Stonington-Cheryl Wixson posted nine rules in the classroom at Deer Isle-Stonington High School, where she teaches food safety and food Introduction to the system.

"Rule 5 is my favorite," she said when visiting her farm Rabbit Hill on a sunny day in October. "The fifth rule is'Don't apologize.'"

"If you cook for someone, or you create something for someone, then you have love in your heart," Cheryl explained. "And you never need to apologize for that."

Ellsworth American "Maine Cuisine" cooking columnist, Cheryl is a food educator and business owner. She encourages people to prepare edible and other homemade gifts for the holidays, keep within budget and use recycled, salvaged and naturally foraged items.

"There is absolutely no reason for us to buy a lot of these brand new things and throw them into the garbage dump," she said.

She inherited the tradition that she and her husband Flip began when they raised three daughters in Bangor. At that time, handicrafts were more than just assembling gifts for extended families. During the holiday season, this is a joint activity that promotes artistic expression, while Christmas carols are played in the background.

"This is a real exit," Cheryl said. For handicrafts or cooking, "There is no right or wrong, it's just your natural creativity."

In a world where technology (despite its benefits) sometimes feels ubiquitous, promoting creativity is especially important for Cheryl.

“I sometimes think that we have lost — we are losing — the opportunity to use the inherent creativity that comes from working with hands,” she reflected. While teaching, she witnessed how hands-on projects often lead her students to participate. She sees the potential of everyone, everywhere.

"Seeing something, measuring the ingredients, doing math, seeing the chemical reaction as it rises, and then seeing the product and eating it is an inspiration for [students], they can use their hands."

So, during this holiday, what simple, thoughtful and inspiring gifts can people make for their loved ones? Cheryl has many ideas, including homemade glass containers and cake mix.

For glass vessels, artisans can find transparent vases in local thrift stores, or large glass jugs in Renys.

In order to fill these glass containers with tiny ecosystems, Cheryl recommends walking for natural objects.

Rabbit Hill is a certified organic farm, cider company and commercial food processing kitchen. She likes to avoid and collect natural materials between her farm work. For example, the forest behind her house is covered with moss and pine cones that have fallen from spruce trees. She also searches for shells and rocks along the coast and nearby beaches.

When she and her husband bought it, most of the property was wooded. The couple cleared the land with their hands to make room to raise rabbits and build their gardens, where they used soil rich in rabbit manure to grow almost all their food.

"We are here to live in this land," Cheryl said.

Just this year, the two bought a tractor.

"What really fascinates me is the moss," she said. "When you come here, the inspiration is just..." She looked at the lush green haven outside, her voice diminished.

After collecting the materials, Cheryl built the base of the glass container in a large glass jug with a lid. Using the rock samples she collected, she placed mismatched small pebbles and large stones in the glass habitat. Some were round and smooth, some were jagged and quartz-like.

Then, she added samples of moss. The pincushion moss has the same shape and bouncing as its namesake. The other piece looks like seaweed.

One of Cheryl's logo is to combine nature with a touch of sparkle and charm. This glass container features metallic red decoration. Popular colors in natural landscapes.

She will also spray paint containers-some of which are silver made from reused olive oil cans. She turned the jar into a vase, decorated with recycled jewellery, holding a bunch of natural branches and berries in her hand.

For those who love sweets, Cheryl assembled the dry ingredients of the French Arcadia chocolate cake mix in a mason jar.

On a whim, she decorated the glass jar with red and black ribbons, and then took out a glue gun to fix the pine cones and evergreen plants on the lid.

"I'm very encouraged!" she said, putting the finishing touches on the homemade gifts that were made in a few minutes.

Cheryl hoped that others would also be inspired, and participated in the Open Farm Day, inviting the public to learn about organic farming in Rabbit Mountain. Farm lovers-Cheryl reports that about 50 to 80 people attend each time-can walk around the land, bring a picnic, learn about sustainability and water conservation, buy prepared food and pet the farm rabbit.

All of her projects, from making gifts to caring for her farm, to teaching her students about food and how to make them, all coincide with her life's greater mission.

"I just want to change the world," she said.

For more information, please visit https://cherylwixsonskitchen.com.

French Arcadia Chocolate Cake Mix

20.5 ounces. Buckwheat (from Bouchard Family Farm in Alustock County)

5.5 oz. Unsweetened cocoa powder (best processed in the Netherlands)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, or in a large bowl, mix the above ingredients very thoroughly for 2 minutes or more.

Weigh each cake mixture into a jar or bag. Each serving should weigh 295-300 grams.

1 bag or can of French Arcadia Chocolate Cake Mix

¼ cup melted butter or oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the bread pan or small cake pan.

In a medium bowl, combine cake flour, unsweetened applesauce, eggs, and melted butter or oil. Stir together so that there are no lumps. Pour the spoon into the prepared pan and bake until the toothpicks are clean. About 20 to 30 minutes.

Service suggestion: Sprinkle powdered sugar on the cake. It can be topped with whipped cream, yogurt or ice cream. This cake is also delicious, with frosting (but not really needed). A holiday idea is to tie a candy cane to the jar. Other options are crushing candy canes and adding potato chips to the batter, or frosting the cake and sprinkling the potato chips on top.

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Promote your business here. Call (207) 667-2576 to contact Kelley Wescott or email.