Gypsy Witch Studio

Upholstered Headboard

2011-02-04T16:54:00.004-03:30

I have been on the hunt for a headboard for awhile ...I've also been broke for awhile. I found one I only sort of liked at sears but for over $500 sort of liked was not going to cut it. I knew I wasn't going to find anything I really liked in my price range (which was closer to free then the sears listed $500) so I hunted around the attic/house instead. I found a broken hollow core door in the attic, an old blanket in the closest, some picture hooks, ribbon, flat buttons and some self cover buttons. I had to buy the fabric but because I can sniff out a bargain a hundred miles away I found the exact fabric (cream coloured cotton velveteen) on the clearance wall for $3.99 a meter.

1. Drill holes in the door in the pattern you would like to place your buttons

2. Place an old blanket or quilt batting over the door and staple on to the edges

3. Lay your fabric out right side down on the floor, place your door on top of it and pull the fabric over, staple to the back. Start in the middle of each side and then go back and work all your way around

4. Cover your buttons with your fabric. Simple instructions come on the package of self cover buttons.

5. Thread a long piece of ribbon or string through your button and with a long upholstery needle run the ribbon through the fabric, batting and pre drilled holes in the door. Secure at the back by running through a flat button and tie a knot. This will keep the knot in the ribbon from pulling back through the door

6. Secure large picture hooks across the back and either hang on screws drilled into wall studs or wall anchors if there are no studs where you need to center your headboard

Covering Lamp Shades

2011-01-19T19:49:00.014-03:30

Most of my personal belongings ( stuff that really wasn't necessary anyway) got packed away in boxes about six months ago...due to some sort of new need for minimalism, the gypsy in me not wanting to settle in or maybe it was just that I had to make room for all this baby paraphernalia. I guess I thought it would be easier to keep things clean and safe with all the little nic nacs, books and shelves gone (she had started climbing the bookcases) and for a while it seemed like a good idea. Lately I have been feeling like life has been on hold. It might seem silly to say that has anything to do with how the house looks but I do feel like having nothing around to personalize the space makes me feel like I'm not really "living" here in the grander sense if the term. So little projects have been surfacing to take whats left and make it feel more like me.

Supply List:

scissors

spray glue (left over from another project)

iron on interfacing tape and or clear drying glue (again left overs)

old lamp shade (I recovered two old lamp shades that had cracks and bends in them)

fabric (I used an old pillow case)

ribbon (bias tape would have been better but I didn't have the right colour)

clothes pins

Step one: Find old lamp shade! I got lucky with these white, flat shades. If you have one with pleated fabric on it you will have to take that off first and the plastic base will need to be in half decent shape. Bends and dents in the plastic are fine not big cracks are not.

Step two: You can make a pattern if you want by laying the lampshade on a big piece of newspaper and tracing along the edge as you roll the shade along the paper. If your shade is really big or you are worried about making a mistake with your fabric then this is a good idea. My shades were small and I used an old pillow case ( one to cover both shades) so I just laid the shade on the pillow case and roughly cut off the excess fabric.

Step three: Spray your shades with glue. Spray glue dries fast so you need to have your fabric laid out ahead of time and only spray one shade at a time. Go easy on the spray glue, it won't seem like a lot but if there is any excess it will come through the fabric and ruin light colours and shiny fabric.

Step four: Have your fabric laid out flat and put your lamp shade on top of the fabric. Roll the shade pulling the fabric tight and pushing out any air bubble or wrinkles. When you get all the fabric on fold over the end to get a clean edge and tac with some glue. Put a clothes pin or small clamp on the bottom and top edge. Leave the shades to dry.

Step five: If you have any excess fabric coming over the edge of the shade trim it off. Bias tape works best for covering the edges and makes a more professional finished looking shade but ribbon will work as well just make sure you can't see any of the glue and be patient while folding over the edges because there will be folds and wrinkles in the ribbon. I ironed on some double sided fusible webbing tape to one edge of the ribbon and then ironed it on which made things a lot faster and cleaner but you can use glue here no problem. When you have the ribbon fused or glued on to the outside of the lamp you can then fold over the excess gluing it to the inside of the shade to get that finished edge. Use lots of clothes pins here and leave them on until the glue dries. I would recommend doing the bottom edge first and letting it dry before you go back and finish the top. Trying to do both at once just leaves things in a big mess.

Step six: Take all your pins off and touch any thing up with glue if there are any little pieces lifting away from the shade. Now it's time to but this on our lamp and bask in the glory of your handiness.

This is also a good way to make a bunch of old mismatched lamps make sense in a room. You can do all the different shades the same or in coordinating fabrics. This project works really great if you are using wallpaper ends as well. The paper is also a little easier to work with then fabric.

I had all this stuff just laying around the house so the big bonus of this project for me was that it was free!

Today is my birthday...

2011-01-17T04:23:00.007-03:30

Well it's been about a year and half since I posted here and just as I start to wonder where the time went my 18 month old daughter runs buy leaving a wake of delightful destruction behind her. There have been many odd little projects, lots of thrifting and of course Lydia herself and all the things she has taught me would have been worth sharing with you. Despite all that, this has been the hardest couple of years of my life this last year being the worst. I have had many things to post about but somewhere in the struggle I seem to have lost my voice. I would say that months before I stopped posting here I had begun to struggle with what to share, how to speak to you and even more so how to segregate all the different pieces of my life, my feelings about my work, starting a new family, my changing business and how to be personal and professional at the same time became such a struggle that I had nothing left to say....at least not that I felt comfortable sharing.

My birthday to me has always been like New Years in the sense that this is the time that I look back at the year, this is the time for making resolutions and plans, this is the time to look forward. This time last year I wasn't feeling strong enough to do much looking ahead, I was in survival mode so no grand plans were devised. I just put my head down and planned to survive. Don't get me wrong it has been an honor and a joy to be a mother to a little girl that I will say with all my motherly bias is the worlds most perfect, smartest, funniest, most talented child in all the world. Her laugh alone could I'm sure save whole war torn countries. But...I'm still a woman, a partner, a friend, an artist and a handful of other things that have begun to seem so very far away.

I have spent this last year and a half devoted to the health and happiness of Miss Lydia Katie and despite the lack of sleep, social interaction and hygiene it was worth it! In saying that, it has become pretty obvious lately that to continue to serve my daughter I will need to begin to live again in some sort of reasonable manner. I have not yet completely laid out what might be considered a reasonable plan of action but the idea of applying some mascara and wearing something other than track pants has crossed my mind.

So if all goes well you will see me again soon! Maybe even in real life!! I can't imagine!!! But first I need to rewrite what may as well be a completely defunct blog bio (thats going to take some time), change a diaper and if I'm really lucky Ill get to have a shower. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Officially!

2009-03-15T15:53:00.003-02:30

I was officially 30 weeks pregnant as of last Wednesday...

The Burly Q Babies Burlesque and Cabaret show is officially booked for June 27th at The Martini Bar...

I will be officially putting in my notice to move tomorrow...

I have my first fluish/cold thingie since I've been pregnant and as it took over 7 1/2 months I believe that is officially the longest I've ever gone without getting a case of the sniffles...

I can officially say that church rummage sales on a Saturday morning are the best and cheapest flea markets ever and I always love them...

and...I am officially and obviously, blindly carrying on with these new random posts and I can say for sure that I'm not sure why, or when this all may go back to normal if ever. At least you can be grateful of the fact that I don't seem to be as much of a sorry sack as I was last week.

Picture: Feather fascinator and red flower pasties. I know I know...what's that got to do with anything ....nothing silly.

Cracking!

2009-03-15T15:51:00.006-02:30

In the next couple of months I will be producing a burlesque show, moving to a new apartment and then topping it off by giving birth. These are all things I feel like I can handle I'd just really prefer they weren't all happening at once. I was sort of forced into producing this show and as much as I know it will be great and a lot of fun, I would avoid all production work if I could. The move is also not so bad, cheaper rent, bigger kitchen (for baking!!!), I will still have a small studio to teach in, all good things but it's really shagging up my ability to nest. I am a nester by nature anyway and of course that instinct is now being compounded by being close to 30 weeks pregnant. I will survive and I have to say I find a lot of joy in packing things away in boxes for some reason so I'm hoping that will help keep me satiated. It just would have been nice to do a little pregame decorating. I'm not going to get into the pro and cons of birth because well that just doesn't seem to be a good idea does it? I guess the point of this post has been just to vent. I've been feeling more then a bit stressed and panicky and haven't been able to relieve this knot in my chest so if burdening the blog land peeps will help then so be it!

Picture: Hula girl pasties and fascinator. Inspired by my love of Hula Girls and my own Hula burlesque routine. Even though we all know I'm not going to take off my coconuts I guess I'd just like to see you do it :)

Letting go

2009-03-15T15:50:00.004-02:30

I'm looking to find ways to let go and no I don't really mean relax. How do you let go control over things that you have no control over anyway? Typing that out makes it sound rather redundant.

I worry about the baby, about my choices, about how everyone seems to have an opinion about how things should be done and I'd much rather it was the same as mine...at least when it comes to carrying, birthing and raising a child. I have to say I think this is something I'm normally pretty good at. I believe it takes all kinds of opinions and people to make the world go round. I'm normally not bad at seeing the other side and never needing to bring you on to my team. Saying that, since I am now magically and bizarrely two people at once and all those motherly protecting my young instincts have kicked in, I'm having a much harder time when the world and I don't see eye to eye. I know that this will always be the case and maybe it's more about not feeling supported while I'm making such important decisions.

So for now I'm searching for my mommy zen...it's no where to be found right now but I'm sure it will pop up somewhere.

Picture: White Flower pasties. These unrelated pictures are making me feel a little insane but they are probably the best way to represent my life right now...so completely at odds with it self.

Practicing

2009-03-15T15:49:00.005-02:30

Patience, self awareness, Buddhism, yoga, empathy, compassion, kindness....

There are so many things that I believe belong in my day along side breakfast and brushing my teeth but somehow I have so much more trouble implementing them.

Picture: Sequin Pasties with blue feathers. I own and have made so many sets of these but getting to see me in them is like getting a glimpse of a once thought extinct animal, not entirely impossible but extremely unlikely.

Good Morning!

2009-03-15T15:46:00.005-02:30

After a long night of techno music pumping through the floor in the bedroom I am miraculously rather bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning. The sun is pouring in the studio windows, the cats have each found a sun beam and I have the place all to myself, which if I'm honest I quite enjoy most of the time. It's mornings like this, when I will have my orange juice and english muffin on the patio, that I can really let everything go...even if it is just for the morning.

Picture: Flower fascinator and matching pasties. Not everything means something.

Things that make me happy

2009-03-15T15:43:00.005-02:30

incense, fresh air, CBC radio, sheep, buttons, clean sheets, blank canvas, matching hangers, going out to eat, live music, paper dolls, old furniture, second hand stores, JO lying on my open book, pictures of people kissing, a good poet, wanting someone badly, finding things, stop motion, yoga, painting...........................

Picture: Pink Puff Pasties and Pink Button Fascinator on a hairband. Random yes but happy looking so somehow related. Bare with me people!

Big Changes

2009-03-15T15:42:00.006-02:30

My mind is boggled right now by how drastically my feelings have changed about living in this apartment. So many wonderful things have happened here over the last couple of years and I really thought I would somehow be here until I found a real home/house/thingamajig of my own.

Since I have temporarily become two people everything is so different. The music that I used to enjoy or sleep right through as it pounded up through the floor from the bar downstairs now seems like never ending torture.

This place that has been so great for someone as bizzarly antisocial as myself has now become such a burden. To be able to sit out in the sun, smell the food cooking in the restaurant, hear the live music as if I were there, watch the people walk by all without having to leave the house....really so perfect for me.

But now I'm tired and the music is irritating in the evening, and makes me so aware of the fact that even if the baby could sleep through it it would keep me up in the few hours that I might get to sleep in the evenings. The patio that seemed to be such a selling point feels like a death trap now, not to mention being Kitty suicide attempt central...who needs it.

I wonder if in two and half months when the Kidney Bean arrives into the would if I will still feel like two people. Will that last forever now or until she becomes a person of her own and pulls away in Independence?

Why do I feel so afraid to leave this place when I don't really want to be here anymore...I don't mind change but I hate breaking plans.

Picture: Feather Fascinator, hair piece on headband. I know so random!

Late night pondering

2009-03-15T15:37:00.006-02:30

It seems to be that no matter how much I enjoy blogging and posting photos I don't seem to be able to keep the blog up dated on any kind of regular basis. I have struggled with the purpose of doing so since I started posting here a couple of years ago . Is this for business or pleasure...self discovery or self indulgence.

I'm sure that my bi-polar life and hobbies can't be helping this struggle. Am I a burlesque dancer, producer or teacher...can I be one without the others. Am I a bellydancer, a yogi, an artist, a seamstress, a partner, a mother to be....can I be all these things and be really happy with any of them while I juggle all the rest?

I'm sure I would post here all the time if I could let myself honestly say how I was feeling and indulgence in vulnerable exchange with the masses. A piece of me knows that's why this all began...as a way of using you as therapy. But it's taken years of convoluted posts to even begin to be brave enough to say that I have any sort of real feelings about anything.

I'm trying to figure out a way to feel more connected to myself, my life and my work. It seems silly to think I might find such a feeling typing in the middle of the night and sending it out into the wasteland of Internet blogs but who knows...it is where I find myself pulled tonight, out of my bed and to the keyboard.

Picture: Dancing Fairy, paper pinwheel. They dance when the air catches their skirts...and every once in awhile they fall off their sticks. Seems appropriate...good night xoxo

I can't wait!

2009-02-25T15:32:00.007-03:30

You're in Luck!

Headline Honeys offer 'gold' performances just in time for St. Paddy's Day.

Forget following leprechauns! This St. Patrick's Day Weekend the gold is at the beginning of the rainbow. Join the Headline Honeys at the Rock House on Thursday, March 12 as they kick off the party weekend with a top-notch show featuring both local gold and the crown jewel of Tribal Fusion Bellydance and Burlesque, Halifax's Monique Ryan. You don't need to depend on luck to get to see this show, you can pick up your tickets for just $10 at Twisted Sisters, and Fred's Records.

Headline Honeys' Producer, Alicia Simms says "Our St. Patrick's weekend show will be spectacular. The audience will see a shining example of the talent we have here in the city, and get a chance to see Monique's vibrant, engaging dance style. We'd love to see everyone there".

The Headline Honeys production company was formed in the fall of 2007, and was the driving force behind the Vaudeville for Daffodil fundraiser in fall of 2007, and the wildly popular shows Dr Samuel's Fantasmagorical Old Timey Vaudeville Show, The Sin City Lounge with Steady Eddie Strangelove, Dr. Samuel's Shenanigan Express, and their November Anniversary show that raised money for Marguerite's Place. The Headline Honeys also offer workshops and classes in the empowering and adventurous art of burlesque.

Here kitty kitty kitty

2009-02-25T15:31:00.005-03:30

It's time! Anyone who has been following this blog in the last couple of weeks will be happy to hear that I'm counting down to the craft fair tonight! I've got five hours and everything is already packed up and ready to go just like the good obsessive little girl that I am. Besides all the clothing and general randomness that will be coming in with me you will also be able to sign up for burlesque workshops as well. I'll be holding a beginners class on March24 and a chair dancing class on the 31st!

Sadly the pasties above won't be for sale. They were made last month for Kocaine kitty and I felt bad that their cuteness hadn't been posted about yet. I love love love them and their hotness in action was unbearably sexy.

I hope to see you at the fair tonight, Sunday March 1st. I'll be in the Avalon Mall UNICEF Craft/Flea market and my table will be near the Eddie Bauer store. Wish me luck!

You can never have too many flowers...right?

2009-02-25T15:29:00.008-03:30

More flowers!! Holy moly!! I'm going to try and promise that this will be it for a bit...no more hair flowers...I promise... really! There have been a lot of multiples of things being posted because I'm heading into the fair but be patient with me I don't imagine this will keep up for much longer. Keep in mind that if you come in and buy them that I won't have any left to take pictures of and I will have to move on to something else. It would be like a good deed, you could save me from myself and then we would both feel better.

Cherries... Yum!

2009-02-25T15:29:00.007-03:30

I made these for Delilah Desire for her milkshake routine at the last burlesque show. We didn't get to see them in action because they were more of a safety precaution then part of the act but I knew they were there behind the well placed prop. I really love these! I always love the custom pasties and it's so hard not to make a second pair for myself just to keep. I remind myself that it's nice to keep the custom pieces special and not have too many similar things floating around and then I don't mind the idea of giving them up so much.

One for you, one for me.

2009-02-25T15:26:00.004-03:30

It's sometimes hard to sell or give away everything you make and every once in awhile I have to keep something for myself. I love both of these but settled on the dragonfly to keep. I used the excuse that I should be wearing some of my own stuff when I'm out selling and advertising, as much as I do really think that it was a bit of a scam because I totally would have kept it for myself anyway.

The crown design will be selling at the fair! I have a lot more clothing coming with me this time then I will normally have but it will be interesting to see how everything is received and to hear peoples feedback about everything. I'm a bit nervous... I'm surprised I'm even going into the craft fair. Between having to sit in there on my own and talk to people for five hours and selling or NOT selling my stuff the whole thing is extremely not me, scardy pants that I am.

Just chillin at home

2009-02-25T15:25:00.002-03:30

If you were to just randomly ring my door bell you're most likely to find me lounging in an evening gown, resting my feet while my over dressed friend reads antique books...or maybe this was just a one time thing.

These pictures were taken by Jared Reid and I was trying to put together an image that represented how I'd like at least the fashion/clothing side of Gypsy Witch Studio to be seen. The studio and my work is hard to put into one category but I think I will slowly be able to have things seen and represented in a way that's cohesive and not too visually bi-polar.

P.S. If "evening gown" really means bath robe and "resting my feet" means working then that picture is exactly what I look like when I'm home in the middle of the day.

The great sister snatch...

2009-02-25T15:22:00.005-03:30

I've been really lucky over the last couple of years to have received tons of local support in terms of media coverage in newspapers for dancing, production work and cake decorating. One of those papers being The Current. My sister and I were featured on the cover for our cake decorating for the Buttercream Babies blog. We got invited along with tons of other people to be a part of the ten year anniversary cover. I had a show the night before, it was raining the day of the shoot and we were walking together to the studio. We were in no mood to be all dolled up so we decided it would be cute and maybe make up for the damp hair and lack of sleep if we wore a couple of the bright scarves I had made. It was a good idea and the pictures turned out great, thanks Terry! Plus I sold a scarf...mind you it was only to my sister but every little bit counts.

Come on people it's sparkly hearts!

2009-02-25T15:21:00.005-03:30

These were in the pastie bin for awhile and for some reason I had never taken a picture or posted them. I never seem to be able to give sparkly pasties justice in a photo. Most likely because they are sitting under a lamp in the middle of the night when the pictures get taken.

While getting ready for the first ever BurlyQ Babies show the girls started putting in orders for pasties that matched their costumes or theme of their dance. One of the girls, Smokey Lane, was doing her first solo (Candy Man) and was wearing the cutest white fringed bra and panties ever. One of those outfits that works by itself, you just need to show up in it and shake it and there is no going wrong. Fringe is good on everything...fringe and icing! I've gotten a little off track... what I was trying to say was I knew I had just the right thing already tucked away and I must say that they looked much better on her then they ever did in the shoe box they were being stored in, oh my!

Still lovin the creative purge

2009-02-25T15:18:00.005-03:30

Yay for found fabric! I used to work in a fabric store and have the strangest collection of stuff in the stash because of it. I don't know how any of us ever had any money left over to pay rent because we would be lined up on pay day with stacks of weird things we had tucked away on the back of a self, hoping it would still be there at the end of the week. I remember finding this on the clearance wall and buying it all. I had BIG plans for it...of course I found it folded up two or three years later piled in with everything else I had BIG BIG plans for and never used. In my new found use it or lose it attitude about all the things lying around my apartment I was forced to cut it into scarves to save myself from tossing it away. Thank goodness I like scarves.

They are different sizes, I have a bunch of the wider one above and one of the narrow ones. They will be for sale on Sundays in the craft fair at the mall. See you there!

Girls like roses... right?

2009-02-25T15:16:00.004-03:30

This is just another experiment with mixing colours on these coffee filter roses. I'm sure you are all getting sick of seeing these by now...so am I really but I don't have many things that I can just sit down away from my work table and not really think to much about while I'm working on them. Making roses is my version of knitting. I can carry on a conversation and watch a little T.V. so it doesn't feel like I'm squired away on my own or locked up in the studio. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you will probably be seeing more roses in the future, I just can't help it.

If anyone would like to see them done in a particular colour combination let me know and I'll try it out.

Therapy

2009-02-25T15:13:00.004-03:30

Being a little on the broke side lately I have found that being poor is a great experiment in creativity. I love how my work will change if I'm forced to work with what I've got. You would think that being able to get out and buy new supplies and make whatever you want would open up the opportunity to do really interesting work. Maybe it does for some people? I have found lately and many times in the past when I'm feeling the urge to create but I'm looking at a few scraps of material, some paint and an empty wallet that the work that emerges is usually different from my other work....sometimes that's great and sometimes not so great but at least it pushes me to look at things a little differently and that always feels good to me.

Mixed media on canvas

Everyone could use a pair.

2009-02-25T15:12:00.002-03:30

It's a shame that this picture is so dark and you are not getting to enjoy the greatness that is a sequined pastie. I will for a moment let your mind wonder and imagine the lights hitting the stage and the glitter shine back at you... A little dramatic yes but I'm sure that more then one audience member felt that way when they saw these little babies in action on Ali Adaire.

Oh Scary!

2009-02-25T15:10:00.005-03:30

I've been trying to finish things long ago left abandoned as well as use up fabric and supplies I have handy. I have a terrible habit of starting new and completely unrelated projects and having to buy whole new batches of supplies. I've promised myself to unearth all the great stuff I've already got laying around and use it up before I go out and buy new things.
In my sort, shuffle and toss I found all the stuff I needed to make a bunch of flocked t-shirt scarves. You'll see more to come and despite the fact that they will be hard to part from I will have them for sell at the fair.

P.S. The sort , shuffle and toss also inspired a girls night clothing swap, happening tomorrow night. I know I've been taking about getting rid of things but it won't hurt to let a few new things sneak in will it?

Craft Fair Prep

2009-02-25T15:07:00.004-03:30

I've been huddled away in this apartment long enough and the strange collection of bits and bobs grows larger everyday. It is time to bring GWS to the world....or at least to a table in the craft/flea market in the mall. For those of you haven't heard I'm in the middle of growing a little one...a bun in the oven as they say. This seems to have turned me into an organizer extraordinaire. I seem to have lost any urge to hold on to long ago crafted items. It seems to make no difference how much time or money went into some thing's creation, my need to make room for a creature that will weigh about 7-8 pounds seems to override all emotional attachment to inanimate objects. So I am planning an adventure to the fair. The first week will be a mish mash of everything I happen to be getting rid of but after that I plan to stick it out and sell newly made crafts and such.

You've seen these coffee filter roses before but I've started to make a few more to put into the fair and I've been experimenting with my colour choices a bit.

So Proud

2009-02-25T15:06:00.003-03:30

Que promo pitch here:
Shake, Shimmy, and, Roll at the Rockhouse
The Headline Honeys celebrate the new year with a new crop of dancers

The Headline Honeys have taught a whole new group of students to make the most of their assets by peeling back the layers to reveal the Burlesque queens beneath. Join the Honeys and their proteges, The Burly-Q Babies, at the Rockhouse on January 31st, at 8PM and let these fresh new dancers shake you up a little. Admission is $10 The Headline Honeys are well-known for their highly successful Neo-Vaudeville variety shows featuring Burlesque dancers, jugglers, hula hoopers and a myriad of other performers. This show is a celebration of the graduates of their popular Burlesque workshops which teach students the basic techniques of Burlesque and encourages them to develop their own style of performance.

Headline Honey and head of the Burly-Q Babies, Helen Davis says : "Burlesque is not about having a perfect body, it's about making the most of what you have, so women of all sizes and ages find the workshops to be empowering, exciting experiences and as a result, these new dancers are enthusiastic, creative and very interesting to watch. People will thoroughly enjoy the variety and energy in these performances."

The Headline Honeys production company was formed in the summer of 2007, and was the driving force behind the Vaudeville for Daffodil fundraiser in fall of 2007, the wildly popular shows Dr Samuel's Fantasmagorical Old Timey Vaudeville Show, The Sin City Lounge with Steady Eddie Strangelove, Dr. Samuel's Shenanigan Express, and most recently the sold out Women's center fundraiser at the Majestic theater this past November. The Headline Honeys also offer a growing number of workshops and classes in the empowering and adventurous art of burlesque.

Jump to present day:
I've been a bit out of the loop lately and this event happened a few weeks ago but I did want to post and say how proud I am of my girls. The show was a grand success. Their courage and talent brought me to tears and I'm so privileged to be working with such wonderful women.

Take A Dip With The Headline Honeys

2008-11-12T10:49:00.004-03:30

Photo by Sandra Elford

So my girls and I decided to spend an hour in the bath together for the promotional shots for the show. Not your typical Monday night but certainly a worthwhile endeavor. We don't get to relax together or have a laugh very often because when we see each other we are always working. This way we were able to kill both the working bird and the chilling bird with one stone.

Come check us out in the Current!

Its all about the ladies!

2008-11-12T10:46:00.001-03:30

Headline Honeys celebrate their one year anniversary with a charity show for Marguerite's Place, a joint project of the St. John's Women's Center and St. John's Status of Women Council.

The Headline Honeys know that friendship is like a good brassiere - it's all about proper support. That’s why their anniversary show will be a celebratory shimmy in support of their friends at Marguerite's Place. Give the ladies at Marguerite’s Place a little lift by coming to the show - November 15th at The Majestic Theatre. Doors open at 8, the glitz and glamour starts at 8:30. Ticket are $18 in advance, $20 at the door. Available for purchase at Fred's Records, Twisted Sister, The Travel Bug, Our Pleasure, St. John's Women's Center and Around the World Restaurant.

Performers at this show include comedy by Krista Hann, musicians Adam Carter and Jason Howard, Burlesque by the Headline Honeys, Burly-Q Babies, the Purity Girls and Erika Wilansky's Class, Flamenco dancing by Christina Penney, magic by James Hawksley, and many, many more entertainers of all sorts!

Marguerite’s Place is a joint initiative of the St. John's Status of Women Council (SJSWC) and the St. John's Women’s Centre (the Women's Centre) and it will be the new home for the Women's Centre, and will house all services, programs and the offices of SJSWC and the Women's Centre. In addition to existing programs, Marguerite’s Place will provide safe, affordable housing for single women over the age of 30, within an independent living philosophy and in a manner that respects the diverse experiences and needs of individual women.

Around the House

2008-05-02T15:25:00.003-02:30

In between all the other projects, at some point the apartment has to be tackled. Unfortunately the projects that are just for us seem to always be put off until last or they take the longest time to finish. I'm still hunting down the before pictures of Reggie's dresser so you can see how much it's changed. Technically it's still not done, one of the handles still has a screw missing and it's been months since this baby was started. I'm totally not taking the blame for this one....you know who you are.

A New Distraction

2008-04-25T13:23:00.002-02:30

Do you remember a couple of years ago when all the posts where of paintings and crafts? I don't! A year or so ago burlesque took over ever nook and cranny of my spare time and up until a couple of weeks ago I was lucky if I got to post at all. So you would think I'd take some time to get back to my roots, focus on my craft, right? Nope not me! I took up belly dancing a couple of months ago and I can already feel is seeping into my work. It doesn't help that half the fun of belly dance is the great costumes, that you know I couldn't bare to buy, so I will be sewing up a storm even more often then before.

This top was a small men's white turtle neck sweater before it some how magically turned into a purple wrap top, how did that happen? The green bra underneath is a work in progress that I would like to cover completely in coins.

I'll leave this one up to you.

2008-04-23T21:20:00.005-02:30

I don't think I need to say much about this. It's a bunny ear bonnet and bunny tail underwear to be worn together with a white corset. See! Like I said there is nothing left to say. You are already seeing this in your head and depending on who you are you are feeling a little dirty or laughing your ass off. Please also keep in mind figure skates are the foot wear of choice with this little number.

Satin Jail House Uniforms?

2008-04-18T09:40:00.007-02:30

I don't know how it worked out that I ended up being the fresh faced innocent girl in the Headline Honeys Jail House routine, even though it did seem like the most logical choice at the time. Lately I'm feeling like the "bad one" of the group and that I might want to take a bit of a departure from the rosie cheeked girls next door I've gotten used to playing. I'm also having a bit of a hard couple of weeks so maybe I shouldn't jump to change too quickly.

The little number above was a black bra in it's original life but I needed a cute 1940's inspired top to wear with a pair of high waisted satin undies, under my jail house uniform of course, so I covered it in green satin and added a bow for extra girlishness.

For those of you who haven't seen the jail house dance I apologise if this whole thing was really confusing.

Oh Shiny!

2008-04-17T10:13:00.003-02:30

I have a new thing for blue and I'm not sure where it's going. I started collecting light blue bits and pieces for costumes about six months ago and I now have many tiny bags of feathers, beads and ribbons. They have no real clear plan in store for them yet nor have they even decided if they even get along with one another but my need to bring all the little bits of blue together will I'm sure overcome this situation. The first of the finished pieces that has no purpose or home right now is this blue bra, that was just calling out to have beads put on it. I wonder if there is some sort of strange blue bird burlesque dance lurking underneath all these little bits of blue

Old News

2008-04-16T17:44:00.003-02:30

Most of you that know me outside of blog land have already seen these babies but I had forgotten that I hadn't posted them online. I really wanted a set of fans, so much so that I'm already working on my second set, but I just couldn't bare paying anywhere from $400 to $1500 for them. Really if I can help it I never spend money on things I can do for myself. Saying that I would never do this the same way again, it was time consuming and painful and mentally just the feather search alone ended up being an adventure with an unyielding and dire outcome. The fans sat unfinished for months because I couldn't get the same pink feathers. On top of all this and unknown to me at the time they got snagged on a mans belt buckle as they where entering onto the stage for the first time. The fans and my heart were a little broken and panicked in the moment but we have both since recovered.

Living in a dye vat frenzy!

2008-04-15T12:16:00.004-02:30

I'm guessing I'm going to start kicking myself when there isn't a single white item left in the house, but as with most of my creative bursts this too will pass and make room for another temporary obsessive outbreak of some other kind. The waist cincher underwear came in a pack of two and I promised I'd leave the other one white, wish me luck. I imagine I'll keep dying gloves for as long as I need them because once you break away from the standard black, white and red gloves you can't ever go back.

When in doubt dye it!

2008-04-14T11:49:00.004-02:30

Anyone who knows anything about me at all knows I have the biggest stash of the strangest things. Most of the time they never get used but my love for treasure hunting makes it so that the stash grows bigger and bigger. One of the many collections of hardly ever used but obsessively purchased things is vintage bras and slips. I never wear them because there are almost always white or off white and frankly that just doesn't excite me very much. So even though I treasure them dearly (I do really love the shapes and detailing) I decided to start dyeing them. I'm pretty good with a pot full of dye and some rubber gloves so I don't normally worry about ruining things but you just never really know how things are going to turn out when you don't know the fiber content. Plus there is always the dreaded spontaneous combustion that can happen with vintage things the first time they hit the water or worse your body, as you slowly come apart at the seams on the dance floor.

Addictions!

2008-04-11T10:52:00.004-02:30

So it looks like I am forming this new addiction. I tried it once about a month ago even though I'd never felt the need to do it before and now I can't stop. It was Innocent enough, small and pink. I thought what harm could it possibly do? But now they are everywhere, on everything and I can't live without them. Oh dam you bum ruffles dam you!

Happy Birthday Alicia!

2008-04-10T16:26:00.003-02:30

Have you ever tried to eat a cupcake the size of your head? Well here's your chance! When I make a cake for someones birthday I try and do something that would be unique to them and when it was time to celebrate my friend Alicia's birthday this was the thing I really wanted to recreate for her. I was a bit worried because I think she was expecting something really different then this but in the end it was a big hit.

P.S. Yes there was a gooey cream filled center!

Old School

2008-04-05T18:58:00.005-02:30

I was looking through the beautiful burlesque book Pretty Things and came across a bunch a pictures of performers dressed for their Boston or less risque versions of their performances. One of the women was wearing a small, round, pink pastie with a little button where her nipple would have been and I thought it would be the perfect fit for my fan dancing costume. I settled on making a heart shaped pastie due to the fact that I've got more to work with then the dear little thing that was wearing the tiny round ones in the book.

Happy Belated Birthday Jenny

2008-04-04T15:57:00.004-02:30

I'm baking today for my friend Alicia's birthday so even though my sister's birthday was two weeks ago I'm just remembering now to post pictures of her birthday cake, oops! We had a wonderful (or maybe just completely silly) night filled with glow sticks and dancing. I'll spare you all the other strange pictures from that night if you haven't already been exposed to them on Facebook. Her cake was what is now becoming a favorite among my friends, the three layer chocolate brownie ganache cake, with white chocolate covered strawberries. Yum!

P.S. That's a round cake and a 39, I think you could tell in person.

Ruffles for Everyone!

2008-03-03T13:02:00.006-03:30

Original Bra: $15.97

Fuchsia Dye : $2.99

Fuchsia Thread: $ 1.75

Sequined Lace: $30.00

Ribbon: .50 Cents

Rhinestone Charm: $2.50

Having glittery ruffles all over my breasts: PRICELESS!!!!!!

I found the perfect pair of ruffle bummed underwear in the perfect shade of fuchsia but a girl can not go out in just her underwear, can she? My next performance is in a little over a week and I was starting to panic a little about what I was going to wear and everything I tried just wasn't working out. I'm normally way more frugal then this but I think the end result was worth it. I wish you could have seen my face when the girl rang in the lace purchase at fabricville and the tiniest little puddle of ruffles came up to $20. That was bad enough and then I ended up running out of the lace before I was finished and having to go back for more.

Candy Cane Anyone?

2008-02-24T21:15:00.004-03:30

The girls and I are getting ready for our next show and compiling many little lists of the things that need to get done. One such list is for props, not just for our performances but for the whole show and as you can imagine there are a couple of hard to find items. Besides having to give Miss Monkey a sex change we also need to find a stage hook for removing any riff raff that might come along. We all immediately tried to get our hands on a jumbo Christmas candy cane that no one would care if we painted, not so easy when you've missed Christmas by two months. Of course that is what thrift stores and duck tape are for and I always love a good hunt. Mind you I had to buy all that they had even though I only ended up using two but for $2.99 a dozen I think I'll live.

Dr. Samuel's Fantasmagorical Old Timey Vaudeville Show

2008-02-13T18:00:00.009-03:30

It ain’t over til the pretty ladies shimmy

Dr. Samuel cures the mid-winter blues with a prescription of vaudeville shenanigans

During the chilly, dull winter, everyone needs a little pick-me-up and as St. John’s newest production company, we are here to help! The Headline Honeys are thrilled to present Dr Samuel's Fantasmagorical Old Timey Vaudeville Show, Wednesday March 12 at the LSPU Hall. Satisfy your curiosity by picking up your tickets at the LSPU box office, only $15 (plus $1 surcharge) Doors open at 7:30pm, show starts at 8pm.

Alicia Simms-Young, one of the Honeys, says “It’s going to be a fun night. The audience loved our last vaudeville show, and this one is even more over-the-top! We’ve had a great time putting it together and we look forward to sharing it with an audience.”

Anyone familiar with the thriving burlesque/vaudeville scene here in Sin City will be yearning to see this fantastic line-up. The audience can thrill to the titillating Burly-Q Babies Burlesque Troupe and the Headline Honeys’ Trio, try to peek around the feathered fans covering the voluptuous Miss Frankly Scarlet, and marvel at Miss Trixie Biggins’ ventriloquism. For those with a circus-y bent, the Gentlemen Jugglers will keep you spinning, Magician Peter Duchemin will keep you guessing, and our sideshow performers will keep you wondering. If we’ve piqued your interest, you should come check out the show, there’s a lot more we aren’t telling!

The Headline Honeys production company was formed in the fall of 2007, and was the driving force behind the Vaudeville for Daffodil fundraiser last October. Since that time members of the company have performed at the Neighbourhood Danceworks Fundraiser as well as private functions. They have offered workshops and a series of classes in the empowering and adventurous art of burlesque.

For further information please contact

headlinehoneys@gmail.com
www.myspace.com/headlinehoneys

No More Surprises

2008-01-01T12:45:00.000-03:30

Well it's all over now and there are no more secret holiday presents hidden away or wrapped up under little trees. There were a few more crafty gifts but they weren't as easy to capture in a photo. One of them was a scrap book/box with jars of sand and labeled rocks and as strange as that sounds it was appreciated. This was for my sister who has everything and I never know what to get for her. So for the past couple of years I've been making little things for her. In the very least I will know she doesn't own one just like it.

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T14:13:00.000-03:30

It looks like I missed wishing you a Merry Christmas and Yule or even Happy Holidays as I'm sure those are winding down for most of you too. I guess I just needed a little break from the real world for awhile so I went into a little holiday coma to get myself ready for the new year. Thank goodness I managed to get my trees up before that happened or it wouldn't have felt either bit special here at all.

I'm vowing to spend more time in the studio over the next few months. It really is a must even though I don't see things being any less busy then they have been these last few months. I'm starting to be resentful of all kinds of good things going on in my life because they are taking away from my crafting and painting. I'm expending so much creative energy in other places that I don't have any left for my art work. So as much as I love dancing and I really really do I have to find some way to balance the two over the next little while. So I guess if I have a goal or resolution for the New Year it's to find balance.

An Overwhelming Response

2007-12-07T02:48:00.000-03:30

Only a couple of days left until the Burlesque for Beginners workshop and due to an overwhelming response, we have added a second beginners workshop to Sunday December 9th! Space is limited and it's filling up fast but we have a few spots left in the 3pm workshop and the 7pm workshop so grab a friend and get ready to bump and grind! You can register downtown or in Mt Pearl. It's $25 per person and you will be going home with a little gift bag that will help you refine what you have learned in class once you get home. Feel free to dress comfy casual or to try out that fancy little number you've been dying to wear! Hope to see you there! Message or Email us at headlinehoneys@gmail.com to preregister

Birthday Bouquet

2007-12-01T02:36:00.000-03:30

Still neck deep in the land of the booty shake and regretting that I have not been crafting anything other than dance costumes lately I was happy when a good crafting excuse came up. What better reason to whip something up then someones birthday? Lately in my spare time I have been working on perfecting the coffee filter rose, there are dozens of the smaller ones sitting in vases (beer steins really) in the studio. I was looking at them and thinking that they deserved a better home then that and decided to put this few together for a friend.

Burlesque Workshop!

2007-11-12T23:57:00.000-03:30

Ever dream of being a BurlyQ Baby? Learn the art of the tease with the Headline Honeys in our Introduction to Burlesque Workshop! Fun, laughs, good times on Sunday December 9th. The workshop is approximately 2 hours and cost $25/person. We supply boas and gloves and ask that you dress comfortably and bring heels. We'll be teaching the basics of burlesque and you will leave with a fully choreographed dance which makes a lovely surprise Christmas gift! We are booking up fast and it is first come first serve. You must preregister by paying the cost upfront for which you will receive a receipt. This is the only workshop we have at present but we will be offering more in the new year! If you would like to preregister please contact us through MySpace or email us at headlinehoneys@gmail.com

Scarlett Brandy, Frankly Scarlett and Trixie Biggins will also be performing in "An Evening of Burlesque for The Neighbourhood Danceworks Friday November 23rd at the Majestic Theatre! Come down and enjoy an intimate evening of dance. Doors open at 8pm and tickets are $15

Hope to see you there xoxo

Swept up in the bump n grind

2007-10-23T12:18:00.000-02:30

I know I know I'm not around as much as I used to be. I'm trying. I really am! It seems the more work I feel like I'm doing the less I have to post pictures of here. I can say for sure that there are many goodies being worked on here for craft sales and the like. I will be sure to post about them all. Of course there is always another dance to plan for. A Christmas show will be sneaking up on us in no time at all. In my blogging absence I have managed to get a few lovely things done. The best of which was that The Vaudeville for Daffodil show was a great success on all counts and a wonderful start to The Headline Honeys production career. Buttercream Babies was also represented at the show with not one crumb of cake left after intermission. One time that it's good to have nothing to show for all your hard work.

So I'm promising right now to slow down the burlesque train....just a little. Enough anyway to get some good crafting done and come back here to share it with you. I miss posting here all the time and I miss the crafting even more. I'll be back!!!

Raffle Prize!

2007-10-03T01:41:00.000-02:30

I'm donating this little gift box as a raffle prize for the Vaudeville for Daffodil show. 100% of the proceeds are going to Daffodil Place. The flower is a handmade coffee filter rose on a hair barrette and the pasties have white lace appliques on pink cotton with hand dyed tassels.

Press Release

2007-10-01T12:22:00.000-02:30

Vaudeville for Daffodil! A fundraising Extravaganza for Daffodil Place!
The Headline Honeys production company launches first show
For Immediate Release
Oct.1, 2007 (St John's, NL) The Headline Honeys are taking St John's by storm! This new production trio promises to organize an event of theatrical variety standards or public workshop every two months. This first show will be helping to raise money and awareness about an amazing local cause. Vaudeville for Daffodil is a collection of local talent lighting up the stage of the Majestic Theatre for Daffodil Place, a home away from home for cancer patients who live outside the St John's area (www.daffodilplace.ca)
The Headline Honeys present: Vaudeville for Daffodil! Hosted by Beni Malone, ring master of the international Wonderbolt Circus, this show will feature comedy sketches by local actors Krista Hann and Phillip Goodridge, contemporary music by Oddly Enough, performances by the Purity Girls, fire eating/contortion/magic by Peter Duchemin (Abracadabra Theater/ Wonderbolt Circus), juggling and acrobatics by the Gentlemen Jugglers (Wonderbolt Circus), choreographed hula hooping with the Woop Woop Hoop Troupe and burlesque by Frankly Scarlet, Trixie Biggins and Scarlett Brandy. We have received a tremendous response of support from the community praising VAUDEVILLE FOR DAFFODIL already.
The event will take place on Saturday, October 13 at the Majestic Theatre at 10 pm. Tickets are available in advance for $12 or $15 at the door. Tickets are on sale now at Spirit of Newfoundland Box Office (Prescott Street), Rapid Shoe Repair (Village Mall), Fred's Records (Duckworth Street), Twisted Sisters Boutique (Water Street) and Around the World Restaurant (Commonwealth Ave, Mt Pearl)
Come one, Come all and help us raise money to build Daffodil Place while enjoying a smorgasbord of local talent at the Majestic Theatre, Saturday October 13. Doors open at 10pm and the show will begin at 10:30pm.

So much has happened!

2007-09-17T12:25:00.000-02:30

Hello my friends it's been much too long. So much has been happening. Since my last post I have finished my costume and performed as a striping monkey with the Purity Girl's at the Where the Wild Things Are show and it was a great success. I would recommend not wearing fur head to toe while dancing in the future as I had to walk home in my underwear to get my body temperature back down. Don't worry my mom was with me....really! I have also started a production company with two of my burlesque comrades. The Headline Honeys will be producing a charity fundraiser Oct.13 called Vaudeville for Daffodil (more info to come very soon). In the mix of all this I also got the chance to sneak away and go on a camping/road trip across Newfoundland. Wow I'm pooped! I've got tons of projects in the works right now and will update very soon on art, up coming shows, costumes and the soon to be open Gypsy Witch online shop.

Photo Friday

2007-08-03T03:25:00.000-02:30

Gnomes live here...I'm sure of it!

Burlesque Anyone?

2007-08-01T12:10:00.001-02:30

Well the count down to our first show on our own has begone. Oh My! How exciting! The Purity Girls will be performing on Aug.18 at Junctions in downtown St. John's. Hints about my little number will be posted shortly. I really do want to keep it a secret but the excitement about may costume my be too much for me to keep under wraps.

Buttercream Babies!!!!!!!!

2007-07-30T11:47:00.001-02:30

My sister and I have officially launched Buttercream Babies a creative cake design business. I do hope you will go visit the new blog which is basically picture after picture of yummy cakes. We also cut and serve retro style in cutesy vintage aprons. Please spread the word.

Photo Friday

2007-07-27T11:24:00.001-02:30

I am cat sitting this week and as any of you who have ever had a kitten in the house know they can't help but hog the camera. I must say Miss Jackie O is getting a bit tired of the whole ordeal.

Pin Up Calendar!!!!!!!

2007-07-25T11:08:00.001-02:30

I recently posed with the Purity Girls for a pin up calendar so I thought I would give you a little sneak peak at the costumes and props I made for my shoot. I'm Miss May and I've got my bottom in a hat box. It's really pretty silly. The 2008 calendars are available for purchase now so let me know if you are interested in picking one up and I will put in an order.

Quack Quack

2007-07-23T08:28:00.000-02:30

This is another story brought to you by the need to buy a piece of fabric. I found 1.1meters of this for a couple of bucks at the bottom of a bin and the combo of ducks and super fuzziness did me in. It didn't seem to matter that it wasn't really enough fabric to make anything out of, which explains why the ducks don't line up down the front of the hoodie. This very quickly became my cozy, sicky, flu sweater anyway so I don't think it really mattered.

Photo Friday

2007-07-20T09:54:00.001-02:30

When cruise ships attack! This is the exact view from my eyeballs when I wake up in the morning. I felt like aliens had landed!!! Cruise ships are super scary when you are not expecting them....especially in your bedroom.

Vintage Fabric

2007-07-17T11:47:00.000-02:30

I'm a sucker for a good piece of vintage fabric....well almost any fabric really. I found this piece last year and it has been waiting patiently in with the rest of the stash. Moving recently into maybe the first place I have ever really felt truly at home has given me tons of motivation to decorate. This fabric must now feel like it's been spread a bit thin as it's now on two bar stools, one computer chair and a throw cushion for my crazy great curvy sectional. Oh the domestic bliss.

Photo Friday

2007-07-13T17:21:00.000-02:30

Some paths just need to be walked down.....don't you think?

Pillows for Mom

2007-07-11T13:16:00.001-02:30

Every so often I come across a piece of fabric that just has to be brought home. This time it was something I just knew had to be my mother's. Unfortunately it took me a few years to do anything with it. When I conceded and just gave it to her as is she smartly requested pillows. Anything left to sit around as long as this fabric didn't need a complicated project to encourage any more procrastination.

Before and After

2007-07-09T11:51:00.000-02:30

I'm trying really hard not to shop which is really motivating me to revamp my wardrobe. Funny enough that hasn't really helped me stop shopping at all. I'm much happier with this sweater now. It was one of those lingering things in the back of the closet that got bought and never worn. It has now officially left the house on more than one occasion.

Photo Friday

2007-07-06T16:07:00.000-02:30

Hey you meanie! You give me back my precise Paw Paw right now! Spit her out I tell you!

Before and After

2007-07-04T16:46:00.000-02:30

I really loved this white T-shirt when it was in the store but I ended up only wearing it a couple of times and then it rarely got pulled from the closet. I'm not someone who enjoys having things just take up space I want to really love everything in my wardrobe or let it go to someone else but for some reason I just couldn't let this shirt go. I figured it's been sitting around now for a while so I really had nothing to lose if I didn't love the outcome. Who knew that green cowboys would make me so very happy?

I'm back!!! Finally!

2007-07-02T11:19:00.000-02:30

Well for any of you that noticed that my posts have been more than a little sporadic lately I am back. I have been moving over the last few weeks and yesterday I had the pleasure of hosting a house warming party and getting my computer up and running all in the same day. My family was here and we enjoyed lots of food and drink on my super terrific high in the sky patio. Afterwards of course there was cake, there is always cake. I made this one extra special to honer the big move, summer and of course it was also Canada Day. Plus I put pudding in the cake batter and it was super delicious.

Photo Friday

2007-06-22T22:46:00.001-02:30

There is magic in the forest hidden in the places we do not often tread.

Before and After

2007-06-19T12:20:00.001-02:30

I have been browsing in little boutiques lately only to find that everything looks like things I already own but sort of taken apart and put back together. I will admit that I am much too thrifty (not cheep) to spend tons of money on things I can do myself at home for nothing. I changed this hoodie from last season by removing the hood and adding a contrasting collar, shortening the sleeves to 3/4 length and adding some buttons. I'm pretty happy with the outcome and I think this may start a whole reworking of my wardrobe.

Photo Friday

2007-06-15T21:25:00.001-02:30

These two fellows almost vanished as the fog rolled in off the harbour and as I watched them work their way higher and higher I was both envious and well... just a little nauseous.

Photo Friday

2007-06-08T12:39:00.001-02:30

South facing windows and late sleepers don't mix very well and that is how this quilt came to be hung in the window. I must say that I did really enjoy waking up to the sun shining through this vintage fabric, it always made me smile.

Family Ties

2007-06-06T00:34:00.001-02:30

This is a machine embroidery piece inspired by special family belongings. I did this a really long time ago in a embroidery class and it was an interesting use of the sewing machine. I learned a lot and have adapted this technique into many different projects.

Caterpillars and Butterflies

2007-06-05T12:07:00.001-02:30

I made this butterfly for my nephew Jack and it has been passed down to his little brother Frankie(shown in the picture). If you don't know who Eric Carle is you really must go find his books. This piece was taken from the book The very Hungry Caterpillar. I just love this guys work.

Photo Friday

2007-06-01T16:55:00.001-02:30

This picture always reminds me of a scene on a airbrushed t-shirt from the seventy's.

Burlesque Part 5!!!!!!!!

2007-05-30T23:04:00.001-02:30

This is it, the piece that brings the lightning bug to life. There are sixty seven lights wired into this piece with a battery pack and a switch so that they can be turned on and off. I'm really glad I got to do this for Miss Jezebel and I wish her all the luck in the world for Vegas and with her move to New York.

P.S Thank you Christo I couldn't have done it without you.

Burlesque Part 4

2007-05-28T01:42:00.001-02:30

Do I even need to say anything? They have ruffles! They are florescent! They light up! They will be glued to Miss Jezebel's nipples in Vegas! Enough said.

Photo Friday

2007-05-25T00:39:00.000-02:30

If I didn't know better I'd want to go sit on that rock.

Burlesque Part 3

2007-05-23T00:50:00.001-02:30

As if bum ruffles were not enough these babies also rip off. Can you handle it? Glass beads and hip swags with sequins no other pair of underwear has ever done so much for one bottom. These babies are pretty hot! Vegas here we come!

Sister Act

2007-05-21T04:07:00.001-02:30

We are done!!! It's been twelve weeks and we learned so much. This is Miss Jenny's cake with all the flowers that we made last week and even more. Oh boy we worked really hard but it paid off. We are hoping to start doing this at least part time and we would love to launch a cake decorating business really soon. Cross your fingers xoxo

Photo Friday

2007-05-18T01:04:00.001-02:30

It was so cold so very very cold this day that most of my pictures were taken from inside the bunker. I can be such a wimp sometimes.

Burlesque Part 2

2007-05-16T01:54:00.001-02:30

We are getting even closer to Miss Exotic World. I can't wait until this whole thing comes together I'm so excited. Just imagine these babies shaking he he.

Can you say Carpal Tunnel?

2007-05-15T02:25:00.001-02:30

Well I do really love the look and outcome of this cake but after making forty of these roses my hands almost fell off. Of course I could make this baby in my sleep now so maybe next time things will go more smoothly.

Photo Friday

2007-05-11T18:28:00.001-02:30

This flower makes me wish I was tiny tiny tiny enough to curl up in it and nap as if it were a crazy hot pink fur coat and I had just had the best night ever.

Burlesque Part 1

2007-05-09T03:35:00.000-02:30

Well how exciting! Miss Jezebel Express has just been informed that she is one of only twelve new performers to be accepted for Miss Exotic World 2007. She has big plans to perform as a lightning bug, too cute! So it's time to get down to work. We don't have much time!!!

Who doesn't like presents?

2007-05-07T02:54:00.001-02:30

Well they said it couldn't be done. Of course that was before Jenny and I. We were the first ever to finish the fondant cake in the class time given. Of course it took a lot of teamwork and our faces were red from the raised blood pressure but we did it. We were very proud and at this point we are also really sick of cake so I gave my purple cake to the neighbors. I wish I had known that fondant tastes really gross. At least it was really yummy chocolate cake on the inside.

Photo Friday

2007-05-04T02:40:00.000-02:30

I'm beginning to believe I must have good pheromones with plenty to spare and share. It turns out that things like to mate when I'm around. Thankfully not all of them were caught on camera.

It must be spring time

2007-05-02T01:58:00.001-02:30

Well I guess it's that time of year again! My mail box is full of wedding invites and every girl I know including myself is getting fitted into her bridesmaid dress or picking out her new and versatile cocktail dress for all the different wedding rituals she will be attending in the coming months. This little cover up is one of three that myself and the other bridesmaids will be wearing when we stand for my sister's wedding on May 12th. All black head to toe, how modern. My My!

Sorry about the bad photo it was taken in the middle of the night..I think I'll try and get a better one later.

Here comes the bride!

2007-04-30T15:00:00.000-02:30

These little ladies are another custom set of pasties. These are being made as a gift for a bride to be from her bridesmaids. I just hope she uses double sided tape and not glue. I'm not so sure that having to pull these babies off is going to make a good start to a wedding night.

Photo Saturday???

2007-04-28T18:42:00.000-02:30

Do you have one of those special places that you go when you're sad or you need to find some peace? Well despite the fact that I'm not an old man on a park bench I do love to visit the ducks. So I guess for me it's not one place exactly because I would be happy with the ducks most anywhere. There is one spot that is better then the others but I'm not telling where just in case the next time I go I can't find the peace.

My Debut!!!

2007-04-25T04:39:00.001-02:30

It turns out that this wasn't just my first time on stage as Miss Frankly Scarlet but also the first time I have posted a picture of myself here on the blog. I'm having a pretty wonderful time strutting my stuff and this whole thing has in the very least made me a little more confident.

Yellow Burlesque Costume with Tulle Underlay
Hand Dyed Gloves
Pink Rose Hair Clip

A Little Taste of Spring

2007-04-24T01:23:00.001-02:30

Well it looks like spring has sprung outside and in the kitchen. Thank goodness for that! I couldn't wait any longer for either. I didn't have much to show for the rest of this class so I'm really happy to have this finished and feel like I accomplished something. Now I'm moving up in the world to fondant and tiered cakes.

Photo Friday

2007-04-20T01:51:00.001-02:30

ENGLAND FOR YOUR PLEASURE!!! Who knew the British were so open mined?

Anyone need a nurse?

2007-04-18T16:34:00.001-02:30

I made these crazy darlings for Miss Kei Kei de Murre of the lovely and talented Purity Girls. You can see the girls performing ever more frequently all around our lovely little city. You might also be interested in hearing that I will be performing a little number with the freshest batch of Miss Jezebel's new girl's at the Majestic in downtown St.John's. An Evening of Burlesque is always a fun time and you're going to spend that fifteen bucks anywhere you go on a Saturday night so I'd say us girls are more then your best bet..... I can almost promise it ;)

It's still raining

2007-04-16T00:48:00.001-02:30

I keep trying to believe the calender but my trust is waning. It keeps saying that spring is in full swing and I must say I don't like being lied to I just don't like it at all.

Plaid wrap skirt
Cotton mini

Photo Friday

2007-04-13T01:40:00.000-02:30

It's funny how much a small pink rose can remind me of so many things. The wild rose is Alberta's provincial flower which up until recently was the place where I lived and loved for seven years. The rose bushes at Bessy's across the lane from my grandmother's house in New Brunswick are a lovely nostalgic childhood memory. Plus I had to go all the way to Florida to take this picture and of course I will hold the memories of that trip with me always.

Things are changing so fast!

2007-04-11T00:38:00.001-02:30

I can't seem to keep up lately by the time I'm just beginning to prepare for my next adventure it's already come and gone. Mind you I'm still going along with it just in a bit more of an unorganised tissy then I would like. The sketch above is in tribute to this new life. I've never been good at leaving things unfinished but needing everything to be perfect is going to give this little one a heart attack. So it's one step at a time into the world of laundry piles, unfinished art work and the dreaded unpainted fingernails. Wish me luck!

Nude Conte Sketch

The Great Hunt!

2007-04-09T12:34:00.001-02:30

I never knew that purple feathers were so rare but I suppose the recent extinction of the purple feathered Arctic chicken would make them a little harder to find. These little beauties are now proudly living in the boudoir of the Ineffable Miss Jezebel Express. I imagine they feel very much at home there.

Photo Friday

2007-04-06T11:13:00.001-02:30

I call these little guys the travelers. Don't you just get the sense they are headed off on some great adventure? Oh how I long to go with them.

A Simplicity Break

2007-04-04T00:38:00.001-02:30

I have come to discover that a girl can only have so many fluffy pink bits of feather and boa flying around her studio before she needs to take a moment to mediate on the simple things in life. I am loving all the glitter and shinny things but as I am not a crow I thought it would be best to take a little breather for the day. Of course I couldn't get any more extreme then I already am so I took you from decorative nipple bits all the way to a chair. Maybe I thought you might need to sit down.

Fluff and Puff

2007-04-02T00:50:00.001-02:30

Please read the following in your best infomercial announcer voice:
Have you ever just been sitting at home thinking about how nice it would be to have fuzzy balls of fluff attached to your breasts? Well of course you have! Or maybe you just live somewhere that has a frequent chilly breeze and you just want a convenient way to stay warm. Well have I got the solution for you!

Photo Friday

2007-03-30T04:01:00.000-02:30

Seeing things like this for the first time always bring me back to my childlike sense of wonder. It makes me realize how little I've really seen and how grateful I am to have opportunities to really live my life and do my best to educate myself and grow as much as I can. There is beauty all around us and it couldn't hurt to slow down long enough to see it.