Pensive,

Thank you so much for the image of Mary and Jesus.  I just received it today, and LOVE it.  I'll send pictures soon.

God Bless,

Steve

Since I'm very fond of Byzantine religious art, I have a home shrine which consists of an icon of Christ Pantocrator I bought bought from  monastery in Greece years ago.  In addition of I have other icons of St. Nicholas, one of my patrons,  a Coptic icon of St. Minas of Egypt I bought in Cairo at the Coptic Museum, a Byzantine icon of Our Lady and the Holy Child (Theotokos), a copy of my great grandfather's Book of Common Prayer printed in 1847, a bronz Orthodox incense burner and hanging antique icon lamp I bought in Athens. I've added a holy water font, a Coptic incense box, my old rosary beads, and a Catholic bible (Jerusalem bible), a Byzantine missal together with other religious books.

I burn scented olive oil in the icon lamp and always use pure 100% beeswax candles.  Flowers and a crucifix from my childhood were added to complete the home "altar".

I recommend buying most of your religious objects for your home shrine from Eastern Catholic or Orthodox supply houses, especially the latter.  You get a better selection of really good art and liturgical objects such as lamps, varities of incense burners at much better prices.  They're usually made in monasteries in Russia , Greece, or the Balkans and, in my view, are decidedly superior to most of the items generally available in Roman Catholic religious goods stores.