Part 15 (1/2)

DOLL FURNITURE

=1.= =Cork.= (See page 37.)

=2.= =Block= (_Blocks of wood or kindergarten blocks, cubes and oblongs_)

Glue these blocks together, three cubes making a little chair, and cubes and oblongs making a bed or sofa. Get the carpenter to saw a number of blocks of different shapes and sizes and let the child use his invention in putting them together. The furniture may be painted or gilded.

=3.= =Paper or Cardboard=

Take a piece of paper 1 2 inches. Fold crosswise. Make a dot 1/4 inch from the folded edge and 1/8 inch from right hand edge. Make dot 1/4 inch from fold and 1/8 inch from left hand edge. From open edges opposite fold make two parallel cuts to these dots. These cuts make the four legs. When opened out a table is seen with two extensions for drop-leaf. Cut one of these extensions off and a chair is made. If the original paper is longer and wider it can be made into a bed, what were the leaves of the table being bent up into the head and foot of the bed.

An ingenious child can vary and elaborate this furniture _ad infinitum_.

The backs can be cut into fancy form and arms given to chairs and sofa.

Use one of these paper chairs for a model, place on cardboard and draw around the outline and so obtain a stiffer bit of furniture. Rockers can be drawn, added to the feet, and cut out, thus making a rocking chair.

SPECIAL ARTICLES OF FURNITURE

=Pictures and Clocks= (_Trade journals_, _scissors_)

Cut from trade journals and attach to walls.

=Lamp= (_Twist spool_, _toothpick_, _half egg-sh.e.l.l_, _wax_)

Paste a bit of paper on top and bottom of twist spool. Through this stick a toothpick, which the paper should hold firmly. Upon the top of the toothpick fasten a half egg-sh.e.l.l for a globe with bit of wax or glue.

=Stove= (_Cardboard_, _black ink or paint_)

Make oblong box of cardboard. Turn upside down and cut openings for top of stove. Make a small hole in the back of the stove and insert in it a piece of paper rolled into a stove-pipe and pasted. Cut openings in front for the grate and ovens, leaving a door for the latter. Ink or paint black.

=Windows= (_Thin white paper_, _oil_, _glue_)

Brush a piece of white paper over with ordinary machine oil, or olive oil, or dip it in the oil and when dry glue in for windows, telling the children that not very long ago that was the only way in which light was admitted to many houses before gla.s.s became so common.

Isingla.s.s may also be put in for windows.

=Doll's Bedstead= (_Cigar-box_, _glue_, _gilt-headed tacks_)

Saw the _cover_ of box into two pieces, one for the head and one for the foot. Fasten in place to the box with the decorative tacks. Legs may be attached if desired.

=Curtains= (_Cheesecloth or lace_, _needle_, _thread_)