Mixing Granite Colors

Go out to any cemetery and you will typically see a pattern with memorial colors: You'll see a the same colored tablet with the same colored base with the same colored flower pots. It's a tradition that has been carried down through the decades and really looks great! The Evans monument in this photo is made from Impala Black Granite and features a custom shape-carved border around the bottom. It also features Impala Black Granite vases to compliment it.                                                                                

One way you can add interest to your loved one's memorial without breaking the bank is by mixing granite colors. Granite, as  you know from our previous post, comes in countless colors. While not all granite colors are suitable for memorial use due to their grain patterns and density, it is fun to play with the colors and create a unique memorial that stands out for all the right reasons!                                                                           The McCollough monument in this photograph is one of our favorite memorials because it is done tastefully and in a manner that really highlights the beauty of the stone. Here we have used a Georgia Gray granite that has a sawn finish. That basically means that the granite is not polished and shiny. You can think of it as a matte finish if you like. We paired the stone with all polished black vases that help bring out the black paint in the lettering on the stone. 

If you would like to create a beautiful and unique memorial for yourself or a loved one, please feel free to call or come by one of our two locations:

Springdale

806-B S. Thompson

479-751-5573

Bentonville

907 N. Walton

479-254-1973

We also work with several funeral homes, cemeteries and retailers in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. Ask for us by name to ensure you are receiving one of our high-quality monuments.

Creating Timeless Memorials

One of the things I enjoy most about my job is the opportunity to really get to know the families I work with and help them create beautiful memorials for their loved ones. That is also the hardest part of my job, as it is tough to watch families hurt and try to cope with the pain they are feeling. However, it is always an honor to know that they have chosen to trust both myself and my team here at Emerson to create their loved one's memorial.

When families come into our store they often come in with an idea of what they would like the memorial to look like. Sometimes the idea is something they thought up that represents a hobby, belief, or life long mission. Other times the family might bring in photos of something they have seen out in the cemetery that they would also like to have for their loved one.

I recently worked with a sweet family that came to me with an idea for a memorial for their beautiful daughter. They brought in this photo (below) and asked if we could do something similar.

There were several things the family liked about this monument. They loved the shape with the detailing on the top and bottom sides. They also loved the raised carving (you can see the carving just above her name appears to "pop out" from the granite) and the two bases that it sits on.

As I began to visit with the family about their ideas I came to learn that they wanted the design to be soft and feminine yet classic. We decided that a raised, shape carved rose in place of the hand would be stunning, along with a raised, shape carved ivy border up top.

The family also told me that the monument would be going in an older section of the cemetery and that the surrounding monuments looked like this (below).

Isn't that beautiful?! Those old monuments are stunning and timeless, two elements that the family wished to accomplish with their daughter's memorial. Keeping the surrounding monuments in mind, we suggested that the monument be "steeled". A steeled monument is a monument that has had the shiny polish removed to create a classic look.

Once we worked with the family and they approved of the shape, size and design, we began working on the monument. I have added photos of the process below.


We sandblast the monument

We carefully place a specil stencil on the monument.

We shape carve the monument by hand

Beautiful!

Completed monument in the cemetery

This stunning memorial is a beautiful reminder of sweet Cara's life and the legacy that she left to her family, friends and to others whose lives she may not have even realized she touched.

If you are interested in creating a memorial for yourself on a pre-need basis or for a loved one, please contact Emerson Monument Co. and we will help guide you through the process.



But I Found it Cheaper Online!

A few months ago my husband and I began planning our first family vacation to Disney World.
NOW, if you have ever planned the proverbial trip to Disney World, then you are aware of the expense involved. From getting there to lodging, to dining, park admission and entertainment...the trip ain't cheap! So we decided we would save money where we could, including the air fare to get there.

Rather than book airline tickets through our normal airline carrier we decided to book through a new-to-our-area discount airliner. The flight is direct and was supposed to be inexpensive. Or so we thought.

You see, the airline carrier advertised $75 one-way tickets to Orlando. What a bargain, right??!!
But then they charged us for checked luggage (if you are going to be at Disney World for a week with kids then you are going to have to check some luggage), carry on items (If you have flown with small children then you KNOW you must have something on board to keep them happy and quiet), and they even charged for our seats on the plane...in coach class. Once they added on all of the taxes and fees our airline tickets cost just as much through the "discount provider" as they would have had we purchased them through our normal carrier. And you don't get frequent flier miles as a thank you, either.

You see, online "discount" monument providers are a lot like that discount airliner I wrote about. I recently stumbled accross an online "discount" monument provider who was advertising granite markers for $199 with free shipping. That sounds pretty good, right? Especially considering that the same marker in our store cost $395.

BUT, when I started reading about the product I started noticing that they had pulled the old "advertise low, upgrade 'em high" trick.

You see, what they have done is market a product for $199 that looks okay and, by all means, "gets the job done". However, the price only includes certain things. For instance, the name. They had advertised that the engraving is inlcuded in their price but only for a name (first and last) and two dates (years only). If you would like a middle name, middle initial or suffix, that will be additional. If you want the actual month and date and year of your loved one's lifetime, that is additional too. And, if you would like a graphic or an epitaph, that will be extra as well.

Another issue arises, which is installation. Sure, you can haul the marker to the cemetery, buy some supplies and place the marker yourself. But the marker is going to be heavy (100+ pounds depending on size!) and you will need the necessary tools and supplies to do the job right. Or, you can hire a company to do it for you.

The last issue that arises is that of maintenance. You see, the Earth is constantly moving, thus causing the ground to settle and making the marker subject to shifting along with it. Our price always include a guarantee on the way the monument was placed in the cemetery and we are always glad to go out and raise and/or straighten the monument if sinking or shifting occurs.

So, by the time you add in the extras that the online discount provider tacks on, and the time and materials it takes to set the marker, and the future expense of having someone fix it if and when it settles, you would have spent far less by purchasing the marker at Emerson Monument Co, your local monument manufacturer and dealer.

At Emerson Monument Company our price is always clear. We let you know up front what is included and never cut corners on quality. If you have any questions about the process of purchasing a memorial or need help getting started, please contact us and we will be glad to help!

Beautiful Bronze Statuary

When the fine folks at the First Christian Church contacted Emerson Monument Company regarding a bronze chalice to go atop their beautiful mahogany granite columbarium, we were up for the challenge. The chalice has great meaning and symbolizm to the First Christian Church, as it represents a central place of communion in worship. The Cross cut-out (shaped as an X below) is known as Saint Andrew's Cross and represents the importance evangelism.

First Christian Church Logo

After obtaining an understanding of what the chalice should look like and the size that it should be to appropriately fit on the columbarium, we were able to collaberate with both our bronze manufacturer and our setting crew to determine the design details.

Once the design was determined, we received a styrofoam model of the chalice itself.

Styrofoam model

Once the styrofoam model was approved, a wax model was created. The wax model is what is used in the actual bronze-pouring process. We put the chalice next to a water bottle to give perspective to the size of the chalice.

Wax model

After the wax model was approved, it was time to pour the bronze. Now, I am not a bronze expert, nor do I claim to be. So, in order to share the process involved with creating bronze statuary, such as this, I found a video on You Tube that actually shows it.

The result was this beautiful bronze chalice!

Actual chalice

The final step in the process was to place the chalice on top of an existing granite columbarium. Our setting crew did a fantastic job of placing the chalice, thus adding the finishing touches to this stunning memorial.