Here’s a votive I created for a customer and shipped it directly to Rosie’s family with a note from the sender in the card you see below. Below that is the recipient’s response.
Rosie’s votive with the complimentary sympathy card at her person’s home.
Both the sender and recipient permitted me to use the photo and comment between the two sisters.
Rosie’s Votive with candle.
When I designed my first custom votive for a friend using a portrait I’d painted for her, I actually cried when I lit the candle and look at the kitty’s face. Now I do that with every one I make. I consider the creation of a remembrance item an honor.
The sample votive you see here was 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.
For more information on votives, visit A Quick Introduction then follow the links to read about choosing a photo and ordering.
All images and content are copyrighted and may not be used or reproduced in any way without my written permission. Please contact me if you are interested in using any of my content.
I featured all my Custom Pet Memorial and non-custom pet remembrance gifts, and animal portraits. Hosted by The Creatures of the Creator 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Unity Presbyterian Church, 1146 Greentree Road, Green Tree
I’m a member of this pet support group at a local church. I’m so happy to be a part of this event to celebrate our animals each year. Last year I met Winnie and her family, and made a few new friends too.
I’ve been busy creating some new Custom Pet Memorial items that I’ll share after this event is over…because I’m still working on them today!
And my display looks a little “flat” compared to the usual—because it is! Storms were moving in and very gusty winds were tossing things around including all those glass votives and suncatchers so I laid everything flat on the table. And if certain areas of the photo are a little blurry, that’s why.
I’ll have my Custom Pet Memorial items:
Custom Pet Memorial Votives
Several styles of Custom Pet Memorial Suncatchers
Custom Pet Memorial Garden flags
Non-custom pet memorial remembrances:
Non-custom votives
Non-custom pet remembrance garden flags
Non-custom remembrance keepsakes
Love Never Ends votive
Window Silhouette Votive Lamp
Love Never Ends garden flag
A selection of Animal Sympathy Cards.
Custom Commissioned Portraits samples and Gift Certificates.
Marketplace is a feature on The Creative Cat to share the latest coming out of my studio with my readers. Once a week on Thursday I feature something new in my “shop” .
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.
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. I plan on plenty of events this coming summer in the Pittsburgh area.
It’s all done under the close and careful supervision of my studio cats!
All images and content are copyrighted and may not be used or reproduced in any way without my written permission. Please contact me if you are interested in using any of my content.
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.
Sometimes a custom background is part of the design, either the background in the provided photo, another scenic background, or a pattern. Pearl loved sleeping on the patterned porch chair and it was in the photo I used, enough of it to be able to trim sections out of the provided photo and blend the sections together in a continuous pattern. I placed Pearl on top of the pattern with the section of it that was under her face included with her. Below are views of each side and the back.
And here is what the votive looks like when the candle is lit.
Pearl’s votive lighted front.
Pearl’s votive lighted back.
Customizations cost $10.00 extra for a specific background, another subject, or text, like a name and dates, or a tribute incorporated into the design. You’ll find these listed as “Extra Services” in the drop-downs when you order, but you can check with me before you order if you have questions.
The sample votive you see here was 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.
My display and tent at the Blessing of the Animals, 2025.
I made a quick video of my display at the end of the Blessing of the Animals yesterday, 30 seconds so it could easily fit most social media formats. Ran out of space on my phone to make a longer one! So here we are:
“We’re getting ready to pack up at the Blessing of the Animals today. The weather turned out beautifully and I got to see old friends I haven’t seen for a while, and talk to a lot of people about my Custom Pet Memorial gifts and non custom remembrance gifts, including the fact that they can just be nice gifts for people who like their animal companion’s image on things.
I’ve linked above to each of the custom pet memorial and non-custom pet memorial items and gifts you see here. Soon enough I’ll have a better video to present these items. For now, here’s the one I shared on social media yesterday.
All images and content are copyrighted and may not be used or reproduced in any way without my written permission. Please contact me if you are interested in using any of my content.
I’ll feature all my Custom Pet Memorial and non-custom pet remembrance gifts, and animal portraits. Hosted by The Creatures of the Creator 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Unity Presbyterian Church, 1146 Greentree Rd., Green Tree
I’m a member of this pet loss support group at a local church. I’m so happy to be a part of this event to celebrate our animals.
I’ve been busy creating some new Custom Pet Memorial items that I’ll share after this event is over…because I’m still working on them today!
I’ll have my Custom Pet Memorial items:
Custom Pet Memorial Votives
Several styles of Custom Pet Memorial Suncatchers
Custom Pet Memorial Garden flags
Love Never Ends garden flag
Non-custom pet memorial remembrances:
Non-custom votives
Non-custom pet remembrance garden flags
Non-custom remembrance keepsakes
Love Never Ends votive
Star of Wonder Votive
Love Never Ends garden flag
A selection of Animal Sympathy Cards.
Custom Commissioned Portraits samples and Gift Certificates.
All images and content are copyrighted and may not be used or reproduced in any way without my written permission. Please contact me if you are interested in using any of my content.
