Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Marketplace: Ziggy Stardust’s Special Custom Votive

votive with white cat
Ziggy Stardust

When I make a custom pet memorial votive I try to choose a background color for each one that either appears in the photos provided, like a favorite blanket or the color of the couch, or a color that complements the pet and helps them stand out when the candle is lit. But sometimes a customer asks for a special customized background as Ziggy Stardust’s person requested.

Ziggy was beloved by both her and her husband, and was in fact his “first cat.” He was devastated when they lost her and still grieving. When she saw my votives in an article she contacted me and asked if I could add some stars to a purple background inspired by her namesake in pop/rock music. She knew this votive would be very meaningful to her husband and would give it to him for Christmas.

As a graphic designer for decades I have a huge collection of stock art to work with and as an illustrator I can also create bits of art if I need it. Stars were no problem, and I knew just the shade of purple. I created the background and designed the votive, then sent her the digital file to be sure it was what she had in mind. It was, and I made up the votive.

Shipping into Canada from the US

They live in Canada, so her other question had been whether I shipped into Canada, and how much it might cost. Shipping into Canada can have so many extra charges with taxes and duties that a small gift can often cost less than the charges. But the shipping company I use has a special deal for shipping into Canada, even all the way to Alberta from Pennsylvania with only a $10 surcharge above the standard label cost. She let me know afterward that there were no extra charges and it only took 10 days total to receive it.

Here’s what Ziggy’s votive looks like when lit.

votive with white cat
Ziggy’s votive in dim light.

More about my Custom Pet Memorial Votives

A Custom Pet Memorial Votive is a gift for yourself to remember a beloved animal companion, or to send to a family member or friend to show you remember their companion too, and recognize their loss and grief. I create a custom votive using images you provide. If your votive is a gift, I can ship it directly to your friend with a customized sympathy card at no extra charge.

custom pet memorial votives
Custom pet memorial votives

My votives originated as custom gifts I made for friends. I make your Custom Pet Memorial Votive with love and sympathy on the loss of a precious companion, be it yours, or a friend’s or family member’s companion. I designed the votives to focus on your companion’s face, and position their image so that the votive candle illuminates their face and shines through their eyes. During the day your votive captures ambient light even without the candle, but in the evening, when the candle is lit, the flickering light through your pet’s face in a darkened area is warm and intimate. Watch the video below as I place a lighted votive candle into Luna’s custom memorial votive.

How I make each votive

Stormy’s votive.

The sample votives you see here were ordered by one friend to give to another, and both parties gave me permission to share the images. I never use any image of a custom item without permission.

Above, Stormy’s person was happy with his votive because she loves the rainbow theme and feels like he’s up in the clouds in heaven. You’ll see this softly colorful watercolor background on the sympathy note card I offer with each votive and other places in my designs. I created it for the design for a friend’s pet loss CD in 2009 and I offer it as a background for any votive. Customizations are extra because of the extra time involved, but the watercolor background has no extra charge

While I love to be creative with upcycled materials and make many votives using non-recyclable glass jars, I prefer these memorial votives to all be consistent and focus on the animal. I chose a square glass votive that I can easily purchase and you can focus on the face of your beloved companion, not be distracted by the shape or see an image possibly distorted by the glass. Several customers have ordered more than one, and it’s good to see them consistent as a set.

Working with your supplied photo or artwork, I use my decades of pet portraiture on paper and canvas and my Photoshop skills to prepare the image to fit the votive. I remove background distractions and correct distortions if necessary, and add a color or gentle pattern that suits your pet, pulling ideas from the supplied photos.

Another customized votive. Pearl loved sleeping on the patterned porch chair so we included it on her votive. Customizations cost $5.00 to $10.00 extra, but check with me before you order so I can estimate.

I print that image on a frosted vinyl label that holds the image with clarity and diffuses the light of the candle, and wraps completely around the outside of the votive.

You can use a wax votive, but as much as I love real candles and flickering candlelight, with years of curious feline noses and waving tails I’ve been trained to use flameless candles. I provide an LED votive candle with each votive I make that has an inexpensive and easily purchased replaceable battery so that you don’t need to run out and find a brand new votive to continue remembering your pet when the original grows dim.

Each votive is packaged with a small care and use card and a message of sympathy from me, “May their light shine on you always”.

If your votive is a gift a sympathy card with your message is included

You may include a message to any recipient. I offer memorial note cards that are blank inside where I will write your message and include it, in an envelope, with the votive. There is no charge for this.

The card for your votive.
The card for your votive.

Custom Pet Memorial Votives are $35.00 each shipped within the US, which includes a sympathy card and LED tea light as well as shipping, whether to you or a friend, handling and taxes.

If this votive is a gift…

I’ll be happy to ship it directly with a card at no extra charge.

  • Use the drop-down to enter your choice of standard or other sympathy card.
  • Use the text box to enter your message for the sympathy card and optional text for the back, if necessary.
  • If you’ve chosen a sympathy card from my collection, use the text box to enter the design name.
  • Please enter the recipient’s address in the “Shipping Address” area of the shopping cart.

Whether the votive is for you or a gift for a recipient, the votive and card are carefully packed and shipped in a Priority Mail box.

 


Click here to order a Custom Pet Memorial Votive

 


Marketplace

Morty carefully checks each votive I make.

Take a look at other new merchandise and featured artwork.

Once a week on Thursday I feature something new in my “shop”, whether that’s here on The Creative Cat, on my main website or even at one of the bricks and mortar shops that carry my work.

Read about creating custom items

Find out more about creating custom items for your own home using the images you see here. Visit the “Ordering Custom Art” page to see samples and read bout how to order.

Find out about events and festivals where you can find me and my work.

Sign up for my e-newsletter (below), check the widget on the sidebar on my home page, or sign up to receive posts on Portraits of Animals Marketplace.

It’s all done under the close and careful supervision of my studio cats!


Copyright

All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.


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© 2022 | www.TheCreativeCat.net | Published by Bernadette E. Kazmarski

Weekly schedule of features:

Sunday: Essays, Pet Loss, Poetry, The Artist’s Life

Monday: Adoptable Cats, TNR & Shelters

Tuesday: Rescue Stories

Wednesday: Commissioned Portrait or Featured Artwork

Thursday: New Merchandise

Friday: Book Review, Health and Welfare, Advocacy

Saturday: Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Living Green With Pets, Creating With Cats

And sometimes, I just throw my hands in the air and have fun!

 
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Bernadette

From health and welfare to rescue and adoption stories, advocacy and art, factual articles and fictional stories, "The Creative Cat" offers both visual and verbal education and entertainment about cats for people who love cats, pets and animals of all species.

2 thoughts on “Marketplace: Ziggy Stardust’s Special Custom Votive

    • Thank you! I really think looking at something we find beautiful brings peace and joy, and helps with grieving.

      Reply

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