Day of the Dead Kids Craft: Shoebox Altar

–Shoe-box- any size

To build your altar:

1- Wrap you box in paper. It’s nice to use bright colors perhaps even colors your loved ones liked.

2-Place your pictures. It’s best to adhere them to the inside wall of the box.We used Popsicle sticks to create frames. It was a nice touch to decorate.

3. Place any other decor. We used wooden crosses, religious saint pictures and lots of hearts and gems.

4. Add other treats and foods. Anything from chocolates to chips to real food.

5. Lastly add some non-lit candles and make some tissue paper flores, flowers, follow the tutorial below. 

Using anywhere from 4-6 pieces of tissue paper (5×5 squares) fold the tissue in accordion form.

Fold in half and cut the edges as you would like your flower round or pointy- either works.

Tie the middle of the fold with wire or elastic anything that will create a strong hold.

Once tied start pulling apart the tissue one side at a time and one tissue at a time.

Work slowly and carefully as tissue paper does tear easily.

After all the tissues have been pulled apart on both sides shape your flower by making all separated tissue face one way.

Here’s the story behind our own Altar:

My Nana and Tata were my grandparents.

My Tata always had a sweet tooth. You could always count on him to share his stash of bite sized Butterfinger chocolate bars.

My Nana was a curandera. She constantly smelled like Vicks Vapor rub. That’s what she used to sobar, massage, the sick.

She also loved to eat Dorito chips.

The clothes-pin represents both my grandparents. My Nana would hang clothes on a clothes line my Tata made in the back yard. When the clothes pins would break my Tata would always fix them. My Tata was quite the handy man.

The religious crosses represent their faith. The picture of the Saint is one both my grandparents believed in. He continues to be sacred in our family.

Feliz Dia De los Muertos!!!!

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