LOL very true
Here in my community we have work shops all month on making sugar skulls, paper flowers, tissue paper banners, paper mache masks and skulls and puppets.

Dia de Los Muertos is very special to me i think because it requers one to be personal with it.... yes in many of the import shops or stores that import from mexico or fo those of us who live on the boarder we can fine traditional wares .. but Ipreffer to craft my own.

Consider having a workshop of your own if none are avalible in your community. Down load off the net info on the craft of your choice and have people come to make it.

Our procession here in Tucson began only 16 years ago with one woman and a few friends it was in memoryof her father about 8 walked the side walk that year and made an altar... now there are closer to 3000 who participate. It started by just one though.
Now we have preperations all year and very intensly the month prior.
the point start it don't buy it ;-)

MT,

Excellent advice....

Additionally- with the exception of statues and photographs, almost everything you put on the DotD altar is burned after the day- as part of the offering. Not all communities do this, but I've always done so- You appreciate the things you've made by hand, and the work you put in the month before. (We don't start building until after the Feast of Saint Francis on Oct 4).

El venado no ve nada,
Jesse

geez, can't a guy ask a simple question...lol. believe me, i do undertand the meaning behind the days and i do all that and more, but I like to collect other artist's and crafts person's work from all over. also, boston does not have a big mexican community like the west coast so i don't find a lot.