Recently I ran across this site about affirmation altars and became instantly hooked. Just look at these amazingly beautiful, inspirational creations! Every one of them is unique, handmade, and features a quotation or affirmation based on a theme.

As awesome as they are (and affordable; they’re $20 each, which I think is fair considering the work that goes into them), they inspired me to create my own altar. While I already have a home altar set up in my bedroom, this sort of portable affirmation altar would be perfect in any room. In fact, I think each member of our household could have his or her own.

To make an altar, just gather up some art supplies, personal items of significance, and a piece of poster board. They do make poster board that already comes in three folded sections, but for a smaller altar you can fold your own.

Some supplies you might like to use could include stencils, paint, scrap pieces of paper or fabric, beads, and even discards like bottle caps or aluminum foil scrap. You can view full-size examples of the altars made here.

I think it would be fun to go beyond affirmations and quotes as well. We could make altars for our loved ones—both the ones who’ve passed on as well as the ones who remain with us today—featuring their favorite things, or perhaps centered around something that they always said to us. A family friend who has been dead for many years, for example, used to be known as “Wolf,” so his theme could be centered around an actual wolf figure or a photo of a wolf with an appropriate color scheme and other bits of memorabilia.

And how about a seasonal altar? It would be a lot of fun to make a spring altar with little chicks—you could even get some feathers from the craft store to add them for dimension—and eggs. You could even make one for every month of the year if you like.

From pets to holidays, things you wish to manifest in your life to shrines to heroes or people you admire, altars can be used to both beautify space as well as exercise your creativity. They can also add a spiritual element to your home as an added reminder to give thanks, say a prayer, or simply remember something or someone you love. Who or what would you build an altar of or to?