Where Life's a Beach Every Day!

The Story Behind the Inspiration

      With my father's passing, this last January became a time of deep reflection for me. I had already created a video clip celebrating his life which took me down the long and winding Memory Lane.

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      My heart was wide open as I chose all of the best photos to use from amongst my dad's 90 years worth of a life well lived. I finished it before he died so he could enjoy it too. Then all too soon he was gone.  

      Shortly after, my sister and brother asked me if I would like to create a special urn that represented his outstanding life. I was so honored that they would ask me, and of course, I took it seriously. It also allowed me to work through my grief by keeping busy creating art.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           I knew I wanted it to be trophy shaped, and just by chance, I had a pretty vintage green glass vase that would work great as the urn base. I found an old glass candy dish lid at a garage sale a few years ago, it fit perfectly, and would make a great top piece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

      I proceeded to gather items that represented dad. I came across an old double-faced wristwatch he used when he traveled the world and his old broken pair of sunglasses with only one earpiece attached. When he gave those two things to me, I remember thinking, "Are you kidding me, what in the world am I going to do with these?" Into my mom's Hope Chest they went and stayed for years until this divine "ah-ha" moment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           In a brave moment, I cut the sunglasses apart and decoupaged his image behind one of the lenses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      I decided it would be fun to attach 3 different mug handles to the side of the urn representing his 3 children. Then I placed 3 birds in between the  handles representing his 3 sets of grand kids.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      As I plunked the 2 carved wooden ducks on the lid (he was a hunter), I fondly remember the person that gave them to my two boys; my mom's best friend Bette. Even more special.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Coconut buttons (for all the Aloha shirts he wore because we moved here), a brass button with an anchor on it (he was in the Navy), 4-leaf clovers (he always said he was a lucky man), his signature written 3 different ways behind glass tiles, dice (for all the games he loved to play with us), my mom's photo behind a large glass bauble (she passed away over 36 years ago so I made it look like a faded memory), a blue and white ceramic image of a cottage (he was a contractor), a glass star (because he was), his initials: NP, a wing (his angelic side), a leopard print tile piece (his wild side), a magnolia flower (he loved them), a butterfly (because butterflies are free), his name "Papa Nick" in Scrabble pieces (the grand kids starting with our oldest son, Levi, called him that), seashells, and beach glass galore all personalized this labor of Love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      I think it was on the 3rd day of production, that I realized that I wouldn't be able to give it up. Crazy, I know. Taking a chance of eternally enraging my siblings, and considering that I had only 4 days until I needed to send a completed urn, I had to work fast! The new one had better be even more spectacular than the first one, since I had excitedly described and explained it to their anxious minds in detail how fabulous it was going to be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      The next morning, I was straightening up the guest room when I saw a vase on the dresser that I had made about six years ago and thought, "Why not?" It's really a beautiful piece and my dad had said he really liked after I first made it.

      Years ago I had bought the vase at our local Ross store. I followed the pattern on the sides (I  thought it looked like hanging ferns), attaching the beach glass, pottery, and shells that my two boys and I had collected. I've enjoyed it immensely, but now it was to have a new and important purpose.

      Now to find a suitable lid for it. I quickly began to scour my house and studio and, wha-lah, I found a random metal sugar bowl lid that had been my great Auntie's. There it was hiding in a drawer, separated from it's partner for years, waiting for the perfect moment to catch my eye and assist me in making a lasting memory.

      She was my grandfather's sister and they both immigrated through Ellis Island from Sicily. She never had kids of her own so she absolutely adored my father since the day he was born! She was by far my favorite aunt as well, and I miss her terribly. I placed a piece of blue tape to let the people at Greenwood Mortuary where the front is. I wrote this on the inside of the lid:

*Sangu Miu*

Love, Marie... and Aunt Pina too! xo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      That's an old Italian expression that means, My Blood (family or relation). My Aunt Josephine Franco (Pina for short), would always say that upon greeting us while smothering us with kisses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      I arranged pieces of coral to create a tall dramatic center piece and gathered the same beach glass, pottery, and shells as was on the vase. I was able to match the grout perfectly, thank goodness Home Depot still carried the same color. Finishing up, I sealed the grout on the new top piece and also reapplied sealant to the vase, now my dad's urn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      In the midst of all of this, I happened to see a listing online in an Etsy shop. Someone was selling 3 pieces of Uranium beach/ sea glass, also known as Vaseline glass for around $24.00. Since I have a nice size collection of beach glass, I thought I'd better investigate to see if I had any pieces myself. Sure enough, I did! Pretty cool. Then I thought I'd better look on dad's urn. I placed it under the black light as well and lo and behold, there were 6 pieces! So, I added one more small chunk to the lid, bringing the total to 7... a very spiritual number indeed, and associated with heaven. Nice to know that dad's urn is equipped with eternity lighting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      I also offered to make the prayer card. My dad wasn't really a religious man, so my sister picked out two poems that she felt reflected his spirit and I chose photos of the sunset view off Coronado island from his living room, a black sand beach shore, shots from a cruise ship as backgrounds, and of course the perfect photo of our dad. I decided to include the urn on it since it is so unique, just like he was, and it is to never be seen again, just like he was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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      I packed it tight, said a prayer, and mailed it to San Diego. It made it there in one piece, even after a 3-day delay that caused my sis and I some concern. Here it is holding our father at his Celebration of Life, in all its glory, surrounded by his favorite cookies, sweet-smelling candles, my eulogy pages, and with a cheery fresh flower lei I made encircling it.

 

      If you would like more information on creating

a one-of-a-kind urn for a loved one

please contact me anytime.