Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Part 6

Pebbles of right size and shape make good jackstones.

=Toy Vegetables= (_Small square of cheesecloth_, _needle_, _thread_, _pebbles_)

Make tiny cheesecloth bags and use pebbles as potatoes, apples, etc., in play with the little wagons made by the child. In playing store with them comes opportunity for counting and measuring. Tiny boxes can be used for quart and pint measures, and the child may be shown that two pints make one quart, etc.

=Paper-Weight= (_Large, smooth stone_, _oil-paints_)

If you find a large, smooth stone of pretty tone, let the older child decorate it with a little picture done in oil paints.

Sh.e.l.lS

=Collections= (_Sh.e.l.ls_, _small boxes_)

Collect and cla.s.sify according to color, shape, etc., and keep in separate boxes.

=Bottled Sh.e.l.ls= (_Sh.e.l.ls_, _bottle_)

Put little sh.e.l.ls in bottle of water to bring out lovely colors. (See Bottled Pebbles above.)

=Border for Sand-Table=

Place small sh.e.l.ls along little paths in sand-table, sometimes with concave side up and _vice versa_.

Larger sh.e.l.ls, as clamsh.e.l.ls, make fine borders for roads and paths in the country. They outline the road on a dark night.

=Water-Color-Cups=

Collect and save sh.e.l.ls to give to some artist friend as extra cups for his water-color paints.

=Ramekin Dishes=

Large sh.e.l.ls make serviceable individual dishes for baked fish, etc.

Appropriate for fish dinner.

=Individual Salt and b.u.t.ter Dishes=

These can be made of the smaller pink and yellow sh.e.l.ls found on many coasts. Let the children collect sh.e.l.ls for this purpose, and use for fish dinner.

=Toy-Boat=

A small sh.e.l.l is often found which, with the little natural seat found at one end, at once suggests a little boat. Have the children collect and save for those far from the sh.o.r.e.

=Pin-Tray= (_Scallop sh.e.l.l_, _oil-paints_)

Paint a marine view in oils inside a sh.e.l.l for pin-tray.

=Pin-Cushion= (_Small piece of satin or velvet_, _saw-dust_, _glue_, _two perfect scallop-sh.e.l.ls_)

Make a small pin-cushion of satin or velvet, filled with saw-dust, and glue between a pair of scallop sh.e.l.ls, so that it fits in between as they open out.

=Piano Scarf= (_Several dozen small, thin, yellow sh.e.l.ls found on Atlantic coast_, _one yard Nile green India silk_, _strong sewing silk_)

Hem the silk an inch deep at each end. Sew to one end a fringe of sh.e.l.ls made as follows:

The sh.e.l.ls usually have a tiny hole in them when found. If not, one is easily pierced by a strong needle. Take twelve lengths of strong sewing silk, white, each 20 inches long. To each of these tie twelve sh.e.l.ls at intervals of an inch each. You will then have twelve strings of sh.e.l.ls, which are to be sewed to the scarf as a fringe, putting them about three inches apart. Sew two rows of sh.e.l.ls directly on the scarf itself, putting them about four inches apart each way. If desired, in making the fringe some of the strings may be shorter than others, arranged so that the long and short ones alternate.

BIRCH BARK

=Needle-Case or Penwiper= (_Squares of chamois skin or flannel_, _sewing-silk_, _paint_)

Cut bark into circles, squares, oblongs, etc. Decorate with gold lettering or borders of gold. Make several leaves of flannel or chamois skin and sew the bark on to these as a cover. The flannel may be scalloped. An appropriate sentiment to write upon penwiper cover is "Extracts from the pen of--" putting in the name of the recipient. The leaves and cover may be sewed together with a cross-st.i.tch.

=Handkerchief-Box= (_Punch_, _several strands of raffia_)

Cut two pieces of bark 6 6 inches. Cut four others 3 6 inches. Along the edge of these punch (with a conductor's punch or one that can be bought at a kindergarten supply place) holes an inch apart and 1/4 inch from edge. Sew the four narrow pieces to the square for bottom and sides of box. Sew remaining square more loosely to one side as cover. Sew with strands of raffia, sewing through the holes already made. If desired to give a more finished appearance punch more holes along edge of box and lid, making them 1/4 inch apart. Then hold a fine basket reed or piece of raffia along the edges and overcast. If lavender or sweet gra.s.s is obtainable, that will be even better than reed or raffia for the edge, lending its fragrance to the gift. The box can be still further finished by lining with dainty silk. Make glove box in same way, but longer in proportion to width.

=Pencil and Paint-Brush Box= (_Bark_, _raffia_, _needle or crochet hook_)

This is cylindrical. Cut a piece of bark 5 8 inches. Punch in it a series of holes 3/4 of an inch apart, and 1/2 inch from edge of each short side. Place these so that one edge overlaps the other and the holes coincide with one another. Then sew together with raffia. Use a short needle or none at all. Raffia can be drawn through holes with a crochet-hook. Punch holes in the lower end of this cylinder and cut a circle of same size as diameter of cylinder out of cardboard. Punch corresponding holes in this and sew the bottom in. Strengthen top by overcasting over a twist of raffia, sweet gra.s.s or sweet clover.

=Canoe= (_Bark_, _pencil_, _thread_, _paper_, _paraffine_)

Fold strong piece of bark and cut an outline of a canoe, rounding the ends. Sew the ends closely together with stout thread, overcasting the edges with same. Make watertight by lining with paper dipped in melted paraffine. Paraffine may be bought at grocer's.

=Fan=, modeled after East Indian pattern (_Bark_, _kindling wood_, _dye_, _gold paint_)

Cut two stiff pieces of bark into hatchet-shaped trapezoid. Punch row of holes in the narrowest side, whittle a handle of pinewood, and sew it to the narrow edge of bark over and over through the holes.

The handle may be stained with some natural dye and fan decorated with gold paint.