Paper Altars. a how to, recipe for tipsy cherries and giveaway.

I had a beautiful evening. Watching these women create and dream and leave with pieces of themselves captured on paper reminded why these gatherings are vital for our souls. The making, the circling, the giggles, the moment when someone discovers their ability to create something beautiful; it is change and joy and magic. And I got to see some of my Magic Making Circle members in person and they are stunning.

 

I knew the event would be called Paper Altars as I looked around and saw how much of my altars included secret messages, textures, fortunes, cards, vision pages. I just had no idea exactly what we would do. Enter Bernadette (pictured next to me above) and her creative ways. Bernadette made these paper altars that held three sections for us to work in.

 

Our prompts were around our past self, she was (but only about 6 months back) and our I am and our becoming, the self who is guiding us and shaping us. I asked everyone to bring a picture of themselves that they loved, that felt a bit like the spirit guide of self. The creation of the altars felt like prayer mixed with girls night. Bliss really.

 

Here is how you can create your own paper altar ::

 

 

Photo #1- We used an 11” x 14” sheet of poster board.

Photo #2-Fold the poster board in half 11” to 11” side.

Photo #3- Rub the folded edge to create a crease.

Photo #4- Using a ruler, draw  2 lines: 2.5 “ from each side edge, 3.25” long from folded edge.

Photo #5- Using scissors or a ruler with an X-Acto knife, cut along these two lines. Be sure to cut through both layers of poster board.

Photo #6- Open poster board and pull center cut piece towards you, reversing the existing crease on itself.

Photo #7- Keeping center piece on the inside, refold poster board on its original crease.

Photo #8- Rub on new fold to create new center crease.

Using words, images and textures we played with color story and where we were being guided. There were flowers and glitter and messages from past self to present. The altars are gorgeous.

There were also tipsy cherries. I found a jar of maraschino cherries with no food dye in them and drained the liquid from the jar. I replaced it with bourbon and let them sit for about 12 hours. Then I took the cherries and placed them on parchment paper. I drizzled melted dark chocolate over each one and then placed in refrigerator until we gathered. It made the perfect one bite treat as we circled at the end of the night with story, laughs and maybe a couple of tears.

Bernadette and I have a special surprise for 2 people. Your own paper altar form and a bag stuffed with fun fabric and texture and paper to start to create your own paper altar. I will include the prompts to play with also.

To enter the giveaway here is what you can do ::

Leave a comment on the blog, down below. Tell us three words or phrases of who you are becoming. Let your self that is in the future be a guide, spend time with her, listen and dream together.

I will choose the winners on Sunday, April 6th. xo