The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-03-19
BREAD AND CAKE BOXES.
How to Make and Decorate them Artistic
ally. e.

and sizes can be bought at house-fur-
nlshing stores, but those who like to
have more ornamental boxes to grace
the shelves of aglass-doored china closet
or wide side-board in their dining-room,
and who have fancy for doing such
work themselves, can make very hand
some boxes by following. the directions
given below. No artistic skill is needed
to make these pretty boxes. and the re-
suit is certainly very snowy for the
amount of work and time required.
These boxes should not be too large; if
q large quantity of bread and cake is
usually prepared at one time, part of it
can be kept in stone jars in the store
room, from which the boxes can be re-
filed when necessary.
In the first place have carpenter pre-
pare WELCOMED pine box of the desir-
ed size, with a closely fitting lid hung
by small brass. hinges Pine imparts II
very unpleasant flavor to bread or cakes;
to avoid this have made ATTN box just
large enough to fit tightly within the
wooden one, and provided with inside
ring handles on each end, so il may be
easily lifted out for the purpose of wash
ing and summing. The upper edge of
this tin box should be even with the
edge of the outside box, and the tin
rounded over SO us to leave no sharp
edges. The box is now ready to be
decorated. The reader can best get an
idea of the result aimed for, from de-
scription of box which now does duty
rs a holder of certain kind of spicy
nutcakes in u china closet which was
old when the present century was yet
new. The box is smaller than it would
have been, had the particular corner for
which it was made been larger; it is ten
inches deep, eleven inches wide, and
sixteen inches long. The body of the
box is dark walnut brown, with de-
sign of crocuses on it the color of the
natural pine. The crocuses start up
from the lower edge of the box us if
growing out of the ground. Along the
upper edge is a narrow Greek border in
the same color; similar border is
around the edge of the lid and in the
center is group of five long-stemmed
crocuses irregularly arranged. A quaint
shaped brass catch with paddock
makes secure fastening.
To decorate Il box like the above, take
it, when the carpenter and timer have
finished their part of the work, and pro-
ceed rs follows: Select suitable de-
sign of crocuses, or u somewhat similar
flower. Such designs rs are given for
outline or Kensington embroidery can
be used by leaving off the lighter parts
of the design that cross and recross the
more prominent parts. Various art
magazines, during the past two or three
years, have given II number of very
handsome designs which may be easily
adapted to this work. Transfer the pat
terms to white writing paper, then cut it
out close to the outline. In many de-
signs, rs in the one on the box Just de-
scribcd, the patterns will be in many
separate pieces. Fasten these pieces on
the box in correct positions, using flour
paste, mixed smooth without boiling,
and not too thick. Next cut and paste
on the border around the upper edge
and the border and crocuses on the lid.
Examine the pattern carefully and if it
does not adhere to the wood in any
place, put little more paste under it
and press it down until it does, for if
any of the staining fluid gets under the
pattern the outlines will be blurred in
stead of clear and distinct and the effect
spoiled. Wash the whole outside of the
box with weak alum water, taking
care that little goes on the pattern.
TO pint of linsccd oil add enough
burnt lumber mixed with very little
red lead to make II good walnut color.
Apply this to the exposed wood with u
brush; when dark enough rub well with
oil oil n In, ,,.ith
brush dipped in clear, boiling water
until it can be peeled of. The design
will then stand ont clearly against the
dark ground. With II fine pointed
brush dipped in the staining fluid Il few
lines of shading are added to the flowers
ard leaves, but only few really needed
strokes must be attempted.
Instead of flower designs. the quaint
old-fashioned boys and girls which have
been given in the magazines from time
to time for outline work, may be used
with good effect. The outlines of many
OF these figures are so simple that they
can be cut out with little trouble. and
the few touches necessary to bring them
to perfection can be easily added with
the brush. Single figures can be drawn
vi dIit. dllcl uelllU cut OUT. Tp-uIIdnUtU
into new groups appropriate for the
place they arc TO ornament. Thus il is
little trouble to arrange for the front of
the box a group of two figures carrying
a large tray of bread or cakes, or TO
make procession of such figures, each
with basket of bread.
The boxes may be made any color the
worker prefers, but dark walnut
brings out the figures rs well us any
color. A good red stain is made by
boiling half n pound of Brazil wood and
one ounce of pearlash in two quarts of
water for nearly three hours; it must be
used hot and, MS soon us applied, be
brushed over with alum water. A strong
solution of logwood and redwood makes
very satisfactory imitation of rose
wood.
The box may be vanished or not, ac-
cording to taste. Generally, varnish
gives the best effect, but when walnut
stain is used the varnish should be dis
pensed with and oil used i'm its place.
Wooden or brass handles are fastened
cacuro1v IN nonb anI af fLa hn<y anI