Last week, we made miniature Wayside Shrines similar to the ones I loved in Ireland as a little girl. After our summer in San Francisco, there is no doubt the California Missions made a similar impression on my children. We were blessed to visit four of them during our stay--Mission San Rafael, Mission Dolores (San Francisco de Assis), Mission San Luis Obispo, and Mission Carmel, the burial place of Blessed Junipero Serra.
With the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe right around the corner, this seemed a good time to create our own miniature mission shrine, using elements inspired by the four beautiful missions we remember so well. We began with a double sided wooden frame from the craft store. The tiled roof made us think of the missions:
The photo of Mission Carmel below gives a glimpse of the terracotta tiles so common in mission churches:
Eight-year-old Marie enjoyed painting the tiles of our "mission":
Mission San Rafael is creamy beige with crosses on top and two topiaries gracing the front:
The first side of our shrine, representing the outside of the missions, has a similar look:
Monuments to Father Junipero Serra, here shown in the garden at Carmel, may be found all over California:
If you look closely at the side of the church in Carmel, you will notice graves adorned with sea shells:
A holy card image of Blessed Serra, along with a small seashell, complete the first side:
For the interior, we drew inspiration from the freestyle flower borders of Mission San Luis Obispo:
We all loved the way this simple border echoed the ones we remember:
This wall of statues from Mission Dolores in San Francisco is typical of the missions--there are always many statues and images to inspire:
We adorned our mission "interior" using saints' images from a broken bracelet and a holy card of Our Lady of Guadalupe:
After the summer we had, it seems appropriate to have this reminder of the California Missions displayed prominently on our Advent table. It will also make a double-sided centerpiece for our Guadalupe Tea next week.
Blessed Junipero Serra, pray for us!
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!
Another divine inspiration and creation Alice, simply gorgeous!
Posted by: Meredith | December 04, 2007 at 05:56 PM
It really is lovely, Alice.
Posted by: Kristen Laurence | December 04, 2007 at 06:12 PM
Oh, Alice, this is amazing! As you know, the Missions, especially Mission San Diego, are so dear and close to our hearts. Cash and I met there, were Youth Ministers there for many years, and our children have received all of their sacraments there. Never in a million years would I have thought of such a wonderful and beautiful project. You make me want to go and hunt down a frame just like yours and do this project! To be so creative and imaginative.....
Posted by: Erica | December 04, 2007 at 07:57 PM
Gorgeous, Alice! Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Diane | December 04, 2007 at 09:13 PM
I LOVE the Missions and this is a wonderful craft ... I need to keep this in mind as I'd love to do the Missions with my littles this Spring or next year ...
As always, you're so good about sharing your wonderfully creative ideas!
Posted by: Mary G. | December 04, 2007 at 09:16 PM
So beautiful.
Posted by: patience | December 04, 2007 at 10:13 PM
Alice, I love the pretty craft idea! I have never seen the California missions so I really enjoyed your photos of them as well. Thank you!
Posted by: Rebecca | December 04, 2007 at 10:22 PM
Beautiful, Alice.
Posted by: Jane Ramsey | December 04, 2007 at 10:45 PM
Gorgeous! Oh, I really like this one, Alice, you have outdone yourself!
Posted by: Theresa | December 05, 2007 at 01:06 AM
Alice this is beautiful. Just beautiful.
Posted by: Account Deleted | December 05, 2007 at 07:46 AM
Alice, how perfect! One of my fondest memories was visiting the Mission San Juan Capistrano on my birthday, March 19th and seeing the swallows! I'd have to find tiny little swallow charms for my shrine and it would have to have orange blossoms in the front courtyard. They smelled so divine that spring.
Posted by: Jennifer | December 05, 2007 at 09:17 AM
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Posted by: CityMom | December 05, 2007 at 10:17 AM
Alice, once again I'm reduced to "Wow! Wow!"
Just beautiful!
Posted by: Karen Edmisten | December 06, 2007 at 04:12 PM
Your miniature mission looks beautiful!
Posted by: keri | December 06, 2007 at 05:04 PM
This is really beautiful - very "southwest" looking. What a great way to preserve your summer memory of the missions.
Posted by: MaryM | December 07, 2007 at 07:10 PM
The missions are very dear to those of us in Our Hearts' Haven........we only have a few left to see! Love this great idea! Wish I was part of your California memories :(
Or.......that YOU were part of our NY memories :)
Blessings,
Posted by: Chari | December 09, 2007 at 02:06 AM