Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Support

1. to bear or hold up (a load, mass, structure, part, etc.); serve as a foundation for.
2. to sustain or withstand (weight, pressure, strain, etc.) without giving way; serve as a prop for.
3. to undergo or endure, especially with patience or submission; tolerate.
4. to sustain (a person, the mind, spirits, courage, etc.) under trial or affliction: They supported him throughout his ordeal.
5. to maintain (a person, family, establishment, institution, etc.) by supplying with things necessary to existence; provide for: to support a family.
                                                 -- from Dictionary.com


Remember how I blathered on and on about how amazingly supportive my family was last time I went to my hometown?  Well, this last trip back was no different.  My oldest sister made it to the show. My younger brother, his fiance, her mother and aunt, all came out for the show.  My small sister came out, as per usual, along with her boyfriend and his entire family.  My oldest sister held a special pre-Thanksgiving dinner so the Naked Sheep of the family could have a family meal.  MY newly widowed mother was there, and I think it's likely she'll make it to my next hometown show.

My family's support has become a foundation for what I do.  They're encouraging and helpful, and they cheer louder than anyone in the venue when I'm doing my thing.  My younger brother said it's just like me cheering at his football games in his youth.  What a perfect analogy.  They don't just tolerate it.  They promote it and encourage it.  They don't mind having people say, "Oh, Snapper's your sister?!"

But the support I get every time I return to Hot Springs doesn't just come from my family.  I stayed with a lovely couple I met via CouchSurfing.  They not only welcomed me into their home and provided me with the space I needed to rest and prepare for my show, but they also came to the show to show their support.  Kevin, Agnes, and the entire staff of Maxine's have provided an amazing environment for burlesque in Hot Springs.  (Maxine's feels like my Hot Springs burlesque home, much like Monday Night Tease is my Los Angeles burlesque home.)  The wonderful members of Foul Play Cabaret always make me feel welcome.  I love them all.

Most importantly, I wouldn't be able to tour to Arkansas if it weren't for all the people who fulfill definition #5 above.  If it weren't for the audience and the dedicated fans, there wouldn't be a show.  Every person who buys a ticket, every person who tells a friend, every person who buys merch, every person who asks for a candid photo after the show -- I couldn't do this without your support.  I am humbled by you all.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Foul Play Cabaret With Special Guest Red Snapper

Come see my new number at Maxine's this Friday!

Doors 8pm, showtime 9pm
Limited seating, reserve your table now by calling 501-321-0909
Tickets $12 door, $10 advanced



Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Topless Vlog #9



Hoping next week is a bit warmer so I don't have to wear a shrug!

LINKS:
www.ticketalternative.com (tickets for 11/16/12 Foul Play Cabaret show at Maxine's in Hot Springs, AR)
www.snapperburlesque.com/classes.cfm (sign up for Basic Burlesque and/or How to Dance For Your Lover classes in Hot Springs 11/17/12)
www.indiegogo.com/mnt (Monday Night Tease gallery project fundraiser)

Burlesque Classes in Hot Springs

Sign up by midnight on 11/15 and get both classes for $30!

Visit the website for more info.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Monday Night Tease! Presents Erotic Titty 2

 
Monday Night Tease! presents EROTIC TITTY 2 - The Prince Show 
LA's Longest Running Weekly Burlesque Show

Back by popular demand for a second time, the all Prince inspired burlesque show

Headlining performance by Lux LaCroix, Miss Exotic World First Runner up and Most Dazzling Award Winner. She is a featured Lucha VaVoom performer and choreographer for the Grammys.


Vocal stylings of Heather Henderson

Additional burlesque performances by:
Sheila Starr
Jessabelle Thunder
CeCe Cum Laude
Caramel Knowledge
Egypt Blaque Knyle
Sioux Du Jour
Dizzy Von Damn! Miss Viva Las Vegas 2008
with
Glama Sutra, Red Snapper, Daftney Punk, and Nikita Bitch Project.

And Mad Dog Delaney and Lili VonSchupp as Morris Day and his girl this time.

$15/$20


6pm bar
9:30 seating
10pm show

3 Clubs 
1123 Vine St. 
(Vine at Santa Monica) 
Los Angeles, CA 90038

No photography. Performers subject to change without notice. Plenty of free street parking.

21+, full bar, no food.

Need help?
Email Lili with any questions: lili@burlesque411.com

Reservations available for parties of six or more, 818-378-8866 or lili@burlesque411.com

Follow us on twitter: @MNTease
You'll get updates and flyers for discounts.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

My Final Reveal: Done (Mostly)

I've spent most of my down time since Thursday working on this costume. The biggest issue I was facing after putting the pants together was the size.  I hadn't interfaced the waistband and the black fabric has more give than the disco fabric.  I took 15 minutes Friday morning to steam some interfacing inside the waistband.

A little side note on interfacing: always test the interfacing on a scrap of the same fabric.  In my rush to get it done so I could take the pants with me to work, I didn't test.  I steamed the interfacing to bond it to the pants and reduce the stretch, threw them in my bag and split for work.  When I tried them on at work, I noticed that some of the holographic dots had melted off.  Yikes!  I'm going to have to drop some stones on the waistband to deal with the accidental blandness.

I took in the back and side seams of the pants and attached the rest of the waistband while I had a break at work.  This is a photo of my pants fitting at the ol' office.  I then spent a little time putting rhinestones on my headband.

Saturday was a busy day of finishing the waistband, adding hooks to the front of the pants, and working out the solution for my exuberant boobs.  I cut lower bra cups from some black net and attached it to the cups of the monokini.  I then stitched hooks and eyes onto the monokini and underbra so I can keep my boobs in check.

I had my first dress rehearsal of the number last night and saw how my costume pieces worked together.  (I'm lucky that I can hide knee pads inside my stripper boots.)  I had another dress rehearsal today with my coach and it worked fantastically.  A few little tweaks and it's ready for an audience.

Total spent so far: 33:00 and $243.80.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

My Final Reveal: Droopy

I concentrated on my crotch last night.  I used the pattern fly and underlap, but I didn't consider the fact that I was going to open up the fly completely in order to escape from the pants.  This meant I had to make a longer fly and longer underlap that went all the way to the crotch.  I put snap tape in the crotch so the front will open completely.  (I had some leftover white snap tape and took black spray paint to it.)  With picking out the seams from the tiny fly, cutting the replacement parts, and installing them, last night's fun took an hour and a half.

I spent three hours installing the inseam zippers and stitching up the side seams today.  It took a little extra care to make sure everything lined up perfectly.  I did my fitting and discovered that the pants are a bit too large.  At least the zipper and fly work as intended.  I have some alterations to make, but I think right now I just want a nap.

Total spent so far: 27:00 and $243.80.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

My Final Reveal: Disco Pants

I was going to go to bed after last night's post, but I spent another hour working on the gauntlets. After some trial and error, zipper installation, resizing, and rhinestoning, the gauntlets were finished this morning.  I glued the cups to the fabric in the top of the monokini and moved onto the pants.

I bought a pattern to make my pants experience easier.  (I figure I can use the same pattern to make my own walking around pants.)  I cut the pattern this morning and stitched the pockets into place this evening.  I spent part of my afternoon reading the instructions and making notes on the alterations I'll have to do to make my disco pants into stripper pants.

I ran out of waistband fabric when I was cutting the final pieces.  Fortunately I had some extra fabric I could use for the inside of the waistband so I wouldn't have to push off the completion of my pants until I could shop.

Tomorrow I'm going to try to add closures to the monokini and snaps to the bra.  I also hope to get the fly of my disco pants done.  Photos coming once I can put this garment on my body.


Total spent so far: 22:45 and $243.80.

Monday, November 5, 2012

My Final Reveal: Hopeless Optimist - Population One

Yesterday I boasted that I could finish this costume in less than 25 hours.  Dumbass.  I spent six hours on it today and didn't even get started on the pants.  GROAN.

The pasties and assels are done except for dropping on the tassels.  I rhinestoned the underbra and panties.  The monokini still needs the ass pads installed to hide the assels.  It also needs a closure and some snaps to tidy up the line with the underbra.  I had hoped to cut and stitch my gauntlets and cut the pants tonight, but I ran out of time.

I reach a point with every costume where I ask, "What was I thinking?"  That happened today.  I'm working with spandex that isn't very stretchy because of the foil print.  I'm making a monokini that requires bust supports because I don't have the chest for your average monokini.  I was losing my mind less than an hour ago.

Tomorrow is a new day.  I'm cutting those pants and gauntlets before my first cup of coffee.

Total spent so far: 15:45 and $243.80.

My Final Reveal: Assels

I was naked most of the day Saturday and in classes for most of Sunday, so Mr. Snapper had to go rhinestone shopping for me.  He was surprised to spend $55 plus tax on stones, but I had him pick up ten gross of different shades.  He did a great job color matching with my swatches.

Last night I took two hours to rhinestone my assels.  My hope is to get the pasties rhinestoned and the underthings embellished during the day today so I can wrap up the monokini padding and elastic tonight.

I'm in the crunch zone.  I have to have all of the pieces done for my final studio rehearsal and hip-hop lesson this coming Sunday.  I think I can get it all done in less than 25 hours, even if I did go over my financial goal for the costume.

Total spent so far: 9:45 and $243.80.

Friday, November 2, 2012

My Final Reveal: Lift

Buster thought we were doing a vlog.
I'm a bit more focused than I was yesterday. :)  I squeezed in thirty minutes of hand sewing today to finish the wire channels of my underbra.  I have a couple minutes of machine sewing for the rest of the halter strap and the bra is done!  I may add some rhinestones here and there, and I may also add snaps to the sides to help the monokini stay in place when I dance vigorously.

This is the first underbra I've constructed from scratch.  Attaching the front closure directly to the underwire channeling was a challenge (pin it, check it twice, then sew it).  Next time I make one of these bras, I'm going to attach some glue to parts of the underwire before inserting it into the channeling so the channeling is less likely to twist.

I made an underbra for this costume because my boobs need a little support.  This piece gives them some support without compromising the physics very much for tassel twirling.


Total spent so far: 7:45 and $183.99.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

My Final Reveal: Focus

I make a lot of lists.  I'm a bit of a scatterbrain without them.  I have so many ideas buzzing around my head that I have to write them down so I can do something with him.  I make a list of the things I plan to accomplish when I'm home, and I usually do well marking completed items off a list.

Today I went off-list.  I was very unfocused.  I intended to finish my underbra and stitch cups into my monokini.  I was all ready to wrap up the bra, but I discovered the permanent marker I used to color my bra clasp was rubbing off.  I had to remove the ink then spray paint the clasp.  While waiting for it to dry, I started working on the monokini but the cups are white and I need them to be black.  (The audience will see parts of the inside of the costume, so I don't want to jar them with stark white cups.)  I spray painted the cups, then worked out and pondered life while I worked out.

Back to the grind while catching up on episodes of "The Office."  I turned my panties into "kaboom" panties (gathered ass crack) and started putting the elastic in the monokini.  I tidied up parts of the bra then took a dance break.

In my evening of mental hash browns, I spent three hours getting plenty of random costume stuff done.  I also got some rehearsing done and found the best placement for my assels, but that was off the clock for this part of the project.  I ordered zippers for a gauntlet and my pants, and I ordered a pattern because I'm too distracted to draft a pants pattern.  I hope I can focus better tomorrow.

Total spent so far: 7:15 and $183.99.