jewelry + boyfriend -engagement?

[MichL]

Hey all,
hope that my title makes sense. My problem is that my boyfriend and I pretty serious, but too poor and busy to be engaged. That said, I'm a very sentimental person and would like a physical object to commemorate our relationship. He, on the other hand, does not.

I gave him a ring once and he faithfully wore it, but then it broke but he says he doesn't want another ring because having to worry about losing the ring was too stressful. (Although you should have seen him when he thought he lost the ring. He was so worried! I appreciate his worry, but at the same time, don't want to cause him stress.)

So, can anyone think of a nice gift, preferably one that would involve more of an investment of time than money that would be a sort of keepsake?

Thanks in advance for all of your help.

[FredPie]

Would a necklace be easier on him?  A neat-looking chain or beaded thing that's masculine, but that you know what it means.  Or maybe a key-fob?  Hmm, if he really doesn't want to wear jewelry, why don't you try something he doesn't have to keep with him, but will remind him of you when you're not together: a throw pillow, a photo frame, a scarf? 

[MichL]

I like the pillow or picture frame ideas. I was kind of thinking about a quilt or a knitted afghan.
But I'm a little worried about
1. starting a project that's bigger than I can handle since I don't know how to quilt or knit (except for stockinette)
2. that I'll spend a lot of time on something that won't be appreciated. (I know that I was a little less than appreciative of things my grandmother made me when I was younger)

Also, I'm worried that he'll think that whatever I craft was really made because it's fun to make, rather than to show him how much I care about him.

Thoughts?

[lilian]

Knit a whole bunch of squares in stockinette, stitch them together, then sew them to a fleece?  i think he would definitely see how much effort/time that you put into it.  also, i don't think projects that big are that "fun," per se, but more a labor of love!  plus it's good to snuggle with if you're not around.

what if you gave him a little dinky tin ring, as a joke?

a scrapbook if your relationship? photographs & all the little reasons you love him?

[lilfishyinbigblu]

for christmas i gave my boy friend a "quilt" that i made for him. it was pretty easy to make, i bought a peice of fleece pre cut that was made for creating a fleece throw for the back. then got two types of fabric, did some math so figure out how many squares to make, then cut the fabric into large squares and alternated them. sewed it all together and it looked great. he sleeps with it every night witch is pretty cute.

[gothmom]

Well back in the 1970's (not the 70's show 70's but the real 70's which wasn't as cool and involved a lot more polyester)  we had these leather bracelets that we'd wear and our boyfriends would wear that would say the other person's name. 

It is masculine, but brands him as taken fairly clearly.  (hehehe)

Gothmom

old and proud

[pryor208]

How about a braided leather bracelet with maybe a cool trinket that represents something to the two of you?

[MichL]

Thanks for all of the advice. I'll let you know what I decide

[picklesticks]

I think you should make him a stuffie of you. It would take some time to make and if you made it small, he could have you with him all the time (is that a bit weird?) or you could make him a quilt. I made my bloke a quilt that is a Milly-Molly-Mandy style map of all the places we go. It had his house, my house, uni, the shops, our favourite walk spot, etc.