Monday, February 15, 2021

T Stands For Mardi Gras

 

If you are visiting on Monday in my world, happy Lundi Gras, or Shrove Monday.  If you are visiting on Tuesday in my world, welcome to Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday.  If you are wondering why I might not have visited you last Tuesday, please see here.

Let's have some tea and celebrate Mardi Gras.

I've even included a few Mardi Gras beads and 

a tiny good luck baby.

Some of you got concerned when I threw two babies into the tea water in 2016.  Remember, these babies bake in a King Cake, 

so a bit of warm tea is like bathing the baby in bath water.
 
Traditional Mardi Gras colors are gold, green, and purple.  They fit nicely with Valerie's theme of Heavy Metal at Art Journal Journey, especially when I used metallic colors through the stencil and on the background papers.
 
On the left, are elements that are traditional to Mardi Gras.  There are the parades consisting of floats where beads are thrown and Krewes, social organizations who might build and decorate the floats.  Larger, more expensive Krewes charge members thousands of dollars to be a member and hire professionals to decorate the floats.  Each Krewe is responsible for buying their own beads and coins that they throw to onlookers of the parade.  As I mentioned before, King Cakes are served in which a baby is placed.  The person who receives the baby may have to have the next year's Mardi Gras party or is considered the lucky recipient.

Mardi Gras, 2021 is February 16.  

The paper I painted was quite old and crumbly.  It must not have been dry when I closed the book, and some of it stuck to the other side of the page. 

For this spread, I began by painting book pages using Twinkling H2Os.  When dry, I added computer generated words and an image to the pages.  I laid a stencil on a piece of 90 lb. watercolor paper and tried to color the triangles using more Twinkling H2Os on the left side of the page.  For the right side, I turned the stencil over and tried to remove the excess ink from the stencils using a dry brush.
 
Do you have the Mardi Gras spirit?  Will "Fat Tuesday" be the day before you fast?  Whether you celebrate Mardi Gras or not, please share your T stories below.  Feel free to show your King Cakes, plastic baby dolls, or beads.  The photos don't have to be taken on Tuesday, and it's fairly obvious, they can even be taken from your archives, as one of mine has been today.  Please use the direct link to your T post, not your blog, so we can find you easily.  And, celebrate it or not, have a great Mardi Gras.





29 thoughtful remarks:

Mae Travels said...

Your collage uses the Mardi Gras colors quite beautifully. I have been fascinated by this year's photos -- there are no parades or floats in New Orleans, but wishful participants have turned their houses into enormous decorated float-like structures. Of course many other celebrations in other cultures throughout the world have their own traditions, and I'm looking forward to photos of how they may have adapted to the grim situation this year.

be well... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Eileen Bergen said...

I love the babies floating in the tea. The first year I sold Avon here in Mexico, I didn't speak enough Spanish or know the customs very well. So guess who won the baby in the cake!

I hope your recovery is going well. You have my best wishes. Hugs and Happy T-day! Eileen

Lisca said...

Great colours!
Thanks for explaining about Krews. I am not aware of any Mardis Gras customs here. Although there are always Carnical parades. Perhaps that is the same thing... But then this year nothing will be happening.
You made me smile with those babies in your tea.
I hope you are feeling better,
Lisca

My name is Erika. said...

We must be on the same wavelength as I have a mardi gras page today also. You've done a great job being festive. We can use a little in home celebration right now with this winter weather, covid and all these months being home. I like the beads and the journal page. Hope your infection is responding well to the antibiotic. Happy T day. Hugs-Erika

Kate Yetter said...

I have never been to Mardi Gras but I used to have beads that were gifted by relatives that attended. Love your collage. Beautiful colors.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate

Valerie-Jael said...

Great post. Here in Rhineland carnival is normally a big festival with many parades, which were of course all cancelled this year. Love the colours on your journal pages, thanks for linking to my challenge again! Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie

Iris Flavia said...

Thank you, Baby is online! I always wondered about that one!!!
Now I finally know!!!

As Valerie said, all parades cancelled. Glad we can celebrate like this! (Not that I´m a fan of carnival. Make-up or such.)

Cloudia said...

Festive!

Elephant's Child said...

Happy Mardi Gras - and I hope your health is much improved.

Neet said...

Hope you are feeling a bit better each day.
Thanks for the information about Mardi Gras - I have always wanted to be in Venice on this day but anywhere that celebrates it with decorated floats would do as well. Guess it will all be toned down this year because of Covid but nice to know some people will still celebrate in a different way.
Hugs, Neet xx

kathyinozarks said...

I am hoping you are feeling better each day now. I can't believe today in Mardi Gras already-your journal spread is beautiful stay warm hugs Kathy

Karen said...

Looks like a party on the page! Happy Mardi Gras ~ blessings and well wishes on your week.

J said...

I've never seen anything here about Mardi Gras, plenty of parades for other things though.
I've never heard of the babies either!
Sorry I've just realised that my photo didn't included my cup of coffee
sorry Elizabeth.
Jan x

CJ Kennedy said...

A delightful post. The colors and collage are just wonderful and the tea babies in their tea bath made me smile. Laissez le bon temps rouler! Happy T Day and I hope you are feeling better.

Barbara said...

Another lovely and thoughtful place setting! You must have a huge collection of beautiful place mats. :)

Anne (cornucopia) said...

Lovely artwork and photos.

Meggymay said...

Oh Elizabeth I am so sorry I have missed your recent posts and just read how poorly you have been. I hope each day is a lot better than the last for you and you will be well soon.
Yvonne xx

Divers and Sundry said...

Happy Mardi Gras! I used to have pancakes before the Lenten Fast, yes, but not any more. I hope you're recovering well.

Happy T Tuesday!

one irrational bean said...

I completely forgot it’s Fat Tuesday/ Marci Gras. I must eat a lot of sweets now. 💕

pearshapedcrafting said...

I will be making pancakes later as it is Shrove Tuesday here in the UK and it is traditional to use up cake making ingredients before lent starts - not that I am using anything up - we just love pancakes!
I love this page which is just perfect for Art Journal Journey this month! Take care, Hugs, Chrisx

Jeanie said...

Happy Mardi Gras. We really don't do that up here in the north so it's fun to see these posts!

Red Rose Alley said...

Lovely photos. My daughters love this special day, and have even celebrated it in New Orleans. All the colors, the festive masks, the beads, what fun. And that King cake is so Yummy. My daughter tries to make it every year. Your pictures of the babies in the tea cup are delightful.

~Sheri

Let's Art Journal said...

Such a fabulous celebration! Loving those masks and the Mardi Gras colours - perfect 😁. Never heard of a king cake or the babies being baked inside before, how interesting! Happy T Tuesday! Hugs, Jo x

J said...

Elizabeth, thanks for your message, not sure why it’s going into edit mode again, I did publish it so I will check it out before next week, sorry to cause any confusion and worry, I really wouldn’t even know how to hack anyone’s account. Thanks jan x

DVArtist said...

Your display for Mardi Gras is just lovely. You have a talent for a good use of color and design. Have a great day today.

craftytrog said...

A fantastic Mardi Gras page Elizabeth!
Happy T-Day!
Alison xx

RO said...

I visited years and years ago, and still have tons of those beads, a few are displayed on my mirror in the car. I've seen people do lots and lots of things with the lucky baby(lol) Those colors look vibrant and festive. Hope you're feeling much better! Hugs, RO

Lowcarb team member said...

Lovely post, all so colourful.

All the best Jan

baili said...

this is really interesting sharing :)
i enjoyed stroll ,your crockery is splendid
and ritual sounds amazing through your story
thank you for sharing
health peace and joy!