This past week I went to my good friend Lizette's house, with another friend Yolanda. We had a wonderful morning in which Lizette taught us how to make Matchbook Shrines. Lizette, who is a clown and has a circus with her husband Todd, Jest In Time Circus, has been making these magical small shrines for quite a while now. Her enthusiasm and wonderful little altars were an inspiration to both of us. So here is the first step, taking apart a small matchbox, and reconfiguring it on a template we cut out of card stock. Putting a photo or an image in the center of the glued together altar that sets the intention for the shrine. I decided through synchronicity, ( ie: this was the first image I came across in my collage scrap box that interested me) to do a shrine to Frida Kahlo and here is the beginning of my shrine. My Shrine to Frida in process...... And the completed little shrine! Isn't this adorable. I love it. Here is Yolanda's shrine to her dog Serena, who lives on in her memory and heart, loving and sweet. The rest of these shrines are Lizette's, this is her personal inner child. Each one so unique and dedicated to someone or a part of her inner self. This one is very close to my heart. It is the one she completed the day we met, it is dedicated to Jason Brownlie, Lizette's son, who passed away over 6 years ago. He loved trains, everything about them including riding in them. He was an amazing spirit filled being and is deeply missed. And another one of Lizette's Matchbook shrines. They are little vignettes. This one is in honor of her clown self, and the role of clowning in her life. This shrine is in honor of Lizettes's mother. This process is so simple, yet can be so sophisticated, magical and such a healing process. I can't wait to do more, and I am playing with the idea of offering a class to people in my SoulCollage® groups, a day of taking one of their Companion (personal guides) or Council (archetypes activated in their lives) cards and using a photocopy of it as the base for a shrine. It is a great idea. If it happens I will post the process here. Until next time. Ciao..Caterina