Creating to Remember

I enjoy creating a lot of different things, using many mediums including, but not limited to: embroidery, painting, resin, polymer clay, metal, and wood.. This, by far, is my favorite to make, though; shown is one of the pet memorial pyramids I offer to grieving pet parents. It is made from epoxy resin, mica pigments, glitter, and whatever keepsakes the owner(s) wants included. This one specifically holds a collar, tag, and small toy. Of course, I use my Fiskars scissors to cut down the mementos to fit either a 6x6x6 or 4x4x4 pyramid. I also use them to cut and create personalized thank you cards that go with each completed piece. As someone who has had several pets come and go, I know how important it is to remember your furry family members. I wanted to offer more than just ash or fur preservation, although I do include resin necklaces, keychains, etc. with added ash and/or fur to go along with the pyramids. The bright colors and glitter make a wonderful show piece to add to your home decor, and are customized to the client’s liking. These pyramids are very costly and time-consuming to make, but they are worth it. A lot of love and good energy is put into each memorial as well. I don’t know where I would be without my furry friends, so I am always honored to have a part in remembering our four-legged companions all over the world.

The process starts with someone contacting me through my Etsy shop, social media, or personally, if they know me. They let me know which items they would like to include, if possible, and what color scheme they prefer. More often than not, they end up telling me about their beloved pet—when and how they got them, what they enjoyed doing most with them, their pet’s favorite things, how he/she got sick or passed away—and, even before I start making the memorial, I feel like I knew this amazing creature. I love hearing all the stories, from the ones that make me laugh uncontrollably, to the ones that make me cry like a baby. Through my clients, I get to have the joy of many more pets than I will ever own.

Next in the process is providing the client with a mockup of what they want their memorial to look like. I let them pick how many layers they want, along with colors, glitter, flowers, and so on. I don’t charge them for any extras because I don’t want to compromise their vision; this is a piece that will last a lifetime. After they’ve approved the mockup and sent me their items, I start creating the piece. I carefully pour the first thin layer into my mold, make sure all the air bubbles are popped (by warming the resin, mixing slowly and completely, pouring slowly, and using a torch and toothpicks). This can take some time, especially the layers that contain the items. Additionally, I spend a lot of time arranging and rearranging the items in the resin to achieve as perfect as possible placement. I let each layer set for at least 6-8 hours before pouring the next, and I repeat this until the entire mold is full. After the last layer is poured, I wait 24 hours before removing the pyramid from the mold. Luckily, the mold I have leaves the piece with an already shiny finish, so I don’t have to sand or glaze the entire thing. I may have tiny imperfections to fix, but that’s about it.

While the pyramid is curing, I create the memorial accessory (necklace, keychain, etc.) and my personalized card and packing materials. I typically wait a few days to ship, to make sure the piece is fully cured.

The best part of creating these memorials is the reaction I get from my clients. Whether it be a public review or private message, I greatly appreciate the gratitude that I receive. I put so much of my soul and energy into these very special pieces, so I am overjoyed when clients are not only satisfied, but over the moon about my creation. It makes the hours of hard work and stress well worth it.