Two weekends ago, Raj and I were trapped in the house for an ENTIRE weekend. Suffering from a serious case of cabin fever with nothing to do, nowhere to go and an empty larder, I searched high and low for something/anything to make. Here’s what I came up with…a springtime garland of calaveras.
Here are some pictures of the BLIZZARD. Perhaps the word blizzard is a tad hyperbolic, but there was snow on the ground for two days–a blizzard by Jordan standards.
Back to crafting. Calaveras (skulls, more specifically, Day of the Dead sugar skulls) make great decorations year round, right? I think they do, but know many others think that skulls are creepy, best relegated to Halloween decor. Regardless of your take on skulls as decor, I have TOO many hanging around our house in Amman (does this reflect my state of mind?) so I made these lovelies with the intention of giving them away to my sister who complimented the Valentine’s Day one’s.
Let’s take a moment to acknowledge what a NICE and GENEROUS sister I am. Remember the handmade doll that I bought for Nicole in Petra? (See picture below.) In response to comments that the doll on the left (the less cute of the two) should go to my sister, Nicole (known as NTP on comments) posted, “Why don’t you ask (your commentors) who the nicer sister is?” Sounds kind of snippy, huh? Maybe she doesn’t deserve the doll OR the garland? It’s so difficult being the younger, prettier, nicer sister…(j/k…a little).
Unlike the Valentine’s Day garland, this garland is made entirely of female skulls (not a moustached one in the bunch) in softer hues of felt (due in part to the fact that I was running low on black floss and ran out of black felt). I’d like to keep this strand as well as the doll; I mean they’re both part of a collection now, but in keeping with the generous sister that I am, I’ll part with both.
Jen Maan in Amman 
I love the skulls and agree that they are absolutely appropriate as year round decor!
Thanks for the skull as decor support!
Your sister got one up on you with a very nice cherry turnover along with a wonderful meal but I know you will soon catch up.. Cookies look great but what about that snow in Jordan, Did you bring your winter clothing? Keep the pictures coming. Dad
When I return to to the western world, I’m going to make a birthday meal that will put ALL of Nicole’s to shame!
Those may just be the cutest skulls I have EVER seen, and I am not a skull person! Adorable! What a perfect craft for a day spent inside 🙂
Thanks, Cara! I suppose the compliment means more coming from someone not inclined to like skulls.
Dear Jen,
Certainly, I can feel the antagonism and retribution exuding from you, the youngest daughter. Being the youngest is not the easiest position in a family as some people think…mainly older sisters and brothers…they never get it! Being the youngest in my family provided for the necessity of creative thinking and action to survive!
Being an objective contributor however allows me to comment on you and your Sister. I can only say that you both are exceedingly brilliant, and talented contributors to a society that desperately needs you!!!!!
I love your blog Jen!
Dick Leste.
Richard being the youngest in our family meant you are spoiled. Whose the nicer sister? Go ahead and vote. Being the eldest, I learned how to share with my younger sibling.
Really? Are you still getting over your horrible, traumatic childhood? The childhood in which you were SO deprived b/c your little sister got EVERYTHING? Keep Richard out of this. He a youngest too so he’ll side with me!
Thanks, Dick. I can always count on you to praise BOTH of us…even though we both know that the youngest are ALWAYS the best!
Cute skulls
Thanks for weighing in!
Thanks Jen for outing me as NTP. I wanted the less cute doll because I began to feel sorry for her since she wasn’t getting any votes. That’s just my nice, sympathetic nature.
Hi NTP, aka Nicole my sister…I’m so glad that you’ll be there for the sadder doll. She really needs your sympathy, poor little second choice doll that she is! I’m so glad that she’ll be welcomed into the Island of Misfit Toys.
You sisters are too much!!! Some things never change, even distance as a divider.
love, mom
Beautiful work!
Oh how I love these!! I have a thing for Day of the Dead and skulls and other oddities! I loved them so much I had to tweet about them (venuscorpiogirl). You are very talented. The snowstorms there look like the ones that paralyze us here.
Thank you! I’m so glad there are other skull people out there!!!
Jen, I thought these were cookies, am I getting old or what. ? You girls may have to take care of me sooner but please no trailor parks. For all I know you may place these cute skulls in front of me and Dick and I would be chowing up breaking our old teeth.. Thing about putting a warning on them, do not eat…..
I said that to Raj when I read the comment, but unlike Nicole, I would NEVER call you on the mistake (like she did with my spelling mistake, dessert for desert)!
Beautiful! I love your blog. Your photos make me want to visit Jordan and Israel.
You need to put the Middle East on your bucket list.
These are so cool! I love the variety!
Thank you! I’m trying to come up with an Easter calavera.
These are really cute skulls! They look great as garland 🙂 I love the snow pictures, too; really beautiful.
Thank you! I am glad the winter is almost over.
Lovely! I adore calavaras (even painted my face as one to hand out candy on Halloween) and these are just too darn cute! Your sister’s a lucky girl (though I’m the eldest of four girls, so I’m siding with her on the sister debate. :P)
I’d love to see a picture of your painted face!
Here’s hoping the link works! http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/319173_699512629086_16500134_36025733_505175492_n.jpg I had a lot of fun! Some of the youngest kids were a little scared, but the older kids thought it was cool 😛
OMG! That is absolutely amazing! Total artistry on the face.
:blush: Aww, thank you! Doing crazy costume makeup is my hobby 😀
The skulls are great and would be fun to use for Day of the Dead decorations!
I agree! I am getting ready to make some more for myself.
Adorable!! Love this — thanks for sharing. And your sister is indeed lucky 🙂
These are great! I recently made a sugar skull brooch and I’m in the process of making a big felt sugar skull cushion – I love the idea of making them into a garland too. Pretty productive weekend, I’d say!
I hope you’re planning on posting the cushion. I’d love to see the finished project and I’m in need of my next project.
I will – though it might take me a while 😉
These are so very cute. Never thought I’d say that about skulls.
Your skulls Garland is wonderful!! I like it!
Thanks for your “like” notification on my blog!
Greetings!
Laura
Hi Laura,
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I look forward to reading more of yours!
Fantastic craftmanship – good way to occupy your time.
Thanks so much for saying so…
Love the skulls and forwarding post to my oldest daughter who’s crazy about them. Have you seen the black baby booties with white skulls?
I love your Calaveras! How did you manage to make something somewhat morbid so cute?!
And, wait, are calaveras also part of Middle East traditions? I know of Calaveras from the Mexican celebration for the Day of the Dead!
Thanks. There aren’t any calaveras traditions in the middle east, at least not that I know of, in fact there aren’t too many traditions. I grew up in So. California and have always loved Day of the Dead.
You’re so crafty! No blizzard would ever make be able to make these cool calaveras. I would just sit inside and eat sweets all day instead 🙂
Thanks. I do a lot of nibbling while I’m crafting too, but if I didn’t craft, I’d be ten times my size. BTWm the calaveras are so simple…no sewing skills required other than a blanket stitch which I learned on you tube.
the skulls are lovely!!
Thank you! Looking forward to reading more of yours.