My January

 How is your year going so far?

I was meant to go back to work on 12th January, and spent the 11th finally tidying up my "show table" which is the dining table covered in makeup and jewellery, props, hair pieces, drawers upon drawers of it. 

It took 5 hours! But the resulting two big bags of stuff for the op shop and a lot of stuff that went into the skip, as well as finding homes for things, has resulted in a much tidier space. Phew, it was the last big job on my break to-do list.

But, it ended up taking 2.5 weeks to get back to work due to an IT issue with my login. So, in the stolen back time, I binge watched all of The Traitors UK as well as sewing and relaxing. I am obsessed with TTUK. It's SO GOOD. So, not all is lost.

Last Wednesday was my first day I could work and true to form I went into the office all three days. It is as I suspected, very nice being around people again. I only have part time hours left, barely 55 for Feb, and I intend to make the most of them!

For most of January we had a house guest, as we always do. Our friend Colin comes home from Australia to host the Gardens Magic concert series as his alter ego PollyFilla. We hardly saw each other but we did have a really great day of sewing together and it made me realise how different it is to sew with someone who is an expert and we were working on our separate projects and just talking. I often am sewing with somebody needing my assistance which is fine, it just isn't as productive for my own projects!

Balance in all things. That is what 2026 is going to be about for me. Already is. 

Anyone got resolutions, determinations or missions for 2026 lined up?

Old photo for funsies!

 

 

Family Resemblance?!

I've mentioned from time to time that I have adopted children, Jack and Penny. Both of them stage managers, makeup experts and generally the darlingest of darlings. They are fierce and funny and look after me and we are most definitely a team.
For months we've all talked about getting family photos, outrageous ideas abounded and giant inflatables kept coming into it. I put my foot down at these. Waste of plastic.But we all saw eye to eye on an "Addams Family" type shoot.
So when the clever David Rowe was in Wellington, we nabbed some of his time and he made these!

Addams Family?

They never got their legs from me!

They can both walk normally in those enormous heels. I don't think I've ever had that skill and now it's flats all the way. :)

What I've been up to...

 More Constance Ravings! Truth is, I am working a day job which I'm really enjoying but I can't talk about it even if it was interesting to do so, so Constance is the only interesting bit. Oh wait there's something else but that is for my next post!

 Golden Garters Awards, hosting with Mae de la Rue from Sydney, singing possibly the ROPIEST version of Razzle Dazzle em ever!!! We'd like to think it was so bad, it was good hehe.

 My Golden Garter for Favourite MC. Behold how masterfully I manage microphone, clipboard AND award. Those skills got me where I am today hehe.

And THEN there was the NZ Burlesque Festival last weekend, three days of mayhem, music, musings and mugging on stage!!

 Thursday night's Meet and Greet, Clever and I broke out our best Weimar? Vy not? look...

 Yip, we were channelling our best look!!

 And then Mr Lola Illusion joined us for a moment of filling viewing that reminded me of..well, I found the pic!

On the Saturday I taught a workshop in the afternoon but that was it really. So Mr Lola and I went hand in hand to the show- please note the matching cape thrown over his shoulder - he made it from the offcut of my dress! We caused quite a stir, it was a lot of fun to be this EXTRA and not have to perform. Which is fun to, but not three nights in a row thank you!

So that's what I have been getting up to when not doing boring things to pay the mortgage. Cos, well, ain't nothin' going on but the mortgage!

WIGSTOCK - The last night of the Gardens

Starring PollyFilla and ME [and a bunch of other people] ;-) PollyFilla now lives in Melbourne and is the most recent recipient of entry into the Melbourne Drag Hall of Fame, which is a huge honour; makes me so proud to be his friend and mentee. Polly wanted to do a huge drag show to finish the Gardens Magic series of concerts that Wellington City Council operate each year. While he was in Aus up to his eyelashes in shows, we got a cast together and the rest is herstory!
The largest crowd ever (so I am told) gathered to watch us. Must have been nearly 2,000 people! Age range from babies to great grans.

 Synching to the Grass Is Always Greener from Woman of the Year. Me and PollyFilla

 Backstage, Polly (top) and Ellie Kat doing last minute sewing repairs. Two extremely talented (and qualified!) costumiers in their own rights.

 Polly opening the show!

 Here's a bit of the enormous crowd who came to watch. This is family friendly drag!

 Me on stage singing Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps. I had already done the lipsynch duet with Polly but I was still blown away singing to so many people!

 A close up taken by some lovely person on Facebook

Ross caught this moment with the breeze slightly lifting my skirt. It was a sensational evening - cool and calm which is always a huge relief when you are painted to the max and trussed into a tight frock!
All of the performers were amazing. It's surprisingly hard to find photos of us all though, and no word of any official photos as yet. So I'm not filtering out the other fantastic artists on purpose. I love them all!

Just me

It's stinkin' hot here right now. Around 28-30 degrees and a bit humid. So on my all too rare visit to the hair dressers on Tuesday (trim and deep conditioning), Martin used cold water to wash my hair. It was heavenly! Then he blew it dry and put some GHD curls in for fun. I took this selfie on the street afterwards. I should have gotten one with him!
Because I didn't, this is my darling hairdresser, friend and fellow drag queen, Martin/ Harlie Lux. Current holder of our city's Drag Artist supreme title - Mx Capital Drag. Apart from being one of the kindest and most talented people I know, I love how totally different Martin and Harlie look. But also, neither of them will ever smile for a photo but rarely stop smiling in real life!
We also share a passion for synthetic hair, and talk incessantly about it while he is doing my real hair. This tickles me.

Martin (left) and Harlie Lux (right)

Mary Poppins rides again.

Now I know that green eyeshadow, glitter and pink lipstick are far from the usual Mary Poppins look but Drag Mary is a different story! Also I climbed out of this costume into others.
You can't see it but I nailed the fake eye crease look finally. It's where you draw a new crease above the natural one and it's used on stage to make one's eyes look bigger.

Makeup is such an odd thing. I personally have very little time for it and my only concession is lipstick. The whole idea of painting on a face every day just to go to work, or out to dinner, bored me, it's a tedious chore. But using it to do crazy things like moving my eyebrows up, contouring etc for a character - that is interesting to me. I don't aspire to look beautiful or sexy, but to look like Constance, who is neither - like clown makeup.
Hey ho!