Today's Creative Home Arts editor Julie Stephani wants to know what handmade gifts will you be giving during the holidays this year. Email your repy to: editors@creativehomeartsclub.com

I'm not sure either but, since I've been taking pottery lessons, there might be a few pieces gifted to family and friends---if I don't give them all away before then.

I'm also doing quite a bit of one stroke painting so there are gift possibilities in that area.

Nicky, the recipe books sound like a great idea.  I might have to think on that one---if it's OK to use your idea.  It'd be especially nice to include those recipes for dishes I take to pot lucks all of the time.  I try to come up with new ones but there are standards I can always fall back on if I run out of time and imagination.  I made bread pudding with cherry /rum sauce last week end for campout and was lucky to get any for myself.  I rarely have to take anything home when I serve it.  The same goes for BBQ water chestnuts.

Thanks, Lil.  I appreciate the kudos.  For my first pieces, I didn't think they were too bad.  At least my family and friends seemed to like them well enough to accept them as gifts.  What I like best is that daughter Dena has been attending classes with me whenever she's available.  She's gone back to school now (along with working full time) and won't have much time but seems to enjoy class almost as much as I do.

I put all my faves on a

cd one year and gave to all the grands...they still call for recipes. ..which warms my heart.

Jenx, it is nice that Dena is close enough to go to classes with you, makes it more fun to go with someone...

Lil

I'm working on a cookbook for my youngest son who lives independently.  It will cover all his favorite dishes that mom made when he lived at home.  Currently he doesn't cook, but someday he'll have children and need to economize.  I had my mother add recipes from her collection as well.

Other than that, I don't think that gifts will be homemade this year, unless I give away more of my green-tomato relish that I canned last fall.  I made enough for nearly 3 armies - and I live alone!

My current project is an afghan that must be finished by mid-October for the church Jubilee auction in mid-November.  Any idea what the suggested retail value of a 6' x 6' handmade blanket is?

Deb

Thanks Debbie.  I appreciate the compliments.  They're clay.

I've been having difficulty classifying.  I begin with a lump/slab of clay as opposed to molded greenware so I call it pottery. Since I do more than just pots, I wonder, is pottery the right term?  Dena just gave me a belated birthday gift of books on pottery.  Two are called potters guides.  Does that mean I'm a wannabe potter?  Lil, do you know the proper terms? 

And "yes", Lil, Dena meets me for class whenever she can.  Calls it her stress relief.  She just finished a wine cooler---gorgeous.  Next, she wants to make a churchkey.  It's the main souvenir she collects when she travels---the way I collect small pieces of artwork.  I wonder how many of you know what a churchkey is.  Should I just leave it there and see the reactions? 

Some years ago a friend had a ceramic shop and I did a few pieces with her but never had much interest in it.  Now that I've been doing this, I feel the difference is about like coloring with crayons in a coloring book is to drawing your own pictures.