Anyone missing the holiday season yet?! If you live in the South, particularly Louisiana, it’s basically still happening… because Mardi Gras is right around the corner!
I learned about Mardi Gras when I lived in Indiana, actually. In 8th grade, I took a beginning French class. We chose French names (mine was Béatrice), learned basic vocabulary, traditions, and of course, asked our teacher to translate, “Les incompetante” from”Home Alone”.
One of the traditions we learned about was Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday. It dates way, way back, but is associated with pagan beliefs. Technically, carnival season begins after the 12th night of Christmas, and continues until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, when the Lenton season begins.
So, the Mardi Gras season is all about celebrating until you have to buckle down during Lent. This celebration takes many different forms in various parts of the world, but it usually involves parades and delicious food.
I went to LSU for college, and lived in Baton Rouge for 12 years. During my time there, I was lucky enough to experience Mardi Gras in New Orleans many times. The balls, the parades, the food…it’s an experience I will never forget.
So, I wanted to capture those memories and the fun energy of this season by creating a few new pieces in my Etsy shop!
I already had a few masks and festive bracelets there that would be GREAT for Mardi Gras – whether it’s a ball or a house party – I added four new pairs of earrings crafted with Fat Tuesday in mind.
To to this, I used the tradition colors of the celebration: purple, green, and gold. Purple is for justice, green for faith, and gold for power.
I also used Mardi Gras beads as an inspiration for these earrings. Beads are one of many trinkets tossed into the crowd at parades. I still have a strand of beads tossed to me from Elijah Wood (SWOON)!!
Finally, I wanted these pieces to be sparkly and a bit over-the-top, because that’s what Mardi Gras is all about!
So, if you’re in need of festive jewelry, head on over to The Bitter Lemon Shop on Etsy! I made a “Mardi Gras” section in the shop, so you can find everything you need… and it all ships free!
Need a bulk order or something custom? Message me!
Happy King Cake season, y’all!
The Bitter Lemon 