Part 21 (1/2)

=Sponge Garden= (_Small, clean sponge_, _birdseed_)

A few days before Easter, sprinkle the sponge with birdseed. Keep damp and the seeds will sprout and cover the sponge with growing blades of green.

=Easter Eggs= (_1._ _Diamond dyes_, _a dozen eggs_. _2._ _Small figured calico_, _lye_, _boiling water_)

1. Boil the eggs hard and dye with the colors according to directions on package, which may be had at drugstore, price five cents.

2. Wind strips of the bright calico around the eggs and boil in water strongly saturated with lye. The lye extracts the color, which will be found printed upon the eggs.

=Place Cards for Easter Breakfast= (_1._ _White paper_, _scissors_, _paints_. _2._ _Plain white cards_, _paints_)

1. If possible secure a real Easter lily for a model. If this cannot be obtained, a picture of one will answer. From the paper cut, freehand, if possible, the shape of the lily and paint it lightly; just a little shading and the golden center. Place the guest's name upon the reverse side. It may be necessary to draw the lily first before cutting, but the freehand cutting is a good exercise.

2. Decorate a white card with the picture of a lily, or a tulip, using water-color paints. Below the flower write an appropriate flower motto.

=Celluloid Place Cards= (_White celluloid_, _scissors_, _pencil_)

Get from a dictionary or natural history a good picture of a b.u.t.terfly with open wings. Draw a pattern from this and then outline a number of these on the celluloid and cut out. These dainty, spirit-like b.u.t.terflies will make suitable place-cards, having the name of guest on the reverse side.

Cut Easter lily of celluloid in same way.

=Easter Chicken= (_Yellow worsted_, _black beads_, _quill toothpick_, _cardboard_, _wooden toothpicks_, _or picture-wire_.)

Make a yellow ball as described on pages 96-7 for the body of the chicken. A smaller ball makes the head. Sew on the beads for the bright black eyes; cut the quill into shape of a bill and sew into place. Let wooden toothpicks form the legs; or, better still, take picture-wire made of several strands. Wind some of this around the body, letting the ends of the wire extend about 1-1/2 inches below the body; sew to the body to keep in place. Then pick out the ends of the wire a little to suggest toes and wind the legs with worsted. Sew chicken to a card.

=Easter Card= (_Parquetry circles used in kindergarten_, _paste_, _gray card_, _scissors_)

The little child may make an Easter card by pasting upon a neutral-tinted card pictures of tulips made of the kindergarten parquetry papers. Cut in half either red or yellow circles. Place so that the lower ends touch and the upper ones are a little apart, suggesting a tulip. A strip of green paper will represent the stem and an older child can cut leaves of the green paper and paste on. Have a real tulip from which to copy. Child may give this to Father on Easter morning.

=Toy Screen= (See page 63)

Make dainty screen as described, and paste on each panel a tiny _Easter_ picture (Perry pictures may be had by addressing firm in N. Y. City).

Give to Mother on Easter morning.

=Church Window Transparency= (See page 77)

MEMORIAL DAY

We give no special suggestions for the celebration of Memorial or Decoration Day. The ideas given under the headings of the other patriotic holidays, as Was.h.i.+ngton's Birthday and Fourth of July, may be used also for this holiday, but it is not a day for mere play.

If the parents plan to go to the cemetery let the child accompany them and carry flowers, preferably those of his own raising or plucking.

=Reading=