There are many ways to remember a loved one. For some people, setting aside time to make something is the perfect way to reflect and create a very personal keepsake. You don’t need to be an expert crafter to make a meaningful memorial. Here are five ideas for simple and inexpensive craft projects to help you remember.
Scrapbooking and photo albums
Scrapbooking is a way to keep and organise personal or family memories. A wide range of items can be used to create a scrapbook, from photographs and newspaper cuttings, to invitations, ticket stubs and letters. Personal notes can be included to make sure you remember the story behind each item.
Similarly, photo albums are an excellent way to preserve memories of special times. There is no correct way to make a photo album. They can be organised by date, occasion or a random collection of pictures that bring back happy memories. If you don’t have printed photographs you can use a digital photo frame that will scroll through all your images or use one of the many online services available to make and print your own photo book.
Framing handwriting
Framing old notes, recipes and letters is an impactful way to preserve your loved one’s original handwriting. At its simplest, all you need is a frame and a handwritten page.
It is also worth noting that continued exposure to sunlight can fade writing ink. If you really want to preserve your loved one’s writing for future generations, consider using a frame with UV protection glass or laminating your handwritten page with a UV protective film.
Drying flowers
Drying your loved one’s favourite flowers will let you keep them on display all year round. There are several ways to dry flowers, but probably the simplest is to remove the leaves from your flower stems, arrange them in small bunches, tie them together at the bottom of the stems and then hang them upside down in a cool, dry place. Hanging them upside down will help maintain their shape and after two weeks you should have a beautiful dried-flower display.
For single, more delicate flowers, place them in a container with fine silica-gel beads. As the bloom dries, cover it gradually with more silica. After a few days, when all the moisture has been removed, take the flower out of the silica, brushing off any excess beads. Single stems or bunches can look beautiful in a vase, but also try putting them in jars or box frames.
Rock painting
Painted rocks - sometimes called kindness stones - can be any shape, size or colour. Very often painted in bright designs, they feature pictures, names or initials and even inspirational quotes and messages. Beyond creating a unique keepsake, the process of rock painting can be therapeutic, giving you the opportunity to lose yourself in the creative process.
Completed rocks and stones can be placed near a loved one’s headstone, in a garden of remembrance or kept at home or in your own garden. If you are leaving the painted rocks outside, it is best to use acrylic paints.
Christmas tree ornaments
Not everyone puts up a Christmas tree, but if you do, a handmade keepsake to place on the tree is a wonderful way to remember someone that you have lost. Blank acrylic discs can be painted with names and quotes. Others allow you to slip in a photograph or image. Clear plastic or glass baubles can contain mementoes, from fabric to photos.
Blank wooden ornaments are also available in a range of seasonal shapes. These can be painted or you can glue a favourite photo to them. Using Christmas cards or name tags that you have kept from previous years is another way to keep your loved ones close at a very important time of year.
