I recently auditioned and was picked to join Roux La La – a local dance troupe. They are self-described at New Orleans’ official swamp steppin’, booty shakin’, booze guzzlin’, pot stirrin’, glitter in your face dance troupe! I took that “glitter in your face” portion to a whole new level this past weekend. Roux La La decorates wooden spoons that are passed out along parade routes while marching. Since we will be performing in the Decadence Parade, Labor Day weekend, I wanted to get a head start on my spoons.
I’m not great at crafting. Luckily, I have friends who are professionals at this! My friend, Kambria, who is a sailor for another local dance troupe, The Sirens of New Orleans, was kind enough to take me under her wing and show me the ways of glittering and modpodge.
I was given very specific instructions about “go buy all the glitter you can get your hands on and a ton of modpodge. And rhinestones. And feathers. And puff paint.” I was terrified, but also pumped about using puff paint in my adult life.
Turns out these coveted items on the parade route take DAYS to make. You have to let everything dry before moving on to the next item. (Before anyone starts saying “DUH”, I had no idea how labor intensive this was!) We created glitter ombre spoons, embroidery floss wrapped spoons, and red beans and rice spoons. Kambria had this amazing idea to decorate some of them with red beans and rice since Roux La La’s are “pot stirrin'”! Come find me on the parade route at Decadence 2017, Krewe of Boo 2017, and a handful of Mardi Gras parades in 2018 for one of these amazing, hand-crafted with love, doused in glitter spoons.
Pro tip: one shower will not get rid of all the glitter you will be covered in after taking on this feat.
Quote of the weekend: “I just found red beans in the modpodge. How New Orleans is that?”
