GREAT FALLS, Mont. -- Even though her husband died more than a year ago, Diane Carter continues to terrorize him with her driving.

"I just hang him around my neck and take him with me everywhere I go," the Great Falls woman said.

Since mesothelioma took Jerry Carter's life in May 2005, Diane Carter has purchased more than a dozen memory keepsakes from Schnider Funeral Home for herself and family members. They range from the sterling silver cross necklace to little teardrop bottles to the three Memory Glass globes she recently received. Each keepsake contains a small amount of Jerry's ashes.

"My friends all think I'm a freak," Carter said with a laugh. "They say if they ever get a gift from me it's going to be from Schnider's."

Grave markers, urns, the sprinkling of ashes -- these traditional forms of memorializing loved ones have not gone to the wind. Rather, an array of keepsakes have come available to give people something more to help them cope with the loss of a loved one.

Carter's shopping spree was for that exact purpose -- so everybody could have a little bit of Jerry.

"Cremation rates are on the rise across the United States," said Todd Carmichael, funeral director at O'Connor Funeral Home. "With cremation, you have more options (for memorialization) than you do with burial. But even with burial there are things you can do, like put a lock of hair into jewelry or necklaces."

Innovative minds have answered a calling for memorabilia to represent both the buried and the cremated. Fanciful urns, engravable indoor and outdoor plaques, fingerprint and footprint pendants, flowers imprinted with words and photos, and wax shells containing funeral flowers are among them.

Some items contain secret chambers to hold strands of hair or ashes. Others, like the Memory Glass and man-made diamonds called LifeGems, are constructed using ashes. Pet cremains are used in such keepsakes as well.

For some the idea of carrying around ashes or a lock of hair is something that takes a little getting used to. Some folks shy away from the idea at first, said Dennis Croxford, owner of Croxford Funeral Home and Crematory.

"If it's brought to the attention of the grandkids or young children, they usually want something," he said.

Some people buy a keepsake for each member of the family. Others don't buy any at all.

"It's a very personal choice," said Scott Lukkason, general manager at O'Connor Funeral Home. "Everyone has their own ideas of what they like (for memorial)."

Because the keepsakes are a personal choice, funeral homes don't carry a stock of the many available items. Ask your funeral director about the different keepsake options.

Here's a look at some of the newer keepsakes available:

* Memory glass: When Carter saw the Memory Glass she thought it would be fitting for her husband, who had been a paraplegic since a plane crash in 1969.

"When I saw those glass things, I thought they were a way Jerry could be free, free of his wheelchair," she said.

Each hand-blown globe weaves about .25 teaspoon of cremated remains with one or two colors to create a swirl, embrace or galaxy design. The globes range from 2-5 inches in diameter and may be flat or raised with a footing. Lighted stands illuminate the design.

Another Memory Glass option is a handblown glass pendant worn on a chain, carried in a pocket or just tucked away in a special place.

* Fingerprint and footprint medallions: Few things are more unique than a handprint, footprint or fingerprint.

Thumbies are metal pendants that capture the touch of the deceased person or the handprint or footprint of an infant or child. Rather than using cremains, actual imprints are scanned to create a three-dimensional wax model cast in gold or sterling silver. The end result is a polished pendant that can be worn on a chain or bracelet or fashioned into a tie tack, lapel pin, cuff links, earrings or key chains.

However, these keepsakes aren't only to commemorate those who have died.

"When my grandbaby was born, I took the footprint from the hospital and made a medallion," said Steve Schnider, who offers similar products called Everlasting Impressions at Schnider Funeral Home.

Schnider had the piece inscribed with his granddaughter's name and date of birth, and he gave it to his daughter.

"She wears the thing almost all the time," he said.

* Diamonds: Technology has even made it possible to create a diamond using ashes or locks of hair.

The diamond-making process, shortened from a few billion years to six months, involves heating the hair or ashes to extract carbon and convert it into graphite. The graphite is placed in a diamond press and subjected to high pressure. The raw crystal that forms is polished and shaped and ready to set.

The diamonds come in shades of yellow or blue, though the actual shade is dependent on the carbon. The cost for yellow stones range from a 0.2 carat for about $2,700 to almost 1 carat for around $12,000. Blue stones range from about $3,500 to about $19,000.

"If I ever win the lottery, I'm getting one of those," Carter said.