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pet urns

Urns for Two People or…Pets

September 15, 2014 urngarden.com

Usually, when a someone orders an urn that will hold two sets of ashes (known in the industry as a double or companion urn) usually the widowed spouse will make the arrangements, or older children ordering for the parents.

But sometimes the circumstances are a bit more unusual, like the mother who ordered an over-sized ceramic urn with a beautiful hummingbird for her and her cherished adult daughter.

hummingbird ceramic urn for 2 ashes

This is probably a rare occasion, that we would have parent and child as most of the time the style is generally preferred by couples, but this is a beautiful idea and certainly was not uncommon back in the day when infant mortality rates were high and more women died during childbirth.

We’ve also sold urns to “pet parents” who are planning their funeral arrangements in advance and want an urn that will hold not only their ashes, but the remains of beloved pets.

And then finally, we had a lady who wanted a double size urn for herself so that she would have room to include items for her journey to the afterlife. She chose hand thrown pottery and in the spirit of the ancients she would wanted a small sack of corn meal, some of her favorite jewelry, and other assorted items that were important to her. She laughed and said her family thought she was crazy, but she didn’t care and expected them to honor her final wishes.

Often when an individual calls our toll free number with a question, they will preface the inquiry with the statement, “this might sound weird, but…..” . They are never weird questions or requests and in fact, have probably been asked before. Never hesitate to call if you need assistance.

Urn Garden

Filed Under: Featured Products, pet urns, urns Tagged With: companion urn, cremation urn for 2 sets of ashes, double urn, urn for two people

Popular Style of Pet Urns: Anubis, Guardian of the Tomb

July 22, 2014 urngarden.com

egypt pet urnOne of the more popular styles of  pet urns is the one inspired by canopic jars that were found in pyramids that appealed to the god Anubis,  to guard and protect the dead and one of the most iconic gods of ancient Egypt. Originally known as a god of the underworld, Anubis (or Anpu as the ancient Egyptians called him) became associated with funeral rites and the embalming process.

Egyptian urns for ashes

Anubis travels in in the modern world now in the form of a bronze urn that is a good size for pets or people that want to divide ashes or retain some after an ash scattering ceremony. The size works well for many pet owners, as they sometimes have room for a small collar or toy in addition to the ashes.

egyptian pet urn

Although Anubis was known as the inventor of embalming and assisted in the rites of mummification, today he guards the cremated remains of loved ones. He helped preserve his father Osiris, the god of earth and vegetation, with the hopes that he may live again. Pet parents who have recently lost a dog will often choose this style of Egyptian urn, while many cat owners will choose Bastet.

pet urn

Anubis was said to have the body of a man and the head of a black jackal, and he is holding a scepter originally carried by gods and kings. Anubis’ symbol was ox-hide covered in blood as it hangs from a pole. Its meaning is not known. This god had several roles:
•    Supervise the embalming or mummification of bodies
•    Place each mummy into its tomb, perform the “Opening of the Mouth” ceremony (ritual that allowed deceased to enjoy the offerings and provisions performed by the priests and officiants) and conduct the soul in the “Field of Celestial Offerings” (a paradise of earthly pleasures)
•    Monitor the “Scales of Truth” and protect the dead from eternal death and deception
•    Feed the souls of wicked people to goddess Ammit

The god Anubis is associated with the jackal because this type of wild dog lurked around graves. This is why ancient Egyptians decorated and made their tombs elaborate as to keep the jackals away. Egyptians who worshipped Anubis hoped to appeal to him to protect their deceased loved ones from jackals and the natural decomposition non-embalmed bodies endured.

Anubis is the son of Osiris and Nephthys (lady of the house). Later Egyptian priests typically wore the mast of Anubis during embalming and mummification ceremonies.

If the magic and lore of ancient Egypt appeals to you, more cremation urns in this timeless style are available to protect and guard the ashes and create a lasting memorial to your loved one.

Urn Garden Pet Urns

Filed Under: cremation, pet urns Tagged With: anubis urn, dog urn, egypt urn for ashes, egyptian cremation urn, egyptian pet urns, urn for dog

Cats in Culture and Cremation Urns

April 21, 2014 urngarden.com

Our series on spirit animals continues with the revered cat. Occasionally, we get requests for a cat themed urns for humans. It’s not the crazy cat lady that they are shopping for, often, it’s for the love of cats and reflecting the feline personality. Egyptian styles are popular, like this one inspired by the ancient canopic jars found in ancient tombs.  This style is too small to hold all of the ashes for an adult and typically is used for pets.

Egyptian box urn for ashes

Since ancient times, people have sought visions from Mother Earth’s animals. Many have received signs and messages from the various species of cats, which tell us to that we need to develop a balance between independence and time of togetherness. A cat’s totem spirit tells us we should have harmonious relationships between action and observation and light and darkness.

Life Happens Cats

Cat Symbolism in Urns

The cat spirit carries many messages and meanings that revolve around finding balance between opposites. Cats traditionally symbolize:
•    Patience and waiting for the right time to act
•    The spirit of courage and adventure
•    Independence and enjoying being social with others
•    Relaxing and making a connection with one’s self
•    Healing, first the soul and then the body

Normally active at night, cats have been connected to witchcraft and dark magic arts. As a spirit animal, cats have the ability to explore places not normally seen in the dark. Start exploring areas of your life that you want to know better.

Independence, Agility and Flexibility
Cats are independent creatures by nature. They can be cute and cuddly or fiercely competitive if need be. If you foster a cat’s spirit, you will want to explore the need for freedom and independence as well as time with friends and family.

Cats are characterized by their agility and flexibility. No matter what the circumstance, they always seem to land on their feet! By honing a cat’s totem,  you are encouraged to be flexible in many situations, whether in body, spirit or mind.

Cats in Culture
Cats are an ancient Celtic animal, representing the guardian of the Other world. They are stoic, silent and mysterious. In Western traditions, black cats are often associated with witchcraft and the perils of the night. However, in ancient Rome, cats were sacred to the moon goddess Diana and were considered a guardian of homes.

For Muslims, the cat is praised for saving Mohammad from being attacked by a snake. Many believe the “M” marking on a tabby cat is the sign from the prophet Mohammad. Ancient Egyptians felt that their cats were sacred and were portrayed on the forehead of Bastet, their lunar goddess.

Filed Under: Featured Products, pet urns, Pets, urns Tagged With: cat spirit animal, cat urns, Egyptian cat urn for ashes

Creating Memorials That Matter

January 9, 2014 urngarden.com

Kind words are always sweet to hear, and even more touching is when the client shares how they created a memorial for their loved one. One of the most unusual ceremonies involved both a wedding and the ashes of a beloved pet.

Thank you for the gorgeous urn for our pet Tucker. He passed away of Leukemia January 29, 2011. Unknown to me this would be the day that I would meet my future husband. Tucker brought us together.

tucker3

Because of Tucker having such a huge part of bringing our hearts together we incorporated his ashes in with our wedding sand ceremony.

tucker2

The oddity of it all is that we mixed the ashes in with 3 vases of different color sand. We each poured sand into our unity sand vase one by one. In the end it was Tucker’s ashes that ran in a solid line up through the layered sand colors. We cried. I am sharing with you photos taken of the Ceremonial Unity sand vase after being filled. My sister-in-law sealed the top with wax so that it will never be disturbed. Two Celtic pendants hang from the vase which say “Anam Cara” when translated means “Soul Mate.”

Ashes Sand Ceremony

From New York, a client wrote to tell us how much she loved the golf urn that she bought for her husband.

Golf cremation urn

I search for two weeks till I found the one I liked, I brought it to his memorial and everyone loved it. He was a golfer, so it suited him well…the blue sky color is amazing…his prayer cards also had a golfer on them…it arrived with out a scratch…and the blue on it so matches the sky and looks like he is in heaven playing golf.

Now,  I have it in my workout room that I am in every morning and love looking at the picture on it, it’s totally my husband.

I love the urn better than I expected….and much better quality than I expected!

It’s an honor to help families create beautiful memorials that matter and find light in a dark season of life.

Urn Garden

 

 

Filed Under: Confessions, cremation, pet urns Tagged With: golf cremation urn, memorial urns

Weeping Cherry Tree Memorial

May 11, 2013 urngarden.com

weeping cherry tree

In The Mailbox: One of our clients sent a nice note thanking us for our assistance and the recommendation of a Weeping Cherry for a tree dedication. The Weeping Cherry is one of my favorite ornamental trees and a stunning centerpiece for a memorial tribute. Check your zone out on a garden map, the Weeping Cherry does best in zones 5-8.

Added bonus for the Weeping Cherry tree is they are generally pest and disease resistant and don’t require a lot of pruning.

Here’s an example of a tree dedication, using a personalized river rock garden stone and a Weeping Cherry tree to honor Dave. Simple and elegant.

weeping cherry tree dedication

And then this:

Dear Lenette,

Thank you so much for all that you did to make Nelda’s memorial service even better than she had planned it.

I have always felt that the worst part of any funeral is the time when you leave the cemetery and leave behind someone you loved and have spent a lifetime with. Thanks to your generosity, I brought Nelda home with me and that was such a comfort at a very bad time.

The urn was beautiful (“bee-u-tee-full”, as Nelda would say) and M. loves and cherishes her urn necklace.

Thank you for letting us serve you.

memorial stone

Filed Under: ash scattering, cremation, memorial garden, Memorial Service Ideas, obituaries, pet urns, urn jewelry, urns Tagged With: garden memorials, memorial garden, Memorial Service Ideas, memorial stones, planning a memorial garden, tree dedication memorial, tree dedication stone, weeping cherry tree

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