Getting my glitter on (and a contest)

The title of this blog is "A Muse Abroad". Ever wondered what that was all about?

I am a Muse!

Now, this isn't an average case of self-aggrandizement. When I say I am a Muse, I mean I am a member of the Krewe of Muses, an amazing all-women Mardi Gras club in New Orleans.

For you Aussies, know that Mardi Gras in New Orleans is nothing like Mardi Gras in Sydney. It has a long-standing cultural history. You can find pictures and stories all over the internet, so I'll just give you the very short run-down. Each parade is run by a krewe. The closer you get to Mardi Gras (the day before Ash Wednesday), the more elaborate (and more elite) the parade and krewe tend to be. Muses rolls on Thursday, the night the holiday kicks itself into high gear. Muses parades always have a contemporary, satirical theme, and the parade is consistently voted the best parade in all of Mardi Gras. Muses are extremely generous with their throws (all the plastic beads, stuffed toys and miscellaneous schtuff that you cannot imagine ever wanting until you find yourself at the parade caught up in the thrill screaming "Throw Me Something, Sista'!"). The most exclusive, sought after throw from a Muses parade is the symbolic high-heeled shoe, which Muses elaborately decorate in glitter. Each is individual, a one-off and highly prized. Some of my previous creations:

After a five year break, I will be riding with the Muses this year! The parade rolls on February 16th, so I'd better get going on my shoes. A local station just did a story with some of the ladies from my float, so if you'd like to see glitterizing in action, check it out here. In the meantime, I think I'll run a little contest here.

Would you like a Muses shoe? Maybe some throws? Any throws from this year's parade are top secret at the moment, so you'll have to wait until after the February ride. Just for fun and for the contest, I urge you to take a look at the nine Muses and let me know which might inspire you most. I'll leave this running until the end of January. Perhaps I'll post a running tally of answers on the sidebar. We could all use a bit of inspiration!

"Happy are they whom the Muses love!"