Portland craft guru Susan Beal offers tips on DIY gifts for the holiday season. Photo by John Clark

Expert: Susan Beal, author of the DIY jewelry book Bead Simple (Taunton Press, 2008; $20)

Field of study: Handcrafted holiday gifts and creative outlets

Inspiration Classes at DIY Lounge at Collage (from $20; 1639 N.E. Alberta St. and 4429 S.E. Woodstock Blvd., Portland; 503/804-2526) teach skills like encaustic painting and book binding. Craft Magazine covers everything from silk-screening projects to making roller skates.

Crafts supplies Dava Bead & Trade (2121 N.E. Broadway St., Portland; 503/288-3991) for glass and semiprecious beads. Cool Cottons (2417 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., Portland; 503/232-0417) for room after room of fabrics organized by color.

Local fun Crafty Wonderland, Portland’s monthly arts-and-crafts extravaganza, takes place on the second Sunday of every month at the Doug Fir Lounge (830 E. Burnside St., Portland; 503/231-9663).

A three strand semi-precious necklace from Dava Bead & Trade. Photo courtesy davabead.com

DIY holiday gifts Simple bead earrings and vintage beaded necklaces (see video instructions and tips at beadsimple.com).

For the craft-challenged Handmade gifts online from artists around the world at Etsy,  or fail-safe kits like Therese Laskey’s Softies Kit ($25) to make oh-so-sophisticated, small-scale stuffed animals.