Fig. 7. - Rustic Flower Holder for Table Decoration.

The finished articles may be either stained and varnished or left plain. Cherry sticks look well if the bark is left the natural colour, and the ends, where exposed, cleaned off and varnished without being stained. Some sticks improve in colour if rubbed over with a rag moistened with linseed oil.

Fig. 8. - Rustic Flower Holder Complete, with Cocoanut Vase in Position.

If a stain is required, one that is sold in bottles would be suitable, but a little vandyke brown, ground in water, and applied with a sponge, answers the purpose. Sometimes, as in the case of the table top (see Fig. 42, p. 36), it is a good plan to stain the wood before nailing on the pattern work, or there will be danger, if the sticks are dark in colour, of the lighter wood showing through.

If the rustic work is intended to be placed out of doors, it should be given two or three coats of hard outside varnish.

The rustic flower-holder for table decoration, shown by Fig. 7, consists simply of a gipsy tripod formed with six rustic sticks, put together in the form shown, and tied with a length of bass. There is no attempt made at finish, but the sticks must be firmly tied together at the joints, and the ends of the bass can be left, either hanging loose or tied in a bow. The holder for the flowers is a cocoanut shell, which has been sawn in two, so as to leave one part a sort of cup or egg shape; three holes are bored with a bradawl at equal distances round the edge, and it is suspended from the tripod with three more pieces of the bass, which completes the arrangement. Of course, any small receptacle can be used in place of the cocoanut shell, but that, perhaps, carries out the rustic appearance the best, and is very easily obtained. Fig. 8 is an attempt to show the tripod when decorated.

The rustic hall-stand shown by Figs. 9 to 11 was made actually from branches and twigs of an old apple tree. The uprights and principal cross-pieces are 7/8 in. thick, and the criss-cross pieces are 1/2 in. thick. The bottom is made of four pieces 1 1/2 in. thick. The longer ones measure 1 ft. 8 in., and the shorter ones 1 ft. 2 in. ; they are nailed together in such a manner that the ends at the two front corners each cross and project 2 1/2 in. The front uprights are 2 ft. high, the back ones 2 ft. 2 in.; the longer cross-pieces are 1 ft. 8 in., the shorter 11 in. The ends intersect and project 3 in. at each of the front corners; only the longest piece projects 3 in. at the back corners, the shorter pieces being cut off flush with the frame to allow of the stand fitting close to a wall. These cross-pieces are nailed to the uprights to allow the top ends of the latter to project 2 in. above them, this bringing the measurement of the oblong inner framework to 1 ft. 10 in. by 1 ft. 2 in.

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10.

Figs. 9 and 10. - Front and Side Elevations of Rustic Hall Stand.

Fig. 11. - Plan of Rustic Hall Stand, showing Umbrella Pan.

The thin pieces are nailed on as shown in Fig. 9, being interlaced as much as possible. The back of the stand is treated in a similar manner. The whole of the wood is used as rough as possible, the bark being retained, with the knots, etc. ; the ends are, however, pared off smooth with a chisel. Two coats of varnish finish the stand, save for the addition of a receptacle to catch the drainings from umbrellas, and for this the stand illustrated has a painted baking-tin a (Fig. 11).

Fig. 12.

Fig. 13. Figs. 12 and 13. - Elevation and Plan of Plant Stool.

The rustic stool (Figs. 12 and 13) is intended to be made in pairs, and placed one on each side of the umbrella-stand above described, each supporting a plant, such as a fern or palm. The top of each stool is cut from 9 in. square 1-in. wood (wood from an old box answers well), and is sawn into an octagonal shape. A double row of pieces of apple, maple, or some other wood with good bark, is nailed around the edges, thicker pieces being used at the bottom than at the top to give a graduated appearance. The entire top is then covered with straight pieces of stick, selected for the beauty of their bark. All pieces are nailed on with cut brads. The four legs are formed of 1-in. apple-wood 9 in. long. They are bevelled at the top to fit a square block of wood, 2 in. thick and 3 in. long, which is firmly secured to the top by two screws. This piece of wood should be fastened to the top before the rustic rods are placed in position. Two 2 1/2-in. wire nails through each of the legs hold them quite securely to the central block. Portions of rustic wood, from 1/4 in. to 3/8 in. in diameter, are then nailed across the legs, as shown in Fig. 12, the ends being allowed to cross each other and project about 1 in. all ways. The whole stool, when finished, stands 10 1/2 in. high, and is so strong that it will support a heavy man with safety. The block of wood to which the legs are attached should be stained to match the rustic wood; permanganate of potash solution will effect this. Finally, two coats of clear varnish give a good finish to the work.

Fig. 14. - Window Box.

Window boxes are illustrated by Figs. 14 to 16. That shown by Fig. 14 is made from a raisin box obtained from a grocer. Such boxes are not costly, and to buy and knock these up for rough uses is often more economical than buying new material. Take care that the boards are stout enough to hold the brads firmly. The box measures about 21 in. by 7 in. by 7 in., and is wholly covered with mosaic of dark and light strips in panels. Strips are also nailed on the upper edges.

Fig. 15. - More Elaborate Window Box.

Fig. 16. - Cross Section of Window Box in Position.

The more elaborate window box (Figs. 15 and 16) can be made of a size to fit the window for which it is intended. A few holes should be bored in the bottom for drainage, and the front board is cut to the shape shown and the rustic ornament is nailed to the box and forms no part of the construction. In Fig. 16 wedge pieces are shown fitted to the stone sill to bring the box level; it is kept in position by two metal angle-pieces screwed both to the wood sill and to the back of the box.