Dia De Los Muertos - Day of the Dead

It's just about my favorite holiday, Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Every year at this time everyone else is getting excited about Halloween, and I do like Halloween, but I LOVE DDLM.

This year I joined some friends in a swap - make a DDLM shrine and mail it out, mine went to Jeri in Texas, and receive one, I received this fab shrine (click on the link to see Shelly's shrine) from Shelly in Illinois. Thanks Shelly! So here's what I've been playing with lately, it's a cigar box enjoying a new lease on life.

The picture on the front is 'La Calavera Catrina' ('The Elegant Skull'), she's a zinc etching made by Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe Posada in 1913, and she always reminds me of my grandmother, Miriam. Nana was a great fan of beautiful hats with flowers on them, and rarely left the house without one. She was also very creative, I've been taking some printmaking classes lately and I'm certain Nana would approve. I'll have to tell her all about it when I have a tea party for los muertos on DDLM :)

Inside - a riot, a fiesta, lots of colors, lots of characters, including a stamped nicho with the inimitable Frida Kahlo. This is no time for restraint or editing, go to town, paint it red, then glitter it too! I hope Jeri enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it.

So have yourself a fiesta, remember those whom you loved that have passed to the other side, but not with tears or longing, remember them with love, with laughter, with their favorite food and drink, play some music, light some candles, bring in some flowers and photos, and party like los muertos who are visiting you for this brief, wonderful celebration of life.