Those who have experienced the loss of a furry companion are faced with many overwhelming emotions and difficult decisions. This includes deciding how to pay tribute to the unconditional love you shared throughout their life. In choosing a final resting place you are faced with many questions. If cremation is chosen, will it be a private cremation or group cremation? For those choosing private cremation you must then decide what to do with the cremains of your beloved pet. Yet another decision…should I get a decorative urn to put on the mantle? … maybe a piece of jewelry…perhaps a garden stone? … or I’m just not sure or ready right now and I’ll wait for the right time for the right option. To help with grieving you may find yourself looking at pictures, creating scrapbooks, or commissioning an artist to create a meaningful painting, drawing, or portrait as a lasting memory.
For those struggling with what to do comes an unmatched alternative that combines the respectable option of an urn with the accentuated beauty of an original, distinguished plaster portrait making the final resting place as unique as the love you shared. Gretchen’s Creations LLC offers a patent pending 3-dimensional plaster portrait that offers the option of ash cremains embedded into the plaster portrait of your pet. Gretchen Kiefer, artist/inventor and owner of Gretchen’s Creations LLC, feels her service, “offers the grieving pet owner a discreet, and dignified way of memorializing”. Whereas most fine art discourages touch, Gretchen’s artwork encourages the opportunity to “touch” your departed friend keeping the joyful memories alive.
Gretchen creates your artwork using a personal photograph of your pet. After a photograph has been chosen the process begins. First, a lime-based plaster background is created. This foundation is then covered with multiple layers of synthetic, water-based plaster. Your pet’s ashes are mixed into the first two layers of plaster, and the remaining six additional layers are manipulated and accentuated using artist tools, colorants, and sealant. The completed piece is then shipped to your desired address. Gretchen’s Creations LLC offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee. “If for any reason the customer is not satisfied she will refund the money minus shipping costs”.
If this idea seems foreign it is. Gretchen’s ash-embedded artwork is the only one of it’s kind using this medium. Gretchen admits, “I never intended on an invention, it just kind of evolved out of my journey to find meaningful work that I feel passionate about.” Gretchen’s journey has been heavily influenced by an inspiring woman, her mother. Gretchen reveals, “My mother taught children who were blind to experience life through touch which has led to my ongoing appreciation of texture”. Although Gretchen lost her mom and best friend too soon in June 2006 her giving spirit lives within her. Gretchen describes her work as an opportunity to help people heal and begin to enjoy the memories again stating, “My hope is one’s hand is drawn to the art before the eye and after the heart”.
Gretchen’s distinctive style of art may be considered a higher end option but when you consider a 29.9 cm x 35.6 cm portrait or 11×14, currently priced at $375, takes up to 20 hours to complete the cost seems very reasonable for an original, distinguished piece of fine art. Gretchen also offers the same style portraits for those pets that are still full of life (as long as they will slow down enough to allow their owners to take a sample photo). Regarding her work, “I take great pride in what I do especially if in the process I can help people heal”.
Gretchen’s Creations LLC: “A Touching Way to Remember”
www.gretchenscreations.com (248) 885-1348
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Sue London is a People & Pet Therapist, Reiki Master, Animal Communicator, Intuitive Healer, and Teacher of “Heal Your Pets Naturally Workshops”. Learn more about Sue at www.asksuelondon.com
I am feeling guilty about putting my pet to sleep. Can you give me some comfort around his death? – K. K.
Please take comfort knowing your pet was ready to cross over. He had fulfilled his destiny. Think back to the time when you got him. It was a time when you needed him. Now think back to what was happening just before he crossed over. Your life had improved and was only getting better and better, right? Know that he came into your life at a time when you needed someone to help you through the transition of becoming a single parent. Your pet crossed over at a time when he knew you would be okay. His message to you…. “I am so proud of you Katie for your strength of moving forward and making a good life for the boys. “
I feel very guilty for leaving my pet home alone. He died while I was out. Is there something that you can share to help ease my guilt? – L. F.
Your pet died at the right time. He knew you would have a hard time having him put down and he knew you couldn’t handle him dying while you were there. He was not alone when he died. Your father and dog, Jack, was there to help him cross over. His message to you…”You gave me tremendous love. I won’t be too far away.”
Submit your questions to sue@asksuelondon.com.
