Evening star., 1942-08-01

collections. With our love OF
having our own things around
us. many of these may be turned
into delightful we'll decorations
which help to make an interest,"
ing home.
Using these acquisitions in such
a way that the cleaning, dusting
and rearranging Is minimized
makes 1t much more fun to
possess them, so it is q smart
idea to think up a clever and in
teresting way to show OF your
hobby, utilizing its charm and
decorative value without working
night and day to keep 1t in order.
One young woman who has
worked for years assembling tiny
miniatures of period furniture.
and spends many months finding
Just the right piece In perfect
scale, decided something must be
done about housing the hobby
when an exquisite Chippendale
bed no bigger than her hand was
dropped and broken during
house cleaning. A window over q
low bookcase in her living room
offered the view of q nat brick
wall of the apartment house next
door and for this reason was al
ways covered with venetian
blind. She utilized this space,
building box which was fitted
into the window frame. It was
divided into rooms" each IL
inches deep and about Is long.
A thin glass front was framed In
a wide picture molding to fasten
in place for dust protection. In
these little rooms she has<created
background for each set OF
miniature furniture, complete
with draperies, walls. rugs and
accessories of the period. Now
her hobby is tucked away safely,
and as time goes on the old win
dow frame holds more and more
interesting picture.
A chest which holds a collec-
ton OF old valentines may be
made as colorful and decorative
as treasure box. The less
valuable and more colorful cards
in the collection are pasted "hit
or miss all over the outside of
an old trunk and lacquered in
place to protect the surfaces.
Three priceless and unusual val
entines are framed in shadow
boxes and hung over the trunk.
A long panel at each side, sur
rounded with molding and
painted to match the room walls,
holds an ever changing group OF
interesting ones hung with gay
colored tacks. From time to time
the display is changed with new
acquisitions or others out of the
chest and the whole room made
interesting by the use of these
sentimental cards.
Perfume bottles are lovely
against mirror wall. set on glass
shelves so that the shape of the
containers and the color OF the
liquid is in full view. These make
a delightful narrow hall decora-
ton at any point where light
brings out their beauty and one
may stop long enough to enjoy
them.
Dolls are charming In a case
backed with black velvet where
indirect lighting illuminates
them. They have the value of a
well-lighted portrait when they
are arranged in interesting COM
position.
Collections Of clear glass should
have daylight to increase the
intensity of colors and should
be kept free of dust to retain
their jewellike quality. The case
built around a window is ideal
for this. Opaline glass or milk
glass Is much more effective
against a dark wall. Especially
attractive set on individual
brackets to form panel against
deep color, they may be arranged
in dining room china cabinets
or above a long console table.
In these days when week ends
are spent at home. more time may
be given to the small details Of
arrangement and care Of your
hobby. All the plans that have
been tucked away in the back Of
your mind to be carried out
when you had the time" provide
recreation In these days when
"time of" Is spent In quiet leis-
ure within your own walls.