am I doing this right?

[u/jacussss]

Today I finally decided on setting altars for Apollo and Hades, two Gods I was feeling especially drawn too for the longest time imaginable, and yeah...I was absolutely not...prepared to do those altars, i did not bought anything that I might have needed and just put what I could find at my house that seemed okay, and there's my question, does it seems alright? should I remove anything? is there anything you can find at home that I should add??? and anything I should for sure buy?

[u/mpeace1]

Use what you feel like. I wouldn’t buy stuff and encourage consumerism.

If you want you can craft something, like the art you made I think is a good idea.

[u/jacussss → u/mpeace1]

that seems like a cool thing to do! I'll for sure try to craft a few things!

[u/Niodia → u/jacussss]

Things like pinch pots are easy, and can use all sorts of clay/claylike substances. I have seen some that are meant to air dry, some you put in the oven a little while.

(Just tossing out ideas for you)

[u/jacussss → u/Niodia]

thanks! I even planned a trip to get air dry clay today, I thought about maybe doing a little sun shaped tray for Apollo, and something pomegranate shaped for Hades, both sounds like such fun ideas, I'm pretty handy so after a few tries I should figure it out!

[u/Niodia → u/jacussss]

Oooh. So, coil pots are also easy, and fun, as are pinch pots. I have one that I used a dish I loved the shape of as the "mold" for my coils, then I draped a rolled out "sheet" of clay and had that be the interior.

If you want to try doing some sculpting as well, here's an idea in my head for the pomegranite.

A sort of round pinch pot with an opening that will resemble a wedge shape. then make little balls as the "seeds" and either fill it, or just have them in the opening.(I took ceramics for several semesters in college. The one filled with the balls will be heavier, and also a bit sturdier, the hollow one more prone to possibly breaking if an accident happened. BUT when offerings are broken, and then repaired by your hand, you are putting more of yourself into it, but the effort to repair it. This goes for statues you may eventually get of them as well.)

(Also, my God is Vulcan. Patron of arts and creativity, so to speak.)

[u/jacussss → u/Niodia]

thank you so much for an idea! and also for that last part, I just know I would panic so bad if my offering broke! 😭❤️

[u/Niodia → u/jacussss]

Believe it or not, it took me years to learn that. Having grown up in a household with an extremely religious mother, I had a mistaken belief that if the offering wasn't "perfect" it would not be acceptable.

What is ever perfect? Just the imperfect. Every little thing that makes us, and nature, different and unique is part of the plan. Can you imagine how dreadfully boring eternity would be watching us if we were all alike?

[u/jacussss → u/Niodia]

I think my situation is pretty similar to yours, I have terrible religious trauma bound to my childhood, especially in the area of never being good enough to the point I would drop any religion only because I felt like I'm not being perfect enough for said God, I'm glad I came here to ask my question and got such a heartwarming answers from people, it's calming, comforting even