Mardi Gras Indians Super Sunday 2015

This was my 6th Mardi Gras Indians Super Sunday and it still shocks my senses. Music swirls with the smell of grilled meats as everyone gathers at A.L. Davis Park to see the Indians’ elaborately crafted suits which weigh up to 150 pounds, cost up to $5000 (though I’ve heard $9000 once) and can take up to a year to design, construct and bead. When I moved here in 2009, the tribes were still fighting  for their right to a permitted parade. This year, I spotted Mayor Mitch Landrieu shaking hands with police parade escorts before things got rolling.

Christmas Tree 2014

Readers of this blog know I’ve been working on 3 movies in the last 2 months – 2 at the same time. Though I feel abundantly blessed, it’s been difficult to shop for presents or even get into the holiday spirit. But, I did find the time to decorate our tree. I had big plans of making my annual Sculpey ornaments. I planned on a bride and groom dressed in our silly, fun wedding clothes. I also planned to make a Pussyfooter ornament with the 2014 uniform and, of course, the year-ahead-themed Baby New Year.

Mardi Gras Decorations!

Decorating for Mardi Gras is a new habit for me, but it’s quickly become one of my favorites. It starts with taking down the red and green glass balls and my fussy handmade Christmas ornaments and replacing them with silly handmade purple, green and gold ornaments and medallions from beads caught in previous parades. Just like unpacking my Christmas ornaments is like a trip down a candy-cane lined memory lane, now taking out my Mardi Gras ornaments transports me back to St. Charles Avenue, catching prize medallions from Muses or Bacchus or Thoth. My treasures are my 4 strands of beads thrown by Saints at the Victory Parade after the 2010 Super Bowl.