Dia de Bloglandia

EDIT: I'll be away for a few days, if you are late to the party, no worries, I'll be updating links all week.  Click on the LINKS to Dia de Bloglandia button on the right side bar. If a link does not work please let me know.

Thank you for joining Susanna, Rebecca and me for Dia de Bloglandia...this time of year when the marigolds are glowing gold and we think of those that have left us. 

Dia de los Muertos dates back to the Aztecs and allows those walking the earth to remember and honor those that no longer do.  We gather photos, objects, candles, food and sweet sugar skulls and sit in the golden light with our memories.

Our family altar grew this year and while we honor and celebrate the lives of those gone we hope there are no new additions next year.

 

Lit by candles and tiny lights, snug under the stairs our altar stands...

 

vignettes for each person, here my maternal grandmother Elaine who made me perfect furniture for my doll house and kept my troll dolls clothed in high style...

 

My paternal grandmother Pauline and Maj Jong tiles, she played for 70+ years...I now play Maj Jong with friends a couple times a month and each click of the tiles takes me right back to my grandmothers basement and the tables of women laughing and playing this game.

photos of those gathered on the altar...flowers that were fresh when we constructed this now faded...like the memories we strive to keep alive.

A glimpse of my shrine, 'For the Children', ready and waiting...for the shrine auction for the children of Oaxaca, March 1st - 7th.  Be sure to share pics of yours if you have one started....

 

and...the 4 Catrinas, the dia de los muertos elegant goddesses ringing in the celebration in high style.

Please leave me the direct link in your comment here to your Dia de Bloglandia post and I will enter them all in the page in the right side bar HERE.  Visit this page often to see all the links to visit all the Dia de Bloglandia posts as well as the Shrines for the auction for the children of Oaxaca as I update them during the day and evening.

Comments

[Carmen]

My altar and ofrendas can be found here:

http://heartandsoulgardening.blogspot.com/

Thank YOU, Stephanie and Susanna!

I LOVE your last picture!
Those catrinas rock!

[lyle baxter]

thank you for sharing your family's alter. this year I finally got started with a shrine devoted to my husband who died in 2006. been gonna do it finally did. he looks pleased! thanks for pushing me along! lyle ps toni posted it on our blog if anyone wants to see! and I've had a request from a friend whose husband recently died to show her how!

[Elizabeth Wix]

Stephanie,
this is such a rich and lovely remembrance of your family.
I love the idea of your grandmother's mah jong tiles and the little troll all dressed up so lovely.
I have written a remembrance of my mother.
Thank you for hosting this.

[Deb Taylor]

Stephanie, what a beautiful gathering of wonderful memories! I can almost hear the click of the tiles and it makes me smile to know your trolls wore nothing but the finest wear! I will be grouting and painting the finishing touches on my shrine today!

[Dawn]

Oh my gosh, Stephanie. What a great night. I must say, seeing the little bits of the altar moved me as I know it must have, ten fold, for all of you! thank you for sharing this night with us. I hope the auction goes super well. I have yet to participate and yet each year I think I should. I believe that next year will be the one for me.

You ladies look totally ghoulish in your masks and I envy you such wonderful, close friends!
Have a wonderful start to your November.
Peace~
Dawn

[Rhonda Roo]

Brilliant of course! Your ofrenda is breathtakingly lovely, I love your sweet memories, and how you incorporated the tiles and the troll doll. Perhaps next year I will do that too!

The Catrina Goddesses rock! Happy Day of the Dead, to you and yours, and thank you for hosting such a worthy celebration.

Much Love XOXOXOX

http://roostreehouse.typepad.com/roos_treehouse/2009/11/dia-de-bloglandia.html

[Chenoa]

Hello! its such a special day! sending kindest thoughts to you & your family!!!

my post is at http://meanderingpearl.blogspot.com/2009/11/all-aglow-dia-di-bloglandia.html

Thank you for helping us come together at such a special time!!!

precious wishes
Chenoa

[somepinkflowers]

ohhh...
stephanie,
my grandmother helped me
with my doll's furniture and clothes, too.

isn't that just the best memory!

i think this helped usher me
into my cut-and-paste years,
which i am still in,

thank-goodness.

:-)

here is my link to Dia de Bloglandia.

http://somepinkflowers.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/11/dia-de-bloglandia-me-and-my-daddy.html

my head and heart are filled with thanks
for giving me this venue
to celebrate
my father.

[Julie Prichard]

Happy bloglandia, Stephanie! I am saddened to be able to add another shrine on this day...but I love the new tradition of honoring my family that you have shared with me. Thank you!

http://www.julieprichard.com/lostluggage/2009/11/1/recuerdo.html

[elsa]

such sweet vignettes!this is so nice steph. truly beautiful and a wonderful way to remember loved ones- thank you for inspiring me to participate today. i hope you have a wonderful day.

here is the link to my post: http://elsaaraya.com/blog/2009/11/01/little-altars-for-sophia/

[elsa]

i'm looking forward to seeing your and the other artists shrines too dear steph! fantastic cause.
biglove to you!

[Deborah]

Hello, and very pleased to meet you. I hopped over from Rhonda's blog and ever so happy I did. Beautiful shrine...very lovely and touching. **blows kisses** Deborah

[gloria]

What a beautiful altar for your family, friends and pets. I'm always awed by your photos, especially these. I love the way you noted that your Grandmother Elaine made furniture for your doll house. Very nice. I thank you for sharing your family. It is truly a wonderful offering of love.

[Lee Anne "Nikki" Ghilain]

Just Beautiful!!

[gillian]

Hi Steph
I love your altar, it is lovely. I hope you have a nice celebration today with your family...my post is of last years, I fell a bit under the weather this week.
Enjoy your day! xoxo