Crafting Keepsakes For A Fur-Ever Friend: Cremation Jewelry With Dune
Saying Goodbye To A Lifelong Companion
January 29, 2024 was probably the hardest day of my life. Just two days after his 14th birthday, my dog Mack passed away.
I got Mack when he was just a puppy and he was my companion throughout some of the most important events in my life. He was there for me when I went to college, started my career, met the love of my life, throughout the hardest of days and the best ones.
Even on the hard days, just seeing his smiling little face and wagging tail would immediately brighten my mood. Not only was he my best friend, but he was like a baby to me, being that I do not have children of my own yet.
After saying our last goodbye, it felt like a piece of me was missing. I’ve never experienced such intense heartbreak as I did at that moment. My fiancé was also shattered when Mack passed. We had been together for 12 years at that point and our entire world revolved around Mack.
There was another person absolutely crushed by Mack’s loss: my 86-year-old Grandmother.
Grandma’s Best Friend
When my fiancé and I went on day-long or even week-long trips, which was often, we’d bring Mack over to my grandmother’s house. She always looked forward to these weeks and when Mack stayed with her, he was treated like royalty.
As Mack got older, we no longer felt comfortable leaving him home alone during our long workdays, so my grandmother agreed to watch him every single day while we were at work. She always had a special love for Mack, but this quality time made their bond enduring and untouchable.
Needless to say, she was so heartbroken when Mack had passed. He had become like her own dog and she enjoyed taking care of every single day.
So when Mack passed, we wanted to be able to carry him with us wherever our journey led us. Because of this, we made the decision to cremate him.
I knew my grandmother wanted to keep some of his ashes for herself and I wanted to get her something special that incorporated them in a meaningful way.
I also wanted something for my fiancé and I. We’re getting married this year and making new memories. We’re hiking, adventuring, and doing everything Mack loved to do. It just felt right to get something that would make it so Mack was with us in each and every one of those moments.
Little did I know, my favorite sentimental jewelry company, Dune Jewelry, makes special keepsakes with ashes or “cremains.” In the past, I’ve gotten special jewelry designs made with unique sand and earth elements from Dune, but I didn’t realize they could use elements like ashes as well.
Cremation Jewelry from Dune
As soon as I discovered their cremation jewelry, I knew Dune was the place to go to get our special pieces. After all, the quality and beauty of Dune’s designs always exceeded my expectations. There was no better choice.
After discussing it with my fiancé, we both decided we wanted rings. A ring is one of the only pieces of jewelry my fiancé and I will religiously put on every single day. I chose the Boho Stack Ring in 14k Gold for myself and the Luxe Men’s Band Ring for my fiancé.
For my grandmother, I found the most beautiful Angel Wing Ornament by Tiffany Rice. Now I just needed to send in Mack’s ashes to have these beautiful pieces made.
When dealing with cremains, Dune recommends mixing them with other elements because of how hard they are to work with. Immediately I knew what element I wanted mixed in with Mack’s cremains.
Finding The Perfect Mix-In Element
Whenever there was nice weather outside, we would take Mack to the most beautiful park in the area: Point Au Roche State Park in Plattsburgh, NY. Mack loved this park.
We would walk for miles on end, hike beautiful trails, and run in the open fields. We made so many fond memories here.
When Mack got older and had trouble walking long distances, we would pack up his dog stroller and take him for a stroll on the paved paths. This way, he could still enjoy his favorite place on earth.
This park will forever hold such a special place in our hearts and it was the clear choice for our special pieces from Dune Jewelry.
After a huge snow storm took place nearby, I made my way to Point Au Roche State Park. I wanted to find some elements that could be mixed in with Mack’s cremains to create the perfect design, symbolic of his life.
Somehow, in the midst of all the snow and ice, I found shells in the water and beautiful rocks along the shore. I brought all these treasures home, washed and dried them, packed them up along with Mack’s cremains, and sent them to Dune Jewelry to work their magic.
Crafting Our Keepsakes
In what seemed like no time at all the pieces arrived at my doorstep. I couldn’t believe how truly stunning they were. They far exceeded my expectations, to the point where my fiancé rarely take our rings off.
It feels like Mack is with us every single day no matter what we do or where we go. My Grandmother keeps her angel wing on the stand by her rocking chair and kisses it every single day.
Although nothing can ever fully mend our hearts or bring Mack back, these sentimental pieces from Dune Jewelry help immensely. We will cherish them for the rest of our lives.
– Jami Santor
