The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-04-06
Homemade Screens.

Is the case Will IuOSt uoutiu HouoC-uOO-
orations. Do you wish to initiate them,
o impecunious dweller in country
house? If you can get the "blind side'
of the village carpenter he will make you
q light pine frame with solid feet, about
three feet by three, or four feet high by
two across. for fifty cents; then ask at a
paint store for Devoe's ebonizer, which
will cost twenty-five cents, and stain it
carefully-two coats veil rubbed in will
give a fine polish. Now take silesia of
two contrasting colors, one for each side
of your screen, cut the exact size, which
dampen thoroughly, and stretch while
wet upon your frame, lacking it very
lightly. on both sides, and drawing it
tighter as it dries. Take atape-measure
and mark off equal distance, say an inch
or an inch and half apart, turning the
edges in, and then tack with very small
carpet-tacks. which are afterward COW
cred with a fancy brass-headed nail.
Your screen now is ready for adorn-
ment. Christmas and Easter cards
gummed onsaccording to taste make a
very pretty and enduring remembrance
of frieHds. -MAsfriend prepared a charm
ing fairy tab screen for her nursey, in
three eempaftments, each telling various
fairy legends most graphically, as the
pictures were cut from books, and APP
propriately arranged. Sister Anne was
in her tower looking outfor the brothers,
while below poor Fatima fell at the feet
of the furious spouse. Cinderella's ca
reer began in ashes and misery at the
bottom, while the happy Prince tried on
the bright slipper at the top, and Jack
really twined his bean stalk up and down
the last compartment, while Kate Green
away quaint little maidenss peeped in
and out. What pleasurei it was for the
darlings lying in their little brass cribs
to be soothed to sleepin such fairy-ike
manner!
An invalid was greatly gratified by
present of a screen on which her favorite
flowers were grouped, they being in re-
atty frontispieces from old floral maya
zines. Historical subjects with portraits
may be used very effectively for large
folding screens. Take some well-known
author, put his likeness in the center and
group around pictures of his life or Illus
trationsof his works; or take 4 poem and
illustrate tby collecting suitable pictures
from various sources from time to time.
You willbe surprised at the result
In fastening on all these pictures for
screens to q foundation of either silesia
or paper, be very careful to know just
where the picture is to be put, because it
can not be moved afterward without
leaving a-blur. Use fine flour paste, gerry
smooth and rather stiff. Put the paste
on to the picture, then set it in its place,
and press down gently with an old linen
napkin. Do so until all are on, when
your screen IS finished, as it needs no
vanishing afterward.
These hints are intended for inartistic
work-Women, OF. rather for those who
have the idea in their brains, but cannot
make, the hand obey. For an artist the
field is inexhaustible, and even for those
less ambitious "a background carefully
put in. and then single figure or
lovely engraving from a portfolio, pro-
duces surprising effect. Those from
the illustrated papers are always avail
able for such a purpose
Some English screens are made of
photographs on tinted paper. At a
recent royal wedding such a screen
was named among the gifts made by one
of the princesses. They are easily made.
The frame may be either black or bright
red stained wood; stretch over the mus
lin that has been shrunk, or else have the
frame altogether of wood; cover this
with the kind of paper used for the fiy-
leaves of books-crimson for one side,
French gray the other, or China blue and
old gold. Slip your photographs from
COR hxy-s !,
Thea press them between old newspaper
with warm iron. Arrange your pho
tographs according to taste. 1t is best
to have large one in the centre, and
group the others around it. You may
have fancy pieces, or else heads of cele-
brities, or even likenesses of your friends.
These photographs be must put on
the screen with starch boiled just as if to
starch clothes. When all are dried, put
on thin coat of sizing, and afterward
varnish over all. A table screen for a
lamp is, similarly made. Cut out six
pieces of cardboard in the shape of a
Gothic window. Paste on one side only
the tinted paper. When dry, fasten
together on the back. Then, as in your
large screen, group your photographs
on, finishing off with sizing and varnish.
Have six holes punched each side, and
fasten together with ribbon bows. This
makes three folds to your screen. The
edges may be finished off with gold
paper, or ribbon glued on, if you prefer
Asstransparent screen is very orna-
mental where there is an open fire, made
either of plain or ground glass, and one
we have seen had impressions of ferns on
the glass, which seen through the fire.
light gave out very soft and tender
hue.
Another transparent screen is made of
thin muslin or tarlatan, or, better still,
white Grape, stretched on frame, then
water-color pictures are gummed on it,
arranged Enthusiastically or tastefully, as
you like. Such screen was once seen,
according to tradition, in the stately
study of one of our most distinguished
authors. The light shining from behind
throws out all the mellow tints of the pic
ture very effectively, conveying the inn
preston of lovely stained glass win
dow.
The frame of screens may be varied by
al l. n L n.