For those on a tight budget this holiday season (and who isn't?) the DIY approach to gift giving may be the answer.

The cost is minimal and it's a boost to self-esteem to make creative gifts.

Whether your talents lie in sewing, cooking, painting, scrapbooking, woodcraft or whatever, there's sure to be a gift solution to match.

Artist and fashion and accessories designer Sierra Dew of Käne'ohe makes original, personalized gifts for family and friends. She offers this advice: stencil your own. It's a simple and artistic way to DIY for gifts this holiday season.

WHAT TO STENCIL

• Blank kitchen towels (Dew found four for $1.99 at Ross)

• Blank tote bags (craft stores)

• Cotton muslin fabric (fabric stores, about $2 a yard)

• Sheets, pune'e covers

• Pillowcases (Ross, thrift stores, Kaimuki Dry Goods, Island Crafts & Fabrics, The Calico Cat, Fabric Mart, www.dharmatrading.com)

• Recycled items from your own closet, a friend's closet or the Salvation Army, Savers or Goodwill. If something is still serviceable but has a marred spot, the stencil can be positioned to cover the spot.

MATERIALS

• Recycled manila folder or other thin cardboard or thin plastic sheet or acetate to make a stencil. Beginners may want to buy pre-made stencils from craft stores (Ben Franklin or Flora-Dec).

• Fabric paint(s) (Flora-Dec, Hawaiian Graphics, www.dharmatrading.com).

• Repositionable adhesive (Ben Franklin, Flora-Dec).

• Exacto knife if you're cutting your own stencil (hardware or craft stores).

• Piece of tile larger than the image you will transfer.

• Sponge, cut to about 1 by 2 inches.

• Iron, to heat-set fabric paint.

• Recycled scrap paper to put under fabric to soak up excess paint.

• Whatever you plan to print on.

STEP BY STEP

1. For beginners, it may be easier to purchase a stencil or download one of Dew's stencils from our Web site. To test your art skills, of course, you may want to create your own stencil.

2. Place a kitchen tile on the surface where you plan to work. Place a piece of scrap paper on the tile to soak up excess paint. Place the item you will stencil on top of the paper.

3. Spray repositionable adhesive on the stencil and position the stencil on the fabric. Press it down evenly with your fingers.

4. Wet the sponge and squeeze out ALL the excess water. Dip sponge in fabric paint.

5. Gently dab paint onto stencil, carefully holding down the stencil. Be sure to sponge the entire image to get crisp edges. Dew uses two shades of green to get the effect of highlight and shadow in the leaves.