Homemade gifts from the kitchen are culinary treasures. They have a personal touch and in these challenging economic times, a present from hearth and heart seems especially meaningful. So when I spied A.J. Rathbun's new book, "Luscious Liqueurs" (Harvard Common Press, $12.95) I knew I'd found the blueprint for my '08 holiday gifts.

PHILADELPHIA Six years ago, when Barbara Melera bought the venerable D. Landreth Seed Co., it had been decades since Landreths were at the helm, and the company no longer specialized in the vegetables and flowers that had built its fine reputation.

Black walls aren't just for Goth kids and heavy metal fans anymore. They're popping up in upscale shelter magazines, hipster design blogs and just about everywhere in between. Witness the black dining room at the Benjamin Moore paints Web site, where "Black Satin" is one of the featured "Colors for Your Home, 2009."

No matter where you live in the country, there is a season when snapdragons will absolutely steal the show in your landscape. In zones 7 and warmer, many gardeners plant them in the fall as pansy partners. They are planted in late winter to early spring in colder areas where they give riotous colors almost all summer.

Q: Are some children more prone to get head lice than others? It seems to me that it's more of a problem with girls, but maybe it just seems that way because it's so much trouble dealing with long hair.

This is one of my foolish annual exercises. I call it providing information on shoveling snow, from buying shovels to rearranging your snowfall without breaking your back or giving you a heart attack.

A GUIDE TO HOME ENERGY SAVING STRATEGIES (Part 3 of 3)

Q: I want to paint several rooms in my house this winter and would like to use paint that is healthful and safe for the ecology. How can I be sure I am getting that kind of paint? -Maryann

WHAT'S NEW: TOOTHBRUSH IS SELF-CLEANING

MILWAUKEE - In a bark burl at the bottom of a woodpile, Paul Bobrowitz saw a mask with a wise man's face. In an old sewing machine case, he saw a handy computer printer table.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Clint and Lacey Loumaster of Lenexa, Kan., met in an advanced calculus class. But the husband and wife share more in common than a prowess for complicated math.

DALLAS "Beyond this place there be dragons," reads the sign over a courtyard door, visible once you've walked across a drawbridge, over a moat and passed through ornate iron gates. Let it be known there are talking trees and fairy woods, too.

I was hesitant to place furniture in a room other than where it was intended to go - until I fell in love with a nightstand that complemented my living room sofa. I wonder if I broke the rules.

When your fourth-grader complains about homework, it's not just empty whining. Homework for fourth-graders is more difficult.

DETROIT A couple who own Madonna's childhood home in Rochester Hills, Mich. - severely damaged in a fire last summer - are to be in court Thursday for a hearing on bringing the home into compliance with city ordinances.

Sharing your home over the holidays is what the season is all about, but it can also be trying, especially if you're busy and unable to be the most attentive host. Here are some easy tricks, from Woman's Day magazine, to make sure your houseguests are as comfortable in your home as you are - or even more so - without feeling like you have to go overboard.

Renters needn't depend on simply turning down the thermostat to reduce home-energy costs. Even though most energy-saving tips are written for homeowners, there are many ways renters can save money without making major home modifications.

Think you have to shell out serious bucks to take your kitchen from blah to great, guess again! For the price of a few tools, some key materials and a little sweat equity, you can rehab the main surfaces of your kitchen and transform your space for next to nothing. Here are four favorite kitchen-upgrade projects from the editors of Fresh Home magazine:

CHICAGO We are a nation of nomads, traveling from house to apartment to condo to townhouse, searching for that comfort we call home.

Ralphie's house is getting the Griswold treatment.

CHICAGO - Regardless of the White Sox's intentions this offseason, Jim Thome plans to make Chicago his home.

It takes just moments for Sam June to decorate his family room for the holidays. He simply swaps the earth-toned throw pillows on the sofa for pillows in shades of red, green and burgundy, adds a few holiday-themed ornaments to the fireplace mantle - and he's done.

Q. Our house is about 60 years old and has the original wood, double-hung windows. Several of the windows are drafty and loose, and rattle when the wind blows. A couple of these won't stay open unless I prop them with a stick. I can't afford new windows now and wonder if there is a less expensive way to fix them. Can you help? -J. Huber

Not everyone is a gifted hostess. (And frankly, not everyone is a good guest either.) So what better time than now to start learning?

Its fiery yellow, orange and red colors make the Chinese pistache one of the prettiest trees this fall. From coast to coast, horticulturists sing the praises of this tree, and if you plant one or an informal cluster, you, too, will join the chorus.

WHAT'S NEW: PRODUCT MAKES IT EASIER TO TILE

Q: I'm hoping you can give a brief explanation of the tankless water heater. I can't seem to make my husband understand. Our water heater is on the opposite side of our house from the bathrooms and laundry room. Consequently, it takes running the water a long time before we get any warm/hot water. Isn't the tankless heater something that allows you to tap into hot water on demand?

Q: We want to replace our furnace with a new one and take advantage of the $1,500 federal tax credit. What should we look for in a new furnace?

A GUIDE TO HOME ENERGY SAVING STRATEGIES (Part 2 of 3)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Susan Silva's grass never looked right, no matter how hard she tried.

MINNEAPOLIS It starts with one box.

Carter Oosterhouse is known as the carpenter/green expert on HGTV.

Between the 1990 and the 2000 census, the number of people working at home grew by one-third, and it's expected to be a lot higher in the next population count.

TACOMA, Wash. The visual warmth of a spectacular sunburst and slender crescent moon emanates from the entryway floor in Bonnie Wyatt's home in Seattle.

Race-car beds apparently aren't just for kids anymore.

Wouldn't you like to have some fresh ideas, month after month, for projects and plants to try in your garden or home landscape? All sorts of garden magazines offer color photographs of model gardens, articles on topics ranging from specific plant profiles to general how-to advice, and plenty of sources for decorative elements and supplies that gardeners need.

Those jolly round veggies are ripe for the picking. But brainstorming what to do with them beyond October 31 can be tricky. Never underestimate the creative power of a gourd, especially while they're super cheap.