Lifestyle -> Living Ind

Crafting Holiday Spirit

Glass, wire, wood, metal, clay, beads ' all mediums are fair game for local artists to get into the holiday spirit. At Sans Souci Fine Craft Gallery, diverse ornaments made by Louisiana Crafts Guild members decorate a small tree and a wall near the checkout counter. Cathy Cooper-Stratton's funky wire creations feature shiny swirled Christmas trees and stars decorated with charms, while woodworker Phil Coghill's delicate carved balls are more traditional. Paul and Jerry Hymel of Hammond sell their metal snowflakes capped with dots of stained glass, and Sans Souci is offering Kimberly Jones' colorful glass ornaments as lagniappe on purchases made by longtime customers.

At the Acadiana Symphony & Conservatory, handmade ornaments by Clayfish Bisque co-owner Bobbie Parker are being sold as a fundraiser for the conservatory. The flat, round pieces of clay are painted red and decorated with a Christmas tree. ASO sold 25 ornaments in its first week and is now offering a second batch. The ornaments cost $20 and are available at the ASO office on Travis Street in the Oil Center. "We'll be selling them until Christmas," says Denise Melancon.

Vintage boutique Flip Flop, located in Jefferson Street Market, is decked out with 1960s beaded ornaments, like your grandmother used to make. Styrofoam balls covered with beads and sequins in psychedelic shades of green, pink, purple and yellow sell for $6. "Can you believe somebody made these?" says Flip Flop owner Deborah Elberson. She found the ornaments at an estate sale last year and only has a few left.

"A lot of people want something handmade on their tree," says Sans Souci's Jones. "It's something they can remember."

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