Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-09-22
HOME DECORATIONS.
SOME HINTS FOR BEAUTIrY1EG AND
IMPROVING INDOORS.
Bring In and Preserve Natures Attrat:
tions-ornamentation by Needle
work and Otherwise.

Now is the time to collect ierns for press-
ing, that we may have little of natures
loveliness preserved in our homes through
the long winter, not only cheering the eye,
but bringing back to US thoughts of the
lovely hooks where we found them, and OF
the happy days of vacation time, spent
among the woods and fields. In this way
we feel the influence of the lovely summer
days long after they are passed. The most
comm on varieties of small ferns are good for
preserving, but of course the finer they
are the better if one is fortunate enough
to discover in some hidden nook the grace
ful maiden-hair, with its feathery green,
and the dark brown hsir-like stems, that
ia the best treasure Of all.
For pressing ferns, fold newspapers into
a book. like form and cut the leaves, max
ing a thick book about IA by II inches
square. Select only perfect ferns; place as
many oa a page as you can without their
touching each other; leave two or three
thicknesses of paper between the pages
where you put the feras, as they produce a
slight dampness, which may cause mildew
if there is not plenty of paper to absorb it.
After filing the book, a very good way is
to place it between two thin boards the
size of the book, and then put weights on
the upper side. Or it may be put between
books of the same size and pressed by their
weight. Every few days, for two or three
weeks, look the ferns over and change
them into some of the vacant places which
will be dryer. Do not attempt to use the
ferns until October or November, as they
will curl up at the ends if used too soon.
fu yUn in
decorate house with pressed ferns. Many
people make g mistake in having them in
too many places. 1t is not as pleasing to
the eye to see them in all the vases, over
and under all the pictures, and even pinned
to the picture cords /; their beauty is lost
that way and one tires of them. A single
group tastefully arranged in some good po
sition in room produces much more
pleasing effect.
One very pretty way is to make fern
balls. These balls are quite effective when
suspended from gas-fxtures, arches, or in
bay windows. Take small bunch of
curled hair, such as upholsterers use, form
it into a ball about the size of an English
walnut, tie round it lightly several times a
fine white thread (No 100 is good) leaving
an end of the thread three or four feet
long, by which to suspend the fern ball,
after it is made. Procure some very slen-
der fine wire, little more delicate than
florists use, but firm enough to wind
around the stem of delicate fern and not
break it. Wind each fern so that the wire
will be long enough to pass through the
ball of hair, come out on the other side and
bend down, SO as to hold the fern in place.
In this way put in the ferns thickly, all
over the ball of hair, until it is completely
hidden. Small ferns of an equal size should
be used, unless a very large ball is desired.
Fine white thread is not easily seen, and
the effect Of the fern ball suspended mystic
riously in mid d-air is very graceful. If the
ferns are well dried the ball will remain
handsome more than year.
A pretty vase for holding ferns may be
made of birch bark. Cut circle of bark
as large as you wish to have the bottom of
the vase, and bind it with pretty ribbon ;
wine color makes a good contrast then
cut straight strip to form the body of the
vase. The width of the strip must be ac-
cording to the desired hight of the vase
make it long enough to match around the
| circle and lap over half an inch, then bind
this strip with the ribbon across the upper
and under edges; then sew this piece
neatly around the circle, and fasten to-
gether the raw edges that lap over. This
makes very pretty vase, quite simple in
shape, but when filled with ferns is pleas
ant reminder of the summer time. If one
can paint a few little wood. flowers or ber-
ries on the front of the vase it makes it
still prettier. This vase should be filled
with sand which makes it solid and hold
the ferns in their places much better.
There are many othef pretty ways in
which to decorate with ferns, but these
simple methods are among the most satis-
factory The Mastery.