OUR STORY

This is the story of how Cremation Creations began.

The journey truly started with my wife, Betty, and her passion for animals. Betty is a small animal veterinarian, and she has had a deep love and appreciation for animals since she was in grade school. When I met her in 2008, I knew I had something special, and I didn’t want to let her go. I spent countless hours at her veterinary office, watching her work her magic with both people and their pets. In 2009, we tied the knot, and not long after, our son C.J. was born—our little “peanut.” In 2012, I decided to leave my job and become a stay-at-home parent.

Over the next few years, I assisted Betty with her business wherever I could—everything from basic painting and renting floor buffers to remodeling parts of the veterinary hospital. I often helped her during house call euthanasias, and each time, witnessing the end of a pet's life never got any easier. However, learning about the circumstances behind each pet owner’s decision to end their beloved companion’s suffering brought me some peace.

It was deeply touching to see how much these pet owners loved their companions. I realized that these animals were not just pets; they were family members. I enjoyed hearing the stories of their lives together, from how they met to the touching memories of travel and time well spent. Often, owners would cradle their pets during their final moments, surrounded by photographs depicting their life together. Regardless of the pet's age, size, species, or breed, they are genuinely and deeply loved, and each will be missed terribly.

In 2017, my wife introduced me to a gentleman named Mike, who had started a company called Guardian Angels, chosen by Betty to assist with the aftercare of these beloved animals. During an open house for Guardian Angels, Mike and I talked, and I learned that he offered a wide variety of services, including glass beads containing ashes that owners could wear as keepsakes. He also expressed a desire to find someone who could fill a niche that many of his clients were asking for: custom earrings made using their pet's cremated remains. Since I had some time on my hands as a stay-at-home dad, I decided to give it a shot and create a set of earrings and a ring.

Even though making jewelry didn’t align perfectly with my passion for woodworking, I pondered how I could help Mike while also complementing my wife’s business and her love for animals. I asked myself if this was something I was capable of doing and whether it would allow me to continue being the stay-at-home dad I loved to be.

I began acquiring supplies and equipment, allowing my creative and engineering sides to come together to create something unique and hopefully desired. I developed designs for custom, personalized wood rings, titanium channel rings, earrings, keychains, handmade urns, and pendants—all made with cremation ashes combined with Opal or mother-of-pearl.

In January 2018, I finally created a pair of cremation earrings and a ring that I felt were worthy enough to share with Mike from Guardian Angels. Much to my surprise, my wife suggested we get a business license. So, in February 2018, I embarked on the path to building a website. On March 14, 2018, Betty personally drove me to the San Diego County Assessor, and the website was promptly turned on for business.

Ultimately, I hope to provide cherished, one-of-a-kind keepsakes—pieces of jewelry that allow someone to carry a part of their loved one with them. Thank you for considering allowing me to create something special for you!