The Dickinson press., 1888-12-08

Cheap looking contrivanccs for decoration
are always Il mistake, generally Il failure;
but there is q wide distinction to be made be-
tween such, and those effects produced with
out much expense. \ poor chrome or COARSE
engraving is alwaysin bad taste, whilca good
picture cut from Il fine Illustrated paper and
suitably framed is artistic and satisfactory.
The art OF reproducing and engraving has
now reached such 81 point that almost
every good weekly and magazine offers tho
means of admirable wall decoration, or the
making of screens or stocking u portfolio.
For the first mentioned an original and ar
tistic method is the following:
Select interesting aud we'll engraved illus
trations, il possible q scri"s-for instance,
Abbey's "She Stoops to Conquer" Buy and
have cut at n wholesale house cardboards of
IL uniform size, and on the center of each of
these paste carefully three or five OF the
pictures closely cut to the marsin), and
frame them with Il Very narrow band Of oak
or cherry. Now arrange these along one or
two sides of Il room devoted to reading or
'lounginy'' purposes. If there are low book
shelves, let them run along the top, or they
may be placed with picturesque irregularity
above the chimney piece, Il marrow high
frame enclosing three OF four such cuts at
wy Si'ANS s'il't ~ 1oJo III sISlOoot viz
center. Text applying to such q series might
bc prettily bound in soft covers and hung by
Il ribbon on the wall, SO that tho pictures
have an additional interest when studied as
illustrations Care must be taken, how
ever, not to mingle inharmonious decorations
of other kinds with such fixtures. Few but
the simplest water colors look we'll with
them, but peacock feathers, dried grasses,
great sprays of bitter sweet and clematis,
are effective against OF back of the dainty
works OF art and self toned framework.
Another novel way Of preserving first
class Illustrations from weekly papers is to
cut them ont close to the edge and then paste
them smoothly on an artists stretcher, such
as can he purchased for from forty cents to
81, the cheaper paper looking tho best,
while the engraving or cut soon takes on n
mellow tone Very artistic in its effects. The
wooden framework of the stretcher serves as
catch, so that these wall decorations can
be easily hung on q nail without any hook.
y charming portfolio can be made up by
having q number Of pieces of heavy but
cheap card board cut i'll various sizes. Two
dollars will purchase enough TO keep You
busy q long time. Select from magazines OF
illustrated papers the best work Of the best
artists in black and white. Cut the picture:
Close 10 the Margin, ana paste them III ta(
center Of q suitable sized piece of card board
while, when it seems all improvement, q hi
of explanatory text with the name of til,
artist can go Oh the reverse side. Portfolios t.
hold these interesting pictures should b
made as follows, the method being devise,
by lady who had collected o number @
charming black and white illustrations i
this fashion: Cover II large piece of cas
board with silk or ~plush-royal purple, DIV
green or old gold is a suitable color, certai
shades of browns also looking well. Mex
cover two pieces of card board pointed 9
one end, widening to two inches at the othel
and on either side sew pieces of silk fou
inches wide. These, with the pointed Car
board, should he gathered into u piece of sil
elastic at the pointed end, and have q fol
for a running string at She other. Join Gu
side Of the silk to tho large covered car
board, and the other to q full piece of sill
which can be gathered in at the top with
silk running string, forming a capacious ba
portfolio, if we may call it so, which b
means of ribbons or cord and tassel can /
hung against the wall very effectively
Harpcr's Bazaar,