The options of ornaments are endless, as are the number and type of ornaments that can be produced. However, these are the top five categories:

1. Keepsake Statue

2. Portrait Painting

3. Jewellery

4. Art Glass

5. Tattoos

So, are you wondering what to do with your loved one's ashes after the cremation? You are not alone, for many families this is a dilemma or sometimes even a source of conflict. Some people want it all to be done with and for others it is a last chance to do the right thing and not to be rushed.

Your choices for what to do with cremation ashes start with three basic routes. You first should decide whether you want to scatter,  bury or transform your loved one and what form of closure, if any, this brings will help inform your choice.

 

Of course these three basic choices are just a start. They can lead onto a myriad of sub choices. However, should you be looking for a meaningful and personal way to create an everlasting memorial from your loved ones cremation ashes, we believe that we at Marble Art provide a perfect solution whether for human or pet ashes into ornaments, more of which I will explain in this blog.

Where to put ashes from a cremation is often a dilemma for those left behind, creating art is a mindful solution. The creation of an art piece gives you a chance to show thoughtfulness and care. You can also chose to share the ashes between those who loved the deceased. 

Apart from ornaments what can be made from cremation ashes? 

Here are some of the top ideas for art and ornaments created from ashes. This list shows only some of the many choices that you can have.

• Jewellery

Often a portion of the ashes are placed into pendants or rings, making a keepsake item that is both personal and physically close. Angels Meadow. 

• Ornaments.

Using the cremation ashes in a sculpture is a thoughtful way to honour your loved one and celebrate their presence in our lives. Marble Art. 

• Picture Frames.

A frame made from cremated ashes is a unique way to display a favourite photo or a collection of memorabilia personal to your loved one. Marble Art. 

• Art Glass

Popularity is rising for adding cremation ashes to a piece of art glass, from paper weights and glass pendants to larger pieces. Ashes into Glass. 

• Tattoos

Ashes can be added to ink to create memorial tattoos that are completely unique. Cremation Ink. 

•  Portrait or Painting.

Ashes are added into paint to create a touching tribute to your loved one. If a portrait is too overwhelming, a landscape of a shared place can be equally meaningful.  Artist. 

All of these art transformations mean that you can pay tribute to your loved one in many different meaningful ways. From cremation urns for burying the cremation ashes and biodegradable urns to return the deceased to the earth, through to tattoos and diamonds, you can pay tribute the deceased using their ashes in the way that suits your circumstances best.

Our journey into this bespoke service started from our very personal story which I am going to tell you now.

In February 2017 we sadly lost Howard’s Mam after a battle with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. During the aftermath of the funeral and celebration of her life, Howard’s oldest sister asked if he would be able to make her an Angel from Mam’s cremated ashes.

I admit to a certain reluctance to the request, finding it a bit odd to want to hang on to such a tangible part of Mam. However Howard said yes, and made her a set of three different size stylized angels from the moulds we had already designed. We took the angels with us when we went to stay with her in the June, and I had a complete change of opinion immediately that she opened the parcel. She was so delighted, the look on her face was so happy. She explained that she had always felt that; because she had lived abroad for so many years, that she had missed out on spending time going out with Mam to do the normal everyday things that mothers and daughters do; going for a coffee, visiting the shops. Now she could take Mam everywhere. And she does.

Even better, her daughter works as cabin crew for a worldwide Airline and flies to many wonderful destinations. She was particularly close to Nana and found her loss hard. She also now has a set of angels and Nana travels constantly all over the world fulfilling a long held but often denied wish to see other places and spend time with her family.

Howard and I now provide a bespoke service for creating a personal ornament or a classic photo frame from cremated human or pet remains. Which gives you an art piece that is truly unique.

Only your loved one’s ashes and our own casting process, combine to make our lasting memorial ornaments. We use own unique method that we have invented for reconstituting marble but with ashes. Starting from our own sculpture in modeller's clay, we make a range of our own moulds for you to chose from. We then use to these make your lasting piece from the ashes you provide. Each ornament in cremated ashes has it’s own colour utilising the natural colour of the remains, the choice of design is limited only by your imagination.

We provide a range of statues in various styles, small transportable collectables like the angel that we talked of in Mam’s story, subtle paperweights and most recently beautiful elegant photo frames.

You may be wondering how long do cremated ashes last? Well in art form forever, as we always say “Life is short but Art is forever” which is why we believe that transforming ashes into ornaments is the right way to create memories for you.

We also often get asked, is it legal to post cremated ashes?

Clearly we use couriers or the postal service to send and receive both the ashes and the memorial ornaments. Although it isn’t legal to post a whole person’s cremated remains, you can legally post portions of the ashes with a clear conscience.

Can you mix ashes of more than one person?

Well yes you can, our service allows for this meaning you can create a piece so that pet and owner are reunited. Or Husband and wife, parent and child can be together again.

After discussion and choice of the desired memorial keepsake. We send you a kit containing everything you will need to send us the ashes of your loved one. You then return the kit to us. We will then prepare and mix the ashes, mould and crystallise the piece, before we hand finish your cherished keepsake. There is a 6 week turn around on average for this bespoke service. Although we always aspire to complete before then.

There is absolutely no reason why you can’t divide cremated ashes if you want to. In most countries the law is silent on the legalities of dividing cremated remains, but it is best practice to check on what is legal in your place of residence.

Why would you chose to divide cremation remains? Probably because each family member wants something different. It is the perfect solution to a dispute about what happens to your loved one’s remains and stops family fallout.

What if several family members have different ideas of where the remains should go? Dividing the ashes is the obvious way. One person could chose to scatter, another to bury their part and yet another chose to create keepsakes. The reasons are as numerous as the potential solutions.

Other reasons could be;

• No instructions have been left.

• The deceased wants it.

• Family differences. 

Although on average three quarters of the population in Europe chose cremation only half of those specify their wishes for disposal of the remains. Having Human or Pet ashes at home could be thought of as morbid or creepy when just stored in an Urn, but they can also be beautiful and tactile when transformed correctly.

Transformation Ideas for cremated ashes are numerous it is true, but we believe that combining our expertise in using your loved ones cremation ashes to make an ornament is a lasting way to honour your loved one and continue to celebrate their presence in our lives .