art

Soaring Free, Eagle and Fox Cremation Urns

February 27, 2018 urngarden.com

We follow a group on Facebook that is made up of local photographers that capture great images of amazing Missouri wildlife. Great shots of some of my favorite birds, owls, bluebirds, and of course, eagles. They are active and easier to see this time of year. Lately, we’ve been so inspired by wildlife artists and the beauty of mother nature even though everything around us is dormant. We can watch for clues that spring is coming.

Linda Shannon Morgan is one of my favorite local wildlife photographers and she’s been getting some amazing shots of the eagles and owls on her property.

In addition to the eagles, around here, the skunks are active. It’s mating season and doesn’t’ exactly inspire me. The eagles do. We’re accumulating a collection of eagle themed urns that people can use to create a personal memorial for a loved one that has spread their wings.

Eagle Box for Ashes

The box style urn is good for the niche at the columbarium, sometimes those spaces are tricky and the vase shape urn won’t always work, as they are often too tall. This photo style urn can be altered later if you desire, and want to change the photo out and replace with a choice from your own collection.

Sky King Eagle Cremation Urn for Adult

This eagle urn is a beauty, metal with glossy finish in sunset colors. In addition to the adult size, this also comes in a matching mini size to safely store a bit of cremated remains, lock of hair or other small memento.

Bald Eagle Keepsake Urn

This little sculpture urn is so well done. Hand painted with jeweled wings, the top lifts to reveal a small storage compartment that will store a tiny memento.

People around here get excited when the eagles start moving in and setting up the nest. When I think of eagle characteristics, I think of power first of all. Those wings. Courage and determination, which you can clearly see if you check out this battle between an eagle and a fox.

Eagle and Fox battle — Pic by Sean Weekly-Caters News

Fox Spirit Guide Miniature Keepsake Urn

Great photos and reminded me of the ancient fable. Red fox are what we see around here most of the time. There is a family of them living in the valley around the corner from my place. It’s mating season for them too and I’ve heard reports from neighbors saying they can hear the foxes barking and sometimes screaming at night.

Even though this critter is known to be a little crafty, we were inspired by the fox, because some Native Americans believe that the fox can be a spirit guide in the final journey to the other side.

So, to honor the spirit of the fox we’ve created a little keepsake urn that can be used to store a pinch of ash, maybe a ring or some little trinket that you want to save. For those that want to store some ashes, often it’s with the intention that they are going to spread or bury the ashes at a later date. It’s not a bad idea for a temporary solution, or at least maybe hold until spring and plant some flowers….

Today’s lesson? Depending on where you are, it might be bleak, but look up! Look around. Look past the grey skies and dead trees. The world is alive.

Book Review: “Angel Birthdays: A Day to Remember, A New Way to Heal, A Celebration of Life” (Garay and Abbott)

October 21, 2017 Kim Stacey

By:

Kim Stacey, Certified Grief Counselor

The Internet is an amazing resource; but I suspect you know that already. And you probably already know sometimes you find a treasure there–like this book, when you least expect to!

That’s exactly what happened to me the other day; this treasure was buried deep in the National Funeral Directors Association Product Catalog. Naturally, I made a digital U-turn and headed to the book’s Amazon sales page for more details. (Like I said, isn’t the Internet amazing?)

Written by Erin Garay and beautifully illustrated by Kristin Abbott, “Angel Birthdays” chronicles a true life story: Erin lost her mother in 2008 and responded by creating the healing event detailed in the book. And it’s not just a well-crafted story – written in rhyme, by the way–it’s also an instructive guide to celebrating the life of a loved one’s “Angel Birthday”. Such a kinder, more positive phrase than “death anniversary”, don’t you think?

The story opens playfully – and Kristin’s illustration captures that sense of childhood fantasy even adults can appreciate:

Gracie the Pirate shouts, “You’ll never be free!”

This swashbucklin’ day begins out at sea,

A holler from Jake, “To the plank, ye shark bait!”

A brother sure makes for a mighty First Mate.”

But play is left behind when mom breaks the news of Grandma’s passing:

“God made your Grandma an angel today

So that makes today her Angel Birthday.”

Their reaction is as you’d expect: disbelief and dismay:

“We won’t see her again? Is that really true?

That’s just not fair. I don’t want to believe you.”

Mom turns the day around when she suggests:

“Now let’s make today a day to remember,

A day to cherish a love that’s forever.”

And that’s just what they do, together. The story of their efforts (coupled with the illustrations), both delighted me and, I’ll be honest, brought tears to my eyes. Chances are, you’ll feel–and react–the same way.

Here’s something to think about: every one of the 39 reviews left by Amazon readers gave the book five stars. Readers had nothing but praise for the book, like J&A who, in 2013, wrote “This book is thoughtful and a perfect tool to help during a difficult moment in life. It can be easily adapted to any loss (a parent, a sibling, a dear friend, a grandparent and even a pet). The illustration is gorgeous. Overall, it is a great tool to help process a loss and remember the person forever.”

And on February 27th, 2014, Daniela wrote, “This book is amazing! I struggled with how to explain the loss of a grandparent to my young kids. I got this book and the kids immediately took to it. The growth chart was especially helpful. This book has made it easier to celebrate the life rather than grieve over it. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to Erin Garay for writing this book. I bought 3 more copies to have on hand to give and also to give to family members.”

As a parent (and soon to be grandparent) and as a certified grief counselor– a resource like Angel Birthdays, which speaks to both adults and children, is priceless. In fact, In the review I left on Amazon, I joined in Daniela’s gratitude: “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Erin and Kristan; together you’ve created something wonderful.”

There’s a companion website, AngelBirthdays.com, where you can learn more about the author, “a speaker, Minister of Consolation, Author and Reiki Master”. There’s also a “Parties” page, with step-by-step instructions for an event which has the potential to ease the sadness while generating a sense of joy in the hearts of participants. While the party is intended as a children’s event, I can see a similar event could be very meaningful (and healing) for adults, too.

Of course, the book is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. In addition to “Angel Birthdays”, Erin’s also the author of “Healing Your Grief 2 Minutes at a Time: A Healing Journal. If you’re a proponent of “shopping local”, check out IndieBound.org to find an independent bookstore near you.

For other inspiring ways to celebrate a loved one’s death anniversary, check out Urn Garden’s recent post, “Twelve Ways to Celebrate a Loved One’s Death Anniversary”.

Pottery Cremation Urns Made in the USA: Meet the Artist

August 26, 2017 Kim Stacey

We’re back with the third post in the artisan urns series. (If you want to catch up, the first post was “Expertly Hand-Crafted Raku Urns Made in the USA” and the second, “It’s an August Time to Celebrate Artisan Urns”.)

pottery cremation urns

Today we’re introducing West Coast couple, Don and Pam, who specialize in making pottery and ceramic urns with historical designs.

Pam is a master potter and art historian. She’ll tell you her fascination is in exploring myths and ritual through time and across cultures. Nature is another source of inspiration for her. The style below features actual pine and berry branches pressed and baked into the clay.

Don came to the work of making pottery cremation urns not out of fascination but out of necessity. Like many others, he lost his IT job when the economy crashed and was told his age (50+) he’d probably never work again. Disheartening news, for sure; but it served him well: today he and Pam have a shared interest and a growing business.

One hand-made cremation urn which illustrates her love of ancient themes is the Celtic Dragon Ceramic Urn for Ashes. The dragon is subtlety intertwined in the Celtic knot pattern, and the 10-12 inch high urn features a tea leaf green glaze.

chinese-dragon-funeral-urn for ashes

Another dragon adorns this Chinese Dragon Funeral Urn. Done in cobalt blue, the hand-drawn Chinese dragon has five claws (considered to represent good fortune). It is surrounded by Ming dynasty symbols of power, strength, and good luck.

In addition to kiln-fired pottery urns, the couple also create biodegradable styles, like the Sea Breeze Cremation Urn you see here, made from paper clay (in this case a mixture of Grolleg blended English china clay and natural plant fibers). The fibers strengthen the unfired clay and cause the urn to dissolve rather quickly when submerged in water or buried in soil.

blue bio urn for ashes

Here at Urn Garden we’re proud of our collection of hand-made pottery cremation urns created by remarkable artisans like Pam, Don, Robert and Ruth. The fourth and final post in the artisan series will feature the work of Steve, a disabled American veteran who has committed his time and energy to making unique cremation urns made in the U.S.A. Stay tuned! You’ll want to see the collection of hand-made memorials produced by his small Missouri company.

The Promise and Power of Angels in Music

June 17, 2017 Kim Stacey

Is There a Connection Between Angels and Music?

The answer to that question was answered by Doreen Virtue, author, motivational speaker and founder of angel therapy. Dr. Virtue explored the strong connection between angels and music in “7 Signs from the Angels to Be Aware of”:

“The angels often send their messages through the sound and power of music. It seems that almost everywhere we go, silence is replaced with music in one form or another. Pay attention, as recurring songs (or a series of songs sharing a theme) are almost always a sign from above. In addition to offering a connection to Heaven, music delivers very direct messages and signs. For instance, the title or lyrics of a song that you hear repetitively offers a chance to receive specific guidance from your angels.”

You might be interested to know many of our customers express their belief in the connection between angels and music with Urn Garden’s Gold Music Note Memorial Urn Jewelry, a stunning gold cremation pendant as well as angel themed jewelry.

A friend recently lost her father after many years of ill health and recently shared the Angel’s Calling song recorded by the Tenors, along with her thoughts at that moment:

Trying to find some sort of peace that I can’t seem to find. But I came across this song (I’m sure not by accident) but Wednesday morning when we got to the hospital I knew the Angels had already called him home. When he opened his eyes with the touch of my hand I knew his soul was gone I just whispered “daddy it’s okay to go”. I feel so lost….

Angels Abound in Our Lives

It seems we’re fascinated by, and drawn to, angels. (Read “The Promise of Divine Assistance: Why We Believe in Angels” to explore one idea why this is true.) Artistic representations of angels can be found everywhere, and angels feature prominently in both religious and popular music.

With the recent passing of Gregg Allman, his music lives on with a hit that goes the complete opposite of the divine, with “I’m No Angel”, one of our favorites here in the garden.

Just a few days ago I had the 1954 song “Earth Angel”, stuck in my head. It was the background music of my life for about 24 hours:
“Earth angel, earth angel
Will you be mine?
My darling dear
Love you all the time
I’m just a fool
A fool in love with you…”*

The experience got me to thinking about angel songs in general: just how many songs with angel in the title are there? Naturally, I turned to Google for a quick search which yielded webpages like Best Angel Songs – Top Ten List and Loudwire’s “Top 10 Songs about Angels”. But the most comprehensive list of angel songs is Songfact’s list of 173 songs with angel in the title.

Another angel song springs quickly to mind: “Angel of the Morning”, a 1968 hit with performed by Merilee Rush and the Turnabouts. It’s been done and re-done by dozens of others – in 1978 it was American country singer Melba Montgomery; in 1981, it was brought back to the public by Juice Newton. Apparently, it’s an angel song which resonates with every generation.

“Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Then slowly turn away…”*

Then, there’s “Angel Mom” by Jesca Hoop; an angel song I’d never heard before (until I saw it listed on the Songfact’s webpage). It’s about a woman who dreams of her deceased mother, only to be saddened and dismayed by her absence upon waking:
“The dream went dark when my eye looked
And I’d remembered that you’d gone
And I struggled there to fall back asleep
And I remembered that you’d gone”*

I can’t forget the 2016 international social media sensation, Angel, by Pakistani singer/songwriter Taher Shah. Believed to be a parody, the video caused quite a stir as the video shows the singer wearing a tiara and dressed in a purple robe on a hilltop, singing in English about the virtues of peace. “But this is no joke. Taher Shah says he is a serious artist and has previously described his internet fame as a humbling experience.’ (Source: BBC):

“Your love is, my true Angel
Without you I always, live alone
As the heart beats, without a soul
I fall in love with you, always….
We can all be Angels, a human like an Angel shines as a star.
The Angel’s character speaks like a flower.
The stars are decorated by Angels, like dew fills petals of a flower…”*
Beautifully Celebrate Angels in Music

As I said earlier, angels abound in our lives. There are angel songs and thousands of representations of angels in art and literature. And if you believe Doreen Virtue is right, that angels really do “send their messages through the sound and power of music”; this beautiful gold cremation necklace may be exactly the reminder of personal connection to angels you’re looking for.

It has a small chamber inside where you can keep a small amount of ashes or other memento. It comes with a velvet presentation box and a complimentary black silk cord (however you can purchase a gold-filled chain). And? It’s made in America!

*Lyrics Sources: Google Play, Genius.com and Tahir Shah

Celtic Urns Express the Mysteries of Life, Love, Faith and Death

March 15, 2017 Kim Stacey

Each of the Celtic urns in our collection is a glorious expression of the mystery and paradoxes of life. Not just life itself, but also those aspects of living which make day-to-day happenings meaningful, such as love, faith and, of course, death. Here’s your chance to envision ways you can use the beauty and significance of the Celtic knot, shamrock or the sacred white horse to acknowledge a loved one’s Irish heritage or simply to express a personal world view via these time-honored symbols.

Celtic Urns as Representations of Life’s Mystery

Celtic knots are perhaps the most mysterious of art forms, simply because there is next-to-no written history relating to their purpose. They’ve been around since the 3rd or 4th century, and because there is no beginning or end to a Celtic knot, they are visual expressions of the interconnectedness of our lives, the complexity of existence and the mystery of death. (Despite religious convictions, no one can say for sure what it means to die. I think François Rabelais, the French Renaissance writer captured our lack of true understanding of the reality of death when he wrote “I go to seek a Great Perhaps.”)

Consider the Celtic Knot Raku Cremation Urn. It’s hand-thrown and hand-carved by a husband and wife using the Japanese Raku technique, which creates unique one-of-a-kind Celtic urn. Made in American by loving, compassionate artisans, each urn is signed.

Believe me when I say a picture cannot even come close to doing justice to the beauty of this hand-made Celtic urn. Rich, warm copper flash combines with a creamy crackle glaze on the emblems and the lid to create a stunning contrast.

Celtic Urns as Expressions of Irish Heritage

A time-worn Irish saying goes “There are only two kinds of people in the world. The Irish and those who wish they were.” If you, your family or your deceased loved one rejoiced in being of Irish decent, our Lucky Shamrock Cremation Urn could be the perfect Celtic urn for you.

In the same way a rose is used to symbolize England, the shamrock has symbolized Ireland since the 18th century. But it’s not just a symbol of Irish cultural roots; it’s also used as a symbol of Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, believed to have used it as a metaphor for the Christian Holy Trinity. The dual symbolism of the shamrock makes this Celtic urn a fitting statement of religious conviction or the pride of an Irish heritage.

Celtic Urns as Expressions of Faith

Certainly, the Celtic Cross is one of the most widely-recognized religious symbols. Called a “ringed” cross by some, the Celtic cross was first seen in the British Isles in the Early Middle Ages. Although its significance is debated by many, Irish Catholics believe the circle around the head of the cross signifies God’s everlasting–and to some degree mysterious–love. Urn Garden’s Celtic Cross Cremation Urn features vibrant shades of green a beautiful representation of Ireland’s verdant green countryside and is engraved with the ancient Celtic Cross knot design.

Want to see the complete collection?