WORK COLUMN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue VI, 11 August 1900, Page 275

WORK COLUMN.

HINTS FOR THE HOME. There never was a time when such an endless variety of frames could be purchased so cheaply, nevertheless there t are people who like to make their own frames, more especially those persons who treasure up what one might term “lay relics" of happy occasions, or precious trifles possessing romantic associationsorreealling some interesting visit to places of historical note. But. alas for the memory of the unmethodical

collector of such treasures! Being asked to give my advice concerning such treasures for a friend of mine 1 suggested that she thouhl range round her room a series of frames, each containing the flowers and foliage, or even the seaweed, which association had rendered valuable to her. We spent some time over it. and the result was eminently satisfactory. We commenced proceedings by cutting out of pastelioard a number of pieces some ten inches square, a few of the pieces being somewhat smaller. Each square was first covered with ‘“tempera"— a kind of specially smooth distemper—and, in the case of the one here illustrated, a spider’s web was delicately painted in the corner, and the stem of a tree roughly indicated across one sid? It was a spray of pressed convolvulus

with which we had to deal, ami thi> was ea re fully glued in an artistic arrangement surrounding the aperture which had already l>een cut to act as the framework for the photograph. which was no less reminiscent than the flowers of some well-remem-bered oc*casion. The leaves were lightly touched with varnish in places. The border round the photograph was cut in the pastelxiard with a law el led effect, and then gilded. Over all was placed a thin piece of glass, which was lion ml to the pasteboard by means of gaioon strongly gummed on either side, the corners being carefully and firmly sewn. Ihis made a most effective frame with but little expense, and as these frames grew in number—sometimes a photograph of a ruined tower surrounded by ivy leaves which had been picked at its base. or. again, a seascape bordered with seaweed—my friend’s walls became indeed a series of pleasant memories. The box in which a muff has l>een sent home from the shop should never on any account be thrown away, for it is pre-eminently valuable as the foundation for a great variety of fancy articles. The iong muff boxes are excellent for knitting needles, especially when a large-sized needle is in use. for they can be stood upright in it. These boxes always look pretty covered with some bit of brocade or a cover of crazy patch work, which is made of an infinite variety of materials joined together with fancy stitchery. Treated in this way they are quite an effective ornament in a room. Another very pretty little receptacle can be made out of such a box by part of the length being rut off and a strong piece of canvas sewn at the end of the foundation, the whole being then ornamentally covered. including the lid. which latter must have a hole pierced in the cen-

tre Then you have a most attractive and useful string box. either for your own use or as a present to a friend. It will also have the advantage of being large enough to hold the ball of string easily, and we all know too well the bother of buying a ball only to find that no coaxing w ill get it into

our string* box. By the way. how few women there are who put a ball of string' in such a box in the right way. They entirely fail to understand that it is only the end of string to be found in the centre of the ball which is of any use. and it is that end which they must find and draw through the hole of the box. Such an article as that shown in my sketch would sell well at one of the numerous patriotic bazaars now being held, especially if it were in the first place covered with khaki, and had a border of red. white ami blue ribbon tacked on in the place of the galoon which one usually uses for the edges.