FOR HOME DECORA TION. 325
which will enliven our homes wonderfully during the winter — such as
stands for dried grasses, pressed ferns and sumachs, hanging baskets
for holding pots of living plants, or vases for dried leaves and flowers ;
and easels are lovely made of them, especially when supporting sketches
of rural scenery.
The best way of collecting moss for decorating is to pull in large
tufts, which on being brought to the house should be well shaken and
spread upon the newspapers for twenty-four hours ; then it should be
again thoroughly shaken to free it from bits and insect population. If
collected after a thaw its colors are much brighter and are retained for a
longer time. Moss is of every hue between brown and emerald, shining
and golden, and deep, dark, purple greens, and its shades both contrast
and harmonize.
Plateaus of moss are lovely, and are made, of green moss, ferns, etc.,
which may^>e kept growing the entire winter. Take a large waiter and
in the center lay a looking-glass. Commence the border in the white
sand ancktiny pebbles, gradually working in the green moss, ferns, vines,
etc., until the whole is covered except the center lake or glass. Here
you can display to advantage delicate sea-shells, and a clump of ferns
is very effective as a tiny island in the center. Sprinkle as often as
necessary, and you will have a bright bit from the woods, even when,
without, the snow is piled mountains high.
Rustic twigs or fagots crossed, with a gypsy kettle suspended from
them ; smooth sticks covered with tin-foil tied in the same way, and a
little tray covered with the same foil, fastened at the bottom inside the
sticks, make a pretty card basket — the first a pretty jewel case. Indian
sweet grass baskets or trays give an odor of sweet clover to the atmos-
phere— a thing to be desired in the close, coal-heated rooms that many
people in the city must breathe and live in.
Many have asked what could be done with the dead-looking Southern
moss that so many Northerners are disappointed in. Put it in water
and let it stand a day. This takes the dryness and harshness out of it
after its long journey by mail. Then separate it so that it is in long
sprays, each little one hanging down by itself; drape lightly over a
chandelier, letting the long sprays hang down ; or put over a picture
frame, across the top, and let it hang long down the sides. In this stick
autumn leaves carelessly, as if the wind had blown them there. You
will be surprised to see how handsome this -moss is when put up in this
way. Moss brackets are made out of thin pine boards with the moss
glued upon it.
Very handsome vases can be made by taking stiff pasteboard, and
after cutting and sewing in the form desired, cover with the gray moss
that grows on the roots of trees ; if possible, trim the edges with small
shells ; then take long sprays of Southern moss, and to make it look
326 RUSTIC WORK.
more finished, put a piece of stiff card-board in the vase; train up
the moss so it covers the card-board, and then let the ends drop down
to the sides of the vase. After this is done, sprinkle all thoroughly
with glue water, and then with diamond dust.
Page 288
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
FOR HOME DECORA TION. 325
which will enliven our homes wonderfully during the winter — such as stands for dried grasses, pressed ferns and sumachs, hanging baskets for holding pots of living plants, or vases for dried leaves and flowers ; and easels are lovely made of them, especially when supporting sketches of rural scenery.
The best way of collecting moss for decorating is to pull in large tufts, which on being brought to the house should be well shaken and spread upon the newspapers for twenty-four hours ; then it should be again thoroughly shaken to free it from bits and insect population. If collected after a thaw its colors are much brighter and are retained for a longer time. Moss is of every hue between brown and emerald, shining and golden, and deep, dark, purple greens, and its shades both contrast and harmonize.
Plateaus of moss are lovely, and are made, of green moss, ferns, etc., which may be kept growing the entire winter. Take a large waiter and in the center lay a looking-glass. Commence the border in the white sand and tiny pebbles, gradually working in the green moss, ferns, vines, etc., until the whole is covered except the center lake or glass. Here you can display to advantage delicate sea-shells, and a clump of ferns is very effective as a tiny island in the center. Sprinkle as often as necessary, and you will have a bright bit from the woods, even when, without, the snow is piled mountains high.
Rustic twigs or fagots crossed, with a gypsy kettle suspended from them ; smooth sticks covered with tin-foil tied in the same way, and a little tray covered with the same foil, fastened at the bottom inside the sticks, make a pretty card basket — the first a pretty jewel case. Indian sweet grass baskets or trays give an odor of sweet clover to the atmosphere— a thing to be desired in the close, coal-heated rooms that many people in the city must breathe and live in.
Many have asked what could be done with the dead-looking Southern moss that so many Northerners are disappointed in. Put it in water and let it stand a day. This takes the dryness and harshness out of it after its long journey by mail. Then separate it so that it is in long sprays, each little one hanging down by itself; drape lightly over a chandelier, letting the long sprays hang down ; or put over a picture frame, across the top, and let it hang long down the sides. In this stick autumn leaves carelessly, as if the wind had blown them there. You will be surprised to see how handsome this -moss is when put up in this way. Moss brackets are made out of thin pine boards with the moss glued upon it.
Very handsome vases can be made by taking stiff pasteboard, and after cutting and sewing in the form desired, cover with the gray moss that grows on the roots of trees ; if possible, trim the edges with small shells ; then take long sprays of Southern moss, and to make it look
more finished, put a piece of stiff card-board in the vase; train up the moss so it covers the card-board, and then let the ends drop down to the sides of the vase. After this is done, sprinkle all thoroughly with glue water, and then with diamond dust.