G. Ellingwood Rich

“ You will also be getting and giving a great deal of pleasure by helping other little friends make their own furniture.
You will enjoy changing the designs or making other pieces of furniture from your own original ideas. I suggest that you design and make a china closet, sideboard, combination desk and bookcase, four posted bed, wash stand with towel rack, music cabinet, business desk for “father,” rocking chair, circular top table, lamp or shirt-waist box. ”

“ Spread papers or oil cloth to protect mother’s furniture and carpets from paint.
Choose a place to put your furniture while it is drying, where no one is liable to put other things which might be damaged by the paint.
Use a screw driver to pry off the cover of the paint can; scissors or knife will break if used for this purpose.
Use a small stick like a meat skewer or old pen-holder to stir your paint from the bottom. It will need to be stirred thoroughly each time it is used. ”

“ To cut a box or cover into two pieces, draw around the sides and bottom, making it “square” by using a carpenter’s square, a draughtsman’s triangle or the corner of another box or cover. Use scissors to cut down the edges of the box; if the scissors will not cut quite to the bottom, finish with the knife. “Score” across the bottom and bend it. By bending back and forth, the two pieces will come apart.
To cut a piece out, as when shaping a leg like those of the dresser, use scissors to make two cuts in from the edge ”

“ To fasten the parts of the furniture together use brass fasteners instead of glue. Fasteners cost about ten cents for a box containing one hundred. Glue is not satisfactory because it will not securely hold the heavy cardboard. ”

“ Use any box of the right proportions—jewelry, candy or shoe box.
1. Fold a piece of paper and cut a pattern of the end with the rocker. Cut several until one fits your box and will rock.
2. Lay pattern on cardboard; then draw and cut two ends.
3. Fasten these as shown in the picture. If the cradle is a large one, use very heavy cardboard or fasten several thicknesses together, so that it will be strong enough to be played with.
4. Paint with white enamel.
[103]
Cradle. ”

“ Paint to match the other furniture.
If you cut a corset box just in the middle, you can make two chairs. Use the two ends for the two seats, and the other two pieces for the two backs.
[43]
Details of Arm Chair.
Corset box—cut on dots Sides and back—Waste—Seat Sides and back—Seat—Fastened Top cut away—Arms cut—Slats cut
[44]
A DAINTY LITTLE DRESSER.
A little girl’s dresser should always be neat,
As all little maidens know;
And brushes and combs and scissors and files
Must all be placed in a row.
So when you arrange dolly’s dresser,
Be careful of what you choose ”

“ You are interested in very little, middle-sized or big girls or boys, each child according to his years craving a medium for self expression and opportunity to create.
To each according to his interests and developing powers the suggestions in this little book are offered. ”

“ If by stuffing them with cotton,
Father doll as “comfy” might be.
Then if, with hands that are skillful,
You could small “papers” make,
And place with his chair by the “fire,”
What comfort he could take!
[59]
Morris Chair. ”

“ Fasten through the bottom of box and cardboard, into the cover.
2. Shape the projecting cardboard into front and side hearths. Shape the legs.
3. Cut six holes in the other cover. Use silver half dollar or spool for pattern. Fasten on the top.
4. Fasten on the oven “doors,” etc. Study the picture to see how the fasteners have been made to look like hinges, by cutting two little slits for the prongs, and bending one out flat and then down. The “knobs” are put through one slit as in the dresser.
5. The pipe is made of a roll of stiff paper or a pasteboard mailing tube. Push through one hole ”

“ Push a long pin or wire hairpin through the hands, middle of face, top of pendulum and back of the clock. Bend the end of the wire down. You can then move the hands and swing the pendulum.
6. You might put a fastener into the lower end of the pendulum and double the prongs out of sight. This looks attractive and also makes the pendulum heavier so that it swings better. ”

“ Fit the box into the cover; hold with both hands, and slide the box up or down until it looks like a dresser.
3. Mark where you wish the bottom of the box to be cut off. Cut it off and fasten the two parts together.
4. Cut a hole for the “mirror” and fasten an extra piece of cardboard behind it. Paste silver paper on the cardboard, or fasten a real piece of looking glass between it and the back.
5. Cut pieces of cardboard for the “drawers,” and fasten them so that the fasteners look like knobs.
6. Paint to match the other furniture. Mark key holes.
[47]
Details of Dresser. ”

“ Push the back up again and reach under the shelf, to put fasteners through back edge into the back.
6. Make “mirror” of silver paper or real looking-glass, using extra cardboard as in the dresser.
7. Use small box and its cover for the grate. Cut slats and legs. Fasten the back of grate to back of fireplace.
8. Paint grate with black enamel and the “woodwork” like your furniture, or with white enamel. Paint the hearth and fireplace like brick or tiles.
[75]
Details of Fireplace. ”

“ Two boxes—same size—nearly square Extra piece of cardboard for back Large chair = collar boxes—Small chair = jewelry boxes Invert box for seat Fasten covers for sides. Portions of cover edges cutaway to form arms. Shape the legs Cut slats in arms. ”

“ Candy box or note paper box Cover—cut small piece from bottom Fasten on top—clip corners Fit box for shelf Mark—cut on dots Fit other end of box Mark—cut on dots Fit middle of box Mark—cut on dots Fasten shelves Shape bottom
[54]
DOLLY’S CORRESPONDENCE
Cut tooth picks up for pencils,
And fold small papers, too;
Tuck these inside the little desk,
As grown up people do.
Fit a piece of mother’s blotter
On the shelf on which you write;
Lay on this your doll’s note paper,
Choosing dainty blue or white.
[55]
Writing Desk. ”