We're All Going to Die: Ossuary Jeweler Kristin Bunyard on Death, Art, and Preparation

<p>Natalie Buster welcomes <strong>Kristin Bunyard</strong>, an artist and author who is not afraid of the podcast&#39;s core philosophy: &quot;We&#39;re all going to die.&quot;</p><p>Kristin works with death every day, first as an <strong>ossuary jeweler</strong>, which is Latin for &quot;house of bones.&quot; Kristin shares how she ethically sources materials, transforming bones from roadkill and farm animals into stunning, contemplative art and jewelry. She also explains her philosophy on <strong>pet memorial pieces</strong>, often encouraging sculptural work so that beloved animals can still be &quot;seen every day&quot; in the home.</p><p>The conversation then turns to her end-of-life workbook, aptly titled <strong>We&#39;re All Going to Die</strong>. Kristin reveals how a personal experience planning her grandmother&#39;s funeral—and the realization that her family lacked critical details—prompted her to create a straightforward guide for planning your final days.</p><ul><li><p><strong>Guest:</strong> Kristin Bunyard, Ossuary Jeweler and Author</p></li><li><p><strong>Host:</strong> Natalie Buster (affiliated with Abode Contemplative Care for the Dying in San Antonio, Texas)</p></li><li><p><strong>Book Mentioned:</strong> <em>We’re All Going to Die</em> (End-of-Life Workbook)</p></li></ul><ul><li><p><strong>[00:00:00] The Core Philosophy:</strong> The host introduces the empowering idea that the sentence &quot;We&#39;re all going to die&quot; should empower, not frighten, us.</p></li><li><p><strong>[00:00:23] Introducing Kristin Bunyard:</strong> The host introduces Kristin, an ossuary jeweler and author of the end-of-life workbook <em>We’re All Going to Die</em>.</p></li><li><p><strong>[00:01:44] Defining &quot;Ossuary Jeweler&quot;:</strong> Kristin explains the origin of the term, noting that &quot;ossuary&quot; is the Latin word for &quot;house of bones&quot;.</p></li><li><p><strong>[00:02:30] Sourcing the Materials:</strong> Kristin discusses her dedication to ethical sourcing, obtaining materials from roadkill, farm deaths, and occasionally for pet memorial pieces.</p></li><li><p><strong>[00:03:07] Pet Memorial Philosophy:</strong> Kristin shares why she often encourages clients seeking a pet memorial to choose sculptural work rather than jewelry, emphasizing the importance of still seeing their loved one in their home every day.</p></li><li><p><strong>[00:03:58] The Host&#39;s &quot;Original Death Doula&quot;:</strong> Natalie shares a fun anec