Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1892 — EASTER EGGS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

EASTER EGGS.

Grotesque and Fanciful Methods of Decorating Them—Some Odd Designs. The grotesque and fanciful often please when mere prettiness has by frequent repetition become wearisome; so while beauty can hardly be claimed for

our designs for decorating Easter eggs, it is none the less true that they will well repay the decorator in pleasing effects. Eggs td be decked in these fanciful shapes need to be either blown or boiled. It is not difficult to blow an egg; simply make two perforations, at opposite ends of the egg, that at the pointed! end a trifle larger, if anything. A large pin or a darning-needle is the best instrument to use in making these perforations. Then the lips to the larger end and blow, not in puffs, but with steady force. The white will exude slowly from the perforation at the opposite end, and then the yelk. If one has not the patience to blow all the eggs required, it will do to chip one end of the shell very carefully and empty out the contents, repairing damages by pasting a piece of white paper over the hole. Either water-colors or oil-paints will do for the decoration of the eggs, and a

lew small camels'-’hair brushee will be ’required. / For tbe head of the sinister “ Zamiel, ” black all the egg -exoeptn small portion reserved for the face; ‘outline 'the toeth on this and leave them white; paint all the reetiof the face a .fiery red and outline the ifeatures in black. Forthe bat , 'S wings which serve as ears, and for the comb, out out pieces of gdld paper (doubled., so that both sides will be alike) atnd gum them.on as shown in the illustration. The pedestal is a large cork hallowed in the copter to .accommodate the <end of the egg, which must be glued to it. For “Baron Munchausen,” make a wig of yellow floss silk, with ;a queue wound with .black silk. Gum on a black

velvet .cocked halt edged S with gilt fringe, and add a nose of paper and a black g silk mustache. While h e ads .do weU b - enough to bepneeent the portraits of noted persons, says a -writer in DeanorA. est’s Family Magazine, when we come to the rep- \ resentation of the lower animais so much character is displayed in.the body, to say nothing of legs and tails, that it seems necessary to add these. The “beetle” is mounted in a wire frame with legs. Cover the legs with wax, molding it into shape. Make the horns of wire, waxed like the legs, fasten them to a little collar of paper, and gum this to the larger end of the egg. Then paint all the egg brown, making outlines for the wings in black, and varnish legs, horns and’all. > The “lAister” is an egg painted scarlet and decorated with claws, head and tail, cut out of paper aryl on, and also painted a lively* red? ‘ The "gray mouse” must have a paper head, and feet also, and a strip of gray

velvet or cloth for a tail. The head of the mouse, dnd the lobster’s head and larger claws, are made of paper cut and pasted to the required shape before pasting upon the egg. For-the claws, two< pieces of paper are cut for each claw, in as close a resemblance to those shown in the illustration of the lobster as possible; the edges are then to be pasted together, leaving the middle of the claw slightly bulging in the well-known shape of a lobster’s claw. Then they can bs gummed on, snipping little lappets of paper all around the ends of the claws, and gumming these fast to the egg. The paint will conceal the joinings and pasting. The mouse’s head must also be cut in two parte, one for each side, and pasted together, using a narrow strip of paper to join the edges; or the edges may be pnated together, but this will leave a

little ridge as a profile. Shape the head over the finger, snip little squares all around the neck, and paste these to the smaller end of the egg. Then treat mousie to a coat of nice gray paint and

apair of fihe horse-hair whiskers, and he will look as roguish as any cupboard thief of his species. The nose of the noble “Baron Munchausen" is to be made on the same principle as the mouse’s head, and the inexperienced nose-maker need not be afraid of exaggerating that member. Exaggeration is «qulte in keeping with the lamented Baron’s traits.

ZAMIEL.

BÈILE AND FRAME.

BARON MUNCHAUSEN.

LOBSTER.