Shrove Tuesday/ Mardi Gras 2012

This year for Shrove Tuesday we had a fairly simple celebration. I was trying not to get too involved as I wasn't prepared because Lent suddenly crept up on me. Surprise! Not really, it seems at the moment I am moving from one event or planning session to another.

We started off the day with some bacon and eggs which as it happens fits right into our grain free and sugar free eating habits we have started. Seriously I am just so keen to share why we have started this and have about three posts half done on this theme, but keep running out of time, so I hope to get these out before the end of the week.

The children coloured in some masks this year to decorate the all Seasons Wreath and our wall with. this year I didn't want to make elaborate masks or eve simple ones. This was as far as my imagination ran......well for a while anyway.

As I did explain in this post we made some perfume eggs for throwing so we did expand our goals for the day.

Dinner was once again simple" Sizzle Steak and home made circle chips...of course it would not be Shrove Tuesday without pancakes.

This year we did not have our traditional pancakes but had a grain free version:  with Honey cream and maple syrup on top.
The pancakes were quite yummy although smaller than what we are used to. The reason for this, well they were not able to be turned very easily, but I am thinking this may be from  the doctoring I had to do to the recipe. One of our children mixed up this recipe for the first time and I am not sure that it was done correctly.
We will be trying them again though as the flavour was very nice.

After dinner we put up some of the masks to decorate with.

So not as interesting as some of our past years but till memorable to us.

Of course we are now in Lent and I am playing catch-up with posts.
May your Lenten journey be blessed this year.

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

Perfume Eggs (Calazane Eggs) - Tutorial

Today as part of our celebrations for Shrove Tuesday and the end of the Carnival Season. I decided to make 'perfume eggs' or Cascarones after listening to Vilvaldi's Ring Of Mystery Audio CD with the children today.
Why did we listen to this? Because it has Carnival and Mardi Gras as  it 's backdrop.

Now I know that Cascarones are made with real eggs and this is a wonderful tutorial on that , but I didn't have time to  do that today or the ingredients - but I never let that stop me. So start thinking what can I do instead?

Hmmm what did I have to work with?
Well I just so happen to have some plastic Easter Eggs from last year, some paper confetti from goodness know what , (it seems to have lived in my pantry for years), lavender oil (for the perfume smell) and some legumes I from our Montessori pouring shelf.

Myffwyn wanted to help me and in fact after I showed her what to do she did them all and was so proud to have had this time together with me, just the two of us...very special indeed.

First off- pour the lavender oil on to the confetti and stir it in. Not too much though!

Then scoop up the brown lentil (or what ever you have handy) into the plastic egg.
Why the lentils? Well you kneed a bit of weight to have them crack open. so any thing will do..rice, peas etc.
Some of my older children suggested stones and marbles but I considered that a hazard.

Then the fun part of adding the confetti on top of the lentils, filling up the egg.

This was Myffwyn's favourite part I think.

Then put the top of the egg on and move onto another 'perfume egg'

Our little egg maker!

A completed set. Now we just need some targets....oh children look what we have for you!

After dinner we went out on the veranda, to avoid messy clean up, and.............

starred throwing them at each other. We were very careful and they are not that hard but do have a lovely 'splash' effect.
The pity of it was we really did not have enough!

I really like how they look as they lie there on the ground.

Praying you have a most blessed Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday or which ever term you use for this last day before the start of Lent.

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

Shrove Tuesday/ Fat Tuesday

Our Madi Gras Mask Cupcakes

The Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday are known as "Shrovetide," from an old English word "shrive," meaning "to confess," a name gotten from the tradition of going to Confession in the days before Lent started. Shrovetide is traditionally the time for "spring cleaning," and just as we clean our houses in these days in preparation for Lent, we also "clean our souls" through confession so we can enter the penitential season fresh.

Shrovetide is the last two days of "Carnival," an unofficial period that began after the Epiphany and which takes its name from the Latin carnelevare, referring to the "taking away of flesh" (meat) during Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday, the day following Shrove Tuesday. Catholics want to eat while they can and get the frivolity out of their systems in preparation for the somber Lenten spirit to come.

The Tuesday of Shrovetide is a particularly big party day known as "Mardi Gras" (French for "Fat Tuesday") -- or "Pancake Tuesday" because fats, eggs, and butter in the house had to be used up before Lent began, and making pancakes or waffles was a good way to do it. In many places, especially in England, pancake races became popular and remain popular today. In these races, women must run while flipping a pancake so many times, and whoever crosses the finish line first wins. The largest pancake race in England is in Olney, in Buckinghamshire. There, the women must wear a dress, apron, and bonnet, and flip the pancake three times -- while ensuring it is intact after they cross the finish line, of course. The story told to explain the origins of this race is that in 1445, a homemaker heard the shriving bell (the bell rung to summon people to Making Waffles, by Joachim De Beuckelaer, 1550-1560 (detail)confession on this day) as she was busy working in her kitchen. Not wanting to be late, she rushed about and ran off with her skillet still in hand. from Fisheaters

IN OUR HOME
We celebrated Shrove Tuesday with some final preparations for Lent. I was really very keen to make these little Madi Gras Masks (in the first image)
I know lots of people make King Cakes and they look wonderful, but I wanted to try something different.
I had made Eden this cake as a large one for her birthday last year and I was flicking through my Cup Cake book for birthday cake ideas and then remembered these.

 I only made one for each of us as I was tired at the end of the day and they were a little fiddly to do, so we have a heap left over to eat another day.

Place icing on the top of a cupcake or other full size cake and then I used those silver balls (can't remember the name) that are for eating. Simply shape them into a mask shape and then I added a cut off straw and a sugar flower for the decoration. Add ribbon if you have it, I didn't yesterday.
Voila..finished Madi Gras Mask cake.

We have been waiting to read Amon's Adventures since we pre ordered it months ago. We will be reading a chapter every second  day. Our Father Pine is in his Lenten vestments in preparation too.

This year in addition to our Crown of Thorns we will be  placing  an empty jar next to a bowl of black beads. For every sacrifice, prayer, act of kindness or penance performed, a bean goes into the jar.

On Easter morning, the beans will be replaced with M and M's, reminding us that the rewards of Heaven will be sweet!

Our Lenten Quest Calender along with the Crown of Thorns, Sacrifice beads and Amon's Adventure book ready. The tree on the left is our Valentine Tree that we will be using as  the Jesus Tree based off Jessica's.
I will be adding the felt images each day (after making them) as I haven't been organised to do this ahead of time.

Our traditional meal for Shrove Tuesday is bacon and Eggs.....

and pancakes with maple syrup and ice cream.

This may not be very traditional for some people but these are not average foods in our home and so definitely come under the 'Fat Tuesday' banner. Of course we ate the cupcakes above as well and certainly were much 'fatter' than we were before.

Now it is on to the real Lenten Season......bring it on------ Ash Wednesday!

Blessings to you and your homes,

Mardi Gras Mask- sort of aTutorial

On Monday in we made our Mardi Gras Masks based on my plan that  I had from making our own felt masks.

As we had to go to Launceston to take Kynan to the airport on Sunday I planned a little Spotlight trip to pick up a few supplies. I needed some felt beads and feathers, Oh and some extra glue for the important part of decorating.

I had decided that I would double the felt to make it more fitted. I traced the pattern twice and then just sewed the two pieces together. I kept two small pieces spare, I then placed glue on the mask, put the hat elastic in place and used the small pieces to go on top of the elastic. I then clamped them together with a peg for about 30 mins.

Our work space with felt and cutting and gluing taking place.

I think this is the first time we have had Anna-Lisa with us for a major creating event. She was a bit hesitant about cutting at first but I think she enjoyed it...eventually.

Here are some of the masks that have been cut, sewn and just waiting for the glue to dry so we can decorate.
Next time I would do this part earlier as it was a little time consuming and I constantly had smaller (and larger children) asking if they could decorate them now!

Saxon is always quick to finish his actual project and was first finished this day as well.

Corbyn really loved sticking on the feathers and was pretty good with the sequins too.

Our two very dramatic girls, Eden and Myffwyn have a very similar style. Very flamboyant. I can see Myffy decorating etc the same way Eden did as a little girl. Perhaps she will be as creative and skillful as Eden as she gets older.

Rogan loves to craft and the more the merrier is his motto. 'If I can just get this one thing more on' seems to be what he loves. Rogan also made one for Kynan even though he isn't here.
We have in the past made items or filled pockets etc for the people in our family away or not able to participate so they can still be part of the 'family circle'

Vellvin was very diligent and subtle (compared with some) in her mask decorating.

Autumn made a mask for her Dad as well as her self. Two very different types.
Moran wanted to have Anna-Lisa guide her in her choices, she has loved having Anna here.
Anna-Lisa made her own and well did you guess ....Braedon's

Some finished masks

Another set completed

And another ...all seemed to reflect the owners personality.

And I had to have a photo with all the Madi Gras Mask makers in their creations.

Blessings to you and your homes,