Remember your beloved pet.
Over time, pets become part of the family. Losing one can hurt just as much as losing a person. Finding ways to remember a lost pet will help the family to heal and move on from the loss. Crafting pet memorials gives family members a chance to talk about the good times and also creates a lasting tribute to the lost pet.
Shadow Box
Gather special things that remind you of the pet. Ask each family member to find something they would like to include. Ideas include a dog collar, name tag, favorite chew toy or favorite blanket. Find a picture of the pet as a baby and fully grown.
If you have fabric from a bed or blanket your pet often slept on, cut it out to make the background of the shadow box. Arrange the photos on top of this background and glue into place. You may need to use a glue gun to attach photos to fabric.
Arrange the pet's special items in the shadow box. Include the entire family: Each person can help place the items in the box and talk about why each one is important to the pet's memory. Hang the shadow box in a place the family passes by often, so that the pet is thought of often throughout the day.
Pet Scrapbook
A scrapbook is an excellent way to preserve memories of any special occasion. The loss of a pet can be difficult, and creating a scrapbook about the pet's life can help the healing process. With a scrapbook, the entire family can work together to create a lasting tribute to the animal they have lost.
Collect photos of your pet through different stages of its life. The whole family should give input on which photos bring back memories. Looking through pictures will help you remember the good times.
Let each family member create a few pages of his or her favorite memories of the pet. Pull out all the scrapbook supplies you have and let everyone design their pages as they wish. If there are young children in the family, ask them about their favorite memories of the pet. Write down these memories and add them to the scrapbook.
Make a front page that includes information about the day your pet joined the family, where it came from and why you choice this particular animal. Put together a final page that mentions how the pet died and when.
Dog Tag Jewelry
Purchase some leather jewelry string and large beads from the craft store. You can also purchase alphabet beads with letters on them. Collect all of your pet's old dog tags and allow your children to create beaded jewelry in their beloved pet's memory.
Help your children decide if they want to make a bracelet or necklace. Put one of the dog's tags on the leather string and allow the children to arrange beads around it. If you bought letter beads, spell out the dog's name. Your children will have a wearable memory of the pet. As the children get older, they likely will not wear the jewelry anymore, but it will remain a keepsake to treasure.
Tags: each family, each family member, entire family, family member, favorite memories, good times