urn cozies and vintage books

Here are a couple of new knit urn cozies, which will be available for sale on my soon-to-be-revised website (details soon!) This lovely wine colored cozy is by Andrea Lesley Crochet. Andrea's an amazing Etsy seller well-known for her adorable tea cozies. So while you may not be in the market for an urn cozy at this time, please check out her tea cozies, they'll make the perfect gift sure to help warm up chilly autumn evenings.

The lovely thing about knit urn cozies is that they're simply created to cover the plastic box that most people receive from the funeral home. Whether you're planning to scatter the ashes at a later date, or simply don't know what you want to do just yet, knit cozies like these offer a nice warm, textured alternative to a stark plastic box.

I personally love the way these cozies look with vintage, well-loved books. The knit cozy below is another nice option by The Hat Pit.

One of my goals with this project is to help people find ways to bring urns into their daily lives - so many people I've spoken with don't know what to do with urns they receive, and all too often they end up (guiltily) in the back of a closet. In their attempts to be respectful, traditional urns can unintentionally take on an ominous presence. For me, these knit cozies are a friendly and unassuming alternative. They don't suck the air out of a room the way formal urns can.

I hope others will agree with me!

warmth

When you think of urns, the words "soft" and "tactile" rarely come to mind. I'm hoping to change that with knit urn cozies. This one is created by Andrea Lesley Crochet, who's well known for her handcrafted tea cozies. Isn't this lovely?

ammo urn

Just had to share this vintage ammo box I bought on Etsy, which I believe will make the perfect readymade urn. I love the bright red paint and the little "bomb" on the side. What do you think? It's gotta be perfect for somebody, right ... ?

R.I.P. Don Draper

As I mourn the end of Mad Men Season Four, I ponder what would Don Draper do with his ashes. I think he'd go for something simple yet elegant. Something like this:

Although it looks mid-century, this modernist urn is contemporary, and can be purchased at Portland Natural Caskets. Made from salvaged Oregon grown Walnut and FSC Certified maple, this urn would fit in with any modernist decor. It has all the beauty of a mid century sideboard, but measures only 16"(w) x 6"(h) x 7"(d). Unlike most urns, this one provides space for displaying personal mementos, even a highball (or two). I've never seen anything like it, and I think it's seriously gorgeous.

And Peggy Olson? I hate to even think of her demise. But when her time comes, I think she'd prefer something a little more artistic, like this Rosenthal Netter Italy Pottery urn set (thanks Vintage + Goodness = Happiness).

And Joan? I see her in something like this gorgeous yet bold Raymor Pedestal Vase, offered by Cammoo.
Of course, I'm not here to plot the demise of my favorite television characters. I'm inspired by the Modernist design renaissance ignited by this show, yet surprised there are so few options when it comes to memorials and urns. We think about how we live, but not how we die - why not do it in style? I'm especially thankful to Portland Natural Casket Company for their innovative designs, and plan to post more on them soon.