As promised! This is the class supply lists and instructions for both of my classes this year:

Frolicon Fascinator Supply List

-Alligator clips: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CF4GQIS/?coliid=I3VKFHPLNZT0XZ&colid=3614YDTWWH5V4&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

-Felt circles: https://www.amazon.com/YYCRAFT-White-Circles-Project-100pcs/dp/B01MY03IFK/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1527641677&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=felt+circles&psc=1

-Ostrich feathers: https://www.amazon.com/10-15cm-Natural-Ostrich-Feathers-Decoration/dp/B016Q8EII4/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1527641443&sr=8-8&keywords=ostrich%2Bfeathers&th=1

-Peacock sword feathers: https://www.amazon.com/Sowder-Natural-Peacock-Feathers-Decoration/dp/B00S51NDMI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1527641639&sr=8-2&keywords=peacock+sword+feathers

-Rhinestones: https://www.amazon.com/Crafts-Outlet-72-Piece-Flatback-Rhinestones/dp/B009V5G61C/ref=sr_1_22?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1527641934&sr=1-22&keywords=rhinestones+20mm

-Foam roses: https://www.amazon.com/Lightingsky-Artificial-Without-Wedding-Decoration/dp/B00VRK15CY/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1527641989&sr=1-1&keywords=foam+roses

Instructions:

Ostrich, Peacock and Rose Fascinator

Fascinators can have numerous uses in fashion, cosplay, weddings, shows and pinup looks. While you can make fascinators out of almost anything, this project is built on more classical lines.

You Will Need:

• scissors

• felt circle

• hair clip

• hot glue and glue gun

• peacock feathers

• ostrich feathers

• faux rose

• rhinestones

– Measure feathers against the felt base and trim to fit

– Hot glue rhinestones to faux rose

– Hot glue ostrich feather to the felt base, layer peacock feathers on top

– Hot glue rose to base of feathers

– Hot glue clip to the back of the felt circle, tips pointed to the back of the circle

Frolicon Sensory Bottle Supply List

-Bottles: https://www.amazon.com/Clear-Grade-Plastic-Juice-Bottles/dp/B07D1ZCVTF/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1527642135&sr=8-7&keywords=plastic+bottles+screw+top

-Confetti: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071S2LN3K?aaxitk=J7zbrWFGqfi02DWWk.qG.A&pd_rd_i=B071S2LN3K&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=5582544217303223519&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_i=confetti&hsa_cr_id=8339621000601

-Glitter: https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Party-bottled-Decoration-Iridescent/dp/B01MD1DUNH/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1527642222&sr=8-4&keywords=white+craft+glitter

-Glycerin: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004C7MTLA/?coliid=I1Q0N1YUX8WM1&colid=3614YDTWWH5V4&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Instructions:

Sensory Bottles

(also called “Calm Down Bottles”)

Calm Down Bottles can serve as a visual “anchor” in order to bring focus into one place when it may feel like one’s world is spinning out of control. One can shake the bottle as hard as one wants/needs (so don’t use a glass bottle), and this provides calming proprioceptive input to one’s body while also serving as a physical outlet. While one holds the bottle and watches the glitter fall, one’s hands and eyes are brought to midline and this can help organize and center the nervous system as well. And as one’s heart pounds and one demonstrates fast, shallow breathing from being upset or overstimulated, the slow fall of the shaken glitter can serve as a visual model that, often unconsciously, can slow the heart rate and respiration. Sensory bottles are useful for those wishing to anchor focus for meditation, for panic attacks, for aftercare session to help center and come down from a session and also for Littles to help engage in younger age play.

You will need:

• Water

• Glycerin

• glitter

• sequins

• super glue

• clear plastic bottle

– Fill bottle halfway with water

– Add glitter and sequins

– Add glycerin

– Fill with water almost to the top, screw on cap and shake to check the content

– Allow to settle, top off with water

– Superglue top to bottle

What other festival do you show up at and they hand you a bottle of wine with your face on the label? It doesn’t happen very often, even for me. I did one of my favorite acts, the Commedia. It’s a romp and a lot of physical humor that I don’t get to indulge in very often. I wasn’t able to go down in the audience due to the way the stage was configured but I’ve done this number so many times that a bit of impov was easy to work in to fill that part of the choreo.

I also vended at this festival. Due to the dreaded Con Crud, I was completely sans voice the entire weekend so thank goodness that I had my oldest friend Katie there! Not only did she find the most gorgeous Air B&B for us to stay at (seriously, I would have rented that place out in a hot second, it was beautiful). I was set up beside the sassy Bella la Blanc and her fantastic 3D printed pasties. I was in and out of the backstage almost too fast to really hang out with anyone, which was also just fine since I couldn’t talk anyway, so I would have just been awkwardly sitting there… However, I actually got to share the stage with one of my favorite belly dancers ever!

I miss the mountains more every time I leave them. I got to stay at my parents with my oldest friend the day before we went down to Asheville. It was really lovely to be there where I grew up and to see my family.

As most of you know, I’ve been going to Frolicon since I started performing. I’ve been everything from a guest, to a presenter to a badge model and every year it keeps getting better. This was my seventh straight year as a guest of the con and it was probably my best year yet. Four shows and two classes in one weekend. And then I still had time to work in a couple of sessions… including my first time publicly subbing in the dungeon!

The first show of the weekend was with my old friends Secret City Burlesque as they brought the Netflix and Thrill show to Frolicon. I did not bring my Shaggy number to this second showing, mostly because I like to be a little edgier for my Frolicon people. After months of meaning to get around to it, gathering pieces and looking for the perfect place to debut it, I brought my Rebel Park Ranger to the stage. I asked #thatguy to escort me onstage, because my heels for that act were platform stiletto boots and he was dressed in his standard, all black ops gear. A set of rhinestoned handcuffs, flogging a picture of our current president (oh, the boos when that appeared on the stage, it was a hard thing to pack in my gear bag) and Rush’s “The Trees” = the perfect act of recognizing my past and honoring my fellow rangers.

The second show of the con was my first time performing at the storied Bunny Hutch of Dragoncon fame, newly arrived at Frolicon! A high energy gogo set with DJP (for the first time!) and a lot of hard work to make my very first Playboy Bunny suit, but I did it! There is a surprising amount of construction involved in such a small garment… I asked Sabrina Pandora, the grand dame of the Hutch which fabric I should use and she picked the silver fabric, even though that is traditionally reserved for the Playmate of the Year (my name is Silver and, hey, it was a great lesson for the audience!). I had a BLAST! DJP played YYZ for my gogo set and I danced my little bunny tail off!

The third show was with the good people of Candy Box Review’s Undress To Thrill show. I brought back my Tygre, Tygre act, which debuted years ago at this very convention! I suffered the dreaded #doublepastiepop, but being a big kitty cat… I just batted it off the stage while maintaining eye contact with the audience the entire time, just like a cat with a glass on a table. I love that act, mostly because it allows me to rock out to 80s hair metal while being ridiculous and rolling around while wearing fur.

Directly after that I went to the K.I.S.S. (Kink Infused Sultry Swing) with some of my friends in the community. It wasn’t my first time on stage with most of them but it is always wonderful to spend time with them. I don’t talk a lot about my fetish work on this site, but I really enjoy it. This was one of the first times I’ve done a pure fetish act at a non-private show. I combined edge play and blood play with my naturally dramatic stage persona. Came out as an angel, revealed spring-loaded wings, cut them off and then got to show off one of my favorite folding knives.

It was a wonderful weekend. My best Frolicon yet.

Working at Dad’s Garage was so much fun! I have never been to the space before and being invited to work with such awesome comedians (part of the cast from Archer, as a matter of fact! A show I adore, so you can imagine how I felt) was very flattering. I got the chance to talk shop with the costumer on staff and was one of the first people to see Desire Evoquier’s Samus number (holy crap that woman can rock a merkin like no one’s busineess)! Once again reunited with Lydia Treats, watching her run a hose through her sinus cavity for an audience member to sip booze out of was so cool! I love watching her work.

Dad’s Garage is based out of a converted church, which is a dream I’ve always had. Mostly because I think that the acoustics in a church would be perfect for a theater space. I was totally right and working there has reaffirmed my desire to one day have a club in a converted space.

Sherlock Holmes is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. From the original novels to House to Elementary the BBC’s phenomenal show, I’ve enjoyed every way he’s been presented. So to be asked to portray Sherlock with my very own Watson at a show was so flattering! My fellow performer, Kali Fornication, stepped in to play my Watson. We put on some sultry but cheesy soul music (“Try a Little Tenderness” by Otis Redding) and climbed on a table while dressed as fem!Lock and fem!Watson. Basically we made fanfiction into real life and it slayed. Lydia Treats did a fantastic job as our MC as well, which is the first time I have ever worked with her in that capacity.

221BCon was actually the first convention that I worked with most of the performers who would go on to form FANDom Nerdlesque and it was fantastic to spend time with them and the fans in the area. The hotel was gorgeous, having just been renovated, and our rooms were beautiful.

Ariel Allegro’s production debut in conjunction with FANDom Nerdlesque was a fun, nerdy time with a lot of my favorite geeks from the Atlanta area. I brought Frizzle (because how do you have a science/math themed show without the Frizz?) by request out to play with such wonder characters as Bill Nye, Mad Scientists, Mathmaticians, Robots, Nerd Girls, moonshine enthusiasts, and one baker who was very into his pies.

Red Light Cafe is the hot spot for smaller burlesque shows in the Atlanta area, so it was no surprise that Red Light ended up hosting this show. What was a surprise was that they had a pies-centric menu for the occasion! I had a wonderful time connecting with friends in the community that came out to see the show and was passed several pounds of citric acid from a friend because another friend was getting grid of their soap making supplies. Yeah. It was a pretty fun night.

The sweet people of Secret City Burlesque have always been amazingly supportive and friendly whenever I can make it to Athens to play, so when they proposed the Netflix and Thrill show this year, I was excited to participate! Based on any and every show on Netflix, the possibilities were endless… so of course I picked Scooby Doo for my first choice. I loved the show the entire time I was a kid (and lets be honest, even now, Scooby Doo never gets old) and I’m sure the obvious choice as a burlesque performer would be to choose either Velma or Daphne, but being more than a little queer, I went with: Shaggy. In fact I went fully for it. I hid brownies all over my costume and passed them out to the audience (yes, they were “special” brownies… in that I made them with applesauce and not oil, who would pass out actual pot brownies at a show in a state where mj is illegal to distribute?!). “Sex and Candy” by Marcy’s Playground was the song I used for backing and that was also a check mark on my Act To Do List.

Secret City has always been such a welcoming group to work with and the backstage vibe is the kind of comfortable that you only get from a group that has been working with each other for years. I got to share the stage with my work wifey, Candida Valentina as the Valkyrie to her Bo (from Lost Girl). Titianna Sprinkles did an AMAZING Attack on Titian number and I got to see most of the rest of the show from the side of the stage and the gang was fantastic as usual. The 40 Watt was a great backstage space to work in. I love having backstages where you have access to a sink AND a mirror (that is not a joke, washing your hands during makeup application is super important).

Towards the end of 2017, I was fortunate to join the Production Team for Atlanta’s  FANDom Nerdlesque, a sorta burlesque and performance collective that focuses on producing high quality nerdy shows for the Atlanta, Georgia area. After a successful Batman themed show (Under the Cowl, where I played Azrael), we set our sights on bigger shows and kicked off that goal with what we hope to be a far reaching tradition: a nerd variety show featuring acts from all across the Fandom spectrum.

It was a great night full of everything from Game of Thrones, to Spiderman, to Pokemon, to my own Long John Silver act from Muppet Treasure Island. (Complete with my very own stuffed lobster… because honestly, who has a parrot?)

Following the show was a small dance party where we cut cake, grooved to the spinning of DJ Discobrains (he’ll probably change his name again in a short while, it’s kinda his thing), and partied with Desire, Kali and Sig, our beloved Cerberus and the head of FANDom. It was a fantastic night full of love, pride and family.

I found my Atlanta Ohana, and I am glad to be home.