At the turn of the twentieth century, middle-class women’s participation in domestic art forms was motivated by complex social expectations. It was an established social practice to entertain at home in highly decorated environments. Party giving involved coordinating menus, decorations, and games.[1] It may be true that some women experienced daily monotony with such activities; however, in this era, women also participated in these “saturated worlds” because it was a pleasurable activity through which they could express creativity. The Dennison Company played a role in this because it taught consumers how to engage with crepe paper through advertisements and instruction books.

             
Introduction of Crepe         Crepe Advertisements in Periodicals

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[1]“New Ideas for Strawberry Festival,” Ladies’ Home Journal, May 1898, 20, Marie Eualie Moran, “Some Pretty June Luncheons,” Ladies’ Home Journal, June 1897, 26.