Back to Doll Making

I feel like it's been weeks since I've actually created anything. I fear I'm going stir crazy. I guess I need to look at the last two weeks as a years worth of inspiration, which it indeed has been. But before I get down and dirty with my clay again (that sounds just nasty, but I think ya'll know what I mean:) I just want to share a bit of the most magical day of the year, for me anyway.

So many people think Mardi Gras is about beads and boobs. While it may be for some this is not what Mardi Gras means to us and most locals. Our day starts early, we put on the costumes we've worked hard on and head down to the Marigny, near the French Quarter. The revellers congregate, the costumes are enough to stop you in your tracks, the funky sounds of a brass band playing to shake your booty to, the camaraderie of sharing such a magical experience is thick in the air. Everyone is in love and loving life. This is my Mardi Gras.

My whacky sis

My beautiful daughter walking down Frenchman street amongst the revellers. I love that she shares and enjoys the magic of this day with me. The creativity, soul and spirit of this whole event is absolutely something I want her to know and feel.

My sister Corky dancing with the Melon Lady, Corky is in gray (I realize they both have pretty big melons:)

Chris jumping to new heights

and myself getting towed by my darling husband .

You can see more images on my flickr

Happy Lundi Gras

Oh my one more day..I'm not sure I can take it. We've been parading and partying for a week now and well..these old bones just aren't what they used to be:)

First you must see this fabulous hat I bought from a local artist here in New Orleans known only as Oliver (she has not site online:( Each piece is original and handmade and absolutely stunning. That's my sister Corky, from Michigan, she got herself one too.

This is a picture of the three sisters off to market. My sister Christine from Avantegarb sells every year at a costume sale down in the French Quarter. She creates the most wild and whacky costumes and it is soo much fun to see someone wearing her designs on Mardi Gras day. It's so rare that the three of us get together and we had a grand old time!Last but not least is my little precious skipping her way to a parade! I just love that smile!!

Oh I also want to mention, I've had the wonderful good fortune of being featured on A Bit of Color A terrific blog you must check out!!

and the winner is.....(drumrollllll)

Congrats to Robin at A Life of a Farm Woman She is the winner of my OHOW giveaway and Bill is so excited to be joining life down on the farm. He never was much of a city boy anyway!!

I had so much fun with this event and cannot wait to do it again next year!! Thanks to everyone who stopped by to check out my blog and decided to follow it as well.

Can you beleive my computer was down for most of this event..arghhh! So if I haven't stopped by your blog, now that I am up and running I plan to.

Laura

Laura really didn't want to go to lousy prom anyway, but to be stood up was really just to much to take.

I had all my fabrics out working on my Mardi Gras costume and Laura definitely ended up with a very similar costume, though mine has a bit of red lace on it that was just too big for Laura's dress. I fear she looks a bit cuter in her costume than I do in mine though:)

Mardi Gras Madness

Thank goodness my computer is back and in good working order!! Man you don't realize how much you use these things til you don't have it.

So I'm back in business, just in time for the Mardi Gras season. Down here in New Orleans we celebrate Mardi Gras for about an entire month. The Mardi Gras music starts playing on the radio (Mardi Gras Mambo and more), the green purple and gold decorations go up, parades start to roll and MOST importantly the costume boxes come out!!!

We along with every other household in New Orleans have a giant costume box full of fancy outfits, wigs, makeup, boas, masks..you name it. Costuming is serious around here. I've been working on mine for about a week now (in between doll making and the other necessities of life that I must do)

So I will be sure to take my camera to all of the events and share them with you here on my blog. Here's one to start, my daughter NoraLeigh is just as crazy about Mardi Gras as the rest of us. They pretty much come outta the womb that way down here in the big easy:)

Computer Blues and My Poor Blog

Without a computer for to two weeks! Arghhh, what hasn't suffered, other than my housekeeping, My poor blog most significantly though. So I'm taking a moment on my sisters computer just to post a few new pieces. Hope to be back to my regularly scheduled computer life soon:)