OLD ENVELOPE TOYS, AND HOW TO MAKE THEM
DON'T throw away your old envelopes; see what amusing toys can be made
of them simply by folding and cutting. No paste or glue is needed, and
any one of the toys given here can be made in five minutes or less.
[Illustration: FIG. 86--The side view of the frog shows his beautiful
open mouth.]
[Illustration: FIG. 87--The frog is sprawled out on the table.]
=The Frog=
The frog is one of the simplest and at the same time the funniest of the
collection. Fig. 86 gives a side view in which his beautiful open mouth
can be seen to advantage. Fig. 87 shows him sprawled out on the table.
Fig. 88 gives the pattern of the frog as it appears when drawn on the
envelope. You will notice that the bottom fold of the envelope is used
for the top of the animal. Draw the outlines as in Fig. 88, then cut
along the lines you have drawn. The under part of the body follows the
edge of the lower lap of the envelope from front to hind leg. Now
flatten out the fold at the top and bend the paper under at the
corners, which forms the head and tail. Cut a slit along the folded
edge of the head for the mouth, pull the lower part down and the mouth
will open wide as a frog's mouth naturally does. By working the lower
jaw the frog can be made to snap at imaginary flies. Draw the eyes as
shown in Fig. 87 and bend down the lower part of the body along the
dotted line, shown in Fig. 88, spread out the hind legs, and Master Frog
is finished.
[Illustration: FIG. 88--The pattern of the frog drawn on an envelope.]
=The Little Bed=
[Illustration: FIG. 89--Use a long envelope for the little bed.]
For the little bed (Fig. 89) use a long envelope. If the top lap is
open, cut it off. Flatten out the bottom fold as you did for the frog's
back, then bend the ends and sides as in Fig. 90. Bend up the points at
each end for head and footboards, and there is your bed.
=The Table=
Make the table (Fig. 91) of a smaller envelope in the same way, but
leave the points extending out at the ends (Fig. 90) and cut short legs
on the bottom edge (Fig. 91).
[Illustration: FIG. 90--Fold the envelope this way for the bed.]
[Illustration: FIG. 91--Make the table of a smaller envelope.]
[Illustration: FIG. 92--A comfortable little sofa.]
Plates and other dishes can be made very easily. For circular dishes use
a cent or a ten-cent piece for a pattern. Very effective cups and
goblets can be made from old pieces of tinfoil. The table, however, is
strong enough to hold the little china or tin dishes usually found among
a child's collection of toys.
=The Sofa=
The comfortable little high-backed sofa (Fig. 92) is made of a long
envelope with the top left open. Fold the envelope into the box shape,
as for the bed, with the points turned up. Then fold the tips of the
points inward, as in Fig. 93. Now reverse the box and slit down the two
front edges which gives an opening in front. Bend down this front piece
and cut it off on a line with the two ends.
[Illustration: FIG. 93--Fold the tips of the points inward.]
=The Arm-Chair=
A deep, low-seated arm-chair can be made of an oblong envelope of
ordinary size by following the directions for the sofa and allowing the
back to curve instead of making it flat, then slitting down the sides
and bending them over to form the arms (Fig. 94).
[Illustration: FIG. 94--Make the arm-chair of an oblong envelope.]
=The Bath Tub.=
[Illustration: FIG. 95--A little bath tub for imaginary water.]
A little bath tub, but one that will scarcely hold water, is shown in
Fig. 95. In this the upper lap is left open, the points are bent
under, and the sides left to curve naturally. A baby carriage can also
be made in this way, but for the carriage the points must extend down
and have wheels drawn on them and the tips must be cut off squarely at
the bottom so that the carriage will stand. The lap is the back and the
handle in one (Fig. 96).
[Illustration: FIG. 96--A doll-baby can ride in this carriage.]
[Illustration: FIG. 97--The bungalow is made of a long envelope.]
=The Bungalow=
The little bungalow (Fig. 97) is something very different, yet it, too,
is made of an envelope. Though it appears to have many parts it is all
in one piece. The envelope is a long one, such as is used for legal
papers. Fig. 98 gives the pattern. The heavy lines show where to cut and
the dotted lines where to bend. The lap forms the front porch, but the
porch may be left off entirely if the envelope has been slit at the top
in opening it. With a little care, however, many envelopes can be opened
intact. Cut along the heavy lines of the door and windows, then open the
door and the little shutters. Bend back the ends of the house and in the
middle of each end take a little plait from top to bottom. This is to
make the ends narrower and give room for the roof to slant. Bend the
roof back from the eaves along the dotted line. The back of the bungalow
is made like the front, except that it has no door, windows, or porch.
Children who have a knack at drawing can greatly improve the bungalow by
drawing the slats to the blinds, drawing in the panelling on the front
door, putting on the knob, putting shingles on the roof, etc., etc.
[Illustration: FIG. 98--Draw the bungalow on the envelope in this way.]
=The Cart=
The little cart (Fig. 99), that will hold quite a heavy doll, and can be
trundled about like one made of wood, is not cut at all.
[Illustration: FIG. 99--The cart can be trundled about like one made of
wood.]
[Illustration: FIG. 100--This is the way to put wheels on the cart.]
Fold an oblong envelope into the box shape (Fig. 93), with points turned
up, but let the points be deeper than for the bed or sofa. This is
because the ends of the envelope are to form the sides of the cart and
must be longer from front to back. Bend the tips of the points in and
crease the folds sharply that they may lie flat against the sides.
Sharpen one end of a small, round stick and push it through the middle
of the folded point on one side, then slide a large, empty spool on the
stick and thrust the point of the stick through the opposite side (Fig.
100). The stick should stand out beyond the cart about half an inch on
each side, and will need no fastening.
Puncture a hole in one end of the cart, thread a cotton string through
the hole, tie a large knot on the inside end and pull the string through
until the knot presses close against the end of the cart. Let the string
be long enough to reach easily from the floor to the little hand that
will hold the other end.
Besides all these toys, a baby's cradle that has rockers and will rock,
a cunning little dressing-table with its mirror, boxes of different
shapes and sizes, and various kinds of baskets can be made of the old
envelope. Probably there are other forms it may be made to assume--boats
perhaps, that for a time at least will float on the water, and animals
other than the frog.