birds and animals have a strong migratory habit; perhaps they regard these movements as a sort of annual holiday. But there are holidays—and holidays. Some go away and rush about until they are worn out, and return physically worse off. There are others, who exhaust themselves with tiring Continental jaunts, which resolve into a harassing nightmare of lost trains, bad hotels, and worse food. Such vacations cost money, temper, and vitality; the nett result is deplorable. The “family” holiday is a very debatable point. There are some love-united families who would not dream of going separately; year after year they visit some quiet seaside spot and thoroughly enjoy the change, and the lounging lite. It becomes an event, fixed by the law of “No Change,” which is the guiding star of some happy families.” UNWILLING “HOLIDAY- MAKERS.”

There are other families which also take a holiday all together, with a great deal of rebellion from the younger members. Father and mother, perhaps, are quite content to do as they always have done, go down to “the little cottage” as “we have done for years since the children w r ere little.” But the “children” are now springing up into modern womanhood, and manhood, they have their go-ahead friends who tell wonderful stories of “great times” spent at various dashing places, with whispers of hectic adventurers. It all sounds very alluring and we cannot wonder if the “family holiday” seems rather dull after such a painted picture. Mothers and fathers must remember that their young men and maidens want to fall in line with the spirit of times. The zest of life is not in itself “wrong”; but it may lead to all sorts of curious places unless there is reasonable control. Parente have sometimes driven their loved ones into foolish actions by this castiron hatred of change. The “family” holiday has been loathed by some of the young er branches. They have been told that it is “right and proper for them to accompany their parents. The result has been that rebellion is followed by duplicity, and I have known instances where they have gone off “on their own” to spend a holiday in some place more “rapid” than the quiet spot favoured by father and mother. This is deceit; and deceit will easily lead to wrong. GIVE AND TAKE. Parents must use discretion and try and put themselves in the place of the younger ones. There must be a “give and take” on both sides. Holidays are not worthy

of the name if they are passed away in wrangling and unhappiness. They are miserable if the younger generation is sulking. Let both try and agree that there shall be mutual accommodation, and then no doubt a way out can be found. Personally I think the day of the “family” holiday is passing. Far better, often, for father and mother to have a quiet holiday in some spot favoured by sentiment, and let the younger ones (providing they are, of course, old enough to look after themselves), go away and find their own enjoyment. Then, it is a family holiday indeed, with enjoyment all round. DOMESTIC JOTTINGS. A TRIMMING FOR COATS. The shop windows will be full of the new winter coats shortly, and most women will be buying, or else renovating last season’s. Those who cannot afford fur trimming either on a new coat or upon a renovation may make themselves a splendid trimming that imitates fur very closely, and is just as becoming. The process is that employed for wool rug making, the kind that is fashione on a canvas foundation, each strand « * wool being pulled through and knotted with a hook. The pattern of the collar should be cut out first in the canvas, and when the work is complete the surface may be clipped as close as is desired. Worked in black or natural coloured wool, the result is practically indistinguishable from the fashionable fur that is so much seen just j now on check coats. RUBBER SLEEVES. The value of the all rubber household ' apron is fully recognised by the housewife. Sleeves made in the same waterproof and dustproof rubber are now on sale. Upturned sleeves are not comfortable in the winter, and with a pair of rubber protectors the worker can keep her blouse sleeves down to the wrists and yet have them amply i protected.