The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-05-12
BREAD AND CAKE BOXES
How to aislse and Decorate them Artistic.
ally.

Bread and cake boxes IN many styles
and sizes can be bought at house-fur-
nishing stores, but those who like to
have more ornamental boxes to grace
the shelves OF aglaSs-doorcd china closet
or wide sidc-board in their dining-roOm,
aud who have a fancy for doing such
work themselves, can make very hand
some boxes BIZ 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 bc too large: if
a large quantity of bread and cake is
usually prepared ut 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 a carpenter pre-
pare a wcll-ioned pine box of the desir-
cd size, with a closely fitting lid hung
by small brass hinges. Pine imparts a
very unpleasant flavor to bread or cakes;
TO avoid this have made Il tin box Just
large enough TO fit tightly within the
wooden one, and provided with inside
ring handles on each end, so it may be
easily lifted out for the purpose of wash
ing and summing. The upper edge of
tins tin box should be even with the
edge of the outside box, and the tin
rounded over 50 rs 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 a box which now does duty
rs a holder of a certain kind of spicy
nutcakes in china closet which was
old when the present century was vet
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 a dark walnut brown, with de-
sign of crocuscs on il the color of the
natural pine The crocuses start up
from the lower edge of the box as If
growing out of the ground. Along the
upper edge is narrow Greek border in
the same color; similar border is
around the edge of the lid and in the
center is a group OF five long-stemmed
croeuscs irregularly arranged. A quaint
sIlu.'i brass catch with a paddock
m; ps ~ccure fastening.
To de ate a box like the above, take
" iitfit ttlt NA t-iiAt-t anu tAIlltI llAtN
finished their part Of the work, and pro-
cced IS follows: Select a suitable de-
SIGN OF Croeuses, or Il somewhat similar
flower. Such designs as are given for
| outline or kcusinrtOn 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 a number of very
| handsome designs which may be easily
| adapted TO this work. Transfer the pat
| terms to white writing paper, then cut il
out close tovthe outline. In many de.
signs, rs in the one on the box Just de
scrbed, the patterns will be in many
separate pieces. Fasten these pieces on
the box in correct positions, using floul
| 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 il
| does not adhere to the wood in any
place, put a little more paste under il
and press it down until it does, for i
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 a weak alum water, taking
care that little goes on the pattern
To pint of lnseed oil add enough
| burnt lumber mixed with n very little
red lead to make good walnut color.
Apply this TO the exposed wood with 8
brush; when dark enough rub we'll with
a WOODEN cloth. Go over the paper witt
a brush dipped in clear, boiling water
until it can be peeled off The design
will then stand out clearly against thu
| dark ground. With fine pointed
| brush dipped in the staining fluid few
lines Of shading are added to the flower,
and leaves, but only a few really needed
strokes must be attempted.
Instead of flower designs, the ouain
old-fashioned boys and girls which nav,
been given in the magazines from time
to time for outline work, NAV be useC
with good effect The outlines of man,
OF these figures are so simple that thel
can be cut out with little trouble. ant
the lew touches necessary to bring then
TO perfection can be easily added will
the brush. Single figures can be drawn
of and, after being cut out. re-arrangeC
INTO new groups appropriate for tn
place they are to ornament. Thus il i
little trouble to arrange for the front o
the BOX a group of two figures carryin.
large tray of bread or cakes, or t.
make procession of such figures, eacf
with basket of bread.
The boxes may be made any color thu
worker prefers. but dark walnu
brings out the figures as well as an,
color. A good red stain IS made b,
boiling halt pound of Brazil wood AM
one ounce of pearlash in two quarts o
water for nearly three hours; it must b,
used hot and, as soon as applied, b,
brushed over with alum water A stron.
solution Of logwood and redwood make
very satisfactory imitation of rose
wood. =
he box may be vanished or not, ac
eording to taste. Generally, varnisl
gives the best effect. but when wainu
stain IS used the v:srnish should be dis
pensed with and oil used in its place
Wooden or brass handles are fastene.
securely TO each end OF the box. an,
round knob-like wooden feet are screw
81 ed under each eorner-Mrs. z. q
France, ia Good Housekeeping.