Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1889-10-18

From the New York sunl
The season is now at hand when nature be-
comes the generous friend of those of limited |
means who long for attractive surroundings |
in their homes, but who are debarred by |
straitened purses from seeuring the. material |
for the adornment. The woods and fields are /
covered with an ine1haustib1e wealth of ma
little taste and time will readily and inexpen-
sivsly convert into articles Of beauty.
A Sun reporter wandered one day not long
ago through region that was gorgeous with |
autumn fnery.
"What great thing it would be-" cried
one of his companions to the guide, eff we
city folk could only fetch these beautiful
things back to town with u.s."
''Nething to prevent, }" said our guide. '1'll
chow you how it is to be DONE"
The party clipped branches and gathered
birch and other barks, and moss and cluster
of autumn leaves, bunches of chestnut burs,
and, later on,:in guides homes, were initiated
into the principles of the art of natural deco
ration. The first lesson was in fashioning
young birch branches into frame work as q
dainty decoration of the parlor walls. The
branches had had, in their natural state, from
half dozen to dozen or more supple
| sprouts or twigs. These were bent and twis-
| ed artistically in various shapes about the
main stem in combination Of graceful
| curves. Bits of silk wound around the ends
held the twigs in place about the branch un
til they were dried and immovable. The work
of decorating the wall of a city dwelling with
| the material was easy. A twisted branch was
| first hung over the corner of picture frame
and drawn across the upper face of the frame
| and fastened with gilded double pointed tacks
| to the wall. Another branch, differently
| twisted, was tackled down over the end of the
| FIRST and spread out along the wall to a Sec
| ond picture, and the decorative border con-
tinued thus all around the wall, making an
| oddly pretty vine-like frame work that new
| or failed to excite the admira-
ton of those whe saw it. The join
| ing of the ends of the branches was ingen-
| iously concealed by fastening bits of dried
green moss to the branch or tying at the
joining place bows of gay ribbons, bunehes
of sycamore balls, or dried chestnut burrs in
their natural state. This unique border
work was heightened in Its attractiveness at
one point by fitting birds nest, with four
tiny tinted eggs in it, into a. notch of one of
the branches just where it overspread the
corner of one of the pictures. The total
cost Of the decoration, which, 1t Is safe to
say, was unlike anything in the city in its
odd beauty, was just about twelve cents. 1t
cost that for the gilded taeks. The bits of
ribbon were odds aud ends from old cos
tunes. The combinations of natural vine
work bordering possible to be worked out in
this way are countless. A single branch of
black birch gracefully twisted, with a bow
tied at the end, can be used for a panel for
| an odd corner of the parlor, and if little
! es of the twigs 1t will be discovered that the
once commonplace branch that thoughtless
| person would toss aside as useless has ber
come picture rack of pleasing design.
Birds nests and hanging festoons Of oak
balls or chestnut burrs can be used in lieu of
the pictures where two such racks are re-
quired, q contrast to the brightness of the
pictures Of the one being secured by the use
Of ribbon or raw silk twined about the in
terstices of the twisted branches. In the
making of natural frames for etchings or
plaques, the skilled worker with birch bark
and twigs has greater plsy for fantastic COM
binations. Those who are familiar with the
use of the camera can secure results that will
be delightful to the artistic eye, for birch
frames are peculiarly appropriate for views
of choice bits Of scenery encountered by the
amateur in his summer jaunts. The prettiest
; conceivable mat for such pictures is one out
from sheet of tinted birch bark. It the
sheet be roughly framed in this oblong OF
square made of the commonest pine or oak,
or any other wood the maker may fancy, q
| foundation Is secured for an ornamental
frame of twisted birch that may be as sim
! pie or as elaborate as the subject of the pho.
tograph or tho taste of the maker may
prompt. Lengths of round birch branches,
split in half lengshwise, should be frst fast
} ened to the rough foundation frame. care be-
ing taken to leave spaces between each piece
of birch for the intertwining of. supple
; twigs. The exercise of patience and good
taste In this INTERVIEWING ornamentation will
insure picture that will attract admiration
anywhere for its striking workmanship, and
| will have a distinct value for the owner, ir
| that its duplicate cannot be bought in pic,
| ture stores.
Tinted autumn leaves may be employed il
adding a tasteful effect to the mat which
borders the etching or photograph to be thu
framed. Tiny pine cones also make an ode
and very effective ornamentation where vari
ETY. in desired.
II An admirable feature of these natura
frames is the facility with which they maj
be utilized for additional elaboration By
, hanging to them or fitting between tn
, twisted twigs long stemmed pipes, or simila
, bits of ornament appropriate for the smok
!, ing room or the stady, or the studio. Ar
lists brushes, ornate book marks, and al
! such odds and ends, may be introduced witt
effect, and will enhance the attractiveness o
!, the picture if deftly done.
The decorative uses of moss grown bar
Q are also manifold. Some of the prettise
y
l with moss and filed with dried ferns AM
golden rod or masses of richly tinted autunl
! leaves artistica1ly arranged. Handsom
hanging brackets may also be made by tax
q ing oblong strips of wood to which the mos
;, covered bark has been allowed to adhere
q fastening gilt screw hooks along the lowe
D edges of the strips, and then hanging then
{ by a ribbon against the wall. The hook
: may be used to hang whisk broons, httl
a mirrors and other toilet articles to. Bow
a Of silk tucked amid the dried moss adj
o greatly to the appearance of the bracket:
d The little moss grown stones gathered q
n the brook can be used to beautify mantels o
It to decorate an odd corner by the fireplace
r A curious mantel aquarium may be made
= for example, by propping up an ordinar
d finger bowl with slender sticks, and pilin
e snugly around it the tiny rocks, tuckin
70 acorns here and there in the interstices, an
r strewing small autumn leaves ever the rock
10 Conceal the edge of the bowl with layers
;a driad rnoaa 6l1 the O1asa with vuatar and Il;