Creating a Cremation Memorial for a Departed Loved One

Whenever we lose a loved one that is close to us, one of the inevitable questions that arise is what to do with the remains. Lately, cremation memorials have become a popular alternative to traditional memorials. There are many reasons that more and more people are turning away from the typical casket and cemetery burial.

It is certainly not something we want to think about in relation to the passing of a friend or family member, but the truth is that cemeteries are becoming more and more expensive and less and less practical. They take up tremendous amounts of land and require the people to often travel a great distance to visit the memorial site.

Cremation memorials, on the other hand, can be a far more personalized and creative way to remember a special person, or even pet. A memorial that you create using a one of a kind decorative cremation urn as the centerpiece can be truly beautiful, and designed to more personally reflect the life you are celebrating. A funeral urn created in a style or fashion, or using materials that were pleasant to the person being memorialized would be incredibly appropriate as the centerpiece of any memorial site.

A small alter dedicated to the memory of the departed can be erected inside the home, with the remains enshrined inside a beautiful, handmade cremation urn. Indoor memorials offer the most versatility, since you need not worry about weather and the elements. A glass cremation urn, wood cremation urn or ceramic cremation urn are all appropriate materials for indoor shrines.

Indoor cremation memorials also offer the opportunity to place other memorial objects and keepsakes around the decorative art urns. Photographs, possessions and trinkets belonging to the honored person are great items to place here. Memorial textile art, such as a custom made memorial quilt can be made in the departed’s honor, and displayed on a wall behind the shrine. A piece of memorial jewelry, or hand made memorial books and text in an album are also great additions to a cremation memorial.

If you want to create a special place outdoors, you can be just as creative, but you will need to use a metal cremation urn or stone cremation urn to survive the sun and rain. Things like photographs or delicate items may need to be sealed or protected somehow. A nice outdoor memorial can be a very special place, and can also be more easily accessible to others friends and family who may want to visit with the departed.

Another benefit of cremation memorials over traditional casket and cemetery burials is that the remains of the loved one can be divided amongst many smaller companion urns, custom designed to match the primary funeral urn. Family and friends who would like to erect their own personal memorials can do so, and have the person they loved and respected so much nearby them always.

There are many resources for finding beautiful memorial objects. However, you should always be sure you are dealing with a reputable company such as Shine On Brightly. The artisans that they deal with are carefully screened, so you can be sure they are some of the most skilled craftsmen and craftswomen in their respective fields. Also, the artists that Shine On Brightly selects understand the importance and significance of the memorial objects they are crafting, and truly believe in the power of their art to help others show their love for a departed loved one.

How to Choose the Right Creamtion Urn

Choosing the right Cremation Urn
By: Jack Moe

When a loved one passes, one of the questions that will inevitably arise is how to memorialize them. The traditional method of a casket burial is one way, but a method that is rapidly gaining popularity for many reasons is cremation. When the decision has been made to cremate, one of the important factors to consider is how large an urn to use.

The Measurement for the volume of cremation urns is done in cubic inches, or CI. It is very simple to figure out how many cubic inches will be required for the funeral urn you choose to memorialize and protect that special someone.

The general rule of thumb, is to take the weight of your beloved, and simply convert that some number from pounds into cubic inches. If you measure your weight in kilograms, convert the weight from kilograms to pounds first, then from pounds into cubic inches. For example, if the loved one you are celebrating weighed 160lbs, then your measurement will be 160 cubic inches of space.

This is not a perfect conversion rate, but it serves the purpose. The cremated remains of a 100 pound person will actually only create about 90 cubic inches of ashes, not the full 100. However this conversion is the standard used in order to ensure that you will have plenty of space in the water tight bag that goes inside of whichever decorative cremation urn you choose to memorialize your loved one.

After you have figured out the size of the vessel that you need, you will have to think about the type of urn you wish to use. There are a variety of styles and colors to choose from, but the material it is made out of is very important.

If you intend to bury your loved one after cremation, you will need a burial urn. Metal cremation urns are generally used for this purpose. A metal cremation urn will ensure that your beloved is protected and that the vessel they are resting in will stay intact for a very long time. If this is not as much of a concern, other materials may be used that biodegrade, and you can allow nature to take its natural course.

If you intend to erect an outdoor memorial with the cremation urn as your centerpiece, it is wise to choose a material such as bronze, marble or other long-lasting stone. These will be resistant to rust, weather and sun. These types of materials are also very beautiful, and are used for memorials of every type around the world.

Urns made of porcelain, glass, wood, or other fragile materials are best suited for indoor memorials and above ground memorials. Choosing an indoor location offers you many more choices of style and materials, as any of the previously mentioned materials are also perfectly appropriate for any indoor setting. Decorative cremation urns, unique creamtion urns and many styles of art urns can serve this purpose nicely. This allows for a great deal of versatility in that you may also choose to display the urn of your beloveds with other keepsakes and items to honor the departed.

Resources are available today to get all the information you need on choosing proper cremation urns, as well as a huge variety of styles of urns available. The finest cremation urns are one of a kind and handmade, by artists who understand the importance of the item they are crafting. The best place to go for these types of specialty items is http://www.shineonbrightly.com/.