Throw Me Something, Mister!

Mardi Gras is coming up soon and many of us are out buying masks for the occasion.  Instead of buying the same mask for your little one that every other child will be wearing, have them make one.  After the holiday is over you can put it away for for them or place in a Scrapbook for safe keeping with pictures for the occasion.

For this project you will need the following materials:
2 pieces of card stock paper; colors of Purple, Green, and/or Yellow (Gold)
Glue (stick glue, liquid school glue, or hot glue will be fine)
1 wooden dowel or pencil
Gems or Glitter glue

Have your child trace his or her hands onto the pieces of card stock and cut out. Draw and oval in the middle of the cut out palm around where their eye would go and help them cut it out.  Next, glue the two palms together as they have done in the photo above.   Allow the glue to dry and then place gems or glitter glue dots along the fingers and thumb.  You may also have them decorate with markers or other materials to make it even more of their own.  If you used glitter glue, allow it to dry before adding the pencil or dowel.

Suggestions:
To adhere the pencil or dowel use strong clear tape or hot glue.  I also suggest gems over glitter glue if you do not want a big mess.  Add ribbons to the top of the pencil using hot glue or a straight pin through the tip of the ribbons and eraser.  This makes it look even more authentic and CUTE!!

I hope you enjoy this project and I hope to see your pictures on my Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jesstastic-Creations/153125974709984?ref=ts&fref=ts

"If your creations aren't Jesstastic, they aren't Fantastic!"

Mardi Gras in September

This month was my two oldest nieces birthday.  Every year they decide on a theme for their party and this year their theme was Mardi Gras!

I was not personally born in Louisiana, however, the majority of my family is or was born and raised in Louisiana.  Being from a family who was raised with the type of cultures and traditions that is shared among all of those who are from there, I was also taught many of their cultures and traditions, including one of the state favorites, Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras facts and a slight history:
To read about the history click here.  This will open the East Jefferson Parrish: The History of Mardi Gras website and you can read it all.  

For the girls birthday party we made the majority of their decorations and activities.  Any of you who enjoy celebrating or are interested in celebrating would have loved our party.  We had games such as:  Pin the baby on the King Cake (our own version of pin the tail on the donkey), a doubloon hunt (our version of an Easter egg hunt), and Mardi Gras hot potato (hot potato with a Mardi Gras stuffed animal).  We were able to make everything from items caught at parades threw out the years.  Because it is Sepetember, we couldn't find any Mardi Gras items out for sale so instead we bought plain white t-shirts and "puffy" paint to make the girls Mardi Gras shirts to wear on their special day.  We also had lots of help from the girls grandpa who is a Mardi Gras fanatic and happened to have LOTS of decorations that we could use.

I am so happy that we were able to have a birthday party that everyone was able to interact with and the girls were able to celebrate their own traditions and learn more about them while having fun!