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Although almost all of Mrs. Douglass' flowers and flower-making materials are of wood fibre, she occasionally makes blooms of crepe or tissue paper, such as the tissue paper chrysanthemum centerpiece pictured. Both wood fibre and paper flowers are made according to the same instructions.

The Douglass flower shop is on a back street in Indianapolis. Painted white on the outside, with a gay green and white awning, it occupies a corner of a box factory owned by Mr. Douglass, and is easily the most attractive spot for blocks around. Inside—there is color everywhere. Dark green and deep purple walls accent flowers of every hue, and unusual floral arrangements decorate each table and shelf. Chartreuse drapes hang at the front window, and ivy patterned paper adorns the counter and back wall. Behind the shop, Mrs. Douglass has begged enough space from her husband to equip a classroom capable of seating eighty persons, with table and work space in the front.

THERE ARE three aspects to Mrs. Douglass' business. (1.) She sells the raw material of her trade—sheets of wood fibre, paper, leaves, wire, all the hundreds of items available for flower making—acting as a distributor for a national wholesale firm. Many of her orders for material are by mail. (2.) Then she makes flowers herself, selling not only through her shop, but filling large custom orders for fraternal organizations, conventions, and the like. (3.) She also conducts three classes a week in flower making, sometimes instructing as many as 150 persons each week in her shop. She travels throughout the state, too, teaching flower making to special groups.

Mrs. Douglass has firm advice to the beginner: "Do not try to sell the raw materials of flower making unless you have had previous experience in the field," she says. "Open a shop—in your home or in a business room, but sell only the finished flowers." Mrs. Douglass warns that you can lose a great deal of money by trying to sell materials, without experience.

Euna Douglass opened up her flower shop only three years ago. She had had prior experience in the field of wood fibre flowers, having travelled for a wholesale florist firm, but it was not until after World War II that she actually started to make flowers herself. At first she fashioned flowers only as a hobby; then one day she was asked to make 125 rosebud corsages for her husband's Masonic lodge. These corsages were received so enthusiastically a friend persuaded her to combine talents and try selling flowers in a local supermarket. Within a few weekends, after splitting profits, her friend had made enough to buy a new living room suite—and Mrs. Douglass had decided there was a definite future—for her—in flower making.

She has bad little time to regret her decision. At the present time, 1,200 to 1,300 people enter the Douglass flower shop each week, and 250 more send mail orders for material. Upon many occasions, Mrs. Douglass has had to man, the counter with four or five people, to handle the rush of business.

Many of Mrs. Douglass' activities are charitable, for she believes she should help others, and that the hobby of artificial flowermaking can play an important part in the field of occupational therapy. Her group classes are free. If her pupils wish to keep the flowers they make, they may have them at cost. Otherwise they use the materials without charge. She spends hours each month teaching such groups as the Boy and Girl Scouts. She has taught at the Crossroads Center for Crippled Children in Indianapolis, and at the Indiana Girl's School, a penal institution. She has also lectured before many local sororities and rural women's groups. She fulfills all of these engagements without charge.

MRS. DOUGLASS has seen among her customers, indisputable proof of the therapeutic value of flower making. She tells of the little old woman who was suffering a severe mental depression following a stroke. This invalid woman had nothing to look forward to—until a neighbor showed her how to make wood fibre flowers. Now she is making $30 a week—without even leaving her home—and she has renewed interest in life and the future.

Another customer of Mrs. Douglass' used to be a prominent banker—until he developed creeping paralysis. His banking activities were over. There seemed to be nothing that he could do, until he started making artificial flowers. Many days, when he comes to the flower shop to buy materials, it takes him long, painful minutes to get from his car into the shop. But he continues to come . . . and he continues to sell successfully to several northside Indianapolis shops.

A friend of Mrs. Douglass', who is scarcely able to see, asked her husband to transform two of the rooms in their home into a flower workshop, and is now besieged with orders from one of Indianapolis leading department stores. When business becomes too pressing, her grandchildren assist her.

Mrs. Douglass has taught two women employees of the Indiana State Industrial School for the Blind to make artificial flowers. Through, them, and their work all over the state of Indiana, she has been able to influence the lives of hundreds of blind and nearly blind persons.

Mrs. Douglass believes that anyone can learn to make artificial flowers—and sell them. "It's easy," she says, snipping a petal. In large cities instruction can be obtained in artificial flower making in shops such as hers, usually listed under "Artificial Flowers," in the classified section of the phone directory. A few courses are offered in Y.M.C.A.'s and ¥.W.C.A.'s and other craft and community centers, but in many places no such courses are available. In such a case, Mrs. Douglass advises purchasing a book on the subject. She suggests a book published by Kirchen Brothers, of Chicago, entitled "Instructions for Making Wood Fibre and Crepe Paper Flowers," believing it to be the best in the field. This book is available at most artificial flower shops. Mrs. Douglass adds that she is currently writing a book on the subject herself. "Later," she says, with a twinkle, "I will be glad to recommend it, too."

If you enroll in a class you may attend as few, or as many lessons as you wish, Mrs. Douglass says. Some people make and sell flowers at home after only one lesson. One woman, however, has been attending Mrs. Douglass' classes for two years. The longer you attend, the wider variety of flowers you will learn to make, and the more complicated types and arrangements you can effect, she explains.

ACTUALLY, ONLY a few materials are needed to make simple flowers and arrangements. To make an "American Beauty" rose, for example, you would need the following items:

A pattern, for the rose petals. (Precut petals can be bought.)

Twelve sheets of wood fibre. Wood fibre comes in 3¼ inch squares, in many different colors, with some sheets delicately shaded to simulate actual shadings in the petals. Crepe and tissue paper comes in much larger sheets.

A small camel's hair brush, which can be bought at any dime store.

A small jar of glue or gum arabic.

Tie wire—available at any stationer's store.

A bud foundation, consisting of a triangular wad of cotton. It can be bought through a shop such as Mrs. Douglass'.

A calyx—the leafy, green part of the flower, below the bud. This can be purchased pre-cut, in various sizes, ready to fit the particular flower.

A culot, or cup, of a rubber-like composition material—to hold the calyx against the flower.

Leaves. These can be cut at home from cloth or crepe paper, but it is as cheap to buy them ready-made.

Tape, for winding the stem.

Procedures for making the various flowers differ, of course, but some vary only in minor details. If you learn to make an American Beauty rose, for example, it will be easy for you to make similar flowers such as gardenias, carnations, and wild roses.

Patterns for flower petals can be traced from instruction books, then transferred from the thin paper used for tracing to light cardboard. As you become more experienced, you can even create your own patterns.

In all flower-making instructions the term "petal" is used loosely. Actually, what is referred to as a "petal" in flower making parlance is a sheet or layer of petals. The rose petal pattern shown on this page is in reality an outline of four individual parts, each of which in a real rose would be called a petal.

To make the American Beauty rose, cut twelve red petal sheets, according to the pattern, or take twelve of the pre-cut petal sheets; then glue these sheets, two at a time, into six double layers of petals, applying the glue around the edges of the bottom sheet of each pair in a thin, fine line. With your fingers, or with a straight wire, curl these double petal sheets slightly.

The next step is carefully to fold one of your double petal sheets, which has received a light application of glue, over the triangular bud center, or foundation, fitting each part snugly over the triangle. The four parts of this first petal sheet must completely cover the bud center.

Each of the other five sets of petal sheets are then glued on, consecutively, with the last few layers glued more loosely than the first, to give the effect of a full, blooming rose. A calyx and culot are slipped up on the tie wire hanging from the bud center; two or more leaves may be inserted onto the stem—and the rose is completed by wrapping the stem in rubberized or crepe tape. A thorn-like tubing may also be included if desired, to add to the illusion.

THE PROCEDURE for making an aster—to take another example—differs somewhat from that of making a rose. For each aster, you first cut six petal sheets from the aster pattern You will see that each of these has sixteen different tip ends, each of which will become what is usually referred to as a petal. Brush a little glue at the base of an aster center or aster bud foundation (these can be bought ready-made, too) and insert the foundation through the center of a petal sheet. Pull the petal sheet up to the base of the foundation and gently squeeze and shape it around the foundation a bit until the glue adheres. Now insert this into the center of another layer of petals. Push this second layer up against the first, and hold it a bit until the two petal sheets stick together. Then slip up the remaining four petal layers around the bud foundation, gluing each sheet to hold it in place. The aster is completed by attaching a stem wire to the flower with the crepe or rubberized tape, and inserting aster leaves into the stems about two inches apart.

Many flowers in Mrs. Douglass' classes are made by the use of a patented "Flower Maker," a square cardboard box, with a hole, through which petal sheets are gently pushed by a small wooden stick. By pushing all of the petals through the tiny hole at the same time, then tying them securely, and removing them from the box—you create an almost completely finished flower, shaped to its individual design by the cut of its petals. Flower Maker boxes, and instructions for their use, can be purchased at artificial flower stores. All types of flowers can be made, however (as described above) without the aid of such a box.

Any number of flowers, of course, can be combined to make unusual ornamental arrangements—centerpieces, mantel attractions, hanging bouquets, and shadow box arrangements. Holders can be purchased at flower shops or in dime stores, in all colors, shapes, and sizes. Wood fibre corsages are much in demand, for the flowers do not wilt, can be cleaned with a piece of damp cotton and last many times longer than corsages of real flowers. The addition of attractive ribbon, lace and fern, and plastic bags for the entire corsage creates a highly saleable item.

Tall, lanky, Mr. Douglass—who confesses he spends more time making flowers than boxes because of his enthusiasm for his wife's growing business—points out proudly that she can make five artificial carnations in five minutes. With only a little practice, he explains, it should be easy to make a complete rosebud corsage in fifteen minutes.

Mrs. Douglass' pupils have proved that it actually takes little selling ability to sell life-like artificial flowers. Most of her customers sell from their own homes—some have small shops.

MRS. DOUGLASS has done much local newspaper advertising—and is confident that it has brought results, particularly in class attendance. Her advertisements appear daily in one or the other in Indianapolis' leading papers, and periodically she advertises in papers in surrounding smaller towns. At various times, she has also advertised on an Indianapolis radio station.

Most of Mrs. Douglass' mail orders have come through word-of-mouth advertising. Her shop has almost become a sight-seeing stop for many Indianapolis visitors. Local persons who have been in the shop bring hundreds of visitors to see it each year, and many of these out-of-town guests have attended Mrs. Douglass' classes while visiting. When they go home, they often write back for materials and advice.

Persons who have moved away from Indianapolis to other parts of the country become excellent publicity agents for the Douglass Flower Shop, and some Indianapolis residents even promote artificial flower making and the shop on their vacations. Mrs. Douglass knows of one woman who visited a summer camp in Wisconsin—and proceeded to teach a course in artificial flower making at the camp, before leaving.

When Mr. and Mrs. Douglass vacationed in Arkansas recently, they and their hostess, whiled away one hot summer afternoon by making artificial flowers. Within a few days they had sold all they had made, and netted $125. Now they have orders for flowers and materials coming regularly from Arkansas.

Whenever Mrs. Douglass lectures around the state of Indiana, she gains both mail order customers and pupils. Men and women from all over the state drive to Indianapolis for her classes. One woman even comes from Louisville, Kentucky. After a recent lecture in Lafayette, Indiana, Mrs. Douglass received a request from a church group to train teachers—teachers who would in turn teach artificial flower making to their Sunday School children.

The only time she charges for her teaching is when she gives individual instruction. Her fee then is $2 an hour.

Mrs. Douglass suggests that you can start building a business by simply giving flowers to friends and relatives to wear to their places of work. "One corsage in a factory or office will usually bring orders for many more the next day." she, says. She advises offering your flowers for sale at organization benefits—charity bazaars or church affairs. The Douglasses rented a booth at the annual Indianapolis hobby show at the Indiana State Fairgrounds last year—and were deluged with orders. A recent Scout fair, where Cub Scouts worked diligently under Mrs. Douglass' supervision, also attracted attention. Wear your flowers wherever you go, she says, and you'll soon have a growing customer list.

THE DOUGLASSES have facts to support their statement that artificial flower making means quick, easy money. They believe that you can ordinarily expect a 200 to 300 percent profit on your investment in flower making. Material costs are low. The materials necessary for a corsage of three rosebuds, for example, do not cost over 40 cents—while it can be sold in most localities for $1. A floral centerpiece, consisting of twenty-four wild roses, should only cost $1.25 to make. Mrs. Douglass sells such a centerpiece for $4.

Prices set on flowers by Mrs. Douglass' pupils vary, of course, in different sections of the country, but general prices are:

Centerpieces—$3 and up. Mrs. Douglass sells the chrysanthemum centerpiece shown in the photograph for $12. The price of this particular item varies with the type of pottery used.

Corsages—50 cents and up. Some of Mrs. Douglass' pupils sell orchid corsages for as much as $10 a piece.

Pin and earring sets—$1.50 and up.

Shadow box arrangements—approximately $4.50, including the box.