Day of the Dead : Sugar Skulls

Sugar art was brought to the New World by Italian missionaries in the 17th century. The first Church mention of sugar art was from Palermo at Easter time when little sugar lambs and angels were made to adorn the side altars in the Catholic Church.

Mexico, abundant in sugar production and too poor to buy fancy imported European church decorations, learned quickly from the friars how to make sugar art for their religious festivals. Clay molded sugar figures of angels, sheep and sugar skulls go back to the Colonial Period 18th century. Sugar skulls represented a departed soul, had the name written on the forehead and was placed on the home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colorful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments. Sugar skulls are labor intensive and made in very small batches in the homes of sugar skull makers. These wonderful artisans are disappearing as fabricated and imported candy skulls take their place.

There is nothing as beautiful as a big, fancy, unusual sugar skull!

Wooden from Dollar tree....

Cards....

Make your own Sugar skull 

Mold set from Amazon :  https://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Skull-Makes-Decorative-Skull/dp/B00NC6URV6/ref=sr_1_2?crid=15XLYJTZ2VSW6&keywords=sugar+skull+mold&qid=1667317219&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI1Ljk0IiwicXNhIjoiNS43MyIsInFzcCI6IjUuMzcifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=sugar+skull%2Caps%2C451&sr=8-2

Sugar Skull Recipe: 

 Want to make your own https://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/how-to-make-sugar-skulls-calavera-de-azucar/c12860df-02bc-4901-a2e4-46efbf570322

My color page

All Saints Day in Louisiana

Louisiana All Saints 

The Origin of All Saints Day

The observance of All Saints Day goes back to the early centuries of the Christian Church. Initially, Christians would celebrate martyrs on the anniversaries of their death, because those days marked their birthdays unto eternal life with Jesus in heaven. However, as the number of martyrs grew during persecutions like that of Emperor Diocletian and his successor—which lasted from A.D. 303-311—it became difficult to assign a specific day to each witness who died for the Faith. Therefore, beginning in the fourth century, the Church established a common day to honor all martyrs, including in two cities in modern-day Turkey: Edessa on May 13 and in Antioch on the first Sunday after Pentecost.

In the year 609 or 610, Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon in Rome to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all martyrs, choosing to commemorate the saints on May 13. Later, Pope Gregory III (731-741) dedicated a chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica to all saints and moved the celebration to November 1. Finally, Pope Gregory IV (827-844) made November 1 the official date for the Feast of All Saints throughout the entire Western Church, thereby also recognizing and respecting the same celebration of Eastern Catholics earlier in the year.

All Saints' Day is celebrated by attending Mass, honoring both canonized and unknown saints, and remembering deceased loved ones through visiting cemeteries and lighting candles. Celebrations vary by region but often include special church services, building altars, and sharing meals, with some traditions blending with or influencing other holidays like Mexico's Day of the Dead. 

 

Religious observances

• Attending Mass: 

  Many denominations, particularly the Catholic and Methodist churches, hold special Masses or services to honor saints. 
• Prayers: 

  Services often include prayers and responsive readings, and some people pray for the saints to intercede on their behalf. 
• Remembering the deceased: 

  In many congregations, the names of those who have died in the past year are read, and a candle is lit or a bell is rung for each name. 

Remembrance traditions

• Visiting cemeteries: People visit and decorate the graves of loved ones, often placing flowers on them.
• Lighting candles: Candles are lit at gravesites and in churches to symbolize faith and hope.
• Building altars: Families may create altars in their homes with images of saints, deceased loved ones, and offerings like food, flowers, and candles.

Other traditions

• Costumes and candy: 

  In the United States, some Catholic schools allow students to dress as saints. The holiday has also influenced modern traditions like Halloween, which originated in part as a commemoration of the saints. 
• Sharing meals: 

  Special meals are often shared with friends and family. In some regions, particular dishes are traditional for the day, such as il pane de morti (bread of the dead) in parts of Italy. 
• Regional variations: 

  In countries like Spain, Portugal, and Mexico, traditions can include performances or specific commemorations for the dead, often blending with All Souls' Day celebrations. 

StarGARDENfeature 11/02/26

 

WELCOME to the first week of the November 2026 "You're the Star" Blog Hop!

Before we continue onto the Linky party I wanted to share from my blog:

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WELCOME to GARDEN feature week of the November 2026 "You're the STAR" blog hop!

Meet all of your Hosts

This week is GARDEN feature week
Swing by the Hosts blogs:

Angie @ God's Growing Garden
Colleen @ Butterfly in the Attic

Michelle @ Moms Are Frugal

Lisa @ At Home With Lisa

Kris @ Kris and Larry . com

This is a month long Linky party featuring YOU!

There will be 4 different features each week and 4 different feature categories.  Just to be clear - this is NOT a themed party - you may link up ANY family-friendly blog posts any day of each month. 
The "theme" occurs in our weekly features:
WEEK#1 GARDEN - gardening, homesteading, recycling, outdoor activities &/or preserving (this can include any type of green living, repurposed ideas, outdoor concerns, posts relating to farm animals etc all while remaining family friendly)

(These features were chosen from the October 2026 "You're the Star" blog hop)

Ethel M Chocolates Botanical Cactus Garden by Blue Collar Travel Adventures

Caramel Apple Freezer Marmalade by Cindy's On-Line Recipe Box

Autumn Shows Us How Beautiful it is To Let Things Go by Amy's Creative Pursuits

Quick Pickled Beets & Eggs by Scratch Made Food

If you've been featured then please grab a STAR button below:

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All Hosts/CoHosts will post this blog hop on every Monday of each week.
Please link up your family friendly blog posts below!
It wouldn't be a linky party with YOU!
(IMPORTANT NOTE: by linking up you understand that you might be featured next month and if so, we will use some of your photos from your post - rest assured - we will always link back to your lovely blog.  We might also share your fantastic posts on social media.  Also, you may link up as many family-friendly posts as you like & YES - other blog hops &/or giveaways are welcome {giveaways and blog hops will NOT be featured though}  Thank You & ENJOY! )

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30 days of Gratitude

This week it's all about  Home 

My favorite comfy chair with a book and Blue..

My gratitude planner...

Sunday fellowship time

It's Sunday and the first day of November. Did you remember to Fall backwards?

My fellowship time 

kids crafts to make 

Zane the Zombie

Today at the library we have a special guest. Jeff will be reading  today and sharing his newest book...He's a local author and police officers in our area...

Zane isn’t your typical trick-or-treater—
he’s a gentle little zombie with a big heart, and sometimes, the world feels just a bit too loud.

This Halloween, with the help of his brave cat Luna, Zane learns that being different doesn’t mean missing out on the fun. Step by step, he discovers courage, friendship, and the sweet rewards of staying true to himself.

Zane the Zombie’s Halloween Adventure is a heartwarming story about bravery, kindness, and celebrating what makes us unique. Perfect for kids of all ages—especially children with autism, who may see the world in their own bright and special way—and for families who embrace the magic of being wonderfully different.

Zopmbie crafts : 

if you can't find green plates. Paint your plate green and decorate with construction paper. 

Green handprint 

for treats

Thanks for joining our Halloween party this rainy Saturday....

Happy Halloween

And tonight my walk way will be lighted up . 

I'm recycling old jars that I mod podge Halloween napkins from Dollar tree on them.

The light cute battery operated tea light from Dollar general store.

Cut out napkins 

Here I took apart the napkins to just the figure I wanted.