Plate No. 1.—The pleated frames explain themselves. Palms add much to the finish of almost any background.
Plate No. 2.—Shows some excellent sunburst effects.
Plate No. 3.—Gives an excellent idea of the utility of frames, with the addition of a few palms. This represents an Easter egg, made of strips covered with heavy paper; the outside in white cheesecloth, the inside with lavender China silk, with baby dressed in white. There are dozens of other ideas that will suggest themselves to you, suitable to the season. The egg is only one suggestion.
STANDARD BACKGROUNDS—PLATE 4.
Plate No. 4.—The lattice work can be made with white tape, ribbon or strips of wood painted. A hoop nailed to the outer strips will make a good frame. Any style of ornament can be cut out of heavy cardboard, or wood ornaments obtained from almost any saw mill at a little cost. A plain box with blocks nailed top and bottom, covered with cloth in any color desired, with a panel of gilt picture moldings, makes a good pedestal.
Plate No. 5.—Shows how one frame can be used in front of another to an advantage, and good effects obtained.
Plate No. 6—Suggests an excellent background for windows. The bottom of the pillars is covered with a strip of lincrusta, painted white and touched up with bronze. A plain cap can be used instead of the fancy ones, either square or round, with a band of lincrusta to match the bottom.
These backgrounds can be produced at little cost, and are a great help to the trimmer who has many windows. With a little ingenuity and adaptation one can form an endless variety of artistic backgrounds.
The backgrounds shown were designed by Charles W. Morton.