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Mrs. Filer's modest home is located in the country a short jaunt from the town of Twisp and recently I paid her a visit.

"I think I'll take you right out to my hobby shop, so you can see what I'm talking about when I describe my many centerpieces," Mrs. Filer told me when I arrived. "I'm very lucky to have a separate building in which to store my art supplies and use as my workshop. We lived in the little three-room building while we were building our new home and it makes a wonderful hobby shop."

As we entered the shop, I was frankly envious of the spacious worktables, ideal, natural lighting coming through the big window and the colorful array of table decorations lining the walls and showcases for sale and for rent for party occasions.

"Here's where I spend many happy hours during the winter time turning out many table decorations and creations," said Mrs. Filer. "In fact, I can turn the season from winter into springtime, by creating colorful, delicate flowers. You know it's a big thrill to walk through the snowbanks to my hobby shop, open the door, and have a colorful display of flowers greet me."

In one corner of the room was a big, pot-bellied stove that heated the workshop to a comfortable temperature during the winter months. There were spacious shelves and drawers that kept bright, merry art materials from becoming dusty and soiled before use.

Upon a shelf a tiny radio gave out happy, inspiring music that put you in the mood for working and creating art pieces.

"I use all types of art materials in my table decorations," said Mrs. Filer. "This makes my hobby work more interesting and less monotonous than if I confined myself to just one art material."

MRS. FILER not only sells her creations outright, but she also rents them for various parties and celebrations. These rented pieces are kept in a separate section of the shop, and when they come back from a party, they are redecorated and made to look like new again.

Wherever you look in the workshop are merry figures of dancing clowns, hugable, life-size figures of birds and dogs, jolly creations of Santa Claus and his reindeer, beautiful birds, realistic flower arrangements, Easter bunnies and many other centerpieces too numerous to mention.

"Here's Mr. Stork, who has been to more parties and made more calls than the old bird himself," said Mrs. Filer. "Women who are giving baby showers want something to carry out a baby theme and my creation does this very appropriately."

Mr. Stork is a lively old fellow, standing about eighteen inches high and is made from Styrofoam. Upon his head he sports a cheery, little, white hat decorated with colorful, spring flowers. At his feet are scattered a variety of colored carnations, or if the party-giver, prefers, just pink and blue flowers are used. This carries out the theme of a pink and blue shower in a very appealing manner.

WOULD YOU like to try your hand at making Mr. Stork? Well, here's how you go about it.

The materials you'll need are as follows:

For the base you'll need a ten-by-twelve-inch piece of Styrofoam, one-inch thick and one satin ribbon, one-inch wide of any pastel color. Styrofoam is a plastic material blown full of bubbles to form a plastic foam. Also required are pins to pin ribbon, to base; a four-inch (diameter) and a three-inch Styrofoam ball; a ¾-inch (diameter) and a ½-inch Styrofoam pole; two ³/8-inch dowels eight-inches long; two fuzzy wool daisy centers or large black beads; a short length of floral tape (any color); four twelve-inch chenille stems, and about two square feet of ¹/8-inch Styrofoam.

Take the one-inch satin ribbon and fasten it around the ten-by-twelve-inch Styrofoam base and pin ends securely in place. Set this aside and come back to it later.

Paint the two ³/8-inch dowels or poles black to be used for Mr. Stork's legs. From the ¾-inch Styrofoam pole cut an eight-inch piece for the neck. Holding it near a unit of the electric range, warm sufficiently (turning all the while and being careful not to get against the burner so it will melt) to shape into a slight S-shape.

Attach this piece to the three-inch ball, which will be the head, by means of short pieces of chenille stem about 1½-inches long. Force one end of the chenille stem about half way into the neck piece and the other into the three-inch ball. The neck piece will have to be cut slanted with a sharp knife to fit properly against the ball. Attach the other end of the neck to the four-inch ball, which will be the body, in like manner—slant-cutting this also to fit properly.

Now, use about a four-inch piece of the ½-inch dowel for the bill and taper it to a point at one end. Fasten the other end to the head (the three-inch ball) with short length of the chenille stem. It should be painted with black water colors.

Next, cut stems from fuzzy wool daisy centers to a ¾-inch length and push into the three-inch ball for eyes. Now wrap one end of each of the wood dowels with a bit of floral tape, and push into the four-inch Styrofoam ball for the legs. One should be slightly ahead of the other and spread a bit for better balance.

Now, take your ¹/8-inch Styrofoam stock and with a sharp knife, cut a feathered tail about the size of your hand with about seven points or "fingers."

Next, cut two such pieces (not quite as large and spread a little wider) for the wings of the stork.

Hold these pieces one at a time near the hot burner until the points curl into a pretty shape. Be very careful not to touch burner or get close enough to melt the Styrofoam. You may have to hold first one side then the other near the burner to get the shape desired.

Attach these "wings" to the sides and back of the body with chenille staples, which are short pieces of chenille stems bent like a square staple.

Mr. Stork's top hat is fashioned in a similar manner from ¹/8-inch Styrofoam stock. Cut a four-inch circle for the brim of the hat, and for, the crown of the hat cut a strip of ¹/8-inch Styrofoam 2¼-inches wide by six-inches long. Working near the heat, shape the four-inch circle up slightly at the sides as the brim of a hat would appear. Then with the six-inch strip of Styrofoam near the heat, keep working with it until the ends are brought together forming a tube 2¼-inches tall. Fasten the ends together by overlapping ¼-inch and staple together with two 1¼-inch white chenille stems.

You do not cut an opening in the brim for the bird's head, but simply perch it atop his head in the position you want it (slightly forward) and staple to his head, through the center of the brim.

Place the tube or open crown in place on the brim (you may need to trim a bit with a sharp knife, to make it fit into place) and staple it there with four or five chenille stems. Attach a hatband of ½-inch satin ribbon in a color of your choice by pinning in place with common pins. This will cover any staples which might show otherwise. The open crown of the hat should be filled with miniature artificial flowers, such as forget-me-nots, lilacs, lily of the valley or other such flowers. These will set off Mr. Stork's hat in a bright manner and make him appear all dressed up and a colorful bird.

Next, wrap the bottom ends of dowel legs with bits of floral tape and force into the base already prepared. A little experimenting upon the spreading of his legs will determine the best placing for balance.

You may use pastel colored fresh or artificial flowers at the base of his legs. A pair of rim glasses may be shaped from black chenille and perched upon his nose. These make him appear even more interesting and comical.

"To give Mr. Stork even a more authentic look, I wrap a tiny doll in a simulated blanket and pin this to his bill," said Mrs. Filer. "This seems to fascinate and attract the children and grownups alike. The total result is an attractive centerpiece that will attract much attention at any party."

STYROFOAM IS usually white in color and it can be had in sheets usually ¹/8-inch to four inches in thickness and usually twelve inches wide by twelve inches to four feet long.

These sheets may be cut with a sharp knife or cut to shapes desired with a coping saw or jig saw. It can be sanded (to round corners) with another piece of Styrofoam or a coarse file. It can be colored with any water base paint, flocked, glittered or decorated in many ways, when used as silhouette backgrounds for floral arrangements.

Styrofoam may also be had in the shape of eggs, balls, cane poles and almost any other cut needed for holidays of the year. Mrs. Filer, for instance, buys it in the form of balls, Christmas bells, Christmas trees, angels, Santas, trains, hearts, shamrocks, turkeys and so forth.

"I have made preliminary designs for many arrangements sometimes cutting a paper pattern first, but many times I go right to work with the Styrofoam," Mrs. Filer said. "For a centerpiece to be used for a party in February I made a patriotic shield decorated with silver stars on a blue paper background and red ribbon stripes pinned to the Styrofoam. This was used with a bouquet of cherry blossoms."

MRS. FILER is constantly being called upon by the local high school to help out with centerpieces for high school parties and banquets. One day for a school football banquet she fashioned a big yellowjacket (school mascot) of Styrofoam balls and ¹/8-inch stock for wings. This was painted black and orange (school colors) and was surrounded by caricatures of the school football team wearing helmets and shoulder pads painted with the school colors.

"On another occasion, I made a beautiful centerpiece in the form of a cake for a wedding anniversary," said Mrs. Filer. "I stacked layers of Styrofoam in graduated sizes of circles—just like stacking layers of a cake. I fastened one layer to the other with short lengths of chenille stems, and then completely covered the cake with row upon row of wood fibre flowers in alternate colors.

"I used sapphire-blue and white in this instance—making the bottom row of fern and white stock. The next row of the cake was decorated with blue asters, the next row with white, the next blue, until we reached the top. Here a row of white carnations and a row of blue violets and white violets cascaded out of the top of the cake.

"The completed cake decoration was placed upon a crystal cake stand and it was a beautiful thing to behold—winning many compliments at the party, which makes you feel mighty good inside."

Mrs. Filer is called upon to make many wedding cake centerpieces similar to the one described, except that on some she starts with one single blossom such as a rosebud and begins making tiers of flowers around it—alternating with rows of net tufts for fullness. Stems of the tiered flowers and tufts are drawn through a cellophane nosegay back and taped together to form a handle.

"If you want a beautiful centerpiece to be used with wrought iron furniture, search your junk yard or used furniture stores for old iron bric-a-brac trivets or small flat iron griddles," said Mrs. Filer. "Or you may stumble upon a fancy piece of an old cast iron stove which can be made into beautiful decorations for coffee tables.

"Upon finding a piece you want to use, take it home and rub it to look like new with steel wool. Then give it a coat of flat black paint. Then search for a granite or tin coffeepot in secondhand stores, antique shops or any other place where you might turn up such a desired object. Upon discovering one, take it home, rub it with steel wool and give it a coat of black paint. When this is done, either make or buy a geranium plant with a bright red flower (from wood fibre) or several blossoms and 'plant' it in your coffeepot using sand for soil. Now, place the coffeepot upon the black iron base, and you have a beautiful centerpiece to place upon the dining table or on the coffee table."

Mrs. Filer says that a variety of floral scents may be purchased to sprinkle upon the completed flowers to make them even more natural and realistic. Therefore, if anyone stoops to smell the flower-centerpiece he'll be even more convinced of their genuine character.

"One day I received a request to make a centerpiece for a couple who had been married fifty years," said Mrs. Filer. "I was told that the groom had worked for years on a ship—planning to retire. With this information about the couple I was given a challenge to create a masterpiece.

"I set to work in my workshop and fashioned a Styrofoam ship, complete with flagstaff and sails and filled it with pastel colored flowers. A small treasure chest was built of stained wood and copper covered seams, completed with a tiny hasp and lock. This was placed aboard the ship and filled with $50 in silver coins provided by the guests."

EVERY YEAR, around the middle of November, Mrs. Filer attends the Okanogan County Christmas workshop. At this workshop hobbyists display and sell their creations.

"Last year, the show was held in the town of Omak some distance from our home," said Mrs. Filer. "It meant getting a flat tire en route and having to be towed over the mountain pass, but was worth it. I came home with many Christmas orders that kept me up working late at night until the holiday was over.

"Each exhibitor who attends the show must set up his own original exhibits and is awarded prizes for their originality. Last year, my husband helped me make a Parisian flower cart on which to display my centerpiece creations. It was made in such a way that it could be folded together and carried on the top of the car.

"It has three sides and is so designed that I may walk between the handles to the inside for ease in making my displays and reaching everything within it. Shelves fold outward and upon these are placed flowers, centerpieces and other art articles. Around the top of the framework I hang such things as baskets full of flowers, Christmas bells and balls for the coming Christmas season, and just everything that will make the cart more interesting. The outside of the cart was made of bamboo drapery material covered over the board sides. My flower cart was voted one of the outstanding displays at the show."

WOULD YOU like to make an attractive Christmas centerpiece? Here's how to go about it:

First, take a branch from a fruit tree, lilac bush, manzanita, or some such graceful shape bush or tree. Now, spray this with white paint and dust with Christmas "snow" or "glitter" while it is still wet.

When this is dry (it's a good idea to let it dry overnight), wrap the stem with floral tape and force into Styrofoam base approximately six by eight by two inches. This base, too, may be covered with a coat of paste or plastic glue and dusted with snow or glitter.

Now, fasten one-inch Styrofoam balls (white) to the branches by means of short lengths of white chenille stems bent into U-shape, placed over the branch and both ends pushed into the ball.

Next, make three reindeer to stand under your snowball tree and complete the Christmas centerpiece. Wrap one white chenille stem around a pencil in corkscrew fashion. Place a three-inch chenille stem through the center of this corkscrew and attach one end to the side of a 1¼-inch Styrofoam egg, which can be purchased already made by the dozen. The egg will be the deer's head, the corkscrew his neck. Push the other end of "neck" into a 3½-inch Styrofoam egg at one side of the big end for body.

Four pieces of chenille stems of white material are needed for the legs. Push these into the body of deer, and then make a circle twist into the other end of the feet to make them flat to stand upon.

Next, take a four-inch and a three-inch piece of chenille stem and twist once together to form a T-shape. This makes one antler; do the same thing to create another. Attach these to the head—slightly in front of the ears, which are made of loops of chenille stem. Attach a tiny Christmas bell to each antler of the deer, and fashion a small tail from a chenille stem. Stick this into the body.

The eyes of the deer are large sequins, his nose a tiny Christmas tree ball, and his mouth a short piece of chenille stem of red bent U-shaped and pushed into place. Thus, your deer is complete.

The deer figures may be used beneath a Christmas tree with the legs bent slightly at the knees. The creator may have to bend the head back a little to balance the deer in standing position.

"One of my centerpieces that wins a lot of comment and fascinates the youngsters at their birthday parties is Fifi," says Mrs. Filer. "This is a huge poodle dog standing eighteen-inches high with an arrangement of real or artificial flowers at his feet. The poodle possesses a round black nose and a topknot created of ribbon. His little tail also has a small ribbon tied on the very end of it. All children love dogs and this centerpiece is very appropriate for a child's party."

WHEN MRS. FILER has an order to get done as soon as possible, she hurries to complete her housework and then goes out into the hobby shop to work. There, at night she is generally joined by her two high school daughters, who do their school assignments while their mother works upon table decorations and centerpieces.

"When I'm pressed for time, they generally pitch in and lend a helping hand wherever they can," said Mrs. Filer. "My husband generally joins us in the hobby shop, too, and he works upon lamps, which are his hobby. He helps me out with mine if I ask him, too.

"The prices on my centerpieces range from $3 to $15—according to the work and time I put in on them. Not one of my table centerpieces leaves my shop until it pleases me in every way. I may spend any number of hours on the more elaborate pieces.

"I determine cost by taking into account the cost of materials, plus a fair return for my time. I also impress on my customers that these creations will not be tossed out, wilted and destroyed, but will be kept and used again and again.

"Some of the centerpieces may be changed from one theme or occasion and reused. If the centerpiece was made for Thanksgiving, by simply lifting out the pumpkin and turkey and replacing these with Santa Claus, deer and Christmas tree figures you can transfer it into a Christmas centerpiece."

The hobbyist is often called upon to make table centerpieces for the speaker's table at banquets for from $10 to $15.

"When the diners ask who made the centerpiece and learn that I did" I generally end up with a request for a centerpiece at a future date," said Mrs. Filer. "Sometimes I rent them out on a twenty-four hour basis at $3 and when the decoration returns, I tear it down and make it over for renting again."