Is it Mardi Gras yet?

I love Mardi Gras.  It’s not the drinking or the beads or anything like that, although one day I will visit New Orleans.  What I love is the whole idea of Mardi Gras – let’s have a huge party before we have to go be all faithful and stuff.  Seriously?  How nifty is that.

In history, Mardi Gras was Carnivale, which could be a celebration that lasted for weeks.  In Venice, my special sinful SCA city, you could say the Carnivale season lasted even longer than that.  There were rules stating how many months of the year masks could be worn. 

I’m not Catholic, and none of my current friends are either, but it’s always fun to get together on Mardi Gras.  You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and you don’t have to be Catholic, or giving up anything for Lent, to celebrate Mardi Gras.  So we will gather together tomorrow, bringing our potluck dishes and fancy masks, and have a great time with friends.

I will try to keep that spirit alive through the last of this winter until spring returns.

Create: Masquerade

I happened across a nifty pattern on the webz that totally fits into the Mardi Gras theme... It's a crocheted mask!

 

 The pattern is easy to follow and works up quickly.  I ended up making two Thursday night because I started with the wrong hook and I didn't get time to work on it earlier (like I was supposed too...).  I'm not quite comfortable in it yet, but I'm not typically comfortable in masks.  But at least this one doesn't have plastic bits to dig into my skin.  

My plan is for this to turn into a raven mask.  There is a faerie ball/faire this spring that I want to go to, and I've chosen a raven/crow theme.  Yay for feathers and shiny bits!  Unfortunately, the ball is in April and the faire in June.  So I've got to get cracking on getting the outfit done.  I'm a horrible slacker.  But I've started on the mask!  

Now to get the top hat done....

Write: Indulge and Sacrifice

The true meaning of Mardi Gras is mostly lost in modern culture.  Growing up I just thought it was a big party.  There is a (religious) meaning behind it, and a frugal reason.  If you aren't supposed to eat a bunch of food for the next forty days, you might as well use it up before it goes bad, right?

This writing exercise is to explore your thoughts behind indulgence and sacrifice.  What do you think you could give up and do without?  What do you indulge in?  Do you think you should live without it?

Mine is a bit different.  I got caught in the funny line between 'we are giving this up because we should be pious and walk the line.... but first we're going to party so we can live without it for awhile.'

Enjoy!

Inspire: Mardi Gras

It's time to party!

February 16th marks the end of the Carnival season this year, better known in some areas as Mardi Gras.  It's a time for partying, wearing masks, good friends, and good food.  Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the start to Lent, and the day for getting all that excess energy out of the way.  This link is a great resource for the history of Carnival. 

I've never been Catholic (my ex-husband was for awhile), but I've always thought Mardi Gras was awesome.

It could be because I love masks.  Especially detailed and feathered.  It could be that King Cake is one of my favorite desserts.  But maybe it's just the feeling of getting it all out of your system, of having a full night of carefree fun, of partying as hard as you can, for the next day starts prayer and restriction.

The theme for this week is, of course, Mardi Gras and Carnival.  What can you do to let it all out?  What restrictions do you place on yourself?