Christmas Decor 2014

It's interesting how every year around Thanksgiving, I think about all the time I have before Christmas. Then I take a nap after Thanksgiving dinner, and when I wake up, it's suddenly December 19th. I swear this happens to me every year. And I'm left scrambling for last-minute gifts, last-minute holiday party prep, and (hopefully) last-minute cookie baking. I need more time!

I'm a holiday addict though. So naturally, I'm making it impossible to not feel Christmas-y at every moment this month. The halls are decked, my house smells like a pine forest, and there's more Christmas music jamming in this place than a department store on Black Friday. We're hosting this year (my parents and grandparents are trekking down from Indiana next week), and this will be the first year for us to share our festiveness (is that a word?) with everyone on Christmas morning.

So for everyone not rolling into town next week, here's a look at our holiday-laden double shotgun. 'Tis the season for an obligatory Christmas home tour, after all. Hope you're gettin' your eggnog on (or milk punch) and enjoying the holidays as much as I am!

Anba Dlo

The blog hasn't died, in case you were wondering. It's just been in hibernation. Like a big, boring bear. I've been much more focused on the doing, not the documenting, this past couple of months. Slowly, the blog is making its way back into civilization. And it's toting a new name! Did you notice?! This was in no way, shape, or form about "acrylics and icing" anymore, so we're going more practical. 

And what better way to welcome you to "Live from New Orleans" than to do a little parade watching? Celebrating with a drink and stuffed mirlitons at Elizabeth's might actually be more fun... but this is a bit more virtual-friendly. 

The parade I'm showing you is the Anba Dlo parade from a few weeks ago. The Skinz n Bonez krewe and Muffalottas came out, among others, in Bywater/Marigny to celebrate the kick-off of Halloween season in New Orleans. Yes, it's a season here. 

Enjoy the pictures, and please stay tuned (and bear with me) as things get rolling again here!

First Mardi Gras: The Big Day!

I have to admit, the weather on Mardi Gras Day could not have been any worse in New Orleans this year.  It was 40 degrees and rainy the entire day.  What the heck, right?!  I guess this is part of that whole "polar vortex" situation I've been hearing about up north.  Gross.

Despite mother nature's horrible sense of humor, I was utterly impressed by the Bywater turnout.

The standard large parades always roll on Mardi Gras morning, but for once this Carnival Season, we didn't head out to watch.  Instead, we stayed in our neighborhood for "Society of St. Anne", which we'd been hearing so much about from our neighbors.  Truth be told, it's not a krewe or even a "society" at all, but really just a huge, fun, and friendly celebration of costumed neighbors that parades through Bywater... Although over the past several decades, I think the parade has attracted more than a few folks from outside the neighborhood.

The costumes are what it's all about!  I was overwhelmed looking at all the creative pieces (some works of art, no joke!).  We sported homemade outfits, complete with the shoes I made us both, which you may have seen on Instagram or Facebook if you follow me (you can also catch a glimpse of them in the second photo below).  Luckily, our awesome neighbors didn't hold back either...

Grainy iPhone picture of the full attire.

I didn't get many pictures once the parade became more dense (it was raining, after all), but I did manage to snag some shots as people began to gather two doors down from our house.   

There was very interesting and creative beverage transport.

Seeing all these awesome folks strolling past our house was just about the best thing ever!

And out come the safer-in-rain-than-my-expensive-Canon iPhone photos:

Now for attempting to remove the leftover eyelash glue from my eyelids, and feathers from throughout the house.  Glitter removal is a lost cause.  Glitter has become a member of our family, and it's not going anywhere.

First Mardi Gras: The Pre-Party

Our first Mardi Gras has officially come and gone, and it was even better than I thought it could be!  We made it to most of the parades, had a lot of great times with friends, and saw the real Mardi Gras scene... which is very different than I think most people imagine. 

Just a warning- this post is preeeeetty picture heavy. (I've even got too many pictures for one post, so those from Fat Tuesday itself will come later.)

The season kicked off with Krewe du Vieux, a satirical parade that's known for poking fun at politicians, celebrities, and the media.  On the way to watch in the Marigny, Will's vintage New Orleans Jazz t-shirt got him an interview with a couple of Madrid-based reporters.

Police mark the beginning of the parade.

R Bar gallery parade-watchers.

This krewe's floats are smaller than in most Mardi Gras parades, and the members walk alongside.

The following weekends were full of traditional parade-watching.

Families use these ladder contraptions for their kids to see (and catch throws) better.  Is this not brilliant (and sort of terrifying)?!

We watched the majority of the parades uptown on Magazine or St. Charles, because most of the crowd is families and primarily New Orleanians.  The drunken tourists and crazy spring-breakers don't seem to make it past Canal Street.  Or Bourbon Street, for that matter.  This is Canal the week before Fat Tuesday.

I only took my camera to a couple of the parades, but here's a smattering of iPhone pictures from the days leading up to Mardi Gras.  If you follow on Instagram, you may have seen a few of them already.

Wigs and false eyelashes infiltrated my wardrobe this week. 

Uptown is all about family-friendly fun.  This is on Magazine Street before Thoth (one of the bigger krewes) rolled.

Yea, that's wig #2.

610 Stompers dance in a lot of parades here.  They're known for the short blue shorts, sweatbands, and a large amount of facial hair.  These guys get seriously into their moves, and it's pretty hilarious.

Parade-watchers.

Carnival shoes, beads, stray feathers.  You know, the usual.

I'll never get enough of the great costumes!

How did everyone else spend their Mardi Gras?!  I've heard that other cities have mini-parades and celebrations, which is pretty awesome!