With this organic urn, you can become a tree when you die

There's an increasing trend of people choosing cremation over burial as a funeral rite. Why? Because in most cases, cremations are cheaper, and they offer some flexibility for the family in terms of memorial service. Some people wish their ashes to be scattered, while others choose to keep their remains in an urn or in special jewelry. I don't know about you guys, but when I die I want to be immortalized as a tree.

This is possible with Bios Urn, a biodegradable vessel made from coconut shell, compacted peat and cellulose that turns ashes into a beautiful tree. Designed and created by Barcelona-based Gerard Moline and Martin Azua, the urn comes with either pine, gingko, maple, oak, ash or beech tree seeds, but just about any type of seed or seedling can be used.

The ashes are stored in the lower part of the container and the upper section holds soil. Eventually, both the urn and ashes become part of the subsoil. In case you didn't know ashes, including those from cremated remains, are a good sources of phosphorus for plants.

Now that's the tree of life!

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James DeRosso's ceramic monsters

I really like these whimsical ceramic creatures by James DeRosso. Yes, they have bulging eyes and toothy grins, but they're not scary at all. The Portland-based artist started making cute monsters while he was a student to jokingly create gargoyle-like guardians for the kiln. After other students kept taking his quirky little figures, he realized there was a market for them. "I'm enjoying the whole monster making niche," James says. "It's amazingly gratifying to be doing ceramics full time and especially to be a teacher introducing kids to the joy of clay." Be sure to visit his website and like his Facebook page for the latest monster news.

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Hand-Painted Movie Posters by Tony Stella

In the 70s and 80s movie theaters in Manila were usually standalone buildings with nice seats and red curtains. To sell tickets, cinemas needed to advertise their offerings. But they did not have the original posters, or the means to print alternatives. So they made their own, commissioning local artists to hand-paint them. I really miss those hand-painted posters and billboards, which conveyed an artistry that was a form of visual hyperbole. But hand-made objects always have a way of returning. In this digital age, people will always look for things made by hand. I recently stumbled across the work of Tony Stella, whose genuinely cool movie posters have caught the eye of film enthusiasts and art lovers worldwide. He likes to work in watercolor and ink wash but sometimes he will make an oil painting, depending on the film. Tony's very active on social media, and his Tumblr blog contains a massive collection of illustrated movie posters that are often better than the original. ...

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