A holiday shopping guide for starving artists

Don't have money? Time? Ideas? But, you say, you do have a list of friends and family you need to get gifts for? Worry not, because we, the News-Letter Arts editors, have it all under control for you just in time for the 2003 holiday season. Read through our list of cheapy cheap gift ideas found at nearby locations you might have never considered as gift-getting treasure troves and get creative. A-thrifting we go!

She's abroad

Individual postcards, or The Art Box postcard gift set

BMA museum shop, 10 Art Museum Drive, (410) 396-6338,

75 cents - $16.95

For the friend you will be losing to a semester abroad in the hills of Provence, or the waterways of Venice, scoot your boot over to the BMA's museum shop, located right next to campus on, wait ... weird, Art Museum Drive! So that's why it's named that. Huh, who knew? Once you're there pick up a stack of art postcards featuring the famous images that hang in the halls of this world-class art museum. Pick out an Henri Matisse or two, an artist of whom the BMA holds a vast catalogue based on the donated collection of two early 20th century dowager sisters from Baltimore, Dr. Claribel Cone and Miss Etta Cone. Or if you're feeling more 21st century, go right to the modern art postcards which feature work by the likes of Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg, housed in the museum's contemporary art wing. However, if you want to spring for the ultimate box set edition of art postcards, buy The Art Box, an eclectic collection of 100 postcards culled from the pages of the big, fat glossy The Art Book. Featuring workby artists like Brancusi, Thiebaud, Fra Angelico, Diebenkorn, Van Gogh and Duchamp, your itinerant expatriate will smile and think of you when writing postcards in smoky Spanish caf??s somewhere across the ocean.

For those who could stand to be a bit more "civilized"

Limoges pillboxes and blue and white porcelain dishes

Homewood House, $2.50-$8

Walking into the gift shop at the Homewood House the historic mansion and museum right here on campus, you see dainty cups, saucers and painted porcelain at every turn. It is easy to get struck by the urge to resurrect all your dollies and enjoy a rousing afternoon of Tea Party. But don't. Cause that's not cool anymore once you're in college. Instead, pick up one of these lovely painted pillboxes and present it as a key-dish to the forgetful roommate who is forever misplacing her keys, or give one of the delicate Japanese porcelain-style dishes (and I'm sure the sweet ladies who work at Homewood House would shudder to hear this) as an ash tray, to that chimney of a house-mate you can't help but love. Fine porcelain can make even the worst of habits charming.

The outdoorsy friend

Skein of yarn, knitting needles, and knitting instruction book

Michael's Crafts, Towson Place, 1238 Putty Hill Ave. (410) 337-0505, $1.99-$3.99 each

Any resourceful woodsman or woodswoman knows how to build their own fire, but if they're going to be out there in the cold, shouldn't they know how to knit their own cold weather gear? As the saying goes, "give a girl a hat, and she won't go cold, but teach her how to knit and she'll never go hungry." That is, if she sells what she knits. Otherwise, it'll just keep her warm. Which isn't bad either. Because although we are south of the Mason Dixon line here in Bawlmer City, winters can be bone-chilling. And if, God forbid, it snows and the entire city and University are forced to shut down since Baltimore only employs the use of approximately one snowplow for the entire metropolitan area, a toasty hat, scarf and pair of mittens could make that warm glow one gets after hearing all classes are cancelled due to adverse weather conditions last just a little bit longer.

For a stitchin' bitch

Vintage Fabric

Avenue Antiques, 901 W. 36th Street in Hampden, (410) 467-0329, $1-$5

For the crafty beaver in your life, there is nothing more thrilling than the possibilities presented by a stack of vintage fabrics, all tied up in a pretty bow. Visions of purses, belts, skirts, and sewing machines furiously stitching away, not to mention sugarplums, will be dancing in her head. In the basement of its tri-level antiques mall, Decades has an old suitcase full of a range of fabrics like wool plaid, hot pink satin, pastel ginghams and of course some cotton in that unfortunate orange/pea green color combination that was so ubiquitous in the 70s. You can find vintage fabric in almost any thrift store, but Decades takes all the guesswork out of it for you, sifting out the faded, stained specimens to include only the best quality remnants for sale. And best of all, since this is the kind of gift that keeps on giving, you just might get a little change purse or other hand-stitched goodie out of your friend's frenzied creative output inspired by your pretty little scraps.

For earth mothers and dirty hippies

Incense

The incense guy found outside Kennedy's Fried Chicken on Greenmount, $1

If you find yourself on a bleary-eyed hung-over Saturday morning on the way to Pete's Grill, the best place to get a decent breakfast around here, you might just find what could be a wonderful gift for the starving college artsy-fart. Outside of Kennedy Fried Chicken, just off of Greenmount, (and, incidentally, the best place to cop a decent drumstick around here) there's this guy who sits with his wife, both in traditional African garb, selling traditional Indian incense. The sticks come in boxes with a "manufactured in" stamp from Bangalore and in a variety of flavors, including jasmine and sandalwood. We bought something called "firdaus," which sounded more German than Indian, but smelled right tasty when it was illicitly lit up in the dorm room. The price tag was $1.50 for this oderiffic stocking-stuffer. So if your damn dirty hippie best friend needs some additional olfactory atmosphere to go with his or her Buddhist prayer map and Mahavishnu Orchestra LPs, you know where to find it.

For the literary- minded on your list

Shakespeare action figure

Mud and Metal, 813 W. 36th St W. 36th Street, (410) 467-8698, $12

In comparison, the Jesus action figure, who some claim is "the reason for the season" is only $8, a mere alms-worth. But we know who really matters; it's Shakespeare whose action figure clocks in at the more valuable, yet still affordable 12 buckaroos. The bard, a perfect present for your Intro to Fiction and Poetry T.A. or any Writing Sems nerd, has bendable arms and legs, comes with a removable book, and wields his weapon of choice: the quill pen. As the box he comes in states, the pen is indeed mightier than the sword.

Last minute drug store buys for the gals

Glue on nails , nail art rhinestones, nail polish,blue eyeliner, and Aqua Net

CVS, 2504 N. Charles St., (410) 662-7593, $1.69-$6.99

A girl's nails are considered works of art in some places, namely New Jersey and any inner-city beauty parlor. And whether you decide to take this gift in the direction of ghetto-fabulous a la Gwen Stefani and Eve "Let Me Blow "Ya Mind" style, or lean more toward Big Haired Jersey Girl (85 billion percent of the Hopkins campus is from New Jersey anyway, right?), it's a fun idea for any gal pal on your list, and she'll never guess you bought it after careening frantically through the aisles of CVS an hour before your Secret Santa exchange was supposed to go down. Ridiculously long talon style nails are best for maximum outrageous effect, and what girl doesn't like diamonds ... glued onto her fingernails? Yeah, so they might fall off when she tries to wipe her butt, and okay, they're really plastic, but a little faux bling never hurt anybody. Complete the look with bright fluorescent shades of nail polish, Aqua Net hairspray and punked-out blue eyeliner for this `80s-party-to-go 11th hour gift.

For the shutterbug

Batik print photo albums

The Shops at Homewood, 3224 St. Paul Street, (410) 235 2886, $11.50

Okay, so photo albums, along with picture frames and candles, are among the most played out gift ideas in the world of inexpensive gift giving. But when you take the time to pick out something a little unique, something with a twist, oh, let's say how about these photo albums bound in one of a kind batik cloth made by artisans in Bali, Indonesia or decorated with the Adrinka symbols of the Asante peoples of West Africa, you can take this gift idea out of retirement. Pick out a choice snapshot or two from your own archives, fill the first couple pages of one of these colorful and exotic photo albums and you have a thoughtful, personalized gift for photographers of all skills, from your pal who doesn't leave home without his telephoto lens and a tripod, to the friend who has never bothered in investing in anything more sophisticated than a throwaway camera. Best of all, a portion of the proceeds of the sale of from these babies is donated to relief programs. Snap "em up while you can.

For the scatterbrain in your life

Blank vintage print notebooks

Homewood House, $1 each

Give a stack of these lined-paper notebooks to that friend who is constantly writing down their stroke of genius ideas, to-do lists and assignments on their hands with ball-point pen. That look is so "first semester freshman." These handy, pocket-sized jobbers are just the ticket to help him or her look a little more put-together. But they're not just practical and functional (boring), they're stylish too (yay)! After all, a Five-Star notebook doesn't really make a great gift, but notebooks with marbleized design prints, the pattern from a vintage 1852 quilt and illustrations by John James Audobon do.

The Cheap Holiday Date

A drive down 34th Street in Hampden, sipping a thermos of hot chocolate, holding your your sweetheart close in a car without bucket seats, FREE

Now, we're not one to recommend drinking and driving, but what could be cozier than a leisurely hot chocolate-fueled cruise with your luvah through the brightest, shiniest, most creative neighborhood in all of Baltimore? Every year the residents of the 34th street block in Hampden pull off a miracle of sorts, rigging enough Christmas lights around, about and between their row houses to rival the wattage of the Las Vegas Strip. Don't miss your chance to marvel at the sheer ingenuity that goes into pulling off this feat of holiday cheer and to wonder at the astronomical electric bills the denizens of 34th street must rack up -- just be prepared to wait in line, as it's a popular local holiday sight. But that's what the no-bucket-seats are for. Snuggling.

For the

musically

uninspired

The Mix CD, about 50 cents

Mix CDs serve two purposes, really. One is to show someone you've been thinking of them, and the other is to show just how eclectic and deep your knowledge of music really is. Afterall, it's kind of a point of pride to be able to strike just the right combination of songs that say to your giftee, "I know you better than you know yourself, and therefore have included these obscure songs I know you would love but would never hear otherwise." Not to mention, nothing screams, "you are special to me" like the risk of incurring a lawsuit by compiling a gleaming new CD full of illegally obtained music. This year, in keeping with the cheer and goodwill of the season, feel free to compile a mix that person might actually listen to. Check out http://www.artofthemix.com for song list inspiration.

For 'yer mom

Leaf Trivet

Wild Yam Pottery, 863 W. 36th Street (410) 662-1123, $10

Remember when it passed as a fabulous gift to press your hands in some plaster and present it to your mom as a work of art? She hung it on the wall, or put it on the mantle in a place of honor right alongside your bronzed baby booties. Well, that won't fly anymore, and you can hardly pass off a bronzed pair of your smelly middle-school era Nike Airs as a decent present. Instead, leave the clay work and sculpting to the professionals. Wild Yam, a collective run by four local artisans who build and fire their creations in a kiln right in the store, stocks elegant leaf-shaped trivets made by pressing a real (heart shaped!) red-bud tree leaf right into the clay and then glazing it in a one of a multitude of glossy colors. Your momma will treasure it, always.

Unisex fashion for the hipster

Vintage Neckties

Avenue Antiques, 901 W. 36th Street in Hampden, (410) 467-0329, $5 each

Old ties in all styles: wide silk ones, skinny crocheted ones and stiff upper lipped wool ones overflow from a bucket, just crying out to be taken home. They're like little puppy dogs, each one so much cuter than the next, you can hardly stand to leave a single one behind. But be sure to dig for the best, brightest, most friendly looking specimens you can find. They're a great gift for both guys and gals. Guys, because they can, uh, wear "em as ties and look like sharp swingers instead of rumpled college students for a change, and girls "cause they make sassy little belts for corduroys or jeans. They're also good for puppies, of course, because puppies are cute by themselves, but puppies in ties -- oh boy.

For the off-campus dweller

Used Books

Salamander, (410) 366-7171 835 W. 36th Street, $2.50-$15

So you and your friends are now juniors, free from the dorms and the hassle of access keys. But now that you all have a swank off-campus Charles Village address, you're going to need to fill those empty bookshelves and adorn those empty coffee tabletops. You could go for the minimalist chic look, or you could pick up a few of those paper things with lots of pages and words in them to fill those bare spaces. Books! Right. Who knows, you might actually read one or two of them. But who needs a Barnes and Noble when you can get classics and coffee table art books galore for a fraction of the price? At Salamander you can sell your old books and then use the money you just earned to buy a gift volume or two from the Art History, Music, Photography, or Classic Literature sections of the store, amongst others. We found a 1976 edition of Jack Kerouac's essential beat generation tome, On the Road, pre-dog-eared for you at only $2.50, a two-inch thick hardcover crammed with full-page color plates called The World of Art, a book that would easily be $50 new, for only $15 and a copy of the 1977 edition of Irwin Stambler's Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul priced at only $5. The store is full of titles like these and Janis Joplin: Her Life and Times, Piano Playing with Piano Questions Answered and Rolling Stone: The Photography. Sure, these books may not be in pristine shape, but like the friends on your gift list, they sure do have character.

For the artiste

Gift Certificate

MICA art store, 1200 Mt. Royal Avenue, (410) 225-2276, $10 and up

They don't call it fine art for nothin'. Purchasing the materials for a painting, sculpture or most any art project can cost a pretty penny. This is why you often find the adjectives "poor" and "starving" preceding the word "artist." Sure, the purchase of that orgo textbook put a dent in your wallet too, but somehow being pre-med usually pays off the bills in the end. Painting pictures, however, sometimes doesn't. Even if you can't be a philanthropist on par with the Peggy Guggenheims and Sir Paul Gettys of this world, you can help fund the spontaneous midnight creative sessions your mad genius artist friend is notorious for. Purchase gift certificates in increments of $10 and watch your friend's face light up when they realize they have found a patron in you. They'll be thrilled to receive this generous gift and be excited for an excuse to take a trip to the art school's version of a college bookstore. Manned by pierced and dyed students who sell everything from gold leaf to x-acto blades, the tiny but chock full "o goodies MICA store makes our own Gilman school store with its endless racks of Hopkins butt shorts, piles of intimidating books like "Scary Scary Advanced Calculus" and nothing more artsy in stock than a box of highlighters, look like it's geeky step-sister.

The Budding Interior Designer

Old 45's

Salvation Army, 3401-15 Roland Ave., (410) 366-6187, 25 cents each

Most people don't truck with 45's much these days. There is a growing legion of audiophiles who spurn the CD player and pledge allegiance to the turntable -- you know them -- they own milk crates full of old albums, but even within this subculture the little brother of the regular sized vinyl record, the 45, as in revolutions per minute, seems to have gone the way of the eight track -- that is to say, in the dumpster. Well, the nice folks at the Salvation Army in Hampden have rescued a huge pile of 45's from their fate and it's up to you to give them a new lease on life. The way we see it, just cause you're not "gonna use something doesn't mean it doesn't make a kick-ass wall decoration. In this case, it's not so much about the title of the record, but the visual beauty of the label. A stack ofthese adorable little guys in an assortment of colors really juices up a plain white wall and makes a really eye popping display when arranged in a grid pattern. 45's may be oldies, but they sure are goodies.

For the hardcore

vinyl LP collector

Laverne and Shirley Sing! LP $2

Bert and the Sesame Street Band - Born to Add LP 50 cents, Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band -

Trout Mask Replica LP $9.99

Musical Exchange Records, 418 N. Charles St., (410) 528-9815

A good record store is hard to find. Or at least one that actually sells records. Just a block south of the Peabody Institute and the Walters Art Gallery on Charles is the Musical Exchange, home to 40,000 LPs, one of the biggest collections in the area, not to mention the used cassettes, CDs, videos and DVDs. ME is great because it has no shortage of not only the cheeseball, b-list albums that you buy as a joke gift, but also the hard-to-find, classic, serious LPs for the real collector. The guy at the counter says that they have tons of really great classic rock for $2.50 and below, notably a lot of Led Zeppelin and Joni Mitchell. None of this matters, really, unless you've got someone on your gift list with a penchant for listening to music old-school style. So tell your grandma or your audiophile buddies to crank up the turntable, and head down to Musical Express to increase your album collection about three-fold.

For the aspiring

musician or the friend with a nervous tick

Maracas, Egg Shakers, Drumsticks, Cowbell, etc. $2-9.50

Ted's Musicians Shop,

11 East Centre Street, (410) 685-4195

Right across from Peabody's Leakin Hall in Mt. Vernon, Ted's Musicians Shop is strategically positioned as the most convenient resource for the students at the conservatory. All sorts of supplies are available, from instruments to sheet music to all the necessary accessories. But don't be intimidated by the whole "pro classical musician" feel. Behind the fluorescent light in the front window that reads "We buy and sell harmonicas" is a charming store and a perfect gift spot.For under $10, Ted's offers various fun percussion instruments that are perfect for aspiring musicians or just annoying buddies who drum their fingers all the time. Fabulous carved-wood maracas are available for $12, while the less-sleek plastic maraquitas shake for just $5.50. Egg shakers go for $3.00, and if you are brave enough to venture into woodwind territory, pennywhistles range from $3.00 to $6.50. For the enthusiaastic soccer mom, cowbells are also available for $9. Sometimes the best gifts are the ones that say, "I think you have too much time on your hands, and I think you need a new hobby." If you know someone who fits that description, head on down to Ted's and find them a new obsession. Who doesn't want a new maraca-player as a friend?

For the jet-setter

Silk scarf coasters and cell phone/sunglasses pouches

Shine, 3554 Roland Avenue (410) 366-6100, $8.75 and $15

The jet-set will rave over these fab accoutrements that are just perrrfect for for the on-the-go lifestyle of any busy bee. In fact, if accessories make or break the outfit, your dahling will have it made with these kicky little hand-sewn pouches by local designer, Joanna Buckner. Made of various patterns of sensible, yet funky wool fabric sewn with contrast stitching and fastened with a vintage button closureand, these pouches are sized to fit the cell pieces and sunglasses of any international player. And if you really want your socialite friend to be the toast of the cocktail party, pick up some mod-looking coasters for his party guests to rest their martini glasses on. Designed by an L.A. artist, the coasters come in sets of three and are covered in the bright geometric prints of vintage silk scarves. Just another one-of-a-kind gift for the trend-setting jet-setter who already has everything under the sun.