Volume 4, Issue 1
Welcome 2006!!
A Working vacation to VEGAS!!!
We canceled this trip last year due
to a heavy winter. It was a good thing too, because we were buried
in snow. Yes, we were. Bill couldn't go to work for over a week.
We had nearly three feet of snow in our yard!! We dug out one
car with the help of two teenage neighbors, only to get snowed in again
the next weekend. I have never been a huge fan of winter, but I could
manage. This is when I really started to hate snow. So we planned
our trip for Fall, but our Pepper dog died and the new puppy was too young
to board. We had nearly 3 feet of snow again this year, but it didn't
last as long this time. So we planned for March 2006.
It just so happened that there was a big jewelry trade show going on in Vegas, so we were off to play and shop .... I mean WORK. Chris took care of the dogs and we were off. We stayed at the Luxor. It had been a dream of mine, since it was built. We got a room in the pyramid, another dream. Warning to those planning a similar trip -- you pay a bundle for that perk. The place is amazing, the statues, the walls, and the paintings all set the mood. I played tourist and took a bunch of pictures (which I will add, when I get them developed). Riding up to your room on an elevator that goes sideways took some getting used to, let me tell you. I was a little disappointed in the room. Yes, it was theme oriented, but not as much as I expected after the lobby. For the price, I expected a lot more luxury. One perk was great toiletries: Your shower cap comes in a little pyramid, your soap comes in a nice Egyptian themed box, and the shampoo comes in a triangle shaped bottle (it was melon shampoo - nice stuff).
No work the first day. We checked the Luxor out, got our Player's Club cards, and met friends for dinner. Now dinner was fabulous. If you want to eat fabulous food in a luxurious setting, go to the Luxor Steakhouse! Without a doubt the best steak I have had in a long time. It is pricey, so don't choke when you read the prices, but worth every penny. Day two was time for work, so we headed to the Mirage. The line of buyers was amazingly long, but there was enough for everyone. We only went to the costume jewelry part, because we were buying for Veils by Bill. The room was at least five miles from the hotel entrance and no short way to get there. The room was at least 20,000 square feet of BLING! We were told there were 400 venders there and we believed it. I was shocked at how many of them were trying to sell there stuff as wholesale, when the prices were closer to retail. I was also surprised how many people seemed to be shopping for family gifts. We did find a few sellers we liked and bought a bunch. So we wrapped up our work in one day.
Day three and Four we were tourists again, we checked out the Mandalay Bay, Ceasars, and the Venetian. Of course I had to hit every shop at the Forum -- love that place. We had a fabulous lunch at the Venetian and hit most of the shops there too. I didn't get my gondola ride ... oh well next time. And then back home and back to work.
I love Vegas!!! The people we met were all wonderful. The weather was wonderful!! No snow! I told Bill on the way home, "I want to move to Vegas!!"
It just so happened that there was a big jewelry trade show going on in Vegas, so we were off to play and shop .... I mean WORK. Chris took care of the dogs and we were off. We stayed at the Luxor. It had been a dream of mine, since it was built. We got a room in the pyramid, another dream. Warning to those planning a similar trip -- you pay a bundle for that perk. The place is amazing, the statues, the walls, and the paintings all set the mood. I played tourist and took a bunch of pictures (which I will add, when I get them developed). Riding up to your room on an elevator that goes sideways took some getting used to, let me tell you. I was a little disappointed in the room. Yes, it was theme oriented, but not as much as I expected after the lobby. For the price, I expected a lot more luxury. One perk was great toiletries: Your shower cap comes in a little pyramid, your soap comes in a nice Egyptian themed box, and the shampoo comes in a triangle shaped bottle (it was melon shampoo - nice stuff).
No work the first day. We checked the Luxor out, got our Player's Club cards, and met friends for dinner. Now dinner was fabulous. If you want to eat fabulous food in a luxurious setting, go to the Luxor Steakhouse! Without a doubt the best steak I have had in a long time. It is pricey, so don't choke when you read the prices, but worth every penny. Day two was time for work, so we headed to the Mirage. The line of buyers was amazingly long, but there was enough for everyone. We only went to the costume jewelry part, because we were buying for Veils by Bill. The room was at least five miles from the hotel entrance and no short way to get there. The room was at least 20,000 square feet of BLING! We were told there were 400 venders there and we believed it. I was shocked at how many of them were trying to sell there stuff as wholesale, when the prices were closer to retail. I was also surprised how many people seemed to be shopping for family gifts. We did find a few sellers we liked and bought a bunch. So we wrapped up our work in one day.
Day three and Four we were tourists again, we checked out the Mandalay Bay, Ceasars, and the Venetian. Of course I had to hit every shop at the Forum -- love that place. We had a fabulous lunch at the Venetian and hit most of the shops there too. I didn't get my gondola ride ... oh well next time. And then back home and back to work.
I love Vegas!!! The people we met were all wonderful. The weather was wonderful!! No snow! I told Bill on the way home, "I want to move to Vegas!!"
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Adopt a Shelter Dog
Love on the Paw!!
As I stated in the article above, we
lost our Pepper dog last fall. He was a Shelter Dog we got him from
Animal Control, as it was called then in Reno. He was a big black
Chow Akita cross. A wonderful watchdog and companion for many years.
We all felt his loss, but Nikki (our Samoyed) most of all. So
we decided to go get another Shelter Dog. We found several possibles,
but no one reached out and grabbed our heart, until we found Maverick. There
he was playing in the puppy pen with his litter brothers and only 2 months
old. A big fuzzy bundle of fur. I did not even get to hold him
that day, Bill did. I had to fill out all the adoption paperwork.
We had to wait a week to get him so he could be neutered. So
we used that time to puppy proof our house.
Nikki was not happy when this noisy puppy got into her
van. Let me explain that Nikki is a princess. We would get her
a rhinestone collar if we thought anyone would see it under all that fur.
Maverick didn't make a good first impression with her, because he
cried all the way home. Samoyeds do not like loud noises. So
the first few weeks were a little rough, but she finally came around when
she realized he was not going to go away.
He is a joy and a pest. When Nikki was trying to ignore him, Maverick and I got into some habits. He would come into the shop all lonely looking and I would take him outside and chase him around the backyard. Good exercise for both of us. I would also let him jump up on me to get petted, which is not good. Bill doesn't allow it and he knows the difference. Now he plays with Nikki, not with me so much --- but he still comes into the shop to get attention and is insistent about getting it too. He is a Mega Mooch when it comes to treats too. But he is a wonderful companion, even if he is more of an alert dog rather than a watch dog. His bark would scare a burglar out of his wits. LOL
He is a joy and a pest. When Nikki was trying to ignore him, Maverick and I got into some habits. He would come into the shop all lonely looking and I would take him outside and chase him around the backyard. Good exercise for both of us. I would also let him jump up on me to get petted, which is not good. Bill doesn't allow it and he knows the difference. Now he plays with Nikki, not with me so much --- but he still comes into the shop to get attention and is insistent about getting it too. He is a Mega Mooch when it comes to treats too. But he is a wonderful companion, even if he is more of an alert dog rather than a watch dog. His bark would scare a burglar out of his wits. LOL
My main reason for this article is to
encourage you to adopt a pet from the shelters or rescue groups. There
are some wonderful animals there just waiting to love you and all they want
is love in return. Oh yeah, and the other reason is to show off
my babies. Of course.
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Rakkasah, Always a Joy
The third weekend in March rolled around
and we were off to the San Francisco Bay Area once again. This year
Chris and I took the Designs by Janie mobile, better known as my Grand Caravan
and this time I drove. Chris was a relatively quiet passenger, not
because she was mad or anything, she is just used to being the driver. I
think she would prefer to drive, so next year maybe we will do that. We
always drive down the day before the big sales weekend, so we will be as
rested as possible for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. As always, we
met for dinner that night with our booth mates to catch-up on gossip and
map out our plan of action for the weekend. Friday, before work started
we kidnapped Mez and took her to our room. There we taught her the
ins & outs of both Yahoo Groups and Tribe.net. LOL Now that
was a kick!!
Mezdulene, editor of Jareeda, joined the booth, along with Amira from Las Vegas. What Fun!! Amira was there to promote her new DVD, Mez was there to promote Jareeda, and I was there to sell my body stockings and books. We of course all sell for Scheherezade Imports! Sales were about the same as they have been for the last few years as were the size of the crowds. I am one of those that believes Rakkasah East has hurt Rakkasah West, in that all the East Coaster no longer have to come out west. If you put the sales and attendance totals for both events together, they would probably equal the kind of business we used to have. But it is much nicer for those on the East Coast not to have to travel so far. One of these days I will just have to go to Rakkasah East, so I can enjoy both of them.
There was, of course, the one really tacky performance that over shadowed everything good about Rakkasah. It wasn't any fault of Shukryia's and she shouldn't be blamed. And that is all I have to say about that.
Mez was so much fun to work with that I think Lucy will ask her back. Amira was a real joy too. I feel I have made a real friend in her. So until we meet again for Rakkasah West 2007, it was on with the year!!!
Mezdulene, editor of Jareeda, joined the booth, along with Amira from Las Vegas. What Fun!! Amira was there to promote her new DVD, Mez was there to promote Jareeda, and I was there to sell my body stockings and books. We of course all sell for Scheherezade Imports! Sales were about the same as they have been for the last few years as were the size of the crowds. I am one of those that believes Rakkasah East has hurt Rakkasah West, in that all the East Coaster no longer have to come out west. If you put the sales and attendance totals for both events together, they would probably equal the kind of business we used to have. But it is much nicer for those on the East Coast not to have to travel so far. One of these days I will just have to go to Rakkasah East, so I can enjoy both of them.
There was, of course, the one really tacky performance that over shadowed everything good about Rakkasah. It wasn't any fault of Shukryia's and she shouldn't be blamed. And that is all I have to say about that.
Mez was so much fun to work with that I think Lucy will ask her back. Amira was a real joy too. I feel I have made a real friend in her. So until we meet again for Rakkasah West 2007, it was on with the year!!!
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This article first appeared in the January/February 2006 issue of Jareeda magazine.
It is part of a series of Costuming articles I am writing, as on of their staff writers.
Tribal Style
Cabaret and Tribal Fusion
How to Make Your Own Belly Dance Costume
Part Two: Making the Base
by Janie “Jenee” MidgleyThis article first appeared in the January/February 2006 issue of Jareeda magazine.
It is part of a series of Costuming articles I am writing, as on of their staff writers.
Tribal Style
Tribal style Tassel Belt does not actually
have a belt form, since it simply ties on. You can add some heavy twill
tape to the waist area for extra strength if you feel you need it.
So all you need to do for Part Two, if you are using a cotton fabric, is
cut out two triangles from your pattern and two of the ties from that pattern.
Why two triangles? I find it much easier to sew on decorations and
embellishments when you have two layers. I have learned through trial
and error that your embellishments will sit better. If the cotton is
stiff with sizing was first before cutting. If you are using a tapestry
fabric or a velvet, depending on the fabric thickness you may not need two
layers. This will be a judgment call by you.
I am using a cotton twill in navy blue, which I washed first. I did cut two triangles. I chose navy blue because it is an earth color, therefore Tribal. Navy is also universal color—it goes with everything like black, but is not as harsh.
I am using a cotton twill in navy blue, which I washed first. I did cut two triangles. I chose navy blue because it is an earth color, therefore Tribal. Navy is also universal color—it goes with everything like black, but is not as harsh.
Cabaret and Tribal Fusion
Step Three: Constructing the Belt Form.
Using your pattern cut out layers in 1. Felt for padding, this layer is closest to you, 2. Buckram for the strength to hold heavy embellishment, 3. Interfacing for stability, and 4. Canvas or Heavy Cotton smoothness under the cover fabric. If you perspire a lot and worry about perspiration ruining your embellishments, substitute Baby Sheeting for the Buckram. If you want a puffy or quilted effect for your cover fabric add another layer of felt.
Stitch the layers together so they look like a sandwich. I sew them together with a running stitch by hand or a zigzag stitch on the sewing machine. Some people might like to fuse the layers together with fusible sheets (glue activated by heat), but I find this makes the belt form too stiff and hard to sew through for embellishing. If you have darts cut them now by cutting out the pie shape. Sew them closed to get the curve you need before you cover the belt form.
Step Four: Reinforce your belt form in the stress areas. This helps the belt keep its shape longer and gives it extra strength. You do this by sewing Binding Tape (both seam and hem binding will work) to the belt form. See photos.
Step Five: Cover the Belt form with your base fabric.
The Cabaret belt form can be covered with any sparkly or luxurious fabric - think evening dress. Velvet is always a good choice, but also anything that shines or sparkles. I chose a Gold Holographic Tissue Lame for my belt. If this is your first Cabaret Bedlah gold or silver are good choices, because they go with any color.
Tribal fusion belt form could also be covered in in cotton fabric like the Tribal Style Tassel belt. I chose to do just that, I covered my belt with the same navy cotton as my tassel belt so I would have a blank canvas to embellish. Other fabrics that can be used are: Velvet, tapestry, or Sari fabrics.
Using your pattern cut out layers in 1. Felt for padding, this layer is closest to you, 2. Buckram for the strength to hold heavy embellishment, 3. Interfacing for stability, and 4. Canvas or Heavy Cotton smoothness under the cover fabric. If you perspire a lot and worry about perspiration ruining your embellishments, substitute Baby Sheeting for the Buckram. If you want a puffy or quilted effect for your cover fabric add another layer of felt.
Stitch the layers together so they look like a sandwich. I sew them together with a running stitch by hand or a zigzag stitch on the sewing machine. Some people might like to fuse the layers together with fusible sheets (glue activated by heat), but I find this makes the belt form too stiff and hard to sew through for embellishing. If you have darts cut them now by cutting out the pie shape. Sew them closed to get the curve you need before you cover the belt form.
Step Four: Reinforce your belt form in the stress areas. This helps the belt keep its shape longer and gives it extra strength. You do this by sewing Binding Tape (both seam and hem binding will work) to the belt form. See photos.
Step Five: Cover the Belt form with your base fabric.
The Cabaret belt form can be covered with any sparkly or luxurious fabric - think evening dress. Velvet is always a good choice, but also anything that shines or sparkles. I chose a Gold Holographic Tissue Lame for my belt. If this is your first Cabaret Bedlah gold or silver are good choices, because they go with any color.
Tribal fusion belt form could also be covered in in cotton fabric like the Tribal Style Tassel belt. I chose to do just that, I covered my belt with the same navy cotton as my tassel belt so I would have a blank canvas to embellish. Other fabrics that can be used are: Velvet, tapestry, or Sari fabrics.