Category Archives: What Inspires Me

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Weekend Tasks

This weekend I shall be child-free so I really need to organise myself.  My under-stairs cupboard is full to bursting with *things*.  Some of it needs to be sold but isn’t suitable for Etsy really, so Ebay is the way to go.  So I need the motivation to get it all out, get it photographed, sized where appropriate, and get listings written up ready to go onto Ebay.  This includes fabric, lace, jewellery, clothing, beads and braids.  If I have time some of it might get made up into stash packs that I can sell.  People around me are very generous and let me have all manner of things that they think I might be able to use.  Being a magpie means that I am sometimes unable to say no when I should but I figure that everything is useful one way or another.  But as the children’s toys and books are increasing with every birthday (and of course Christmas is coming up) I need to both make some extra money and create some space for their things.

Other items need the same treatment (photos and descriptions) but can be listed in my Etsy shop and I like nothing better than having a whole heap of draft listings ready to go so that I can add a new item every day over a period of time.

Then of course there’s the task of gathering up everything that is already listed on Etsy and making sure it’s all in one place instead of there being things all over the house in various drawers, bowls, boxes and decorating my bedroom.  This would actually be one of the more useful tasks to complete this weekend so maybe that one should be first on the list as it’s probably the easiest to complete in a short space of time.

Next there are all of the things that I stash as supplies for making new stuff – I really need to remind myself of what I’ve got and see if I can be inspired….or at least remind myself of what I have, week out things that could be sold as they are or dismantled and sold for supplies if I think I may not be able to use them.

Once I’ve done all of this I need to get on with finishing a custom Tribal belly dance bra and belt and get on with a custom headdress order.  So I’m not sure that I’ve got enough time to do everything over the weekend, but I’m certainly going to make a good attempt at it.  Probably fuelled with coffee and chocolate cake to keep me going!

Oh, and let’s not forget that I have a Belly Dance event, Hipnotic, to run and dance at on Sunday night

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Fun weekends ahead?

So at the weekend we’re off to a small theme park in my old stomping grounds – it’s a place I last visited many many years ago when I was a little girl and that when I worked in the town used to drive past each day.

Me and the children are off to Wicksteeds in Kettering with the Single With Kids group – so it’s all single parents and their children camping for a weekend together in one big group.

*Pray for sunshine* everyone.  I would like this last camping weekend to be a good one, and the sun always helps.

The school holidays have been pretty good this year for us.  Last year was a dark time for me and as children are resilient they do not seem to remember that mummy was not *herself* this time last year.  That I am grateful for.

The next two weeks are something I have been looking forward to – this weekend we are away, then we come back for a few days and then we go off again for a seaside break before returning the day before school for my oldest.  Hopefully the sun will shine on both weekends.

As for me?  Well, I hope to regain some of my love for dancing (it has eluded me for far too long) and I hope to get back into a routine where I can start being as creative as I need to be.

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Tribal belly dance bras

I’ve had three dance bras hanging around the place for ages and really all I had to do what get some photos and get them up on Etsy.  Yesterday, despite the school holiday odds I managed to do so:

Here’s one that sold overnight (whoop!)

So I added another one to the shop this morning

And then there’s one more to go so I’ll put that in sometime this weekend

Then of course there are all of the remaining bra bases in various sizes that are stashed in my cupboard – it’s been a while since I actually decorated any so that might be another project to get underway (but probably not until September).  I’m going to have a go at being a bit more creative and a little less symmetrical.

Also on the go are three headdresses and I found about 3 pieces of jewellery I’ve recently made but had forgotten about.  There are also ideas of things to do with some random bits of feather boas but I’ll give them a little more thought and wait until the weather cools down before playing with them as hot and humid UK weather and fluffy feathers do not mix terribly well!

Interestingly, according to Goggle Analytics my shop has had quite a few hits from a long-haired forum so I shall be upping the anti on hair toys soon too, and adding *hair toys* as a tag to see what happens as when I visited the forum for a nosey that was the term being bandied around a lot….

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Post Hipnotic Come Down

Running a regular belly dance event is a stressful thing.  With the recession in the UK ever tightening its grip I am always pleased to see people arrive and take their seats, join in with the workshops and enjoy the performers who travel for miles just to display their vision of the art-form that is belly dance.

Kitty Khol, Emma Pyke, Blackwillow

Working together myself, Emma and Kitty strive to offer a belly dance event that offers more bang for your buck – we have a great venue, offer a workshop for people to join in with, show a DVD on the screens so that between performances there’s always something to look at when you’re chatting with friends and getting a drink from the bar and as always strive to showcase dancers both local and from further afield (no mean feat for a Sunday night) as well as vendors who will help you to achieve a full belly dance wardrobe.

Tonight (as ever) we were able to offer the most wonderful performances from accomplished performers including myself (I was pleased with my full-floor layback), Kitty, Kamara, Sundara, Carrie, Razia, a penultimate performance from host troupe Covert Bling and all the way from the Brazil, Elis (and please go watch her on her YouTube channel…….amazing!)  (Apologies to those I cannot add links to, Julie and Cassie, Judi and Barbara please get some clips up of yourselves!)

Even though I may need to use a hair-brush as a pretend microphone the well oiled machine that is the Covert Bling team always ensures that night runs like clockwork.

Our photographer of the night, Kathryn of Capture This Moment, will have gotten some amazing pictures that soon you will be able to see on our Facebook page, so get along there and check them out.

And now it’s only another two months until the next Hipnotic event….if you’re in the UK and only a moment from the M4 then get yourself along on September 25th…….even if you’re not a belly dancer…. x

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Sneak Peek…..

So the photos are rubbish and were taken earlier without proper staging – I just wanted to get a few pics of this one up as I am soooo pleased with it.  It does need a little adjusting, unless you have a smallish head (not freakishly small, just not massive) but the adjustments are going to be easily done.

After various members of Covert Bling tried it on for me tonight I can assure you that if you have long hair this looks sumptuous and I shall make sure to do something that is equally as sumptuous for those with shorter hair.

And, I think I may have found a model for my head-wear instead of Dolly Head….  Sam?  You know who you are!

My Mucha-esque inspired Pearl and Chain Headdress:

Mucha-esque Headdress


 

 

 

 

 

I love this and want to make more more more, and have textile versions planned too…..

The work of Alphonse Mucha inspires me always and although to some it may be hokey and quite possibly pop because of his popularity (no pun intended), I don’t care.  The beautiful, sumptuous, flowing and sensual nature of his work is just irresistible.  Who doesn’t want to look like a goddess?  Really?

In my bedroom I have a signed Bob Masse print of one of Mucha’s Autumn pictures and each time I look at it I wonder why I don’t have more Mucha prints framed in my home.  I’m just an Art Nouveau freak at heart.  When I look at the peas growing in my garden I love the way the pea shoot tendrils snake and curve around one another….I love the way that Mucha romanticises women and their forms and so it cannot help but escape into my work.

I’m happy because this piece has been made with a mixture of contemporary and vintage pieces, and this exact item cannot be reproduced.  So there will be only one…..  I’m happy because it has been weighted to it perfectly on your head without the need for clips and grips (unless you’re going to do some radical moves) and I think that as a Bridal Wear piece, this is just awesome….

Once I get good photos it’ll go up on Etsy.  I’ll keep you posted. xx