What is Cremation Glass?
Cremation glass is hand blown glass infused with cremated remains, or ashes. Cremation glass can be made into many different types of keepsakes, including urns, orbs, hearts, and touchstones.
How to Make Cremation Glass
Most cremation glass is made by using the glassblowing technique. When properly heated, glass behaves like a liquid. Using a combination of tools, including their breath, glass blowers carefully shape molten, or liquid, glass into the desired form. To use their breath, molten glass is placed at the end of a long pipe, and the glassblower puffs carefully regulated amounts of air into the pipe from the opposite end. This method is commonly used for making vessels, like urns. The ash is artistically incorporated into the molten glass and will be fully visible once the piece is finished. Since molten glass is heated to temperatures around 2000, this changes the color of the cremation ash. Cremation is done at less than 2000 degrees, so when the cremation ash is mixed with the molten glass, it turns a brilliant white color as carbon is burned off. The glass artist will continue to work with the glass, shaping it and coloring it, the way they would with normal glass. Once your cremation glass piece is finished, it’s cooled slowly for 12-48 hours. This prevents cracking.
Cremation Orbs
Cremation orbs or globes are one of the most popular styles of cremation glass keepsake urns. Some orbs are made with a hook, so they can be hung to catch the light. They come in every color imaginable. Colors are swirled through clear globes, showcasing brilliant white cremation ash.
Another popular orb style is the globe paperweight. These orbs come with flat bottoms so they can rest sturdily on whatever stack of papers needs tackling next. A beautiful cremation paperweight will be a solid companion during daily chores.
Some orbs feature beautiful flowers or other botanicals. These flowers aren’t abstract shapes but are instead lifelike replicas of nature’s most beautiful ornaments. You can choose a specific type of flower in the color of your choosing.
Glass Hearts
Another common request cremation glass blowers receive is for a cremation glass keepsake to be made with the deceased favorite colors. And since hearts are one of the top cremation keepsake shapes, many people have sports-themed glass hearts made in honor of their deceased beloved. Another popular style for cremation glass hearts is an American-themed heart to honor the fallen soldier or veteran. These hearts feature the vibrant red, white, and blue of our nation’s flag.
These beautiful keepsakes symbolize the place in your heart your departed loved one will always occupy.
Cremation Glass Touchstones
Glass touchstones are a popular and economical way to gift multiple cremation glass keepsakes. And, unlike a lot of cremation glass, this is an item that is not only intended for everyday use but to be kept on your person in a pocket or a bag. Touchstones are small, oval disks with a curved indentation on one side, almost the kind of shape you’d make by pressing your thumb gently into clay. This shape is recreated in glass and is meant to be used like a “worry” stone, and rubbed when thinking, stressed, or otherwise fidgety. It can give each family member a small token of their loved one to keep with them.
Glass Ornaments
There is an almost endless variety of cremation glass ornaments. Memorial flames are popular, shaped like a captured flame in your chosen color. Hummingbirds are often chosen for their beauty and their ability to be hung in a sunny window to watch their real-life counterparts. Another popular shape is the egg. Similar to the orb, it is often used as a paperweight. The unique shape of the egg allows for dramatic use of color. Flowers are chosen by many for their beauty, versatility, and ability to be displayed. However, if the shape or item you’re looking for isn’t available, you can work with a custom glass artist to make whatever you want.
Glass Keepsake Urns
Because of its versatility and beauty, glass is a popular medium for cremation keepsakes. Many people make cremation glass keepsakes for themselves or a large group of people after someone passes on. These keepsakes are popular ways to keep a tangible part of a deceased beloved close by.
Glass keepsake urns are perhaps some of the most profound of the cremation glass items. A cremation glass urn allows you to display your deceased loved one’s remains in a meaningful and beautiful way. Choosing a unique, hand-made urn to hold your loved one’s ashes is a great way to honor their memory. Glass urns come in whatever style, size, or shape you need and can be kept at a special place in the home or can be used to scatter a portion of a loved one's ashes.