WOMEN’S NOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 209, 4 August 1937, Page 12

WOMEN’S NOTES.

THE HOME. (By Miss Mary Tallis.) T? e-furnishing your home.—Those about to he married, and those who are so lucky that they can now afford to re-furnkh their homes, continually ask for advice. “How many sheets and blankets, tablecloths or table-mats?” is tho continued plaint. Sometimes they go into more intricate details of the homo, hut in this article I will confine myself to advice regarding tho linen cupboard. Just one note before we start, on the 1v t: f am going to give minimum quantities of things required for a small house or flat. You can always add more and, of course, if you’re going to be lucky enough to have a small maid, then you’ll need extra tilings. But for just the two of you, here’s a modest start: One large damask or linen tablecloth for grand occasions. Two smaller damask or linen tablecloths. Six table napkins to match or tone with cloths. Two fancy afternoon cloths. Two gay breakfast cloths with matching napkins. Set of table mats. Three tray-cloths, two buffet cloths, two tea cosy covers. Of this little list there are several things you would want to make yourself—your fancy afternoon cloths, for instance, and the breakfast cloths with their matching napkins. Bright gingham banded in a plain colour is perfect for the breakfast table and so cheap and easy to launder. Dainty afternoon tea napkins, tray cloths, tea cosy covers and table mats are all nicest hand made. When choosing your table cloths, remember that damask is rather difficult to launder, so, unless you want your laundry bills to mount up, choose mostly linen. Table-mats, by the way, are so easy to launder at home. BEAUTY.

The wind and the rain.—Those who have any tendency to tiny red veins in their cheeks should be especially careful during the cold months. Remember that it is sudden extremes of temperature that cause the minute blood-vessels do break, so please don’t dash straight from a warm room into the cold air outside without first protecting your skin with a geenrous layer of cream and powder. In any case your make-up will be slightly altered now that the wind and rain—and the cold—are waiting round every corner to play havoc with it. In tlie first place, you will need a good powder foundation. This preparation lias to guard the delicate skin of your face against all the elements, as well as counteract . the drying, shrivelling effect of cold winds; so choose it with care. Then, there is another matter to be discussed. How can a nose be prevented from shining, supposing one contracts a cold and has perforce to polish one’s nose with a handkerchief every five minutes or so? My-answer to this is definite; powder cream. PoWt der creams are available in a choice of shades, so you will lie able to match vour own skin, and if v necessary even do a little mild nose-camouflage by choosing a slightly whiter shade. Of course, vour powder will be several shades lighter than that you were using at the end of summer, for by now vour skin will have lost all traces of its holiday tan. Your preesnt powder should be a rachelle, a naturelle. or a peach—but in any case it should contain sufficient skin in its tone to give your skin just the faintest suggestion of warmth. If you are careful of this point you can use powder generouslv during tlie winter months (as you should do to protect your skin) without ever creating that flour-bin effect that is caused by. a too-white powder. R.ouge and lipstick, too, should tend to become more pink in tone. Tlie orange shades, so lovely on a glowing sun-tanned skin must give pride of place during the winter to clear rose-pink shades that will add natural colour where necessary, or supplement cheeks that have been whipped to natural roses by the wind. Your rouge and your lipstick must be pink—and stay pink. . GENERAL. The children’s playtime.—Playing can become just as monotonous as any arduous work, and many of the pre-sent-day toys leave little to the creative mind. ' The creative instinct ill most young children is important in tbeir after life. Boys and even gills will bo contented for hours with some carpentry tools—a hammer of medium weight, a fretsaw, suitable wood and large-headed nails. Very little damage" can be done with this material, but much benefit can result. First, the creative instinct is directed; second, there is occupation with a definite objective: third, hand niuscles are developed. For younger children, clay or plasticine modelling is an easy and interesting occupation. Clay is preferable, as good models can be dried in the sun and painted. Painting with water-colours is a simple matter Paints in tubes, and an old 6aucer or plate to use as a palette, make the least mess. This is a useful occupation for wet days, when it is necessary for the children to. rentain indoors. Here is another indoor occupation where only some scissors (blunt points for small children), old newspapers or magazines are required. -All

children up to the age of nine or ten enjoy cutting, some just cutting, others cutting out pictures, or creating many of the weird and wonderful arrangements that can be made from paper, such as soldier caps, boats, umbrellas and trees. ' Making a Speech.—Quite a numbci of women are nowadays called upon to make speeches. Here are a few hints which will enable a woman to be prepared for such occasions. Plan to open your speech with a joke; a. quotation ; . or even an illustration; but take care that it has human interest and appeal. Don't forget, this is an opportunity to extend a comradely hand to your public. in so far as you can induce them to smile with you, or even sigh with you—so far will they become your friends and receptive to what you have to say. You can find suitable material for a speech everywhere. In the experiences of your friends, in the current magazines and newspapers there are always items of humour and human

interest. lint take care to choose a brief story and one that, with slight alteration, may be applied to your subject. If you choose a joke, determine on one with a clearlv-cut point. Then practise telling it as briefly as possible. Jokes with ton many dC’ tails fall flat—and take erne not to mumble it; make a slight pause before tbe final point, to give it emphasis. A wcll-liegun speech must be followed by a well-rounded and impressive ending. ,Climax and ending are inseparable in most short speeches. Both should come when you have aroused your audience's interest to its highest pitch. This is when von unleash all the enthusiasm and eloquence of which you arc capable. Tliis is when; your voice rings with conviction and you .make your final and most telling point. If you memorise your speech it will soon degenerate into a sing-sung recitation. Strive to create an illusion of snontancity if you would hold vour .hearers snellbound. Shut yourself in an

empty room and lock the door. Tak» your outline speech and begin filling in with your own words. Talk through your outline again and again. At first your own voice will startle you. Your ideas will come haltingly, your sentences remain half-finished. But persevere. Eventually you will be delighted to find how aptly the words and phrases 00111 c; your light throat will relax, and best of all you will enter into the spirit of your subject and forget yourself. Bo assured that if you practise this routine the “big day” will not find you unprepared.