HOME DECORATIONS. 
A Toilet Glass. 
These glasses may be purchased at any store where 
artists' materials are sold, and are quite inexpensive, 
the price being about $1.25 apiece. The palette is of 
plain white hollywood, with a support at the back by 
which it can stand on the dressing-table. It is less dif¬ 
ficult to paint the background first, beginning at the 
top with a sky-blue made of flake white and permanent 
blue. "Work in a few light, fleecy clouds, which is done 
with white before the blue is entirely dry. Gradually 
lose the blue in a soft gray, made by mixing 
white with a triple of 
black : then helow this 
use Naples yellow, from 
this to yellow ochre, 
after this burnt sienna, 
and at the bottom van- 
dyke brown. Gradually 
shade from this, the 
darkest color, up to the 
light sky on the opposite 
side, thus making a pe¬ 
culiarly pretty ground¬ 
work for the design. 
When nearly dry, begin 
sketching and painting 
in the design. The birds 
are of Naples yellow, 
mixed with a little van- 
dyke brown, shading the 
heads, tips of the wings, 
and tails with Vandyke 
brown only; the breast 
and throat should be 
white. The mullen is 
pale greeu, and the few 
flowers showing at the 
top of the stalk should 
be chrome yellow. Use 
considerable flake white 
on the leaves to give the 
white light which is so 
natural to the plant. 
The branches on which 
the' birds perch should be 
of Vandyke brown, and 
the light on them of Naples yellow. The vine at the side 
may be tinted with Autumn coloi'3. The picture, if 
well finished, will be exceedingly pleasing. Should it 
be difficult to procure the wooden palettes, it will be 
possible to manufacture at home a satin or plush one, 
which will prove, if carefully made, as pleasing as the 
others. Cut two pieces of stiff pasteboard the shape of 
a palette, and from the middle of the one which is for 
the face cut a diamond-shaped piece. Cover each pa¬ 
lette with satin or plush, allowing the material to turn 
over the edge; also turn it in on the edge of the dia¬ 
mond opening. At the back of this opening a piece of 
plate-glass mirror is to be fastened. This may be done 
by putting across the back in three places strips of 
muslin, allowing the ends to oxteud an inch beyond the 
glass on either side. First lay over the glass a piece of 
tissue paper to prevent the quicksilver from being 
scratched, then place the strips of muslin across the 
glass, and gum the ends which extend beyond it se¬ 
curely to the pasteboard. Be very careful, however, 
not to allow the gum to touch the paper back of 
the mirror, as it will deface it. The. edges of the 
two pieces are now to bcoverhanded together 
with sewing silk which matches the color of the 
covering. The edge may be trimmed with silk 
cord or left plain, ac¬ 
cording to choice. Bend 
a piece of strong who 
into hairpin shape, and 
sew it securely to the 
back of the palotto in 
the same manner that 
supports are placed at 
the backs of photograph 
frames. Should plush 
be used for the covering, 
it will be best to select a 
simple design ; but if of 
satin, birds, flowers or 
landscapes may easily be 
rendered with pretty 
effect. As some are 
more deft with the nee¬ 
dle than the brush, em¬ 
broidered designs may 
be used for decorations. 
In this case, however, 
the embroidery should 
be executed before cov¬ 
ering the cardboard. 
They are quite simple to 
make, and are also use¬ 
ful, pretty ornaments. 
M. E. W. 
Needlework Notes. 
MANTEL DECORATIONS. 
One of the handsomest 
mantel lambrequins we 
have seen is now on exhibition at the Decorative Art 
Rooms, and is made of deep, wine-colored plush cut in 
a shallow scallop, the center being about 18 inches deep, 
and caught up carelessly with a handsome cord and 
pompon tassels one-quarter yard from each end, so that 
a very graceful draped effect is given it. Its center is 
decorated with a branch design of wild roses so ar¬ 
ranged that its uppermost part will lay over on the 
mantel; the blossoms made of ro 3 e-colored velvet so 
folded as to be a phrfect represent at ion*of the real rose 
petals; stamens and pistils worked with gold 
thread; leaves and branches done in Arrasene. 
The bottom was finished with alternate tassels of 
