How to Create a Personal Altar in Shared Spaces

Sometimes our spiritual practices might weird people out.  Why do you have all those rocks? people ask.  What's all this stuff on this table? they'll say.  Often as their picking items up and turning them over in their hands.  Keeping a discreet altar - whether in your home, office, or dorm room - can have an array of benefits with out having to explain things to curious folks.  Though, I am always down for it personally...it can be kind of distracting.

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Creating an altar in your personal space is important.  Whether it is for ritualistic practices or a place for peace and meditation, we often don't want to have our personal spaces invaded or feel odd for having them in the first place.  Keeping a discreet altar space can be perfect for those still in the broom closet or those who share a common space - like a shared apartment or dorm room, or for a more intimate office setting.  Personally, I have a big ol altar at home in my spare room that I don't care if anyone sees but when it comes to keeping somethings on my office desk - for personal power, calming vibes, and just all around comfort - I choose to do something discreetly that doesn't even seem like an altar at all!

Items to Include on your Altar

While everyone has different things on their altars here are a few key pieces to keep in mind:

The Elements 

You can represent the elements - fire, air, earth, water - in various ways.  Add plants for earth, an essential oil diffuser for air & water, etc.  You can also charge these things with your intentions as you set up your work space.  The great thing about a diffuser is that you can choose certain oils with certain correspondences but you can also charge the water with your intentions as you fill your diffuser for the day.

Deity Correspondences 

Different knick knacks on your desk can have different associations to certain deities if that is a part of your practice.  You don't need to have an all out dedicated statue that may seem out of place (we're attempting to be discreet here) but just a little tchotchke with your personal deities will add just a touch of reverence to your space.

Current/Relevant Spellwork

This may be something that might only apply if you're currently doing any spellwork around your place of business - maybe keeping a money spell present, etc.  Not something totally necessary but you may find a place for it.

Personal Power Objects

While a little woo woo for my office, I used to keep the current crystals I was working with on my desk.  These were visual reminders for me throughout the day for certain energies and emotions I was attempting to usher into my life.  Same with the essential oils I'd use.  You can also choose other tchotchke like items that have a certain personal power significance to you but that aren't necessarily woo woo.

Creating Your Altar, Discreetly

Like I mentioned, at home I go all out with what I've got on my altar - crystals, boxes, oils, incense, animal totems, sabbat decorations, I mean it's endless (and often a mess!).  But in smaller or more public spaces, we can be more choosy or specific.

 Work Space Altar

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Diffuser // Air Plant // Terrarium // Crystal Points // Essential Oils // Cat iPad holder // Gold Hippo 

Depending on where you work, your personal space may have very different types of decor.  The example above has a sleek look and features a lot of light.  This is a great little space to feel inspired!  I imagine the person in this office getting so much stuff done!

My personal desk space at work isn't as elegant as this so I choose to express my quirky fun side with some plant Shopkins (yes, I'm a 30 year old woman who thinks shopkins are the cutest), my diffuser, and other objects that remind me to lighten up.  My job can be kind of intense with a lot of frantic energy so fun little objects that lighten the mood and cheerful essential oils keep me in the good vibes category!

Dorm Room Altar

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Diffuser // Essential Oils // Balloon Dog // Balloon Piggy Bank // Succulent Collection // Crystal Collection // Fluorite Crystal Point

I think most of the time in a dorm room or shared apartment we're among like minded people so it might not be too weird to have some of these things around your space. But we still might not be ready for a ton of questions.  Creating a small altar space on your desk, night stand, or little shelf in your room can make our shared spaces seem a little more sacred.

When I was in college I loved to have small collections of inspiring nick knacks.  These little collections of things really made me fill at home and gave me a space to feel inspired.

Creating these personal altars bring a feeling of safety to our spaces.  We feel at home and we feel like we can still work on our personal goals.  Sometimes we are asked to be different people in different spaces - at work I'm not going to blabber on about chakras (unless someone asks) - so bringing elements of ourselves into these spaces can give us a sense of purpose.

If you'd like to learn more about crystals, essential oils, chakras, etc head on over to join the Live & Create Facebook group where we talk about mindful & creative living through productivity, planning, and personal growth!

Do you personalize your spaces?  Do you have a personal altar at work?

xoxo, Moe

Make it Monday // DIY Dollar Tree Ostara Altar Decor

Spring is almost here!  I am so excited for warmer weather and longer days.  At the beginning of February we celebrated Imbolc which is about the first inklings of spring shinging through - more active animals, longer days, maybe a hint of green here & there.  

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Today's DIY is focused on creating budget friendly Ostara decor from supplies found at the Dollar Tree!  There are a ton of pretty spring things out right now.  My favorite find was the springs of lavender which is perfect for this project.  Purple is such a spring color.  And I found these amazing speckled eggs that look like they came from a high end decor shop.  Dollar Tree for the win - 6 pastel speckled eggs in a little egg container for only $1!  I couldn't link these for you below, but I've linked what I can.  Even the bunnies came from the Dollar Tree.  Assorted Spring decor for $1 each!

supplies : mini wreath, lavender sprigs, speckled eggs, moss, hot glue gun & glue sticks, wire cutters/snippers

Start by snipping buds from the flower bunches.  Don't snip too close to the base of the flower, you want to make sure there is enough stem left to push into the wreath.  Organize the flower sprigs on the wreath form the way you'd like.  Using the glue gun place a line of hot glue on the stem & push it into the wreath.

Pull some of the leaves from the stems & add those in to your floral mix.  This creates a little bit of depth to the arrangement.  The arrangement is going to be on the side of the wreathe, so press these leaves into the arrangement upright.

Next it is time to add the speckled eggs.  We're mainly working with a lot of visual balance in this project.  The floral arrangement is on the right side of the wreathe and the egg & moss grouping is going to ground back down the overall design.

Attach the moss to the wreathe by putting glue on the wreathe first then pressing on the moss.  The moss sticks together, but small pieces will fall off.  It was a mess.  Pressing the moss on to the glue allows you more control over it.

Keep it balanced by creating a cluster of three eggs in the moss.  I chose pink, yellow, and blue for the eggs to compliment the purple lavender sprigs.  Adding two egg in the front & one egg in the back makes a lovely little scene.

Now for some facts:

What is Ostara?

The Vernal or Spring Equinox falls on March 20th.  Also known as Ostara, the Spring Equinox celebrates the balance of light and dark with light beginning to increase until we get to the longest day of the year the Summer Solstice.  It is one of the eight holidays or sabbats on the pagan Wheel of the Year.

This Pagan holiday celebrates the maiden goddess that overseas the budding of plants and the idea of fertility as she begins to interact with the horned sun god.  The maiden goddess transforms over the year from maiden, to mother, to crone.  She is fertile now, just as the earth is, ready to conceive.  So now is the time to celebrate planting & new life to harvest later in the year (at celebrations like Litha & Mabon).  We can also celebrate a goddess like Persephone who has emerged from her stay in the underworld.  I personally think Ostara celebrates newness & new life.

Easter, the Christian holiday celebrating Christ's resurrection, is most closely related to Ostara as it celebrates rebirth & shares similar symbols.  However, Ostara & Easter don't really have any close linguistic relations (from what I've read when trying to find a definitive answer on this).  These two holidays seem to just fall closely & share symbolism.

Symbols of Ostara

Around this time we start to see a lot of bunnies & eggs pop up in our stores seasonal aisles.  Eggs have always been a symbol of 'seed'.  Eggs are a symbol of opportunity & growth as the hold the entirety of potential inside of them.  Think of an bird's egg - a self contained unit that nourishes & protects the bird while it grows.  Decorated eggs are fun & a great way to spend time with a symbol you'd like to work with - so coloring eggs with your family using a PAHS dye set isn't necessarily a pagan (or Christian) thing but it is still an important part of spending time with family & carefully prepping for the coming holiday.

When it comes to hares or bunnies, this animal has been associated with fertility for a long while.  Apparently a rabbit can conceive another litter, while she is still pregnant!  And we all know how rabbits seem to multiply exponentially.  So that symbol comes with a little bit of science.  We're also seeing animals stirring during the spring time and that can lead to an association between the bunny & Easter/Ostara/the Spring Equinox.

I can't wait to sit with these symbols at my altar while I celebrate the longer days and the development of ideas.  I've spoken before about how Mabon, or the Atumn Equinox, is like the Full Moon for me, well the Spring Equinox is like the New Moon.  It is a time to set & refine intentions for the year (even though you may have done this in January).  You can also work with the New Moon in Aries energy that falls in April this year to set goals & intentions.  Spring is a great time to see new growth & new opportunity in your life, especially after the reflection & release that was the Winter Solstice.

Use this time to celebrate the longer days, the warmth coming, and the seeds you can plant towards becoming your best self.  If you haven't started a new habit, try one out!  If you've got a new idea, refine it a little then offer it up to be nurtured by your hard work.

How do you celebrate spring?  What do you do to celebrate the spring time?

xoxo, Moe

Make it Monday // Easy DIY Meditation Bolster Sewing Project

I'm in the middle of redoing the spare room downstairs with some bohemian inspired bedding I got for a super great deal from our local Meijer.  One of the key parts of the spare room downstairs is my sacred space!  This is where I go to meditate, journal, and all around connect with myself.  I love that this space of mine is separate from my actual bedroom because that means it is a place I can go to.  It is a place I can show up to when I need to. 

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Today I want to share with you how to make a comfortable meditation bolster.  This project was easy...yet annoying.  You'll totally love the results...but you may not ever want to make a pillow again.  Before I made this guy, I was using a small pillow.  Once I realized that pillow wasn't high enough and just wasn't supportive enough I went on to use one of the chairs from my craft table.  In the end, neither of these options had the right height or support for my booty.  So I thought to myself 'hey, you can make a bolster!'  and that's what I did.

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supplies // fabric (I used an extra sheet set to match the new bedding), sewing machine, matching thread, ruler/measuring tape, pins, bean bag chair beans, 1.5 inch button cover kit, doll needle

I started with 6 fabric peices - 2 14 x 20 inch pieces, 2 14 x 9 inch pieces, and 2 20 x 9 inch pieces.  This pillow will be stored in the bottom shelf of my meditation altar so I took these measurements to ensure it fits.  Feel free to make your pillow a different size, but this guy is the perfect height to elevate your bum enough so your legs don't fall asleep during mediation!

Pin the right sides of the 4 squat pieces together and sew up the short sides to create a long strip of fabric.  The seam allowance here is set to be .5 inches.  In hindsight, I would have used just a long, single piece of fabric as the sides of the bolster rather than sewing these 4 pieces together.  I also suggest using a zig zag stitch for strength.  I'm using some cheapo fabric so the zig zag stitch gives the seams a little more substance.  Leave an opening to add the beans

Pin the top and bottom pieces (the 20 x 15 pieces) to the top and bottom of the tube you've created - make sure you're pinning everything right sides together.  This is the tricky part & where the single long strip might have been better.  As you're sewing around and reach the corners be sure to pull the extra fabric out so that you're not sewing over the corners too much.

Turn the pillow inside out so the right side is now facing outward & fill it with beans.  This is going to be the messy & most annoying part.  The end result is so worth it though.  I used a paper funnel and measuring cup to funnel the beans into the pillow.  Once you get the pillow good and full, test it out.  If it feels overstuffed just shake out a nice chunk of the beans.  Hand or machine stitch the little opening closed.To finish the bolster, add a coordinating covered button.  You can pick up these covered button kits at your local sewing shop so this isn't something special you'll have to seek out.  Simply follow the directions on the back of the package.  Cut a circle to the required shape, place it over the form, push the button into the form.  Fold the extra fabric over, place the button backing on top, and push it down to secure.  Bam! Button.
Using the long doll needle and doubled over thread - you can even use two strands, doubled, for extra strength - attach the buttons to both sides.  Poke the needle through the center of once side to the center of the other side of the bolster.  This may take a few tries. Once you reach the other side, slip a button through then pass the needle back through to the first side.  Add the second button, pull taught, and secure with a few knots.

And you're done!  See, easy peasy. Though slightly annoying.

Using this bolster now relieves the pain on my hips, allows the blood to circulate, and gives me the right height to see my altar.  It also fits perfectly into the space under my altar table.  The altar table itself is a TV stand from either Walmart or Meijer, I can't remember. (Oh! Walmart is also a part of ebates!  Be sure to sign up here if you haven't started to use ebates yet!).  It has shelving space plus a little door with some shelve too - perfect for hiding away journals, etc.

I am in love with this little space.  Be sure to check back soon to see the whole room put together + some other decor DIY's!  If you'd like to check out some of the other rooms in my house I've got a living room tour + a craft room tour over on my YouTube channel.  You can check out the bedroom tour here on the blog.  Need more DIY decor inspiration? Click here!

Do you have a sacred space?  Where do you go to connect with yourself?

Make it Monday // DIY Hexagon Popsicle Stick Shelves

I am willing to bet you at least $5 that the first craft you ever made was using Popsicle sticks.  Today I want to share with you a really cool upgrade to popsicle stick crafts - one that I think is resourceful and also great for a crafty room.  It pays homage to our paper and paste days of crafting.  When we were young, free, and glued colored macaroni to various object.  This project upgrades the traditional popsicle stick to something a bit more classy.

(this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.)

I present to you the popsicle stick hexagon shelf project!  I had a blast making this and it whipped up super quick.  This is perfect decor for a craft room - in my opinion!

supplies :: various popsicle sticks - I used 90 (3 total packs) of Super Jumbo Popsicle Sticks for the larger hexagon & 75 - 150 (1-2 packs) Jumbo Popsicle Sticks for each of the smaller hexagons, adhesive - E6000 is stronger but hot glue is faster (I used hot glue for this), painter's tape, spray paint of your choice (I used a rose gold paint), optional hexagon template, nails & hammer

To easily make an even hexagon I suggest starting off with a template.  I used my Cricut Explore to cut out an 11 inch wide hexagon from some unused scrapbook paper.  I love my Cricut Explore for paper crafting - I love that if I have an idea I can whip it up in a matter of seconds.  This is a simple shape for the Cricut but it would take me forever to come up with the correct shape.  (If you haven't thought about a digital die cutting machine - I suggest the Cricut for all your paper crafting needs).

Lay out your popsicle sticks along the edges of the hexagon template.  Adhere them together - in this case with hot glue - so that you are able to stack them against each other in a Licoln Log style.  You should have three popsicle sticks on the 'bottom' and the other three layered on the the 'top'.  This way you can alternate where the sticks are placed to get a 'woven' type of pattern.  So in the picture above the last popsicle stick is glued right on top of the the ends of the two beside it.  Continue gluing the sticks in this manner until you get the depth you'd like.  Repeat for as many little shelves as you like - odd numbers always look best, so I went with 3.

Using painter's tape, mask off where you want to paint your mini shelves.  It may help to arrange them on a table in the manner they will be on the wall to visualize where to paint.  Be sure to tape the inside as well so that you don't get spray paint in places you don't want it.

I also found it helpful to use a pencil to mark the up position so I'd know how I was hanging these once they were dry.  When they are dry, remove the painters tape and hang with two nails on either side of one side of the hexagon.

These shelves aren't going to be the strongest things in the world, but for little knick knacks I think these shelves are perfect.  Every time I look at them I have a little chuckle - I think they look super neat, but they are totally made out of a kids craft supply!!

Do you have any memories of crafting as a kid?  What is your earliest one?

xoxo, Moe

Dorm Dec Wednesday: Paper Mache Decor

This Make it Monday I mentioned my new interest in paper mache things.

I've found some more cool inspiration on pinterest & etsy.

man I love those sites!

this is a great tutorial from Everything LEB via Little Green Notebook

this is a great small bowl from Cushmandoo

These are beautiful bowls from Up in the Air Somewhere

these cute paper mache hooks! With a tutorial from Bloesem Kids

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Make It Mondays: DIY Painted Glassware

I am so inspired by the painted pottery at places like Anthropologie.  My visit to a store this weekend really inspired me.  I've always loved their sense of pattern & decor.  Its classy & playful.

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every item is carefully placed but looks like a well loved living area.

Shelves look like a home, clothing racks like organized closets, it's all so inspiring!

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Being taken with nearly everything in the store, I started to focus on the pottery & dishware in the store. I love the summery & vintage feel.  I've recently invested in some porcelain paint pens & pottery/glass paint.  I've experimented with it on mugs but I'd really like to try it on glassware.

I'd like to try it on glass ware like this from Anthropologie:

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or these vintage from etsy:

from Mimi's Menagerie

from Vintagefix

from 12 Bluebirds

I have a book of floral motifs that I will probably use.  I have a friend's wedding coming up & I think my mother would really love some too.

Are there any projects you want to try that you've been recently inspired to figure out?  I love finding new things...now if I could only find the time!!

Happy Monday!

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Make It Mondays: New Key Rack

I've seen this around the web before but when I posted this back in the summer I knew what I really wanted to do with this stick I found.  I painted mine a long while ago but this semester I went out & bought some hooks to finally turn it into a key rack!

I was inspired by these:

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Here's my key rack

a lovely photo

I've put it on the blank wall as you enter our apartment.  That wall is so bare! We are only here for a little bit longer for school then we kiss this apt goodbye!

Happy Monday everyone!

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Dorm Dec Wednesdays: Soup Can Chic

I am all about saving & reusing jars, containers, bags, etc.  I am always needing something to put little bits & bobs in.  The stack of jars in my cabinet might soon be met with stacks of soup cans after seeing this project:

Aren't these great? At first I thought they were porcelain, which would be so gorgeous, but they are in fact slightly abused but totally reused soup cans.  Check out the tutorial here from Family Chic where you can take out your anger on cans:

paint them nice colors:

And end up with something great.  I can't get over how interesting they look.  What an awesome form!

How would you use the end product? I can totally see all my art supplies, pens, markers, brushes, hooks, etc neatly organized in cans like these!

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Dorm Dec Wednesdays: Another Bunting Idea

I've been obsessed with bunting lately & am always on the look out for alternative shapes to triangles & circles.  The best one I stumbled upon today is this set of six die cut & hand painted peacock feathers:

Can you believe how gorgeous these are? 

I would love to put them on a door just like that!

No Party Needed!

pick up a set of 6 from Kate Greiner here
She's also got loads of other designs too!

These are so Art Nouveau & Modern at the same time.  They remind me of my peacock ring from Icing that I got for my birthday:

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New Bed-ginings

To start off the new year I have a brand new, vintage, bedspread.  After a thorough washing, it is now on my little bed looking pretty.

pay no attention to the fact that my curtains are slightly shorter than they should be :)

You can also see the addition of a new little owl pillow I made on my sewing machine during xmas break:

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