The Washington critic., 1890-02-16
DECORATIVE ART.

To begin with painted articles, the lids of
cardboard boxes may be used as pretty
calendars for hanging upon the wall, either
square suspended diamond ways), long or
circular First paint over the cardboard
with q thick background of oil paints, pre-
senting shaded surface; then add a spray
of flowers, few butterflies, cherubs, or
anything that fancy dictates; varnish
finally, and finish off the whole
with q twisted length of soft silk
or ball fringe. But the nov city
is the introduction of three col
ored ribbons, an inch, or rather wider
through three couples of Sits, previously
cut in the surface. Each slit is the width
of the ribbon, and there is just space
enough between the two Sits for the ribbon
to emerge from the back, showing its date,
day or month, then pass in again to the
back. About half an inch shows-thus, by
drawing the ribbon day by day, you have
perpetual calendar. The ribbons hang
some distance below the lid, and are finished
off with silk pompons, little bells, or
fringed edges They are not set in n line
on the surface, but each one little lower
than its fellow at Il certain distance.
Tambourines and guitars are utilized In
the same style. Muff box tops could also
be used. Cardboard boxes, slightly padded,
covered with plush, with the tops covered
with satin or silk, tightly drawn over, aud
painted fancifully, can be adapted as glove
or handkerchief receptacles. A ribbon is
passed round the edge and tied in good
siz ed bow at one side. Tambourines GOV
ored with brocade or painted satin, with
trimming round the edge, and a circular
silk-covered cardb GARD back, made to tie
on at the back, are very fashionable now
as handkerchief cases.
| Little table screens can be made into re-
| ceptacles for odds and ends by having two
straight pieces fixed to the two panels of
wadded satin or brocade, turned up to form
deep bag, eight or nine inches deep. The
framework is first painted pale color, or
white. There require to be four pieces of
material, as the back shows between the
bars. The waddlng is placed between.
The turned-up piece is apparently fastened
with large bow, to form the bag. The
satin is nine inches longer than the screen,
the extra length forming the bag, These
| make beautiful drawing-room nickuacks,
| and are one of the latest novelties at ba-
Ears. Any carpenter would make the wood
work, in the form of miniature clothes
horse, standing from two feet to three feet
| in height.
Cushion nightdress bags are novel, first
covered on the front side with plush, then
| with square of fancy silken material lined
| with satin, and rolled back before it reaches
the top, thus showing about a quarter of
The plush the pale colored satin lining and
the brocade at the same time The back is
Of silk or cotton. backed satin The night
| dress goes in at the side. There is often a
elk cord edging the whole, or dainty bow
at one corner, and the whole thing is the size
of an ordinary sofa cushion, and looks like
one. These are often given as wedding
presents in white satin and gold brocade,
with cluster of artificial oranges and
flowers on the rolled lining of white silk.
Circular cushions for sofas, averaging
forty inches in circumference, are made of
two-colored pongee silks, such as pale terra
Gotta and green, deep terra Gotta and pink
or gold, etc, in four sections, gathered all
round the edge, and drawn into almost a
point in the middle, finished off with d
rosette OF the two colors. A hemmed frlll,
two inches wide. goes all round. The back
is covered with piece of the silk. A yard
OF each color is required. Sateen is ar
ranged in the same way. A pretty cosey
can be of two-colored pongee silks--orange
and brown, olive and pink, etc. A length
of half a yard of the light-colored silk,
about twelve inches wide Tor half its width
is gathered rOund the edge OF the cosy, and
drawn down to the centres then the darker
silk, also gathered at the edge, fills in the
space at the top. A length of silk, two
inches wide, is folded and gathered all
round the edge before the two sides are
sewed together The lining should be OF
serge. Only half yard of the light silk
and quarter Of the darker are necessary
Underneath the silk is serge.
Small remnants of colored silks can be
made into covers for childreu's little tin
pals minus the handles). The pals hold
small pot ferns. A circular base is made
of cardboard, covered with silk, and the
bag sewed to it., another row of running
being placed an inch higher, to form puff
Two pieces of silk cord are run round
and tied at each side of the top Of
the pail with four tasseled ends The
silk falls over as a two-inch fringe, either
frayed out at the edge or partially bidder
by tinted lace. These are most Ornamental
on dinner table or on an invalid's oeca
sional table. Some pretty three-cornereC
pin-cushions may also be made with scrap'
Of pongee silk and an embroidered Turliisl
square d'oyley cut in half. The cushions
are six inches long and three inches ut thu
widest part. They have folded frll o
SILK, piece of inch.wide cream lace laid OF
II, and a silllen cord, knotted at each cor
ner, as finish.