New Ideas for Work and Play: What a Girl Can Make and Do

Why this little animal is associated with Easter eggs no one seems to be able to tell. There are several legends which explain the connection, each one different from the others. This is the prettiest:

"Scarcely had the Winter King left on his way to Northland when the young Prince, Spring, passed along, bringing with him delicate flowers and wild birds. The flowers charmed his senses with their exquisite perfume, and the birds entertained and delighted him with their sweet songs; but Spring was lonely and sighed for the children of the earth, for whom he had brought these fair gifts. Thinking, perchance, they did not know of his coming, he concluded to send them tidings, when suddenly a little hare appeared, and immediately the Prince decided that the swift-footed animal should be his messenger. The little hare, however, begged hard to be spared, as he stood in terror of the dreadful shot-gun, which had killed so many of his brothers. But Spring, smiling said: ‘You shall be the bearer of gifts to the people, then they will not harm you,’ and the hare, calmed but hardly convinced, consented to do the will of the Prince.

"Then Spring wove a dainty willow-basket and filled it with pretty colored eggs, which the birds gave him, and this he handed to the hare to give to the people, with many sweet messages from Spring.

“Taking the basket in his mouth, the hare trotted off rapidly toward the nearest village. When he reached there, however, fearing the grown people, he delivered the messages to the children and gave them all the pretty eggs.”

A delightful little legend, isn’t it? And Spring must have been well pleased with the hare for choosing to deliver his messages to the children, for on this day it is the young people who first know of the coming of Spring.

The Easter hares shown in Fig. 53 are made of eggs. Goose eggs are the best to use—they are so much larger than hen’s eggs.

Blow the egg if you desire to keep the little hare; if you wish later to eat it, boil the egg hard.

Take two little tufts of cotton, roll and pinch them in shape for the ears, then two more tufts for the forefeet; fasten ears and feet to the shell with gum arabic, in the position shown in Fig. 53. Remember, the small end of the egg is the hare’s head; on this end, below the ears, draw with pen and ink the eyes, nose and mouth, using Fig. 53 as a guide.

If you make two hares, place them together on a fresh, green leaf of lettuce, and they will look very natural.

Did Palmer Cox have in mind an egg when he drew the picture of one of his famous Brownies? This queer little character certainly suggested one so forcibly that it was impossible to resist trying the experiment of making his likeness from an egg, and

shows the result, see illustration.

Prepare the shell of a goose egg as for the Easter hare, and follow the directions given for blowing the egg. Fig. 54 is the Brownie’s face. Trace this on tracing-paper, turn the other side and rub a soft lead-pencil all over the back until that side of the paper is covered with lead, taking care not to tear it in doing so. Place the face on the shell, the printed side out, and holding it steady, go over the lines with a pencil. This will reproduce the face on the shell, then with pen and black ink strengthen the drawing. The small end of the shell is the head and the face must be drawn well up on it.

Make the Brownie’s costume, cap and all, of brown material. An old brown stocking will be just the thing to use. Fig. 55 is the pattern of the cap; the dotted lines on the edges show where the seam is to be taken, and the dotted line running from side to side shows where the cap is to be turned up. Fig. 56 is the back and Fig. 57 half of the front of the jacket. Fig. 58 is the pattern of half of the trousers, which are made in two pieces cut exactly alike.

Make two little rolls of unbleached cotton, two inches long, for the arms. Fig. 59 shows how the muslin is turned up on one edge and then rolled. Fig. 60 gives the roll stitched and complete. When the jacket is made, slip the arms into sleeves and fasten at top of sleeve. Make the legs just as you did the arms, but use black cloth for them instead of white. Finish the trousers and sew in the legs at the dotted lines.

When the costume is complete cut a disk of soft muslin like Fig. 61, and slip through it, at the centre, a needle threaded with strong linen thread. A long darning needle will be the best. Pass the needle through the hole in the large end of the shell and up through the hole at the top. Draw the disk of muslin down to the large knot in the end of the thread, then bring it up close to the egg as in Fig. 62 and paste the muslin on the shell.

Dress the Brownie in his clothes; first his trousers, then his jacket; fasten them here and there with glue; run the needle which you have passed through the shell up through the little cap and out at its point on top. Slide the cap down on his head and glue in place.

Let the thread be long enough to hold while you dance the Brownie on the floor.

Eggs can also be turned into

How would you like great, luscious purple plums, watermelons and fine radishes for breakfast? We can manage to have them, and at the same time may be served mammoth acorns—not the kind gathered for cups and saucers, but quite different. These are as large as eggs and either all brown or green in color. They taste something like hard-boiled eggs, and, what is more strange, the plums, watermelons and radishes all have a similar flavor. To prepare them, color some eggs, make the eggs all of solid hues,—a few rich purple, several red, others brown or light green, one or two dark green. When the eggs are boiled hard and of the desired shade change them into the vegetables and fruits. Begin by making

Gum a number of crisp tissue-paper leaves cut from Fig. 63 on the big end of the red eggs. Fold each leaf lengthwise through the centre, according to the dotted line (Fig. 63); then slip a hatpin or the back of the blade of a table-knife tight up in the fold and, holding the leaf in place with the right hand, gradually push it up together on the blade with the left hand; this gives the leaf a natural crimped appearance (Fig. 64). Take a small piece of raw cotton and dip it in the dye, or, better still, color it with a little crushed red crayon; then pull the cotton into the form of Fig. 65. Fasten this red point on the small end of the egg and the egg will be a radish (Fig. 66). Use a dark green egg to make the baby

Mark uneven, lengthwise bands around it with a soft lead-pencil and fasten in the stem with sealing-wax. Bore a hole in the large end of the melon, making the opening big enough to admit the end of a small curved twig which must form the stem; put on enough sealing-wax to secure firmness (Fig. 67). Convert the purple egg into

by fastening it on a natural twig in the same way you stuck the melon on its stem. Gum two green tissue-paper leaves to the branch for foliage (Fig. 68).

The funny big

must likewise be attached to a stem, and on its small end
Fig. 69. you should fasten with sealing-wax a leaf bud from a lilac bush; if that cannot be obtained, make the little point of cotton. Let a band of colored raw cotton or crumpled tissue-paper be glued on to form the edge of the acorn cup (Fig. 69). When the fruit is ready for the table, serve each piece on a separate small plate in which has first been laid a white doily or a home-made mat cut from white paper.

Fresh flowers always give an added charm to the breakfast table, and in

their value is doubled. Select three large-sized eggs, bore holes in the small ends of each, and carefully make the openings large enough to admit the
Fig. 70. points of a pair of small, sharp scissors. With these cut the holes to a diameter of nearly one inch, remove the contents of each and place the shells close together, as in Fig. 70. Notice where the sides touch and drop hot sealing-wax there to fasten the three shells together.

Flower vases are collected by people whose aim is to obtain as odd and as many vases as possible. Other collectors delight in teapots, and you will find on their shelves all sorts of queer and antique affairs. If you happen to have a friend with such a hobby, give her

to add to her collection—one from which the tea can actually be poured out of the saucy, wee spout (Fig. 71). Remember, however, the fragile little affair cannot be placed on the hot stove. Blow the contents from an egg and, if desired, color it. Have the sealing-wax of a broken color, if it is obtainable, such as soft gray, delicate brown or quiet gray-green. The work will appear better than when more positive colors are used. With sharp scissors carefully cut a round hole in each end of the shell and another small one in the side, a short distance from
Fig. 72. the top, as an opening for the spout. Soaking the shell in warm water for nearly half an hour will render
Fig. 73. it less brittle. Make the bottom of the teapot of a round piece of stiff paper; cover the upper side of the paper all over with melted sealing-wax, and before the wax hardens set the shell down on it. For greater security drop melted sealing-wax entirely around the bottom where it joins the shell. Let the wax splash up on the egg; it gives a decorative effect. The spout (Fig. 72) should be cut from stiff paper, also the handle (Fig. 73); fasten both on the egg-shell with sealing-wax in their respective positions, following the dotted lines. When finished test the teapot to make sure it is water-proof; then fill it more than half full with water and have the fun of
Fig. 74. pouring the water in a tiny stream out of the spout. If the teapot leaks the least bit, fill the crack with sealing-wax. Be sure that the little gift is in perfect order before it leaves your hands.

Having completed the teapot, it will be easy work to make

Use two strips of paper for the handles; fasten them on with sealing-wax, and set the round bottom of the half egg-shell in the soft sealing-wax which you have dropped on a circular bit of paper. The paper being flat will give the sugar bowl a level stand, enabling it to remain erect and firm (Fig. 74).

In old-fashioned Southern country-houses there is usually a pail of clear, cold spring water conveniently near, with a gourd dipper from which to drink in place of a common glass. The gourds are interesting, odd-looking drinking vessels, but cannot compare in quaintness with the little

fashioned from egg-shells. A large half of an egg-shell forms the bowl and a slender stick the handle (Fig. 75). Bore a hole in one side of the dipper and slide the end of any kind of a slender stick through. Fasten this securely in place with hot sealing-wax both outside and inside at the juncture of the bowl and handle, and in less time than it takes to tell it the dipper will be made. Place all the Easter gifts you have manufactured on a table where you may enjoy them, and in order that you shall get the full benefit of their beauty, look at them through a pair of opera-glasses; but first you must make the glasses. Cut Fig. 76 from card-board; then bore holes in each end of two eggs, remove the contents and cut the openings large enough to see through (Fig. 77). The egg after the holes are made is shown in Fig. 78. Attach the large ends of the shells to Fig. 76 by means of melted sealing-wax; glue them on tightly, and the opera-glasses will be ready for use (Fig. 79).

Even play eggs manufactured of paper have many possibilities. Of course, all girls would rather make these for themselves than to buy them, be the trifles ever so beautiful; for, after all, the purchased eggs can only be looked at and then put away. You cannot have any real sport with them; cannot take them apart and put them together again any more than “all the king’s horses and all the king’s men” could restore “Humpty Dumpty” after his fall; nor can you change these designs from one thing to another, each complete in itself. Only the home-made Easter egg admits of such manipulation. It is an Enchanted Egg and from it can be made

To make the egg, cut from medium-weight water-color paper two egg-shaped designs, Fig. 80; in one of these cut two slits exactly like Fig. 81; lay this over the second paper egg, being very careful to have the two perfectly fitted, and with a pin-prick mark the ends of the slits of the top egg into the under one; stick the pin entirely through, first at one end and then at the other of each slit; remove the top egg and draw a straight line from pin-point to pin-point of the upper and then of the lower slit; these lines are guides and render it easy to cut the slits to correspond with those in the first egg. The two eggs must be exactly alike, as they are in reality the two sides of one egg. Trace the markings of Fig. 82 on one egg and spread strong paste sparingly over the darkened portion, not allowing it to extend in the least across the boundary lines, for the white spaces must be left free, that they may form openings or pockets. Again fit the two sides together (the paste will cause them to adhere), and place the egg under a few books, or some other weight, to dry, and in a little while it will be ready for transformation.

Trace the rooster’s head (Fig. 83), his tail (Fig. 84), his wings (Fig. 85), and his foot (Fig. 86), on the water-color paper. Make two feet and two wings; either paint the natural markings or indicate them with ink on the different parts, then slide the head in the large end of the egg at D, Fig. 82, fitting it in between the two sides according to the line drawn above
Fig. 87. the letter D on neck of rooster. In the same way place the tail in the egg at the small end, A, Fig. 82; fit the wings in, one on each side, at the slit E; notice that each wing is cut on both sides of the extension E, to bring the top edges of the wings up higher, when they are in position, than their central top portions. Slide the feet in the slit F, one on each side, slightly bending them out from each other; the rooster (Fig. 87) will then stand alone when it is placed on a level surface.

After the rooster has served its day remove the different parts and leave the egg as it was at first. We are now ready to construct a rabbit. Make the head (Fig. 88), the tail (Fig. 89), one fore foot (Fig. 90), and two hind legs (Fig. 91), of the same water-color paper. Carefully slip the head in the small end of the egg, Fig. 82, A, and place the tail down low in the large end of D; the piece which represents the fore feet—it should be painted to look like two, one slightly back of the other—is placed at the opening B, and the hind legs are fastened on each side of the egg in the upper slits E. Bend the hind legs out a trifle and stand the little rabbit on its feet (Fig. 92). If you wish you can copy the markings on this one and make your rabbit look as natural as possible. All the animals that you make should be white, except the penguin, as the white egg forms the body of each one.

In order to hatch the ostrich change the rabbit back again to an egg. Cut from light-weight card-board the head (Fig. 93), and the two legs (Figs. 94 and 95); these must be stiff and strong: you will notice that the legs are not bent alike. Use water-color paper for the two wings (Fig. 96) and a tail (Fig. 97). The wings and tail should look as much like ostrich-plumes as you are able to make them. Slide the extension of the neck, Fig. 93, D, into the upper part of the large end of the egg, D, Fig. 82, and the extension of the tail into the small end, A, fitting it in according to the line on the tail drawn around A; slip a wing into each side of the egg at the slits E, and finally fasten the legs, one on each side, in the slits F. Slightly bend the legs outward and adjust them so they will balance the body perfectly; the ostrich is now able to stand alone and will even appear to be walking (Fig. 98).

Make the head like Fig. 99. A is the portion which must be placed in the small end of the egg, A, Fig. 82, allowing the lower curve of the head, K, to extend down over the egg. Cut from very stiff writing-paper a like curve, and paste it in position on the other side of the head, where it should hang free: only the top edge of the piece being fastened on the head in order that the curve may easily slip down over the other side of the egg. This will make both sides of the bird appear alike. Fold a piece of writing-paper, and from it cut Fig. 100; the straight fold extends from O to U. Carefully fasten together the open edges of the back from T to O and from U to P; gluing them on the extreme edges, that the pocket thus formed may be as large as possible. Take stiff paper for Figs. 101 and 102, which are the feet and tail of the bird, the extension X of Fig. 102 forming the tail. Leave the eyes and mouth white, and paint the remainder of the head black; also blacken the wings and back, Fig. 100, and the feet and tail. Place the head in the small end of the egg, A, with the curves K down over the white egg on each side; then put on the little fellow’s overcoat, or back, Fig. 100, fitting it over the sides, F, Fig. 81, of the egg; push the egg or body of the penguin in the pocket formed in the back of the overcoat, and shove the feet into the large end of the egg, D, Fig. 82. Hold the lower edges of the egg firmly together while you bend out the feet sufficiently to enable the penguin to stand alone, Fig. 103.

These little creatures should be made so carefully that either side will be presentable. It is always distressing to know that “the other side” does not look real, and it is a great satisfaction to be able to show both sides of our work to our friends and know there is no “wrong side” in what we do. If you can manage to paint the designs in water-colors they will look best, but even when marked with black ink the little animals are charming; no adequate idea can be gained of this fascinating Easter egg until all the different parts have been made and the egg changed from one to another of the various life-like little creatures. The egg has been so planned that the wings come down and cover the tops of the legs of both rooster and ostrich; the penguin and rabbit need no such cover, as the rabbit’s legs fit in naturally, and those of the penguin merely slide up in the egg. A little practice will enable you to perform the work skilfully.

Butterflies are also emblems used for Easter. The beautiful fairy-like creature changing in its close, gloomy chrysalis from an insignificant little worm to the radiant winged creature of the air, fitly typifies the Resurrection. Did you ever find a chrysalis and after examining it lay it carefully aside, to await the development of the life within, and some bright morning discover the shell broken and empty, while in the room fluttered a brightly colored butterfly? If so, you will enjoy all the more

and which we will manufacture of tissue-paper.

Take four pieces of tissue-paper—yellow, red, blue, and white—and cut each according to Fig. 104. The shape is not exactly that of a real butterfly, but when made of paper it proves more satisfactory, because such butterflies fly far better when cut in this way. Fasten a fine black thread through the back of each butterfly (Fig. 105); bend the wings up a little and tie, or fasten with bits of court-plaster, the loose ends of the threads on a round stick, placing them at a distance of about four inches apart. Let the threads vary in length from six to thirteen inches; this will bring the butterflies at different distances from the stick. When all is ready stand about forty-five inches from and in direct line with a register built in the side wall next to the floor;
Fig. 105. hold the stick, with the butterflies attached, up and out horizontally fifty or more inches from the floor. The gentle heat will cause the brilliant little things to flutter up and down, this way and that, in a most natural manner; the fine black threads being practically invisible, the butterflies appear as if floating in the air without aid from any source.

You might try the experiment of taking them out-of-doors; if the breeze is not too strong, the butterflies will behave in the most approved manner, which you know all about, having so often watched the graceful movements of the beautiful live insects during the long summer days.

Perhaps the most charming of all Easter offerings is

Everyone strives to have a lily on Easter day. If you are unable to obtain one of the beautiful, fresh flowers, do the next best thing; make a lily—a stately, graceful white blossom on a long, dark-green stalk. The flower is lovely even when manufactured of tissue-paper, and can be made to look so natural that one almost expects to find the sweet, delicate perfume of the real blossom. The paper plant has one advantage at least over the natural one: it lasts much longer and needs no care to keep it fresh. From a new, smooth sheet of white tissue-paper cut six petals (Fig. 106); fold each lengthwise through its centre and bend or curl the top into a slight curve to take away the stiffness (Fig. 107); then cut Fig. 108 of unruled white writing-paper. Paint both sides of the stigma or top a greenish yellow and the style or stem-like portion a pale Nile-green. Bend the style up flat against the scalloped stigma according to the dotted line in Fig. 108. Allow an eighth of an inch and bend the style back again, which will make a little tuck in the style, bringing it exactly in the centre of the scalloped stigma when it is straightened out (Fig. 109). Fold each of the three scallops of the stigma through its centre and bend them down (Fig. 109); this finishes the pistil.

Make six stamens according to the pattern (Fig. 110); paint the anthers or tops orange color on both sides, and the supports or stems a very light green—as you remember those in the natural flower. Bend the supports in the same way as you did the style of the pistil, and slightly curve the orange-colored anthers. These should seemingly balance directly on the tip-top of the supports (Fig. 111). With strong paste fasten the pistils and stamens on the end of a stick which has previously been covered with dark olive-green tissue-paper (Fig. 112); then paste on three of the white petals (Fig. 113). Use paste sparingly, and be careful to arrange the petals evenly before adding the remaining three (Fig. 114), which should be placed one over each space between the first three petals. Fig. 115 will make the idea plainer. The petals numbered 1, 2, 3 represent the first three; the other three alternate with these, coming back of and between them as in the corolla (Fig. 115). Should the last petals incline to droop, attach them to the inner ones about midway up with a very little paste.

Take a strip of olive-green paper and cut it according to the dotted lines in Fig. 116; slightly curve each leaf in the hollow of your hand by rolling the round head of a hat-pin down its centre; when finished wind the strips of foliage around the lily stalk (Fig. 114). Have the stalk quite long,
Fig. 115.
Fig. 116. a short one does not look well. If you desire buds as well as blossoms, cut squares of white tissue-paper (Fig. 117); roll each paper (Fig. 118), fold down the top ends a trifle and pinch up both ends; then pull the bud into proper shape (Fig. 119). Paste the pinched tops together and fasten the lower end of the bud on a green-covered wire (Fig. 120).

You can make smaller buds for the top and have the larger, which represent buds ready to open and blossom, bent as in Fig. 120. To make a stalk bearing buds and several blossoms, instead of building the flowers on the end of a stick, fasten each blossom and each
Fig. 117. bud on a separate wire which has first been covered with green tissue-paper; then bind the small buds on the top of the long green stalk with thread or fine wire. Next fasten on the larger buds, afterwards the blossoms, and when all are arranged satisfactorily wind the green foliage around the stalk (Fig. 114), and it will all look very beautiful and natural. The lilies may be placed in a tall glass vase or the end of the stalk pushed into the earth in a real flower-pot, and at a short distance it will have the appearance of a growing plant.

Here is a piece of advice for you, girls; possibly it may not be appreciated, but it is good advice, nevertheless: While you are away for your summer holidays, keep out of sight the fancy work you do at home.

When we drop the work or study that has employed us during the long winter and spring months and go off in the summer to be refreshed and invigorated, do we not say we go for recreation? If you will stop to think about it you will see that recreation means literally re-creating, being created anew; it means the laying aside of our ordinary habits and thoughts and adopting entire new ones, for the time being at least. It is this refreshing change of thought and occupation as well as change of air that proves so beneficial; therefore, don’t keep the one little portion of your brain which you devote to fancy work busy all summer long in the old routine, but let it have recreation as well as the rest of your mind and body.

By this I do not mean that the faculty ordinarily exercised in the interest of fancy work should not be used in any way, or that the hands which take so kindly to needle and thread should be always idle. Not at all; but there are other forms of work for quiet hours, distinctively summer work, which with their entire or comparative novelty refresh the mind and give added deftness to the hands.

The rainy day comes occasionally and you cannot be out of doors; then is the time to look over the store of treasures which you have gathered in your walks through wood and field and try to devise some means of preserving them or making them of use. To begin with, there are your pine cones, and no doubt you have gathered a great number of them; everyone does. Sort the cones and select several of the largest, most open ones to use as hanging-baskets in your window next winter, and if you have an open fire devote the remaining cones to creating a cheery blaze, to help disperse the gloom that a northeast storm in summer is apt to throw over one.

If you are impatient to try the experiment of making a

you need not wait until winter, for, being in the country, your materials are all close at hand, and there is no reason why you should not start one immediately. Having selected your cone, shake out the seeds, if any remain in it, and tie a cord around at about the middle, leaving a loop on the top by which to hang it, as in the illustration. Fill the interstices with lightly sifted earth, scatter a handful of wheat or oats over it, and thoroughly dampen the whole. Hang the cone in your window, keep it damp, and shortly the grain will sprout and the cone will become a mass of vivid green.

Of course the beauty of the cone hanging-basket does not last a great while, but a new one can be so quickly and easily prepared that, with a store of half a dozen cones, you may have one fresh and green in your window all winter. Almost any kind of small cereal will sprout if treated in this way, and each time you can plant different seeds.

If you happen to have sweet grass in your collection, make it into

to put in the linen closet or bureau-drawers. These mats, placed between sheets or clothing, impart such a sweet, country perfume you will be surprised and delighted with the result. Take seven or eight stalks of the sweet grass, cut off the flower-heads, bunch the stalks together, and with a long, strong blade of the grass, wrap tightly into a rope, as in Fig. 121. Make several of these ropes before beginning your mat. Then coil one in an oblong, and sew it together, as shown in the diagram, Fig. 122.
Fig. 122. When the first rope is nearly used up, wrap the free end securely to the end of another rope and continue to coil as before. When finished, the longest diameter of the mat should measure about seven inches. You will notice in
Fig. 123. Fig. 123, which shows the sweet-grass mat completed, that the last end is tucked in neatly under the coil next to it, where it is fastened tightly with needle and thread.

With all the other treasures, I hardly think it has occurred to you to collect corn-husks, and yet many pretty things can be made of them. For instance, there is the

strong, durable, and useful. For making one of these baskets select the fine, inner husks, and wrap them in a
Fig. 124. damp cloth, let them remain two hours, and then cut into strips about one inch wide. Take six of these strips and tie them together at one end with a strong thread; separate the strips into three strands, two strips to a
Fig. 125. strand, and braid as in Fig. 124. In the beginning do not choose strips all of the same length, as they will have to be pieced out to make the braid the required length, and the piecing should not be all done at the same place. When you have nearly reached the end of your shortest strip, open it out flat, lay the end of a new strip over it as in Fig. 125, and fold together as in Fig. 126. In this way the piecing goes on as the braid grows in length. When you have about a yard of the braid, dampen and begin to coil it as in Fig. 127, fastening the edges together with needle and strong, waxed thread. It will require the whole yard of braid for the bottom of the basket, which should measure about five inches in diameter. Before you have coiled quite all of it, piece the strips again and make a yard or so more of braid. Dampen the new part and begin to coil once more, this time turning the braid up on its edge, and running it around horizontally to form the sides of the basket, widening the sides a little with each row. Four inches is a good depth for a basket of this kind. Finish the top of the basket by sewing another row of braid around the outer edge. For the handle make a braid twelve inches long, then divide the strands and at the end of the large braid make two small ones six inches long. Fasten the ends of the small braids and cut off neatly close to the wrapping. Remove the thread which holds the other end of the large braid together and separate the strips far enough up to make two small braids at that end the length of those you have just finished. Sew the handle on the outside of the basket in the position shown in the illustration, tucking the ends between the bottom and next to the bottom row of braids, and fastening them neatly on the inside.