By GWEN SCHOEN, Sacramento Bee

Decoupage is an old craft that involves gluing paper images to an object, then adding coats of sealer until the paper image looks as though it were painted onto the surface.

The malls are packed, and there isn't a parking place in sight. Your to-do list is so long, you have to fold it like an accordion, and the stress is ruining your mood. This is no way to spend the holiday season.
Here's some advice: Go home. Pull out your cookbooks and finish off your gift list with something made in your own kitchen.

If you expect a gaggle of goblins to haunt your house later this month, it will help to have a repertoire of tricks and ghoulish recipes close at hand.We looked around for some party-food suggestions. Here are a few of our favorite sources -- and some Halloween tips and recipes.www.hersheys.com/trickortreats

Spices give your recipes a flavor boost. Do they give your body a nutrition boost as well? Here's a quiz to find out how much you know about spices. Answer each of the following statements true or false.1. One recent study shows that consuming 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon after meals reduces blood-sugar levels by as much as 29 percent in some people.

You often see "high in ..." or "low in ..." on packages. But do you know how high is "high" or how low is "low"?There are government requirements that manufacturers must meet before they can use these descriptions. Here's a quiz to find out if you can figure out the code. Answer each statement true or false.

Panic is beginning to set in. It's becoming more difficult to find favorite summer fruits at produce stands. It's time for some old-fashioned puttin' up.

There's a popular belief that white foods have no nutritional value and just add calories to your diet. Do you believe that? Here's a quiz based on the truth about white foods.Answer the following true or false.1. White potatoes make you fat.2. There is no nutrition in white potatoes.3. Potatoes are a good source of potassium.

Cooking Light magazine is a good source for commonsense nutrition advice. Here's a quiz offered by the publication.1. Although avocados are high in fat, it's monounsaturated, which helps lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and raise HDL (good cholesterol).True or false?

Just weeks ago, the great tomato scare had singled out some versions of our summer icon as suspects in the salmonella outbreak that has sickened hundreds. But tomatoes of all types from all sources eventually were found not guilty in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's salmonella probe.

Nearly 10 years ago I wrote about making a birdbath with upside-down clay pots. Of all the craft projects I've done over the years, this one has been my favorite.Reader Carolyn Fritz of Roseville, Calif., recently sent us a photograph of the birdbath she made for her mother-in-law following my original instructions.