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MEMENTO VITAE
ASH MEMORIAL JEWELLERY

Are you a person who has precious ashes tucked away? I make beautiful silver jewellery to contain them, and I'd be honoured to do that for you. (If your curiosity is piqued, read on.)

A piece of memorial keepsake silver jewellery on a page with design sketches and tools

ASHES TO.... 

I lived for most of my life with the ashes of my mother's husband. They were in a grey plastic box, tucked away in the back corner of her beautiful antique wardrobe. As a child I felt fondly towards them. Their presence was reassuring, like a little anchor. I never knew Steve, nor was he my father, but I liked him being in our home. For a while during my adult life I was the sole custodian of Steve's ashes, while my mother lived elsewhere. I felt a sense of honour in being the custodian, and having his ashes in my own wardrobe felt oddly comforting.

My mother shocked me in March of this year by telling me that she intended to scatter his ashes at Rottnest during our annual holiday. I was happy that his ashes would finally be released by the woman he adored, at the place they loved together.  And yet I couldn't bear to see them all disappear into that ocean, so we kept some back. I thought that maybe one day I could do "something" with them, something to immortalise them in a way that honoured him.

I didn't know that by the end of the same year I would have created that "something" myself - a Memento Vitae. Nor could I have imagined that I would be able to make Memento Vitae for others who had the ashes of those they loved.

IF YOU'RE A CUSTODIAN OF ASHES

Ashes are the sacred & precious remains of loved ones that so many of us receive after the loss. Some are called to scatter their ashes, some to bury them. Others want to keep them, and I call us custodians (I'm one too!). Many of us keeping the ashes of loved ones - we custodians - have them tucked away in a liminal space, uncertain of what do with them. If that's you, a Memento Vitae may be the thing you've been holding out for. A way to honour the ashes while keeping them close to you.

WHAT I DO

Memento Vitae (Latin for Remember Life) are Sterling Silver jewellery pieces that hold ashes. I take a small portion of ashes - think less than an eighth of a teaspoon - and seal them permanently into a Sterling Silver lentil-shaped disk. The disc is (usually) monogrammed with the initials of the person whose ashes are interred. For those who want to wear their Memento Vitae as a necklace I attach a bale so that it can be worn on a chain. For those who wish to tuck it away rather than wear it on their body, it can be made without a bail so that it's more akin to a memorial coin. The piece then is beautifully boxed and returned to you.

HOW I WORK

I treat all ashes with reverence. The remains of your loved one are welcome in my home. I don't handle their ashes with fear or trepidation. If you have any special processes that you would like me to undertake then I am very open to meeting your needs. Let's talk!

HOW TO WORK WITH ME

Send me your details via my Contact page and let me know you're interested in my Memento Vitae custom ash jewellery.  I'll email you through my packages & pricing, along with answers to any questions you may have.  Prices start at $450, including design work.