Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

I love Dia de los Muertos. I love the ritual of it, the craftiness of it but most dear to me is the paying tribute and remembering.

My father believes that visiting a cemetery is feeling sorry for oneself. We cannot talk of loss or shared grief. He is the stiff upper lip, the stoic. I am the softie, the heart on the sleeve. He on one side of the bank and I on the other, with no bridge to meet upon.

So my heart swells as if I have finally found home when I place my mother and brothers photos on my mantle, along with items that they loved. I talk to them. I write them notes. I laugh. I cry. These days my mother and brother sit upon the mantle with my Auntie, beloved friends gone too soon and furry family members.

We drove out to Pasadena yesterday to the wonderful store, The Folk Tree. We love to visit year round but we always make a trip out for their annual Dia de los Muertos altar exhibit, Altars and Ephemera.

I picked up a few darling skulls and skeletons for our altar and some skeleton paper garlands to hang. I hope I can still find some marigolds for our altar. I had hoped to make pan de muerto and sugar skulls but I don't think I'm going to get around to it.

We are going to the Loteria Grill for breakfast and then we'll come home and begin our altar.

If Dia de los Muertos is your kind of thing, be sure and visit the participants of Dia de Bloglandia, organized by the oh so wonderful blogs Rodrigvitz Style, Susanna's Sketchbook and recuerda mi corazon. And if those leave you wanting more, there are last years participants to view too. Read all the wonderful stories of remembrance from the participants of the 2008 Dia de Bloglandia.

Look at all the wonderful Day of the Dead crafts and recipes assembled on One Pretty Thing:
2008 Day of the Dead
2009 Day of the Dead

Video of how to make your face up as a Calavera Catrina for Dia de los Muertos.


Video found via Susanna's Sketchbook