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A little gift-giving effort goes a long way

OH fun, another gift certificate.

OH fun, another gift certificate.

If that's not what you want to hear on Christmas morning, then maybe a more personalized gift is in order - and what could be more personalized than handmade gifts crafted by your own fingers?

It's surprisingly easy, with no artistic skills required, say instructors, and there are plenty of classes to help make gifts this year - ranging from silver jewelry to scented bath baskets - as well as programs just for kids.

The library also has some good books to get people started, says librarian Krista Scanlon at the Lynn Valley branch of the district library.

The library just picked up a copy of Martha Stewart's Handmade Holiday Crafts and has rarely been seen on the shelves, she said, while she also recommends Family Fun Homemade Holidays by Deanna Cook, which also has ideas for Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. For environmentally friendly ideas, there's A Greener Christmas and Eco Craft.

But for those who want to learn from a real person, the local rec centres are a good place to look - even for gifts as complex as jewelry. Liz McDonald teaches a course where students can create up to seven small charms, or a single larger pendant, made of Precious Metal Clay. After being fired in a kiln the clay is 99.9 per cent fine silver.

"You can carve it, mould it, put an impression of a leaf on it, and then we dry it and I fire it in a jewelry kiln," she said. Over the years she's seen many presents that stood out, including the work of one student who made five matching pieces for a group of friends, each with their initials on the back. Other personalized elements like fingerprints can also be done, and there's no experience necessary, she adds. That class costs $116.94 and runs Nov. 20, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Parkgate community centre.

Cheryl Theilade teaches Bath, Bliss and Body at West Vancouver community centre Nov. 19, then Stocking Stuffer Skincare course at John Braithwaite Nov. 22.

The bath class will produce treats like papaya sugar scrub, detoxifying sea mud and mask, body butter and tub fizzlers - easily enough to fill a stocking, while at John Braithwaite the focus is on skincare.

"When someone's made something, you do get that feel that it is actually made with love, which is great. It's not from a store," said Theilade, whose friends often receive her homemade creations. While she said she makes sure people leave with lots of goodies, sometimes there isn't a lot left over for presents.

"Sometimes people, it's just too funny, they say no this is all for me," she said with a laugh.

There are also a number of classes available for kids, including a two-week long course to bake different cookie recipes and then package them in a handmade decorative box, starting Dec. 9 and 10 with two different age groups from six to 12 years old at the West Vancouver community centre. Starting when students leave school Dec. 19, West Vancouver also offers Hands-on Holidays, a crafty day camp with plenty of present ideas.

A full course schedule and registration is available online at www.westvancouver. ca, under the residents tab, or www.northvanrec.com for North Vancouver programs. You can also check the websites of the instructors for more classes: Theilade at www. scentimentalcreations.com and McDonald at www.pmcartisan. com.

tholloway@nsnews.com