About Kindred Keepsakes
Pets have always been part of our family. We grew up with dogs and have shared our home with cats, and every one of them found a place in our hearts. They listen without judging, stay close through the hard days, and quietly become family.
Kindred Keepsakes began with loss. When our cat Bones passed away in September 2026, we engraved her portrait on natural slate and set it on a rock in our garden. Bones always met us at the door with a meow, and if the petting stopped too soon, she’d reach out a paw and tap us on the chest. As a stray, she came to us with so little and left us with so much.
While making hers, we made one for Roxy too, the dog we lost a few years ago. Roxy was clever and gentle. She’d rest her head on your lap and give you that look until you knew exactly what she wanted, and she’d spend hours in her spot watching the front yard, chewing her bone and keeping an eye on the squirrels. Her slate now sits on our mantle, in front of her urn.
A friend of ours saw them and said other pet lovers would probably want one too… so here we are. Now anyone can have their furry friend, the one who made life that much better, set in stone.
Then we thought, why only make them for pets who have passed? Why not for the ones still here with us? That’s where Storm came in, our calm boy with bright blue eyes and a weakness for belly rubs. His portrait is a reminder that these aren’t only for goodbyes. They’re for celebrating the pets in your life right now.
How we make them
Every slate starts with your photo. We create the portrait design with digital tools, including AI, guided by our own design process, then engrave it on natural slate, centre it by hand, and seal it with a clear coat. Each portrait is an artistic interpretation of your photo, and no two slates are the same. The natural edges and small marks in the stone are part of the beauty.
Our hope is simple: that when you open it, you feel that catch of joy, and that the pet who touched your life is forever loved, set in stone.