Elements of the altar:

Burlap, white lace & ribbon for the Tehuana fashioned skirt, painted with acrylic paint. Hand painted by all three artists.
Plastered and painted plant boxes, construction by Sally Ann Rodriguez. Plaster is symbolic of the time that Frida spent in a plaster cast, recovering from her street car accident.
Custom hand-tooled tin work on planter boxes by Rachel Anne Palacios...with Frida's quotes to remind us of her words.
Original painting "Sin Zapatas" by Maria Sanchez.... Frida used to dress as a man with full pant suit and tie.
Glass vases and colored glass votive holders ...for clarity
Velvet, red and black velvet curtains & gold rope tiebacks w/ tassel, because drama abounded in Frida's life
Satin lined interior because she was sexy.
Wood Frame & base a solid foundation.
Wire (chicken wire under structure) ...like the brace that held her spine together after the street car accident.
Authentic used artist palette, courtesy of Sally Anne Rodriguez
Madrone trees, moss and moss spheres (the trees represent life, blood, veins, lungs, bronchials) Frida died of a pulmonary embolism.
Candles, (fire and light)
Food offerings (avocados, mangos, figs, persimmons, limes, kiwi, red and green jalapenos, chiles verdes & a papaya).
Donated used paint brushes (the "sacred brushes") collected by women artists from around the world. Represent the next generation of artists who have been inspired by the life and work of Frida Kahlo.
Light , the interior of the altar skirt is lined with red light, and the base of the skirt, lace is lit with white light. She glows!
Incense to purify.
Handmade jewelery because Frida loved jewelery!
Gazing balls (reflective spheres) to give the altar eyes, not only do you see the altar you see yourself in the altar.
Original Tin Nicho by Rachel Anne-Palacios
Original Dia de los Muertos Skulls by Rachel Anne Palacios
Original painting of Frida Kahlo by Cris Melo of Meloearth.com (collection of Maria Sanchez)
Authentic Chinese Army cap with red star & Chairman Mao's Little Red Book (Frida was a Communista... a picture of Chairman Mao hung in her bedroom in Coyoacan).
Cigarettes
Glass tequila label
Paper flowers by Sarah Sanchez (age 7)
Flying hand carved wood angel Mexican Folk Art (or Diego as we like to call him), both Frida and Diego had an extensive collection of Mexican Folk Art.
Cala lilies (respresent Diego Rivera, ... Frida loved Diego, calas were the signature flowers in Diego Rivera's paintings and murals.)
Mexican Olinala box and Talavera plates (Frida loved to dress a table when she entertained.)
Donated fresh bouganvilla & roses from the Sanchez family garden (Frida loved fresh flowers)
Silk flowers (marigolds, carnations & sunflowers)
Black clay pottery incense holder, "Gordita".
Hand made book by Maria Sanchez, pictures of Frida paintings and quotes.
Wrought iron hand to hold a flower offering. Represents the gracefulness of a women's hand. Frida created her magical paintings with her hands.
Blue base to represent Frida's blue house and home, the place she called home.. La Casa Azul.
Deer Antlers (not real) but made to look real. She portrayed herself as the wounded deer in one of her self portraits.
Walking stick for stability.
A wooden cobblers shoe form...represents the foot she lost due to gangrine... amputation.
Silk Rebozo, gift to Maria Sanchez from the Calle Olvera Merchants Association, Los Angeles, CA. Frida always wore the traditional rebozo.
Framed image of Frida's lips... she always kissed her handwritten letters to her close friends and husband Diego Rivera.
Framed image of the Virgen of Guadalupe.
Small hand made devil & angel day of the dead figurines....because she had both a good and bad side... we all do.
papel picado...because a day of the dead altar is not complete without it... it also represents the wind.