Paper Money (White paper, pencil, scissors, cent)
Place the cent beneath the paper and then press on it with the bottom of the pencil, rubbing at the same time with a circular motion. Soon the impression of the coin will appear on the paper. Cut out and use in playing store.
Snowflakes (White paper, mucilage, a ten-cent box of mica crystals or five cents' worth of alum powder)
A six-pointed star must first be made of white paper. To make this take piece of the paper from 3 to 6 inches square, according to the size of the star. Fold the paper once and cut an approximate half circle. Then fold this in thirds, pressing the folds to make creases. If opened out the circle would be marked by six equi-distant creases radiating from the centre. Do not, however, open, for you are now ready to cut. Before doing this, observe if possible some real snowflakes, with microscope or magnifying glass, or even with the naked eye. Notice the form and hexagonal structure. This is seen best if the flake is caught on some woolen fabric. Then look into an unabridged dictionary and study the picture of the magnified snowflake crystal. Then cut tiny triangles, circles, etc., into your folded circle so that when opened out it will suggest an enlarged snowflake with its six varied points. A delicate appearance is secured by cutting delicate tapering points, or, if the points be broad, cut holes in them to give a lacey effect. We do not give more definite directions for cutting, as the great fascination of the occupation consists in the experiments with their many surprises.
(1) Now take the paper snowflake and brush it lightly over with a thin, transparent mucilage, and then sift over it some mica crystals obtainable at a toy-store, one box being sufficient for many flakes. After drying, cover the other side in the same way. Suspended from the Christmas tree, these are very effective.
(2) The flakes can be made in another way, thus: Make a solution of alum water, dissolving five cents' worth of alum in a pint of water. Be sure it is all dissolved. Then put the flakes in a shallow dish (granite ware or some material that the acid will not injure). Cover with the solution and put in a place slightly warm, so that the gradual evaporation of the water will help in the slow formation of the crystals. When finally evaporated the lacey "cut-out" will be found covered with alum crystals. Cover during evaporation with some light protection from the dust.
Tailless Kite (Two sticks, 3½ feet long and ½ inch wide, a ball of strong but thin twine, two pieces tissue paper, knife, flour paste)
Get the sticks from the saw-mill. Cut a notch in the two ends of each stick as a catch for the framework of twine which will be put on later. On one stick make a pencil mark about seven inches from the top. Put the middle of the second stick across the first at this mark and bind the two together firmly at right angles to each other. You now have a skeleton in the form of a cross. Number the ends of the sticks 1, 2, 3, 4, making the top 1, the right hand end 2, the bottom 3, and the left hand 4, and the place where they join 5.
Now bend the second stick (the cross piece) into a bow and tie a piece of twine from end to end like a bow-string. You must get the curve of the bow just right, so that the distance from the middle of the bow-string to the joinings of the sticks is the same as from the joinings of the sticks to the top of the main stick, i. e., seven inches.
Now carry twine all around, from end to end of the skeleton, to make a framework for the paper; put this twine through each notch and around the end of the stick several times to strengthen. Now paste together, end to end, lengthwise, the two pieces of paper, to make one long piece (a single piece is not large enough). Place the paper on the floor or broad table, and lay the frame upon it. The paper will not be as long or wide in all places as the framework, hence, fold it over the twine framework experimentally, and cut off in places where it is too wide. Allow enough for secure pasting. Use the cut-off corners to lengthen in other places where necessary, by pasting on. If two colors of paper are taken, the effect is very pretty, the corners being arranged to match each other. The best paste is made by a judicious mixture of ordinary flour and water.