THE cremation rate has been steadily rising in the U.S. over the past few decades, with nearly half of Americans now choosing to reduce their deceased loved ones to ashes rather than spend a fortune on burial plots and coffins.

    Even though it’s more economical and eco-friendly to cremate, there is the awkward question of what, exactly, to do with that loved one’s ashes.

    That’s where Chronicle Cremation Designs comes in: The New Mexico-based company will turn those ashes into works of art that are both practical and sentimental.

    Founder Justin Crowe was inspired to start his cremation ceramics line after his grandpa passed.

    “Being with my grandfather when he died in his home had a profound impact on my outlook,” he told Mashable. “Home is a place that is routine, average and familiar, and experiencing such a huge emotional event in that environment helped normalize his passing for me.”

    “Instead of observing an urn or photograph on a shelf, I wanted a way to interact with memories on a daily basis,” he explains on his website. “Our process was born out of a desire to keep those who’ve lived before us remembered in daily life.”(SD-Agencies)