Mardi Gras Blog Hop !

Welcome to our Mardi Gras parade! I must warn you though, while you may enjoy jumping up to catch beads, doubloons, cups, stuffed animals--whatever! Please yell at the float riders "Throw me something, Mister!" Bring a large, sturdy plastic or cloth bag to hold all the treasure you'll be catching - if you try to put all of your beads around your neck, you'll have a hard time standing up straight! Be prepared: some people get so overcome with excitement they will occasionally jump in front of you to grab what a rider has thrown to you. Don't get into a tug-o-war....there are many more floats on the way! If you're from far away, some visitors hold up a sign saying where they are from. Local riders love to see people from far away have a good time and will throw to them to make sure they do!

The colors of Mardi Gras are: Purple which represents justice; Green which represents faith; and Gold which represents power. Mardi Gras is always held the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is music, parades, picnics, floats, excitement ... and one big holiday in New Orleans! Everyone is wearing purple, green, and gold; and adorned with long beads caught from the beautiful floats. They sit on the ground throwing balls, playing music, having a picnic, and watching the crowds walk by between parades.

Instead of beads, coconuts (which apparently is the most prized throw from floats) and other baubles, we have a great sponsor:  

• $15 Gift Card for Treasure Box Designs (http://www.treasureboxdesigns.com/). They are asking you to stop by their blog and become a followr of their blog at http://treasureboxdesigns.blogspot.com/. They are having issues with their blog at this time but asking you become a follower!
• $50 Gift card from Anita Meadows Cannon

So, sit back with your beverage of choice, but keep in mind the police will be in full force watching for drunken lewdness as this is a family event! Feel free to watch in costume as this is a festive hop!! If you have arrived from Kari's blog on the parade route, then you are sitting at the best seat in the house! If you have just happened to be visiting me today, I would love for you to start at the beginning of our parade route at Lynne, your hostess, at http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/ along with our marvelous co-hostess, Kimberly, at http://scrappingrookie.blogspot.com/.

For my project, I created a digital recipe page. We all know that Mardi Gras festivities are one big CARAYYY-ZEEE party !!!! Now, it's no secret there there is a LOT of drinking going on during Mardi Gras! First off, I DO stress RESPONSIBLE drinking, so please, if you drink, please don't drink and drive, and please DRINK RESPONSIBLY!

Continuing on ... one drink that always comes to mind when thinking of Mardi Gras and New Orleans is the famous New Orleans Hurricane! The creation of the Hurricane drink is credited to a New Orleans tavern owner named Pat O'Brien. Oh, my ! Does this drink pack a punch! I remember having a few at a Mardi Gras block party in Honolulu several years back. It was dee-licious but also very potent! Let's just say, when the night was over, I ended up with a badly sprained ankle that took MONTHS to heal! *sad face* But, aside from the injury, I had a BLAST ! I would really love the opportunity to go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It's definitely a bucket list item for me. I couldn't do it this year, but next year, I hope to have a little Mardi Gras celebration at home complete with hurricanes -- the drink, that is! =)

Hope enjoyed my float in the parade. To continue on the parade route, Your next stop is Gill's blog. I would love for you to throw me some beads (comments) in tribute to Mardi Gras!

Laissez les bon temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)