Paw print pet memorial jewellery

Understandably I am often asked to add a paw print to my pet memorial jewellery for pet hair and ashes. This is usually a single silver paw print inside the pendant and is often accompanied by a silver name or initials. An example of a pet hair keepsake pendant that I have previously made containing a single paw print can be seen below.

Pet hair keepsake keyring with paw print

I was recently contacted by Kathryn who wanted to preserve some hair from her much loved pet within a resin keepsake pendant. Kathryn supplied me with a sketch for her personalised design for the pendant and said "I attach a photo of a basic idea of what I am thinking about - the main question is do you think you will be able to get the four paw prints in as I've drawn? I was just thinking I like the idea of the four as if he were walking / standing there!"

This is the first pet hair pendant that I have made to contain four paw prints, and it is a lovely idea!

Pet hair pendant with paw prints

After receiving her pet memorial keepsake pendant, Kathryn sent me this lovely message:

“My jewellery has arrived safe and sound - I absolutely love them they are exactly what I wanted and just perfect. I cannot thank you enough for your amazing kindness in sending the additional pendant and charm - I was overwhelmed! For the first time in so long I cried happy tears...

Thank you so, so much. Now he will not only be forever in my heart but physically close to me as well. I miss him so very much - knowing I have a little part of him with me all the time helps. 

Once again thank you...

Kathryn"

I have been making pet hair remembrance jewellery for many years and I love how the designs keep evolving. Also receiving lovely messages like this after people have received their keepsake jewellery means the world to me. 

Mick

Jewellery Containing Hedgehog Quills (or Spines)

Did you know that the hedgehog quills are made from a protein called Keratin, the same protein that can be found in your nails, skin and hair? An adult hedgehog has 5-7 thousand quills over its body, and the hedgehog sheds the quills over time, with new quills growing back to replace them...just like your hair!

In 2015 I made my first resin pendant containing hedgehog quills (or sometimes known as spines). The lady had sadly recently lost her pet African pygmy hedgehog called Orinoco and sent me the quills so that I could form them into some remembrance jewellery for her. I received the quills and set them within a resin heart shaped pendant (after handling the quills very carefully). I set the quills fanning out from the centre of the heart shaped pendant and included silver lettering for the name of the hedgehog across the centre of the pendant.

Hedgehog Quill Pendant

Since making this pendant I have been asked many times to make similar pendants for people (I did not realise how many people kept pet pygmy hedgehogs, with the UK African Pygmy Hedgehog Facebook Group having over fifteen thousand members at the time of writing this). The following example resin pendant was made for the owner of a pygmy hedgehog called Milky. Fewer quills were sent to me this time however as you can see the effect is just as lovely.

Hedgehog Spine Necklace

And finally, a sterling silver circular pendant containing a small selection of hedgehog quills; even though very few quills were incorporated into this sterling silver pendant, they create a wonderful effect.

Silver Necklace with Hedgehog Quills

Many thanks for reading about my jewellery incorporating hedgehog quills. Quick question, do you refer to them as Quills or Spines?

Mick