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STRAW ORNAMENTS. 
Procure some nice round straws and wheat heads. 
If you wish a round basket, cut out a circular piece of 
pasteboard for the bottom, and another piece a third 
larger for the upper part; cut the interior of the upper 
part entirely out, leaving only a margin about half au 
inch wide ; cut the straws the length you wish the 
depth of the basket to be ; use a pair of sharp scissors 
to cut the straws, and handle them very carefully. 
With a punch the size of the straws make holes all 
around the edge of the pasteboard intended for the , 
upper part of the basket, about half an 
inch apart, and also precisely the same 
number around the edge of the bottom 
part, leaving a quarter of an inch be¬ 
tween the holes. Then take the straws, 
one at a time, and introduce one end of 
each into the holes in the bottom part, 
leaving about an inch projecting for tire 
basket to stand on; then take the top 
rim and insert the other ends of the straw 
in the holes in that; when all are done, 
draw them through about an inch and a 
quarter, and then cut every second one 
off a half inch ; this leaves a very pretty 
top. If the straws slip too easily in the 
holes, fasten with a little mucilage. A 
pretty finish for the ends of the straws, 
both top and bottom, is to top off each 
one with red or black wax : it also 
makes them stronger. Take chenille of 
any desired color, tie around the outside 
rim of the upper pasteboard, and then 
the same around the under rim; then 
twine a piece around the middle of the 
basket, in and out among the straws, 
basket fashion. Fasten a bow of satin 
ribbon, the color of the chenille, on each 
side of the basket, and put a pretty pic¬ 
ture in the centre of the bottom paste¬ 
board. If a handle is desired, a narrow 
strip of pasteboard is glued on under the 
bows of ribbon, and then twined with 
chenille ; place a pretty bow with short 
ends in the middle. 
These little baskets are both pretty 
aud useful. 
A basket of any shape and style can 
be made in this way by cutting the 
pasteboard the desired forms. Some¬ 
times satin ribbon is twined in and out 
among the straws, basket fashion, filling 
it in from the bottom to the top rim. 
They are very showy-fashioned in that 
way. Letter-cases, wall pockets, cigar- 
stands, and a great many useful and pretty articles for 
gifts, fairs, etc., can lie formed of straws with the aid 
of a little ingenuity and taste. 
Straw cottages, temples, and bird cages are easily 
made, and are very ornamental. To make, a cottage 
or temple ornament, cut out a pasteboard the shape 
you wish, punch holes for the straws the same as for 
baskets, and introduce the straws for the sides ; if 
making a temple, leave a considerable space at one 
side for the entrance. For the roof of a cottage, bend 
g, piece of thick drawing paper into the proper shape, 
and along each side of it make boles for the admission 
of the straws which form its sides; pass each straw of 
the latter through the holes made in the former, and 
these will hold it firmly together. By leaving a wide 
margin to the roof it will overhang the sides and form 
the eaves. Press some straws flat and glue them on 
each side of the roof, and for the two ends, as gables, 
cut pieces of drawing paper to the shape of the roof, 
glue them in, and ornament them fancifully with 
straws. A chimney may also be made of wheat-heads 
let in to the roof and caught by a thread around the 
top to hold them together, and arrange wheat-heads 
around the edges of the roof to form fancy eaves. A 
good effect may be produced by forming the sides of a 
cottage with bristol-board, painting the doors, win¬ 
dows, &c., and introducing it into the interior of the 
cottage, when, if arranged rightly, the straws will 
appear as a portico around it. Very small artificial 
Design for Parlor Decoration. 
CHRISTMAS GIFTS. 
By the time this will come to the readers of the dear 
little Cabinet, wintry winds will remind us to be 
looking up something with which to show our love for 
our friends; so perhaps directions for making a few 
little ornaments will not come amiss. 
Take some pretty photograph—say the head of a 
Madonna. Place it in a dish of water, soaking until it 
will float off; then dry it carefully with a clean cloth ; 
cut the figure out, leaving none of the background of 
the original picture; have ready a circular mirror 
about eighteen inches in diameter, and after coating 
the hack of the picture with thin gum arabic water, 
place it at once on the face of the mirror, taking care 
that it is exactly in the centre and in the 
right shape, for it must not be moved 
around; smooth down in evei'y part 
with a cloth ; when dry, frame as other 
engravings with a clear glass over it, 
and you will have a tip-top imitation of 
a French picture which would cost four 
times as much. 
To make a very pretty medley picture, 
cut flowers and sprays of buds and leaves 
from the colored plates in floral cata¬ 
logues, and gum them tastily on white 
or delicately-tinted card board in the 
form of a wreath or bouquet. A rustic 
frame makes a very satisfactory picture 
of it. 
Each reader of the Cabinet should 
know how to make a Pansy vase mat. 
The materials are white, black, canary- 
colored, and shaded purple single zephyr. 
Crochet a mat, at least an inch larger all 
round than the bottom of the vase, in the 
ordinary treble stitch of the white wool. 
Then, with the black, crochet one round, 
making two stitches in each one of the 
preceding round; then one round of the 
yellow; then one of the shaded purple, 
always increasing in the same manner as 
With the black. Fold t-lie ruffle thus 
made back and forth, and with needle 
and thread tack each mimic pansy in 
place, and it is done; and you have a 
row of dear little “ Johnny--jump-ups” 
around your vase. 
A pretty hair-pin hat is made thus : 
Take a collar-box without the cover 
and fill it with horse hair; then, with 
zephyr of some bright color correspond¬ 
ing with other toilet appliances, crochet 
round and round in double stitch until 
you have a piece the size of the opening 
in the box; then, without increasing the 
number of stitches, work enough rounds 
flowers and 
introduced among 
the straws, and will 
to cover the side of the box, thus making 
vines, to imitate woodbine, &c., may be the crown of the hat; then increase again as at first, 
add to making the brim of the hat about an inch wide. A 
little edge in shell-stitch completes it nicely. Stretch 
the work over the box and sew it lightly around the 
bottom of it; tie a bit of white ribbon around the 
crown, and it is done. 
To make a pretty tidy for a rocking-chair, cut out a 
number of rounds of white cotton or linen about two 
inches in diameter, and the same number of red flannel 
or merino one inch in diameter ; then carefully turning 
down the edge of the white, take a needle and thread, 
and after laying the red piece in the centre of the white, 
gather it and draw it up till you have hut a small 
opening; fasten the thread, and you have a rosette. 
Join a number of them together. Cousin Hattie. 
the beauty of the whole. 
The roof of a temple, whether it be round or 
hexagonal, is constructed in a similar manner to that 
of a cottage—covering it with straws pressed flat— 
and glue on cluster of wheat- heads in the centre for 
ornament ; or for a peaked roof cut a circular rim of 
pasteboard, punch the holes and introduce the straws 
which form the sides; then between each straw punch 
holes for the straws to form the roof, place the straws 
in the holes, aud gather them evenly together at the 
tops in the middle of the roof, aud tie securely; then 
add wheat-heads to ornament the top, and also some 
to form the eaves. Isa. Dore. 
