New Traditions for the Filian Family!
Starting this year, things will be a little different for the Filian Family! I’m on a mission to start incorporating Delilah and Sophia’s heritage into our traditions and celebrations. Both the girls are Latina! And since we live in LA… I feel a little spoiled because we will have so many opportunities and events. I do believe that family traditions start at home so home is where we will start.
Our family is one big melting pot! Eddie is Armenian / Ukrainian / Russian (first born in America) and I’m a crazy mix of Scotch, Irish, English, & French. (My family basically came over on the Mayflower). And our daughters are Hispanic. This fall we will be celebrating Dia de los Muertos….. Filian Family Style and that means a big, bold and bright Dia de los Muertos Tree! Instead of an alter, we will be making the tree. We will be adding sentimental ornaments that represent family members that have passed on. We will keep the tree up all October. The girls already love it and I know we will cherish it for a very long time. It’s the Filian Family Melting Pot Version.
The tree I am decorating is from Treetopia. The tree is amazingly sturdy and very well made.
The stand is top quality!
Here is the tree put together and waiting for a little fluffing and decorating.
The tree is pre-lit and the cords match the tree! yes yes yes!!!
For the topper I bent back the top section to reveal the metal tip.
For the topper, I poked a hole in the bottom of the most elaborate jumbo sugar skull we made. Then I just press her onto the metal top. I also add a big mesh bow behind her head.
See the FULL TUTORIAL for the jumbo faux sugar skulls!
The jumbo ornaments were a dollar store makeover. Be sure to check out how we made them.
See the FULL TUTORIAL for the jumbo faux sugar skulls!
I knew I wanted big bold and bright flowers for the tree. So I went shopping! I just love the colors and size. These flowers are from downtown Los Angeles. But I have seen similar at craft shops.
I trimmed the stems of the flowers and just poked them into the tree.
The smaller ornaments we made from dollar store paper plates.
See the FULL TUTORIAL for the paper plate sugar skull ornaments.
See the FULL TUTORIAL for the paper plate sugar skull ornaments.
For the temporary tree skirt (i have one in the works) I used a bunch of black tulle. Sophia helped with the tulle.
Thanks for stopping and having a peek at my Day of the Dead Tree.
Tree by Treetopia
Jumbo Sugar Skulls made by me and Steve.
Small Sugar Skulls made by me and Steve.
xoxoxoxoxo
Cathie
This is hands-down fab! My daughter LOVES sugar skulls and I’m sure once she see this she is def gonna want to do this! Can i ask where you found all the great skulls?
Hello – So glad you love it!
We altered skulls from the dollar store. It was the 99 cents store (with the purple shopping carts) the smaller ornaments were made from paper plates.
I’m so glad there’s another fan of Dia de los Muertos on our blog hop! I am astonished that those skulls came from the dollar store. They look amazing!
Thanks so much! I love your tree!!! I wanna make the fringe ornaments too! I have been a fan of Dia de los Muertos for so long and it’s fun to now really incorporate the girl heritage into our family. I’m going to be adding ornaments that represent people from our family that have passed away. Here is the tutorial on the skull makeover: http://www.cathiefilian.com/diy-faux-sugar-skulls-for-dia-de-los-muertos/
This is fantastic. I have black Christmas tree that we use to use in my son’s Spiderman bedroom, and I cant wait to copy the snot out of this:) Thank you for the idea 🙂