1-7-12 The food table with Mardi Gras Mambo popcorn and a fleur de lis king cake!

Friends:

Last Saturday, Marita Gentry and I had our Dinosaur Mardi Gras book debut party at Octavia Books in New Orleans. It was so much fun! Despite the incredibly huge football weekend it was in New Orleans (Saints playoff game and LSU v. Alabama national championship game), we had a GIGANTOSAURUS turn-out! We had an amazing food table with Mardi Gras Mambo popcorn from Popcorn Bistro and a fleur de lis king cake from Hi-Do Bakery.

1-7-12 The fleur de lis king cake from Hi-Do Bakery. Yum!

The book is inspired by a Dinosaur Mardi Gras float that my nephew made a few years ago. I still have the original float that inspired the book. It is the centerpiece of our food table. It is also a craft that kids can make. You can find it in the back of the book.

1-7-12 Dinosaur Mardi Gras shoebox float, like the craft at the back of the book

I performed the story as my daughter, Eliana, turned the pages of the book. Marita Gentry, the illustrator, drew Dino doubloons using paper plates. She did an amazing job and we gave them to the kids afterwards. All the kids received DINO-MITE prizes too.

1-7-12 The kids pose with Marita Gentry's Dinosaur Doubloons, drawn live during the performance, on paper plates

Marita designed 18 different Dinosaur masks and the kids made them at the party. They came out sooo cute!

1-7-12 Dinosaur Mardi Gras masks that the kids made!

It was a CHOMPING, STOMPING up-ROAR-ious time at Octavia Books! Thank you and hugs to Judith Lafitte and Tom Lowenburg of Octavia books for hosting our CARNIVORE CARNIVAL! ROAR!

Until next time…

Warmly,
Dianne

2-15-11 Marvelous Mardi Gras Mask

Friends:

Here is a fun and easy Mardi Gras mask you can make to celebrate Carnival Season! This year, Mardi Gras falls on March 8, 2011.

Supplies:
1 large paper plate
1 sturdy drinking straw
Markers/Crayons
Sequins
Feathers or chenille sticks (pipe cleaners)
Ribbon
Glue
Scissors

Directions:
Cut paper plate in half. Cut out triangles around the outer edge of the round part of the paper plate, making it look like a sun. Cut out eye holes. Decorate the paper plate with markers, crayons, sequins, and feathers. If you don’t have feathers, curl chenille sticks around a pencil and attach them to the top of the mask to simulate feathers. Finally, secure a drinking straw as the mask’s stick or handle. Curly ribbon can be attached to cascade down.

Enjoy and parade around!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

Jurassic Mardi Gras
By Dianne de Las Casas
© 2005

Note from Dianne: This story was inspired by the Jurassic Mardi Gras float I created with my brother, Gary, and his son, Jourdan.

Around the corner and down the street
The dinos move to the mambo beat
All the abominable beasts are out
Getting ready for the parade route
Jurassic Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras
Down in New Orleans

On Napoleon and Claiborne
Camarasaurus blows her horn
Diplodocus counts each doubloon
As Gallimimus yells, “We’re rolling soon!”
Jurassic Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras
Down in New Orleans

Down Napoleon roll the big beasts
On sweet King Cake, Janenschia feasts
Brachiosaurus throws his beads
As Riojaurus sits back and reads
Jurassic Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras
Down in New Orleans

Turning on St. Charles, the huge crowd roars
To see Rex, King of Carnivores
Dimorphodon swoops into the crowd
They all cheer and yell so loud
Jurassic Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras
Down in New Orleans

Around Lee Circle they boom and bop
Then in front of the Grand Stand the dinos stop
The mayor toasts and cheers the King dinosaur
And Rex roars as the crowd cheers some more
Jurassic Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras
Down in New Orleans

Moving and grooving to the carnival sound
The dinosaurs are the hippest beasts around
The mega monsters turn on Canal Street
And Wannanosaurus wiggles to the marching band beat
Jurassic Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras
Down in New Orleans

Styracosaurus balances bundles of throws
Baryonyx boogies while he’s on the go
Pterodactylus spins and soars around
The crazy creatures love to party downtown
Jurassic Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras
Down in New Orleans

Zigongosaurus is dancing zydeco
Velociraptor takes a Lucky Dog to go
Singing his catchy Mardi Gras tunes
The great Notoceratops swings and swoons
Jurassic Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras
Down in New Orleans

Passing Magazine and nearing the end
Mamenchisaurus looks down and makes a friend
Triceratops stops and sings the blues
As Apatosaurus dances in her blue suede shoes
Jurassic Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras
Down in New Orleans

Tchoupitoulas is where the procession ends
In the Crescent City, where the river bends
A jazz band plays a super cool groove
All the dinosaurs get up and bust a move
Jurassic Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras
Down in New Orleans

Spectators gather in awe of the view
Beads fly from the floats of this motley krewe
“Throw me something, mister,” the dino crowd roars
Everyone hails the King of Dinosaurs
Jurassic Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras
Down in New Orleans

King Rex waves goodbye until next year
The crowd romps and stomps and chomps and cheers
It’s a jumping Jurassic Mardi Gras
Hooray for all the jaws and claws
Jurassic Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras
Down in New Orleans

ROAR!!!

Friends,

Here in New Orleans, it is Lundi Gras (which is French for “Fat Monday,” the Monday before Mardi Gras, “Fat Tuesday”). The Saturday, Sunday and Monday before Mardi Gras mark the appearance of the “Super Krewes.” On Saturday, Endymion rolls, one of the largest Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. On Sunday, Bacchus, the God of Wine, rolls. Orpheus, orchestrated by New Orleans’ own Harry Connick, Jr., catches the limelight on Monday. All of these “weekend” parades are night parades, illuminated by dazzling displays of fiber optics, animatronics, and huge, colorful floats.

Mardi Gras is a grand spectacle. There’s nothing like it in the world. It’s the world’s biggest free parade. The season kicks off on January 6th, the 12th day of Christmas, the Epiphany. It is during this time that king cakes, one of New Orleans’ most delicious confections, become available. In 1871, the Twelfth Night Revelers made Mardi Gras history when a “king cake” was presented to a woman. Inside was hidden a golden bean, signifying her selection as the “Mardi Gras Queen.” King Cakes are now elaborate creations decorated in the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold and stuffed with fruit or cream cheese fillings. Traditionally, inside the King Cake, you will find a small, plastic baby, which represents the Christ Child. The person who gets the “baby” buys the next King Cake.

Another great Mardi Gras tradition are the “throws.” Beads, stuffed animals, doubloons, and other trinkets are flung from the floats by masked riders. Crowds go crazy for these colorful treasures and they are the hallmark of a great parade. Here are some Mardi Gras throws caught by my daughters this past weekend.

So what do we do with all these beads? We give them away to out-of-town friends and family. We string them on our Christmas trees. We craft with them. Check out these Mardi Gras maracas made by me and Eliana, my seven year old.

You can make these too, even if you don’t have Mardi Gras beads. The first one is a clear soda or water bottle filled with beads. You can also fill the bottle with beans, rice, and pasta. The second one, decorated with Valentine stickers is a toilet paper roll. Staple one end shut. Fill it with beads, rice, beans or pasta (less is better for a fuller sound). Staple the remaining opening shut, but staple it in the other direction, forming a triangle.

Another Mardi Gras tradition is for children to create Mardi Gras shoe box floats. Schools and malls often hold shoe box float contests. This season, I helped my six year old, first grader niece, Ashlynn, create a “Valentine” float to celebrate the 100th day of school. On the float we glued 100 candy sweethearts. Yes, there are exactly 100. We counted them six times!

And, there are Mardi Gras beads glued to the float as well. Creating a shoe box float is easy. First, you need a medium-sized shoe box. Cover the shoe box and lid with wrapping or construction paper of your choice. Turn the shoe box upside down so that the opening is on the bottom. The lid of the shoe box is glued to the back of the box, creating a “wall” or a “throne” effect. Now all you have to do is decorate. Choosing a theme, like the Krewes do with the real Mardi Gras floats, is the easiest way to create a cool float. Consider your favorite TV show or cartoon, animals, insects, dinosaurs, dolls (Barbies, Bratz, etc.), holidays, movies, etc. The possibilities are as limitless as your imagination!

Happy Lundi Gras, friends. Laissez les bon temps rouler – let the good times roll!

Warmly, Dianne