Now, she enjoys many forms of artistic expression, including sculpting, mosaics, painting, cooking, cake decorating, redoing furniture and knitting. She has traveled extensively and led cultural tours to Paris, but she points out that her "true inspiration comes from a love of working with people and reinventing the ordinary into something extraordinary."

Nimri offers 10 tips for kids on making great holiday gifts:

1. Prepare. Choose what projects you're going to make and make sure you have everything you need to complete them.

2. Have fun. Enjoy the process of making the gift as much as you enjoy giving it.

3. Get creative. Develop a theme, use bold/colorful materials, mix materials to add interest, create a gift basket.

4. Don't be afraid to try something new.

5. Create memorable gifts and treasured memories by working with others. Create things with family or friends.

6. Personalize the gift. Add pictures of family, friends, pets or special, personal mementos to create a unique gift.

7. Work in a clean, well-lit, well-ventilated area and keep it clean.

8. Make a gift that evokes an emotion or a gift that carries a surprise factor.

9. Ask someone close to the person what colors or designs they think the person would like.

10. Decide how much you want to spend on materials and get resourceful. Check out flea markets and garage sales or use found materials.

---

E-mail: carma@desnews.com