Time Flies

Here's a modern memento mori necklace by Butch's Baubles. Clocks have long been a symbol of our fleeting mortality, and this timepiece pendant, along with the hearse and wing (time flies) will remind us that life is indeed short and precious.

Until Death

With Valentine's Day only a couple of weeks away, here's a little memento mori for those in love. A customized Hasta La Muerte magnet by creativitylzette.

Weeping Willows

Weeping Willow sympathy card by Anemone Letterpress

We grew up with a weeping willow in our backyard. I loved getting tangled in the low-hanging branches, I would hide beneath it, and wrap myself up in the green tendrils, making it almost impossible to escape. I've since learned that the weeping willow was a Victorian symbol for mourning.


Here's a few contemporary versions of the weeping willow. First, an organic cotton weeping willow pillow by Enhabitan:


Weeping Willow Hand Dyed Batik Infant T-Shirt by Potomac River Goods:


Weeping Willow Rubber Stamp by Wood Cellar Graphics:

Memory Locket

Here's a sweet heart to keep close to your own heart. This daisy heart locket by Lanyapi Designs is made with antiqued brass, and opens up to keep a beloved picture inside.


For men who mourn, here's a keychain with a heart and wrench. It's called Love Takes Work, and I think it can also be appropriate as a symbol for a heart that's in need of mending.

Repurposed Sweaters

The ability to transform sentimental old knits into something meaningful is a wonderful solution for inherited clothing. There are many options - aprons, quilts, floor rugs. If you can't do it yourself, Reknit can transform an old sweater into something fun, like a scarf (each month a new item is offered.)

But what about the pets in our lives? Why not give your pet something to remember a loved one by? I came across this repurposed sweater/pet pillow on Keetsa.com. If your grandfather has passed away, leaving behind a beloved dog, I'm sure the pet would love to have a pillow made from his old cardigans. What a lovely source of comfort!

Embroidered Linens

Artist Joetta Maue takes old linens and embroiders messages directly onto them, imbuing these sentimental yet discarded items with new emotional meaning. I love her work!

Modern Memento Mori: Sugar Skull Laptop Decal

Every morning I sit down with my laptop. When I open it, I'm suddenly engaged in a world of obligation and distraction. News, work, email from friends, blogs, on and on. But what if before letting all this in I took a moment to remember that all this shall pass? What's important, and what's just noise?

Here's a little memento mori to go with your morning coffee. This Sugar Skull Laptop Decal by Beepart comes in many colors, and makes any laptop a work of remembrance art.

Memory Blankets

This blog is dedicated to remembering all of those who mean something to us. I hope to promote meaningful repurposing - taking items that have been outgrown, and creating something new that will help us remember.

I've previously posted on repurposing mens' shirts to become cute dresses for girls, redesigning heritage jewelry, and other projects that keep those cherished items in close reach. Petit Amour creates custom Memory Blankets out of baby clothing, a perfect solution to giving new life to those precious little jumpers, shirts and dresses that are so hard to give up. Just send the clothing to Petit Amour, and you'll receive in return a gorgeous memory blanket. I absolutely love this idea, and hope that it catches on!

Memory of Friends

I love vintage embroidery, and I especially adore remembrance embroideries. This 19th century memory quilt offered by Linen Closet is very sweet. According to the sellers, women would each contribute a piece of fabric to make one quilt as a symbol of their friendship. The different fabrics, colors and textures, each contributed by a different person, come together to make a unique pattern.

The one below has a sweet adage embroidered in the center, "Good Deeds Will Be Rewarded".

Missing Pieces

Losing someone close is like losing a piece of yourself. That's why I love these wood and sterling Puzzle Piece Necklaces by Studio AMF. A modern twist on the traditional mourning jewelry. These are beautiful pieces in their own right, mourning or not.

For me, these necklaces embody a poetic interpretation of this Victorian mourning pendant, with its more literal sentiment Heaven Has in Store What Thou Has Lost, as featured on the wonderful website Things Gone By.

Remembrance Tree Papers

Trees have always been connected to our sense of life as well as loss. For the Victorians, specific trees had specific messages, from the grief of the weeping willow to the weathered yet resilient oak. Throughout the generations and across cultures, the tree represents the wellspring of life.

That’s why Remembrance Tree Papers seems like such a timeless and inspired concept. This company creates hand-crafted memorial items out of 100% recycled paper – from Memorial Bookmarks, Guest Registers and Service Invitations. Preserving the life of trees while remembering the life we’ve lost.

My favorite item is the Thank You Card, which comes with embedded wildflower seeds. The card can be planted, bringing forth flowers, a simple reminder of the love and sympathy that sustains us. What a lovely idea!

When in mourning, it’s important to be reminded of regeneration. In this spirit, Remembrance Tree Papers (along with Trees for the Future) will plant a tree in honor of your loved one when you order their memorial stationery products. It’s a gesture that benefits the environment and future generations.

Tree of Life Pendant by Val Vanias Art

Vintage Mourning Cards

I mourn the loss of traditional mourning cards! We have mastered the art of the sympathy card, but for some reason mourning cards have fallen by the wayside. Mourning cards were handed out by the family to the community to let people know of the loss. Perhaps it's due to contemporary mode of communication - when someone passes away, word travels by phone or email (and even Facebook).

Victorian mourning cards were traditionally black, with gold or silver print. Their tone was somber and sentimental, typically decorated with birds, wheat (a symbol of resurrection), willow trees and often a cross. While these cards address all the pertinent symbolism, they sacrifice the specific spirit of the lost one. Here's the card for my my great-grandfather John Nor, who died at a young age during the 1918 Flu Epidemic:

That's why I love these vintage French mourning cards, sold by Cool Vintage. They are sweetly matter-of-fact, as if these were passports into another world:

Pool of Tears

"'I wish I hadn't cried so much!' said Alice, as she swam about, trying to find her way out. 'I shall be punished for it now, I suppose, by being drowned in my own tears!'"

For those who grieve, the chapter "The Pool of Tears" from Alice in Wonderland expresses a familiar sentiment. It seems that we will never see our way past our tears, that we might indeed drown in our own grief. Despite her pool of tears, Alice finds her way back to shore. Alice becomes a symbol of hope when our sadness hits us like a tidal wave.

This Pool of Tears Charm Bracelet, created by Ghost Love Jewelry, is the perfect momento for those in the depths of grief. The bracelet features an image of our heroine Alice, two tear-shaped charms, and a heart-shaped lock and key. A lovely reminder to keep swimming.

Porcelain Wing Necklace

Here's a lovely porcelain wing necklace by Monkeys Always Look. The delicate porcelain wing hangs on a 20" chain. I think this would be a lovely gift for someone who's grieving, or a delicate reminder that our lost loved one is always close to our hearts.

Mourning Portraits: New Orleans

Hair has a long history in its association with mourning. It's the one part of the body that can be held onto after death. It's both physically intimate, yet as a small piece of that person, it also reminds us how they are truly gone. Hair is both sentimental yet haunting, enticing yet foreboding. The Victorians used the hair of the departed to create mourning jewelry, yet the hairwork is very stylized and loses its sense of physicality. It's almost disguised.

In the series Mourning Portrait sculptor Loren Schwerd has found a way to use human hair in a series of works that evoke the loss of home - in this case, homes in New Orleans that were destroyed in the flood. The use of human hair plays on the persistence yet fragility of these homes - still there, but barely. It's all that's left. In some cases the hair spills out of the frame, refusing to be either contained or forgotten.

Here is the artist's statement:

Mourning Portrait, is a series of memorials to the communities of New Orleans that were devastated by the flooding which followed Hurricane Katrina. These commemorative objects are made from human hair extensions of the type commonly used by African-American women that I found outside the St. Claude Beauty Supply. The portraits draw on the eighteenth and nineteenth-century tradition of hairwork, in which family members or artisans would fashion the hair of the deceased into intricate jewelry and other objects as symbols of death and rebirth. Working from my own photographs I weave the hair into portraits of the vacant houses of the Ninth Ward neighborhood. By documenting private homes, I venerate the city's losses, both individual and collective.

Remembrance Necklace

This beautiful, three-piece silver necklace by Trudie Davies is one of my favorite pieces of Remembrance Jewelry. I love the way the rings stack upon one another to create a unified ring, but also open up to reveal three unique customized inscriptions. A name, a date, a heart ... almost says it all.

Forget Me Not

Sometimes the best way to remember someone is through an object that's veiled, less literal. It's sort of like "undercover mourning." Having an item that's specifically made to help remember someone, while also being very pretty to look at, can help us avoid feeling like we are living in a shrine.

Miniature Rhino's precious needlework falls into this category. I love her work, in fact I bought a few of her constellation pieces last year. This unbleached muslim needlepoint, called Book of Hours, was part of an exhibit called Forget Me Not at Gallery Hanahou in New York City. Here's the description of the piece:

Inspired by the idea of a forget me not, a physical object that recalls a person, I made this detailed piece about remembrance. The imagery: diamond, bee, honeycomb, and knotted bow, directly relate to a quote from the book Metaphors of Memory: A history of ideas about the mind by D. Draaism. The quote below is typed on a crème paper and adhered to the reverse of the piece with photo corners....


"In books of hours miniaturists drew jewels, coins, flowers and beehives. Valuables collected like nectar from flowers to be stored in the honeycombs of our memory."
-D. Draaisma

All Souls Day

My great-grandmother, mother and grandmother. I love you!

Today I will be honoring those I've lost, but feel are with me still.

For my mother, I'll be picking up a Princess Cake and See's Candies. I'm also going to the stationery store, one of her favorite places. I will also make a donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in her memory. For all of my ancestors, I'll be looking at pictures, remembering them, and imagining what they'd say if they were here with me. Unlike Dia de los Muertos, which is a communal celebration, this one will be private, just between me and my loved ones. I wish more cultures celebrated the departed the way Dia de los Muertos does - in my wildest dreams I'd be thrilled to see this happen one day. For now, it's me, my mothers and fathers, and a feast.

Prayer Shawls

For me, the beauty of crafts is the sense that they are handmade. This may be self-evident, but when you think about how someone took the time to make something with their own hands - the care invested in the item makes it that much more meaningful.

Made With Love is an organization in Baton Rouge that takes this concept to its ultimate expression. They're a crafting ministry, creating lovely handmade items with prayers and love. Their Prayer Shawls are knit for those in need of love. Here's how it's described on their website:

The shawl itself is made of soft yarn (or fabric) so the recipient can wrap up in it and feel God’s arms around him or her. Many blessings are put into every shawl. The creator begins each one with prayers and blessings for the recipient, which are continued throughout the creation of the shawl. The blessing is rippled from person to person, with both the giver and receiver feeling the unconditional embrace of a sheltering, loving God.

Whether it's grieving a loved one or healing from an illness, these shawls will be knit with prayers for your healing. What a lovely concept! I don't know how many craft ministries there are, but I hope this idea catches on.

Modern Mourning Jewelry

I find myself over and over returning to Victorian-inspired mourning jewelry. I'm not a goth or steampunk gal, it's just something about the somber mood of these pieces by Mata Hari Jewelry that I find enticing and appropriate.


I imagine this tiny heart and key charm as a piece that could given as a gift to comfort someone who's in mourning. Keep the heart, but place the key close to the one recently lost. If they are to be buried, then the key could be placed in their hand or in a pocket. If the loved one has been cremated, the key could be placed in the ashes. Someday the two will be reunited.

"In Memory" Necklaces

Losing a child to miscarriage can be a tremendous loss. Yet I think that as a culture, we have not adequately grasped the language to express this kind of grief. Many people carry it as a secret anguish, which only heightens the heartache.

This "In Memory" Necklace created by Catherine Marissa is a touching way to acknowledge that loss of a baby. As the artist says, "When I miscarried my twins, I felt a need to have a special reminder of the little people I didn't have a chance to meet. I wanted something simple and personal that I could wear with anything. Thus, the "In Memory" pendant was created."

This pendant can also be personalized for a pet. A paw print or a heart can replace the central symbol. I think this is a charming way to signify remembrance.

Although these Itty Bitty Raincloud Studs (also by Catherine Marissa) aren't specific to grief, I think they are a charming reminder of the clouds of grief we sometimes face, and how "this too shall pass." A kind of contemporary version of the Half-Mourning Period in Victorian grieving rituals.

Time Passes Ring

When we are grieving, time seems so unkind. It feels as if we will never move beyond, as if time has indeed stopped not just for those we've lost, but for ourselves as well. It's important to remember though that time does move, even if we can't comprehend it. Things will get better.

This "Time Passes" ring by Brighid's Forge is a gentle reminder that things will get better. It's a heavy ring, perhaps an appropriate piece to give to a father, brother, or any man who's lost someone - a more masculine version of mourning jewelry. This piece is sterling silver with oxidized letters, and you can request a custom size from the seller.

How To Think About Death

Fingerless Gloves by Boysenberry Lane

We do everything we can to avoid thinking about the inevitable. But eventually Death grabs us all. Will it be a slap in the face? A caress? Or a polite handshake for a life well lived? I ponder these questions constantly, and wish that I could be in London this month to attend a course called "How To Think About Death", led by writer and philosopher Mark Vernon on October 19th.

Ironically, this course is being offered by The School of Life. The first class has already filled up, so I have the feeling this will be a very popular one, and perhaps offered again. Here's the course description:

'It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens.' So opined Woody Allen, capturing something of our ambivalence about the one thing about which we can all be absolutely and irrefutably certain: we will die. On the one hand, it is almost commonplace to say that suffering is what we fear, not annihilation. But on the other, anyone who has experience the death of a loved one, or faced death themselves, will know that it is no trivial incident. If our inhibitions in discussing death and the lack of preparation with which most of us first experience grief are anything to go by, we could probably describe ours as a death-denying culture. In this short, sharp lesson about the inevitable we’ll consider what philosophers and theologians, film-makers and poets have usefully had to say about death, and ask if there is really such a thing as a good death and if so how we can prepare ourselves appropriately."

Sympathy Print

I am quite fond of this Sympathy Print I'm So Sorry For Your Loss by Scottish artist Suzanne Wolcott. At 8" x 10", it's more than a card. The image conveys a sense of sorrow, avoiding those anxious words of encouragement when what we really need is to just be sad and grieve.

Honestly ...

Here's a sympathy card that gets right to the point.

Many Tears Remembrance Necklace

Words are always so hard to find when we want to convey our sympathy. Here's a meaningful option - a customized, sterling silver Many Tears Remembrance Necklace by Munchkin Mama. Although there are many hand-stamped necklaces out there, this one is special because of the briolet beads, a "cluster of tears" that discreetly yet beautifully symbolize grief.

This necklace will last longer than a sympathy card, and at $20, it's also very reasonable. Instead of stumbling to find the right words, convey all of your love with this simple yet significant gesture. By the way, mention this blog to Munchkin Mama and receive and additional 10% off!

Remembrance Wreaths

Wreaths and remembrance have a long history. From ancient Rome to Scandinavian traditions, wreaths made from hearty plants symbolize strength and perseverance. According to Wikipedia, wreaths made of pine, holly or yew convey immortality, while cedar sends a message of healing. In Northern European countries, wreaths made from firs represent remembrance of those who have passed.

And while laurel leaves and fir needles may fade and fall, the leaves from books will never leave a wreath. Simple Joys Paperie creates gorgeous paper wreaths, perhaps the perfect everlasting sentiment. These wreaths are elegantly constructed from antique book leaves. As these items are made to order, perhaps a favorite book could be repurposed as an elegant, custom order wreath.

Haute Hearse

Wall Art Hearse by Pillbox Designs

The sudden sight of a hearse is enough to cast a shadow on even the brightest day. It's a motorized memento mori, interrupting our daily lives with a grim glimpse of our ultimate destination. Yet with so many people being cremated these days, the hearse is quickly becoming a relic.

Not to worry, here are some Etsy artists who are keeping the has-been hearse alive, at least in spirit.


Also from Pillbox Designs, here's a Landau "S" bar vinyl decal to for your car, or even your laptop.


Hearse necklace by Graphic Maniac


Notecards by The Rasilisk

Keepsake Pins

With silver-toned frames, swarovski crystals and delicate ribbon, these keepsake pins by Galsfly2 are a sweet, contemporary interpretation of Victorian mourning jewelry.

Galsfly2 writes, "I wanted to take a small gift-token to a friend or loved one, and just couldn't find the appropriate gift, especially when they had a family member that had passed on and flowers didn't seem to be the right thing. I've even gave them to friends to wear on Mothers Day or Fathers day. A gentle reminder that they are missed."

Sympathy Wings

This is a sympathy card with a sweet little souvenir.

Created by Art Mind, the written message is simply "With Sympathy" but the little handmade wooden wings, add an enduring message of hope that'll last long after the sympathy cards are stowed away.

Sympathy Prints & Cards

I just love these sympathy prints and cards by Yardia, they feature quotes from my beloved Victorian heroines, models of stoic strength and perseverance despite hardships of the heart. This violet Charlotte Bronte sympathy card is one of my favorites.


I also love this sentimental, Victorian Valentine inspired Forget Me Not original drawing. I think the sentiment can be applied as a daily reminder for all those we love.

Dandelion Wishes

This is a sweet alternative to the typical somber guest book found at many services. Dandelion Wishes, created by The Wedding Perch, each dandelion is an opportunity for guests to write something - a wish, a prayer, a memory.

I especially like the image of a dandelion - something scattered to the wind, yet lives on with the promise of a wish. Seems appropriate when we've lost someone.

On another note, many of the items I feature are originally created for weddings. Although this may appear contradictory, I believe a remembrance service should be parallel to a wedding - an opportunity to gather together and honor the love we hold for one another. It's a promise to cherish someone forever, a bonding that transcends death. I wish that funeral services were half as creative as weddings!

Flowers Become Beads

What can you do with the flowers after a service? They typically overstay their welcome because we feel too guilty to throw them away. Here's a brilliant solution from JNJ Keepsakes - you can turn those flowers into jewelry!

JNJ takes custom orders, so just send the flowers and they will be returned as a necklace, earrings or bracelet. What a wonderful way to hold on those sentimental flowers! This would also make a thoughtful gift for a woman who's recently lost someone - ask for a few of the funeral flowers, and return them as a keepsake that will last forever.

Sympathy CDs

Words are rarely enough to truly express sympathy, yet music has a way of going straight to the heart. One of the best ways to remember someone is through the music they loved. A CD complication with favorite songs makes a wonderful gift to pass on others at the service.

Megasmiles makes lovely customized CD holders, available in a variety of designs. These examples are for weddings, but the same concept can be easily applied to a memorial service. Wrapped in a ribbon, monogrammed with a playlist inside, these CD holders provide a precious packaging for precious memories.

Living Urns

I've been thinking about what to do with ashes, trying to think outside the urn. Currently I'm knitting a new urn cozy to replace an earlier version (I'm still low on the knitting learning curve.) What else can be done with them? How can ashes be used in a way that's beneficial?

For one thing, ashes are rich in phosphorous, which helps plants grow. So what about a Living Urn? A little terrarium globe like this one from Doodle Bird Designs could make a lovely and discreet home for a small amount of a loved one's ashes. I know this may be a little odd, but the idea grows on me (no pun intended!)

Civil War Era Mourning Quilt

This is a beautiful example of a mourning quilt. The patches are mostly men's clothing, with what may be a Civil War uniform. The geometric simplicity of the pattern is masculine, yet there are sweet needlepoint embellishments scattered throughout.

Mourning (or memory) quilts from back in the day were part remembrance, part necessity - clothing material was scarcer than it is now, and so reuse was almost a given when someone passed away. There weren't exactly Salvation Armies to receive the clothes, and there weren't Gaps and Bed Bath & Beyonds to replenish our closets. Today, with a renewed interest in upcycling, memory quilts are both a way to remember our loved ones as well as find a meaningful reuse for their clothing.

Votives

Lighting a candle in remembrance of those we love is a familiar and comforting gesture. Yet we rarely give much thought to the candle itself. I love these votives by maryink because they are reusable. Any time you want to send your love, just light a candle!

Keepsake Necklaces

Here are some lovely keepsake necklaces from Gems By Emily M. Their polished simplicity has a sweet, almost utilitarian sensibility. I think these provide a unique way to keep someone's memory quietly close.

Mourning Rings

We wear rings to honor a marriage, but what happens when death ultimately makes us part? This beautiful solid gold Victorian mourning ring (1882) offered by Things Gone By, is a precious reminder that although a loved one may be gone, devotion remains.

Here's a contemporary ring that could also be worn as mourning jewelry. This locket ring by Good Girls Studio provides a little chamber to keep something precious close to us.

New Life for a Loved One's Sweater

What can be done with clothing from another generation? We can wear it if we're into vintage. We can donate it, or we can store it in the back of the closet. Not the most creative options. This blog has been devoted to finding new lives for heritage items. And clothing has so many opportunities for reuse.

Making teddies out of inherited mink coats is a popular form of upcycling, yet we shouldn't forget about the more simple clothing items like sweaters. Pogo Shop creates cute little creatures out of old sweaters. Whether it's a knit from your grandpa or your own sweater that you'd like to pass on to your children in a way that they can keep forever, Pogo's bears are a wonderful way to keep heritage clothing close to the heart.

Memorializing Michael

How will we remember Michael? What makeshift memorials will become his Graceland? I have the feeling his childhood home in Gary, Indiana will become the fans' final mecca. In the meantime, here are some items that are already appearing on Etsy:

RIP Michael Jackson Shirt by Queenkutie


Amigurumi Michael Jackson doll by amicafe


Michael Jackson Tote Bag by Bao Studio

Memory Quilts

I love the look of this Rag Quilt by Wiccked.

Some quilts are impeccably designed and sewn, yet their preciousness means they're relegated to the wall - look but don't touch. For me, the perfect Memory Quilt (made from a loved ones' clothing) should be cozy, something you embrace, something to wrap yourself in. This rag quilt, with its simple square pattern and soft, rustic flannel materials, is a great example of what a Memory Quilt should be. Tactile, cozy, and friendly.

Bracelet Cards

Here's a new one, cards with three lives! Created by Unusual Birthday Cards on Etsy, these handmade creations begin as a written sentiment - sympathy and well wishes. The leather band that holds the card together can then be worn as a bracelet, as modern mourning jewelry. And when the bracelet gives way, it can be used as a bookmark.


This is a great way to extend our sympathy beyond a card, which typically sits on a mantel for a few days ... a short (and literal) shelf life. I also like the fact that this sentiment has multiple incarnations, evolving in time, just like our memories. Great idea!

Fun Flower Arrangements

After college I worked for a florist. Everyday we created arrangements for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and of course funerals. The funeral arrangements were the most somber (and the most expensive.) I think people were afraid that if they requested an arrangement with a sense of humor, it would seem disrespectful. So we ended up creating conservative and unremarkable floral sprays, one after another. Gladiolas, carnations, and mums that may as well have been plastic.

I hope that we can get past the fear of being "disrespectful" and find new ways that actually embrace our loved ones' fun side - through flowers.

Coffin Shelves

The concept of a coffin seems so removed from our everyday lives. But what about a coffin design that allows us to enjoy it while we are still alive? As profiled in Inhabitat, designer William Warren's Shelves for Life begins its use as a lovely set of shelves, holding the objects we adore. When the time comes, this system can be transformed into a coffin, ultimately holding us.



The beauty of this concept coffin is the reuse of wood from life through death - no need to spend money and resources on a casket. For me, I love the idea of bringing something personal from our home to be part of our eternal home. I also think these shelves act as a subtle momento mori. Just like the precious objects we choose to put on these shelves, life itself is precious and should never be taken for granted.

Mourning Poems

Poetry and grief have a long tradition. From the pre-Romantic "Graveyard Poets" to Yeats, Frost, and many others, poetry seems to articulate all facets of feelings that we often cannot find words to express. Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno's recent collection "Slamming Open the Door" is a raw and unflinchingly honest exploration of her grief after her daughter Leidy was murdered. Here's the poem that moved me the most:

What People Give You

Long-faced irises. Mums.
Pink roses and white roses
and giant sunflowers,
and hundreds of daisies.

Fruit baskets with muscular pears,
and water crackers and tiny jams
and the steady march of casseroles.
And money,
people give money these days.

Cards, of course:
the Madonna, wise
and sad just for you,
Chinese cherry blossoms,
sunsets and moonscapes,
and dragonflies for transcendence.

People stand by your sink
and offer up their pain:
Did you know I lost a baby once,
or My eldest son was killed,
or My mother died two months ago.

People are good.
They file into your cartoon house
until it bows at the seams;
they give you every
blessed
thing,
everything,
except your daughter back.

Here's the NPR interview with Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno.

Think Outside the Urn

Why must urns be so serious?

According to Trendhunter, Dr. Fredric J. Baur worked for Proctor & Gamble for nearly 40 years, yet his crowning achievement was an iconic can - the famous Pringles cylindrical container. Before he died at the age of 89, he asked that his ashes be kept in one of these containers. What a fun way to spend eternity! I personally would go for a bag of Pepperidge Farm goldfish.

Embroidered Lace Butterfly

In many cultures, butterflies are seen as embodiments of the soul. The butterfly's metamorphosis from an earthbound caterpillar to a winged creature symbolizes rebirth in its most joyful form.

This handmade embroidered lace butterfly pin or clip, from Sussies and Such at Etsy, could be a soothing "I'm thinking of you" gift for someone going through loss. It could also be used to embellish a flower arrangement, or worn on a lapel. A sweet spin on an otherwise somber event.

Bandage Rings

I really love these Pflasterringe bandage rings by Kay Eppi Nokle. They're cast in various metals to look like band aids. Although they relate more to a broken nail than a broken heart, I think they say "I hurt" in a sweet and subtle way. Perhaps this is the new era of mourning jewelry!

Sympathy Blanket

Blankets are the ultimate "comfort food". As children we cling to our security blankets, and when we're under the weather we wrap ourselves in their warm protection. I love warm fuzzy blankets, so perhaps this is why I find this item so touching - a sympathy blanket from Embroidery Outlet on Etsy. Embroidered on this cotton woven throw are the words "In this time of sorrow wrap yourself in love," along with the name of the loved one. The cost is only $40 and especially appropriate if you can't be there in person to offer a hug. It can be shipped directly to the mourner, wrapped with a ribbon and a personalized card. What a great alternative to flowers, which only last a few days. This blanket provides warmth, and lasts as long as it is needed.


When the grief passes, I think this blanket would be a meaningful way to wrap momentos and other keepsakes.