Bonbonnieres (White tissue paper, red and blue aniline dyes)
Very attractive bonbonnieres may be made by cutting oblong shaped sheets of white tissue paper, measuring 6 inches in length and 5 inches in width. Fringe the shorter edges of the paper, making fringe 1 inch deep.
Dissolve any good red and blue dyes in boiling water, and place in separate dishes. Dip one fringed end of tissue paper into the red dye for one second, and dip the other fringed end into the blue dye. Shake these ends gently in order to let the water drip from them. When they are dry, place a large sized candy in the centre of the paper, and gathering up the fringed ends, twist them close to the candy, thus forming a feathery effect in two colors. These are very pretty when arranged on the table either in quantity or singly.
Tents (White shelf paper, paste, match stick, red, white and blue paper)
Groups of white tents, made of white shelf paper, capped at the top with tiny American flags, may be placed at short distances from the centre piece of a luncheon or supper table with good effect.
The large sheets of shelf paper may be bought at any grocer's. Cut them into four-inch squares. Place the paper before you on a flat surface, an edge nearest you. Fold the front edge to the back edge of square; crease the paper at the fold, open the paper and fold the right edge to left edge of square; crease the fold again. Open the paper and turn the square so that a corner points towards you. Fold this front corner to the back corner, so that the two points exactly meet.
Crease on the fold, open the paper, and fold the left corner to the right corner of the square. Crease on the fold. Open the paper; before you you have a square of paper, with eight folds across its surface, a fold running front edge to back edge, from right edge to left edge, from right corner to left corner, from left corner to right corner. Turn the square of paper over so that all the folds on the surface of the paper are on the upper side of the square. Place the square with a corner toward you.
You will now see eight folds running from the four edges and four corners to the centre of the square. Crease with thumb and forefinger of right hand the fold running from lower right edge to centre of square. Place this right hand fold of square forward so that it lies along the fold which extends from the corner directly in front of you to the centre of the square. Follow the same directions in folding the crease that runs from the lower left edge to centre of square. These two folds touch now on the fold that runs from front corner to centre of square. You will see a small triangle extending below the two folds which thus meet in front of you. Fold this small triangle back toward the centre, and underneath the two folds that meet in front of you. One half of your tent is folded. The same directions must be followed in folding the other side of the square.
The two small triangles must be carefully folded so that the tent will stand evenly when finished. You will see when the front and back part of the tent is finished that you have the right and left corners to dispose of. Fold these corners underneath the tent, so that when it is placed in an upright position it will stand firmly. To make the tent stand well, crease the edges that run from the four corners to top of tent, thus making an exact pyramid. The use of a little paste in securing the folds is of great assistance.
To represent the tent pole, a wooden match, gilded, may be used. To this attach a tiny American flag made of pliable red, white and blue paper.