Memories to Heirlooms

Diane, like me, is a Saver of Treasures. She finds meaning and stories in anything from a beaded dress to a matchbox car.  So I was honored when she brought me a box of her prized possessions and asked me to make two Bearlooms, one for her parents and one for herself. Some of the treasures were her:

• daughter's wedding vail
• granddaughter's shoes
• grandson's hat
• mother's pink ball gown
• husband's matchbox Jaguar car

Each one of these I get to make is always beautiful to me. Still, I know that when Diane sees them, they are bursting with memories and stories, allowing her to see them in a way no one else ever will.
Do you have cherished treasures tucked away?  Contact me, I would love to talk to you about how they could be worked into an heirloom to live in your home

One of my dearest friendships is with my teaching partner, Mary Lou.  We were a formidable team as our talents and temperaments were a wonderful combination that greatly benefited our students.  Our relationship goes far beyond the classroom to the point that I was officially inducted into her family!   
​No surprise, I was pleased to get the announcement that her grandson, Connor, was getting married.   I offered to make a tree skirt as my gift to them, and Courtney, the bride-to-be, graciously accepted.  

 Courtney liked this design by Penny Lane Primitives, a 13 inch candle mat.  So I used it as inspiration to create a 39 inch tree skirt.

Best wishes to the happy couple for many happy Christmases to come.

My mother once said, "Part of heaven is when people say good things about you after you are gone."  This is the heart of Remember When Studio.  

After my father died, I looked for ways to keep his story in my life.  One way was to give each family member a "Plant a tree" ornament in his honor. For me, this ornament always has a special place and is kissed going on and off the tree. 

When my sister-in-law passed, I wanted to keep her close and share her stories. An ornament was my natural way to do that. Over time and experimentation, I came up with this design which created a story starter to an amazing woman's life. I loved this design so much that I designed and created one for my father and both sets of grandparents.  

Each ornament is: made from porcelain clay, stamped with:

• name & signature
• quote that represents their life

Inside is a charm that sparks their story.

When my friend Pam passed, I was able to make one to celebrate her life for her friends and family.

As each is placed on the tree, I hope that questions are asked, and stories told, sending a bit of heaven to those we love for years to come.

I would happily create a unique ornament to celebrate someone you love. Contact me, and we can design one together.

For my first nephew, John, I decided to make and purchase ornaments for his first Christmas. A tradition was born. 

This past year I created a series of ornaments to honor family members who are no longer with us. They have the loved one's name, a favorite quote, and a charm that helps to tell their story. Attached is a picture of them with a story starter of who they were. I hope that it will lead to sharing many happy memories keeping their life story alive to new generations.

The ornament is one of the last gifts given Christmas morning.  I have always known that a unique book or toy would outshine it that day, but each year another ornament arrived.  Now that those children are adults, I often hear how I am part of their holiday.  When I made an ornament for her wedding  favors, my niece Abby wrote:
Ever since I can remember, my Aunt Jean has been creating beautiful, sentimental gifts for Gerdes family birthdays, holidays, and celebrations. Over the years she has made jewelry from my grandfather's cufflinks and teddy bears from his suits; custom clay portraits of beloved family pets, and personalized aprons for the time we spend baking together. 
I treasure everything my Aunt Jean creates but I have always especially loved the ornaments she makes for our family every Christmas. Every year without fail, she crafts something special for us all to hang on our trees - an ornament that commemorates a significant moment from the year, imbued layers of symbolism and heartfelt detailing. I treasure these ornaments because collectively they tell a story of our family, a story we can look back on and celebrate each Christmas season. 
 It doesn't get better than that! ​​​