Author: Davina

Davina ~ Dawn Devine is a belly dance costume designer, dance instructor and author of more than a dozen publications on Middle Eastern dance.

Categories
Assiut/Assuit Belly Dance Costuming DIY General Publications

Blast from the Past: Costumer’s Notes Magazine

Memories – Oh how time flies when you’re having fun! After my co-author Alisha Westerfeld and I finished up with my book “The Cloth of Egypt: All About Assiut,” we had a great big party!  We also launched a beautiful “behind the scenes” full-color magazine, entitled “Costumer’s Notes: Behind the Seams – The Making of Cloth of Egypt.”    This magazine is free to view and read on the Issuu website.  In addition, Issuu has recently let us know that you can also print it on demand too!  If you like the way it looks and you want a copy for your own bookshelf and reference library, just follow the link on the Issuu website and you can a copy of your own!

My team of collaborators, photographer Alisha Westerfeld and Author Sara Shrapnell and I are contemplating releasing another magazine. We’re taking a long look at this publication and brainstorming what we would like to do next. In the next few weeks, we will be having a series of meetings, and with luck, will be formulating a plan of action to bring another beautiful, informative, full-color digital magazine devoted to our favorite subject, belly dance, to the Issuu website.

In the meantime, take a peek at our last digital magazine! If you like assiut, you will love flipping through the pages. I’m off to brainstorm!

I’m eager to see what happens in 2017!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
Feb. 13, 2017

Categories
Assiut/Assuit Costuming DIY General

High Speed Design – Pinning on Applique

Throughout the month of January, I’ve been working on enhancing my workspace by installing lights and a camera mount over the table to shoot still shots and video from above.  My mission for 2017 is to make video instructionals and digital workshops. My goal is to “show not tell,” and take the content that currently exists in my book, and demonstrate the key concepts in more real-time ways.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve used this bra as my “sample” and have shot probably 20 hours of video of the process of making this bra.  I pinned.  Then I unpinned.  I shot.  Then I reshot.  Making this the most “expensive” bra, in terms of labor, that I’ve ever made!  Figuring out an ideal height for the camera and the amount of light needed were the two biggest technical hurdles.  However, THE most difficult part is learning to keep my hands and the costume in the frame.

So this is my first video of me in the process of designing an assiut bra.  Over the next few weeks, I’ll have more clips of this bra under construction right up to the finished product.  While I am positive these videos will be a little rough around the edges, I hope you enjoy them!  And now, I’m off to sew – which has now become code for – “make a video!”

To 2017 Goals in Dance and Costuming!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
February 6, 2017

Categories
Belly Dance Costuming DIY General

Etsy Store – Pattern Sale & Free Shipping Feb 2017

Davina aka Dawn Devine with Lynette Harris, Editor of the Gilded Serpent Magazine and Miles Copeland Impresario of Belly Dance Super Stars.For more than 15 years, I lived the vendor life. Traveling to events, setting up my books and selling other items at belly dance shows along the West Coast, from Portland to San Diego and as far east as Las Vegas. The travel was exciting!  I met a lot of wonderful people, had some great travel experiences, and sold a lot of books and patterns. It was fun and hard work, but I had a blast!

Right: Me hanging out with Lynette Harris of Gilded Serpent and Miles Copeland of Belly Dance Superstars at MECDA’s Cairo Caravan on the Queen Mary, 2013.

To round out my product line, I carried a selection of patterns by the likes of Madame X, Tempest, and selected items from the Caravan Collection from Folkwear.  Many costumers enjoy the ease of grabbing a pattern, cutting it out, and making a beautiful garment.  Although my books are great guides for making costumes from taking measurements to stepping on the stage, I’m frequently asked for recommendations on patterns to simplify the process.

Davina's Book Rack c. 2005However, at some point, I misplaced my pattern bucket!  It somehow got dropped into a box and put into a closet, unlabelled, unloved and completely forgotten. I still do local events, but over the past few years, I have only taken books and accessories.  So in January, when I was doing a “New Year, New Me” themed “clean up,” I located my old pattern bin.

Left: The Ibexa Press book rack c. 2005.  I had just added the Tempest Corset Belt to my collection.

But the truth of the matter is I’ve drastically scaled back my vending activities, and only participate in single-day, local events and take a more scaled down booth.  Easy to set up and tear down, and perfect for tucking into small spaces.  I enjoy having a place where people can stop by and say hi, check out my latest books and show me their latest costume creations!   But these days, my book line is so expanded, that I don’t really have space for patterns on my rack.

Right: Dawn Devine ~ Davina and Author/Teacher/Performer Sara Shrapnell at Sudeep’s Bay Area Belly, 2015.

Since I wrote off these patterns years ago, I’ve decided to sell all the patterns and booklets found in my “pattern bucket” at wholesale or less!  So, to facilitate this sale, I’m loading all the items onto my etsy store and offering my usual Free Shipping in February sale.  So if you’re in the market for a belly dance costume pattern, check out this sale!

Now, for the rest of the day, I’ll be uploading patterns to my Etsy store.  A perfect activity for a rainy winter afternoon!  If you’re planning your costume projects for 2017 or just want to window shop some cool belly dance patterns, click on the banner above and it will take you right to my shop!  If you have any questions about the patterns – use the etsy messaging system to drop me a line and I will get back to you in a jiffy!

Happy Costuming in 2017!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
Feb. 1, 2017

 

 

Categories
General Makeup and Appearance

My Last Ipsy Bag…

…And Why I Gave Up On Beauty Subscriptions

2016 was my year of upping my makeup game.  I went on a quest for the most perfect, holy grail, ride or die products that would work perfectly with my skin type, harmonize with my coloring, and fit my budget.  On the daily, I am a minimalist, using high SPF BB creams, eyeliner, and tinted lip balm.

My Last Ipsy Bag - Why I Gave Up On Beauty and Makeup Subscriptions by Dawn Devine ~ Davina - www.davina.us

My belly dance makeup kit was old, tired, beat-up, and expired.  My brushes were chewed up, my makeup bag was broken, and it was time to examine my skin care regimen, cosmetic application techniques, and choice in products. I set my goals, started with a whopping (for me at least) budget of $500, and an additional $40 a month, on average. Why did I set such a big budget?  Because I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I didn’t know how many products I would buy and try, love and keep or ditch after using for a while and discovering something better.

Davina aka Dawn Devine - My Last Ipsy Bag - Why I Gave Up On Beauty and Makeup Subscriptions | www.davina.us

I went to the source of all makeup information on the web, YouTube.  I discovered a huge community of ladies and gentlemen covering every aspect of makeup from amateur to pro, young to old, dry skin to oily, deep to pale. There is practically something for everyone!  I was so inspired I even tackled a #31DayBellyDanceMakeupChallenge and put the evidence up on YouTube.
One of the things that many of these YouTubers were suggesting to “new to makeup” viewers was signing up for a beauty subscription service or two.  When more than a dozen folks suggested the same things, I decided it would be a great idea.  So I signed up for several different services throughout the year.
https://www.ipsy.com/
My Last Ipsy Bag - Why I Gave Up On Beauty Subscriptions by Dawn Devine
I began with Ipsy and Birchbox at the beginning of the year.  At first, Ipsy was a ton of fun!  I got a cute little bag, lots of interesting samples from brands I hadn’t heard of, lots of indy and indy brands that I wouldn’t have experienced without their service.  Birchbox, however, seemed to send higher end products, randomly chosen, that didn’t suit my needs or lifestyle.  But worst still, in three months, I received boxes with broken items.  When I received the third box with breakage, I decided it was too much hassle to get broken things replaced, and really, in three months, there wasn’t a single Item in a box that I wanted to rebuy.

So I canceled Birchbox and joined the mailing list to get the Sephora Play Box. I also purchased a Target beauty box.  I REALLY liked the Target beauty box, but it sells out within MOMENTS of being on their website.  It’s not a subscription service, so you have to know when it’s going on sale and jump immediately.  I tried to get two more and failed both times.  Target Beauty Box, you’re just too inaccessible for me!  I still continued on with Ipsy, going to their site, answering their questions to try and steer the products towards my needs.

My Last Ipsy Bag - Why I Gave Up On Beauty Subscriptions by Dawn Devine
In the summer, after waiting many months, I finally got into the Sephora Play Box.  I love Sephora, it’s like a temple to the gods of makeup, and their employees are their acolytes helping people find their inner glamazon. However, after receiving the Sephora box twice, I realized that it was just a little too rich for my blood.  I loved trying the products, but I wasn’t going to be buying a $40 cleanser or $80 moisturizer! It was fun to get, but it wasn’t progressing my quest to find products that I would actually repurchase. Although Sephora Play is the same price as Ipsy, it’s geared to folks with bigger budgets!
Sephora Play Box - My Last Ipsy Bag - Why I Gave Up On Beauty Subscriptions by Dawn Devine
In late summer, I decided to try Boxycharm.  The appeal of this service is that you pay a little more, but then you receive full sized products. From the very beginning it was a great box for me. They sent a nice combination of products, most of which I would definitely enjoy using, even if I decided never to repurchase, I could really try a skincare or hair product long enough to know if I like it.  Most of the items are on the pricier side, so I probably won’t try most of them, but when a box is sending full-sized eyeshadow palettes, you’re getting a pretty good deal.  I pre-bought half a year, when it’s finished, I’m going to let it lapse because I’ve resorted to giving my friends these full sized makeup eyeshadow palettes! https://www.boxycharm.com/

 

Contents of a BoxyCharm Subscription Box | My Last Ipsy Bag - Why I Gave Up On Beauty Subscriptions by Dawn Devine
So here I am, it’s January 2017 and my year of makeup quest has ended.  So today I canceled my Ipsy subscription.  After a year of Ipsy, I realized that I didn’t “find” anything I want to repurchase!  I also seemed to collect an epic collection of mascara minis, hand cream samples, and eyeliners to work through!  I found myself giving way so many things I simply don’t use in my world, like nail polish and sheet masks.  I got a lot of oddly incompatible products. I wound up giving the curly hair products to my curly hair friends. The skin-care samples were too small to use for any length of time to see if they would work.

While I initially loved the little bag that comes with every Ipsy mailing, I found myself being overrun by these little bags. Some were cute, but others were not to my taste, and all of them were about the same size.  I only need a few bags in that size, so I found myself giving them away at the holidays filled with mini and full sized products I received throughout the year.

Things I'll never use | My Last Ipsy Bag - Why I Gave Up On Beauty Subscriptions by Dawn Devine
Overall, what I learned is that I would rather have that $10 – $20 cost of the subscription in my makeup budget so I can choose exactly what I want and need for my collection. The tiny thrill of opening an unknown package in the first quarter of the year, by August had turned to an overwhelm of samples and minis. I now have a bowl of samples sitting in my living room waiting for friends to visit and partake, like a calorie free candy bowl for makeup lovers!
What journey am I on this year?
I’ll let you know in a few weeks once I dial into my 2017 quest!
Here’s wishing you glamor in 2017!
 
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
January 15, 2017
Categories
Belly Dance General Publications

Instagram Challenge – #30 Days of Dance

Tackling a 30 Day Instagram Challenge

This January, I’m having a bit of fun over on my Instagram feed.  Belly dancer Faizeh (handle @faizeh_raqs) posted 30-day challenge to share with our friends, fans, and followers. Her  a more intimate peek into our dance world.  She put together this easy to follow list:

 Follow this link to see lots more on Instagram – #30DaysOfDance

Prompts Challenge you to Think Differently

I am drawn to 30-day challenges because they make me think about life in a new and different way. My goal is to use the list of prompts to make me think about my view of the world and my place in it.  When doing challenges, the prompts are sometimes optional.  For instance, during #Inktober back in 2014, I created a theme of my own, creating a paper doll with a full wardrobe over the course of 31 days.  For #inktober 2016, I followed a list of “Spooky” ideas and had a lot of fun comparing my ghosts, spider webs, and other creepy subjects with friends following the same prompt list. Every challenge is different, and you get to make the choice on how you plan to tackle it.  

For this months #30DaysOfDance, I’m using Faizeh’s curated prompt list.  I’m going through my personal photo archive with a fresh perspective and pulling images that tell the story stimulated by the prompt. It’s interesting to relive happy memories and learn interesting things about myself.  For instance, after looking at a couple of hundred pictures of myself, it became clear what is REALLY #4 (Favorite Pose.)  Not something dramatic, but pretty basic, and I’ve been doing it for years!

Davina Day #4 – Favorite Pose – Left 2016, Right 1994

Start AnyTime You Like

There always seems to be a flurry of challenges that happen around in January with the start of the year, and again in August/September with “back to school.”  But you can start challenges any time you like!  If you find one in progress that appeals to you, and a large group is at the same place, you can start there and join them for the finish.  Alternately, you can start whenever and tackle the challenge for your own personal satisfaction. Choose times when your schedule is less busy, or will facilitate your participation.  I once did a 30-day photo challenge – and scheduled it to be during a month when I was traveling abroad for 15 days. If you are participating as a group, or would like feedback from others who have taken the challenge, be sure to include the official hashtag when you post.

Davina Day #1 – You – This is the picture I selected as my introduction

Be Creative when Interpreting the Prompts

Make the prompts your own. Think about what your approach or angle will be for each particular challenge.  For instance, in this #30DaysOfDance challenge, some of the entries are self-explanatory like #19 (Business Card.)  However, you can be more creative with concepts like #16 (Inspiration) or #22 (Fuel.)  When I’m working through a challenge filled with creative and open-ended ideas like these, I try to listen to my inner voice and go with my first instinct.  Try not to overthink!  This should be fast and fun!

Davina Day #2 – Favorite Costume – Head to toe assiut from 2013

Plan in Advance

One of the strategies I use to stick to a 30-day challenge is by doing some advanced planning.  When I have made the commitment to follow through with a particular challenge, I brainstorm out the images that I want to include.  This brainstorm list helps me formulate a plan of action for achieving the goals.

Pre-Create an Archive

This is especially helpful when doing biographical challenges.  If your challenge includes “Favorite Vacation” or “Best Photo.” You can find these items in your archive and have them ready to go for that day.   If you’re working on a creativity challenge where you put up a new drawing, photo, or makeup look each day, takes some time to plan ahead.  Creating a thematic to:do list, or pre-gathering the materials and supplies so that you save time every day.  Some days are busier than others, and having a plan will take out some of the stress. 

Screen shot of my Evernote entry for the #30DaysOfDance 

Keep it in the Cloud

I like to use a cloud based storage space to house my pre-created archive.  For this #30DaysOfDance challenge, I’m using Evernote to keep a list of the prompts and copies of the images I plan on using throughout the challenge.  I collect the images and make notes about what points I want to include about the pictures and how they relate to the prompts.  Cloud-based storage means that I can easily add photos to this folder from other devices. Use the one you prefer for your best results.

All-in-all, I recommend trying a challenge at least once to see if it boosts your creativity, helps you get in touch with yourself, or with other like-minded individuals. You might connect with new friends, master new skills, or develop life-long habits beginning with a month-long challenge.

Are you on Instagram?  Let’s connect!  You can check out all the other images I choose for this challenge.  Be sure to message me if you start your own challenges, I would love to check them out!

Best of luck in 2017!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
January 4, 2017