What is your Altar made of?

[tarotbear]

I'm sure this is not a new question, but I am new to this side of the forum!

I used to have a low bureau that I had painted to look like the cosmos- all blues and clouds. I used to store magickal stuff in the top drawer near at hand. It was in a corner, but I had a large mirror (3 x 5 feet) mounted on the wall behind it to reflect the light and myself, for I do spellwork skyclad, using myself as a focus.

[FaeRain]

My current altar is an old peach crate, turned upside down and swathed in scarves....an old vintage lace one topped by a goldish one with gold stars. It's in the corner of my altar/bookroom, which is a large dormer type room in the attic.

I am in the process of hanging my Goddess sword in the corner, so that it appears to be floating. There is a small mirror/candle shelf above the altar and a bluish/purple scarf hanging from the ceiling (small sloping ceiling) to represent the sky.

I like it so far! It finally came together over Thanksgiving, after a year of being indecisive about what went where.

[ankhesen Sekhmet]

Altar #1 is on a deep cherry wood end table, and consists of Goddess candles, a crystal ball on a cat stand, and my Sekhmet candle for the moment, along with my quartz and amethyst chunks, and a lovely quartz point. This is the working altar.

Altar #2 is on my dresser and consists only of 4 elemental candle holders at the moment. I'm thinking of making it a seasonal altar.

Altar #3 is on a shelf and consists of a fairy snow globe, two dragon statues, and a white candle for blessings. This is the altar for recognizing with and thanking the devas, fairies, dragons, etc. of my home.

When I find a poster or statue of Sekhmet I like I'll be moving the red candle, and using a few glass bowls I have, to make Altar #4 which will actually be a shrine, probably on the other end of the dresser. It also depends on when some of the renovations get done on our house too, because then I'll probably want to move the seasonal and/or deva altar downstairs.

[Flar's Freyja]

My permanent altar is an old dresser that I also store my sweaters in :) When I move to Flar's, I'm going to use the drawers for my magickal tools and supplies. Currently, they are in a maroon foot locker that I found at Wal-Mart that also doubles as a coffee table.

For my ancestor altar, I have a wicker shelf that I hung in the corner of my bedroom. I've put pictures of my "four strong women;" my mother, grandmother and two aunts there along with jewelry and other items that they left to me. No one knows it's an altar.

When I really need some privacy and want to do a formal ritual, I use a small wooden table that I found at a junk shop. It folds flat and slides under my bed, and I build this one up from scratch depending on what working I'm doing.

My kitchen table also becomes an altar when I design a seasonal centerpiece.

Here's a thread with pictures of members' altars:

Altar Pics (http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4454&highlight=altar+pics)

[MammaStar]

Mine is a low bookshelf that I scored from work (I just posted about it briefly in another thread).

I decorate it according to the season and such. I keep the top draped with to shawls that I now have adopted as altar cloths. The bottom one is purple, with dolphin designs on it and the top is black lace with pink & red roses. Very pretty, and they hang long enough to cover the first shelf, which is where I keep all my magickal tools. I share my house, so I keep my things private, which is why I have it set up this way. The second shelf has candles, holders, various shells, and bowls. The very bottom shelf, is the one that is mainly seen and that has *giggle* my Grateful Dead Bus cookie jar, and my collection of Burger King LOTR glasses. You are all laughing hysterically now, I know. It's okay, cause I giggle too. But hey, it's MY ALTAR :razz: :lol:

[st0rm]

Got a low bureau with some candles and a incense burner on it...

[Demeter]

I have one temporary and three permanent altars in my house.

The temporary one is a circular coffee table in my living room. The wood is laid out in quarters, so my directional lines are marked. This usually has a floral ring and a candle on it as a living room decoration, but I take those off and replace with an altar cloth and the full setup when I have people over for Circle.

Upstairs are the three permanent altars. One is the top of my dresser; I tend to classical Greco-Roman imagery and blue glass.

The second is my husband's coyote altar, which is on top of a bookcase. He uses a Native American Barbie for his Goddess image, and a stuffed plush coyote toy for the God.

The third is a low cedar chest I picked up at a yard sale. This is our Bast altar; we've been outfitting it with many small cat figurines and either cat or Egyptian-themed ritual items. It is flanked with watercolor paintings of Sekhmet and Bast.

I also have one of those small chipboard tables with screw-on legs. This travels with me when I have ritual somewhere other than in my house; I have a full ritual kit in a picnic basket. If I forget the table, the basket top itself suffices for an altar. Or I just spread the altar cloth on the ground. The Earth herself is the ultimate altar.

[Flar's Freyja]

Or I just spread the altar cloth on the ground. The Earth herself is the ultimate altar.

*nods* I have a friend who uses a special blanket that becomes both her circle and her altar.

[Flaire-FireStar]

I use a box my brother made me in woodwork class..I keep all my tools and so on inside of it (that's why I wanted it. :))

[MoonRaven]

I use whatever flat surface is available at the time. We're short on money most of the time these days, so I can't go out and buy myself anything nice. What I'd like to do is get one of those $10 three-legged wooden decorator tables they sell at Wal-Mart and do something with one of those. Usually I just throw a piece of black crushed velour over whatever's at hand, but since my black velour is now covering up a rather hideous TV-tray that's substituting as an end table, I'm at a bit of a loss.
I do have a piece of furniture here that we're not using - if my one friend doesn't want it, I should use that. It's short, it's got wheels, and storage space. Plus we've moved our living room around so I've actually got room for something like that (as much as the BF would argue otherwise).

[Flar's Freyja]

I know what it's like to be short of money.....I've posted this idea before......you'd be amazed at what you can find for altar cloths in the fabric remnants at Wal-Mart. Many of them are just the right size and I don't think I've paid more than $1.00 for any of the ones that I found.

I recently just had them cut a yard of fabric for my Yule altar cloth. It's a six pointed star pattern in red and green and cost all of $2.00 :)

[Armitage]

Mine's a short wooden cabinet with all my stuff on top. I do need a new something though, it lost one and a half of the little feet on the bottom during the move back from college.

[Flaire-FireStar]

Originally posted by Freyja
I recently just had them cut a yard of fabric for my Yule altar cloth. It's a six pointed star pattern in red and green and cost all of $2.00 :)

I'm jealous....We don't have a WalMart here.. Right now, I'm using a deep red courdoroy bit of fabric that I found in our basement...I don't recall what it came from.

I've also used a small blanket that I had when I was a young'n. That was for my summer altar, since it's a nice sunny yellow. :)

[tarotbear]

Wow! This is great! I'm surprised at how many of you have multiple altars for different things.

I made all the altar cloths for my altar out of solid cottons. I squared each one, them hemmed them. In the center of each one is a large embroidered Pentacle, sewn by machine. My first altar cloth was white and I hand-embroidered not only the large central Pentacle but a smaller one in each corner as well - took a lot of time.

[Ganga]

Very interesting thread! I also enjoyed seeing the pictures on the other thread - thanks!

My altars at the moment:
1) As I live in an upstairs apartment of a temple, the building's main altar is on the main level. It is mostly marble. There stand the Deities of Goddess and God (Radha and Krishna, about as tall as an 8-year old child). Their clothes are changed daily (usually my job) and regular services held twice daily.

2) My personal bedside altar is on my wooden bedside table. It is covered by a silken saffron-coloured cloth which I received as a gift from a monk in India. On it stands a sandalwood Deity of Krishna, a really beautiful picture of Radha (Goddess), another picture of Draupadi (my favorite woman in Mahabharata, the epic of India), a round lamination of Ganesh, another lamination of Yashoda (Mother of God) holding baby Krishna, a handwritten miniature copy of Bhagavad-Gita which once belonged to my husband's great-grandmother on a silver-stand (I mean the book is on the stand, not our great-grandmother, lol), an amethyst, a yantra, a picture of our spiritual teacher and a huge conchshell. Also, my tarot cards are placed at the corner of this altar, as well as the incense stand and a beeswax candle.

3) At our apartment's doorway (outside the door) stands my doorway-guardian, the Wild Woman on a round stand (actually an upside down bucket covered by midnight blue cotton piece). I made her myself out of a brick and clay. I don't think that anyone with evil intentions can pass by her! She also reminds me daily to listen to my intuition and remember my own wildness.

4) Not really my altar, but my kids', in their room, on top of a dresser. Deities of Krishna, Lakshmi and Shiva. Laminations of Radha-Krishna. Pictures of themselves (my kids), a small conchshell, a candle, etc.

[Witchy Cowgirl]

-What I call my ALTAR IN THE WOODS. This is my favorite one and my favorite place to do workings. It is a cleared circle in the middle of the woods. Hubby found the spot for me. Last spring a Walnut tree by the house was uprooted in a storm. Hubby cut a large log from it for me, we took it to the spot in the woods and it is my Altar. When I go there I take my items with me. I don't leave anything there.

-I have an Altar in my fairy garden which is in a corner of our yard where a large Willow tree grows. That Altar is also made of a log - although I don't remember what type tree Hubby cut it from. I use this spot when I can't get to the Woods. This Altar rarely stays set-up. But on ocassion I will set it up and leave it for a week or so depending on the need.

-My bedroom Altar is my nightstand and is the only Altar that stays set up. Of course it changes from time to time. Right now it has five candles on it representing the needs of different friends. A white candle in the center that represents my Higher Power and a symbol for all the elements surronding it, and an insence burner. It also has a small container of salt. The stone that I carry daily rest in this salt at night. I had some other items but I moved them cause I was afraid I would knock them off.

-When preparing Blessing Bags my kitchen counter is transformed into an altar and is set up as needed for the working being done.

This is a interesting thread!

[PhoenixFire]

Mine is made from an old building set my sister and I used to play with when we were little. It's a set of red plastic tubes, black connecting joints and black flat pannles, (called Quadro if I can spell that right).

I cover it with a pice of blue fabric that has a gold moon and sun print, and I lay a pice of black velet on top. My insence burners sit at the sides and a large ceramic dragon (Unpainted white) takes center stage with a few stones layed out in front of it. Two class balls, one dark blue with a three wolf holder, and one thats clear with a multi colored spiral in the center also sit at either side. And of course a candle holder. I paint my pentagram on the velet with the dry cooled ash from the spent insence.

[tarotbear]

I also used to have a 'grove' outside my house; originally there was an above-ground pool there, now removed. Nothing would grow there, so I had to bring in soil to grow anything. I did have a couple of benches for meditations, and someone gave me a rather large Kwan Yin statue and she received a place of honor. I also ran white lights around the perimeter- I always wonder what the planes flying overhead thought! I did do some magickal stuff there since it was very protected from prying eyes.

Unfortunately, like my Tarot room, it was dismantled when I moved out. I wonder what is there now?

[Pan]

Wow.. my altar seems plain! I only have once since I have some very naughty cats who like to jump on things. Bits of my autumn faire got stolen by my silver tabby, Spike.

My altar is a rather large wardrobe-dresser. It's almost taller than me (I'm 5'5") and there's a wardrobe cupboard with 2 shelves and there's 2 drawers under the cupboard. Right now, hubby's clothes are in the drawers, but I'll be moving them when I remember to. All my books are in the cupbord.. as well as my journals and tarot/rune/oracle things.

My altar itself changes. Right now it's still dressed for autumn, though that will change tomorrow.. (or later today, as it were). The pewter handfasting chalice will hold Winter faire, the candle that has small pinecones, cinnamon, and apple bits will be removed and put away to be replaced by something else..

But the things that stay there are my athame, bolline, small cauldron, god and goddess candles, faeries, small wolf statues, and a few other small things like that. My altar cloth at the moment is a bit of brown cloth, but that'll be changed to my black scarf with the stars and moons on it. :)

That's my altar.. the candles are to Loki and Demeter.

[Amber Ravenstar]

Ah, the days when I could have a dressertop or tabletop altar....

Those would be the days before I ended up with 10 cats. ;)

I have an altar that takes up a shelf in a bookcase (hard to knock things down that way). Wish I could do more, but the cats insist on redecorating for me. Sigh. I can relate to Loki's sentiments, times ten.

The other altar is the cats'. There is a large statue of Bast on top of a dresser in a corner, so the statue doesn't get launched off the top. What I find very amusing is that when one of the kitties is in trouble, they'll frequently jump up on that particular dresser and rub up against Her. We call this "looking for Sanctuary" LOL. I figure if they are appealing to Her for mercy, I certainly can't yell at them!

[Ganga]

Hey Tarotbear, do you have any idea where I might get one of those Kwan Yin statues? Chinatown, of course, sounds obvious, but what if I draw a blank there?

[PhoenixFire]

Ravenstar? Would you know where could I find a statue of Bast? I like your idea of having a second alter just for your familiars, that is, if you dont mind me borrowing your idea.

[tarotbear]

Ganga- this is a BIG stautue- 18 to 24 inches high, made of concrete or cement- and I think my friend bought it at a garden center.

You might get some indoor Kwan Yins from Pyramid Books at www.salemctr.com/pyramid.html

Does anyone know offhand the staute place that sells statues made from Ganges river clay? I just tossed their catalog and the name escapes me!!!! They have statues of gods and goddesses from every culture and time.


***********

I just figured it out -- www.sacredsource.com .

[Emaleth]

My altar is very simple due to the fact that I live with my family and I'm not out of the broom closet.

It's on my desk by the window. I have a candle standing there, a picture of a goddess that seems appropriate for the season, an incense burner, my tarot cards, and a money growth jar. I also have a standing calendar with all the important holidays and moon phases marked, a few decorative objects (actually they are very pretty bottles made by by pensioners from a nursing home where my mom works), and a vase wilth flowers.

I like my altar, still, it gets cluttered often, cause it's also a working area:rolleyes: . But maybe I'll be able to have a better one soon.

Blessed Be

[tarotbear]

Although this doesn't help much - I just found a very cool Kwan Yin statue all of 1 1/2 inches tall - carved out of 'Fibre-optic material'- whatever exactly that is. It is kind of what a Tiger's Eye looks like but it's manmade stuff. It was $12 and I bought it to tuck in a bag I bought someone for Yule.

The store is called Mystical Horizons - and is in Mystic, Connecticut (how's that for a great name) -- the town is where the Julia Roberts movie 'Mystic Pizza' was filmed.

www.mysticalhorizons.com

[shnen]

My current altar is a multi-purpose item... it is an old trunk that is an heirloom brought over on a covered wagon from the west in the last centuries. I have a black cloth over it and use it as my altar :)

[Raevyn]

We were looking in the store last night and I think I might get a new altar box/altar. I currently have all my goodies stuck in a big tub tote temporarily, so it'll be nice to have a special permanent place for 'em. :)

[WynterWynd]

My altar is an OLD cedar chest that was given to us. The only problem with it, is that I store stuff in the cedar chest and then when I want it, I have to move everything on the top, off, to get it!!:rolleyes: But its great till I wanna go poking around inside it!:D

[Cinnamon Girl]

Mine is an old table that my sister-in-law gave me. It's got a drawer on either end that I keep my supplies in and there's a flap that I can put up in front or behind if I need extra space, such as for readings. My altar cloth is a silk scarf that belonged to my mother. It's a pretty minimalist altar, since I don't personally feel the need for a lot of stuff on it. Although I do intend to start changing it slightly to reflect the seasons. :)

We just got a digital camera (yay!), so I'm going to attach a pic of the space where I keep it ~ it's in a corner of our bedroom and the panel behind it is something that I picked up from a yard sale and painted blue. You can see my godddess tamborine hanging from it on the left.

[WynterWynd]

Thats beautiful!! ;) I would like to get an apothicary table for mine!

[Witchy Cowgirl]

Originally posted by Raevyn
I currently have all my goodies stuck in a big tub tote temporarily, so it'll be nice to have a special permanent place for 'em. :)

When we bought and moved into this trailor there was lots of fixing up to do. One of the things we did was to line the walls in our bedroom (chair rail height) with seasoned barn wood. Hubby also bulit barnwood shelves on the whole wall where the closet is. So, I'm lucky in that I have a shelf that I can keep all my "goodies" on.

[FaeRain]

oohh! oohhh!
I think I'm getting a digital camera for the hollydaze, so I can finally post some pix around here! The first one I'm going to take is the one of my altar...it has such a good feel to it. I finally put the finishing touches on it during the power outages of last week.

I hope I hope I'm right! I really want a digi camera...esp. since I have 15+ rolls to take to be developed. That just costs soooo much, and half the time I don't like the final pix.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Originally posted by FaeRain
I really want a digi camera...esp. since I have 15+ rolls to take to be developed. That just costs soooo much, and half the time I don't like the final pix. FaeRain, that is part of the reason we decided to get one ~ plus I'm a big procrastinator so my Christmas pictures usually don't get developed before July! :lol:

[tarotbear]

Originally posted by MoonOwl
I'm a big procrastinator so my Christmas pictures usually don't get developed before July! :lol:

Which year? :rotfl:

[Flaire-FireStar]

We get birthdays & x-mas on the same roll! :eek:

I wish we had a digicam, so I could get pics of my altar..When it's set up properly. Mine is certainly not permanent, as I have cats that jump on it all the time. 8O I don't want them knocking everything over, and so on.

[Witchy Cowgirl]

Originally posted by Witchy Cowgirl
Hubby also bulit barnwood shelves on the whole wall where the closet is. So, I'm lucky in that I have a shelf that I can keep all my "goodies" on.

Gosh! On the way home this evening I realized not only do I have "goodies on that shelf, I also have them on shelves under my Altar(/nightstand) AND in a big container under my bed. When did I get all this stuff?8O

[FaeRain]

I received my camera yesterday!!!!

Expect altar pix tonight!!

FaeRain

[Cinnamon Girl]

Originally posted by Flaire
We get birthdays & x-mas on the same roll! :eek:

I wish we had a digicam, so I could get pics of my altar..When it's set up properly. Mine is certainly not permanent, as I have cats that jump on it all the time. 8O I don't want them knocking everything over, and so on. Y'know, I was going to post how my two cats, even though they get into everything else, for some reason leave my altar alone. And what happens? Last night I'm awoken by a crash as all the items on the altar get knocked over. :rolleyes:


FaeRain, I'm glad to hear you got your camera ~ looking forward to seeing your pics! :)

[Felstorm]

I'v gone through several altars.

One was an octagonal endtable, circa 1979, with obligatory 1970's smell. You know that smell, the one that reminds you of big hair, big collars and sidburns a mile long.

Painted the top black and hand painted a pentagram that is used in Enochian magic for summoning "angelic" forces/cacodemons.

At one time it was my bookshelf, another time it was a small area on my kitchen counter.

My current altar is my bureau, one drawer holds my Daggers, Earth Pentacle, Fire Wand, and Chalice, burin, Chromatic Wand, candles of all sorts, incense. Four white anointed candles, black scrying mirror, three Tarot decks, a few books and my magickal journal.

It works I guess.

I have plans to construct a 18x18 double cube with all kinds of secret drawers for holding whatnots, amulets, talismans, storage crystals, etc.

[FaeRain]

Hi!

I did get the camera I wanted....so here's a pic of one of my altars. This is in my reading alcove, not really a room..more like a cubby hole that used to be an attic.

Happy Boxing Day!

FaeRain

[FaeRain]

Well, the pic is really big and sideways...haven't figured out all the editing tools yet.

But you get the idea!

[Cinnamon Girl]

Lovely altar, FaeRain! That's a beautiful sword. :)

[FaeRain]

Thanks, MoonOwl! I love it, it's the Goddess Sword.

[Dravius]

My indoor altar is currently an oak desk. I keep all my supplies in the drawers, and I have two lead-crystal candleholders and an incense burner-box on top of the desk. Once spring comes though, I plan on moving my setup outside.

[MoonBear]

Hi everyone !

Mine is a wrought iron endtable. It is ornate with interwoven oak leaves and acorns and topped with glass. I got it when a relative of mine was moving and had to lighten her load. I had to do some work to bring it back to life. It was outdoors and badly rusted. I sanded it, primed it and painted it hunter green.

I LOVE IT!

[moonmorgan]

I just redid my room and now my altar is much smaller than it was before. But that's okay. Mine is an old wooden stand that I think was for a telephone. It has an opening in the front that was probably for the telephone book. It's all worn down and we got it second hand but it does the trick.

I have a white altar cloth on top of it and I use the shelves for storage. I have attached a picture of my altar as it was for Yule 2002. If you want to see it upclose, go here:

http://www.geocities.com/k_garber/yule02.html

I didn't want to upload the big picture.

[Flar's Freyja]

Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing that!

I'm moving to Flar's this month and have no idea where I'm going to put my altar, especially with three flying cats. His seem to be worse than mine with flying over the coffee table and making sure that we wake up to everything all over the floor on a daily basis.............

We do have a room where I could set it up and keep it closed off, but I'm used to having it out in the open and I really don't want to do that.

[WynterWynd]

Our altar has been moved to the bookself, so it is safe from flying cats!!! I only have to wait for three of them to grow up alittle more before I can (hopfully) put it back where I want it!!!




And if we dont adopt another kitten:D Its hard not to, thier like potato chips, cant have just one!!!;)

[Tranquility]

If the weather permits, my alter is just an altar cloth on the earth itself, but if i am inside, i am planning on buying some sort of bookshelf, with a drawer and a top, so i can have my altar on top, i can have it a book shelf, and also store things in the bottom.

[AmbivalentMirage]

My permenant altar is the top of my bedroom dresser. It's covered with a blue velvet blanket that my mom found at a sale. :) I have my candles, book of shadows, mini-cauldron, chalice, wand, stones, etc. on it.

I'm hoping to set up an outdoor altar this spring. :) There's a HUGE tree behind my house with a nice crevice in it. I want to place some stones, herbs, etc. there :) I'd love to do outdoor rituals too.

[Tranquility]

I truly love to do outdoor rituals, not only can you directly flow with the god/ess power but its really pretty in the spring =) All of the things begin to come out and bloom, im born in the spring, its my favorite time of the year =)

[Tyrvald]

My altar is black coated steel with a glass surface. Check out this photograph of it!

[WitchJezebel]

Great photo Tyrv!

My altar is an old antique student's desk with a fliptop hinged lid, covered with the 'cloth of the moment'. On the sides are shelves for books. It's great altho it's angled a little bit, where the hinges are so I have to keep the rollable stuff towards the back.

[LadyWillow]

My altar is pretty plain. I'm not out of the broomcloset yet, so it has to be pretty plain.

I used to use the surface of my altar as a makeshift desk, however, I stopped using it. So I started placing some angel statues there, which are always there, and two large candles in the back. My elements are on the sides where I have plenty of room for magickal work. I use a seashell to represent the Goddess, and a Pinecone for the God.

There is a small shelf underneath, and that's where I keep all of my craft books. I used to keep my candles and other things there also, but I ordered some more books and I realized that I don't have any more room for more books! I cleaned that out and a dresser draw in my bedroom and that's where my candles and rocks and other things go.

If I get around to it, I'll try to post a picture of it. (Although, as I said, it is rather boring.)

[Sylv]

Mine is made out of wood-an old sewing cabinet my parents bought for me in England. It faces north, and is half way beneath my window...so on the window ledge right above it is a vase with either silk or fresh flowers. Description...well, it has an offerings plate in the middle (clear glass w/ edging), a rock from a German salt mine on a hand-crocheted coaster/doily thing in north, a blue Egyptian glass bottle filled w/ water on another coaster/doily in west, a small round white candle on coaster/doily in south, and a pink Egyptian bottle filled w/ air in the east. Guess what those represent? *g* In the left back, there is a postcard showing a beautiful waterfall in the middle of a forest, a little baby elephant (about an inch high) carved out of what looks like bone, a small stick/twig from a vine that grows in our backyard, a small pot of ivy, a black stone and a red stone(gifts from sis). In the right back, there's pictures of my family, an ostrich egg resting on a small grass basket behind them, two stones of what I think is amethyst, and a small aquamarine stone. That stuff stays. Depending on the time of year, I have things to honor a certain deity. Right now there is a yellow carnation and baby blue foxglove in the vase, a small glass bottle with some personal charms, and a little crocheted yellow and blue teddy bear (all symbolise the god whose time is coming up). And my incense holder (a long wooden one-really pretty) is usually on there.
That's it-I love reading about everyone else's altars!

[Sky_SilverRain]

I've gotten so many ideas from this!!

Right now I have all of my "Supplies" in a drawer and the bottom shelf of my "Bakers Rack" that I use for a night stand. But when I work (which right now only conisists of meditation) I lay a "rug" out on the floor (the rug has special importance to me) and then place my items around it...

However in the near future I hope to have a more permanant fixture...

[Pip_Sensei]

My altar is a night table. I have a drawer I use to store my candles and other stuffs.I also have a seperate drawer for my grimoir.

[blueiris]

wow so many ideas!
my alter is a bookcase facing north up against a wall. there's a window over it so I can see the moon which is kind of cool. i have a silver and a gold candle for my god/dess candle and in between that there is a vase of pine needles and berries from my woods. I have an incense burner on the right with a wooden statue of a hawk and a glass one of an owl in bewteen two white candles. then there is a red candle to the left (south). to the right of that there is a large seashell with a glass dolphin it, inbetween two ocean-y candles. there is also a large chalice that is really pretty that i found at a church bazaar (haha...i thought that was kind of ironic). i keep incense, etc on the bookcase shelves below that. I also have a shrine in the same corner where I have a moon and sun uh...i don't know what you call them and some candles one of those candle lamps with the sun and the moon on it, some plants, and an offering plate.
i just finished with all this stuff about a week ago so i'm really proud and happy!! yay...
sry for babbling.

(edited) forgot to say in the middle of all this I have a pentacle (pentagram?) that I drew as I was fed up with not having one and didn't have any money to buy the one I wanted.

[AmethystMoon08]

Mine is made of a bell, several candles, runes, a pot of salt, a pot of water, insence, flowers, an athame.. and my bos's. in a drawer :P

[moondancer45]

My altar is a small old wooden trunk sitting on cast iron legs; that was a gift from my second daughter. Carved on top, is 2 angels facing one another and a basket of fruit between them and it appears they are filling up the basket. My altar faces in a north window surrounded by houseplants. On my altar is an old doilie that was given to me from my grandmother, along with a feather that was given to me by a Woods Witch. It also has 2 gothic candle holders, red candles in them at the moment, and a silver Pentagram. I also have a yin and yang incense holder, crystals and a pottery statue of a Indian House Angel. Inside is where I keep my ritual tools and store a few things against any bad/negative energy that may occur with more cyrstals.

[Sagittarius]

Mine is the kitchen table:-

http://groups.msn.com/ThePurplePentacleAddictionSupport/firespics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=7

and again.....

http://groups.msn.com/ThePurplePentacleAddictionSupport/firespics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=6

:)

[Sylvan]

My main altar is a microwave cart that we didn't have a use for in our new home. We had been using it for towel storage in the old apartment (no bathroom closet). ;)

I have another in my bedroom that is an antique washstand. It's so pretty- it has a mirror and candleholders built in, and if it wasn't for storage issues, I'd much rather use *it* as my main altar.

Pics are in the altar pic thread...

[Mysterious]

My mother is a Christian fanatic and would toss me out of her house as demonic if she knew I was Pagan. (There really is not explaining to some people).

My altar is a square jewelry box on my dresser. I have a seashell on it for water, a pretty blue and green feather for air, a striped green rock (still dont know what it is) for earth, and some red beads for fire. I have a hard time justifying candles or anything unfortunately so they are all hidden. :( I'm also adding two tiny chinese frogs, one silver and one gold, they are only the size of a child's thumbnail. I'm making an altar cloth right now but I can't use it all the time because it would look too out of place in my room. It's tucked away in a box with my other stuff.

[Felidae]

Mine is made of an round glass topped patio table that we can't use (no patio, lol) that I've recovered with a mosaic.

Funny thing is, I bought the tile on a whim when I was in Lowe's with a friend. I'd had a bit too much Bailey's beforehand and this beautiful marble tile caught my eye: cream with blue veining. Then I found a box of cobalt ceramic to go with it. Gorgeous.

When we got home I remembered that we rent and I now had a few square feet of tile with nowhere to go!

So this past October I drug the table out, found my hammer and some grout, and went to work. Now I've got an altar with a waxing moon on it. I'll try to post a picture in the Altar Pics thread soon.

[magicbabs]

I have a small white shelf with brass burner with sand from a sacred river...
hawk feathers
crow feathers
my drum
candles for the chakras
and essential oils
incense (Nag champa)

[scaerie faerie]

It's just a small bedside cabinet type thingy with purple fabric draped over it. :)

[Taliesyn]

We are forutnate to have a temple room in our house- I have built a shrine (like a small baker's rack ) out of recycled wood as a permanent altar. I have a wooden peach box that we use alot of the time for circles- we cover it with an appropriate cloth- it's handy cause we can store all the dressings and ritual stuff inside it if we have to travel.

[docdoo]

My altar is actually a wicker breakfast-in-bed-tray! It sits atop a bureau and, since it's portable, I can move it anywhere and clean around it easily :smile:

[Faeawyn]

My altar is actually a wicker breakfast-in-bed-tray! It sits atop a bureau and, since it's portable, I can move it anywhere and clean around it easily :smile:
Oh I love that idea....mine is currently a large trunk with my supplies inside. But I like the idea os keeping my usual stuff on a tray that I can take anywhere :hehehehe:

[docdoo]

It works really well Faewyn and you can pick up these trays at Pier One imports or other such stores. They come in a variety of styles from contemporary wood to the darker bamboos. Anyway I love that I can move it right outside if I want to, then I can cast a circle AND have all my goodies right there.

My altar tends to get a bit cluttered and I despised the long process of moving all the stuff off of it so I could dust under everything, this way I just pick up the tray, dust the bureau and then put the tray back hehe (leave it to me to find a way to make a lazy alter!)

[Glory]

I don't have a permanent alter - no space, and I live with my mother who would question my sanity and credibility and would basically needle me about it if I created one. Plus, the only place I could really do one is in my room, and I hate doing spell work in my room.

A permanent alter would be cool, but I am in the process of creating a portable one that I would probably still use. It's a piece of cloth, and the items I put on it are dependent on what I'm doing. Usually, they are elemental things - a silver statue of a fish for water, a candle for fire, some burning sage or stick incense for air, and a stone or rock for earth.

But I don't always put those things on it. Sometimes I use it for a Tarot spread, or I clear it for a ritual that involves a bunch of objects.

What I really want though is a piece of wood that I can varnish pressed flowers into, that I can take anywhere, rather than the fabric.

[Aina]

My alter is on an end talbe in our living room. It consists of my red and white candles (God and Mother) my ritual candles (ie, if im going to be praying for prosparity, engery, etc). The rest goes in a alter box that I found at our local Nirvana store. In that holdes the rest of my candles, my small figureins of God and the Virgin Mary, along with my antonting oils of rose and water (scent) and some mugwort and solomons seal. Also, in a little glass bowl I have my elemental stones.

Im hoping to someday soon, have a real permanate alter that I can change for seasons and things...

[Willow Rosette]

My alter is an old TV cabnet. One of the ones TV's used to come in where you opened the doors to see the TV. I had all the electrical components taken out so I use the top as an alter and the cabnet for storage of bowls and candels and stuff. Eventually Id like to put shelves in there so it is a little more organised but well for now everything is just kinda in there, but I have loved it from the first moment.

[omar]

My alter is a wood box from the 1950's turned up side down. So you can't read the words,"High explosives dangerous". Dupount. It had dynomite in it when my dad bought it.

[~Owl~]

Mine is a rectangular credenza, passed down from two generations in my family. It has all sorts of drawers, and slide out hideaway slots, and things, etc...quite old. I was VERY lucky to have it passed to me.

I cover it with different cloths, depending on if it's for a Sabbat, Esbat, personal ritual, spellcasting, etc.

I have 2 altar candles, pillars on each upper corner, a statue of a gold winged Isis in the top center, a small cast iron cauldron in the center, my censer (incense burner) in the East, Chalice in the West, Athame in the South, with a large red work candle, that I light all my candles, charcoal, offerings, etc. from...*thinks*...

That's the basics. I do change the setting for the occasion, such as if it is a Full Moon, or a Sabbat in the Spring, during the time of the Maiden, I have white roses, gardenias, jasmine, flowers that have a white vibration/essence...Mother/Summer=Red, Crone/Fall, Winter=Black, mullein, hellebore, etc.

If I'm doing a personal ritual, I use an offering bowl that I burn a piece of parchment, or what ever offering I am burning, in the center...

Sometimes I have flowers next to the pillar altar candles...

Babble, babble babble...;)

[inkywitch]

I have a coffee table (which the legs are quite high.. more like a side table) that is made from pine. My sister made it as her year 8 woodworking project. I stained the pine to make it look like mahogany, but it's usually covered by an altar cloth anyway...

Eventually I want a nice buffet and hutch to have in my altar room to put all my herbs, candles, etc in made of dark wood. Perhaps with a little altar set on that as well.

[Windsmith]

Our altar is a beautiful birch table that sat for many decades in the cabin my wife's grandmother and grandfather owned (her grandfather made it). The legs are birch logs, unaltered in any way. We made an altar cloth to cover it, because it's splintery and a bit dangerous to work on uncovered.

[RavenStars]

My altar's are generally for seasonal rituals. They are temporary and are created on a folding cardtable. Everything else is subject to change.

[BFD_Zayl]

My altar is a folding table covered in a black cloth, tucked away in the furnace room where i can practice in peace (only i have the key) on the wall above it and to its side are shelves where i keep my books, herbs, extra materials, etc. on the altar itself is my chalice, dagger, candles, box of herbs, stick incense holders and a cone holder, an ouija board, necromantic triangle, my grimoire, and an assortment of specialized crystals (amithyst, quartz, and moonstone)

[BFD_Zayl]

I don't have a permanent alter - no space, and I live with my mother who would question my sanity and credibility and would basically needle me about it if I created one. Plus, the only place I could really do one is in my room, and I hate doing spell work in my room.

A permanent alter would be cool, but I am in the process of creating a portable one that I would probably still use. It's a piece of cloth, and the items I put on it are dependent on what I'm doing. Usually, they are elemental things - a silver statue of a fish for water, a candle for fire, some burning sage or stick incense for air, and a stone or rock for earth.

But I don't always put those things on it. Sometimes I use it for a Tarot spread, or I clear it for a ritual that involves a bunch of objects.

What I really want though is a piece of wood that I can varnish pressed flowers into, that I can take anywhere, rather than the fabric.
if i were you my friend, i would get a small, very shot box that is just bog enough for you to package your altar cloth in and the needed materials. the top of the wooden box can be decorated any way you see fit, i suggest the box be small enough to carry under arm, but big enough to work comfortable on.

[Shadow Angel]

One of my altars is in the attic and on a ledge in the chimney stack.{its a very very very old house!!}:lol:

[~Belladonna~]

Mine is a wooden table (not like a huge dinner table but one you can kneel under) rather like an actual Altar table in fact. It was my mum and dads and very expensive so they were not so keen on giving it me at first but now they can see it's well looked after and gets covered up by different Altar cloths they don't mind.

[Rudas Starblaze]

if 2 pictures can be considered an altar......

other than that, i dont have one and dont have much use for one. unless a mirror counts!;)

[Kimberlily]

My main altar is on top of my dresser, which is JUST high enough to keep little fingers off my things. We also have a family altar on our mantle. My husband isn't Pagan, but he feels that it is good to have a place to reflect on the importance of what we've built together.

[Rainbow]

My altar is a foot locker covered in a flag with my various icons and offering plates and stuff on it.

[charlinr17@sympatico]

I have 2 alters one inside and one outside, both are perminent. The one inside has candles around a drawn pentagram a chalice , silver cup of earth, bowel of sea salt, and many different offering to the Goddess and Gods such as beautiful stones, pedals from orchids and wheat from the garden, along with the aroma of frankincense. Its a very calming place to be wheather your in ritual or just reading a fine book.

The second alter is mde of the same with a woven pentagram in the centre. This one is placed outsideand is surrounded by 18 foot cedar trees very lovely and tranquil.

Blessed Be,
Lily:crown:

[Windsmith]

Our main altar is a birch-log table that my wife's grandfather made for their lake cabin. When his widow (my wife's grandmother) was selling the cabin, my wife and I claimed the table.

[Heart of All]

Currently, my main altar is on my desk. Sort of. The desks at my college have a bookshelf on top that's removable. I took it down and have my altar on that.

I also have a lamp that has three shelves built in and it's currently housing shrines to Freya, Odin, and Thor.

[SolitaryScholar]

An old desk made of fiberboard. It isn't the exact right place or object for an altar, but I'm cramped on space and supplies.

[Skatha]

Right now, I think of my garden as my altar.

[patch]

My main altar is on top of a small set of drawers. It consists on 3 plain white pillar candles of various sizes to represent hestia, a glass offering bowl, an incense holder, an oil burner and some objects I've offered to various gods that I want to display ^_^.

My shrine to Poseidon is on 3 stacked boxes of various sizes (like a pyramid) with a cloth covering them. On it there is a small stand for cone incense and a shell.

My shrine to hestia is a glass bowl with wooden fruit in it, and a candle in the centre.

[LadyLuthien]

a small table from Ikea. Because I am awesome like that. :hahugh:

[n1chev0]

My altar consists of a red three drawer antique Chinese mini-dresser sitting on top of a converted wine cabinet.

In the middle on top of the red dresser is a statue of the deified Laozi, sitting up there with him are la Pachamama (earth goddess), a fat and happy Buddha, Doumu (star mother - goddess of fate), Queen Mother of the West.

The red mini-dresser contains a sage stick, meditation balls, a bell, and incense.

Down below on top of the wine cabinet are:

On the right - Mazi (goddess of the seas), Guandi (god of loyalty & honor), and others.

On the left - Odin (one of the fathers of my people), Zhang Daoling (founder of Celestial Master Daoism) and some articles representing dead family members.

Center is my incense burner.

Inside the cabinet I keep all of my ritual/meditation/magical text books and my notebooks. Also I keep my candle holders, candlesticks, more incense, magical instruments, animals of the four directions, my gemstones (both charged and not), fengshui tools down below the shelf in the cabinet.

I've left some details out and can't post a picture because its my private altar.

[zilith]

Well, since I just recently got back into my own room (one of my friends was renting it while I was in Scotland) I have made a new altar. I was trying to figure out where to put it and was thinking of having it on a shelf but then I realized that most of the books in the bookcase were magical anyway so I decided to use the entire three tiered bookshelf as my altar.

On the top shelf I have an offering bowl, candle holder, and statues (one representing nature, one for chaos, and one for order). I want to get representations of the god and goddess as well, but I haven't found ones that I like yet.
The middle shelf contains all of the tools that I use, as well as some stones and candles.
And the bottom shelf holds most of my magical books.

[HorseCrow]

My altar is made from a large piece of beautiful driftwood, that I found on one of my walks along the fjord. It is so gorgeous that I cannot bring myself to covering it with an altarcloth :)

[Cunae]

A cherry wood shelf holding candles, a meditation chime, a photo of Christ, and a wooden cross.

[aluokaloo]

wood. its just a nightstand

[Malcolm]

I don't really have an altar right now. I usually just leave offerings outside.

[omar]

An empty Dupont dynamite box turned up side down. With Buddha, Kuan Yin,Venus and Laxmi. Out side I use a circle with a five point star in the center.

[Amulya]

my alter is wooden hand made alter my husband bought for my birthday 2 years ago

[LeAnne]

Mine is a large TV stand with a shelf underneth, and a cupboard under that with sliding doors, I live in an apartment above my tanning salon, and the room it's in is actually my body wrap, and spray tan room. My customers think it's a great thing because they thinks its there for a decoration. They see candles, seasonal decorations, incense burners and oil burners, and diety symbols (not knowing thats what they are). My tools are stored in a wooden box on the shelf and in the cupboard below. It's on wheels so when I work I move it to the center of the room facing east. I do not cover it with scarfs and such unless I am working. Mostly because it's a mud room and I do not want the sea clay to get on them. I will usually throw a cover over it in the spray tan mode because of over spray from my air gun. For now I am happy with it.