The passing of a loved one is never easy whatever their age when they died. We are all different and we all grieve in different ways. For some, despite the loss, they are able to move on and continue with their lives fairly quickly but for other people, it can be quite a long time before they are able and ready for their life to return to some type of normality. This could be once some of the formalities are out of the way such as the funeral and the scattering of the ashes (if a cremation has taken place). Some people like to keep some of the ashes instead of scattering all of them at the chosen area. This is because to scatter all of the ashes can seem very final and due to the fact that they would like to have some long-lasting tribute to their loved one close at hand. With the ashes that are left after the scattering of the remaining ashes, there are numerous options for what to do with them, one of which is to frame them. This is a great and personal way to honour a loved one and their memory.
How to frame and preserve a loved one’s ashes
A small urn capsule or vial can be used to house the remaining ashes, and this can then be displayed in a deep-set shadow box frame. You could also place some of your favourite photographs of your loved one, plus other things such as their favourite poem, a personal handwritten note from you to them, dried flowers, a badge of their favourite football team and anything else of your choosing. These shadow box frames can be set on a shelf or mounted on a wall.
The remaining ashes could also be incorporated into glass or resin artwork. This is something that has risen in popularity in recent years. There are a multitude of design options available with the most popular being landscapes, seascapes, hearts, and pyramids. There are specialist artists who will create a custom piece for you using just a small number of ashes. Once this resin artwork or glass has been created it is then a case of framing it. A wooden frame is a popular choice.
Ashes can also be placed in a keychain, earring, pendant, ring or bracelet. These can all be placed in a small frame of your choice and often look impressive with a velvet backing. For a museum-style tribute, you could include a nameplate or plaque inside the frame. These items are wearable, so you could swap them in and out of the frame from time to time depending on your mood at that point. In one week, you might want to have them close by wearing the bracelet. On another week, it might be that you wanted to wear the ring, and on another week, it might be that you wanted to wear the ring and the bracelet.
The above ideas might not be of interest to everyone, but framing the ashes of loved ones may well be of benefit and bring comfort to some.