I don't really know that I spend a lot of time thinking about glitter. I don't have kids, so craft and school projects aren't things I think much about. My own creative projects are primarily embroidery focused or the occasional painting project. DMC, the embroidery thread I prefer, has a metallic thread that is a pain in the ass to use, but is the closest to glitter thread you can get. I've used it twice and hated my life the entire time I worked on those pieces. Sometimes, embroidery is a form of torture. (Side note: DMC released a new line called Etoile this year and it's actual glitter thread. I haven't tried it yet because it's expensive and you can only buy it online. This annoys me.) My makeup regiment doesn't include any glitter makeup, although I do occasionally opt for glitter nail polish on the rare occasions I get a manicure. I have no glitter purses or accessories. I live a fairly glitter free life.
Until September.
I was at a winery with my family and got a text from one of my very dear friends, Heather, that would change the course of glitter in my life. Heather and I met in college and were roommates, along with another wonderful human, Kelly. Like the true adults we are, we all live in different states and don't get to see each other very often. This is one of the things that sucks most about adulthood. Anyway, Heather was texting to see if I'd like to join the Mystic Krewe of Nyx, one of the all-female Mardi Gras krewes. She and Kelly joined this year. I didn't realize I could join, so I was planning to go to the parade to see them. When Heather texted me about joining the krewe, I immediately said yes, waited for the online application link, paid my dues, and officially became a member of the sisterhood.
And became very concerned with glitter.
Mardi Gras is one of those things that people know a little bit about (they throw beads and people flash or something), a lot about (New Orleanians/Louisianians know Mardi Gras is way more than beads, boobs, and Bourbon Street), or know absolutely nothing about. I've spent a lot of my adult life trying to explain New Orleans to people who have never experienced it, and I can honestly say, it's not worth explaining because you can't explain New Orleans. New Orleans is a place that has to be experienced, and Mardi Gras is one of the experiences a person should have while there. I remember my first Mardi Gras as a child; it was magical. The floats were beautiful and it the atmosphere of a parade is glorious. It's like the best parts of a block party and parade all mashed together. I think when you experience Mardi Gras as a child, it shapes the way you view it for the rest of your life. While I did my fair share of partying at Mardi Gras in college and after, my preferred Mardi Gras is one that involves hanging out with friends and enjoying the parades Uptown.
Mardi Gras krewes are the groups that put together each parade. Rex, Zulu, Endymion, and Bacchus are some of the more recognizable krewes, with long histories of parading. In the last few decades, krewes like Muses and Nyx have made their mark on Mardi Gras, being two of the largest krewes and being all-female. During a parade, krewe members toss throws from floats. Each krewe has a mix of traditional throws (beads, cups, doubloons) and signature items, unique to that group. These signature items are coveted by parade-goers and can lead to some pretty competitive parade watching. My mom caught (or was handed) a Zulu coconut during our last Mardi Gras before we moved to Virginia. We still have it.
Nyx is known for its glitter purses. Krewe members spend the lead up to the parade hand crafting these purses to throw to very lucky fans along the route. There's even a Nyx purse tracker on Facebook. If you're a Pinterest fan, search for Nyx purses and enjoy wasting away your day looking at the beautiful creations of years past. As a member, I'm now responsible for creating glitter purses to throw in my first Mardi Gras parade. I've become a glitter hoarder.
After joining the krewe and purchasing my standard throws, I began searching online for video tutorials on making glitter purses. There are several different techniques, ranging from glue and pour to painting glitter on the purse (mixture of glue and glitter) to using glitter paper and glitter spray paint. You can buy pre-glittered purses, but I feel like for my first time, I need to fully embrace the glitter purse experience and do as much of it myself as I can. Kelly and I did a virtual purse party back in October (since we're not in New Orleans, we aren't able to join our float group for actual purse parties) and discussed techniques and tried things out while on Skype together. It was a lot of fun.
I currently have 6 different forms of glitter in my house at this exact moment. This includes:
- 17 individual loose glitters in various colors
- 3 glitter glues
- 5 glitter paints
- glitter foam
- glitter letters and shapes
- glitter embroidery thread
Since a few of my purses have a waxy coating that doesn't come off, I'll also be investing in glitter spray paint, because why not? Additionally, I have jars of sequins, multiple types of trim, feathers, three types of glue, and paint. I've been working on my purses since October and have finally finished one completely. The others are in various states of started: some have been glittered, trim elements have been made, and some have been designed but not actually started. I'm still in the gathering phase for at least one of the purses (I'm looking for a very specific item for it). I decided to name my purses to better keep track of each one. I'm toying with the idea of including a little card in each that tells the recipient the name. I don't know if that's allowed, but I really want to do it.
In spending time on these purses, I've discovered a few things. I miss New Orleans something awful, and being part of this krewe brings me back to a place that I love. I wasn't born in Louisiana, but I grew up there and I went to college there. It's the place I feel most connected to in my life and being part of something so quintessentially New Orleans is exactly what I need right now. Kelly and Heather are like sisters to me, and sharing this experience with them is going to be amazing and a wonderful start to a new decade of my life. I'm looking forward to meeting more of our Nyx sisters and experiencing this with them. I wish I lived closer so I could take part in other krewe events, like supporting our charities and coronation. Maybe next year I'll make the trip for coronation.
I also really like glitter. I was skeptical about this part of the purses, but it's so much fun. Designing and figuring our how to bring each one to life is a big part of my new found love of glitter. Taking a plain purse and making it sparkle is wonderfully satisfying. I liken it to the magic of making marshmallows; it's something I didn't know I needed, but it's exactly what I need. It's impossible to be in a bad mood when making a glitter purse or creating some sort of sequin-based element to add to a glitter purse. It's not nearly as messy as I thought it would be (or I'm super neat and careful). Keely hasn't gotten into any of the glitter I have spilled, but he did inspect the purses before I got started. Nyx fans, these purses are Keely approved.
I'm looking forward to riding in my first parade. If you're in New Orleans or its vicinity, come see me and 3000+ other ladies as Nyx rolls on February 27. We follow the traditional Uptown route. I'll share more from my Mardi Gras adventures as we get closer to the date.
For now, I fully intend to embrace the fact that I was doing everything wrong when it came to glitter. Glitter is not a craft item to be feared. It should be embraced, although carefully, with craft or wax paper protecting the table and a vacuum at the ready. To paraphrase the Blue Oyster Cult, don't fear the glitter.
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