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A Mother’s Love, Held Forever
Some requests stay with you forever. A mother once asked me for exactly that — to hold her daughter’s hand again, long after she was gone.
Memorial casting can create a tangible keepsake from a moment that families never want to forget. This is the story of Libby and her family, and the silver hand casting I created to honour a mother’s wish to hold her daughter’s hand again.
A Family’s Journey to the Studio
Libby’s family travelled three and a half hours to my studio. She was the same age as my eldest daughter and terminally ill. Her family were exhausted, yet they wanted a 3D keepsake that could hold her memory forever.
Her mother said quietly, “I want Glenda to cast your hand… so I can hold it later.” Libby held her hand in a very specific position, so her mother could grasp the finished keepsake once it was done.
This wasn’t about creating an object. It was about capturing a mother’s love, frozen in time.
A Family’s Journey to the Studio
Libby’s family travelled three and a half hours to my studio. She was the same age as my eldest daughter and terminally ill. Her family were exhausted, yet they wanted a 3D keepsake that could hold her memory forever.
Her mother said quietly, “I want Glenda to cast your hand… so I can hold it later.” Libby held her hand in a very specific position, so her mother could grasp the finished keepsake once it was done.
This wasn’t about creating an object. It was about capturing a mother’s love, frozen in time.
A Keepsake in Precious Metal
For this memorial casting, I worked in hallmarked sterling silver. During the process, Libby’s Pandora ring slipped into the alginate and became part of the plaster. It couldn’t be removed without risking the whole piece, so it stayed — embedded forever. The ring, the hand, the connection: inseparable, timeless.
For Libby’s family, I also created a family handcasting, 2D raised handprint and footprint tiles, and several silver jewellery pieces, each with its own personal touch. But it was the hallmarked silver hand casting that stood out — a moment, a touch, a mother’s love — something a photograph could never quite hold.
Experiences like this are why I believe memorial casting has to go beyond technique. It’s not just casting a hand or a footprint — it’s capturing a presence, a touch, a memory that will last. Every detail matters, for the family who will hold it.
Love, Memory and Timeless Responsibility
Libby passed away a couple of weeks later. She never saw the finished casting, or got her ring back. Her family didn’t collect the piece for two years — yes, I know. Her sister visited and apologised, saying their mum was still struggling. I understood completely. No apology was ever needed.
That keepsake still holds her presence, her warmth, the touch of her hand — and her mother’s love, exactly as she asked for it. Keepsakes are never “just objects” — they carry love, memory and solace, and a responsibility only properly trained hands should take on.
I share Libby’s story not because it’s easy to tell, but because it’s exactly why I believe this work deserves to be done properly — with skill, patience and genuine care for the family on the other side of it.
For those who feel drawn to this work, I offer 1:1 memorial casting training for professionals who want to learn the techniques properly, while understanding the care and responsibility that comes with working for bereaved families.