Andalee's many hobbies

New blog

2010-12-11T10:54:00.000-08:00

Dear readers and fans,

I have recently revamped AndaleeDance.com. The new site now houses my blog. I have transferred all of these articles to the new blog and I will now be posting on that blog from now on. Please updates your feeds and bookmarks. The new blog can be found at: http://andaleedance.com/blog/

Thanks!
Andalee

The chunky blue costume

2010-09-05T16:09:00.000-07:00

Time for another costume post! I took this:

And made this:

Because this costume took an obscene amount of work, I'm not going to go through an entire tutorial like I have in the past. Instead, I'm linking to my Photobucket Album. Each photo is captioned with my notes. Take a look and let me know what you think!

"I'm learning to dye, but I ain't got wings"

2010-08-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

As if I need another hobby!

I've recently started learning how to dye silk. Most belly dancers prefer to dance with silk veils and most of us can be downright picky about the size, weight, color and style of them.

During my veil class with Deirdre, it became clear that my veil collection wasn't up to snuff. I was using a performance veil and it snagged and now has a hole. Oh noes! So I needed to up my collection and Deirdre let us know that we could get simple, white practice veils for only $10 at Dharma Trading Co. And that just got me thinking...

You see I am cheap and I like to try new things. While I think veil vendors totally charge the right amount of money for their silks and I am happy to support their business, I just needed a few to play around with. But a boring white veil won't satisfy me.

So I dropped $90 buying 5 plain veils in different sizes, shapes and weights, in addition to a dyeing starter kit and extra colors. I didn't really know what I wanted to do, but had a rough ideas of colors and costumes that needed matching.

I enlisted the help of Deirdre and Vashti of Madison, WI to help. I set off to the dollar store to buy all of my supplies and I was ready to go!

My partner won't let me dye in the house, so I was outside with a hose, some buckets and my stereo. I hula hooped while I was waiting around and I enjoyed the view of the lake and the lovely (and hot!) weather.

So here are the results from my first round:

My first attempt at low-water immersion. This was supposed to be bright orange, fuchsia and yellow, but it didn't really work out that way. It's orange with some yellow splotches and I have since then tried to dye it a solid color. Did it work? No.

Here's my second attempt at low water immersion and this turned out better, but it has some white spots from where the dye didn't penetrate. This is my favorite practice veil.

Not pictured: I made a bright red circular veil in a bucket, which I learned you can also do in a washing machine.

My second attempt yielded somewhat better results:

My first attempt at ombre dyeing and despite the fact the colors aren't deep enough, I am pleased with how these turned out. Now, I'd better learn double veil!

My first attempt at washing machine dyeing was success. The picture doesn't do this one justice, because this is a beautiful shade of gold in real life.

Here's my third attempt at low-water immersion. I think I just need to find some suitable containers. Notice the big square blob in the center? Guess what shape my container was.

Lastly, I tried a new technique: Microwave dyeing! I defied the beau's preferences and dyed in the kitchen (and thanks to Vashti, I now know you can use Magic Erasers to clean up spills). I'm a rebel. ;)

I made this one to match my newly arrived Pharanoics butterfly, although I should have used less navy and more turquoise. I thought this project was super fun and I think it's just because I like being in the AC. I folded it in an elaborate accordion (and this is a 4-yarder) and placed it in a plastic shoe box and nuked it for like ever.

Read that last sentence again. Yeah, that's why I will never be a professional veil maker. I don't pay attention to details and I'm not good at being precise with measurements or timing or anything like that. This is also why I don't bake. However I can go to town on tedious beading, so go figure.

Veil and dyeing resources:
A good day to dye - http://blog.vashtisilks.com/
Shibori Borealis - http://shiboriborealis.com/blog1/
Akai Silks - http://akaisilks.com/
Paula Burch - http://www.pburch.net/dyeing.shtml

Costume musings

2010-06-03T17:29:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago a dance friend commented about how I always keep track of costumes (i.e. what people wear to shows and who the designer is). I love costumes and costuming, especially of the belly dance variety, but I don't want people to think it is because I am superficial or because I like to play dress-up. That's just the way I am. I always have been.

I have a distinct memory when it comes to clothing. I remember what I was wearing at important key moments in my life (first kiss, first date, graduations, etc). Even as a child I loved my clothes and attached special meanings to everything. I made clothes and costumes for Barbies and played dress up a lot. I guess that's normal...as a teenager I read high fashion magazines (along with the junk magazines) and just love fabric, textures, jewelry, etc. It was a natural fit when I learned how to sew and make jewelry. I even briefly considered a career in fashion design, but I lack skills in precision and I hate competition...plus the scene is totally not my thing. So yeah, this stuff has just been part of my world. The irony is that I do not dress fashionably at all. Never have, probably never will.

Then I found belly dancing where the costuming is just so fascinating and endless. I love it. When I was at the Mohamed Shahin workshop I honestly picked up and inspected the Eman Zaki's he had. Just so I could feel them, examine them, and know what they are like. If the actual dancing didn't make me so happy, I would start to think that I was in it just for the costuming. I can assure you I am not. BUT belly dance costuming will always have a special place in my heart. My need to create, touch, adhere meaning to clothing-like objects is enhanced where belly dancing is concerned. It is not about being superficial, artificial, judgmental or egotistical. I do not need pretty costumes to make myself feel better than others. In fact when I comment on a costume or buy one of my own, it is usually because I am responding to a visceral reaction...whether it be positive or negative...

I've been thinking a lot about my costume collection and what it consists of. I try to make strategic moves in how I fill my dance cabinet. I try to arrange things so that I am always selling one as a new one comes in (to make room and justify my habit). I also try to have enough different kinds to keep my interest: sleek/modern, solid bedlah, lavish/high end, hafla-wear, oriental dress, saidi dress, plus lots of options for mix and match. With each new costume I buy, I consider whether or not it will meet my needs, and most importantly, fit this buxom bod. Yes, I do make occasional impulse purchases, but they're generally items that will suit my needs and dance styles.

I recently bought a Pharaonics Butterfly costume, a very popular style, and it will be my 4th! Of course I am paying it off over time using my monthly income from teaching (and not my salary or credit!). I know Pharaonics are seen as generic and sometimes cheap, but I am so drawn to the styles. I don't worry about looking like a cliché, or like the rest of the other dancers. I've never had that overwhelming need to be one of a kind...I know that's because my dancing and my personality should speak for itself.

I also custom ordered a Hanan, directly from the source. This should take awhile and I wonder if I will ever get it. I picked Hanan because I think she makes great dresses for plus-sized women (giant cut-outs excluded). Oriental dresses are so hard to find, good ones that is, and I am picky and hard to fit on top of that. We'll see what my direct custom order turns out to look like in the end. It should be better than buying off the rack, but one can never know.

I am also craving an all-silver bedlah, for more versatility. I am trying my hardest to wait to purchase anything else until 2011, but I may falter on this one. I guess it depends on how many paying gigs I will get this year. I either want a Pharaonics like this or this (although that extra fringe on the side of the bra would have to go), custom ordering a Bella (yes, I said it), custom ordering from Dahab Designs, or perhaps making something of my own.

Of course my home-made and refurbished to-do pile has gotten large! I am still working on the chunky blue and gold refurb. Progress has slowed because I am doing something boring, beading the straps...After that will be my brown and pink, following that I hope to finish my pearl costume, and then the last is my gold costume (I only have fabric, no bling or beads yet). I also need to find time to make 4 double-layer chiffon skirts. I hope I get a serger for my birthday.

Yeah, so this whole costume business goes a lot deeper than just needing to look hot. Sure it's our official "uniform" and part of the job. But it's so much more than that. It's a hobby, it's an art, it's a passion and it's a dream fulfilled.

Two and two makes new!

2010-05-10T12:37:00.000-07:00

I've blogged about both of my handmade costumes here and I really like both of them. The first one was the sleek and simple pink and purple costume and the second was the stash buster.

For my hafla I wanted to wear something super easy to get in and out of because I would have to change costumes twice. That ruled out several things right away. I also wanted to wear something a little more casual, yet unique. I reached for my stash buster.

However, I was never really a fan of the bra on the stash buster...So I had to find an alternative. I tried it with some cholis and other top options and then I pulled out my pink and purple bra...Hmm, well the colors matched close enough and if I wore my pink overskirt (that I was wearing for other dances that night anyway) then it would pull it all together!

I love how the pairing works together. It's perfect for a community event or hafla and the whole thing is so comfy and lightweight! The coolest part: I made everything myself all the way from my hairpiece to my skirt!

My First Student Hafla

2010-05-04T17:41:00.000-07:00

Yay, we did it! Last weekend I hosted my first student hafla! Now, I've helped plan lots of events before but this one was all me (well not really, because I had so much help).

All of the performers, students and professionals alike, were fantastic and the audience was so supportive. I want to especially thank my student troupe, the Nightingales (pictured above celebrating in our awesome handmade costumes), for all of their hard work preparing for the event. A video of my solo performance can be found here.

At the end of the night we raised $100 for the Triangle Belly Dance Scholarship Fund, which helps students in financial need pay for belly dance classes and workshops. To apply for the scholarship, visit http://andaleedance.com/Triangle-Belly-Dance-Scholarship-Fund.pdf.

Oh and if anyone attended the event and has pictures to share, please let me know. I posted pictures from the event on Facebook.

Everyday beauty tip: Finally, a non-dance related blog!

2010-03-04T08:37:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I bought a clearance dress from Target for $15. It's so cute and trendy that I decided I needed to wear cute shoes with it. Now, I've been on the unsuccessful hunt for cute boots all season and I have yet to find anything. So this morning while digging around in my closet for something other than my go-to Danskos, I rediscovered a pair of brown boots!

These boots are several years old but they are the kind that will never go out of style (well, I guess you can be the judge of that). I don't wear them often (I probably haven't worn them for three years) because they hurt my feet, especially my heels. Desperately wanting to wear them, I went searching for something to cushion my feet. I don't have any of those gel inserts, but alas! I remembered the inserts from my Brooks sneakers that I got last year.

When I bought my brooks, the salesperson at Fleet Fleet convinced me to buy the expensive inserts to go with them (and I am glad he did). However, that left me with the original inserts from the shoes. I pulled them out of the box and placed them in my boots. It fit! Now my boots are comfier and I'll probably wear them more often.

I should add, that this does make the boots smaller. I had some extra wiggle room in these boots, not to mention narrow feet, and now it is tad too tight on my right foot. However, it's better than it was before and I can now actually get more use out of these things!

The making of a stash buster

2010-02-27T08:04:00.000-08:00

Back in March of 2009 I realized that I had collected enough stuff in my sewing stash to create a new costume. These items were mostly impulsive purchases, things that I bought on clearance, or left over items from other projects. Inspired by costume maker Ozma and her stash projects, I decided to start one of my own. This is what I discovered in my stash:

Click the pictures to enlarge or view the album here.

Oh but wait, there's more! I remembered some chainette fringe that I had purchased at the Scrap Exchange!

Construction did not begin until Nov 2009. I realized that I needed to buy more fabric. Thank goodness it was still in stock at JoAnns. I'm also pretty sure I picked up some extra pieces that day. I made a belt base using only felt (two layers), which was a first for me. I used the Sugar Petals belt form (with some tweaking) as the pattern:

After covering it with fabric I was ready to bead:

I started to trim the belt with some turquoise beads leftover from extra straps from a costume that I had sold. I forgot to include them with the sale of the costume and so I harvested. I didn't have enough and had to buy more...twice actually. I also started to play with the placement of the appliques and buttons.

I got this much done during my Thanksgiving break in Florida. I got to bead on an airplane and I enjoyed the stares. Some appliques have been sewn down and beaded.

I beaded on and around the appliques to keep them from looking so fakey and store bought:

Then came the fringe:

But something was missing....Crystals! I pulled out some hot fix crystals that I had bought for another project that never came into fruition. They were perfect!

Now, originally this was just going to be a belt, and only a belt. I was going to use it for a more fusiony look. But then I decided that I really needed a matching bra to pull it off. This is what it looks like without the bra (before crystals too, I think):

So the bra was tricky. I went through two cup bases before finding the right one. And actually it was a little too big for me, but it's better to pad than to have it be too small. Unfortunately, after covering a too-small bra I realized my error and had to take it apart. Ugh! Then, the fabric for the smaller cups did not fit the new larger cups. Double ugh! Of course, since this was a stash buster there was no fabric to spare. And guess what? The fabric was completely sold out at all the JoAnn's in my area. I turned to Bhuz for help. One dancer came through with a "close enough" fabric that would have to do. Construction of the bra continued...

Everything is fortified with felt. The straps use a canvas base. (Both materials are from the stash):

Covering...

You can see the slight difference in fabric...

Construction complete!

I didn't take any bra embellishment photos, but you get the picture. I thought about adding more stash to the cups, but honestly I was out of stash. I got to the point where I just wanted to finish it. And I couldn't really find matching appliques the few times I went to the craft stores to re-up supplies. Here's an after of the bra, but it's not finished yet!

I added fringe and padding to finish. I also found a super awesome way to pad bras. I took some old pantyhose and stuffed them with poly-fill. It makes a nice little shelf. Oh and I know it's practically a sin, but you can see how I glued the stitching down where the cups are connected to the straps and middle bit.

Add a little lining (leftover cotton from another project)...and we're done!

All in all this was a good project for me. I don't think this costume will be in the regular rotation, but it was great experience for costume design. I did end up having to buy more fabric, beads and crystals...but it was less expensive than most home-made costumes. And at least I got to whittle down my stash!

Snow weekend!

2010-01-29T10:41:00.000-08:00

It's supposed to snow here and sleet for 24 hours soon. Because I am in the south this causes everything to shut down. I probably won't miss any work (because it's the weekend), but being the homebody that I am, I will have a great reason to stay home this weekend.

I'm already preparing my lofty list of activities to do over the weekend (besides play in the snow and watch movies).

Finish the curtains I made for the bathroom. The hooks I bought don't work, so I need to make fabric loops instead.
Work on my purple stash bra. It's constructed and covered. It just need embellishments.
Finish the dance choli I made out of extra fabric that I used for my pink and purple dots costume. The pieces are cut, it just needs to be sewn.
Hang up the 3-canvas painting that I made over the Christmas break.
Finish the graphic design work for the Souhail Kaspar workshop/show.
Work on my Web site and February newsletter.
Rephotograph my jewelry for etsy. I think part of the reason my jewelry isn't selling is because the quality of the photography isn't high enough.
Belly dance drills! Maybe I can get in some yoga too.

If for some reason the winter storm isn't as bad as they say it's going to be (although I've seen numbers that there is a 100% chance of wintry weather), then I hope to make it to Asyia's veil workshop, as well as the unveiling of the Nissan Leaf at the "green" McDonalds.

We'll see how much I get to. If I get to half of them I'm golden.

Gently used costumes for sale!

2010-01-24T16:51:00.000-08:00

Pink Oriental Dress - $325

This is a well-loved Joharah costume. I paid $375. I am so heartbroken to see it go. I adore this costume, but it should really be on someone who is slimmer and shorter. Or maybe if you are slimmer it will be longer.

Size: Large to XL, 12-14
Chest:
36D, 36" from end to end
Horizontal: 7 inch (8 with headband attached)
Vertical: 6" (7 with headband attached)
Diagonal: 7 1/2" (8 with headband attached)

Hips:
Dress form set to 38" UH and 40" LH
Unstretched: 32" UH and 40" LH
Max stretched: 40" UH and 44" LH

Length:
Dress form set to 5' 8 1/2"
Center bra to bottom: 46"
Armpit to hem: 51"
Center back to bottom: 49"

For reference I was about a size 14/16 in the pictures. At an 18 it doesn't fit me anymore. I'm 5'8 and a half barefoot (and so is the dress form in the pictures).

Condition: Fair
There are sequins popping off in random places, even though when I bought it I reinforced all of the strings with fray-check. I also used clear nail polish on all of the rhinestones to keep them from popping off and snagging.

There are a couple of tiny holes in the mesh around the belly. I am assuming this is from rhinestone snagging. There are a couple areas where the zipper puckers in the back. This is because I took the zipper out to let it out a little and because the mesh has stretched out over time, it wouldn't fit on the zipper as neatly as before.

I also added the headband to the top of the cups, but this is reversible. I did not cut the headband so it can be used as a headband again, if needed.

Since I bought this costume I've only worn it for one 5 min performance and one photo shoot.

Blue Turkish Bedlah - $215

I purchased this costume in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. It is a very high quality set, but not a designer label. Royal blue velvet is complimented with gold beads and AB crystals.
Comes with a headband and two wrist bands. No skirt.

Condition: Good. There is some wear on the bra. There are a few loose beads on the
bra and belt around the hooks. I also added bra cup extensions, which could be removed with minimal damage.

Size:
Bra - about a D cup, 40" end to end, 7" diagonal cup measurements, 7" across and 7" vertical

Belt - 42 1/2" end to end, 5 1/2" max tall, 2 1/4" min

Turkish Dress - $80

Hot and sexy forest green Turkish dress with silver beading and crystals. Comes with one gauntlet. Selling for a friend.

Condition: Good. No visible tears or loose beading. Some wear on on the bra liner.

Size: Small/Medium. Bra - 32" end to end, 6 1/2" diagonal cup, 6 1/2" across and 6" vertical.

Hips - 36" max hips, Waist - 26" unstretched, 33" max waist, 16" around the back

Length - 48" center bust/bra to floor, 37" back waist to floor

Jewelry parties for men and women!

2010-01-21T09:51:00.000-08:00

Ladies. Looking for a fun night in with the girls?
Fellas. Looking to get something for your sweetie?

Bring Mountains to the Sea to your house or party location for fun and easy jewelry show. Hosts will receive a $25 credit toward my shop (one per household). I know things are tight after the holidays, but my jewelry shows are low-pressure and there is no obligation to buy!

For women: Get your ladies together and have a blast!
For a ladies night in, we'll have fun door prizes and the hostess should provide food and drinks. We won't play any cheesy games (unless you want to!)

However, if you want to increase the fun factor, think about adding Belly Dance to your event and make it a Shimmy Party! That's right, shimmies and sparklies!!! For information about booking a shimmy party, visit: http://andaleedance.com/fortheladies.html. Just ask me to bring my jewelry.

For men: A laid back affair

Valentines's day is right around the corner! You won't need to worry about having a big cheesy party. Guys just want to get in and get out. Bring me in for a stop n' shop or even during half-time. There are no games or obligations, just pick out something for your sweetie, I'll wrap it and you'll be back to the guys in no time.

For more information about my jewelry shows and products, visit: http://mountainstothesea.biz/index.html

Looking for a fabric...

2010-01-11T04:53:00.000-08:00

Oh dear, what am I going to do! I started making this beautiful purple costume out of some miscellaneous costume scraps around my house. At first, it was just going to be a belt, then I decided to make a bra too. That's were the trouble started.

The base bra that I bought was too small, and after I covered it all with felt and fabric I tried to fix it, but couldn't. Lesson learned: DO NOT TRIM fabric before you are 100% sure that you are going to keep it. Had I not trimmed it, I may have been able to salvage my fabric. But not this time.

Yesterday, I went to Joann's to look for another 1/2 yard so I can finish my bra. No luck. I'm going to go to the one in Raleigh today after lunch and then after that, PANIC! No not really, I'll just have to make due with a belt.

Here is the fabric in case you want to go to a Joanns in your area and look for me. ;)

Link to fabric here.

New Etsy store!

2009-11-21T18:06:00.000-08:00

My new Etsy store is here! Check it out and do a little Christmas shopping. I have much more inventory to add over the next few days so come back often.

My First Craft Fair

2009-11-19T20:22:00.001-08:00

This weekend, I'll be vending my jewelry at a craft fair for the very first time. I'm very nervous and hoping that it will be a supportive crowd, since it is, you know, at an elementary school. I've only done trunk shows and commission work thus far, and I recently dipped my toe in selling at the neighborhood yard sale. That was a total bust. I didn't sell one piece of jewelry and I really hope that isn't a sign about this weekend. I know the economy is bad and this is the first time that this school is having a sale like this. Anyway, wish me luck! Here is the flyer and if you're local, come on out!

P.S. I plan on posting everything that doesn't sell on my new Etsy store. Stay tuned for a link and updates.

Craft Central: Making a belly dance overskirt in 10 minutes

2009-11-04T15:03:00.000-08:00

Making a fun and stylish belly dance overskirt is a cheap and easy way to stock your belly dance wardrobe. It only takes a few minutes and there is no sewing involved. Wear your overskirt with or without a hipscarf, wear it to class, or even to performances. Follow this step-by-step guide to make your own overskirt. Click on the images for a larger view or visit the album.

1) You need a pair of scissors and 1 yard of fabric. Make sure your fabric is a 4-way stretch material. Pull it gently in all directions to make sure it is. Spandex and Matte Jersey are good choices.

2) Make sure your fabric has smooth, even edges and remove all printers marks.

3) Fold fabric over once, matching the short ends, not the long ends.

4) Fold fabric a second time, but going the other direction. There should be four layers.

5) Use the scissors to cut along the top fold. Be careful not to cut too much as your opening will double in size when you unfold it.

6) Check size of opening to see if it fits around your hips and there you have your overskirt!

Stage shots of the new costume

2009-08-31T13:06:00.000-07:00

Carolina Casbah Pictures courtesty of Megan Freeman. August 22, 2009.

Ninth Street Dance Instructor Showcase. Pictures by Adam King. August 29, 2009.

Update!

2009-08-26T13:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. Things have been soooo busy!

Here's a quick run down...

I finally finished my glitterdot goddess costume! It was amazing. I even made a little flower for my hair. Such a minimalistic costume doesn't need many accessories, but this was perfect. I wore the costume on Sat at the Carolina Casbah and I felt so special in it. Here is an unexciting photo:

I hope to have more pictures of me performing in it at the Carolina Casbah next week. Speaking of the Casbah...It was a great success. All of my marketing worked! We packed the house. It was such a lovely venue and all of the performers were lovely. I wish I had more time to talk and socialize, but since I was in two dances that was kind of hard.

I'm also working on two freelance graphic design projects. One, my friend is opening an international dance studio and I created the logo for her. I can't post the link yet because she hasn't officially launched it.

I also created a new blog for the UNC Center for Maternal and Infant Health. It's called Mind, Body Mom: http://mindbodymom.com/. I hope to fill the blog with more posts and pictures soon. I am just waiting to hear back from the project manager.

Let's see...I've had several fun gigs lately. One was with Khahari and we had a blast. We performed as a troupe, we each did a solo and then we taught a lesson together. There was a lady with a camera walking around, so I have to figure out how to get in touch with her so I can see some pictures!

Other than that, I made Adam take some photos of me after a gig when I was already all dolled up. We live on the lake and at dusk the lake looks like glass. I thought they turned out well, despite impromptu nature of it.

So I'll leave you with the pictures. Falls should be a slow time for me, but I'll post if something cool happens!

The glitter dot goddess costume

2009-08-03T15:22:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I started making a costume from scratch using some fantastic glitter dot and mystique lycra. I was going to blog about it once it was all finished, but well I am too excited and I've been home sick so I have nothing else to do. Here is what I hope to be a run down of the events thus far.

I was inspired while at JoAnn's by this fantastical fabric. I had to have it and I knew what I wanted right away. I think all the supplies and fabric cost about $50 or $60.

First I "sketched" out the design in Photoshop using a croquis I found online.

Then, I traced my L Rose skirt on some large white craft paper as the pattern. I cut out the design and I now I have a basic skirt pattern. The skirt is three panels, one in the front and two in the back.

Next, I traced the bra shape from my Great Loop--which fits me perfectly--onto craft paper to use as a pattern. I also had a bra from a Delta Burke body suit that I bought for $6 at Ross. I used the body suit portion for a tummy cover and was able to use the bra for this part.

As a result of my diligent tracing onto craft paper, I now have nice patterns for sleek skirts and bras. :)

Next, I needed to reinforce the bra. I knew that the bra wasn't going to be too heavy because of the design, so I decided not to line the original bra. Instead, I used a couple of layers of Aleene's fabric stiffener to help them maintain their shape. And because the purple lycra glitter dot was so fragile, I decided to use fusible interfacing on it. Well, it was a pain in the butt to get that interfacing to fuse onto the fabric. Such is the nature of a 4-way stretch fabric. You live you learn!

I also needed some strong fabric for the side-straps of my bra. I decided to use the heavy-duty outdoor canvas that I had used to recover some porch furniture. I stitched neatly around the edges and then went back and sewed the allowance down on the inside

While watching "A year in provence" (it's a four-hour film), I sewed the fabric onto the cups.

At this point it was really coming together...

Then, I had to make the rouched bit. That sort of left me scratching my head, but I used the tried and true gathering/ruffling technique and it looked pretty good.

Repeat on bra:

After showing this to Adam and Seher, we decided that the rouching was too long and that the zipper didn't match...

So, ugh, I had to redo the skirt, but I think it looks much better now.

All that was left was embellishments. Taking a break from redoing the skirt, I decided to bead the bra using iridescent sequins and reddish pink seed beads.

I decided that the red blended in too much with the pink fabric, so while at JoAnn's to buy a new zipper, I took a look at the beads. To my surprise they had a new stock of bead...no more red beads, but lots of purple ones! Well that settled it. I am much happier with the new color.

I also bought this awesome cotton fabric to line the bra with:

So here we are as of yesterday at 6:00pm or so:

As I mentioned, today I was sick so I spent all day beading and watching tv. Boring, yet productive.

All I have left is to finish the fringe, attach the bra strap, add hooks and line the fabric. I will be done in no time...Now if I could just get over my cold...

More pictures at http://s708.photobucket.com/albums/ww88/andalee-oriental/pink%20dots/ (oh and the thumbnails are clickable).

Carolina Casbah Belly Dance Showcase

2009-08-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

The Association of Central Carolina Middle Eastern Dancers presents Carolina Casbah!

Date: August 22, 2009

Time: Doors open at 7:00 PM; performances start at 7:30 PM

Place: Halle Cultural Arts Center, 237 North Salem Street, Apex, NC

Andalee will perform a solo and a troupe dance with Khahari.

Andalee's August Newsletter

2009-08-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

Click here to read the August newsletter.

Pre-owned costumes for sale!

2009-07-28T18:29:00.000-07:00

Blue (almost turquoise) full costume - $275

This costume is a Madame Abla style costume purchased new from Scheherezade Imports in Jan 2008. Costume features a bra, with a belt/skirt combo, veil, armbands and headband. Costume is in fair condition, but it needs a new lining. Missing some small stones. There are stains and small holes on the skirt. They are not very noticeable. This costume is great for new professionals who want a good "workhorse" bedlah for a good price.

Measurements:
Bra--D cup, 35.5" band, 12" halter straps, 8" cup height, 8" cup at diagonal, and 7" across

Belt--42" from end to end, 3" width of front belt, 6" width of back of belt at widest point. Skirt attached--36.5" length in front, 39" in back

HOT Orange Egyptian costume - $100

This is a lightly used King of the Nile costume, purchased new in Jan 2009. This is a very vibrant costume and it will serve best for a new performer or someone who prefers conservative costume. Comes with a headband and guantlets. The elastic was replaced with a thinner piece. The Lycra is really high quality and the bead work is sturdy. This costume is built to last; and it's built for comfort!

Measurements:
Skirt--30" unstretched upper hip, 38" unstretched lower hip. Skirt can stretch to 45" upper hip and 48" lower hip. 38" long

Top--32" unstretched across back and bust, can stretch up to 45" around bust. 6" long in the front where it gathers, 14" long in the back.

Please contact me if you have any questions or if you would like to purchase. I take PayPal and Amazon payments. Shipping not included in price. More details about the costumes are in the photo album: http://photobucket.com/costumes-for-sale

Summer reading

2009-07-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

This just shipped today. I can't wait to start! I love historical fiction, and of course anything belly dance related. The author e-mailed me last week. She wanted to get some info from me. So far I've heard good things so I am really excited. Must finish Thirteen Moons ASAP!

Duct Tape Debacle - The Non-Tutorial

2009-07-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

I was going to write this fantastic tutorial about my new duct tape dress form, but well, things didn't really turn out as planned. I will still chronicle the event, complete with pictures, but mind you this is probably best titled, "How NOT to make a duct tape dress form."

First of all, I am making a new costume for a show on Aug 22 and I want it be done quickly. The best way to fit costumes and clothing is with a dress form. Dress forms can cost up to $150 and I just don't feel like spending that kind of money. A friend of mine, Faedra, had made her own dress form out of duct tape and I just thought that was so cool. I found tutorials online and read some forum threads. Armed with this information and an experienced pro, Faedra came over to my house to start the wrapping.

The first step is to cover your body with a long t-shirt. Because I wanted to fit clothing around my hips, I needed to make the shirt longer. I asked the beau if I could have one of his old t-shirts and he provided. I quickly sewed the bottom of the t-shirt to the "coverall" that my dad gave me with upholstery thread because that is what was in the machine. I also cut the sleeve off of one side and sewed it to the neck of the coverall. I love my dad very much, but that Daytona Beach cover-up was donated to a higher cause. :( I also wore some gloriously tight bike shorts, as to suck me in a little, as well as the perkiest bra I own. I wanted to provide a good base.

Faedra started wrapping from the bottom up. We worked out a little system where I ripped the tape and she applied. She then took extra care around the breasts making smaller pieces of tape and contouring just so. We ran out of the good duct tape that Faedra brought after about one layer and we had to use the generic stuff that beau bought. I think this is mistake #1, switching to a cheaper tape half way through.

We wrapped for about an hour. Mistake #2, I believe, is that we did not wrap enough times. Some places were only covered in one layer of tape and all of the tutorials I read said that you needed 3 layers. We did a double check of spots showing t-shirt and then applied tape. And viola! I needed a beer after that!

Before you cut it, you're supposed to mark your natural waist and and measure from your waist down to the floor. Mistake #3 was that we didn't quite mark my natural waist in the right spot. I have a very high waist with a long torso, so with all that tape, it was pretty hard to tell. We ended up marking somewhere in between my natural waist and my belly button.

Then we cut...This is a very strange experience. There is a woman down by my butt with a sharp pair of scissors. It's ticklish and scary at the same time. Once you cut, you tape the seam together. I read after the fact that it is best to cut the seam in a zig-zag so that it is easier to line up and tape together. It took three people to do this. Two to hold it together and one to tape.

Alas, it was time for Faedra to leave so she left the rest to me. It was super fun to do with her. I think all girls who sew should have dress-form making parties together.

Anyway, I needed to stuff and find a stand, but I had no stuffing and by then it was late in the evening. The next day I went to Joann's after dance class (hence the clothing) and I bought two 32OZ bags of polyfill and one 12OZ bag.

When I got home, I examined the dress form and tried to fluff it up a little as it had lost some of it's shape. Then, I cut a piece of cardboard to fit the base. Mistake #4 was that I had a hard time getting the cardboard the right shape. I couldn't think of a good way to trace it, so I kept on cutting away at it until it would jam in there. Because of the cardboard I used, it sort of warped and was crooked. I also think I needed to make it more of a circular shape as opposed to an oval shape.

So, the next mistake (#5) I made was that I stuffed it from the bottom up, as opposed to the top down. And let me tell you, I stuffed that sucker. I put in all three bags of polyfill and then jammed the cardboard and taped it up. "Oh darn, I think I need more stuffing," I thought. It was wobbly and misshapen at this point, but it was late and I needed to go to bed. I measured it and it was a couple of inches bigger than me. I kept on asking beau, "Am I really this big?" It seemed huge to me. He told me he thought I had overstuffed and I told him that I needed to so that it would stand up.

Because I was still under the impression that I needed more stuffing, I went to Joann's the next day to buy another 32OZ bag. It remains unopened. Why? Oh, because when I got home the dress form had completely split open. That's right, it exploded. I picked it up off of it's perch (the weight bench) and stuff exploded all over the room. It was hilarious and incidentally mistake #6--too much stuffing.

I spent the next several hours rethinking my strategy and reworking my form. Beau helped me re-tape the seam. Because we new that at this point, it was already a little bigger than me, he tried to convince me to overlap the seam. I was against that because I didn't want to mess up the proportions. Mistake #7, perhaps?

I decided to stuff from the top down this time. I had also read on one of the online tutorials to put shoulder or bra pads in the breast to keep their shape. And because of the icky generic duct-tape, I bought some new stuff at Joann's. Turns out I accidentally bought the decorative "Chrome" duct tape, which is ultra shiny. It works quite well though.

So I finally got it stuffed (with less stuffing) and sealed. I doubled checked some weak areas with chrome tape and remarked the original "waist" measurement and added the chrome tape around what I believe is supposed to be my natural waist. I tried to pull it as tight at possible. Beau was still telling me that I was stuffing it too much. I didn't believe him because if I didn't stuff it that way then it would lose it's shape and become all lumpy.

Anywho, after all of this, I measured. It is nearly FOUR inches larger than me. The ribcage area is especially out of whack. I could hardly believe. The only satisfaction that I got from this is the relief of knowing that, no, in fact I am NOT that large. Whew.

I really needed to test this on something for real. So I pulled out my pearl costume that I had put away for several months and I "tried it on" the silver bullet. Nope, not a good fit. I couldn't even wrap the back strap around the dummy. It still fits me. Dang. Now, I have this thing in my spare room that does me absolutely no good. I can salvage the stuffing, but I feel bad that Faedra had to help for nothing. I feel bad that I had to ruin my dad's ugly cover-up for no reason, and I feel bad it didn't turn out the way everyone says. I guess it just lost shape from not being stuffed right away and then when it was stuffed, it warped again. Oh sigh. No dress form for me. Maybe I'll try again or start saving my money for the real thing.

Tamalyn Dallal is awesome...

2009-07-02T11:47:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, Tamalyn Dallal, is a old-school American belly dancer who has had a huge influence on modern belly dance. She's trained the super stars, Bozenka and Amar Gamal. She has also dedicated her career to the study of world dance and history, mostly focusing on Middle Eastern Dance.

The lovely Asyia, brought Tamalyn to Raleigh as a part of the 40 Days & 1001 Nights Back Roads Tour. I was so excited to be a part of this. I, of course, intended to go to all of the programs she had to offer, but I missed the lecture and the documentary. However, I made it to the Oriental Choreo Workshop, the Beledi workshop (which also featured Shaabi) and one master class.

I was also very honored to have been able to perform at the Gala show, which was totally awesome. I debuted my cane and my new hot red dress. I'll be posting pictures of those soon. For now you'll have to make due with this very non-glamourous photo of me and Tamalyn after Monday's master class.

My new L Rose set!

2009-06-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting an L Rose Designs set for a very long time and I finally gave in. I got this beautiful matching Turquoise U-top and trumpet skirt. It is soooo beautiful, comfy and well made. They also have great customer service. I totally love it! It looks great with my gold great loop and I am eventually going to make a purple belt to go with it. Next up from the L Rose catalog is a beledi dress!

The first picture was taken at a gig this morning and the other are from an impromtu shoot last night (forgive the lack of make-up!)

Andalee's June Newsletter

2009-06-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

June 2009 Newsletter

Summer classes start this week!

A new session of belly dance classes will start this week at Ninth Street Dance. My Thursday and Sunday classes will remain the same. I am excited to announce that I will also be teaching a Mother Daughter class! For ages 5 and up. Please visit my Web site for more info on classes.

If you need help paying for classes during this tough economic time, you may apply for a scholarship. The scholarship will pay for one session of classes or a workshop. Please download the order form and check it out! If there's a will, there's a way!

Upcoming events

If you are itching to see some spectacular belly dance, come to the 40 Days & 1001 Nights Dance Show with Tamalyn Dallal. Tamalyn Dallal is a treat. Having started her study of Middle Eastern dance in 1976, Tamalyn Dallal has enjoyed a prolific career. The show will feature local dancers as well, including moi! Come out to St. Augustine College on June 27, 2009 enjoy a fantastic event. Also check out the other awesome events going on while Tamalyn is in town, by visiting: http://www.asyia.com/tamalyn.htm.

Visit my Web site for more upcoming performances.

How do you like the new look?

I'm changing my Web site and I've revamped it with the colors that I feel really represent my personality as dancer. So what do you think? As I continue to update and improve my Web site, I want your feedback. Send comments to andalee@andaleedance.com.

Andalee's May Newsletter

2009-04-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

New Summer Schedule Posted

A new session of belly dance classes will start in June at Ninth Street Dance. My Thursday and Sunday classes will remain the same. I am excited to announce that I will also be teaching a Mother Daughter class. Bring your daughter, niece, cousin or granddaughter to share the joy of Belly Dance! For ages 5 and up. Please visit my Web site for more info on classes.

New Web Site Address

The results of my Web site domain contest are final! The new Web site is AndaleeDance.com. That URL won the poll by one vote! Right now it looks the same as the old site and the old URL still works. However stay tuned over the next few months as I overhaul my site and materials. I also held a contest for people to submit suggestions for URLs. I only got two entries to the contest. Congratulations to Trish Christie for suggesting DurhamBellyDance.com. She will receive an Andalee tote bag! Please update your bookmarks!

Recruiting for a Student Troupe

There is still space available in my student belly dance troupe, called the Nightingales. The student troupe only requires that you have completed one session of beginner belly dance with me. We will work on a group choreography, which we may perform at the Ninth Street Dance Instructor Showcase in August, and there may be other community performance opportunities. Rehearsals will be like a regular class, so there is a fee of $12 per class. Classes will be held on Wednesdays and they will be at the Five Oaks Recreation Club in Southwest Durham. There are no auditions. Please send me an e-mail if you are interested. Start date is to be determined.

Stay in touch!

Andalee is all over the net. Come and be my friend or follow me:
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/andaleedance
Twitter: http://twitter.com/andaleedance
CafePress: http://www.cafepress.com/Andalee
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/meggo623

I jumped the gun!

2009-04-24T07:20:00.000-07:00

Hey Y'all. I just wanted to let you know that I jumped the gun and bought a new domain name. I am still taking submissions for the contest however. I plan to buy several names and I will direct them all to the official site. For now, everything is the same, minus some broken links. New site is at andaleedance.com.

Web site domain name contest!

2009-04-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

My beloved Google pages will be no more in June. Thankfully Google is allowing a free redirect to a new URL. I can't stand Google sites, so now it is time for me to stop dragging my feet and put something new together. I will need to purchase a new and original URL for my site.

I've put together several ideas already, but they all seem pretty boring. I've posted a poll here (above) where you can vote for your favorite. If you don't like any of them, or if you are just a creative word-smither, than I encourage you to enter my domain name contest!

Please send ideas to me about web site URLs. Remember, it should relate to belly dance, the area or my name somehow. Domain names should be easy to remember and spell. I prefer not to use hyphens. Please check availability before entering contest. You can check availability at: http://www.startlogic.com/ or https://www.godaddy.com/ or a billion other Web sites. Just be sure not to register it, just check it to see if it is available.

The winner of the contest, decided by moi, will receive an Andalee Belly Dance tote bag: http://www.cafepress.com/Andalee.310700447(with the correct domain name on it, of course!).

Please vote or submit before April 30, 2009. And don't worry my googlepages will work until then, and once I get the new site up, it will automatically redirect.

Vote now or send me those entries!

Benefit Hafla was a success!

2009-04-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

Congrats to the Kornegays and all the volunteers for the wonderful benefit hafla! The show raised over $1,000 to support the Kornegay's during Cutler's chemotherapy and radiation treatments for brain cancer.

It was a fun night. I wish more people had come out, but the UNC Final Four game trumped us. Oh well. There is still time to donate! Scroll down to the bottom to the PayPal Donate button: http://benefithafla.weebly.com/.

Picture courtesty of Megan Freeman!

What shall I wear? Advice on belly dance costuming

2009-04-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

Costuming is so important to belly dancing that the subject is almost talked about among dancers and on discussion boards more than dance styles and specific moves. When beginners start to dance they often get allured by the “bling” and the “sparklies”. Many dancers spend hours discussing costuming, perusing the swap boards, or constructing their own designs. It can be an addiction in itself. Because belly dance styles are so diverse, costuming is as well.

When it comes to belly dance costuming trends, it is important to note that styles differ among the different belly dance genres, i.e. Oriental, Tribal Fusion, American Classic, etc. However there are some constants that remain the same. Almost all of the dancers I interviewed suggested that regardless of trends, fit and flattery are the most important aspects of costuming....

Click here for the full article in html
Click here for a PDF

Chapel Hill Arboretum

2009-03-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

Adam and I went to the Arboretum yesterday and I of course brought along my camera and macro attachment. It's amazing how well this camera does in macro mode, especially with the extra lens. Lots of early spring bloomers out.

Too many hobbies is right: stash busting and organizing

2009-03-22T10:49:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Ozma's stash-busting blog and tickled by the spring-cleaning bug, I decided to look through my belly dance stash. Wow, there are so many projects in there, I have enough to keep me busy for months, years maybe.

Here's a run down:

Finish pearl costume. It's looking great. Fringe is in progress. I did actually make harem pants to go with it too.

Make a sleek skirt using the taupe/brown crushed panne I bought a couple of weeks ago.
Re-make this lovely Samia Gamal inspired bedlah. I now have a good bra base. I went to Ross and bought a Delta Burke body suit. I cut it apart and used the bottom portion to make a tummy cover and now I can use the bra part to make a bra-base. I love two-fers.

Finish tribal inspired bathing suit top. I am not a tribal dancer, so I guess we can call this Tribaret. The biggest problem is that there is not a lot of support. I need to buy some fabric stiffener and stiffen the liner/cups and then insert them into the lining. I think that will help. Plus reinforcing the straps with grosgrain will help with the bounce factor.

Make a purple belt using my stash. I finally have enough pieces to get started on this. I have been collecting for a few years now. I finally got the right fabric when I was search for fabric to match my purple Khahari costume. Well the fabric didn't work for the costume, but it is perfect for this project. After I make it I am going to splurge and buy a turquoise L rose skirt and u-top. I will wear a sparkly gold bra (also courtesy of Mz Delta Burke) with it.
Speaking of the Khahari costume...I need to add more coverage to the cups and bead, as well as add about a inch of length to the bottom of the skirt. The fabric isn't an exact match, but I think if I can incorporate it in enough places, it will really come together. If I have enough of the mircodot stretch Lycra, I will make a flying skirt with it. I probably won't need this costume until at least August, so this one can wait.
Make some more crop tops from that lovely Simplicity pattern 3832. I have a bunch of leftover panne. And I just bought some black Lycra that I will either make a crop top with or a flying skirt.
And finally (I think), I need to make a front closing caftan with the gorgeous cotton/rayon blend that my sister bought me in Africa (Tanazania or Nigeria).

Yeah, so that is A LOT. More than enough. I have absolutely no business buying anything new, costume or otherwise. I mean, I didn't even get into all of the jewelry projects I would love to start. I am only allowed to buy stuff that I need to work on these, ie fabric stiffener, elastic, seed beads. Absolutely no more projects allowed!

Oh and I organized my belly dance cupboard today. It looks awesome. Adam still needs to install the handles, but it is so functional. Of course, I have more belly dance stuff in two closets and the TV stand, but most of it stays neat and tidy (yeah right) in the cupboard....and it really is a cupboard! It's an Ikea kitchen cabinet. Gotta love Ikeahacker.

Vernal Equinox

2009-03-20T18:06:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day to take photos. I love the Spring...

Happy Vernal Equinox y'all!
Link to album here: http://picasaweb.google.com/andalee.oriental/FirstDayOfSpring2009

Belly Dance and Belly Laughs: Benefit Hafla

2009-03-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 4, 2009 - 6:00pm

Treat yourself to a night of dazzling performances, comedy, music and dance. The NC Belly Dance Community presents an evening of belly dance and belly laughs to benefit the Kornegay family during upcoming chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Belly Dance and Belly Laughs is a fundraiser to benefit the Kornegay family: Cheryl and Cutler and their two children aged 6 and 8. Cutler Kornegay is 26, has brain cancer, and will be undergoing radiation treatment for 6 1/2 weeks and chemotherapy for a year at Duke hospital. On February 1, 2009 he had brain surgery at Duke and was found to have grade three anaplastic astrocytoma. Fortunatly, Cutler's doctors believe that his condition is treatable. He has suffered some side effects that effect his daily living and is currently unable to work. Cheryl is a student and belly dancer and is dedicating her time to meeting the daily needs and care of her husband and children.

Price: $10 for adults, $5 for children, Max price for a family is $35

Chavis Community Center
505 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., Raleigh, NC

http://benefithafla.weebly.com/index.html

New photos!

2009-02-15T08:50:00.000-08:00

Check out some fabulous new photos courtesy of my beau, Adam. This was his first time shooting in a studio and the circumstances were less than ideal. I think they turned out great. I just wish I hadn't ordered 500 new business cards and 100 new postcards with an older picture on them. Oh well.

UPDATE: Event Cancelled

2009-01-31T16:56:00.000-08:00

Sorry to bust your bubble, but this event is cancelled.

Enjoy a romantic evening of fine food and exotic belly dance, performed by yours truly. Come on out if you are local!

February 13, 2009: Valentine's Dinner at Tandoor Indian Restaurant. Greenwood Commons, 5410 Hwy 55, Durham, NC 27713. Dinner for two with drinks: $60. Shows at 7:30 and 8:30. Call 919-484-2102 for reservations.

February 14, 2009: Valentine's Dinner at Dale's Indian Cuisine, 811 N. Ninth St, Durham, NC 27705. Dinner for two with drinks $60. Shows at 7:30 and 8:30. Call 919-286-1760 for reservations.

Jewels of the Triangle was a success!

2009-01-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

I am so happy that Jewels of the Triangle was such a success. It was so much work, but it was well worth it. We had over 150 attendees and we made $900 for the scholarship fund. We are still waiting to work out the details of the scholarship fund with ACCMED, but I will keep you posted on this.

All of the organizers, Sadiya, Shaiya, Milagros, Seher and Ana Mejlia, did such a great time with the flow and organization. The venue was fantastic and I am also so pleased at how well we work together! None of us can wait until the next event.

I was also very proud of all the PR work to get the show out in the world. We were in the New & Obeserver at least twice, the Chapel Hill News and the Indy Week. There were quite a few people who came who were not associated with belly dance at all...they just read about it in the paper. For all of you who organize events, never underestimate the power of calendar listing and media releases!

In addition, the dancers were wonderful. They really are our Jewels. There is so much talent and joy in this area...Thank you dancers!

Here are some pictures from the show. I am still looking for more pictures if you have any of the show. Please share them!

Jewels of the Triangle: Belly Dance Gala and Fundraiser

2008-12-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

Ring in the New Year with a fabulous Belly Dance Gala!

I am very pleased and excited to announce the upcoming event, Jewels of the Triangle: Belly Dance Gala and Fundraiser. This is a very special event for me since it is the first event that I am sponsoring/organizing with my troupe. Please come and support us!

The purpose of this event is to raise money for a brand new scholarship, called the Triangle Oriental Dance Scholarship. All proceeds from the event will go to establishing the scholarship fund. This important scholarship will help those who wish to take belly dance classes, but can't afford them, the opportunity to become the dancers they've always dreamed of being. More information about the scholarship will be announced at the event.

Presented by the Happy Hips Belly Dance Troupe and Khahari Belly Dance Collaborative, with special guest Sadiya, this event is sure to entertain dancers and non-dancers alike. The show will feature local vendors, door prizes and an array of different belly dancers--from Oriental to Tribal to Children's belly dance.

Saturday, January 3, 2009 at 7:00 pm

Doors open to general public at 6:00, for performers/vendors at 5:30

Kenan Recital Hall, Browne-McPherson Music Building

Peace College

15 East Peace Street

Raleigh, NC 27604

Campus map: http://www.peace.edu/files/shared/pdfs/aboutPeace/campusmap.pdf(Peace College is a tobacco-free campus)

Purchase tickets at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/48296
Ages 13 and over - $7.00
Ages 5 - 12 - $4.00
Four and under - Free
Family maximum $21.00

In case of inclement weather, the event will be cancelled. Please visit the event page at http://www.khahari.com/jewels.html for up-to-date information about the show.

Hope to see you there!

More progress on the pearl costume

2008-11-28T08:12:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to get this pearl costume ready for an event in January and I really want this costume to be done. I've made some good progress, but I am stumped on the design part. I think I've decided to just fill in the top part of the bra with pearls and crystals...I will add looped pearl drapes and fring to cover a lot of the fabric below. The bra looks kind of flat like this, but in person and once it has straps, I think it will look much better. I also way underestimated the amount of pearls I need. Do you think it is safe to go to Michael's on Black Friday? LOL! Ok so everyone start up your photoshop and help me fill in around the crystals with pearls!

P.S. Like our new bamboo floors???

More Haflaween Pictures!

2008-10-27T13:27:00.000-07:00

Haflaween!

2008-10-26T07:38:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween!!! To celebrate this awesome holiday, the Blue Moon Dance Company always has a Halloween-themed hafla, called Haflaween. This year, Khahari decided to dance again (last year we did Ghostbusters) to Ramalama Bang Bang.

We were decked out in mummy costumes. I made yarn belts and my costume from crushed panne. I loved my yarn hair falls and spooky make-up.

We really missed Seher, who was too sick to perform, but it was still fun. And of course, we missed Sadiya, who moved to Rochester, MN...

We're going to try to do it again soon.

Pearl costume is going...but slowly

2008-10-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

The ladies on bhuz are asking for an update on the pearl cossie. I haven't done much except add the first layer of pearls and I sewed most of bra together. I got a little side tracked with other projects and costumes, of course!

Feel free to post suggestions!

Progress on the pearl costume

2008-08-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

Being antsy for a new costume, I decided to start working on my pearl costume. I need it to be ready on Jan. 3. Now that I've moved there is an AC Moore and a Joann Fabrics dangerously close to my new place and I stocked up on materials. I even dragged Adam in there!

Here are some pictures of all the materials, including the sugar petals pieces. Unfortunately, the left bra cup got a little smashed so it is misshapen. But I think it will work itself out.

To cover the bra, I decided to reinforce the thin covering fabric by ironing on fusible interfacing. I made the bra cup pattern out of interfacing and then I cut the material. I forgot how to do fusible interfacing (and I didn't read the directions) so the first set I burned. Luckily, there was more fabric to spare.

Once I cut and fused all the pieces, I started covering the bra. I did something different this time, which I think helped. All of my other bras were so time consuming and the ended up looking bulky. Let's just say in the past, there has been a lot of pulling hand stitches. So this time I bought super strong "button" thread. It is very thick and it doesn't ravel. I basted the fabric onto the cups and made sure it would work. Then I took brand new regular thread(need it for costumes, don't ever think of using thread that is over a year old for costumes) and I whip-stitched around, cleaning up the areas that were a little weird.

I think these are the best looking bra cups that I've ever covered because I didn't start with an existing bra and then try to cover it. Starting from scratch (sort of) is much easier. The left bra is still a little wonky, but that is because it got crushed to begin with.

Now I am working on covering the side pieces. I decided to cover both sides of them with the main fabric, but I didn't want to have seams on the edges so I covered the back side first. Then I worked on the right side by taking the excess and folding it under on the wrong side. I whip stitched the folded part. I think it will make it holdup better over time.

Next up is doing the little center piece, which kind of scares me, and then I'll attach all of the pieces together. And viola! I'll have a bra!

Update on the pearl costume

2008-07-10T19:54:00.000-07:00

Here are the materials for my costume thus far. I obviously need more pearls, but I really like the color palette. I think I need more cream and ivory colored pearls. I bought the cream fabric along with some interfacing because it is kind of thin. I am also still waiting on my bra and belt pieces from Sugar Petals. What else do I need though? I'm thinking tiny pearls, sequins and AB crystals. When I have a moment I am going to sketch the costume out on Photoshop.

July 4th Weekend

2008-07-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delays in posting. I'll keep you up-to-date about my sewing projects, pearl costume and other items soon. For now take a look at my pictures from vacation. Pictures were taken with my brand-new Canon PowerShot A590 IS (courtesy of the best boyfriend ever). :)

New project on the horizon: Pearl Moon

2008-06-20T07:59:00.001-07:00

Whew, I am finally done with some projects and I can get working on making some costumes. I've been obsessed with designer costumes, but then I read Sarah Skinner's blog and I was inspired to make my own. I mean I still covet the Pharonics and one on SatiCraft, but I just bought a new car, so money is an issue.

Sarah Skinner's pearl costume (above) and one I saw on the swap pages of Bhuz have inspired me to make a vintage-style pearl costume. My color palette is going to be inspired by the pearl necklaces that Adam gave me...soft ivory, pink/light peach, and light purple/pink. I'd describe it as the color of the moon at sunrise.

Now for the materials...obviously, I can't afford real pearls, but there are plenty of wedding gown pearl trims and strings available. I'm going to scour the clearance of AC Moore and Michael's for sales on pearls and I have some good online vendors to choose from. I think may also buy some AB crystals for embellishment, too. To give it that ephemeral look...

As for the base of the costume, I am smart enough this time to know that I can't make a bra and belt to save my life. Skirt: yes, bedlah: no. So I am going to buy a base set from Sugar Petals. I'll need to cover it with a nice durable fabric. My ideal would be ivory dupioni silk, but that isn't practical, so I'll pick something that drapes well and can carry heavy beads. I also need something that isn't too slippery. I've made the mistake of using slick fabric before and it gets too bulky and weird.

Anyway, stay tuned...this project will be a long time in the making!

Quick updates

2008-05-13T12:46:00.000-07:00

So here's a run down of my projects to date:

I finished the bridal jewelry. I need to take portfolio pictures before the bride takes it away.
I sent my stepmom her necklace and she loves it!
I made my circle skirt and my stretch velvet skirt. The circle skirt is a hair short, but my fabric only had a certain amount of width to use. My velvet skirt fits perfectly, except for it's a little small on the waist.
I updated my class flyer and schedule

Projects on the horizon:

Finish Sadiya's costume alterations. Needs to be done ASAP!
Finish my freelance graphic design project
Make two cholis/crop tops out of leftover stretch velvet in black and blue. I actually bought a pattern.
New photoshoot with Adam. I am still deciding on natural setting vs. renting a studio for the day. I think I want to try both.
Once I have my new photos, I can redesign my Web site and promotional materials.
Help Seher develop her Web site
Finally make that handmade costume that is in my head...

I know there is absolutely more. There has got to me more...but that's the big stuff for now and I am so overwhelmed by it I can't possibly think of more things to add to it!

Performance this weekend and new class schedule!

2008-05-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all. Just an update from Andalee-town...

Saturday, May 10, I will be performing at Sadiya's Spring Hafla at the United Church of Chapel Hill. Doors open at 6:30, show at 7:00. Tickets are $7. I will be dancing twice; once in a improvisational solo and then again with my troupe, Khahari! It is going to be a blast!

Next up, I have published my new schedule for classes this summer. I am picking up an extra class too. And due to popular demand, I've extended the Sunday class an extra 15 minutes. This will give us extra time to warm-up and cool down.

Here's the info: Beginning Oriental Dance (Belly Dance)
Ninth Street Dance 1920 1/2 Perry St., Durham, NC 27705

*Sundays, 2:45 - 4:00p
Session runs June 8 - Aug. 24
Fee: $140 (12 weeks)

*Thursdays, 6:30 - 7:30p
Session runs June 5 - August 21
Fee: $120 (12 weeks)

Learn traditional Middle Eastern dance movements that have been passed down for generations in this entry-level class. Beginning belly dance is about learning how to connect with your body and spirit. Suitable for all shapes, sizes and activity levels, but you will get a work out! This class will focus on improving flexibility, conditioning the body in order to do the movements properly, and building stamina. You will learn basic belly dance techniques that focus on the core aspects of the dance. Wear comfortable clothes. Pants or shorts are preferred as we will be stretching on the floor. Bring water. Dance shoes, yoga mats and hip scarves are optional. Fees for most classes must be paid by the first class for the entire session.

Fees prorated as session progresses. Signing up for a whole session and attending classes consecutively is strongly encouraged as each class will build upon the previous classes. New students may try one class per session on a complimentary basis. If you decide to enroll, this class will be counted as your first class; payment will be due by the beginning of your second class.

For more information visit www.ninthstreetdance.com/index.html and http://andalee.oriental.googlepages.com/home.

New jewelry: commission piece for my stepmom

2008-05-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

My dad ordered a necklace for their 23th wedding anniversary. He didn't have anything in mind he just wanted me to go really fancy. I called my step mom and told her I was interested in doing some simple silver work. She said she would like a really nice sterling silver chain with a large centerpiece. I hope I accomplished it! She deserves something special.

Sorry the picture isn't better. This looks a lot better in the light. I am not sure what the stone in the middle is, but the pieces on the side are garnet and turquoise.

New pictures

2008-05-01T16:16:00.001-07:00

Here are some new photos that I took in my beautiful neighborhood! Enjoy. :)

http://picasaweb.google.com/andalee.oriental/SpringtimeInTrinityPark

http://picasaweb.google.com/andalee.oriental/Fungi

I'm becoming a costume addict

2008-05-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

I'm blaming this one on Amara...ha ha, joking! Seriously though, ever since I discovered Bhuz.com, I have been obsessed with the Swap pages! Even right after I bought a brand new costume in Turkey! What is it about that forum that is so addictive? Right now it is really hard too because I just got my "stimulus" check from the Fed and I need to use that money to pay off my credit card debt. I also need like real clothes because I've gained a couple (read: twenty) pounds and none of my Spring/Summer wardrobe fits me. And I know I am getting more gigs and such, but I am still in the hole for 2008 in terms of my belly dance expenses *and yes, I keep my debts/credits all on a handy spreadsheet.*

Anyway, I need to work on my costume projects at home...which I am also obsessed with by the way. I have a skirt to make and a costume to alter. I also have sewing projects that someone has asked me to do for them. Oh, and I bought two costume patterns from Hancock fabrics. Did you know that simplicity makes belly dance costume patterns. They aren't complete bedlah, but they are not crap either. I bought them and don't even have a project in mind. (Caveat: no instructions on bras, just a halter and a vest).

I also bought some troupe costuming that ended up costing a lot of money. I had to replace my flair pants because they were too small. I also got Khahari tank tops made for the group in 3 different colors (you are gonna be jealous). And we bought fabric to make mini flair skirts, plus my favorite hip sash fell apart so I had to buy a new one. All that stuff was about $200.

I go through phases and I'll get over it eventually. No matter how I tried to rationalize it there is NO WAY I can spend $700 on a costume. Just not a reality. Yeah sure, maybe when I get married or start making more money or pay of my credit card debt...but I have a $600 rent check due and I need to buy groceries.

But just for the fun of it, these are the ones I COVET (both Pharonics):
http://audrena.com/AudrenasCostumes-ph-56.html
http://www.audrena.com/AudrenasCostumes-ph-Q.html (I believe this is the Venus on Dahlal)

PS I finished one of my skirts from the post below. It is the purple circle skirt. (Also for the troupe).

Wedding Jewelry

2008-04-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

I'm working on some bridal bracelets for a friend of mine and I wanted to give an update on the progress. Basically, technology rocks because I was able to send her a web album with pictures of the prototypes. Anyway, here are the 3 versions for her to pick from. She asked for specific pearls for two of the strands and the 3rd one was for me to play around with.

Version 1

Version 2

Version 3

Wisteria in my backyard

2008-04-18T14:43:00.000-07:00

Two new skirt projects

2008-04-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

Time to brush off the old sewing machine to start making skirts for the belly dancing. There's not really a rush, but I am always anxious to start new projects (and always lazy when it comes to finishing them). Anyway, two entirely different skirts await me.

First is a blue crushed-velvet skirt to match my new Turkish costume. It is going to look something like this:

I can't decide if I want two slits on each side (pictured) or just one slit.

The other skirt project is a plain circle skirt. I got the pattern from Seher. She has a ton of leftover purple fabric from a troupe costume. I am going to make one and so is Millie. Then everyone in Khahari will have the same purple skirt.

The skirt is similar to the one below, but not as sheer. I am not sure what type of fabric I am using, but it is a lightweight synthetic. Eventually, I'll make a silk skirt with a matching veil...eventually.

Photos from L. Rose Designs

Decorative trim

2008-04-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

I just found this hidden in the links section of Audra Evans' Web site.

http://www.mjtrim.com/

Drool...

Belly-dancing-photographing-jewelry-making-seamstress

2008-04-14T22:13:00.000-07:00

I am really into this blogger thing now. I decided that now that my Turkey trip is over I can use this blog to promote my crafts...yes, my many crafts. I have so many projects going on at once that I need help keeping track of them all...and since blogger is deliciously narcissistic I shall involve you and myself in my adventures.

Here's was to expect:
Photos of nature (or links to albums)
Progress on costumes
Jewelry pieces
Things that inspire me