This book is included in the Family Affairs - Children, Parents & Home Economics section.
Preface
"I DO wish some one would write a book like that for
girls," is the remark we have frequently heard when a new
book of sports for boys has made its appearance ; but it was
not until the publication of the "American Boy's Handy
Book" that it occurred to us to write a book for the American
boy's neglected sisters, which should be equally original
and practical.
In the "Girl's Handy Book," which it has been our endeavor
to make peculiarly American, we have sought to introduce
original and novel, ideas, and by their aid to open new
avenues of enterprise and enjoyment.
One of our objects is "to impress upon the minds of the
girls the fact that, they, all posses* talent and ability to achieve
more than they suppose possible,- and we would encourage a
belief in the truth of the remark said to have been made by
a famous Frenchman: "When you Americans undertake anything
you never stop to ascertain if it be possible, you simply
do it"
We desire also to help awaken the inventive faculty, usually
uncultivated in girls, and, by giving detailed methods of new
work and amusements, to put them on the road which they
can travel and explore alone.
We know well the feeling of hopelessness which accompanies
vague directions, and, to make our explanations plain and lucid,
we have ourselves, with very few exceptions, made all of the
articles, played the games, and solved the problems described.
The materials employed in the construction of the various
articles are within easy reach of all, and the outlay, in most
cases, little or nothing.
We scarcely deem it necessary to point out the fact that in
supplying healthy, sensible work and amusement for leisure
hours, employment is given whose whole tendency is to refine
the tastes and ambitions of our American girls.
A few of our chapters are taken from articles which were
written by us for, and published by, the Youth's Companion,
St. Nicholas, Harper's Young People, Golden Days, and Wide
Awake.
Contents PREFACE SPRING. CHAPTER I. FIRST OF APRIL 3 First of April Party, 5 ; Mirror Tableau, 6 ; Noah's Ark Peep-show, 8 ; The Supper, 10. CHAPTER II. WILD FLOWERS AND THEIR PRESERVATION 13 Transplanting Wild Flowers, 14 ; Cut Wild Flowers, 15 ; Sending Flowers by Mail, 15 ; Preserved Flowers, 16 ; Pressed Flowers and Leaves, 18 ; Leaves and Ferns for Decoration, 19 ; Color of Flowers Changed, 19 : Natural Wax Flowers, 20 ; To Freshen Cut Flowers, 20 ; Crystallized Flowers, 21 ; How to Preserve the Perfume of Flowers, 21 ; Spring Flowers in Winter, 23 ; The Four-leaved Clover, 23 ; Several Methods of Preserving Flowers, 24. CHAPTER III. THE WALKING CLUB 27 Rules to be Observed, 31. CHAPTER IV. EASTER , 33 Easter Customs in Other Lands, 33 ; Easter Egg Games, 36 ; Faster Egg Dolls, 39 ; Humpty Dumpty, 42 ; Miss Roily-poly, 45 ; Mandolin, 47 ; Maple-wax Easter Eggs, 49 ; Bonbon Box, 49 ; Easter Cards, 50 ; Little Quakeress, 52. CHAPTER V. How TO MAKE A LAWN-TENNIS NET 55 Rules for Lawn-Tennis, 63. CHAPTER VI. MAY-DAY 71 May-day Sports, 72 ; How to Make May-baskets, 74 ; May-day Combat, 75 ; The May-pole, 77 ; May-pole Dance, 79. SUMMER. CHAPTER VII. MIDSUMMER EVE 83 The New Fern-leaf Game, 85 ; Fortune-telling : The Plaintain Test, 86 ; Fortune's Wheel, 88. CHAPTER VIII. SEA-SIDE COTTAGE DECORATION 91 Window Decorations, 92 ; Row-boat Book-shelves, 95 ; Crab-net Workbasket, 96 ; Hat-rack, 98 ; Marine Screen, 99 ; Horseshoe-crab Bag, 102 ; Sea-urchin Vase and Candlestick, 102 ; How to Dry Starfish and to Polish Shells, 104. CHAPTER IX. A GIRL'S FOURTH OF JULY 105 Interior Decoration, 107 ; In-door Illumination, 108 ; Out-of-door Decoration, 109 ; Fireworks, in ; Parachute, 112; Thunderbolts, 112 ; Whirls, and Winged Fancies, 113; Pin-wheels, 114; Bombs, 115; Declaration of Independence, 117 ; Toss, 118 ; Fourth of July Jackstraws, 119 ; Progressive Mining, 119. CHAPTER X. PRINTING FROM NATURE'S TYPES , 123 Impression Album, 123 ; Winter Landscape, 127. CHAPTER XI. PICNICS, BURGOOS, AND CORN-ROASTS 131 A Burgoo, 132 ; Burgoo Stew, 133 ; A Corn-roast, 134. CHAPTER XII. BOTANY AS APPLIED TO ART 139 The Peony Leaf, 140 ; A Bunch of Turnips, 142 ; Plant Cross-section Designs, 144 ; Flower Sprays, 146 ; Changing the Color, 146 ; Burs, 147 ; The Water- Lily, 148. CHAPTER XIII. DOOR-STEP PARTY AND QUIET GAMES FOR HOT WEATHER 151 Five Minutes' Conversation, 153 ; Blind Man's Singing-school, 155 ; A Game of Noted Men, 155; What Will Take to the Picnic? 156; Assumed Characters, 157 ; Shadow Verbs, 157. CHAPTER XIV. How TO MAKE A HAMMOCK 159 Materials, 161 ; Barrel Hammock, 165. CHAPTER XV. (For Little Girls.) CORN-HUSK AND FLOWER DOLLS 169 CHAPTER XVI. How TO MAKE A FAN 177 Butterfly Fan, 178; Mikado Fan, 180 ; Daisy Fan, 182 ; Cardboard Fan, 183. AUTUMN. CHAPTER XVII. ALL-HALLOW-EVE 187 Halloween Parties, 189 ; Melted Lead, 190 ; Nutshell Boats, 192 ; " Three Luggies," 193 ; Roasting Nuts, 193 ; Kaling, 194 ; The Magic Mirror, 194 ; Three Tin Cups, 195 ; The Ring Cake, 195 ; Bobbing for Apples, 196 ; The Ghostly Fire, 197 ; The Fairy's Gifts, 198. CHAPTER XVIII. NATURE'S FALL DECORATIONS AND How TO USE THEM 201 Fresh Autumn Wild Flowers, 202 ; Buckeye Portiere, 204 ; Panel of Fall Decorations, 205 ; Louis Quinze Screen, 206 ; A Panel of Field Corn, 209; Ornamental Gourds, 210; Gourd-Dippers and Bowls, 211 ; Vases, 212 ; Small Decorations, 214; Brackets, 214. CHAPTER XIX. NUTTING-PARTIES 217 "Little Brown Squirrel," 218 ; Rules for Nutting- Parties, 221. CHAPTER XX. How TO MAKE A TELEPHONE 224 CHAPTER XXI. How TO DRAW 229 CHAPTER XXII. How TO PAINT IN WATER-COLORS 238 Materials for Water-Color Painting, 238 ; Flowers, 2395 Landscapes, 241 ; Painting from Notes, 244. CHAPTER XXIII. How TO PAINT IN OIL-COLORS 249 Materials, 249; Mediums, 251; Canvas, 251; The Light, 252; Setting the Palette, 253. CHAPTER XXIV. How TO MODEL IN CLAY AND WAX 257 Materials, 259 ; How to Manage Clay, 260 ; Hints for Modelling a Head, 262 ; How to Model in Wax, 263 ; Modelling-wax, 263. CHAPTER XXV. How TO MAKE PLASTER CASTS 267 CHAPTER XXVI. CHINA PAINTING 272 List of Materials, 272 ; A Monochrome Painting, 278 ; Tinting, 278 ; New Method of Decorating China, 279 ; Tracing, 280 ; Mottled Grounds, 281 ; Snow Landscape, 281 ; How to Paint a Head on China, 284 ; How to Paint a Carp, Sea-weed, and Fish-net, on China, 287 ; Foliage on China made with a Sponge, 289 ; Mixing Colors, 289 ; Royal Worcester Ware, 290. CHAPTER XXVIL A CHAPTER ON FRAMES 295 Marine Picture Frame, 296 ; Decorated Frame, 297 ; Frame Covered with Tin-foil, 298 ; Cork Frame, 299. CHAPTER XXVIII. THANKSGIVING 302 Impromptu Burlesque Tableaux, 304 ; Landing of the Pilgrims, 305 ; First Harvest, 307 ; Devastation by the Indians, 308 ; The Revolution, 309 ; Slavery, 310; Rebellion, 310; Peace and Plenty, 310; The Game of the Headless Turkey, 312 ; A Suggestion, 313. WINTER. CHAPTER XXIX. CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES AND HOME-MADE CHRISTMAS GIFTS 317 Julklapp, 319 ; Polish Custom, 320 ; The Bran Pie, 321 ; The Blind Man's Stocking, 321 ; Home-made Christmas Gifts, 322. CHAPTER XXX. AMUSEMENTS AND GAMES FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS 334 New Game of Bubble Bowling, 335 ; Biographical Nonsense, 339 ; Comic Historic Tableaux, 341 ; Living Christmas Cards, 342. CHAPTER XXXI. NEW YEAR'S AND A LEAP YEAR PARTY 347 Pantomime of an Enchanted Girl, 348. CHAPTER XXXII. HOME GYMNASIUM 353 Course of Exercises, 356. CHAPTER XXXIII. A DECORATIVE LANGUAGE 364 The Field and the Points of Heraldry, 366 ; Divisions, 367 ; Colors, 369 ; How to Make a Design in Decorative Language, 371 ; Book-plates, 377; Floral Vocabulary, 377. CHAPTER XXXIV. A FEW ITEMS ON OLD-FASHIONED NEEDLEWORK, WITH SOME NEW AND ORIGINAL PATTERNS 380 Plain Sewing, 380 ; Button-holes, 383 ; How to Patch, to Sew on a Button, and to Mend a Kid Glove, 386 ; Fancy Stitches, 387 ; Drawn Work, 389 ; Applique and Original Designs for Portieres, 391 ; Lace, 393 ; Ribbon Embroideries, 393. CHAPTER XXXV. SCRAP-BOOK AND HOME-MADE BOOK-COVERS 395 Mother Goose Scrap-book, 395 ; Transformation Scrap-book, 398 ; An Album, 400 ; Home-made Book- cover, 401. CHAPTER XXXVI. A HEAP OF RUBBISH AND WHAT TO Do WITH IT 403 The Mirror, 404 ; The Table, 406 ; Lantern, 408 ; A Music Roll, 410 ; Work-basket, 411 ; Key and Button- hook Rack and Paper Weight, 412. CHAPTER XXXVII. How TO MAKE ATTRACTIVE BOOTHS AT A FAIR A NEW KIND OF GRABBAG 413 The Tables, 413; Flowers for Decorations, 417; The Months, 420; The Five Senses, 421 ; Walls, 423 ; Grab-bags, 423 ; The Lady of the Lake, 425 ; Fortune's Wheel, 426 ; Rag-balls, 427. CHAPTER XXXVIII. WINDOW DECORATION 429 Oriental Window-shade, 430 ; Ribbon-curtain, 430 ; Drapery of Very Small Scraps, 431 ; Painting Window -panes, 432 ; Painting on Lawn, 434 ; To Imitate Stained Glass, 435 ; Windows of Imitation Ground Glass, 436. CHAPTER XXXIX. FURNITURE, OLD AND NEW 438 The Bookcase, 439 ; The Chair, 441 ; The Bedstead, 444 ; A Dressing table, 444 ; Washstand, 446 ; A Hall Seat, 447 ; Window Seat and Book-shelves, combined, 448. CHAPTER XL. SOMETHING ABOUT MANTLE-PIECES AND FIRE-PLACES 451 CHAPTER XLI. HOME-MADE CANDY 458 Peanut Candy, Butter Scotch and Molasses Candy, 459 ; Walnut and Fruit Glace, 460 ; Marshmallow Paste, 460 ; Chocolate Caramels, 461 ; Popcorn Balls, 462. CHAPTER XLII. SAINT VALENTINE'S DAY 464 Valentine Party, 465.
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