Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday! It’s starting to feel like spring out there.
When working with glittery fabric, store the fabric and any resulting garments away from, well, everything else.
It will shed glitter, but by keeping it separated, with a storage box or bag, you can minimize the mess.
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 Friday again. Given my druthers, this is not a tip I would choose to write, or would even conceived of before this year. We’re getting into high season for festivals and…
Maybe don’t come to the US.
If you live outside the United States, this might not be the best time to visit.
There’ve been plenty of incidents in the past with burlesquers being refused entry, usually because they were suspected of coming here to work. The repercussions these days could be a heck of a lot more drastic than just being turned away at immigration. We’ll miss you, but stay safe.
Sorry for the downer, but it’s scary out there.
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! Here’s your tip!
Check your elastic before you sew with it.
Old elastic loses its, well, elasticity. Check your stash and make sure nothing has gotten crunchy or stretched out. If so, you should toss it. Get some fresh elastic so your garment has a long, useful life after you’ve gone to all the work of sewing it.
If this happens with a costume piece or even regular clothing, see if you can replace the elastic without completely deconstructing the item. If it has a casing, that makes an easy fix.
I make my g-strings in such a way that the elastic is incredibly easy to remove and replace (like 5 minutes easy). You too can learn how from my Little Costuming Book or Patreon-exclusive tutorial.
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,
Here at The Manor, we’re trying to live with less Amazon. I suspect some of you are as well. And thusly, I’ve been going through my book reviews and replacing links to Amazon with affiliate links to Bookshop.org. If you buy your books through those links, you’ll be supporting an independent bookstore and also this blog (as an affiliate I get a wee kickback).
You can tell which reviews have changed links by the ❤️ on the review page. I haven’t been able to replace all of them, since a number of the books are out of print.
I know it’s been a few months since my last book review. Any burlesque book in particular you’d like me to read and review?
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! It’s so windy here at The Manor. It makes me terribly sympathetic to my Australian friends expecting Cyclone Alfred. Stay safe!
I’m currently testing a pattern for a designer and it made me think of this tip:
When working with interfacing, whether it’s fusible or not, make sure you catch it in the seam stitching to secure it, then trim away any excess to reduce bulk before you press the seam.
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,
Thirteen years ago today Albert A. Cat found us and transformed our lives. At the time, we though he was a lost cat, but he knew where his home was right away.
This is the third Albert Day without our handsome boy. I miss him every day.
If you wish to honor our distinguished gentleman, be kind today. Tell the people and creatures you love that you do. Take a nap with a friend. Donate to a cat rescue or shelter or MSPCA Angell Hospital. Treat yourself to a traditional Albert cake (small almond cakes with white frosting, topped with shredded coconut, a little chocolate, and a pinch of sea salt).
But mostly, be kind.
Dear Constant Reader,
The Winter Reading Challenge at the Boston Public Library is finishing up this week. For the past three years the challenge has been Read the World: six books from authors from six different regions of the world in two months. I love these challenges because I end up reading books that I otherwise might never have known about. My personal rule is no re-reads, although I’m fine with choosing an author I’ve read before.
This year’s picks were:
Africa: The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years, Shubnum Khan (South Africa)
A gothic tale of love and loss in a crumbling mansion inhabited by an eclectic group of Indian-South Africans.
The Americas: Silver Nitrate, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexico)
Devastasia recommended this one and she wasn’t wrong. Horror and movies, what’s not to love?
Asia: The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, Zen Cho (Mayalsia)
Two years ago I read Black Water Sister; this is a very different kind of story — historic fantasy rather than horror.
Europe: The Midwich Cuckoos, John Wyndham (England)
This was the monthly selection for the Slightly Sinister Book Club, so I was double-dipping. Classic British science fiction/horror.
The Middle East: The Seven Necessary Sins for Woman and Girls, Mona Eltahawy (Egypt)
The only non-fiction book. Powerful stuff. This took me the longest to read because I had to take breaks between chapters.
Oceania: Return to Blood, Michael Bennett (Aotearoa/New Zealand)
I read the first Hana Westerman book, Better the Blood last year and could not wait to dive into the sequel.
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 been pretty cold here. I hope where ever you are, you’re keeping warm! Or cool, for my friends in the other hemisphere.
Today’s tip is about keeping warm, or really, not so warm.
Keep your hot showers short.
Like most of you, I love to relax in a hot shower, especially when it’s cold out or to ease sore muscles. However, the hot water can dry out your skin. Counterintuitive, right? If your skin is red when you get out, you haven’t done it any favors.
I’ve seen some dermatologists say you should only keep the water really hot for about five minutes, or about the time it takes to fog up the mirror. Most of your bathing should be done in warm water and then use some lotion after you gently towel off.
A reward for your virtue, here is my bathing ritual…
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,
I recently had the pleasure of shooting with La Photographie Boudoir again. When Stephanie put out a call for participants in her “Mystery Box” shoot, I couldn’t sign up fast enough. Usually, when she does a Muse Call (i.e. she waives the session fee in exchange for using the images promotionally), there are limited themes to choose from. In this case, there were a whole bunch of options, but the final choice and all the wardrobe and styling were up to her. I loved the idea of letting her have total artistic control.
After I selected my favorite themes from her list, she picked two. I decided to shoot during my birthday month (that would be February), but I was a little regretful that the date ruled out anything outdoors, like the Night Garden or Enchanted Waters. But still, it’s a great birthday present to myself.
It was a little bizarre to head off to Connecticut without a big pile of wardrobe (I always bring extra options, just in case), just a couple of items Stephanie asked me to bring. I was delighted that my stylist was China again, who did my look for the Halloween shoot and had a lovely time chatting while she did my makeup to Stephanie’s specifications.
Our main shoot was zodiac themed. Since I’m a water sign (Pisces), it was all blue and silver. There was mylar on the floor, which made some neat reflections, and a smoke machine for the occasion drift of mist. The gown, jewelry, and wig were all provided. Once I finished being a water goddess, I shed my celestial regalia. I donned my Manuge et Toi pasties & eugie, the fishnet bodystocking Kitten Natividad once gave me for my birthday, and red Pleaser pumps, then Stephanie draped me with an amazing piece of body jewelry.
As usual after the shoot, she presented me with a gallery of images and then we played “yes, no, maybe”. I headed home (after a stop at Rein’s Deli) and she sent me a link to the final edited images exactly one week after the shoot.
I’m sharing more on my Patreon, but here’s a tease.
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 Valentine’s Day! I hope to see you in the audience at True Lust tonight! When February 14th falls on a Friday, I like to share a quote about love:
Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope. — Maya Angelou
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.
Oh, The Glamourous Life! 