Handmade Wall Altar

     In her book about altars Denise Linn discusses wall altars that can be created on a shelf. She also says: "Some of the most magical altars are handmade. By building a shelf for your altar you are infusing it with love and care that will continue to emanate from it for a long time."

    This shelf was handmade with love by my husband a very long time ago. For many years it hung on the wall in our living room. Now it hangs on the wall in my own room where I can see it from my desk and from my green chair. 

    Over the years I have placed a variety of objects in the cubbies of this shelf. Each item is meaningful to me. The current display includes photographs of my two children when they were younger. The madonna and child icon was carved for me by my father. The two icons of Jesus were gifts from our neighbors in Oneonta who used to go to Greece every summer to visit family. 

    The eggs on the top and the bottom of the shelf were part of my mother's large collection of marble and decorative eggs. I would love to know why she had such a passion for eggs, but I didn't think to ask her when she was alive. Eggs are symbolic of new life and resurrection. When I look at my mother's eggs they make me think of mystery and new opportunities. One never knows what might hatch out of the imaginary egg of possibilities!

    I also wish I had asked my mother about the identity of the women on the top shelf egg. I took a close-up picture, hoping that someone can identify these ladies for me:

Source: Altars by Denise Linn