Memorial Beads: Kloe and Kiya

Before the holidays, I had the great honor of working on two Memorial beads for the same customer. It was such a magical experience and I'm so touched to have been a part of my customer's final steps with her amazing pups!

Kloe and Kiya beads, fresh from the kiln

Meet Kloe and Kiya, inspiration for the beads:

Kloe's bead was to have a green, color-shifting base and have red and purple flowers, like the flower bed she chose to lie down in before taking her final rest.

Kiya's bead was to be purple, regal, majestic, graceful. Dicrhoic glass was chosen for this bead.

As always, I made test beads before using the actual cremains. After all was decided and I had the cremains prepared, I had the most magical torch session.

Back side of the Kiya bead

You'll have to forgive for digressing here. Some of you will NOT get this at all. But some of you will. I am a Pisces child. It is said that Pisces are not fully present in this world as we are already partially in the next. I've had a lifetime of other-worldly experiences.  You may find that to be simply a coincidence. Or you may think I'm nuts. I prefer to be called "sensitive," thank you very much! But either way, this is my truth; my experience.

I started with Kiya's bead thinking that while it was the largest, it was the simplest to make. Build a core shape, layer in the cremains carefully, case, dichro, final shaping and metallic paws for decoration. Only, it was not easy! Kiya's family wanted the cremains to show but I have never seen cremains react and DEMAND to be seen front and center like these! I cased the bead and the cremains started coming up to the top. I cased again... all was good and I moved onto dichro and suddenly, the dichro was running across the bead! I've never seen anything like it! And there were the cremains coming through THREE layers of glass now!

By this point, I'm talking out loud to the pup! Kiya, you WILL be seen! Your bead is going to be beautiful! Trust me!

But short of making the bead even bigger, I figured I should just let it be.  I realized that this was the front of the bead and if Kiya wanted his way so badly, I'd best let him have it! Note that the paw print if off center in this final view of the Kiya bead and see just how visible his ashes are to the right of that paw!

Kiya bead on wired stand

I was spent and out of breath when I finished that bead and I was starting to dred making the Kloe bead! I stopped for a bit, soaked my hands and face in some cold water to cool down after making such a large bead and to make sure I was totally alert and on my toes.

Kloe bead wrapped and ready for hanging in a display

And I need not have worried at all. Kloe's bead was so EASY... even with all the floral detailing. I simply asked and the bead and glass just flowed... and I started to get the strangest sense that Kloe was just that kind of girl, easy and eager to please.

I finished up and anxiously wrote their mom and asked a few pointed questions about their personalities. Yes, Kiya had to have his way! He was a proud boy and liked to be noticed. And Kloe? Easy peasy. Eager to make you happy.

I truly felt I had a sense of both of them even though I never met them! It was such a blessing to work on these pieces and I'm really thrilled with the final beads!

Kloe Bead reverse side