Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-11-29
THE HOLIDAYS.
a DESCRIPTION OF GIFTS THAT MAY BE
MADE At HOME.
Some Easily Constructed Articles for
Holiday Presents-Eome Han
diwork-Etc.

AS gifts are valued by the true friend
more for the giver than for the intrinsic
value of the gift and as token of esteem
which has engaged the personal labor OF
the giver more than outlay from the donors
purse, is most valued by the recipient. the
lady readers of the RECORD UNION who
contemplate marking the season of good will
by exchange of presents will be interested
in the following account of homemade
gifts and how to make them. A second
chapter on the subject will be given next
week, touching articles of a somewhat
different order.
Art needlework as applied to home
decoration is the fashionable craze of the
day. ALI manner of pretty trifes are pop
ular, and the room looks barren which
does not include some of them among its
furnishing.
The many trifes manufactured of gilt
and silver card. board look especially well
upon the Christmas tree. Hairpin cush-
ions, photograph holders, cigar-cases,
catch ais, air-castles, intended for orna-
ment only, or for use as pin cushions ; all
these are decorative and easily made. For
the matches safes there are many patterns,
the best of which is, perhaps, the double
safe-two boat-shaped receptacles, one
above the other, for matches and burnt
ends respectively. Tins come for these,
and the card board must be cut to cover
them. These covers are ornamented with
needlework or scrap pictures, and the affair
is suspended by ribbon. Tins for whisk-
holders are covered in the same way, fiu-
ished with ribbon quillings and with satin
or silk at the bottom to match. Splint
work is also used for these, and is very
effective when prettily embroidered. Such
holder makes an acce ptable present to
either lady or gentleman.
CIGAR HOLDERS.
Empty mustard or spice boxes form
a good foundation for cigar holders.
The card board is cut to fit and decor
ated to taste The bottom-of card
boards sewed in, and pulled ribbon
hides the join and finishes the case.
A ribbon is sewed to the sides and forms
the handle The same case may be hung
on the gas bracket and used for lighters.
In this case the tapers should be made and
the holder filed before giving the present.
Newspaper holders are pretty and easily
made. The frames for these are sold at
fancy stores and are merely wooden or
papier .mache backs, with Sits through
which the straps pass. There are two OF
these straps of strong canvas, bound with
ribbon and worked in point Russo or cross
stitch. These straps hold the newspapers
and may be let out or taken up as desired.
The holder is to be hung on the wall, and
forms most ornamental adjunct to study
table.
BASKETS.
Baskets of all kinds are pop.
ular, and are variously decorated. Open
wicker baskets are still in great favor for
waste baskets. They are decorated with
lambrequins made of cloth. velvet or sateen.
When this last-named material is used,
cretonne flowers may be transferred to the
center of each vandyke and finished with
silk or crewels round the edge small tas-
sells finish the points. The smaller sizes
have now been adopted as work baskets,
for which purpose they are lined with Tur.
key red, and the lining coming up beyon
the top is used as a bag and gathered up
with drawing strings. These, however,
are not new, but they deserve mention, as
being both useful and easy to manufacture
at home.
wASTE.PAPER BASKETS.
The small waste-paper baskets, which can
be purchased in plain white wicker, painted
black and gilded by the purchaser, have
now been adopted as flower pot covers, and
very elegant ones they make with their
square gilded handles standing up and the
two small rings hanging down as ornaments
on either side. They can be decorated in
many ways and take painting with great
effect. An especially elegant one was
stained black, gilded and painted, with a
wreath of large sunhowers in oils round the
sides. Another method savors of the
Japanesque. 1t is to paint spray of
flowers or branch of fruit dropping from
one of the handles at one side only.
USE FOR HATS
Englishwomen are adapting the tall
silk hats worn by gentlemen fr
waste paper baskets and work baskets.
These hats when dismissed by their
wearers are usually only about quar-.
Ter worn, as no one will wear "shock-
ing bad hat if it be possible to get new
one, and to many ladies to find use for
the discarded ones will be a great boon.
When decorated and beautifed, they form
really useful and pretty novelty. The
best way of making them up is to en-
broider the straight piece around the hat
first cut out circle for the top, which
will not need decoration, as it is not seen
then sew these on the hat securely, hiding
the stitches round the crown with a cord
of the coiors used. The brim, cover and
the lining are prettiest of huted material.
A very elegant one was of black satin,
embroidered or painted with red gerani-
ums, and the fiuted lining and brim of red
satin to match. To counterfeit the extreme
hghtness of the hat, it may be slightly
weighed with lead, sew in under the lining.
When the hat basket described is intended
for work, loops of ribbons for scissors,
thimble, etc., should be attached to the
edge, or bag top may be sewn round the
top.
WALL POCKETS.
The cheap Yeddo hats SO much worn
last summer are made into "wall- pockets"
or hanging baskets. The outside is brushed
all over with gold or black paint and al
lowed to dry thoroughly; the inside OF the
brim is lined with satin, and bag top is
put in the crown, which is drawn up with
cords and tassels. Then the brim of the
uds 10 suiECu up Ou OuC sue duu . DuuCls
of dried grasses and artificial flowers is
placed there, or for this may be substituted
bow of ribbon matching the lining. The
bag is hung against the wall, turned with
the hat outside.
lwoRK-BAsKETs AND cATcH-ALLs.
Very petty work baskets may be made of
strawberry baskets, lined with red Turkey
twill or satin, the lining forming bag which
draws up at top with a ribbon, and when
open turns down over the basket. Two
pockets are set in opposite sides of the
basket INSIDE, of course) and needle
book and straps for holding scissors, thin
BILE, etc., are fastened to the others.
Pretty catch-alls are made of the Yeddo
reed cuffs worn by chemists. For these
they are embroidered in long stitches with
colored woods, or are decorated with APP
Dlioue figures a bag bottom is added and