All Through the House 3

If the log does not have a natural curve, it may be soaked in water, curved when soft, tied into the desired shape and left until thoroughly dry. It will then hold its shape permanently. If any weight is needed to keep the bark from rolling, a needle-point flower holder or piece of lead may be placed inside. The log can always be held in position with a piece of Scotch tape which will not mar the mantel or furniture.

Bark will keep indefinitely and should be stored for future use. Each year its decoration may be varied. A few greens and cones placed alone in a bark container are beautiful or artificial snowballs may be wired among
them.

Angels are beautiful symbols of the season. They come in many colors and are made of wax, pottery, wood, china and glass. They may be used singly or grouped on a mantel, window sill or table center with greens, or placed on a side table around a small tree.

Cones, driftwood and fagots may be prepared for the fireplace with little effort after materials are assembled. Different treatments produce colored flames. A solution of chemicals can be used but dipping requires a wooden container and more time and space than sprinkling with chemicals. A large salt or flour shaker is convenient to scatter these over a surface which has been brushed with shellac or glue in order to make the chemicals adhere. Colored flames are produced as follows:

Yellow Sodium chloride (salt) and Potassium nitrate
Red Lithium chloride and Strontium nitrate
Green Copper nitrate
Blue Copper sulphate
Orange Calcium chloride
Violet Potassium chloride

Prepared driftwood crystals may also be bought for this purpose.
Many trees such as the plane and some of the birches in the East and eucalyptus in the West shed their bark. If curved pieces can be found, they make nice coverings for fagots.

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