MARDI GRAS! LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULEZ!

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!

 MARCH 4, 2014

is 
MARDI GRAS!! 

Who better than Marie Antoinette who 

grew up in New Orleans to give us some 

lessons on this famous flamboyant holiday!

 So join us for some fun, beauty and 

celebration of a holiday that dates 

back thousands of years! 

 MARIE REMEMBERS MARDI GRAS 
IN THE "OLD DAYS"
*******************

Mardi Gras was a LOT different when I 
was a kid growing up in New Orleans - 
it was a family event. 

Here's a photo of me, my Dad and one of 
my brothers dressed for Mardi Gras.

I'm dressed as a Lady in Waiting. My dad 
and my brother are dressed up as pirates. 
Arrrrrr matey!  
We had lots of Mardi Gras celebrations 
with family & friends back then. My 
brothers & I were always amazed and 
thrilled by the incredible floats and costumes 
in the parades. Gorgeous colors, incredible 
masks, dancing, singing, crowds of people - 
so many wonderful memories! 

 I grew up in New Orleans for years and 
loved being with my Dad for all 
the fun & festivities for years. 

Then after I married, my hubby and I 
would watch the parades from 
the balcony of Big Easy.

 Hubby took this photo from 
that balcony. "Hi y'all!"

This giant Frankenstein made 
me look like a little 
Thumbelina! 

Here's a picture of me and 
the LAW!! LOL
(Isn't Marie absolutely adorable in these pics??)

  MARDI GRAS HISTORY
***********************

 Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday 

and a popular cultural phenomenon. 

The holiday dates back thousands of years.
In French, "Mardi Gras" literally means 
"Fat Tuesday", so named because it falls 
on the day before Ash Wednesday, the last 
day prior to Lent... a 40-day season of prayer 
and fasting observed by the Roman Catholic 
Church and many other Christian 
denominations, which ends on Easter Sunday.

 Also known as "Carnival", Mardi Gras is 

celebrated in many countries around the 
world. Brazil, Venice and New Orleans 
play host to some of the holiday's most 
famous public festivities, drawing thousands 
of tourists and revelers every year.

 AMERICA'S FIRST MARDI GRAS

******************************

 (found on MardiGras.com, this is only an exerpt)

The explorers found the mouth 

of the Mississippi River on March 3, 1699, 

Mardi Gras of that year. 

They made camp a few miles upriver, named 

the spot Point d'Mardi Gras and partook in 

a spontaneous party. 

This is often referred to 

as North America's first Mardi Gras. 

A couple of decades later, Bienville founded 

New Orleans and soon Carnival Celebrations 

were an annual event highlighted by 

lavish balls and masked spectacles. 

Some were small, private parties with 

select guest lists, while other were raucous, 

public affairs. 

Parades officially began in 1838. 

On Ash Wednesday of that year, the 

Commercial Bulletin read: 

"The European custom of celebrating the last 

day of Carnival by a procession of 

masked figures through the streets was 

introduced here yesterday." 

MARDI GRAS COLORS

**********************

Mardi Gras in Louisiana has official colors. 

Purple, Green & Gold were established by Rex 

(the King of the Mardi Gras) in 1872. 

Twenty years later, the colors were assigned 

a symbolic meaning each one representing 

a different facet of Mardi Gras culture. 

Purple symbolizes justice, 

green stands for faith, 

and gold represents power. 

THROWS

  *********
 The tradition of throwing trinkets to the 
crowds during Mardi Gras parades was 
initiated in the early 1870s by the Twelfth 
Night Revelers and has become a 
time-honored expectation. In 1884, the 
Krewe of Rex threw the first medallions 
(silver-dollar-sized commemorative coins 
later called doubloons) instead of the 
customary trinkets. Todays doubloons 
are usually aluminum and anodized in a 
variety of colors, depicting the parade theme 
on one side and the emblem of the 
particular Krewe on the other. 

Other popular throws are long strings 
of pearlized beads and plastic cups 
bearing the emblems of the Krewes.

The traditional cry of parade-goers 
who are pleading for throws is: 
"Throw me something, Mister!"

 MARDI GRAS BALLS
*********************

While most people think of parades when 
they think of Mardi Gras, there are plenty 
of other traditions too. 
The Carnival ball is a formal party 
given by a krewe for its members and their 
guests.

 It consists of a royal court with king and queen,
 dukes and duchesses and the like,
 who are presented in lavish costumes
 to an audience of invited guests.
 The King and Queen of 
each krewe (a club or social organizaton) 
work all year long for the big spectacular ball. 

 

The theme of the ball is a closely 
guarded secret and part of the mystique until 
the night of the Ball. 

Some balls are Masquerade Balls! 

The more traditional balls present tableaux,
 which are staged pageants that depict stories
, usually from mythology or history. 
A queen's supper, which might be a dinner dance
 or informal party, often is held after the ball.

 Sometimes balls are also cotillions.
  Debutantes are introduced at the 
Ball Tableau as a formal introduction
 to society. 

The climbing social ladder starts for 
the children serving as pages to the court. Women 
dress in ballgowns and hope to be issued a 
"call-out" card. If the debutante is fortunate enough 
to receive one, she is seated in a select area and 
waits her turn to be "called out" for a dance

by the krewe member who sent the card. 
A night of dining and dancing with a prince 
in formal attire - what a dream! 

 Attendance at the older, more aristocratic 
balls is by invitation only. No one really feels 
left out if they don't receive an invitation, though.
Lots of folks aren't invited, including some 
governors who wanted to attend. Originally, 
ball invitations were die-cut and printed in 
Paris; they continue to be quite colorful 
and valuable works of art. 

Carnival Ball Invitation, 1888

These invitations are collector items,
often framed for their beauty, and are 
interesting conversation pieces. 

Invitation from krewe of Rex 1882

Some large parades produce an indoor 
extravaganza the night of their parade. 
This is a wonderful way to experience Mardi Gras. 
Everyone dresses formally and enjoys the parade, 
entertainment, and food all night long.

THE KING CAKE
****************
King Cakes are delicious cinnamon 
roll/coffee cake pastry with icing and colored 
sugar on top. 

Of course the sugar is tinted in 
Mardi Gras Colors, purple, green, and gold! 
The cake is an oval shaped ring. 

It has a tiny toy baby hidden in it. 
The baby symbolizes baby Jesus, 
a reference to the religious aspect 
of Mardi Gras.  In Marie's family 
the person who gets the baby in their 
piece of cake has to make the King 
Cake the following year!   

Marie gave me this King Cake Mix 
to take home for the next year. 

You can also use this clever method
using Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls in 
the tube and colored sugars. 
Click here for the directions.
 
It was great making it and 
remembering the good times we had. 

CRAWFISH
***********
Crawfish are in season during 
Mardi Gras! So a lot of them get 
eaten all through the festivities! 

When I went to visit Marie she introduced 
me to crawfish. Her hubby brought home 
a grocery sack full of crawfish! 
After they were boiled and drained 
the crawfish are spread out on 
newspaper and the fun begins.

So... you break the end of the tail off 
and suck the insides out of the 
crawfish. Yes that's right! 
It was really scary and kind of 
creepy at first but by the end of 
our crawfish feast I was a PRO!!

A good time was had by all!


LET'S MAKE A MARDI GRAS PARTY!
**********************************  

Here's a great site with lots of ideas 
to make some fun party items. 
 Mardi Gras Outlet
 (click here for directions) 

 Make a really cool wire crown. 

Attach it to a headband to make 
a "fascinator" to wear to a Mardi Gras 
festivity or if you just want to be 
a Princess!!

Or decorate a King Cake with a crown. 

Make a mask! 
Use one of these printables...
 

Free mask printables @ 

Activity Village 

Or one of these@
Mardi Gras Outlet
 

 You can use something as simple as 
a paper plate to make a great mask!

Or as easy as tracing handprints! 

How about a Paper Jester Hat?

Too cute huh??
 
Join us to celebrate Mardi Gras 
today! 
 
Laissez les bon temps roulez!
That's right... let the good times roll!

And then... on to observe Ash Wednesday 
and Lent in preparation for Resurrection Day.
Marie Antoinette & Edie Marie
XOXO 

Images courtesy of Google
Post by Edie Marie
Memoirs by Marie Antoinette
We sure do have fun together! 

We're joining: 

Ivy & Elephants 

Home Sweet Home

Craftberry Bush