Hobbies and Crafts

Crafts for Tots

Mix a few drops of food coloring to a small amount of liquid starch.

Egg Writing

Dissolve 1/2 ounce of alum into 1/2 pint of vinegar. Dip a fine tipped brush into the solution and write your message on the shell of an egg. Let dry completely; then boil for 15 minutes.

How to Change the Coloring of Cut Flowers

To change white carnation-type petals to green, stand the long-stemmed flowers in water containing a green aniline dye. Other suitable aniline dyes may be used to achieve colored stripes on white flowers.

How to Preserve Old and Brittle Newspaper Clippings

Dissolve 1 milk of magnesia tablet in 1 quart of club soda.

How to Transfer Photos to Other Objects

You can transfer a photo or snapshot from a negative onto wood, cloth, paper, etc. All printing is done from the negative not from the photo. Prepare two simple solutions as follows:

How You Can Dry Flowers and Wax Fresh Flowers

You can enjoy the freshness of a flower garden throughout the year by cutting and drying your favorite flowers. The two easiest and least expensive methods are sand-drying and air-drying.

How You Can Preserve and Make Novelties from Leaves

Place the leaves in a pan and cover them with dry, hot sand. Allow this to cool. Remove the leaves and smooth them with a hot iron. Dip them in colorless varnish and let them dry.

How You Can Preserve Cut Flowers

You can preserve the fresh beauty of flowers for years in their natural vivid colors without a great deal of work or expense.

Sachets

Combine 2 cups of rose leaves with 1-3/4 cups vetiver root, 1-1/2 cups patchonly herb and 3/4 cup mace. Fill little cotton bags with the mixture and tie with a ribbon.