Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras!

Whether you celebrate Lent or not, it is so much fun to celebrate "Fat Tuesday,"  Mardi Gras in French.    

My inspiration for this tablescape all started with the Mardi Gras salad plates.  I bought them over 10 years ago and hung them on my daughter's wall as a decoration.  I found them at T J Max.  Each of the 4 plates have an antique reproduction of a Mardi Gras scene.

If you click on the photo's they will enlarge for a better view.  I would love it if you left a comment.  Thanks....

 Each of the 4 place-settings have a mask I placed at the top of the plates.  I purchased them at a store called Annastasia's Attic in Gardner Village.  The store is no longer there but she does a smaller online business.

Even though each place setting varies with the individual Mardi Gras plates, my photo below captures the full placesetting.

 I went all out for Mardi Gras.  There is so much detail & I have lots of photos.  Please take a moment to check them out!  Future tables capes for the next while won't be so elaborate.  Seriously the majority of items on this table I have, and use around my home.  I brought them together for this celebration.  

In the background between the candles and bust, and behind the King Cake, I have an outdoor plant stand.  I never used it outside.  Originally green, I sprayed it 3 shades of gold and antiqued it.  I use it in my bedroom next to the bed on a Seafarer's chest I use as a nightstand.  I needed a place to store my crown's.  I have collected crowns for a while now.  Mostly handmade crowns that I see at Boutique's or Specialty shops..

 If you follow my blog's you will notice I use Christmas/Holiday Crackers (poppers) quite often.  Below I have a closeup of the one's used on this tablescape.  They are vintage (1950's) crackers from old store stock.  I love the colors and silver glitter.  They came with a corsage on the top for decoration.  I carefully removed the corsage and placed a glittered and jeweled Peacock feather on top.

  I love this beautiful lady.  I purchased her last August at Home Goods.  It was an early Halloween decoration.   I used her in my "Day of the Dead,"  "Los Muertos" tablescape.  The mask is permanently on her face.  But you can do so much with her.  All crowned, jeweled up and ready to party.....

 The headpiece is mine, and I have used it, for '60's parties, dress like a Hippie party, Mardi Gras, and Halloween.  It would be great for New Year's too!  A person at a place called Thanksgiving Point Emporium made it for me. I love it!  There are more pictures below.

 Napkins are doubled.  Gold organza on top of a turquoise gold beaded one underneath.  Napkin rings I purchased on Ebay about a year ago.  They were a great price...

 Plates for the rolls   A small gold plate on top with its own charger plate underneath.
   

 No Mardi Gras party would be complete without a King Cake.  Made with yeast for leavening instead of baking powder or soda  As a lot of cakes made in Europe are still done today.  I purchased the mix to make this cake from World Market.  It came complete with the glaze and colored, glistening sugar as well.  I didn't use the baby that came with it, I used one I bought in New Orleans that has the baby attached to a crown. 

The history behind the Mardi Gras King Cake:  The King Cake is believed to have originated in France around the 12th Century.  These early Europeans celebrated the coming of the 3 Wise Men bearing gifts 12 days after Christmas calling it the feast of the Ephiphany, 12th night, or King's Day.

The main part of the celebration was the baking of a King Cake to honor the 3 Kings.  The cakes were made circular or oval to portray the route used by the King's to get to the Christ Child and confuse King Herod, who was trying to follow the Wise Men and kill the Christ child.  In these early King cakes, a bean, a pea or a coin was hidden inside the cake.  The person who got the hidden piece was declared the King for the day or was, or was said to have good luck in the coming year.

In Louisiana, Twelth Night also signifies the beginning of the carnival season, which ends of Mardi Gras Day.  The beans, peas and coins have been replaced by a small plastic baby to symbolize the Christ Child.  The person who gets the bay is expected to to carry on the carnival festivities by hosting the next King Cake Party.
IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED ANYMORE TO PUT THE BABY IN THE CAKE AS SOMEONE MIGHT CHOKE ON IT  
 

  I have found so many uses for these goblets.   They were so inexpensive.  I purchased them at my local Smith's Grocery Store last Easter.  They came in this color, purple, and green.

The tablecloth is a purple pin-tuck tablecloth.  The cloth is purple but photographed more blue.  I have placed a  small woven Mardi Gras colored runner on an angle under the corner centerpiece.

The lady who made this head-piece for me, used jewelry and other little pieces to decorate it.  Some vintage finds.  Old pins, brooches, feathers, '70's grapes, feathers.  My 2 favorite items are a vintage jeweled rhinestone airplane, and a musical Base Clef pin.  I love it!  The price I paid was very reasonable. . 

 On the back of the gold stand holding the crowns, I hung a turquoise green and gold star.  This is a back view.

 Gold metallic burlap embossed candles and candlesticks from Pottery Barn that I use in my home everyday.  I added a crown candle pin to one of them and added just some stick-on jewels, that can easily be removed.  Each of the candles are wrapped with Mardi Gras ribbon.

 I will be posting this on Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch.  A truly GREAT Blog.
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Thanks for looking.  I love comments!  Please feel free to leave one.  Thanks for looking.

I'm participating in Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps On The Porch.