One idea I heard of recently that I truly liked is to get each of your bridesmaid a reasonably priced monogrammed or personalized cosmetic bag or case and place in it a $20 gift certificate to Sephora or other make up shop. A somewhat pricier variant of this idea is to get your gals some embroidered robes and/or personalized tote bag and include in it an invitation to a spa day you’ve already set up and paid for. Your gals will love it!

In a totally different vein, consider matching bracelets or necklaces. You can get these jewelry items personalized and these will become highly treasured keepsakes they’ll wear again and again and think of you every time their wear it. So as you can see, there are many unique bridesmaid gift options, just use your imagination and have fun!

Impressive, affordable silver accessories are what I look for when I want a really special gift. If I could afford gold jewelry, I might look for that as well. But I’m satisfied with beautiful work in this glowing precious metal. My wedding ring is made of sterling silver, and for many years I’ve tended to accessorize around it. Now I realize people these days mix and match silver and gold, but I’m just old fashioned, I guess. At any rate, I know where to go when I need to satisfy my jewelry sweet tooth!

Affordable sterling silver jewelry seems to be getting harder and harder to find; especially silver jewelry that is made in the USA. I’ve become a stickler on this point- if something isn’t made here at home, I tend to forgo it. Why pay for jewelry that may have been produced in a sweat shop in China, when you can support “local” artists here at home? And as long as I can find great dog-related jewelry that actually looks like the breed, I’ll pay for it.

I do recommend this site whole-heartedly. A friend of mine turned me onto it, and I’m just returning the favor.

A flowering cherry bonsai- is a unique Christmas gift idea and truly a gift of promise. In December this outdoor deciduous tree will arrive in a dormant state. To many people it really won’t look too impressive, but to a gardener or a bonsai enthusiast they won’t see a dormant stick, they’ll see the underlying structure or the “bones” of a living tree. They’ll see the balance between the tree and its container and how the color and shape of the container and the placement of tree within it all complement each other. They’ll need to maintain the tree in its dormant state and provide a minimum of care for the rest of the winter. Come spring the tree will change. The buds will swell in anticipation of the spring and the blossoms will open in a stunning display of color and sometimes fragrance all just in time for Mother’s Day. Now that’s a gift that keeps on giving.