Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-29
ATTRACTIVE HOMES.
China Painting and Some Sugges-
lions As to the Work.
WARE TO BE SELECTED,
Then As to the Designs and How They Can
BE Made E6ectivc-Ffreplace Curtains for
Two Rooms-Several Neat and Attractive
Holiday Novelties.


petus and the fascinating employment has
many devotees in Washington. We have good
facilities now for the work in all ways-in the
stock of undecorated porcelain itself. in in
struction and in firing, and some OF the amateur
work done here is really good. With the present
rage for Dresden effects in china for desk and
dressing table, pieces suitable for such uses are
in great demand A manicure set soon to be
decorated in that style consists of rather long,
narrow tray and two small covered boxes. The
polisher to be used with this set is silver backed
ard fits in its own little silver tray. This is
something new and an improvement, for pol
isher once having had the chamois discolored
with powder and rosaline is ugly to look at as
it lies on the larger tray, but when it fits into
its own the unsightly part is concealed and
only the pretty silver top is prominent. These
for china sets or as an adjunct OF whole silver
outfit are likely to be among the favorite
Christmas gifts.
| CHINA BOXES FOR DECORATING.
China boxes to be set on bureau or dresser
for rings or other uses are much liked, and in
larger sizes as bonbonieres are often chosen
for decorating. There is large very shallow
box that comes for painting, which is very
pretty. raised ribbon effect is i'll the china.
ending with loops on top. and saw one
painted recently with this ribbon in delicate
Dlue, WIN 1eSlOOnS OF roses on the uu, ana
good deal of gold about it and it is decidedly
frenchy looking and very pretty. For Dresden
designs nothing is more effective than the
china which often has an irregular edge, and
below or inside the edge M.le raised design
! suggesting ruffe. This gives the outline for
the gold and can be treated i'll several ways, in
! tiiaSree patterns, and the small flowers made to
| harmOnIze. 1t seems all but impossible to find
| suitable articles to paint for the desk. though
| have been on tine lookout for months and have
| searched china stores in several cities for the
| purpose. Pen trays and inkstands / have
| sought for in vain, but the little desk candle
! sticks can be gotten, and decorate charmingiy.
Small odd trays and little boxes may also come
III for use as desk furnishings. Some Of the
| royal Worcester china done by amateurs is
very handsome. and especially so when the de-
sign Is all IN the rich Colds the cream-colored
ground. This style of painting is perhaps the
| favorite at present with the ma jOrity of china
| painters.
| PLAIN DARK BLUE WARE.
Plain dark blue ware can be bought in good
shapes. then decorated with gold and bronze
and retired making very effective ornaments
the tall vases being especially Sc. Gold adds SO
much to the looks of all decorated china that it
Is used quite iayishly on almost all prices and
| dollars worth of gold which is sold on a small
glass palette will go much further than one
would suppose. The way gold is put on Ores
| den china is more economical for the PAINTER
than the royal Worcester, for instance. Silver
| can be bought prepared for Use like the gold
| on the glass palettes, and some very pretty re-
suits are seer from its One of the pretti-
| est pieces OF china which has been painted of
| late Is chocolate pitcher with cream ground
and graceful design of American ivy, the
| leaves and berries in gold. Some valuable pa
pers have been coming out in a recent maya
| zine ON CHM painting, and instructions are
given for doing the work SO that one firing will
be all that Is necessary for pieces that are gen.
| 10
| In each firing that besides the expense there
would be great relief of mind in having to
trust ones work only once to the kiln III all in
| stances.
FIREPLACE CURTAINS
L have been asked for suggestions as to fire.
| place curtains for two rooms. The first has
| brown tones prevailing in the furnishing, with
brown tiles facing the hearth and the fireplace
opening is rather large. For this think a
curtain OF either turcoman or wool serge would
be good, Of az dark brown as would still
| show its color well. For a band, to be deco
| rated, should take q nine-inch strip of white
bolton sheeting and on it lengthways paint a
large conventional flower form in succession,
| with little or no space between each flower.
This should be done with yellow tapestry dye,
| and little brown dye should be mixed with
the yellow to deepen and soften it. The out
line should be defined with gold thread, and a
center to each flower can be made effect
| lveiy by making loop Of the
gold thread between each stitch of
silk, which catches it down, and these stitches
are set as close together possible. thus giving
a fluffy full center which looks WELL Another
| outline of dark brown rope silk can be put on.
too if one likes, and little touches of it also on
the petals to suggest veining. After this is fin
lshed the plain white surface left above and
| below this painted band should be covered
with honeycOmb or lace stitch in golden brown
rope silk or fax thread which looks about the
| same and works so smoothly. This should be
worked across the stripe for convenience the
opposite way from which the painted band
| runs. and all the white background be coyered
and the stitch should be coarse, as the effect
will be better, After it is finished press it on
| flannel and put it on the curtain with either a
| heavy COUGHING of the same thread as the honey-
| comb Is worked with, or with narrow gimp,
| 1t Is a matter of fancy whether the band ia set
toward the top of the curtain in fringe style or
lower. Ii near the top deep tasseI fringe be-
low it would be graceful, or it can be set near
the bottom OF the curtain with narrow tufted
fringe below, or with the gimp merely as
rial for the curtain, though think I incline to
| the serge myself the best. The curtain
| should be lined with canton flannel the same
| color as the outside, and, if liked, the gimp
| may run up each outside edge of the curtain as
a finish. 1t should be hung to brass rod with
brass rings.
ANOTHER ARTISTIC DESIGN.
sired is in light coloring, and the fire
place is small one. Green and pink
are the shades used in the decoration and
furniture. For this curtain / should have
green plush of the same dark tone as is used in
the velours OF the divan. little way from the
d top and the same distance from the bottom I
should put wide gimp having some gold woven
| in it, leaving the center space almost n square,
Over this should powder a single tulip and
leaf, conventionaliZed and painted in lustra
paints, in pinks silver and gold. 1t should be
put at set distances, sthe arrangement being
conventiOnaiized as well as the form and color
ing. The paper on the walls is French one,
with bouquets and garlands tulips being quito
prominent and in the curtain this flower would
harmonize well. The curtain should be plainly
lined with no finish, but the bands of gimp in
closing the design.
| HOLIDAY NOVELTIES.
The usual holiday novelties fill the shops and
many pretty things are mingled with good
deal of untastefui trash. Dainty little feather
busters are in holders of chamois skin. tinted
and painted with some pretty design and one
corner caught over to hold the brush and laced
with silk cord, with tassels on the ends Cal
endars are in several fanciful forms, some
hand painted, Others printed and one little odd
one shown is folded together and on opening A
procession Of yachts fill the two pages. with
the calendar for each month on the spread sail
twelve yachts in all. This picture looks like
an etching and Is inclosed in thick paper
covers of duh blue. with an Inscription in
etched style applied to the outside, and is tied
with ribbons. There are many booklets. witt,
hand-painted covers tied on with ribbons and
| labeled with fancy lettering. according to the