Oh, The Glamourous Life!

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Sorry for the lack of a tip last week. I was felled by a nasty bug and spent the long weekend swooning in my sick bed, occasionally, but only rarely, accompanied by a cat.

Here’s your tip!

When modifying a paper pattern, trace it first, so you’re not messing with the original.

Tracing paper is very nice for patterning; it’s crisp, and you can see through it, so transferring markings is easy, but it’s a little pricy and the sheets only get so big. For large pattern pieces, like skirts, cheap wrapping paper works very well. You might even be able to find some on deep clearance right now.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy New Year! Thank you for being here! I hope 2024 is going to be kind to us all. Here’s your tip!

When applying to festivals, make sure you can get there.

That is, if you’re flying, what do flights cost? How do you get to the festival location once you arrive, especially if it isn’t near an airport? Are you going to need to rent a car? What’s the public transit situation? If you’re driving, how long is it going to take? Do you need to spend a night somewhere on the way? Do you need someone to swap off driving?

For example, The Great Burlesque Expo is in Salem, MA. Most people are going to fly into Logan Airport, in Boston, 45 minutes to an hour away by car. There are options, like taking the Boston-Salem train, but you’ll want to make sure you know stuff like how to get from the airport to the train station.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s the last Friday Tip of 2023!

This is more of a wish for the coming year than a tip:

Be kind to yourself and to others.

See you in 2024!

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! I hope you have your tickets to BRRRlesque tonight because we are sold out!

Here’s your tip:

Most Western music is in 4/4 time, which lends itself to moves in fours. To shake things up, try three moves that are the same and one that’s different. 

For example, instead of four alternating hip bumps (right, left, right, left), try right, left, right, front. Extra credit if the last move is more dynamic or explosive, like three little chest shimmies followed by a chest pop.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Things are a bit chaotic at The Manor right now. I’ll tell you more when things are a bit calmer (not to worry — it’s good). Here’s your tip:

Embrace change.

Whether that’s changing the lineup of a show mid-show, reworking the choreography of an established act, or otherwise turning things on their head, it’s usually more rewarding to say “Yes, and…” than  “No, but…”

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! And a happy Friday it is. I got some good news that I’ll probably be sharing later on. Here’s your tip.

When creating pasties, remember that the finished product will be smaller than the flat pattern and size up accordingly.

I like making practice templates out of paper to check the sizing, especially with non-standard shapes.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! I’m sure everyone is besieged with Black Friday deals today. However, Christina Manuge of Manuge et Toi Design inspired this tip:

You don’t have to discount your work, just because everyone else is doing so.

And please support small and local businesses this holiday season!

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.