Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Part 5

TIN FOIL

=Toy Dishes= (_Tin foil from cream-cheese wrappers_, _etc_.)

Take the tin foil, and by simple squeezing and pressing and shaping, a little practice will enable one to make it into tiny pitchers, goblets, pans, etc., for dolly's table.

=Toy Mirror= (_Tin foil_, _scissors_)

Smooth carefully with the fingers and cut a piece of the tin foil into the shape and size to fit a little cardboard bureau.

A larger piece will simulate water in the sandbox park.

=Toy Money= (_Tin foil_, _coin_, _scissors_)

Smooth the tin foil with the thumb nail, place a cent or a nickel beneath, and press and smooth again, making an impression of the coin that may be cut out and used in playing store.

=Toy Cutlery= (_Tin foil_, _scissors_)

Cut tiny knives, forks and spoons out of the tin foil for the paper-dolls' table.

CORK

Save all corks and they may be used in a variety of ways.

=Toy Raft= (_Cork_, _wire or hairpins_)

Run several corks on a piece of wire to resemble a log; make several such and then tie together to make a raft, tying between the corks.

=Toy Boat= (_Circular flat cork_, _tacks_, _wire_, _toothpick_, _paper_)

Insert a toothpick in one of the large flat corks that sometimes cover pickle gla.s.ses. Paste a paper triangle upon this for a sail and set afloat in a dishpan sea.

=Flower-Rack= (_Flat cork_, _pencil_)

Take a flat piece of cork such as is used by entomologists upon which to impale insects, or any flat, _thin_ piece of cork will do if several inches in diameter. Such cork may be easily perforated by a slender pencil. Make a number of perforations several inches apart, and then the cork may rest upon a water-filled saucer or other deep dish, and the stalks of single flowers may be inserted into the holes so that they are supported by the cork.

=Furniture= (_Circular corks_, _pins_, _worsted of pleasing color_, _cashmere or silk goods_)

Into the upper side of a round cork about one inch in diameter insert five to seven pins. Twist and weave the worsted in and out, under and over those pins, so as to make a firm, solid back to a little chair. The ends of the worsted may be neatly disposed of by threading on a needle and running in and out for a few st.i.tches till concealed.

For legs, insert four strong pins, and wind these round and round with the worsted, finishing neatly by running with a needle in and out.

If the seat seems too plain it may first, before the chair is made, be covered with silk or cashmere. To do this cut the cloth into a circle somewhat larger than the diameter of the cork. Run a gathering thread around the circ.u.mference, and putting the cork in the centre draw the thread and so gather beneath the seat. To make a really neat finish the edge should be turned in before gathering.

=Swimming-Float= (_Dozens of corks_, _strong canvas cloth, measuring 20 36 inches_, _needle_, _thread_)

Make two strong canvas bags, measuring about 18 20 inches. Fill these with corks to act as floats. Unite the two bags by a strong band of canvas about 7 20 inches in size, and let the children use when in bathing.

=Cork in Art=

In making models of world-renowned buildings, such as churches, cathedrals, temples, etc., cork is used in large and small pieces.

In Germany it is used in making pictures. A sky background is painted in water-color, and the flat pieces of cork are cut into shape and glued on to represent walls and towers of buildings. The foliage of trees is represented by the more spongy pieces of cork, and the effects secured are interesting and beautiful. The children may like to experiment and see what they can do in this direction.

=Cork Doll= (_See page 81_)

CHAPTER II

MOTHER NATURE'S HORN OF PLENTY

Many of the articles named under the Market Basket Division of this book could be cla.s.sified also under the above head. In addition we present the following:

STONES AND PEBBLES

=Collections= (_Stones_, _small boxes_)

Collect various pretty little stones and pebbles on river sh.o.r.e, coast or roadway, and cla.s.sify in different ways--according to color, shape, size. This exercises the child's observing powers and trains him in detecting differences and resemblances. Keep in small boxes.

=Bottled Pebbles= (_Pebbles_, _plain gla.s.s bottle_)

Put some pretty pebbles in a gla.s.s bottle filled with water which intensifies the color. Send to some sick friend, especially some one from the prairies who may seldom see stones. It is always well for the child to have some definite object in view when he does anything.

=Toy Path-Markers=

Use pebbles in the sand-box for outlining the little paths in the wee park or farm.

=Jackstones=