Making memorial ashes into keepsake jewellery
Making your personal memorial jewellery
Memorial ashes can be fused inside glass which can then be made into a special piece of jewellery for you to wear close to you. It is becoming very popular for people to have some of the cremation ashes of a family member or a beloved pet made into a keepsake. I handle the ashes with great care and reverence and would be happy to discuss the details of what you would like made, when you are ready.
Some people have chosen to bring the ashes to a private glass fusing class and they have made their own mementos and jewellery pieces (with my assistance) which makes them even more personal.
It is a very special honour to help someone create a special keepsake, often at a difficult time.
Many people prefer to have the cremation ashes mixed with other inclusions and there are various options to select from below. You might prefer to have the ashes more prominently visible and this can be done on any colour of glass background with clear glass on top and made into pendants, rings, earrings, charms, cufflinks. Please take a look in my shop to see the range of jewellery I create and we can discuss options.
I only use a tiny amount of ash. The fine ash would be placed inside 2 layers of glass and fully fused in my kiln at approximately 800C which creates a shiny, smooth surface with the ashes permanently sealed inside. Tiny bubbles can appear inside the glass when ash is used - this can add to the uniqueness of your individual pieces. The finished glass is very robust - it is a 6mm deep solid piece of glass.
Please allow up to approximately 3 weeks (might be sooner) for finishing the jewellery and I send the finished jewellery by Royal Mail signed for post or you can collect if local. This is a bespoke service and takes extra care and time - prices can vary from £20 (for a simple glass charm) to approximately £80 depending on the size and complexity of the piece.
Plain coloured glass or mica shimmer
Ashes can be sprinkled finely either as just ash (left) or with some shimmery mica powder added (right). I have mica powder in a gold, silver, copper or bronze shades and the piece would have clear glass on top.
This can be done with any colour of background glass you'd like and different shapes and sizes and made into a pendant, ring, earrings, cufflinks, charms. Example price: from £55 for a pendant with chain similar to these in the photo.
Dichroic glass
Dichroic glass is sparkly glass that changes colour at different angles and is very popular for jewellery.
This glass is available as pendants, rings, earrings, stud earrings and charms and in many different colours, as seen in these examples. Charms from £25, studs from £45, earrings from £60 and pendants from £60.
A stripe of dichroic glass
Ashes can be fired inside this style of pendant with black background and a stripe of sparkly dichroic glass in the centre. I would recommend only a fine dusting of ashes for these so it doesn't deform the straight lines of the sparkly layer.
These can be made as pendants only and price would depend on the size, from £75
Bubbles glass
Ashes can be mixed with the chemical mixture that I use to create my most popular range of bubbles glass jewellery. The ash would only be visible when looking closely - the lovely effects of the bubbles would be the prominent visible feature.
This can be done in any colour glass and different shapes and as pendants, rings, earrings, charms, cufflinks etc. Example price: from £65 for a pendant with chain.
Coloured granules
Ashes can be mixed with the any colour of glass granules which are then fused inside 2 layers of glass. The ash would be visible amongst the colourful granules - I can make the ashes more or less visible to suit your preferences.
This can be done with any colour of background glass you'd like and any colour of granules and as pendants, rings or cufflinks. Example price: from £60 for a pendant with chain similar to these in the photo.
Optional setting of rings by local silver jeweller
I know a local silversmith, Justine Morris Designs, who I collaborate with on some pieces. I feel the ring cabochons with ashes inside are better set into a silver bezel and Justine has a few different designs that can be created for you after I have made the fused glass cabochons.
Prices from £70.
Pet cremation ashes
Pet cremains can also be used in exactly the same way as human ashes for any of the designs above or you can choose to include a paw print like this pendant. I can make the paw prints in various shimmery colours, eg: gold, silver, copper or bronze shades and the piece would have clear glass on top. I do have other cut out designs for these eg: hearts, musical notes, dolphins, stars, butterflies etc.
This can be done with any colour of background glass you'd like and different shapes and sizes and made into a pendant or brooch (the size of the paw print makes it too difficult to make smaller items). Example price: from £65 for a pendant with chain similar to these in the photo.
Other non-jewellery items
I can fuse the ashes inside other pieces of glass, not necessarily just jewellery pieces.
Popular choices are Christmas decorations (more colours available) or "pocket hugs" which have no metal jewellery fixing on, just a pebble of glass as a keepsake, usually approx 3cms diameter.
Prices from £35
Happy customers:
"I collected the glass pieces today that contain my mum's ashes and I couldn't be more pleased. They are truly beautiful! Sarah was fantastic throughout, discussing all of the options with me to help me to decide."
"Dear Sarah and Justine, Thank you so much for my bespoke ring - I absolutely adore it! You are both such talented craftswomen and it’s a joy to support local independent artists. You both listened to my vision for the memorial ashes ring and did not disappoint in delivering. I wholeheartedly recommend both of you and will definitely be returning again for more purchases."
"Dear Sarah, The pendant you made for me is really beautiful, it’s the right colour and shape. It’s just perfect. Thank you."
"Everyone @Church has been admiring my specially commissioned brooch ...
I have some very very interested ladies and gentlemen who would love to acquire the same/or indeed something similar. Thanks an absolute million,trillion."
Glass fusing class to make your own keepsake jewellery
I run many glass fusing classes in Worcester and you might like to take the opportunity to create your own jewellery by using the memorial ashes.
I have run a few of these private classes, most recently where 2 sisters came to create some keepsake jewellery from their mother's ashes and they found it a cathartic therapy which helped them with their grieving. They made some lovely personal pieces of jewellery and also some hanging decorations.
Details about booking classes can be found here.
Happy customers:
"We booked a glass making class to create some memorial pieces in memory of my father-in-law.
Sarah was so helpful and professional from our first contact, and right through the whole process. We were unsure what to expect but Sarah made us welcome and put us at ease straight away. Her calm, supportive and guiding manner meant we were not overwhelmed and we actually had a really lovely family time, and believe me that’s very rare for us, certainly since the kids became adults!
We chatted on the way home about how each of us had enjoyed and what we had gained from the class and the experience, obviously Dad/Father-in-law/Gramps came into our conversation, and how much he would have loved Sarah’s skill and knowledge.
Thank you Sarah.""My daughter and I decided to joined Sarah for a reflective morning. We are coming to terms with the loss of a dear husband and father and we made very special pieces using a small amount of his ashes. Our pendants, ring and other items are wonderful, very subtle. So intimate, rather than sending away to someone else to make. Thank you "
Please do get in touch to discuss what you would like to have made and any questions you might have about the process.