Sugar Skulls

[Uabassoon]

Alexa and I are going to be making them this weekend, I just finished buying all of the supplies. My mom was never really the arts and crafts type so I never got to make them when I was a kid. Instead she would give me a paper skull to decorate with markers and glitter. Last night I was telling Staci about them and she'd never heard of them before. It made me realize that many of you might have no idea what they are so I wanted to share with you all.

Day of the dead (dia de los muertos) is an important holiday in many Latin American cultures. Since no one is really sure how long ago these traditions started there are many different versions of what the holiday is. As a kid I learned that it was a day when we celebrated those who had passed on. People will visit the cemetary and decorate the gravesites of our loved ones. The sprirts were welcomed into our home there are flowers and food and of course sugar skulls or anything you think would look nice. The idea is that you are celebrating with the spirits.

Lots of places will even have parades to celebrate the day. Tucson has a great day of the dead parade.

Here's a few pictures of the skulls.





I have no artistic talent so I'm hoping that mine come out looking halfway decent!

[PJ's Mom]

My ex husbands family always celebrated dia de los muertos, although our family never did. I hope you'll post pics when you're finished!

[RICHARD]

Totally cool and don't forget Dia de los Santos....All Saints Day!!

November First is the celebration of all the saints from the Catholic Church..

[Karen]

Nice to learn more about the holiday from someone who celebrates it! Good luck with the decorating!

I was my mother's chief cake-decorator from about age 5. When my hands were too little to actually hold the frosting tube, she'd have me draw on the frosting base with a toothpick, then she'd trace it. As I got older, I just did all the cak decorating myself. The funniest thing was, for my high-school graduation, she wanted my cake to be a surprise, so she decorated it entirely on her own. (I love my mom, but she had zero artistic talent. Musical? Yes, in abundance. Writing talent? Sure? Artistic = NONE whatsoever.) So when she presented me with my graduation cake, she asked "Can you tell what it is?" I stared and stared and finally guessed "A dove?" And she was completely crestfallen, but a laughing a little when she said "No! That's YOU! That's you in your cap and gown, and holding an artist's pallete!"

So if your first skull comes out looking not like you expected, you can dedicate it to my mom, Marilyn, who died of Lou Gehrig's disease in 1999.

[Ginger's Mom]

Thank you for sharing that. I had actually read about it a long time ago (in a child's book), but had forgotten about it. It is good to hear about it from someone who celebrates it.

[joanofark]

We don't make those or anything, but we do Celebrate All Saints Day!

Don't forget Dia de los Santos....All Saints Day!!

November First is the celebration of all the saints from the Catholic Church..

[Jamieejo85]

My grandmother makes sugar skulls!!! She celebrates Dia de los Muertos every year, that is so cool that you are going to be making them...I would love to see how they turn out!

[lizbud]

I've heard of the holiday, but not the skulls. They have a festive look.
Since it's a celebration, I guess that's what you were going for.Good job.

[Killearn Kitties]

I've not heard of decorating skulls at all. How interesting! Please let us see the pictures of yours when you have finished.

[QueenScoopalot]

Very festive looking! I too can't wait to see how yours and Alexas turn out. Is there a mold that you use to form the skull base? My MIL who passed away a few years back, lived in Mexico for over a decade, and really immersed herself in the culture and traditions. Dedicate one to Annie too please.

[finn's mom]

Oh, how fun. My niece has a magazine that she and I looked through last night, and, it's full of really cute ways to decorate cupcakes! Some of them were awesome, I'll see if I can find the magazine online...

[Uabassoon]

Is there a mold that you use to form the skull base?

Yes, this is the mold that I have.


I'll try to take some picture while we are making them. Today we are going to make the skulls. Then we have to leave them to dry overnight and tomorrow we can decorate them.

[wolfie]

How fun! I'm sure yours will come out great. ^_^

[Uabassoon]

We made the skulls last night and left them to dry overnight. Then this morning we attatched the front and back of the skulls together. In two hours we can finally decorate them I'll post pictures of them when they are done.

[Jamieejo85]

Can't wait for the pictures!!!