Christmas Gifts

xi une uas onjy me wiu to uo anu taste to fashion them, at a very trirling expense many really beautiful Cliristmas gifts can bo manufactured with only a few days' care and labor. Tlie rough, irregular ends of the branches from tlie spruce tree can be twisted and turned in a variety of ways. After gathering tliem and selecting tliose which have the greatest number of buds at the ends, carefully remove the needle-like leaves ; this is more easily done after they have been allowed to remain in the oven a short time ; not too hot, for that would draw out the resinous gum and mar the beauty of the work, and, if too cool, both buds and branches will shrivel and be iiseless. Look them over carefully, now the leaves are off, laying aside the perfectly straight and well-curved ones, discarding the crooked and unpliable. The sprays should be from two to ten inches in length, and have a cluster of buds at the end of each one. My first attempt was a hanging matchsafe, which was so easy to do, and effective when on the wal!, that I would advise a novice at the business to let that be the flrst effort. Provide a sharp pair of scissors, pins both large and small, pasteboard, needie and cotton - or, what is botter, silk - the color of the wood, and a small piece of some bright-colored material to cover the pasteboard which is used for the back of the match-safe. I used Turkey red, and found it admirable, as the varnish used when the work is finished does not injure the color. Cut the pasteboard about four inches square, and, pinning the material smoothly on the right side, fasten it securely by long stitches from side to side on the wrong. Now cover the right side of the back with the sprays, putting them on perpendicularly, and letting them project about an inch at both top and bottom ; the first one should be so near the side edge that the covering of the pasteboard will not show beyond it ; let this first one have the end with buds at the top of the work, and fasten securely in place by a stitch taken through the pasteboard, allowing the silk to pass over the wood, and not taking the needie through it ; do this at both top and bottom. The noxt piece should He as closely as possible to the first, and its buds should be at the bottom of the back ; fasten it in the same way, and in this manner cover the entire back on the right side, havffic top ancf tlíe oWèVaföMoTO oí the work. There should be two holders, one for unused and the other for waste, matches. The little round feoxes in which Stewart's spool-cotton comes are mst the size, excepting a trifle too tall. Take off one end, and cut them down slightly ; then, having a piece of Turkey red nearly half again as wide as the height of the box, fold in the raw edges until the strip is the right width; wrap around the box tightly, and fasten in ths. back with a few stiches ; arrange the sprays on the boxes in the same manner as on the covered pasteboard, allowing them tp project above and below not quito half an inch. When finished, fasten the boxes securely together, using a needle and strong cotton ; then sew them to the back, right in the middle. Have two straight pieces about six inches long, which sew in the middle of the pasteboard, at both top and bottom, allowing the ends that have the buds on to project about four inches, the other ends lying in the other side of the back. Take a few stiches through the wood and board, and see they are well fastened in place. At each corner of the top and bottom sew pieces which project an inch from the foundation, and between each one of these and the middle piece put two more, grading them in height. Now the foundation is all ready, select some of the prettiest curved ' ones for the ornamentation. Let them go diagonally across the back from the middle of each side to both top and bottom, extcnding beyond the foundation, and forming a sort of lattice-work over it. Concealing the ends without bnds under those that have, ammge a cluster of buds on each of the holders. Dissolve gum-shellac in alcohol until it is the consjstency 01 inin varnish; a fine brush or a feather go over every part of tlie -svork, and, after it has dried in a warm room, apply another coat. Paste paper over the back to conceal the ends of the sprays and the stitches, a small piece of sand'-paper at the bottom of the holders, and the work is complete. With an occasional coat of shellac, they will keep bright for yea,ts.-Hnrper's Bazar.