HOME DECORATIONS. 
Artistic Fungus. 
Now that the sketching fever is at its height, it is a 
difficult matter to find something new for that pur¬ 
pose; but Nature comes to our aid and offers us some¬ 
thing which is really beautiful and artistic, in the 
form of Fungi which we find growing in the shape of 
brackets on trees in the woods; sometimes they grow 
as large as sixteen inches in diameter, but the small 
ones are prettier for ornaments. 
They are generally of a light gray tint, beneath which 
is dark brown, and by carefully removing this surface 
with a sharp-pointed instrument, the brown is exposed in 
beautiful contrast to the natural surface. 
The one given in this number is about twelve inches 
inch wide, and through this run drawing strings of 
narrower ribbon, the same color. Trim the edge all 
round with a fine lace two or three inches wide. The 
work is placed in the middle, and the strings drawn to 
gather the bag, thus making the lace ruffle at the top. 
It will be found much more convenient than almost 
any other bag, and remarkably pretty. 
M. E. Whittemore. 
Painting on Silk and Satin in Oils. 
This is a most deservedly popular form of the decora¬ 
tive art-work of the present day. It is very effective, 
not difficult to do, and can be utilized in many different 
ways. First, as to the colors used. This will depend, 
Decorated Fungus. 
wide, and being a double one, is particularly effective 
for etching. 
The design is first sketched on with a pencil and then 
shaded to dark rich brown, by scraping it with a 
penknife. 
One can scarcely imagine unless they have seen them 
what pretty and curious ornaments can be made from 
the Fungi. They also make odd little shelves for bric-a- 
brac, by straightening one side and fastening them on 
the wall by means of screw eyes. E. S. Welch. 
Work-Bag. 
A silk handkerchief can be so arranged as to make 
one of the daintiest of work bags for holding crochet or 
knitting. One of pale blue or pink brocade is prettiest 
for the purpose. 
Lay the handkerchief out flat, turn over to the inside 
a small portion of each corner, and hem each one down 
with silk to match. About two inches from the edge, 
all the way round, sew, as a casing, a ribbon half an 
of course, 'upon what you propose to paint, but a be¬ 
ginner will do nicely with the following eight colors: 
Burnt-sienna, King’s-yellow, emerald-green, cobalt- 
blue, Antwerp-blue or Prussian-blue, flake-white, rose- 
madder or carmine or crimson-lake, Chinese-vermillion, 
orange-chrome and Vandyck-brown, are useful colors, 
but are not indispensable. 
The paints should be taken out in small quantities on a 
plate, palette,or saucer, the day previous to painting, and 
should be wetted with gasoline. Care should be taken 
in this matter, as too much gasoline worked into the 
paints renders them hard and difficult to use on the 
following day. 
As you begin to paint, you will need a bottle of tur¬ 
pentine, a palette-knife, two or three red-sable or 
camel-hair brushes, Nos. 3 and 4, and an abundance of 
clean cloths. 
The satin may be cotton-backed, but the finer the 
grain tlie better. Baste your piece of satin or 
silk upon a large piece of pasteboard before beginning 
to paint, as it is then so much more convenient to 
