Cremation has been growing in popularity over the last several years and recently surpassed burial rates 49% for cremation compared to 45% for burial rates according to the National Funeral Directors Association.

Not only is it typically cheaper to get you or your loved ones’ body cremated, but there are also a variety of really creative things to do with the remaining ashes. Check out these 16 unbelievable things that you could do with your loved ones ashes, or plan to have done with yours!

1. Shine bright like a diamond. LifeGem is a company that gives customers the option to turn cremains into a certified diamond in any carat, color, clarity, and cut of your choice. They will also help you create the diamond into a wearable piece of jewelry like a ring or necklace.

2. Light up the night sky. If you thought fireworks were only for the Fourth of July you’re wrong. A family can celebrate their loved one’s life by lighting up the sky with fireworks made using your ashes.

3. Become one with nature by being eco-friendly and helping the environment even when you die. If you are buried in a biodegradable urn, your ashes can be used to plant trees or even indoor plants.

4. Scientists may still be trying to figure out how to live on Mars, but you can already go to space after you die. Celestis.com allows people to have their ashes blasted into space. “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry is one of the people that had this done with his ashes.

5. If you want to save funeral expenses and help make scientific advances, you can make arrangements to have your body donated to science. When they are done using the body for science purposes, it will usually be cremated and next of kin notified to pick up the remains.

6. Instead of just having your ashes scattered in the water, Eternal Reefs can turn ashes into an artificial reef to create a new habitat for marine wildlife. According to their website over 1,800 reefs have been placed around the coasts of the United States. You even get to choose where your “reef” will be placed.

7. In the 18th century it was common to bury the dead with an hourglass to symbolize the sands of time running out. Today you can have your ashes actually stored in an hourglass.

8. If you want to bring comfort to your loved ones by letting them be able to hug you when they miss you, you can have your ashes stuffed inside a teddy bear.

9. And Vinyly has come up with a new way to press your remains into a vinyl record so you can spin around on a record player. Your family can provide the audio as well as the images for the cover and labels.

10. Two law enforcement officers in Alabama founded Holy Smokes, a business that allows people to place cremated ashes in live ammunition. You can have them create a custom wood carrier engraved with a nameplate to keep the ashes safe.

11. Some artists are now incorporating ashes into their paintings and others are turning cremains into beautiful blown glass creations. They measure 3 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches and weigh 14 ounces. They average price is $145.

12. If you’re a lover of tattoos, you can now get inked using ink that has been infused with the sterilized remains of your loved one. This adds a whole new twist to this tradition.

13. If you’re not quite ready to have your ashes launched into space, how about having your ashes placed in a biodegradable helium balloon that can fly up to 30,000 feet. The pressure in the sky will eventually force the balloon to break and spread your ashes into the wind.

14. Designer Nadine Jarvis created the Carbon Copies project that turns cremains into a set of 240 pencils. The pencils are stamped with the name of the deceased, come in a wooden box, and can be used one at a time. The shavings can be saved as you sharpen them and saved inside the empty box in place of an urn.

15. If you’re passionate about comic books, this might be the one for you. You can have your ashes mixed into the ink that is used to print a comic book like Marvel writer and editor Mark Gruenwald did.

16. If you were a lover of coffee, you can literally become a cup of joe. A New Mexico-based company, Chronicle Cremation Designs, can turn your ashes into mugs, bottles, bowls, and other dinnerware.

Do any of these creative burials tickle your fancy? If so, share this article with your friends so they can see which one tops their list.