LIBUARY OF CONGRESS. 
 
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SPRAY-V/ORK; 
 
 OR, 
 
 jOiTir^u's TniyTiya 
 
 By MP^'j.^' Mclaughlin. 
 
 COPYRIGHT SECURED. 
 
 
 ST. LOUIS: 
 
 'M'oodward, Tiernan & Hale, Printers. 
 
 1877. 
 
.1^" 
 
 To MY YOUNG Pupils, 
 
 Miss EVA E. MUKPHY and Miss LOU MILLEK, 
 
 ST. LOUIS, MO., 
 
 IN HOPE THAT THEY MAY REACH THE HIGHEST STANDARD 
 
 OF ARTISTIC BEAUTY AND MAKE GLAD THE HEARTS 
 
 OF THOSE WHOSE NAMES THEY BEAR, THIS 
 
 LITTLE BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY 
 
 DEDICATED. 
 
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PREFACE. 
 
 To the admirers of the beautiful I present these pages, in 
 hope that in every home wherein they may enter they may 
 meet with a welcome and long remembrance throughout 
 all years to come ; and if carefully read, you can become 
 your own teacher in the art of making this beautiful misty 
 work — spray, or nature's printing. The writer of this 
 message speaks from long experience in teaching and 
 making this beautiful and fascinating work. Home, the 
 dearest spot on earth, would seem cold and chilly, even 
 if it were furnished with grand and massive workmanship 
 of man, if its walls were not embellished and its windows 
 decorated with charming bits of art and beauty, made by 
 some dear hands of loved ones at the family fireside. 
 
 Every lesson learned at home, every act done or left 
 undone, is not to be forgotten by any of us. Therefore 
 we should first of all things endeavor to make home 
 pleasing and attractive. It does not require wealth to do 
 this, for we are aided by nature's rich and free bounty, 
 in simple as well as great thhigs ; then let not even the 
 simple things, as the faded garnitures and fallen foliage 
 of the forests, fall to disuse, decay and forgetfulness. 
 
 Gather them, because our aesthetic tastes crave the 
 presence of just such simple things as these. 
 
SPRAY-WORK; 
 
 OR, 
 
 "N 
 
 T^ 
 
 ATURE'S TRINTING." 
 
 By some this pretty employment is called "Spatter- 
 Work." The term to me seems perfectly ridiculous, and 
 by no means appropriate. For the ordinary process the 
 tools and necessary materials are very simple. I shall 
 leave them and their use to be explained when the collec- 
 tion of objects, or rather ferns and foliage, has been fully 
 completed. While fern fronds no doubt form the most 
 graceful pictures, leaves of the rose, shamrock, heather, 
 and even those of common grasses are often introduced 
 with charming effect, breaking up any monotony that 
 might result from the exclusive use of ferns. The latter, 
 it is true, are a numerous family, but there still remains a 
 general resemblance between all the branches, and, there- 
 fore, a sameness throughout the picture, no matter how 
 beautiful it appears, if ferns alone are used . 
 
 While occasionally an active spray-artist can form a 
 picture of fresh leaves or ferns, the general process re- 
 quires that they be first pressed. Do not gather the 
 specimens until they are perfectly dry, as the least damp- 
 ness interferes with a successful performance of the work. 
 The best press consists of two spray-boards, large enough 
 to allow quite a margin about the ferns after they are 
 arranged for drying or pressing. Spongy or absorbent 
 paper is next required, and as to which is the best there 
 is a diversity of opinion. Botanical paper, heav}^ brown 
 paper, and blotting paper are all in use. The last men- 
 
— 6 — 
 
 tioned kind seems, however, to be most general^ select- 
 ed ; so, on one of the boards spread several sheets of it, 
 and over them carefully lay your collections of ferns and 
 leaves, taking care to arrange each in the shape you wish 
 it to retain for its later use. Then cover them with sev- 
 eral other sheets of blotting paper, adjust the remaining 
 board, and distribute weights — no matter what the}^ are, 
 so that the pressure will be even. The use of the boards 
 is to equalize the pressure — a result seldom obtained 
 when ferns are laid between the leaves of an ordinary 
 book, as most of us know from experience. Marble slabs 
 make excellent weights. 
 
 At the end of twenty-four hours remove the specimenst 
 place them between fresh sheets of paper, and subjec, 
 them to another day of pressing, when they will be ready 
 for the final work. The foundation material for this 
 process now depends upon what you wish to make. 
 White spray-board, wood, fine white Swiss, heavy white 
 silk, and green satin are all used for special purposes ; 
 but if you wish to experiment, or practice, to discover 
 whether you can spray nicely, take a half sheet of white 
 spray-board, and make a bouquet of ferns and grasses. 
 
 The following directions will apply to the forming of 
 mottoes, crosses, monuments and columns, the ela.bora- 
 ting of any article of wood, or the embellishment of 
 card-cases, portfolios, glove boxes, etc. : Having taken 
 the precaution of spreading a large sheet of brown paper 
 over the table — which must be quite large and of soft 
 wood — cover and enveloping yourself in a large apron 
 with a bib, spread your piece of spray- board on the table, 
 taking care that the board be free from dust ; then ex- 
 hume the ferns and grasses you have pressed, and lay 
 quite a number of them on the table. By so doing you 
 will have an opportunity to select the prettiest ferns. 
 Those with- curly tips form the most graceful picture. Lay 
 a long piece of grass, or rose twig with leaves, on the 
 center of your spray-board, taking care to rest the stems 
 of each leaf upon the first branch, and the third stems 
 upon the second, and the same throughout the picture. 
 If the stems are seen, the effect is bad ; you will be obliged 
 
— 7 — 
 
 to arrange (and perhaps re-arrange) them until the result 
 suits you, and you must take care and lay them so that 
 some may not be covered by others. Here will be 
 found an opportunity of exercising your taste. But 
 in changing the positions of the more delicate collections, 
 you will have to handle them very gently with your fore- 
 finger and the blade of a small pocket-knife, otherwise 
 you can not form a picture of any kind. You will next 
 need a spray- net. The frame of this spray-net must be of 
 heavy wire, nine inches in length and five in width, turn- 
 ing the ends of the wire to the center lengthwise to form 
 the handle. This frame must be covered with fine wire- 
 net, drawn over and stitched tightly around the edges of 
 the frame. The spray-net can be made at any wire 
 establishment, and if well made will last for years. You 
 will need a cake of genuine India ink and a saucer of 
 soft water ; put the saucer in a large wash basin. You 
 also need a piece of whetstone, five and a half inches in 
 length and two in width. Rest the end of the whetstone 
 in the saucer of water, take the cake of India ink in your 
 right hand, and dip the end of the ink in the saucer of 
 water, rubbing gently up and down the whetstone. Of 
 course the ink must be dipped in the water each time it is 
 passed up and down the stone. Here judgment is re- 
 quired, for if the ink is made too black, your shades will 
 not be soft in efi'ect ; five minutes' time is sufficient to 
 prepare the ink. And last of all, you will need a spray- 
 brush, which is manufactured expressly for this beautiful 
 misty work, and can be obtained at any store where art- 
 ists' materials are sold. 
 
 You will now be ready to commence the final work. 
 Holding the spray-net by the handle in your left hand, 
 with your right dip the brush in the ink, and then give 
 the brush two spiteful shakes, and pass it gently up and 
 down the spray-net, taking care that the net and brush 
 be perfectly dry before more ink is required. You will 
 have to stand up to perform this part of the work, and 
 out of the draft of doors and windows ; for even a little 
 puff of tender breath will not only carry away your leaves, 
 but the ver}^ fine black mist that is falling from the net 
 
— 8 — 
 
 would be swept away. When you think your picture is 
 dark enough, and as you remember you can not get along 
 without the aid of a knife, so rest your forefinger upon 
 the blade of the knife, and proceed to take up the leaves, 
 commencing with the top ones, taking up every other leaf ; 
 have ready several pamphlets or almanacs, and as you re- 
 move your leaves place them in the books, for if you let 
 them dry in the open air they will be unfit for use. With 
 this precaution leaves and ferns will serve to work with 
 for months and months, even if you should work with 
 them every day. Now, with your spray-net, brush and 
 ink, go over the picture the second time, until the shade 
 suits your taste. Let the picture dry for a few moments, 
 then with the point of your knife remove remaining leaves 
 a little to the left of you, and again use the brush and ink 
 quite freely ; let dry for a few moments, then take up all 
 the leaves, and of all the beautiful sights ever seen, this 
 picture will be the most beautiful. When thoroughly dry, 
 polish the picture by rubbing it over gently with an old 
 soft linen napkin ; it is now ready to be framed. A Ro- 
 man gold frame, with black mat and French plate-glass, 
 is the prettiest frame for these pictures. 
 
 If you have been successful in making a bouquet, then 
 you can make a cross. Figure 1 represents a cross pat- 
 tern, with a beautiful base. For making the cross, take 
 half a sheet of spray-board, being careful that the board 
 be free from dust ; place figure 1 in the center of the 
 board. You will now need some fine needles, as the pat- 
 tern must be flat against the surface, and be secured with 
 needles ; you have only to imbed the points in the pattern, 
 first passing them through the spray-board, leaving the 
 needles, therefore, in an upright position. Figure 1 will 
 be marked 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. There will also be five 
 pieces with corresponding numbers. Secure these num- 
 bers with needles opposite the numbers on figure 1 . Now 
 you will be ready to arrange the fern leaves and foliage 
 around the cross, commencing from under the elbow of 
 the cross, allowing quite a margin about the ferns, and 
 apply the directions given for forming the bouquet. After 
 having the picture dark enough, and the shading of the 
 
— 9 — 
 
 leaves finished, let dry for a few moments ; then take up- 
 all the leaves, and also take up 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ; always 
 bear gently on the strip of paper with the point of your 
 knife while taking out the needles, and again use the 
 brush and ink freely, until the shade is quite dark ; let 
 dry for a few moments, then take up figure 1 , and you 
 will have a beautiful pure white cross, though not finished 
 until you take the three narrow strips of paper, 8, 9 and 
 10 ; the strips of paper are to form lines to correspond 
 with the white lines on the base of the cross. When these 
 strips of paper have been secured with needles on the base 
 of the cross, then cover every particle of the picture with 
 pieces of thin brown paper secured with needles, except 
 between the narrow strips; leave exposed, and use the 
 brush and ink until you think the shade corresponds with 
 5, 6 and 7, and then remove the pieces of brown paper ; 
 let dry, and then with the point of your knife — which 
 must be perfectly clean — pi ess down the needle holes, and 
 polish the picture as before mentioned. The cross will 
 now be finished, unless 3''0u may desire a wreath or Adne 
 around it. This you will have to arrange to suit your 
 taste, but be careful that the stem of the vine or wreath 
 is not seen projecting from any point of the cross or base, 
 and have the shade very delicate. The cross pattern must 
 be transferred to thin blotting paper. Then cut out ex- 
 actly before using the pattern at all. With caie the same 
 pattern will last for years. 
 
 When making spraj^-board mottoes you will require let- 
 ters for the words. If you understand drawing you can 
 draw letters for any words, otherwise you will have to 
 .purchase mottoes, and cut from them the words you may 
 desire. The letters will never wear out ; and if you wish 
 to accommodate your friends by giving them letters, you 
 have only to place the letters on thin blotting paper, and 
 use the brush and ink ; in this wa}^ the letters will be per- 
 fect, and easily cut from the paper. The words of any 
 one motto may be used in various ways ; for instance, the 
 words " God Bless our Home," a very handsome motto 
 made by one of my pupils, a young girl of artistic genius, 
 
— 10 — 
 
 represented a demi-wreath of ferns, rose and other shapely 
 leaves endrcUng the word " Home." 
 
 When one becomes a good spray artist, fancy heads can 
 be transferred to spray-board, and encircled by damty 
 wreaths. 
 
 In spraying upon wood, which must be white and un- 
 polished, brown tints are the prettiest, as they make your 
 ferns appear as if gathered in autumnal shades of golden 
 brown. To obtain this effect, mix vandyke brown and 
 burnt sienna with your sepia; when the design is finished, 
 the wood must be spread with a thin, even coat of varnish, 
 passing your brush in one direction. Colors are very 
 effective in spray-work, but require some skill, time and 
 patience, besides an assortment of artists' materials. 
 Artists who have never tried the experiment would scarcely 
 imagine what a beautiful effect results from painting a 
 group of flowers, with a background prepared by very fine 
 spray- work. 
 
 Green spray-work, or "Nature's printing," may be ac- 
 complished with little trouble and expense, and is really 
 very charming. The black, brown and white effects only 
 have been described, but to obtain natural tints would 
 surely delight the experimenter. You will require two 
 tubes of colors, one of Prussian blue and another of 
 chrome yellow, by the mixture of which, on some non- 
 absorbent surface, you will be able to produce all the 
 different shades of green. You will next require a color- 
 pad; if you use different shades, you must have a pad for 
 each. La}^ your leaf or fern on a piece of paper, and with 
 the pad press the color all over it, and thoroughly into its 
 fibres. Then arrange the painted fern colored side down, 
 on the SwisS; silk or paper, and place another piece of 
 paper over it, pressing the paper directly over the fern for 
 some time with your fingers. When you think the impres- 
 sion is fixed, remove paper and leaf very carefully, and it 
 Is probable that the impression will be quite satisfactory. 
 You may be unsuccessful in the first attempt, for the result 
 depends greatly upon the quantity of color applied. If 
 you use too little, the impression will be faint ; if too 
 much, the coloring matter will gush from under the edges, 
 
— 11 — 
 
 leaving a heavy, ragged outline. If the latter is imper- 
 fect when the rest of the impression is satisfactory, it may 
 be touched up with burnt sienna, which, in addition to 
 perfecting the shape, will impart a lovely tone to the whole 
 leaf, and also to a bouquet of this beautiful work. 
 
 If it were convenient, I would gladly place figures in 
 this little book, to repre-ent patterns for making man}^ 
 beautiful and useful articles of white spray-board, orna- 
 mented with spray-work — wall-pockets, visiting card 
 pockets, photograph holders, music and paper holders, 
 slipper holders and baskets. The sides of wall-pockets 
 must be thin cardinal red, pink or blue paper. Tie the 
 pocket wdth ribbon or zeph3'r, the same color of the side 
 piece ; make tas«els for the pockets and basket. The 
 basket must be made of thin, tough white spray-board, as 
 it will yield readily to any form you may desire. The 
 writer of this has on hand patterns of one hundred differ- 
 ent ornamental and useful articles. Persons who desire 
 patterns or designs can have them sent to any part of the 
 countr3\ 
 
 FERN LEAVES AND GRASSES. 
 
 Many ladies imagine that much preparation and care are 
 required in the gathering of these mute testimonials of 
 summer and autumn. This is an unfortunate mistake, 
 because it prevents many from enlivening their homes b}" 
 charming bits of grace and color. 
 
 All the world was given to us to be ours, but its best 
 things require to be captured and domesticated before 
 they can be "our own." We unfortunates, who are 
 crowded into cities, where the sight and stir of a leaf 
 brings a certain satisfaction, love to gather these evidences 
 of nature's beautiful bounty. We do this partly in mem- 
 ory of summery days, partly because the leaves have ma- 
 tured and fulfilled their mission to the fields, and would 
 fall into disuse, decay and forgetfulness, if we did not 
 collect them ; but more especiall}^ do we select and pre- 
 pare the beautiful and graceful fohage of wood and field, 
 because our aesthetic tastes crave their presence while 
 
— 12 — 
 
 nature is sleeping and cannot supply us with a sight of 
 her charms. Dwellers in the country have equal need of 
 these hoarded reminders of summers to come, when the 
 white pall of mid winter, which is spread over the remains 
 of last year's loA^eliness, shall have passed away. 
 
 The writer of this message to the lovers of things simple 
 and beautiful, has only to remind the scoffer at trifling 
 house decorations of the leafage from forests, fronds from 
 rocky ledges, grasses from hillside and meadow, and 
 spathas from borders of streams, which Bryant, Thoreau, 
 Hawthorne, and many others who loved the beautiful — 
 compared with whom we are but insignificant beings — held 
 in sacred reverence. They made friends of them, and 
 have strewn our literature with garlands of immortal verse, 
 all intertwined and made vivid with just such simple things 
 as the faded garniture and fallen foliage of the forests. 
 But we need not call up these great souls to make apology 
 for us ; neither need we care very much for those who 
 sneer at the leaf-gatherer, who scrambles over the rocks 
 for a brilliant branch, or runs eagerly after a bright leaf 
 that is scudding before a vicious autumnal wind. When 
 winter comes we have our compensation for all such dis- 
 couraging sarcasms — a cure for all the wounds which the 
 noble creatures who are superiorto the every-day products 
 of nature, can by any possibility inflict upon us — our de- 
 light in the rich tints of preserved autumnal trophies, in 
 the summery droop of ferns, and even in the preserved 
 grasses gathered from many a field, both far and near. 
 My own experience taught me to gather ferns early, and 
 if any of you should ever go up into the mountains — for 
 instance, the Catskill Mountains — even in that Mgh coun- 
 try the ferns will be in superb development in the 
 last of July. Take with you quite a number of 
 sheets of blotting paper — paper of any kind, even news- 
 paper, being a luxury in the mountains — gather the finest 
 ferns, lay them between the sheets of blotting paper and 
 press them as before mentioned, but change them to dry 
 paper every day until they are perfectly dr}^ ; by this pro- 
 cess they will retain their natural tints. When at home, 
 place them in some secure place until near Christmas, 
 
— 13 — 
 
 then exhume them, and of all the beautiful preservations 
 ■ever seen, these will be the greenest and most beautiful. 
 
 Fill 3^our large vases and jardinieres with white sand, 
 and plant the stems of the ferns so as to resemble a 
 natural growth. After a day or two of upright position 
 in a warm room they will curl over their tips just as if they 
 were growing ; they wdll be the delight of the winter, re- 
 taining their greenness through the whole season. Of 
 course they must be carefully set away on sweeping days, 
 and many a little puff of tender breath from loving lips 
 might have sw^ept over their leaves to carry away from 
 them evidences of a close familiarity with civilization. 
 Next year enough must be gathered for a fresh supply, as 
 the first groups will be rather dusty. Brilliant forest 
 leaves are very beautiful if not pressed too heavily or too 
 carefully ; varnish spoils them by taking away their nat- 
 ural texture, and certainly does not add to their brilliancy . 
 Never iron autumn leaves ; this also spoils their graces. A 
 few indentations in them are much preferable to flatness. 
 Southern moss may be made into long clinging garlands ; 
 into it the stems of brilliant leaves are touched after they 
 have been dipped in mucilage ; carefully festoon this 
 beautiful ornament over doors, pictures, and indeed any- 
 where, and the leaves will cling to it in safety all winter 
 long. It is simply a decorative ornament to place in any 
 apartment. A bouquet basket, filled and draped with 
 moss, is made charming by adorning its top and droop- 
 ing ends with leaves of various colors. It is a great mis- 
 take to omit green and russet leaves from the collection. 
 Gather them and press them carefully in single leaves or 
 in sprays, taking care that the pressure of the latter be 
 as natural and graceful as possible. Sprays or branches 
 are pretty for bouquets, or to place back of engravings. 
 Never arrange them around colored pictures. The effect 
 is mutually bad. 
 
 Grasses should be dried and not pressed. If you wish 
 to have grains and grasses in their perfection of growth, 
 gather them just before they have fully ripened, but not 
 before they have fully developed their seed. Cut them 
 of the length required, and if you wish the grains to be 
 
— 14 — 
 
 bleached, lay them in the sunshine on the grass, and wet 
 them with clean water several times eveiy day, until they 
 are of the brilliant tint required. The grasses are pret- 
 tiest in their own verdant tints, as nearly as the}^ can be 
 made to keep them. Do not dip them in solutions of alum, 
 or in anything to make them appear artificial. You can- 
 not improve them any more than you can paint the lily. 
 
 The catin of the iris is a pretty ornament in winter, if 
 gathered and dried. The milk-weed, when it is ripe, is 
 exquisite if the pod is burst open so that the silky inte- 
 rior spreads its fibres over the ectge of its natural enclo- 
 sure. One of the prettiest things I ever saw for a lady's 
 room was a set of fine white Swiss curtains with a double 
 ruffle, with center covered by a flat garland of autumnal 
 foliage and secured with tiny insect pins or caught by 
 fine threads. 
 
 To make a handsome fire-screen, take a large sheet of 
 white or brown spray-board, arrange a group of fern 
 leaves, or a bouquet of autumnal foliage, ornament with 
 spray-work, place the sheet of spray-board between two 
 plates of glass, have made a wicker-work frame to fit the 
 glass. This is among the most beautiful of home dec- 
 orations. 
 
 I have in this article endeavored to inform those who 
 have not discovered it for themselves, that leaf-gathering 
 for the brightening of the house in winter time requires 
 but a trifling eff'ort, and the nearer the result resembles 
 nature, the nearer it will be to the highest standard of 
 artistic beauty. What is art, but an endeavor to be 
 natural? 
 
— 15 — 
 
 A PURCHASING AGENCY. 
 
 Mrs. M. J. McLaughlin wishes to announce that she- 
 has opened a purchasing agency, and will receive orders 
 from those desiring her to purchase goods. My arrange- 
 ments will enable me to fill orders, whether for large or 
 small quantities, with dispatch and at reasonable prices.^ 
 Experience has adapted me for supplying the require- 
 ments of plain or refined tastes successfully. By my asso- 
 ciations I am apprised at the earliest possible moment 
 of the latest European and American styles. 
 
 Dress goods, cloakings, costumes, infants' wardrobes^. 
 laces, millinery, domestics of all kinds, trimmings, publi- 
 cations, stamping patterns and materials, orders for all 
 articles will be punctually attended to and carefully exe- 
 cuted. 
 
 Purchases can be made more satisfactorily with ready 
 funds than upon terms or credit, therefore the full 
 amount must be sent with the order. In making remit- 
 tances, if possible, send by draft or post-oflfice order. 
 Do not risk money in a letter without registering it. In- 
 formation as to current prices, etc., sent upon receipt of 
 stamp for return letter. Parties who anticipate giving an 
 order for a costume, a bonnet, or goods of any kind, and 
 who write in advance for information as to prices, should 
 give an idea as to the qualities desired, by stating the ex- 
 pense to which they wish their purchases limited. Those 
 desiring a collection of samples must inclose fifty cents 
 as payment for the time taken to procure them. 
 
 Retail dealers who do not make regular trips to St. 
 Louis market, can be supplied with novelties and stand- 
 ards on favorable terms, as I have facilities for selecting 
 from the stocks of leading importing and jobbing houses 
 at trade discounts. 
 
 I have had manufactured by Williamson, Stewart & 
 Co., No. 311 North Second street, St. Louis, Mo., — one of 
 the largest wholesale paper and stationery establishments 
 in the West — three diflferent grades of spray-boards, ex- 
 pressly for my own use, and for the use of all who may 
 
— 16 — 
 
 •desire to engage in this new and profitable work, "spray- 
 work." The necessary materials for this work have already 
 been mentioned, and are all inexpensive. Parties writing 
 for information can have any of the articles mentioned 
 sent by mail or express to any State or Territory. Par- 
 ties desiring patterns for designs can have sent to any 
 address twelve different designs cut in full size, with full 
 instructions how to put together, on receipt of one dollar 
 and twenty-five cents. 
 
 Communications may be addressed to Mrs. Mary 
 Jane McLaughlin, in care of Williamson, Stewart 
 & Co., 311 North Second street, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 014 147 648 8