Queens of the Pilbara

There are so many things that I love to do that are all part of my life as a burlesque performer. Travel. Sharing the stage with new people. Refining my hair and makeup skills. Costume making. Photo shoots. What's even more fun is when I get to collaborate with other like minded performers and use our burlesque skills to do something a little more out of the box.

As part of the Red Earth Arts Festival, I was flown up to Karratha to perform in the Sugar Blue Vaudeville Revue show at the De Parel Spiegeltent (another thing I love!). I was fortunate enough to be sharing the stage with MC Magnus Danger Magnus, Clara Cupcakes, Miss Gale Force, and we roped in the skills of Famous Sharron and Madam Adam to keep things interesting. Clara and I had been plotting for weeks leading up to the show (she is based in Melbourne now, so spending time with her is a real treat!), and we bandied about the idea of doing a Priscilla: Queen of the Desert style photoshoot out in the red dust. All of our fellow performers were keen to get in on the action, so extra wigs, lengths of chiffon, and boxes of false eyelashes were packed. And glitter. Lots of glitter.

After a couple of lovely locals (Peter and Justine) caught light of our plans, they were more than happy to drive us out to a good patch of red dust and help make our Drag Queen Dreams come true! I had packed my Pentax film camera and a couple of rolls of film and set to work capturing my friends - now with added sparkle!

MC Magnus Danger Magnus sparkled under the Karratha sun and wrangled his piece of chiffon in his trademark black suit, and makeup by Clara Cupcakes. 

Clara Cupcakes was a vision! A pretty little garden nymph in a piece of chiffon and not much else!

We took great pleasure in transforming Adam into a Mexican Chola. He stayed in character all afternoon. (makeup by Clara Cupcakes)

We were beyond fortunate to be joined by the Famous Sharron on our adventures! She was kind enough to let me do her makeup for her but insisted on her own hair.

Well, by the end I had run out of colour film, but Clara Cupcakes picked up my camera and got some great shots of me in my Ursula the Sea Witch costume! Black PVC and heavy satin are not your friends in full afternoon sun. A well deserved mojito was in order afterwards.

That concludes our adventures!

Love Ruby x

Jarabe Tapito

This weekend I'm doing a Mexican Hat Dance at Deville's Pad for Cinco de Mayo. Not only do I not have a drop of Mexican blood in me, I'm also playing the part of the male. Anyway, I got myself a lady matador/mariachi costume for the evening. When I put it on, this is how I feel:

(Paul Mercurio. Strictly Ballroom. Have you seen how tight those pants are? Strictly no ball room)

However, this is how I look:

Aaaand this is how I really look:

There are definite similarities.

The Big Top Tease

Over two nights this past weekend, the lads and ladies from Sugar Blue Burlesque teamed up with Australia's longest running circus Circus Joseph Ashton and local Gorelesque dames Carnies With Candy to perform the Big Top Tease under the afore mentioned Big Top on Langley Park.

I was most excited to be a part of this super fun show, even more so to be putting on an act with a few of my favourite gals, Agatha Frisky, Kitty Litteur, TaLuLa Lollipops and current reigning Miss Burlesque WA, Ruby DeLure. We did our own take on the song Pink Elephants on Parade from Dumbo. Fortunately, none of these lovelies are neither elephants or dumb, but they sure do make you go pink! Here's a little wee reminder of the awesomeness of this song and associated animation.

First things first, one must make a costume to wear to such an occasion. Pink was an obvious choice for the colour palette, and this pink foiled lycra was so appropriate it hurt my eyes.

True Story.

I also made a sweet-as bit of floral garnish for my lapel, because that thing was crying out for some action.

Check it. I even put a bird on it.

For my next trick, I give you two IDENTICAL BUT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SIZED HATS! Whoa! 

Here's my totes adorb's onesie (remind me never to talk like a "trendy" person again) made from blindingly fabulous fabric. I think it's definitely time to see some action pictures now, all courtesy of Mr Gregory Bruyer.

Clearly I have too many hats, so I am all too wiling to share with lovely TaLuLa, who makes a very convincing drunk clown.

Glove gag! Whoa!

Enter my posse of totally hot Pink Circusfolk.

Kitty Litteur is a most mesmerizing Middle Eastern maiden, and she does this amazing chest pop thing that makes everyone sit up and pay attention!

Ruby DeLure is the perfect Prima Ballerina who managed to pull some gorgeous pointe moves on our less-than-ideal stage (tarpaulin on grass, anyone?)

Floofy and featherful Frisky is shaking it like a Latin American boss!

Aaaand here's the complete Sugar Blue/CJA/Carnies with Candy crew at the end of our first show! All of these people are excellent. All of them!

... Especially this one. Lady Frankenstein knows how to rock a killer quiff, and a mighty pink one at that!

So after two nights of performing and several nights rehearsing with the CJA crew, I have deduced that being a carnie is AWESOME and you get to work in a Big Top and hang out with tiny horses and wear sparkles and be really good at somersaults, however it also looks like INCREDIBLY hard work. Some of the performers have been training since they were 18 months old. Holy backflips! No wonder they're so good at it! That being said, I started playing dress-ups at 18 months old and I still practice every single day...

From Humble Beginnings...

Welcome to the very first blog post. Lets get to know each other in the most intimate of ways possible (according to any good gossip magazine)... without make up!

Now, being a real humdinger of a pinup doesn't happen in a blink of a false eyelash, my dears. After my friend Rosie Button invited myself (and fellow vintage lover Agatha Frisky) to model for her classic pin up calendar photoshoot, I knew an early morning makeover was to be in order. Because I'm what you'd call a "thinking woman", I set my hair in curlers the night before.

 Good morning, beautiful! With a headful of pins and a fluorescent green robe, why wouldn't you sleep with a smile on your face?

Here is my stunning blank canvas, with somewhat of a healthy green glow. Where did that come from?

Stage one is what I refer to as Panel Beating. Smoosh some foundation into every nook and cranny, and dab concealer on to all the unwelcome face-dwellers. I'm all about technique.

I look a little more fabulous here, but you just can't put your finger on how. It's on the tip of your tongue... Eyelid contouring. Yup. Pin up makeup is the one time I bust out the brown eyeshadow.

Surprise! It's a beefy pair of eyebrows! Note that I've carried on my ginger masquerade to my pet caterpillars up there. Nobody will suspect the slightest!

The initial uncurling and half-hearted brushing! If you're attempting the stringy red-headed Einstein look, then ignore the following steps. There may also be a smear of rosy red rouge in there too. On my face, that is.

Phew! I recovered. My lack of formal training means that every hairstyle is a bit of a gamble, but there's rarely anything that a bit of back-combing and sneaky hair pin or two can't fix. Oh, and an atmosphere of hair spray.

Liquid eyeliner. Again, always a gamble, but I nailed it for my viewing audience. While you're waving the applicator around, why not slap on a beauty spot? 

Spot the beauty. It's harder than Where's Wally/Waldo/Volli/Hetti/Уолли.

Now, if your workspace doesn't end up looking like this, then you're probably not doing it right. 

Now that's what I call a TOTAL PHOTOGRAPHIC MIND BLOWING of my partial beautification process (you missed out the bit at the beginning where I sip on French Earl Grey [lucky guy] and eat some toast). I'm not going to post any spoilers from the photo shoot yet, but I'll put the finished product up. But I know you're itching for more, one final Ruby hit. So, snapped on location in the Fly By Night dressing room, I give you my second look for the day: Big Red Smiley Pout and Even Bigger Red Croissant On My Head (feat. messy dangly doo-dads). Now, since you saw me last I have obviously added a Big Scarlet Smirk, and a sweet set of false lashes for extra fluttery goodness. And a small pink bow.

I hope that you're feeling properly acquainted with me and my precious face now. Do stay tuned for more adventures, and DEFINITELY more photos. Of me. And maybe my cat.