Memorial Information
Cremation Memorials: How It's Made
The cremation ashes of each person or pet are as unique as your loved one, and the ashes are distinctive in colour and texture. There really is no one else out there just like them. When your ashes arrive at the studio, they are carefully checked in, and processed with a label that follows them around from start to finish. On this label is your name and your order number, but even better is when I have the name of the person or pet that I'm working with -- it's important to me to be able to refer to each set of ashes by name whenever possible.
Once it's time to create your memorial stone that's to be set in the jewellery you've selected, the cremains undergo a unique journey in which they are combined with powdered diamonds, clear glass, and a few other bits of magic in a high-heat process. The cremation gem is then set beneath it's glass or natural gemstone within the setting that's been created just for you. All North Faun memorial stones are created as a two-layer piece. The solid cremation ash stone created from your pet or loved one's ashes is the lower layer, and then the glass or natural gemstone that you have selected is then bonded to the cremation gem, creating a protective top layer.
In the process of becoming a solid memorial stone, the ashes that you've sent will become a deeper, darker colour than when they are "dry", and the colours that appear once they are solidified into a gem have a wide range: from near-white, cream, tan, brown, grey, and black. Some may even have tiny flecks of blue, green, or other colours within them. Some ashes may be all powder or all solid pieces, and many are a mix of both, and the ratio of these different textures will change the final look as well.
The "fingerprint" of your loved one's ashes won't be exactly like anyone else's. This little chart shows a small sampling of some of the colours that you might expect to see in your finished gem. Neither you nor myself chooses the final colour. If you choose a design with clear glass or a clear natural gemstone as the protective top layer, all of the colour and texture in your cremation stone will be perfectly visible. If you choose a design with coloured glass or a coloured natural gemstone to protect your memorial stone, this will of course mask the colour (and sometimes texture) of the cremains. To honour and respect each set of ashes, I generally do not alter their unique colour in any way, but instead allow their beautiful individual tones and hues to shine through.
Please note: if you are hoping to specifically for a more grey, charcoal, or black-toned stone and would like to ensure the colour of your gemstone leans more in that direction, this can be achieved by the addition of natural powdered gemstones (such as obsidian and black tourmaline) in the creation process. As this is a natural additive to the process, I am comfortable with it if that's what you'd prefer. You can add this to your cremation jewellery here. 
Cremation Memorials: More About Colours
Sometimes the final colour of the cremation gems can be a bit surprising. Certainly not all, but most cremated remains look a shade of pale grey or white in their "dry" state, and it isn't until they begin to be transformed into a solid keepsake stone that the colours that have been hiding inside are revealed. While after over a decade of working to bring my clients comfort through keepsake jewellery I've developed a fairly good eye for what colours will come through, even I'm surprised by the results sometimes. While it isn't unusual to have your gem turn out like you expected, it also isn't unusual for it to be different -- sometimes wildly so -- than the dry ashes appeared.
One way to find out at home what colours are within your loved one or pets ashes is to take a small amount and to add a few drops of water. I'm not sure I'd want to do this myself, but if you don't want to be surprised, this method will allow you to get a general idea of the colour and tone that your finished memorial jewellery will be. If you decide that you're comfortable with this and would like to try it out, make sure to allow the cremains to fully air dry before returning them to their urn or vessel.
While the collage of solid keepsake gems above helps give an idea of some of the colours that you might find in your completed gem, it's really important to understand that the way your ashes look in their dry state doesn't necessarily correlate that well to how your memorial jewellery will look. In this comparison chart, you'll see down the left column that there are 6 sets of ashes that, while some differences can be picked out with regards to exact shade and texture distinctions, could all be said to be fairly similar. Down the column on the right you'll see how each of those sets of ashes turned out once they were solidified into gems. A little unexpected, aren't they? None of these ashes were tinted or otherwise coloured in the studio -- the cremains simply had these colours already inside them. 
Cremation Memorials: More Information
How much ashes are needed? A half tsp (2.5mL measure) to a maximum of 1 tsp (5mL measure) is requested for each gem. This is more than is actually required, and I go into detail on that below. Any unused portion of ashes will be returned home to you.
Can the ashes be from pets or only from humans? Both human and pet ashes are welcome with open arms in the North Faun studio. The cremated remains of both look and perform the same during the process.
Can more than one set of ashes be combined into one gem? Absolutely -- there is no problem at all combining multiple sets of ashes. You can package them separately and only the portions that are used will be combined in the studio. Alternately, if the ashes are already combined, that's perfectly fine too!
Can I add other items such as hair/fur into my gem? North Faun cremation gems are created under high heat. Unfortunately, this means that other materials, such as hair, will be heavily damaged if not completely destroyed in the process if they are added in. Locks of hair, dried flowers, and special fabrics can be used alone in some designs - for the time being please send me an email to find out your options if you'd like to have a piece created with materials other than cremation ashes.
How long does the process take? The most current turnaround times can always be found on the general studio information section of the website. If you are in need of memorial jewellery for an event or holiday, please be aware of my production time as well as the potential for postal delays.
How do I package and send (or drop off) my ashes? All details on how to package your cremation ashes and where to mail them to (or drop them off!) can be found here: Sending Your Cremation Ashes to the North Faun Studio.