I used my much prettier Bible which is KJV and have it open to the First Sorrow— The Prophecy of Simeon:
"Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Luke 2:34-35 KJV
I also placed my Seven Sorrows rosary here. The white candle I planned to put a picture of Mater Dolorosa, to remind me of the 7 day Saint candles I used in Latine Catholicism of my childhood. I have sticker printer paper to do that. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do that nor print artwork to frame it because my printer is entirely broke.
Still it being Candlemas I thought it important to place the intended candle in this space. I obviously can't get any candles purified and blessed at a Church. But it is purified in my heart by its designation solely to Mary and it will never be used in any of my other traditions.
This is literally the ONLY space in my ENTIRE room where I could place these items, every other surface is covered and has been since I moved everything for the potential flood and never moved them back. The blur is because there are other items in the space because its so small. What I couldn't blur is a homemade cloth doll my Yaiyai made for me.
*In Christianity a "home altar" is set up as a place & reminder to pray. Thus "altar" "marian altar" "shrine" "kamidana" have different meanings in my religious practice.
DIMENSIONS – This icon is approximately 4.75” x 7.75” x 0.125” - shipping is included!
ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATION – This icon was created with my original illustration of St. Dymphna.
BEAUTIFULLY HANDMADE ICON – Each icon is crafted with wood, acrylic paint, and printed paper before being carefully sealed with a UV-protective glossy finish. Meant to have imperfections due to their unique, unfinished nature, brush strokes may be visible. The black frame is painted with silver foil to create an interesting textured finish. The back of the icon includes a sticker with the Cella Bella Illuminations logo and website.
I’ve been steeping in Catholic social media for more than 20 years, seeing into the lives and homes of people who identify very strongly as Catholics. And yet somehow all that time, I’ve been able to resist the idea of putting together a home altar. It always felt like something that other people do, people with tidier home and more orderly lives.
It’s not that I’ve kept some kind of aggressively…
The very unusual turn of the head on this figurine makes it a piece. A small pocket-sized one ready to travel with you or ready to take a place of honor on your home altar.
Honestly the pipeline of “reading the-modern-typewriter snippets at midnight on the floor of my bathroom at age eleven so I wouldn’t get caught” to “being a tumblr writer myself” is a wild one.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️How to create a Love altar to attract true love:
1. ✨Select a Dedicated Space✨Choose a quiet and undisturbed area where you can set up your altar.
2.✨Symbolic Items✨ Place items that symbolize love and romance, such as rose quartz crystals, heart-shaped objects, and items that hold personal significance.
3.✨Candles✨Use candles in colors associated with love, like pink or red. Light them during your altar sessions to enhance the energy.
4.✨Fresh Flowers✨ Include fresh flowers, preferably in pairs, to symbolize a blossoming and flourishing love.
5.✨Personal Touch✨Add personal items, like a photo of yourself or an item that reminds you of a happy and loving moment.
6.✨Intention Setting✨Focus on your true love intentions while arranging and interacting with the altar. Envision the kind of love you desire.
7.✨Regular Maintenance✨ Keep the altar clean and refreshed regularly. Replace flowers, cleanse crystals, and maintain the positive energy.
8.✨Meditation and Visualization✨ Spend time in meditation, visualizing the love you wish to attract. Feel the emotions associated with being in a loving relationship.
Remember, the key is sincerity and positive energy. Use this altar as a tool to align your intentions with the energy of love.
I was going to make a joke about these being the shittiest Inari fox statuettes in the history of Shinto, but you know what? I think I did a pretty good job! Especially considering I made them from scratch out of Fimo dough using a fork, a paperclip and an eraser.
We getting closer to preparing the altar. Mom bought white threat for the altar cloth, I am doing some touch up paint on the Hobby lobby Angel. I bought a small booklet on the Divine Mercy, a Divine Mercy candle, a new Chaplet with beads specifically made for it, and a very special painting of Our Lady.
DIMENSIONS – Each icon is approximately 5” x 9” x 0.25”
DAMAGE-FREE HANGING – While not included, this wooden icon is flat on the backside which is perfect for hanging with Command Strips. No nails or hooks required!
ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATION – This is one of my original illustrations of the Madonna and Child, "Our Mother's Gentle Kiss" that was inspired by Our Lady of Guadalupe and the art piece "The Kiss" by Gustav Klimt.
I’ll be moving in a couple of weeks, and I’m procrastinating on packing by planning out the interior design 😅
The plan is to make something out of black-and-white pictures of my favorite deceased authors to decorate my writing space as sort of an ancestral altar/vision board art piece.
I can’t decide between these two for Toni Morrison because they both give very different vibes that I love equally: