Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-28
ATTRACTIVE HOMES.
Some Pretty Styles Of China Dishes
for Decorative Purposes.
DESIRABLE EASTER GIFTS
Former Presents Of Carols and Slight Trinksts
Now Not Up to the Requirsments-Gifts Of
Jewslry or Decorated Work are Expectsd-
Some Good Suggestions.
Written for The Evening Star.

N H.
IA which is only second to Christmas as Joy
ful season, marked by exchange of gifts among
families and frisnds. The preparations for it
are ON large scale among the shops of all
kinds, and especially those where spring gar
ments are bought complete or in detach-
ments. The fashion of present-giving at Easter
has gone quite outside the significance Of the
day like those and Christmas. Comparatively
few have any real appropriateness for the occa-
sion. There are in plenty things specially in
tended for Easter. but they are generally 10 the
line Of tries for children pretty little conceits
for confectionery. or booklets, or cards with
Easter verses and spring flowers combined.
With all the variety to select from there
is a wide choice in Faster souvenirs. To
friends in town, growing plant is always a
pleasure-giving token. and if the jar is inclesed
in pretty basket or case of some kind it's at
tractiyeness is increased. have spoken of the
shirred covers which could he made for flower
pots. but they involved some trouble, which
every one might not care to undertake. Now
the supply has come in answer to the
demand ard silk covers with elastic run in top
and bottom to fit them easily to a jar can be
bought at some of the shops Some of them
are in stripes. bright. rich. red and golden
yellow, for instance, like the shades in tulip.
PRETTY JARS OF POTTERY.
Pretty jars Of pottery in different coloring
are always to be found at low prices which
very much set of any plant put in them.
saw an odd little one the other day at only IS
cents on the 'bargain counter of a china de-
partment in one Of our stores.
1t was with open work. sides of white, with
blue rim. and was evidently japanese. For q
able. Maiden hair is SO gracefully spreading
that in q small pot nothing is so effective or
looks so well in an outer jar.
China is always in order for gifts, for Easter
or otherwise. and one can never 60 amiss in Of
fering it, Never has there been more or pref
tier to choose from than now. whether for
mere beauty and ornament or for use as we'll.
Among the latter articles are the charming
little individual dishes for serving
creamed lobster, or sweet breads or fish.
We have proved the utility Of them by using
the little plain white ones extensively but
now we can get them-that 10, for Sl2 dozen
decorated in the dearest of tiny flowers. three
festoOns tied with blue bows on each dish, a
little wreath on the rim and few scattered
flowers inside, surely Ms dainty in the small
sue and fine decoration as anything could be-
NOVELTIES IN DRESDEN CHINA.
Little oval baskets in two sizes with sprigs Of
flowers and gilded edges and handles are novel;
ties in Dresden, and can be used for q number
of things. was told at a very large establish
ment lately that it was not possible to keep a
full assortment Of Dresden on hand, it was SO
quickly bought, especially anything novel in
shape or decoration.
The prettiest bread-and-butter plates have
ever seen We're at this same place and we're OF
Dresden, with little open work in the border
and lavishly ornamented.
Amateur china painters can find prettier
shapes now than ever before on which to ex-
pend their labors. Little trays or platters with
two stationary egg-shaped cups in which to lay
lengthwise two boiled eggs is q piece that is
pretty to decorate in Dresden style. Little
Turkish cups are quite novel, the saucer having
a stationary open work standard for the cup,
which is without handle and fits into il. The
cup has slightly aaring rim, and this is a very
effective piece to paint.
Little pepper or rather salt boxes Of cream
white ware are in pretty shape, with twisted
lines on the sides and plain space between, like
in common ware already decorated in cheap
style, and one might not care to paint
them as salt holders. A novelty, however.
would be to gild the Lines, paint
tiny bouquets on the plain stripes and use
them for individual sugar sifters for wafies or
hot cakes. half dozen would make pretty
gift and the labor Of decorating would not be
great.
PERFUME BOTTLES FOR DECORATORS.
Some stores making specially Of china for
decorating. show tiny perfume bottles to be
decorated like the little imported ones which
people often bring home in their collections of
pretty trihes. One such has been painted in
gold, which is in lattice work over each side Of
the bottle, which is flattened good DEAL the
gold is put on SO as to leave an open space in
the middle in which on one side is tiny bunch
OF forget-me-nots, and on the other pink rose
with leaves and buds. The little stopper is
painted in filigree gold, as are the narrow ends
OF the four-sided bottle, and in decoration it
quite resembles the imported Ones and is .
pretty little oddity TO have about.
One OF the glass-topped tables, which are
such an acquisition to any drawing room, is a
good receptacle for specially small and fragile
pieces OF china well as other articles too
highly priced to be trusted TO mantel or table
top. The tables are exquisite in themselves
with the Innings of plush in lovely shades cal
culated to enhance the attractions Of whatever
they enshrine. Some of the tables have only
a top OF glass, while others have glass sides
also. which further display the contents. Fans.
miniatures, nything which is pretty enough to
be admired. even IL fragment. can appro-
priately be kept in such table.
HANDSOMELY DECORATED TABLES
Other tables, small and for drawing room
use. are decorated with flowers painted on
them and some are intended to stand against
the wall and have an upright slab like that
back Of a washstand. which Is also painted
Large flowers seem to predominant on these
tables, huge roses. peonies and heur dc lis.
have seen lovely little dressing table of
this same style. with swinging mirror and two
drawers, and all with these big natural-look-
ing flowers. 1t was extremely odd and
pretty piece Of furniture but it would prob
ably be impossible to find any other article of
bed room furniture to correspond or even har-
monte.
Among new things in china already deco
rated are the so-calied bouillon SETS consist
ing OF small tray, bouillon cup with cover,
small salt dish and pepper box and little rack
for toast. as this is al invalid outfit, and as
pretty as possible.
Bouillon cups this season have only one
handle instead OF two, and have covers and sit
In saucers. Some very pretty ones among
others of the less expensive kinds are of Cope
land ware with quite gay punches of flowers,
several different colors in a bouquet These
are about Sl2 a dozen, and bright and attrae-
| tive.
Little oval dishes for salt, one for each per-
son. are beautiful, decorated with much gold
| and solid color combined each dish having
different color, very pretty shades ali of them,
or may be having four different colors in a
dozen. three Of each kind. For satisfactory
everyday use nothing has been found better
than the little cut glass silver-topped shaking
| salts which one does not weary Of so soon e
| the ones of china with much decoration
The little oval Dresden baskets OF which
spoke are pretty also for salt, with tiny spoons
| for dinr,iuo 4 ont