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In most communities, crepe paper decorations are a successful moneymaking project. And there is no age limit for the woman who goes into this craft, either as a hobby or as a profession. It is a particularly good field for the homemaker; for no big cash outlay is needed to make crepe paper decorations. You can buy paper, ribbons, glitter, wires, etc., in whatever quantities you think you will need them. There is no investment for tools. A good pair of shears and a pot of paste are the fundamentals of your equipment, to which, of course, is added your ingenuity. The idea is to devise decorations that are easy to make, not too expensive and yet effective.

I believe the making of crepe paper fancies offers the would-be designer one of the happiest of decorating tasks. It has been my experience that most grown people, aside from the spiritual meaning of the day, look at Christmas through the eyes of children. Its more familiar symbols, for both young and old, are the Christmas tree, and Santa Claus. For nearly every American these mean Christmas. Perhaps that is why I use a tree, or Santa, or both, as the basis of any Christmas decoration I make.

THE DINING TABLE centerpiece described here is easy to duplicate so why not see what you can do with it. Indeed the whole family can join in making this decoration, which may also be used on a buffet table, living room mantel, or coffee table, if properly scaled to the setting. Obviously, a tree just right for a dining table will be too large for a coffee table! The tree described here is appropriate on a table seating from six to ten guests. The following instructions are basic, they do not have to be followed to the letter. They are meant as a guide. As you begin to make the tree, little variations in the rules will occur to you that will add to the overall effectiveness of the decoration. Remember, it's your own imagination that adds individual charm to each creation. So use your ingenuity and improvise.

To make this tree decoration you'll need two packages of leaf green crepe paper, one packet of No. 10 wires, some spool wire, a container of glitter, and paste. The cost of materials is about $1.25 if you plan to make only one tree. But it is a good bit less per tree when you make several as you will be able to use left-over materials. The trees I make retail for $3.75 to $5 each, depending upon the ornaments on the tree. If I am to fill the little packages under the tree, needless to say an additional charge is made for the trinkets that go into the tiny boxes. I average $1 an hour for my time in making these trees and feel that this is a very satisfactory profit. The work itself is a lot of fun. Begin a tree yourself and see how your hands can put personality into a bit of crepe paper!

To make the pompons: Cut a piece of green crepe paper 4 by 8 inches for each pompon. The quickest way to do this is to cut strips of crepe paper 4 inches wide, across the fold and through all thicknesses of the crepe paper. Unfold each strip and cut off 8-inch lengths. Then, fold each piece in half, across the grain. Piece now measures 2 by 8 inches. Slash every ¼-inch to within about ½ inch from folded edge (Figure 1). Next, gather folded edge over knitting needle (Figure 2) and tie with a piece of spool wire (Figure 3). Leave both ends of the wire protruding, like a hairpin, so that the pompons may be fastened in place later on. Now bend the fringed paper to pompon shape (Figure 4). To make a tree that stands about 14 inches high you will need 56 pompons. I find it helpful to work along in sequence (like assembly line workers) and then you don't waste time. So, I make all the pompons before I do anything else.

THE NEXT step is to add a touch of glitter to the tips of the pompons. Personally, I like the white glitter on a green tree as it gives a frosted look to the branches. When making the tree of white, blue, or pink paper, silver or gold glitter is more effective. Glitter comes in all colors. It is a granulated mineral material of many uses when making parry decorations, and sells for about twenty-five cents a container. The method of application is simple. Just brush desired portions with an adhesive (such as household cement) then sprinkle with plenty of glitter and let set for a few minutes. Shake off superfluous glitter (keeping it for future use). In place of sprinkling the glitter on the pompon tips I often place some glitter in a paper cup, dip each pompon into the cup (after I've put the adhesive on) and swish it around a bit. When I lift it out the tips are well coated with glitter.

To make branches: Cut 30 pieces of No. 10 wire in 9-inch lengths and wrap each piece of wire with a narrow strip of crepe paper, adding pompons about 1½ inches apart as you wrap (Figure 5), beginning one inch down from tip of wire. Wrap twelve branches with a single pompon placed one inch from the tip of wire, ten branches with two pompons (placed 1½ inches apart) on each branch, eight with three pompons on each branch.

Assembling: Rewrap stem of one of the one-pompon branches and add four more one-pompon branches about 1½ inches below first branch (Figure 6). Allow these four pompons to extend an inch or more from center branch, which now becomes tree trunk. Continue wrapping for 1½ inches, then add seven remaining one-pompon branches, letting these extend slightly beyond the branches above. Continue wrapping tree trunk, adding five of the two-pompon branches, then another five. Then add the three-pompon branches all at once. Wrap remaining wire ends (padding them a bit with tissue) until trunk is thick enough to fit tightly into a cardboard candle holder, or low glass candle holder—the kind you buy in the dime store. The next step is to bend all branches, starting at bottom, to shape tree. Fasten a large silver star to the top of the tree. If you don't want to make a star (covering a piece of cardboard with silver paper) you can buy a box of No. 10 gummed stars and fasten two together, placing tip-end of tree between them.

Trimming: Stick tip-end of each branch wire into a large gum drop. Place tree in center of table, between two red candles surrounded by eight pompons, made the same as those used for tree, and fastened to candle holder with spool wire. Let gay little Christmas packages spill out from under the tree. These may contain little gifts for each guest.

CREPE PAPER ware is not seasonal. It is a year-'round proposition. True, Christmas is the peak season for table and house decorations; but I have found that there are more holidays throughout the year that call for decorations than there is time in which to make them all. On the other hand, a lot of people try to make their own. But if you can turn out something better than they can do it, you'll soon find yourself with a group of satisfied customers who look to you for their party and holiday requirements. Besides making Christmas decorations, I now make favors for St. Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, graduation parties, even for suppers following football games. Like most hobbyists, at first I sold my holiday decorations to friends and relatives, and through a woman's exchange. Then my business snowballed into the more commercial field. I'd like to say here that competition is keen when you sell through shops. In addition to fresh original ideas and a knowledge of business tactics, you must know customers tastes, which requires a careful study of what is in vogue.

You do not need exceptional artistic skill to make saleable paper decorations.

The difference between success and failure depends in a large measure on your familiarity with the techniques of the craft. Workmanship must be really outstanding, so a customer won't say "I could make that myself." Your work will have a professional look if you thoroughly understand a few fundamental processes and are able to do them almost automatically; for you will use these basic steps again and again, although the articles being made are entirely different. Here are six things you should know in order to do crepe paper work successfully:

(1) The Grain of Crepe Paper. The little lines that appear in the crepe paper run parallel with the width of the folded strip. These lines, or in other words, the grain, must always run across any narrow strip which is to be used to wrap a wire, or bind the edge of the work, so that the paper may be stretched as required.

(2) To Cut a Strip of Crepe Paper. Do not remove paper from band, but slip it out the desired width and, using the edge of the band as a guide, Cut through the entire thickness with sharp shears. When cutting a narrow strip it is helpful to hold the several thicknesses of paper together with clip clothespins to keep the paper from slipping.

(3) To Stretch Crepe Paper. Roll the ends of the paper you want to stretch two or three times around two rulers. Grasp the ends in the hands and stretch as necessary. Crepe paper which is to be pasted smoothly to a piece of cardboard foundation should always be slightly stretched first to help prevent wrinkling,

(4) To Wrap Wire. Wires are wrapped with narrow strips of crepe paper. Put a little paste on the end of the wire, then place the end of the crepe paper strip diagonally on it. Turn end down over the wire and, holding the end of the wire in one hand, twirl it around and around, slanting paper down and stretching it so that it will wrap the wire smoothly and tightly. When the end of the wire is reached, cut off the paper and paste.

(5) To Tie Wire. Spool wire is not actually tied but fastened with two or three firm twists.

(6) A good quality white paste (not liquid paste) is best suited to all kinds of work done with crepe paper. Use it sparingly and apply it smoothly and evenly.

THROUGH YOUR local library you will find many books and pamphlets on the use of crepe paper and paper sculpture. It will be well worth your while to read them; and to study at least one or two of them. "The Party Table," by Margaret Powers, contains valuable information on the making of favors, place cards, centerpieces. You'll get many interesting suggestions for Christmas decorations from "Make Your Own Merry Christmas," by Ann Wertsner and "Christmas Make-It Book," by Barbara Baer. Another helpful book is "Practical Papercraft," by S. Palestrant; for it tells you all the fundamentals you need to know about working with all kinds of paper. Then, too, crepe paper manufacturers put out booklets telling how to make all kinds of decorations from their products. These may often be obtained free of charge, or for a few cents, by writing to the manufacturer.

You'd like to know what type decorations you can sell? Let's say the wise move is to specialize in one item—just one—that you make well and enjoy making. I don't know how anyone can hope to become proficient in any one field if she hops from one thing to another. Remember, you can always add to your line after you have established your ability and your name. I know a Connecticut homemaker who sells a great many "Jack Horner" centerpieces for children's parties. But as a complement to the centerpieces she also makes place cards and candy baskets that tie in with the theme of her table decorations. In this way she introduces a bit of diversion into her work; yet she keeps within her specialty.

You'll want to remember that success in selling depends not only on skilled workmanship, but on demand for the product turned out. The choice of your item should be made in relation to the needs of the people it will serve. I have found that anything that is a time saver to a busy housewife or a career woman is something that will sell. I live in New York City and most of my private customers are career women who lack the time to make their own holiday decorations. My Christmas tree is the logical solution for them; for it can be used either as a centerpiece on a dining table, or it can stand on a bookcase or mantel. Artificial trees cannot compare with real trees in dignity or significance. But in a city apartment where a real tree is often impractical, an artificial tree does serve as a symbol.

THE ONE question which I suppose every home business woman is asked more than any other is: "Where do you get ideas?" In regard to party decorations it's hard to say just how an idea is born. From experience, I'd say that ideas come out of almost any daily occurrence. In things you see as you pass a shop window, in magazines, in some object in a friend's home. When you are doing creative work you find yourself looking at everything in a new light and wondering what you could do with it in your crepe paper work. Only a few weeks ago, a piece of upholstery fabric suggested to me a color combination for candy baskets!

I have always found it helpful to keep a scrapbook; and suggest you do so, too. Many magazines present ideas for using crepe paper. If you keep pictures and clippings of these designs you'll someday be able to use the ideas. Besides keeping scrapbooks (I now have nine), I keep an address book containing the names of stores that carry the things needed to make holiday decorations. Certain stores carry covered wires in all sizes. It is convenient to know where they are when such wire is needed. There may be an out-of-the-way gift shop which can supply unusual candles that would add interest to a centerpiece. Write it down!

When you make party decorations, and sell them, you must be able to think up new ideas constantly. You can't sell the same centerpiece to every customer, particularly if these customers live in the same locality and know each other. The basic design, of course, can be used; but the details must vary. However, if you have a flair for working up little original touches, you can add them to basic designs and you need never worry about running out of ideas. For instance, on my Christmas tree, in place of always using white glitter, I sometimes lightly brush the branches with paste and pour confetti over the tree, letting the particles settle where they will. In like manner I use commercially prepared snow, which is really mica, to add sparkle to the tree. Camphor flakes are a fairly good substitute. Sequins may be pasted on branches to achieve a glistening effect.

It is necessary to devise variations in tree ornaments, too. In place of gum drops I've used cellophane-covered hard candies, snowballs made of cotton, and artificial candy canes. These I make by soaking newspaper and squeezing it into the desired shape. It is necessary to coat the canes with a thin mixture of plaster of Paris prepared by adding warm water and stirring rapidly. The plaster hardens in a few minutes. Canes may be decorated with narrow red gummed tape, starting at bottom and sticking the tape on in a spiral, going up to the top.

When trimming trees with colored ornaments it is advisable to keep the lighter colors at the top of the tree, with the darker ones at the bottom. This gives an impression of stability and balance. Over decoration is bad. It cheapens the whole effect. So your keynote should be—simplicity. After all, our purpose is to adorn the tree, not to smother it with trimmings.

Color arrangement is, of course, a matter of taste. Some people prefer a single color. Others consider a confusion of colors appropriate for Christmas. Red, green, and white are traditional for this particular holiday, but there is no law that says you have to use these colors. Modern taste approves blue, pink, silver, in fact, any color that suits the room in which it is to be used. From a decorative point of view three colors are more interesting than one or two. A well-known New York decorator says that in order to achieve a bright and joyous holiday atmosphere it is essential to use strong clear colors and develop contrasts. She is all for the Christmas triad-green (as a dark color), red (as a brilliant color), and white (as a light-catcher, to reflect whatever light there is). White also compensates for the light absorbed by the red and green and makes these colors seem more important because each is in sharp contrast to the two other values.

HOW DO you go about finding customers? My answer to this question is: use all possible sources of contacts—friends, relatives, advertisements in your local newspaper, woman's exchanges. Talk to people already engaged in the same kind of project and try to find out how they got started. Talk to local businessmen who know what existing conditions are. They'll be able to tell you whether what you have for sale is apt to appeal to customers.

When I decided to try to sell crepe paper decorations, I dropped in on stores that deal in party favors and showed samples of my best items. Two shopkeepers agreed to take my things, provided I'd leave them on consignment (this means the shop gets a commission on everything they sell, but they do not have to pay you until the item has been sold.) I was willing to do this; and discovered it's a quick way of finding out what people like and what they don't like. Once a shop is sure of your ability, you'll have no trouble placing your things outright. It is well to keep in mind that when marketing a holiday item it is necessary to show your product months in advance. Shopkeepers, for instance, place their orders for Christmas as early as July.

At the same time as I was interviewing shopkeepers, I also had a business card made up at a commercial printers and made a point of leaving a few of these cards at neighborhood bakery shops, the Woman's Club, in the lobby of the apartment house in which I live. You see, I wanted to build up a list of private customers in case my things didn't sell in shops. Another method of reaching customers directly is to place a classified advertisement of two or three lines in your local newspaper, provided you live in a small town. Such advertising is not costly; but the advertisement should be run regularly. It's important to keep your name before the public if you want them to remember it. And don't overlook free newspaper publicity. Concoct a good human interest story out of some phase of your business and the editor may run it as a news feature.

I'm a staunch believer in announcement cards, either when you first start out in business, or as a reminder of approaching holidays. So I keep an up-to-date mailing list and send out simple announcements several times during the year, using government postal cards. Such announcements are inexpensive to get out. In order to tell customers about my Christmas trees this year, I made up cards in this manner. From green gummed crepe paper I cut trees about 2½ inches high, fastened them on the left hand side of the cards and decorated them with variegated gummed dots, the kind you buy for a few cents per packet at the stationery store. This gave the cards color, and also suggested the purpose of the announcement. Then, using green ink, I wrote: "Add a holiday touch to your table—to your mantel. Come see our wide selection of Christmas decorations!" At the bottom of the card I put name, address, telephone number, and the starting price for the trees. Prospective customers are often swayed into buying when they see an inviting price tag, so I always mention a price.

WHAT TO charge for any creative work which requires hours of time to make is a problem we all have to solve for ourselves. I base my charges on the time spent making my decoration plus the cost of materials. You must remember that time is money. If you are a rank beginner, probably the easy way to find out what to charge for an item is to start by using the same figures other people in your line of business are charging. Gauge your price tag by the tickets you see on similar articles in local shops. Another suggestion I have for beginners who find themselves in a dilemma regarding price tags is to write a letter to the Extension Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington 25, D. C., telling them, about the handmade item you wish to put on the market and asking for information on pricing.

The road to a successful home business is not an easy one to follow. But you can succeed! Thousands of women are doing it every year all over the country. The volume of business you do will, of course, depend on the amount of time you can spare from other duties. When you have something to sell which involves hand labor, so that production is relatively low, I think you are better off selling the item direct to the customer in order to avoid the forty per cent mark-up or more which most stores will want. What's more, in your own home you can display your things the way you think will show them off to best advantage. There are disadvantages to home-selling, of course, for while you will receive the full price for your item, you must also bear the cost of attracting customers through advertising, announcements, posters, and the like. You will have to be prepared to suffer interruptions to both your homekeeping and your production, and very often you will have to deliver to customer's homes.

Selling through small stores will relieve you of such problems. Against these advantages though, remember you will have to extend the retailer credit, usually for thirty to sixty days.