.happenings.

Later today I'll be listing two new scents and different variations of several other scents (combo packs, larger sizes, etc.) on etsy. The scents? Moriarty and The Woman!
Moriarty is a lovely not too sweet blend of lavender mint and tea. The base oil was actually steep in early grey tea for over two months, so this puppy will be available on and off in limited quantities.
The Woman is an amalgamation of many things - Tobacco, Jasmine, Amber and Sandalwood to name a few. It's floral, it's earthy, it's spicy and seductive.
New jewelry pieces will be listed as well.



Meanwhile, tea yesterday was absolutely awful!
Long story short - if you get a reservation inquiry from two people with dietary restrictions which you then claim you can accommodate - that does not mean serving them the exact same thing you're serving to everyone else and telling them to "Pick around the bits you don't want."
Just don't take the reservation.


This weekend I'll be performing and teaching in St. Louis at the annual Urban Cabaret.
Performance info is here.
Class info is here.
I'll also be vending at the show so if you're going to be there it's a great chance to smell the smells in person. If you're not you had better buy any jewelry you've been eying in a hurry because whatever sells in St. Louis stays in St. Louis.


Next weekend I'll be joining a force of dancers including Amy Jo and Rebecca for "The Big Show" in Springfield Missouri.

This year we are giving you an insider's view into the lives of women and girls. Dancers will be covering everything from playing dress-up to Rosie the Riveter and everything in between! The goal of this show is to give a fun, dramatic, and sometimes serious homage to everything it is to be a woman!

Info is here!

.missouri is awesome.

This video pretty much speaks for itself:

.Club Bellydance Video.

I still have things I need to work on for this piece. My timing is a little off for some of the harder hits. I need to find a more better place to put my arms during the layback. And I seriously need to work on the spins, as well as my elevation during the shoulderstand.
And now that I'm no longer distracted by baby goats (except that I am), I can go on to editing the other videos from the night!

.club bellydance.

Maharet is an awesome photographer currently (but not for much longer) based out of Springfield Missouri. She was at the Club Bellydance show in Springfield this past Wednesday night, and got some beautiful photographs of the evening, including a few of myself.

You can check out her work on her facebook page here, as well as some information about her upcoming travel adventures of awesomeness I'd imagine.

 

.Sketchbook Wednesday.

Back! Because I finally got a new sketchbook to replace my sketchbook that went on a personal WalkAbout to who knows where. It's probably in the same place as my keys. And the left socks.

 

 

Tonight I'm driving to Springfield (again) to play a part in the Club Bellydance show that is happening there tonight. Fortunately it looks like the snow will have stopped by the time I have to make the 2.5 hour drive; and hopefully I'll finally be able to get a decent video of my sword piece with my shiny brand new camera.

.MOAK 2012.

Saturday I drove out to Springfield to check out the MOAK show since I missed the opening Friday night - I had Raqs Bohéme to dance at. There is something really special about walking into a room and seeing a piece of art you created hanging right there on the wall!

I took photos of some of my favorites of the show which I will post about later.

.signs.

 When I was driving home from Springfield Saturday I had to stop for gas, and in the gas station window I saw a sign...

 

Really it's a donut sign, but.....I want to buy some Daylight.

.journey.

Today I drove down to Springfield to drop off my painting for the MOAK show.
First it was weird because it was so easy, then it was weird because the Docent was at the front desk and he put on these immaculate white cotton gloves to handle my piece after I'd filled out requisite forms. Seriously, other people should be taking care of my work more often. I just wrap things in plastic-wrap.
Because I don't know any better.

Then I met lovely people for lunch!

And popped by to visit the Second Annual Pagan Picnic...

Good day!

.oh my dayplanner.

I really should not go anywhere without it.
Or talk to anybody without it.
Or think about doing anything without examining it.

Normally I do pretty well. I'm bizarrely meticulous with all of my list-making and note-taking – but every once in awhile I slip up and write something down on the wrong day, or write down the wrong time (or miss that the time of something has changed) or make plans without double checking and double book myself and don't figure it out until the day before.

Needless to say I've done it again.
The opening at the Springfield Museum of Art I was so determined to drive three hours to attend?
November 16th.
Same night as Raqs Bohéme.

So I suppose that's settled...

Accepted!

totally hanging on my fridge

The opening reception is November 16th, from 5:30-7pm, so I absolutely need to find a way to get out of work early enough to drive down there and attend. Information is here.



EDIT: Oh yeah, and Jay Acovone totally thinks I'm hot.

.updates.and.rambling.

The workshop this past weekend was an excellent experience - I had a blast with the ladies of Project Vagabond, met so many nice dancers...it was lovely. My class went really well, though I may have a tad too much material for a 2 hour long workshop - three hours might be better to cover everything that I wanted to cover. I missed a few talking points, and we never got around to push-ups, sit-ups, or the second combo.
But there is always next time.

And you ladies, who were in my class on Saturday - you owe me push-ups.

Because I've gotten requests for it, below is a list of songs that I like to use during practice, particularly drills and combo practice:

• Sordid - Amon Tobin
• Always - Amon Tobin
• At the End of the Day - Amon Tobin
• Ark - Fridge
• Spondee - Matmos
• Burn it Down (Interpartysystem Remix) - AWOLNATION
• The Clock - Thom Yorke
• Sema - Acid Queen
• Fir Bolg - Kila
• Wax On - Kodo
• Battle - Beats Antique
• Let the Wind Erase Me - Assemblage 23

This week I have to find music for the next Bellydance United show, and prep for Club Bellydance at the Uptown. And I'm dancing at the Renaissance Festival on Saturday. And I started jogging.
And then there's art to finish...and FaerieCon costumes to construct.
I also got a new crop of Springbok Hair Sticks finished, and will hopefully be able to post them up to etsy some time later today...

Hips Noir 6

(the short barely photo-blogged version)

 Talking to my mom while attempting to leave Kansas City for the third time.

(I actually left on the forth attempt.)

It was dark while I was driving.

You can't see it, but the sign for the Golden Coral says "It's Flowing Chocolate Up In Here."

Welcome Dinner!

The workshop, during Naima's class.

 I was vending...

And then there was dancing!

Coffee and breakfast with Mouse and Melissa (not pictured) and Melissa's mom (not pictured) the morning after.

A neat lake/river/swamp area under a bridge I crossed on my way home, when I could see, because it wasn't dark.

The other side of the bridge...

My cranky face from having to drive when there's nothing good on the radio...
Thank goodness for my iPod - Thankyou Steve Jobs!!!

.adventures.

This Friday is yet another First Friday, and probably the last First Friday of the year when the weather will be tolerable enough to go out and see the galleries without hand warmers and a parka - but I'm going to miss it.

This weekend I'm headed down to Springfield Missouri, to teach a class at Red Moon Studios sixth annual Hips Noir (a dangerously classy bellydance workshop). I went last year as a student, and it was a really fantastic set up. One of the things that they do at Hips Noir that I really appreciate is to bring in more local teachers, rather than the more well known East and West Coasters. Project Vagabond does their best to showcase "local" talent, and so can keep the workshop smaller without losing the bucket, and put together a really excellent show at the end of the day. Because there does seem to be a bit of a stigma about the MidWest - you just don't see a lot of big names emerging from this area of the country...and not that there aren't any, quite a few dancers have popped out of Chicago and Denver, but in general, people give the stink eye to anyone coming out of the Great Plains - we are expected to be less good, which is really a shame because there are some excellent dancers and really excellent teachers out here and you are probably missing it.

But I diverge.

I'm leaving town this weekend. I'll be photographing all aspects of the trip - I'd like to do a little photo essay for this blog when it's over. Hopefully I'll get to see a little of my hosts choreography at their studio when I arrive Friday night. I'm also vending. Which means I'm taking the entirety of my etsy shop with me. Which means if there's something you like in there you had better get it now...