Día de los Muertos - Get Yo Mex On!
2nd November, 2011
As part of Madeleine's Día de los Muertos Guest Blog there are amazingly TWO giveaways this week! Firstly, one of Madeleine Stamer's limited edition 'Sweet Calavera' Prints, measuring 56 x 76cm an valued at $330. Mamasita, one of Melbourne's most delicious Mexican restaurants, have kindly offered a $100 gift voucher as well! All you need to do is leave a comment on any of Maddi's posts this week - the winners will be drawn at random and announced on Monday. Check out all the details here. - Jenny x
Melbourne is a treasure trove for locally crafted Mexican and Día de los Muertos delights. There’s also a bunch of clever interstate contenders who are getting into the Mexican groove too. Artists, crafters, designers, tattooists and the like are increasingly dedicating a better part of their work to skullery goodness and skeleton mayhem inspired by traditional Día de los Muertos imagery. They’re not all strictly Mexican inspired but each piece has it’s personal folk connections and definitely worth a mention.
clockwise from top left: re-sew-cool sugar skull bag-tag kits, Crocheted Skull by Shara Lambeth, Jubly-Upph Day Of The Dead Lady Brooch and Betty Jo handmade Day of The Dead Skull Brooch and other skull goodies
clockwise from top left: Just Like Honey Skull by Irene Grishin Selzer, Made by White Skull Girl Brooch, stabs via STABSYSTABS and Love Hate illustration by Rik Lee
Etsy is a bottomless pit when it comes to Day of The Dead odds and ends. My head was throbbing after I entered a basic search for ‘Day of The Dead’ but I persevered and compiled a treasury list just for you!
Día de los Muertos ceramic figures. Image courtesy of Market Import
Otomi fabric. Image courtesy of Market Import
A local retail fav who has its roots steeped in traditional Mexican homewares is the much loved Market Import, Armadale. Market Import is largely responsible for my initial Mexicana love crush, we go way back.
Market Import locations: Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide.
Images courtesy of Amor Y Locura
My newest Mexicana love lust belongs to Amor Y Locura (Love & Madness). I recently serendipitously stumbled across the doorsteps of Amor Y Locura although I had received muchas recommendations to go visit. It’s pure Mexicana paradise. I was fortunate to meet owner Mandy Paton who bowled me over with her passion, zest and splendid sense of humour. It’s a definite one-stop shop full of Mexicana enchantment.
Amor Y Locura
77 Gertrude St. Fitzroy, Melbourne.
+61 3 9486 0270
-Madeleine xo
Something about that gold skull stamped with hearts is so enticing.
Get me to Mexico Immediately!! We named our standard poodle ‘Frida’ after Frida Kahlo. Mexican folk art continues to inspire through colour, symbols and pattern. All beautiful things. Will be showing my Vis Comm students :)
It would never have occurred to me that some of the above would be visually representative of Día de los Muertos, but it makes way more sense now! Thanks!.
Emily
All to beautiful! Can’t it please be Day of the Dead all year ’round? :^D I have a Betty Jo sugar skull on my lapel today and I’m out the door – adios! Mucho Gracias, Madeleine!
Love it! Somehow skulls seem to have become one of those timeless motifs.Thank you Madeleine for confirming my need to travel to Mexico one day.
love that otomi fabric, just gorgeous!
WOW! Some of the imagery reminds me of Angelique Houtkamp’s (dutch tattoo artist) work, now I see where she got the inspiration.
Jubly Umph has turned me on to your blog, I love Mexican culture and art, it is so colourful, emphatic and inspiring! Feliz Dia de los meurtos!
Off to visit Amor Y Locura immediately! I saw a bank in Perth once called Day of the Dead – from memory their music fits these images perfectly. Very cool!
I’d so love to display Day of the Dead art/decoratives items in the house but I’d hate to freak the kids out.
I was in Melbs a couple of weeks ago and had a good time poking around Amor Y Locura.
ohhh! love that shop too. love all those tin bits and that fabric is gorgeous! really enjoying your blogs this week Madeleine. x
great shop – its great to see lots of bold colours
Amor Y Locura is my favorite shop. Would love to give that print to my wife or try Mamasita!
I’m getting on the tram this week . I’m pining for chetumal right now .
Day of the dead here I come!
wowzers! how awesome!
Love the colours and patterns.
So many great Mexican shops in Australia. Definitely visiting Amor Y Locura when in Melbourne next! And heading to Market Imports in Adelaide ASAP!
PS – would love to win that giveaway! Fab! X
All that colour! They’re like giant skies and dusty sidewalks and flowers that are so bright they vibrate in the hot sun.
Amazing. It’s now on my ‘must visit’ list! Love the fabric and colours.
Feliz Dia de los meurtos! At our house it’s Day of the Dead all year round – day of the dead fabric cushions, skull garlands, skull cookie cutters (from Aldi! Yay!) and papal picado…. Because it’s too much fun for just a few days of the year. Great Post Madeleine!
Love this post! Thanks for blogging about all the crafted wonders of this amazing culture. I have only just hung a collection of flaming winged love hearts and mexican skeletons in my home – they look fab!
Quite a timely blog, with All Hallows (halloween) having been my households obsession this week! I am a bit hungry just thinking about Mamasita…
thanks for this post of fabulous things.. I found you via Jubly Umph a particular favourite of mine, i actually own and love the piece you featured
Hot!
Amazing! Definitely need to go check out the shop ASAP!
Lots of Mexican things popping up in Melb recently don’t you think – I mean this as a good thing. Love and want all the prints.
I heart Stabs.
Love all this stuff…major Mexicana envy!
oh market import. such a delight.
Definately need to make a trip to Melbourne soon
i gave my boyfriend to day of the dead skulls for his birthday. beautiful bits of art!
Love, love, love all of this. Another great reminder that I must check out Amor Y Locura.
I work just around the corner from Amor Y Locura and frequently LUST after the many amazing finds there… I love the day of the dead figurines. Bought some recently and my parents nearly had a heart attack upon finding them! Would love to see what would happen if I kept filling my house more so in the same vein… Might have to call an ambulance next time.
the day of the dead, it´s different in every zones of México, in some places we cook the favorites meals of the dead people (fieles difuntos) in other zones the people pray all night in the cemeterys, eat with the family and clean the tombs, and other families put an a big banquet in home, and await for our parents or friends…