Mother Nature's Toy-Shop :: CHAPTER III RED AND WHITE CLOVERS

CHAPTER III RED AND WHITE CLOVERS

By the roadside, through the meadows, on the farm, at the cottage door, and in your own yard those dear, familiar little friends, the clover-blossoms, come to greet you. Even in city parks you may find them, and always they are ready and glad to help you have a good time. Gather a lot of these flowers and sit in the shade under a tree with your lap filled with them while I tell you how to make a

Clover Wreath

Select some long-stemmed blossoms and leaves, bunch them and bind their stems together their full length with strong grass or string. Wind the grass around and around the stems, tucking the ends securely in under the last wind. You may need several long blades of grass for binding one bunch.

In the same way make a second bunch and fit the flowers up close against the first bunch of blossoms, with their stems lying along the side of the first stems. Do not lap the flowers of one bunch over the flowers of another. Fasten the second bunch in place by binding the stems to those of the first bunch; then make a third bunch and bind it on next to the second bunch. Continue making these clover bunches and binding their stems to the stems of those already a part of the wreath until the strip is long enough to fit around your head. Try it on and, if it is the proper length, join the two ends by binding the last stems to the stems of the first bunches. Fig. 10 shows the clover wreath complete.

clover wreath

Fig.10 - Wreath of freshly picked Clover.

You should also have a

Clover Bracelet

to wear with the wreath. Make this as you did the wreath but with much smaller bunches. Keep binding the bunches together until the strip for the bracelet fits your arm (Fig. 11), then join the two ends, and slip the pretty thing on your wrist. Of course, you will want

Clover Earrings

to match, and those two plump, full, fresh blossoms lying at the top of the others on your lap are exactly what you need.

bracelet

Fig.11 - Clover bracelet.

drawings

Fig.12 - Clover earring.

drawings

Fig.13 - Clover Blossom ring.

drawings

Fig.14 - Clover Blossom pendant on Clover necklace.

Take one of these clovers and fit it in tight between your cheek and the lobe of your ear (Fig. 12). Be careful not to break the long stem, for you must bring it up snugly just back of your ear along the line where the ear joins your head, and when this is done, bend the end of the stem down gently over the top of your ear. The stem will hold your earring in place. Make the other earring in the same way. The two clover-blossoms used for the earrings should be as much alike as possible both in size and shape. They should be matched carefully, as pearls and diamonds are matched in a pair of real earrings.

Now for a "solitaire"

Clover Ring

Choose the finest clover for the jewel, and hold it against the back of your left forefinger while you wrap the stem once around the finger, loop it over the blossom and draw the loop tight. Fasten the end by tucking it under and over, and again under the stem ring on your finger. This clover ring is really very effective, and can be made of any colored clover. Fig. 13 gives an idea of how it looks.

A Necklace of Clover

will complete your beautiful set of flower jewelry. Make the necklace as you made the bracelet and fasten three pendant blossoms at the centre, allowing the middle clover to hang down a little below those on either side (Fig. 14).

Now you are ready, with the addition of a long, straight twig, at the top of which you have fastened a bouquet of clover, to play that you are queen of all the clover fairies, and that your clover-tipped twig is your magic wand.

Other Things of Clover

The running, vinelike clovers are fine to use for climbing-roses on outdoor doll-houses. They can also be trained over the doll garden-frames and arches.

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