oddie I never expect less than beautiful from you at all. You did a great job!! Leave the charm where it's at...it's where I leave all my charms..and adding charms and beaded charms are the way to go. I've put in a link to show you one of mine with charms. Instead of using gauged crafting wire for your bracelet, go to Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby or Michaels and get flexible beading wire. The brand names will be like Beadalon, Soft-Flex,Accuflex at Michaels and Hobby Lobby...but Wal Mart carries a good basic starter roll of beading wire and I can't remember the name they use. It is in with the beads on a roll hanging,amongst the charms and such.The roll looks like a fishing line roll. It's a coated flexible wire that is made for jewelry. I use it for bookmarks and other projects, I use Soft Flex for my jewelry pieces. When using flexible wire you will need to pick up some crimp beads/tubes. WalMart carries these in start packs that include some pre-cut wire, head and eye pins. This is a great intoductory package. You will need either a crimping tool(again sold at WalMart) or a needle nose pliers for these. Here's an article on crimp beads and then the crimping tool. http://jewelrymaking.about.com/od/finishingtechniques/ss/080805_3.htm http://jewelrymaking.about.com/library/blcrimps.htm http://jewelrymaking.about.com/library/weekly/aa022202.htm I can't wait to see more!! ginger Here is a link that might be useful: Bracelet with Charm

The short answer: No, you don't need to bring a shower gift. A shower gift is tied to a shower you were invited to. If there was no shower, or you weren't invited to one, there's nothing to make up for. You didn't skip anything — the event simply didn't happen on your radar, and that's not a gift obligation you owe. The longer answer, for context: Traditionally these are two separate gifts for two separate events. But that rule assumes two things — that a shower actually took place, and that you were invited to it. Neither applies here. Etiquette doesn't require you to retroactively gift an event you were never part of. A few things worth noting for your situation specifically: You're traveling from California to Maine. That's a significant expense on its own, and any reasonable couple understands that. Travel costs are widely considered part of your "gift" in spirit, even if no one says it out loud. A monetary wedding gift is completely appropriate — and honestly, for a nephew you're close enough to travel cross-country for, it's a generous and welcome choice. Don't double up out of guilt. Bringing an extra "shower gift" to the wedding itself would likely just confuse the couple, since there was no shower to attach it to. It could even read as an oddly large wedding gift rather than a thoughtful gesture. If you want to do something extra, a nice card with a personal note means more than a second gift. Something about welcoming your nephew's new spouse into the family, or a memory from when he was growing up, lands far better than an extra box. One caveat: If it turns out a shower did happen and you simply weren't invited, that's a different situation — but even then, the polite response is to let it go, not to compensate. Being left off a guest list isn't a debt you owe. So: bring your wedding gift, enjoy the trip, and don't give the shower question another thought. Hope the wedding was lovely, Vicki — and if anyone else is in a similar spot, feel free to share how you handled it!

When the kids were young they got three gifts each then their Santa gift and stockings. Now they get about $50 worth of gift (usually one gift) or as a couple $100. Depending on what they have asked for. Two are married one is single, no significant other (yes if they had a bf or gf we spent that much also, I wanted them to feel special also). Same amount is given to DGD..only one grand child, so sometimes I don't stick to that. I do buy clearance stuff through out the year that she also gets, so it's probably more like $100 for her, but it equals TONS of gifts. We also include donations to church and giving tree gifts. Each child has a stocking...we use to fill it, now each child has to give for the others ($5 or so gift, nothing big), and I give each kid an ornament that signifies something about that year or themselves. Example, this year DS will get an ornament of a door with their house number on it (they bought their first house. DD#1 gets a the Bride and Groom as she was married. DD#2 gets a Santa with a fire helmet (Her apartment burned down). Still working on other ornaments. My siblings get nothing, My Dad and step-mom haven't decided. This year DH's siblings (who usually get nothing) will get a family picture (taken an DD#1's wedding, first time in YEARS to get that many family members together). We get for my nephew, he's still under 18, but that's the cut-off. We'll have to decide after that what to do. It's hard, but we're honest with the kids, and try to be creative. I've always wanted to celebrate Christmas AFTER the day, and see who can get the best deal...the kids say that's not fair. DD#2 is the BEST shopper and will put the others to shame! Vickey-MN

I love the locket idea, but I think I would save the idea for later -- a birthday, Christmas or just because in support after he is gone. I wore a locket with my boys photos when I had to travel on business. The only negative in my mind is that it is personal to her and whether that is okay or not depends on when it is given and her sensitivity -- both of which may be uncertain now. I think it's better as a gift to just her when it is just her. Even though she may be the only one to see or enjoy any gift b the time it gets there, it is a wedding gift. Etsy has a number of lighthouse paintings. DH and I received a framed watercolor from a friend of my mom's. I thought it was a very bold and unusual gift -- one I doubt I would have thought of, but it isn't large and there has always been a place for it and it is very special to us. Some lighthouse charms and lockets came up -- you could give them a painting and her a lighthouse to keep with her too. Your heart is in it -- you will figure it out.