Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-05-02


become deservedly popular. 1t af.
fords unlimited scope for the dis,
play of skill and taste in combina.
tion and execution, and like al
other varieties of fancy work, Il
extremely fascinating, especially
when applied to articles Of decora-
tion and use for home.
Spray or spatter work may be
applied to any smooth, even sur.
face, upon hard wood or upon soft
Swiss muslin, upon any color, il
the liquid used is of proper con-
trasting color. On white ground
India ink is used, on dark ground
white paint is used, and the pro-
cess is as follows; Have ready q
smooth piece of white wood-it
may be the side Of fancy port
folio. Have also some fatty press
ed leaves of ferns, grasses, etc.,
and having laid them on the centre
OF the wood, in graceful design,
pin them closely down upon the
wood with needles. Be careful to
confine all the points Of the foliage,
so the ink or paint could not de-
stroy the outline. A wreath or
boquet is nice design, or a mono
gram cut from paper and pinned
on, with flowers and leaves sur
rounding. ! have seen birds cut
out and laid in with good taste and
crosses and many other artistic de-
signs, or basket cut from paper
and filed with ferns and grasses
and pinned on is very pretty. 1t
is matter of taste altogether as
to design, but the n,od.as opera'adi
is to rub off sufficient India ink to
well dampen the tooth brush,
which with a coarse comb are the
only implements required. Hold
the comb over the picture, dip the
brush in the ink and draw 1t gen.
tly across the comb in such q way
as to throw fne, even spray upon
the pattern, going very slowly and
carefully, so as to lay the work on
evenly. 1t is more beautiful when
the spatter work is darker in the
center and lighter towards the
edge. To effect this, repeat the
scattering till sufficiently darkened.
Then, when perfectly dry, in an
hour OF two remove part Of the
foliage and give another coat to the
spatter work; then, when dry,
cautiously remove the pins and
leaves, and you have the design in
clear outline on your white weed
or Swiss muslin. In case you ap-
ply the work to Swiss muslin or
any fabric, it should first be firmly
fastened with pins to fat surface,
as q table or even o stiff box cover
will do. With q common pen vein
the leaves, and touch up a little
with India ink.
Table linen may be marked in
this way very handsomely by using
indelible instead of India ink. The
tablecloth, doilies and napkins
should correspond in design. A
monogram is especially appropriate
for them. Tides may be made of
Swiss muslin and ornamented In
this style but they will not bear
washing, unless indelible ink il
used. They may be lined With
silk OF bright colors, they are then
more sbowy; the edge may be fn-
ished by fine fringe tied in or by
ruffle OF Valenciennies lace. The
spray work may he done on velvet
of light shades or silk, and makes
elegant covers for toilet sets or sofa
pillows. On card board 1t forms
very handsome lamp shades; on
white wood 1t can be applied to
paper cutters, fans, glove boxes,
fire screens and card receivers
Th, frames for all these articles
may be obtained at the fancy stores
stores in New York, and are In
finite in variety of style as well as
OF price. Greatly pleased by the
f'rst specimens Of the work shown
me, and being told with only
coarse comb, toothbrush, India ink
and pressed leaves, ! went home
and set to work to see what could
be done. The success was so de-
cided I thought the picture well
worth framing. With 80 little In
struction was this work accom-
plished that l think the instruction
given above will be sufficient. II