Showers and Weddings

No, its not mine.

I have a very good friend from high school that is getting married in September, and I am going to California for it. I am very excited as I am combining other things in this trip. Anyway, back to the wedding.... Her registry has many things that are white, silver, and overall very elegant. Nothing with a lot of color. Another friend that is also going to this wedding, and I, are trying to get a shower gift and a wedding gift together for her. My friend is in the DC area and I live in Texas, while the wedding is going to be in California. So, just our locations are presenting a bit of a difficulty as everything has to be done on the phone and/or email.

SO, after that way too long explanation, I was wondering if any of you out there had any idea's that we could use in our gift. This friend of ours is always the best gift giver. She actually gave me an engagement gift. No one else did. Her gifts are always beautifully wrapped, and the corners never look as messy as mine always do. She would send me an anniversary card for our anniversary for a few years. She is very on top of the social etiquette stuff. Whereas I am totally backward, and I actually hate wrapping gifts. Not a lot of her baking stuff has been bought yet from her registry, so we were thinking of having a baking themed gift. But I would also like to include things that she wouldn't buy for herself and/or things that are hard to get or just plain creative.

Point me in the direction of any cool stores online, or maybe an Etsy shop that you've seen. And we may not do baking either, but any help from all of your creative minds would be a huge help!!

And I am way excited for this wedding. I get to be with my friend from DC. And she and I haven't had any decent time together for at least three plus years. And I also get to see my family while home, and hopefully go to a beach, find the biggest H&M possible to go shopping at (I think it is on Colorado Blvd in Pasadena), hang out with my best friend and her boys, go to In-n-out, go to Trader Joe's, maybe even go to the LA county fair. I love that place!!

Any input would be appreciated and hopefully I will remember to do a post about what we end up actually giving her. Thanks for your help!!!!