Mardi Gras Mignonette

Mardi Gras traditions and historical notes are something I've been browsing through and studying since the beginning of the month.  One of the best places to look for information is obviously online articles.  No.  It isn't always Wikipedia.  Yet one of my favorite places to find information is through children's books.  As many of you aware, I collect vintage and antiquarian children's books.  I also collect books on holidays, but most importantly, books with beautiful illustrations.  To me that most often means Realism, but I do stray.  Depends.  For instance, with the small collection of children's books about Mardi Gras that I've recently collected, I found one book in particular, not only insightful, but the illustrations were endearing.  The books is Mimi's First Mardi Gras by Alice Couvillon and Elizabeth Moore.  

Every step all the way through the book, you learn something of interest about Mardi Gras.  Some information I already knew, and some is wonderful to add to my brain's internal 

filing system.  One of most fun bits of tradition to take note of is the King Cake that is served on Twelfth Night.  That is the twelfth night following Christmas.  The cake is shaped like a huge ring and iced with purple, green and yellow frosting.  Hidden inside the cake is a tiny baby figurine.  Whoever gets the piece of cake with the baby is expected to give the next King Cake party.  These parties will continue until Mardi Gras, but as for their intervals?  I'd guess once a week.  That's a lot of colorful cake to eat!

So what did I do?  I went on Ebay and purchased a tiny baby doll to make a cake with.  No.  Not for me.  For Blaire, my American Girl play doll.  I've been too busy designing and sewing to make the cake out of paper clay, but she can have the baby as a reminder to give the next party.

Its also notable that just after the Lenten season is done, you get to pig out on Easter candy.  

I'm still tickled by how parade watchers chant, "Throw me something mister!", as the parade goes by, and beads and doubloons and trinkets are thrown to the crowds.  When I found this adorable image of Louis with his "throw me something mister" sign, I had to share it with you.

And this beautiful Mardi Gras still life with the King Cake and baby figurine sitting center of the cake.  Fleur de Lis, a mask, beads and booze, and doubloons amid jester crowns make up this lovely painting.  

Did you know that there is an official Mardi Gras song?  Its a silly song that begins "If I ever cease to love, If I ever cease to love, May the moon be turned into green cream cheese, If I ever cease to love."

The song, aptly titled, If I Ever Cease to Love, is considered the anthem of the entire celebration.  It was adopted by Rex in 1872.  George Leybourne, who also wrote "The Man in the Flying Trapeze", penned the song in 1871.

The first Rex parade was organized, in part, to celebrate the visit to New Orleans by Russia's Grand Duke Alexis.  During his tour, the Grand Duke would have heard, and apparently, came to enjoy the catchy tune.  Lydia Thompson, who sang the song in her review, was performing in New Orleans at the time of the Grand Duke's visit.  The rest is history.

After I finished Cissy's Mardi Gras costume, I wished to continue the theme as Mardi Gras drew closer.  Two dolls begged for costumes.  One was Wendy Lawton's 9" Mignonette, who was still wearing her purple witch costume from last Halloween.  And the other was Peggy Sue, who was yet still in her Halloween costume, Wendy the Witch, with her companion Casper the Friendly Ghost.

It was time.  But how much time would I have to make these costumes?  I'm afraid with two full days left before the 21rst, Peggy Sue may be out of luck.  I'll give it a go, but it will be a very simple costume, and I don't do simple...easily at least.

Mignonette's Maid costume is just an example of that.  I honestly needed a good two weeks for this, or longer.  I was stumped as to what to do for her.  I knew one thing for certain, it would be in pastels of yellow, purple and green, because her basic wardrobe is pink.  Yes, there are a thousand shades of pink, but I wanted her to feel comfortable in this costume, because I'm pretty sure that she'll be wearing it until next year.  And, it had to be different enough from Cissy's.  Not a miniature version.  

I liked the split bodice of yellow and green with the purple sleeves, but the skirt would have to be purely Mignonette.  Oh wait!  Did I say "Maid" costume?  Well, I'd been browsing Pinterest and saw some gorgeous ball gowns that were called Maid gowns.

The Maids would be the handmaids to the Queen of the Mardi Gras.  These costumes are so extraordinary and out of this world, that I think they'd steal the show.  Poor queen!  So it was with this intent that I started designing on the fly, Mignonette's costume.

When I'd finished attaching the purple ruffle, I had a blank canvas to work with.  It needed embellishments and I had no clue what to do.  I almost gave up at one point.  I'd take this gold trim or that gold trim and pin and unpin.  I tried this and that and didn't like anything.  

Mignonette is such a small doll that I didn't want to overwhelm her.  But I also wanted Fleur de Lis in the costume as my friend Betsy loves Fleur de Lis, and since Mignonette is French, she needed them on the costume.  I was able to find little 1/2" brass stampings of the Fleur de Lis, then had to wait for those to arrive.  Once again begging Etsy sellers to ship fast!  I did a test piece and found that they would glue with "hat glue" or fringe glue, to the silk quite nicely.  So where would they go?

After using double sided sticky tape to tape them to the gown in places, I decided that just three on the bodice would be lovely and not too much.  

As for the gold lace that trims the dress, it was too much.  Too much gold.  Too thick a design.  So I clipped out the flowers from the lace and attached it upside down to top edge of the ruffle.  At this stage I was well on the way to making a big mess.  Or maybe not.  I had to push that envelope.  I'm much too cautious with my natural simplicity of design.  I find it hard to go crazy with embellishments.  But that is what I had to do with this costume if it was even going to come close to being a Maid's costume.  

I added the clipped flowers to the plackets beneath the bodice, and also one each at the shoulder tops.  I added a row of gold trim to the waist as well and felt that was plenty.

Next, I took a break and made her beads.  These are just "throw me something mister" beads, not to be worn, but simply for her to hold in the display.  

These Mardi Gras beads are not strung, but plastic molds around string, so when you clip them, you have to find a way to make them meet.  I did this by sewing a thread loop over one bead, running the needle through the string, then doing the same with the other end.  Its bobbly at the junction, but so what.  The other choice I had was to string my own beads, but I didn't have beads in the colors I would use and well, I was running out of time.  How far will I go to get something perfect? I still had shoes and socks to think about and a headdress.  And a mask!

I chose to use this yellow jersey I had for her stockings since it was very thin.  And I painted a pair of her pink shoes gold.  I did a nice enough job of it that she can wear them with other dresses later, should gold shoes be required.  I can thread ribbon through the back and change the look as well.  I'll have to see if I can find 1/8" metallic gold ribbon that will actually tie in a bow,

I used some gold star trim to make her a crown, the added an iron on Fleur de Lis patch for the center emblem and yellow feathers for her headdress.  These headdresses can be quite outrageous and beautiful, but very difficult for my brain to design.  And of course, there's the messy glue gun!

I had fun with her mask on the stick.  This time I painted the stick white and followed with a coat of Gleam.  Then candy canned some gold trim on it.  The mask is gold matte scrapbooking paper and I formed it to her face so there would

be a fit for her nose.  Then I carefully glued tiny gold flatback rhinestones to the mask.  I finished it off with yellow feathers.

So, who is the little Louis friend in the picture?  He's a Mardi Gras ornament that I purchased from a seller in New Orleans,  I told her what he was for, and we talked a little bit about how to make his stand on his own.  Wasn't going to happen.  He'll be propped up, and right now while he and Mignonette pose on my worktable, he has mini-wax holding him in place.  The stuff really works and does not harm the surfaces it attaches to.  They don't sell mini-wax any longer, but you can get museum wax.  Same thing, I really like little Louis!

With two days to go, I may as well try and make Peggy Sue a costume.  I have everything I need to make it except maybe the energy.  My brain is a little fried after making Mignonette's costume.  And I can't find my Alice Leverette patterns for Peggy Sue, so I'll have to make them up.  What else have I got to do?  Housework?  pft!  It can wait.

Among the lovely images below, I wanted to share my Effanbee doll with you.  This is a photo I got from the Internet, but it's the best one I could find.  I just got the doll today and the bottoms of her pants need some steaming.  In all the years since she was made, she was never out of the box.  Let me tell you.  She's gorgeous.  The costume is Mardi Gras.  This is exactly what they wear - even today!

And there's a little Mischief Doll.  Looks like a little voodoo or Zulu doll and that is what she is.  I think she's fascinating.  I must look up Mardi Gras Mischief Dolls and read up on them.  I may have to make a miniature one for a doll to hold.  Or hang one from the belt of her costume.  I'm sure they are for fun or good luck, but if I do finish a costume for Peggy Sue and find out, I'll write about them.

Until then, "If I ever cease to love, If I ever cease to love, May fish grow legs, and cows lay eggs, If I ever cease to love."  - Melissa

Purple Maid's Gown

Purple Mardi Gras Parasol

White Mardi Gras Umbrella

Effanbee Mardi Gras

Mischief Doll

To save off and color.

Flying Alligattor

Big Mess

 

Cissy's Mardi Gras Ball Costume

On the 21rst of February, people around the world will be celebrating Mardi Gras.  While I was contemplating my next project, I once again became enchanted with the idea of this day into the night-long celebration before the season of Lent.  I'd recently had a very upsetting occurrence when my sister told me that she gave my Aunt Yvonne's charm bracelet to her best friend (knowing I'd wanted it).  I have no words to accurately describe the hurt this caused me, but life being the way it sometimes is, we carry on.  But it was this circumstance that had me once again thinking of the summer I spent in a suburb of New Orleans when I was ten years old.  

My beautiful, graceful Aunt Yvonne, who lived in New Orleans, had me over to her tiny apartment one day to have tea with me, show me how to manicure and paint my nails, and shared with me her fascinating charm bracelet.  She was a gentlewoman in her long, full skirts and delicate ways.  And she made me feel special.  I will never forget her.

That Christmas, she sent me a scrapbook of the summer I spent with my French family.  This scrapbook has survived the past 55 years and remains one of my dearest treasures.  

My mother's side of the family can be traced back to the 1860s when John Mon Soubiraa and Julia Lephartz came to New Orleans from Pau, France, at the foot of Pyrenees, near the place of St. Bernadette Souberous of Lourdes.  Greatgrandpa, Alfred Peter Miranne was born near Paris.  He and his parents lived in the French Quarter when they first came here.

History seems rich, especially when it is your own.  I always wished that I had grown up with my cousins in Louisiana.  And very different my life would have turned out!  I suppose when you're ten years old and your mother's family is showing you the best of where they live, it isn't a far stretch to have those feelings.  Even today, I can still remember every moment of that summer, including what we had for lunch every day!

Click on this page from my aunt's scrapbook and see if you can read the history she typed on it.  Apparently, my great-great grandparents owned the original coffee shop in the French Market, along with a fruit and vegetable stall.  They are listed in the City Directory in both 1846 and 1870.

New Orleans in the 1960s was a fascinating city, and I'm sure quite different from the experience it would be today.  I was my Aunt JoAnn's excuse (the auntie I stayed with) to go to so many places those who live there wouldn't normally consider.  The wax museum knocked my socks off.  We toured a museum of Louisiana history where I saw royal garments worn by Napolean and Josephine.  The mannequins weren't much taller than me!  

Aunt Yvonne's husband was a tour bus guide and knew everyone.  I mean everyone!  I took the bus ride with him one day, and on another, I sat in the pilot's chair of the riverboat, Mark Twain, and took the five-hour ride down the Mississippi.

To the right is yours truly afloat on the Tangiphahoa River.

Its these memories and many more that inspired my creative explorations in designing a Mardi Gras costume for Cissy.  If you ask if I ever attended Mardi Gras, the answer is no.  But my grandmother used to send us a box of doubloons and beads thrown from the floats after Mardi Gras.  A shipment back then used to take three weeks, so it was such a treat, for me at least, to receive the box during the time of Lenten depravation.  

While exploring the history of Mardi Gras, I learned a few things - as I always do.  Did you know that the term Mardi Gras is a direct translation of Fat Tuesday?  Here's another.  Carnival means "farewell to meat".  If you think about it, duh!  The word carnivorous means meat eater.  I always loved finding the roots of words then the words they make up.  Kind of nerdy, I know.

During my research there were two parade floats that caught my attention.  One was of a cow or an ox.  This bovine is called Bouef Gras or fat ox.  He represents eating meat during Mardi Gras as I suppose eating meat became a no-no during the Lenten season.  At some point in time anyway.  The float has been a part of the Rex parade since 1959. (see photo below)

Another character was the Flying Alligator.  When I asked an Etsy seller in New Orleans why they called him a "flying alligator", she answered me with some trivia about Mardi Gras that had nothing to do with my question.  I wasn't going to  

tempt fate and ask again.  I couldn't find it online either.

But here's an adorable Louisiana paper doll of Louis the alligator.  And James Rice wrote a fun children's book called Gaston Goes to Mardi Gras.  The story tells of Gaston, the alligator, who gets the whole experience, even riding on the floats.  James Rice also illustrated The Cajun Night Before Christmas, and my uncle from the family I stayed with that summer, gave it to my mother (who collected Night Before Christmas books) one year.  

My guess is that they call the alligator float, the Flying Alligator because he's on a float.  Maybe.  I hate not knowing trivia like this!

I was also interested in terms like Rex and Krewe and it appears that they are interwoven.  The krewe is the organization of Rex (the King) and is in charge of designing the floats.  As parades began to expand to other areas - neighborhood street parades, etc., Rex did not want to be outdone with being the best of the parades.  The Rex parade is the one

where the appointed King of Mardi Gras rides the royal float and greets the mayor of New Orleans.  Strands of beads were traditionally thrown from the floats to the crowds watching the parade go by.  But in 1959, Alvin Sharpe suggested they "mint" aluminum doubloons and toss them from them from the floats of the Rex parade to make it special.  Like handing out riches.

The doubloons are commemorative of the year they're "minted" and the early ones, if you can find them now, are collectibles.

A popular theory holds that Mardi Gras had pagan roots in the celebration of spring and fertility.  However, some experts contend that Mardi Gras was solely a result of the Catholic Church banning sexual intercourse and meat during Lent.

Louisiana was officially Roman Catholic under the rule of France and Spain.  The boundaries dividing the territories generally coincided with church parishes.  In 1807, the territorial legislature, 

officially adopted the ecclesiastical term, parish.  While other religions are obviously practiced in the state, Mardi Gras is enjoyed by all, however the Catholics still observe Lenten practices.  Hence, Mardi Gras is the party to end all parties with food, fun, music and dancing.

So where do the official colors of Mardi Gras come from?  Mardi Gras colors are green, yellow and purple because they are the colors of the Catholic Church.  Green symbolizes faith, yellow symbolizes power, and purple symbolizes justice.  When designing Cissy's costume, these were the colors I chose.

Cissy's gown consists of 18 individual panels of silk sewn together to make the skirt.  Six each of yellow, purple and green.  The bodice is halved in yellow and green and the elegant, puffed sleeves, are in the eggplant purple.  

I added pointelles of yellow and green to both the front and back and sewed crystally beads in the same colors to their tips.  The bodice is

adorned with two of these beads in purple.  

I purchased a box of assorted Mardi Gras beads from Amazon and cut them down to dolly size for Cissy.  I also bought a box of individual Mardi Gras beads to string stretchy bracelets for her.  

Her earrings are fleur de lis charms.  With little time to have fleur de lis charms shipped to me, I purchased costume jewelry earrings and took the charms from them to use for Cissy's.

The headdress took some designing and creating.  I looked at many lovely ones online, and from the various ones I liked best, I created this fanciful Carnival headband for her.

The headband is of gold metallic leather.  The same leather I used for Paloma the Puppeteer.  I do try to use what I have on hand.  I hot glued strands of beads in purple, yellow and green across the headband, then hot glued individual mini doubloons from the bead strands I'd purchased, into supports for the feathers. 

I'm not a big fan of hot glue guns as they are so messy to work with, but this was the only way to get these pieces on the headband to form a headdress.  I don't feel any qualms about this as everyone today uses a hot glue gun for this purpose.

Cissy's mask on a stick was created from a plastic Mardi Gras magnet mask I purchased on Etsy.  I had to remove the stem with the magnet on the back and used a hot knife tool to do this.  The wooden stick was painted metallic gold then candy cane wrapped with gold dress trim.  Three little silk ribbons were attached to the side and as an afterthought, I included a green star bead piece that was left over from one of her necklaces.

Her purse was going to be a purple velveteen affair with a fleur de lis beaded on it.  I realized the fleur de lis would need to be very large to look like one with beading, so I used a satin fabric I purchased for another doll's costume for the body of the purse.  I then sewed a tiny, crowned mask charm to the tip of it.  

Creating Cissy's Mardi Gras ball costume was for me, a celebration of a time-honored tradition millions of people have enjoyed in the Crescent City.  It was a salute to my family's long history, their struggles and their joys.  Sentimentally, it's a symbol of the memories of a summer long past and the people who made it one I'll hold dear in my heart forever.

With a little more than week to go until Mardi Gras, I'm hoping to dress two more of my dolls.  I certainly have enough beads and charms and feathers to throw my own parade!  

Cissy is one of my favorite dolls to dress.  Because of her size, I can do so much with her.  I hope she'll turn heads when she enters the ball room the night of the 21rst.

Below I've attached some images of exciting posters, lovely vintage postcards, floats and some fun paper dolls I recently acquired.  Who knows?  I just may dress a doll from one of the paper doll sets - next year!

Let's celebrate life as spring is just around the corner!

Veuillez recevoir, Melissa 

Rex float

Boeuf Gras

Flying Alligator or Gaston

Paper Dolls c.1950

Rendition #2 of the same

Carnival paper dolls c.1940

From a folding souvenir card booklet

From a folding souvenir card booklet

The Rex float

Yvonne Miranne Murphy

New Year Needle Felts

Welcome February.  The month that doesn't quite know if Spring is coming, or winter is still six weeks away.  On the 2nd, the groundhog, poor fellow, is coaxed from his burrow to see if his shadow is visible.  If he sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter is predicted.  This never made any sense to me.  If the sun is out, its supposed to warm up...Spring...budding on trees...right?  Not that I'm going to criticize the Germans who brought this tradition to the U.S., but it is rather silly.  My take on it is that there's not much going so, so let's grab a fat little rodent and have a bit of fun with him.  Phil of Puxatony is once again burrowing for the remainder of the calendar winter.  And I don't blame him. 

But here, where I live, the narcissus is blooming, and winter seems like a dream that exited January 31rst.  Even earlier, since after the three-week deluge of rain, that was very unusual, we're back in our drought pattern.  Oh, it's cold enough, but nothing compared the winter storms still thrashing the east coast.

I never quite know what to think of February, since I'm not a big Valentine's Day enthusiast.  I love the old vintage Valentines with the Chinese themes, even though they are considered un-PC these days.  And I get a sentimental feeling for the other vintage Valentines we were expected to hand around the classroom come the 14th of the month.  They're witty and fun and sweet.  This doesn't keep me from dressing a few dolls up in heart print dresses, but it slips by as just another day in this household.  

What I'm still enjoying, however, is Chinese New Year and the beauty of China's art and culture and the beautiful fabrics and traditional costuming.  So, I've decided to continue down this path creatively.  When my silks from Poppylollipop (an Etsy seller in China) arrive, I have costuming plans.  From concept to shopping to delivery, all these things take time.  So, in the short while I worked on a couple of other things.  Needle felts.

A new friend of mine did an extraordinary favor for me, for which I will never be able to thank her enough, and she had commented on loving the Remmie Lou needle felt I'd done.  So, I asked her what her favorite dogs were, and one of them was the Corgi.  So, I made her one to thank her.

I know her from the Ruby Red Fashion Friends groups on Facebook, so I made the dog sized to be a pet for these 14" dolls.  

Unless you're a breeder or own one, you most likely know this dog as Queen Elizabeth II's favorite.

A little research told me that these dogs have been in existence since the 10th century.  One theory says these dogs were brought to Wales by Flemish

weavers.  Another says they may have descended from the Swedish Vallhund.

This intelligent, friendly and highly active breed was developed for herding, but is today, considered one of the favorites in family pets. 

They sure are cute!  But oh, so funny to try and needle felt.  Foxy little ears, a short, narrow snout and impossibly short little legs.  Stubby tails.  "A little of this and a little of that, and Hunts Tomato Sauce".  I'd love to meet one in person and get to bury my face in his or her belly and love on them awhile.  Sweet animals!

So, I set off with some wool and a wish and prayer.  I decided not to make him with wire armature as I didn't want to be constrained by the size of this area or that area.  It's easier to remove or add wool, but impossible to delete or add wire without messing up the entire figure.

In hindsight, I should have used the snow-white batting wool instead of the off white.  For when I set to add "fur" in white, the colors differentiated.  In the photo of the Corgi above the needle felted one, you might be able to see why and where I started out with the off white.  sigh   Well, who's to say there isn't a Corgi with these colors!  There is now.   

The backside.  Tails always go on last.  

Here's the little tugger which I believe has been named, Jack.  So, it's a boy in case you were wondering.  Always happy with his little pink tongue out panting.

I also added plastic eyes so they were shiny.  I won't glue these peg eyes in as people suggest, but they do look nice.  I used to simply needle felt the eyes.  If I had to make a distinction as to why, I think a toy should have the plastic ones, and a piece of artwork, the needle felted ones.  I could change my mind about this tomorrow.

I made a collar and leash from rose pink leather for the little guy so he could be walked by the Ruby Red Friend dolls.  

Prior to starting the Corgi, I began a rabbit for a Year of the Rabbit toy to display with Good Luck Gracie.  Last year, in her debut, she received a tiger for Year of the Tiger.  It was only appropriate that she be displayed with the proper toy animal for the year.  If I live long enough, I'm sure she'll own every animal represented in Chinese astrology.  

The rabbit was inspired by the same person who made a crochet pattern for the tiger.  I just adore her Chinese red and gold jackets on her creations.  Her crochet amigurumi shop is called Little Bamboo.

This Year of the Rabbit rabbit is 4" in height and was made with wire armature so I could pose the arms and bend the ears.  I love the BIG feet and pink pads of this bunny.

Tail end.

The yellow details are both wool and embroidery.  I spent way too much time on the embroidery.  When you're still a novice and winging it, its trial and error before success.

Good Luck Gracie is happy with him, and I'll find a place to store the little tiger, which I'm sure I'll promptly forget about.  LOL  I must get better about my storing practices.

While waiting for the trees to bloom and the fabric from China to arrive, I plan on making a Year of the Rabbit purse for New Year Angel Lia, from Ruby Red Galleria.  She was introduced for this Lunar New Year and did not come with any accessories.  I saw a Chinese fish purse that was done all in rhinestones on metal.  I might just try something similar but that will require the gluing placement of hundreds of tiny flat backed rhinestones.  Still, it would look pretty.  Why not?  It's something to do.

February has more noted holidays than any month I've detected so far.  Groundhog Day, President's Day, Mardi Gras (the 22nd) and Ash Wednesday for the Catholics.  I bought a darling Mardi Gras outfit for Blaire, the American Girl I dress up and display.  I have no idea why American Girl never made a Mardi Gras outfit for their line.  Cecile sort of got one, but for the contemporary girl, you'd think this would be a no-brainer choice to make.

I love Mardi Gras.  I never went to one as a child, but my grandmother would send us boxes of beads and doubloons and whatever else they threw from the floats to the crowds during the parade.  I don't think my sister or brother where particularly thrilled, but the box of beads was a treasure chest for me.

So, February isn't all that bad.  You can make whatever fun you choose to with a little imagination and a doll or two!

Attached are a couple of delightful and gorgeous mid-century Chinse trade cards. One shows a mother with her children and the snowman they made that is exactly their size.  The other is a woman taking her children toy shopping.  Notice the glass cabinet to the left with Lunar New Year puppets inside.

I wish you a wonderful month to enjoy every single day with gratitude and purpose.

Love, Melissa

Year of the Rabbit with Hansa Panda