Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Part 14

What little girl does not love a doll? The more variety in their size and style the better pleased is she. Below are a number of suggestions for simple home-made dollies that may be prepared as a birthday or other surprise by older brothers or sisters.

A FEW DOLLS

=1.= =Clay-Pipe Doll=

Ink in the eyes, nose and mouth on the back of the bowl of a pipe; dress in calico gown and ap.r.o.n, and put on a sunbonnet to conceal the top of the pipe.

=2.= =Clothespin Doll=

Ink features upon the head of the clothespin and clothe as either boy or girl.

=3.= =Wishbone Doll= (_Wishbone_, _sealing-wax_, _material for trousers_)

Clothe the two limbs in trousers and ink in the features upon the flat joining bone. Feet may be made of sealing wax melted, pressed into shape and attached while still warm.

=4.= =Peanut Doll= (_Peanuts_, _sewing-silk_, _glue_, _thread and needle_, _silk for dress_)

Make into Chinese doll. Take one peanut and ink in the features, making the eyes slanting. Glue on a queue of braided silk. String together several peanuts to make the body. To the upper one add on each side one or two as arms and string several together to make legs. Dress in wide-sleeved jacket and wide-legged trousers of Oriental design.

=5.= =Yarn Doll= (_Skein of white cotton yarn_)

Cut the skein into lengths of 12 inches. Double the skein over in the middle and tie a string tight around about two inches from the top, forming a neck and so making the head. Tie another string further down for a waist line, but leave out a few threads on each side, of which to make two arms. Tie these near the ends to indicate wrists. Before tying the wrists cut the threads to right lengths for arms. The features may be put in with ink.

=6.= =Cork Doll= (_16 or more corks saved from olive bottles, etc._, _smooth wire or hairpins--three in number_)

String several corks upon the wire or hairpin for head and body. Through the second cork from the top run a hairpin sideways for arms, and fasten two corks upon each projecting end, cutting off any of the wire that may extend beyond the cork. Through the lower cork of the body run another hairpin and fasten two corks upon it for legs. Turn the end corks sideways to suggest feet. Dress the doll as desired.

=7.= =Paper Doll= (_Fas.h.i.+on papers and catalogues_, _scissors_, _paint_, _paste_)

Most little girls find great pleasure in making their own paper dollies and the garments therefor. Fas.h.i.+on papers and catalogues afford many dolls for cutting out, and tissue paper, crinkled paper, the lace paper found in candy boxes, etc., form the raw material for beautiful Parisian gowns.

Dolls may of course be cut out of white paper and beautiful countenances painted upon them, or holes may be cut in the head for eyes, nose and mouth.

=8.= =Rag Doll= (_White cotton cloth_, _cotton batting_, _paints_, _scissors_, _needle_, _thread_, _water-color paints or blueing and red ink_, _raveled rope_, _etc._)

Cut a large newspaper pattern of a doll. Then double the cloth, pin the pattern upon it and cut the two sides for the doll. Run neatly around with close st.i.tches, beginning at the neck, and when nearly finished turn inside out, stuff with the cotton batting, and sew up the head.

Paint in the features or use blueing for eyes and red ink for mouth and cheeks. Ravelings of rope will make silky hair, and fingers may be indicated by st.i.tches.

SOME DOLL-HOUSES

=1.= =Cigar-Box House= (_Small cigar-box_, _paste_, _scissors_, _pictures_, _etc._)

A cigar-box, small as it is, will give great delight to a child who is aided in furnis.h.i.+ng a little room. Stand the box up on the long side.

Paper with wall paper of a small design. Then furnish with things made by the child himself; pictures cut from catalogues, and other accessories as described below.

=2.= =Pasteboard-Box House= (_Four pasteboard boxes_, _glue_, _paint_)

Select four strong pasteboard boxes of uniform size. Boxes such as the "Martha Was.h.i.+ngton Candles" are packed in will do. They measure 7 11 inches. Lay aside the covers and remove any paper which may be attached to the inside of the box. Spread a thick paste of Spaulding's glue or furniture glue over the surface of one side of a box. Fit one side of a second to this glued surface and put aside to dry. The third and fourth boxes are treated in the same manner. When securely glued in pairs place the boxes with open sides facing you. Cover upper outside surface of one pair of boxes with a thick coating of glue and set the second pair on top of these in the same position.

Now, one has a pasteboard house of four rooms--two upstairs and two downstairs. When securely fastened together cut in the part.i.tion separating the two upper rooms a door four inches high and three wide.

Two windows measuring 3 4 inches, two inches from floor, may be cut in the back of the house. The same treatment may be given the rooms downstairs. One may arrange a kitchen and dining-room downstairs and a parlor and bedroom upstairs.

Oil paints, such as are used in painting furniture, which come already mixed in small cans, may be used for painting the exterior of the house.

In using this paint it is well to remember always to put sufficient paint on the brush to cover the entire surface of the wall of the house, from edge to edge, without lifting the brush. A strict observance of this rule insures a neatly painted surface. If desired, one may use yellow, green, or any light color for the interior.

Remnants of cartridge paper or paper decorated in small designs can often be obtained of paper-hangers for a small sum. It may be fastened to the floor to serve as a large rug.

=3.= =Soap-Box House= (_Three wooden soap-boxes_, _nails_, _saw_, _paint_)

Take three soap-boxes, wooden. Remove the covers from two and place one upon the other to make a two-story house. Put in part.i.tions thus: Take a thin piece of board (from a smaller box), saw to needed height and depth and nail it in place by driving nails from above, below or the side, as the case may require. A stiff piece of cardboard (taken from a large box) may be made to serve as part.i.tion. If cut to the right size the pressure from top and bottom will hold in place.

By taking _two small_ boxes for the upper floor instead of one large one the s.p.a.ce which would be naturally left between can be made into a hallway. Stairs may then be made of stiff cardboard, folded into steps, with a strip of obliquely-cut paper pasted along the edges of the steps to keep them in place.

If windows and doorways are desired they must be cut or sawed in after being drawn where desired in pencil.

The third box is for the gable roof. It is to be placed on top of the upper floor so that its sides slant for the roof. Put in place and then mark off all that needs to be sawed away. When ready to be fixed permanently put in place and nail through.

The furnis.h.i.+ng of the little house gives much scope for ingenuity and invention as well as for the exercise of good sense and good taste.

The exterior of the house can be painted with house paint, and this gives occasion for the broad use of the larger muscles, and physiologists tell us that the little child should exercise the larger muscles and nerves while the finer ones are still undeveloped.

=Tiling= (_Corrugated packing cardboard_, _tacks_, _hammer_)

The roof may be given a tiled effect by covering with corrugated packing cardboard saved from packages. Tack this on.

=Papering=

1. Paper with wall-paper. Sc.r.a.ps of it may be saved when the home is being papered.

2. Oil-cloth effects may be obtained by pasting on floors or walls designs made with the kindergarten parquetry papers. (See page 168.)

3. Friezes may be made in the same way by using circles and squares in rows, alternately or successively.