We are all familiar with the fancy frosting with which confectioners decorate wedding and similar cakes. The utensils used for this work may, with slight modifications, be used to produce very ornamental calendars, photograph-frames, souvenirs, menus, programmes, window signs and other display cards, etc. For relief-map making it is excellent, and adds great interest to the study of geography. A photograph mounted upon heavy cardboard with a calendar pad beneath, and decorated by this process, would make a handsome present for a friend. But little artistic ability is required, the common embroidery patterns being readily adapted for the necessary designs. The process is easily learned if the directions here given are carefully followed.

The necessary articles are a syringe bulb of heavy rubber about two and one-half inches long, a glass tube one-quarter inch outside diameter and pointed at one end, a package of white water-paint, preferably of the kind known as "Alabastine," several papers of gold, silver and other colored bronzes and flitters, and a saucer or bowl for mix-ing. With the exception of. the bronzes, these materials will cost about fifty cents. The syringe must have a strong suction. For the glass tube, a medicine "dropper" will answer,' provided the flange is not so large as to prevent its being easily inserted in the rubber bulb. A better way would be to obtain a short piece of glass tubing, heat it near one end in an alcohol lamp and draw it out to a point. A little practice will soon enable this to be nicely done, and, once learned, the supply and shape of points may be varied as desired. An alcohol lamp may be made from a short, wide-mouthed bottle, through the cork of which a hole is bored with a gimlet or knife, through which is inserted a quill tube cut from a large hen-feather. The cotton wick is put through the tube, and should project a little so the quill will not be burned. The bulb and tubing can usually be purchased at the druggists', and a jeweller will form the glass points if the reader does not care to do it. The water-paint, bronzes and flitters can be secured of a paint dealer, as may also several pans of water-colors. The variety of colors of bronzes and water-colors purchased depends on how elaborately one cares to engage in this work. A good selection would be, one paper each of gold, silver, green, red and blue bronze, gold and silver flitter. Flitter varies from bronze in being flaky, while the bronzes are very fine powder. The appropriate uses of flitter will occur to the reader as progress is made in the work.

The materials are prepared and used as follows : the water-paint and water are first mixed in the proportion of about two parts water to five parts paint, the paint being gradually added to the water until quite pasty.

The proportion varies a little, the paint of different manufacturers not being alike. A little experience will enable the right proportions to be easily found. The rubber syringe is now squeezed flat, the open end inserted in the paste and then allowed to expand, thus becoming filled with the paste. Several insertions may be necessary to completely fill the syringe. When full, the glass, tube is then inserted. If the bulb, held in the right hand, is now evenly and gently pressed, the paste will be expelled from the point in a fine round line, which may be guided by the left hand as desired. An even pressure is necessary, otherwise the line will be very uneven, with lumps in one place and nothing in another. Releasing the pressure stops the flow of paste, and this should be done in moving from one part of the work to another. A little practice with lines, curves and letters will soon enable even lines to be made at will. The lines are now white and for some effects are allowed to remain so. If a gold or other color is desired, the bronze is dropped over the work with a smooth table-knife, the work turned at different angles to allow the bronze to reach every part of the paste, then turned over and given a light rap with the knife to detach any surplus bronze and allow it to fall upon a piece of smooth paper used for that purpose. Bronze is not very cheap in price, so care should be taken in saving the surplus. If several colors are desired on the same work, the paste for one color is put on, the bronze of that color applied and the surplus removed. The paste for the next color is then put on, and colored, and this is repeated for each color applied. When white is wanted, in combination with colors, the paste for the white parts is the last to be put on. The work in one color should be perfectly dry before another color is applied, otherwise some of the second color will attach to the work of the first. Letters, half of which are one color and half of another, may be secured by removing the surplus of the first color from one side or end and the other color from the opposite side of the work, thus preventing them from getting mixed. Additional colors and tints may be secured by coloring the water used for mixing the paste with water-color. This is much less expensive than when bronze is used, yet is very useful for display cards. A design thus colored upon cardboard of a lighter tint of the same color may be made very attractive.

The utensils, when through using, should be thoroughly cleaned and keft in a jar filled with water. This prevents the paste from hardening and clogging up the tube and syringe.

The wide range of work possible with this process will become evident to the reader as experience is gained. Panels, screens, dadoes, are but a few of the lines of work, limited only by the artistic ability and desires of those who persevere.