Some Hints

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16908, 6 December 1922, Page 10

Some Hints

“ TAFFETAS REMNANTS.” (By E. O. D.) Shot taffetas was originally intro- ' dueed as a dress materi .1 of a parr*y f:CMiii ■.. mg inuving once made its appv a. «iu:e, ’.ts decorative and lamp shaues, were so apparent that it is now used indiscriminately to cover everything in the way oi household luxuries \\ ork boxes, blotters, table centres, dinner mats, even waste paper baskets, all made from shot taffetas, are being shown in the most expensive shops—at highly exclusive prices. Remnants are to be had at almost any price, and many of us have last year’s shot taffetas frock waiting to be converted into cushions and covers The material itself being so decorative, i- is made up quite simply. The cushions. for instance, are not niched as are the plainer jap silk ones, but are square or rectangles with one strip cf gathered silk joining the two sides together They are ornamented sometimes with hunches of silk fruit, made .by covering little balls of cotton wool with the silk and stitching them through the centre with contrasting threads. A bundle of old taffetas patterns will give you an excellent colour variety in the decorating spray. The lampshades are most attractive when made in lantern shapes, or curved, or with petailed edges. Infc.rtunotely. it is practically impossible to get these frames at a shop, though the plain ones are obtainable anywhere. However, any tinsmith or wire worker will make a frame the exact shape you require. Tt is just as easy to cover a fancy shape as a plain one, and a narrow tinsel braid sewn round the edges make it look quite professional. The table centres made from tins lovely shot silk arc almost invariably edged with a dull gold or silver braid, which tones admirably with the elusive colours. The tea cosy, over which a crinoline lady with voluminous skirt presides, is, of course, the most delightful thing — extravagant to buy but easy to make ! Dear little Dresden and porcelain heads are now to be bought. Li you have a wire frame made, like those for tlie lampshades, you must pad it with a thick layer of cotton wool : fix live silk to the inside of the frame at the bottom and secure the head by sewing it to the padding on the outside. Now draw the silk over the outside, and arrange it about the head with a ruffle. Deline the lady’s waistline with a scrap of silver thread and she will look charming. “ THE VAMP.” Most of us are familiar with the vampire woman, as visualised, by the diamatist and novelist—a dreadful. biood sucking, love-absorbing, home- ' destroying creature. that sweeps through the story like some incredible monster seeking whom she may de-

vour. Incidentally the lady is usually exceedingly well-favoured in her vampirish way- -a fact which goes some distance towards making her distinctly more acceptable than her morals would otherwise suggest. In real life, we don’t come up against the vampire of this calibre very often. Rut we do come against a species of vampire who, though she is l-.ofc so picturesque in her methods nor so alluring in her appearance, may prove an intolerable nuisance without actually endangering our existence. I refer to the woman, who, in conversation, for instance, is constantly taking i: but never giving out: who asks us innumerable questions without ever volunteering any information of interest - the woman who seeks us out when she has something on her mind, and prefers our company in adversity rather than in good fortune. There are women who devitalise those with whom they come into contact. They are usually uninteresting because, an fond, they are uninterested. They ask questions, not so much from intelligence as from vacuity. They are like drones, living on the mental activities of others. When they pay calls they arc apt to enter wearily and go out briskly, leaving their unfortunate hostess, whom they had found fairly vital, with a strange fg<-.lings of lassitude. On the whole T believe I prefer the him vampire. At least she wears nice ciothes and boasts a good figure, if she has an evil heart. The vampire of real life is a copyist. She wears garments that someone else has originated, and her whole bearing evinces a lack of

initiative. if she does nut thieve the affections of your husband, she is equal to plagiarising your pet recipes and iinl *slie repeal 11 choicest ‘ bon mot-.’ And it is so difficult to determine v. bicli of the two is the nior infuriating.— ‘ • Louise.” WHAT THE FACE DOES TELL. When Lava ter, the founder of physiognomy, declared that “ faces are as easy to read as books and infinitelv more truthful,” lie spoke with’ the enthusiasm of the pioneer. Faces can lie. though it is difficult to deceive tlie keen observer and almost impossible to maintain tlie lie for long. If faces did not occasionally lie wo should not he cursed with the whole race of charlatans and rogues. But in tli<' main Lavater was right : the face is the index and the mirroi of the mind behind it, and for the facto present a false picture of the mind —false in every particular—is as unnatural as it is for tlie camera to pre sent a false picture of the object in front b of it. No matter how skilful the “ fake ” may he, there is generally some toll tale muscle that “ gives the shov away ’ ’ to a keen observer.

y So much is the face normally the mirror of the mind that with frequent repetition a picture of the mind becomes permanently moulded on the face. Further, the attributes of certain occupations which demand particular habits of mind stamp themselves on tlie features in time. There L a characteristic face of the doctor, the family butler, tlie naval officer, the solicitor, and I believe there is now in development the face of the chauffeur, though not all who follow j these pursuits possess the characteristic 1 faces of them. 1 There are sound anatomical and physiological reasons for the belief that the face is the index of the mind. | Expression is created by about n score of little muscles, mostly paired that are grouped around the eyes, nose, and mouth. These muscles have no other function whatever beyond that of expression. They are controlled and set in action by one special nerve—the facial nerve—which arises from a special centre in the brain, and the impulse that originates from that centre arises in its turn from the higher centres of the brain which we call the mind. it, will therefore be seen that to set all this mechanism in action to produce a false picture is no easy matter, and there is generally a flaw in the picture somewhere Watch tlie whole of a man’s face

when you suspect a false picture of his thoughts. It will generally | e found that some corner of it is net under complete con- | tool. The picture is false in some little detail. TINTING THE HAIR. There is a wide difference between dyeing the hair and tinting it. Dyeing almost always entirely alters the colour, but judicious tinting merely accentuates the natural brightness oi the hair aud imparts colour when o has become faded or grey. Hair of all the lighter shades of brown can be kept bright, and any portions which are fading and going grey can be tinted by occasional applications of camomile lotion. First wash the hair thoroughly with the yolks of two eggs, beaten up in .. little warm watei Rinse in clear v. arm water, then apply the camomilelotion. To make tlie lotion, simmer handful of camomile flowers in n pint oi soft water for about an hour, strain, and apply to tlie hair while lukewarm. Fresh lotion should be made at each application. Dry the hair in the sun <v by fanning. POTATO WATER. Hair which is turning grey can be

successfully tiuted with potato water. To make this wash a number of potatoes, peel them rather thickly, and place the peelings in an iron sauce- ! pan. Cover with water and boil till j the peelings are soft, strain, and j allow the liquid to cool : then apply it jto the hair with a soft toothbrush. Care should be taken not to allow this lotion to touch the face or iieck 3 lor it is apt to stain tlie skin. FOR, THE AUBURN-HAIRED. To deepen the shade of red or auburn hair which has become verv faded or grey, a henna shampoo should jhe given one© a month. The herui. t j can be obtained in the form cf powder ; aud mixed to a paste with warm water land spread over hair. It should j l>o left on for abaatbjtrlf an hour and ! then washed! off. the ordinarv : henna shampdp should bo obtained. a- l <%rfWE i •flahlespoonfuls placed in a l«£r£r,:‘nailing water poured over t!snj, liquor strained, and used on ! Before applvmg the lotion j given above tbdr> -Mftl&be properly i shampooed and ctyL for Jhould there i he the slightest/ trade of grease upon ’ it the lotion wUF'upt take effect. I Hair to which any tint or dye has | been applied is apt to look lifeless. A : little oil should therefore be massaged into tlie roots when the “ tint ” has set and a good brushing given, the brush being sprinkled with a fear drops of brilliantine.