Houd Forever with Me ~ Cremation Ash Memorial Glass Dread Bead

I am ready to share the sweetest piece of ash (a Houd-ism) I will ever wear in my hair.  My friend Houd (click here to read more about him) took his own life last year.  I obtained a very small amount of his cremated ashes and commissioned a talented glass-blowing friend to make me a cremation ash memorial dread bead.  The ashes are incorporated into the glass, forever encapsulating them.  I am thoroughly pleased with her work, I can't thank her enough.  Stunning. 

If you would like to commission my friend Jen to create a custom cremation ash glass bead, you may contact her through her Etsy shop PACIFICNWGLASS (click here to visit her shop)


Read about Houd's send off here

Read about the Ocean Beach Spirit Cleansing Ceremony for Houd here

See photos of the cremation ash glass memorial bead creation here


Forever rest in peace my friend.

Cremation Glass Ash Memorial Dread Bead

Jen's workstation

I am so very excited to show you a HANDMADE glass cremation memorial bead for my dreadlocks!!!  My friend Jen who owns Pacific Northwest Glassblowing used my dear friend Houd's ashes in the process.

Torch flame

Bead mandrel and dichroic glass

 From Jen:

Bead mandrel I bought special for this project.. it is covered in a volcanic ash that allows me to work the glass and the ash together without sticking to the metal.. this is a dichroic glass cane I use for sparkly color

Color rods used

Tool used to prepare Houd's remains

Encasing the remains in clear glass

Beautiful

Jen's send off photo. (Even more astounding in person.)

 

This incredible glass bead was made from my friend Dustin's cremated remains.  I found Jen's shop through Etsy when I opened our shop.  Then I joined some Etsy teams and found the Deadhead Art Alliance!!  The team also has a facebook page where I happened to see a post about a cremation memorial bead.  At the time there were no listings in her Etsy shop Pacific NW Glass so I requested a custom item, we talked and now I have what you see here.  Her glass blowing skillz are ah-MAZING!  You can visit her official website here.  My bead was waiting for me at the Post Office and is now in my hair.  I will share a photo soon.


Read more about this sweet piece of ash here:

Houds Send Off

Ocean Beach Spirit Cleansing Ceremony for Houd

Houd Forever with Me ~ Cremation Ashes Glass Memorial Bead

Ocean Beach Spirit Cleansing Ceremony for Houd

Update from Jen:


Today is a day for PEACE. I had an Ocean Beach Spirit Cleansing Ceremony for Houd (short for Houdini) The blue silk material contains the ashes of his dear soul. The saltwater symbolizes the purity of the being, feathers symbolize flying free and returning as the soul he wishes to be, the shells to symbolize the leaving of one body to find the next, and the driftwood a symbol of moving from one place to another. The sand is the medium that glass is made from and that the ash will become a living part of.

Glass is a material that is a unique one.  It's both a solid and a liquid at the same time.  Even in it's hard (bead) state, the molecules are always slowly in motion.  Which takes the inert ashes back into a moving state, which I feel keeps the souls happy and knowing they are cared for instead of left alone for eternity.

Circle

Houd

Excited for the next step!  I love seeing an artist at work and one that cares so deeply for our loved ones.  Jen truly is a unique person with beautiful handcrafted glass.


Read about the Houd's Send Off

See photos about cremation ash glass memorial bead creation here

Houds Send Off

Houd

I am so very excited to tell you alllllll about my friend Jen and her beautiful glass blowing skills!!  She will be making me a glass cremation memorial bead for my dreadlocks of none other than my dear friend Houd's ashes.  I obtained a small amount (less than a 1/4 teaspoonful) from his mother and shipped them off to Jen.  I will be posting her words and photos she provides me of her process.  I am so happy to be sharing all this with you and her shop, Pacific Northwest Glassblowing.

Months ago when I happened to see a post on Facebook about somebody elses memorial bead, I was immensely curious.  I was not quite sure I had ever heard of such a thing, nor did I know it was possible.  Well, why not?  So I inquired.

Ashes, double bagged and ready for send off

In Jen's words:

I'm blowing a cremation glass ash memorial dread bead in honor of this fallen life and in honor of his eternal soul finding peace. 


Read about the next step: Ocean Beach Spirit Cleansing Ceremony

365 days of drawing ~ day one hundred four ~ Trees and Tents with Houd

The last pencil stroke has been made.  This is my dear friend Dustin or Houd (short for Houdini).  I knew when I started my 365 days of drawing that I would be drawing portraits of my dear departed friend and my family that has passed on.  His portrait started on day sixty-one.  I did not know at that time I would be incorporating the loved ones of my friends as well.  You can read more about the portraits ahead here.

A few weeks ago I was driving into the city to run an errand and as I was driving I came upon a man walking alongside the road.  He was wearing jeans, hat, long dark coat, had shoulder length hair and was wearing glasses.  After passing him and looking in my rear view mirror I nearly had a stroke.  My friend Houd!  I was sure of it.  Without thinking I immediately turned my car around and drove past him, after realizing clearly this was not Houd I felt a bit foolish.  My mind thought I saw him walking alongside the road, but my heart knew the truth.

365 days of drawing ~ day one hundred

 

I am so close to being finished, I can almost see him standing right in front of me.  I have some blending to do on his nose and a few more places to darken, but that is just about it.  I am so excited to present this to his mother.  I hope I made Houd proud.  I will get to take it to her in person and give her a giant hug.

I will be making prints and listing them for sale in my Etsy shop at $5 a piece + shipping and handling.  If you are reading this and know you want a print, give me a heads up so I can be sure to get enough made.

365 days of drawing ~ day ninety-nine *bonus

I still see a few things I want to darken and a few I want to lighten, but its almost complete.  I am very happy with it at this stage.  I am really looking forward to hanging a print on my wall. 

I am also uber excited about his upcoming journey to California.  I have less than a teaspoon full of his cremated remains that will be made into a glass bead I will wear in my dreadlocks.  When I first opened my shop on Etsy and joined the Etsy Team Deadhead Art Alliance, I met Jen.  She owns two Etsy shops Ocean Beach Glass and Pacific NW Glass.  She is the Deadhead Art Alliance Captain and runs our collective store front on Etsy.  Team members can donate their handmade items and the funds are used to pay for vending, events or help out a team member in need.  I saw Jen list a custom item with the words cremation, memorial, glass bead and immediately inquired.  Turns out she can make a glass bead with cremated remains!!  So we will be featuring the process, her shop and the bead coming soon!  The process will take a while, after she receives the ashes she will meditate, spend some time getting connected to him, prepare herself and put all the love, light, positive energy into the handmade masterpiece - all while letting his spirit guide her hands.  It is amazing and I am so blessed to know her.  I cannot wait to share all this with you.

365 days of drawing ~ day ninety-nine

Being gone for ten days, I see all the things that need to be done.  Darkening of shadows around the eyes, correction to the bottom lip and darkening of the background and hair.   I had a lot of fun while in Tennessee, my mind always wandered back to Dustin though.  I don't think I will be taking another ten day vacation from my drawing.  Next time I will remember to bring my sketch book and pencils. (both of which were a graduation gift from my high school art teacher)  With all this drawing I am doing I might have to finally replace my set, I have a small sentimental attachment to them.  My first real set of drawing pencils, they probably will go in my keepsake box.

While on vacation I was asked if I ever had any formal training.  I answered that, "why yes, my high school art teacher was also an artist."   An excellent artist, drew lots of surrealist art.   My senior year I took as many art classes as possible.  That's it folks, a little talent, a little determination, hard work and lessons from a high school art teacher.  Oh and practice, every little bit counts.  Rome wasn't built in a day.

Jack Daniels Distillery Tour with Houd

I have been away from drawing portraits for a week and a half, currently working on my friend Houds portrait.  This past week my little family traveled to Tennessee and while we were there we visited the Jack Daniels Distillery.  I knew Houd and Coyote would enjoy this trip so I brought them along......well, I brought along his action figures.

365 days of drawing ~ day eighty-eight

On my mind all the time.  Not going to be complete before the end of the month and I am okay with that.  I still see things I want to correct.  I am only afforded small bits of time lately.  Houd and Coyote are going on a little vacation with us soon.  Love cannot be hasty, we will get back to our portrait soon enough.....then our adventure will be done for awhile.  I have a full year of beautiful souls still waiting for us.......

365 days of drawing ~ day eighty-six

I heard the whisper.  Life has been busy and I knew I had to make the time for Houd.  I am nearly finished.  I see more things that need corrected first, but I think I captured the thought in his head at that moment.  Tell me, do you see it? 

365 days of drawing ~ day eighty-three

Working on the brow and putting the sparkle in his eye.  Almost there.

365 days of drawing ~ day eighty-one

.....

365 days of drawing ~ day seventy-nine

Working on his forehead and brow, was interrupted in the midst of making big changes.  Time and tide wait for no man (or woman, or children).

365 days of drawing ~ day seventy-eight

Shade, shade, shade.  I won't rest until the shading is just right. 

365 days of drawing ~ day seventy-seven

  

 

Still have more shading and darkening to do, but I love it so far.  Love, love, love.  It's him.

My heart and mind will forever remember him.  I haven't forgotten about my friend, Russ that committed suicide 20 years ago and I won't forget Houd either.  To lose a loved one is sad, but to lose a loved one by their own hand is even sadder.  Every time I go to the library I think of my friend Russ.  Every time I go camping I will think of my friend Houd.

365 days of drawing ~ day seventy-six

I am happy to be back at it.  One small doubt crept it's way in and made me take a step back.  It's been brushed away so onward and upward from here.  I can almost see the end in sight.

365 days of drawing ~ day seventy-two *bonus*

Just had to work on it some more.  More shading, more definition, more Houd.

365 days of drawing ~ day seventy-two

Working, working, working. 

365 days of drawing ~ day seventy-one

I am so sorry.  This is the most difficult thing to do right now.  I love memorializing my dear friend, but honestly it fills me with sadness and love that is often overwhelming.  I know he is in a good place and it feels selfish at times, but I would rather have him here.  I am finding I need more breaks than I did with my last portrait.  Death is still fresh and the wound is still open and sore.  Being so far away from his home and our chosen family, it is apparent that I still have much grieving to do.  I can't just go visit his camp site or sit down for a talk with his mother or girlfriend.  I am sorry that I am not strong enough to work on his portrait every single day.  And mostly I apologize to Houd, but you all should know too. 

The damage done by taking your own life is like a ripple in water and it carries farther than anyone could ever know.