I've always wanted to have a gem made from my dog's ashes but they are pricey. Then I saw that some lampworkers were working the ashes into their glass beads and they were beautiful! They look kind of like a cosmic swirl. And, of course, they could cover up the ashes with opaque color if the client was uncomfortable with seeing them.
I decided it was finally time to try this for myself. A few nights ago I took the ashes from my boxer, Molly, out to the shop with me and let me tell you, the beads came out better than I could have hoped. I want to play with some other techniques, but even the first four I made are going to be worn and are beautiful. I even made one for my other boxer, Wylie, who was her buddy in the last stages of her life.
I will be offering this service to my clients soon. I need to work out some logistics - make some samples, take some photos, put together collection kits, etc. This is a very personal project for me and I am glad I can finally move forward with it. More to come...