I wanted my family members to be the main focus, which is why I decided to go with a black cloth for the whole altar. It also allowed for the other things like the marigolds and loteria cards to pop as they made a good contrast to the cloth. I wanted there to be 3 tiers and even though it came out pretty small and not very high up I liked it because it felt intimate to me. This allowed me to see every aspect of the altar and also sit and reflect while still being able to see every aspect of it. There are a total of 16 marigolds placed all over the altar and about 24 creating the arch that is placed at the top. I wanted there to be a lot of flowers because not only do they look so pretty, but flowers are the only way I have interacted with most of the people on my altar. Every vacation to Mexico, we would stop at the cemetery and buy bundles of fresh flowers and carry a bucket to fill with water. We stopped at each of their graves and I divided the flowers evenly so everyone could have some on their graves. I placed loteria cards as my family said they really liked playing it and I also added snacks they used to enjoy. And lastly, I placed my grandpa at the top of the box out of respect. Based on family stories my grandpa was a very kind man who was loved and respected by everyone in his town. I felt that I should put him at the top because he’s someone I really wish I could have had the chance to meet. He was also the head of the family so everyone in the family still looks up to him and I wanted to continue with that notion.abarcagrecia_