Add A Little Spice to Your Costume

I remember on Saucys blog someone asked the bandleader about adding extras to the costume your receive from the mas camp. And I must say me and my friends are guilty of this already. But nothing too crazy, we just found the bra and waistband for the Sextant Horizon costume in Carnival Nations to be a little plain, so we went out to Micheals Arts and Crafts store and found orange gemstones exactly like the ones used on the costume and added them to our costumes to give it a more glammed up and personal touch. It actually looks alot nicer now, but not overdone.

Backline B.A.B.E reporting for duty!

So 2days until the big day! I read saucys post today and thought it was absolutely fabulous. This year I am a backline B.A.B.E in all my glory. As I type from my blackberry I am in the nail salon to get my nails done to match my costume. Then its on to find face jewels and accessories. Later this afternoon all the waxing will get done. Backline B.A.B.E indeed!
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

Carnival nationz costume pick up experience

We arrived at the mas camp at about 20mins to 6. Not many people were there. They weren't allowing anyone inside. 6PM came and still no one could go in. Shortly after 6 a young lady came out and proceeded to hand out numbered tickets and we would be served according to number. We thought this meant progress however people weren't allowed into the mas camp until a few mins before 7PM. So it was essentially an hour long wait that many of us weren't pleased with, by this time the crowd was pretty large.
Being one of the early birds I had one of the first tickets. Once inside the process was quite quick and effortless. You showed your registration receipt and paid your balance, then escorted into an adjoining room where your costume was delivered to you and you could check the contents of your bag.
I was quite pleased with my costume. They got everything correct especially the sizing! The bra was the correct size and even had the little tag inside still. So at least they made an effort to get correct sizes and not the generi large, small etc.
My only peeve is my friend ordered a tankini and received a bra instead and no one even called her to say well the tankin option is no longer available. However, my friend is very laid back and no issues with getting the bra instead.
The sextant horizon costume also came with 2 pairs of hoop earrings while though plain actually match the costume well as it has all the gold hoops connecting parts of the costume together

That was my experience. Feel free to leave comments sharing yours whether it was with carnival nationz or any other band

Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

Mas Shoes - Complete *Revised*

So I just added the pics of the shoes on my feet. lol...not the greatest pics as I had to maneuver close ups of my feet myself!

So this is the finished product.

Nothing spectacular. Quite simple - incorporating colours from the costume. When I get a chance I'll take a picture of them on my feet to get the full effect.

Mas Shoes On A Budget - Phase One

So this year I didn't necessarily want to go with a sneaker, but I didn't want to go with a boot. So I came to the conclusion that the cutesy inbetween is a flat. Now gold flats are available in all there abundance and glory in places like Ardenes and Xcetera, but those not ready for the road yet cause those shoes hard, and before end of the day I gone be bawling "me foot" and that gone just spoil my whole experience. Those type of shoes need to be bought months in advance to break in, and considering I'm on a last minute vibe I need to come up with an alternate plan.

So I had some flats I got about 2yrs ago from payless (Yea BOGO!), they were light gold, quite comfortable. So much so they essentially became my everyday shoe (I do alot of walking) so these became my shoes of choice. Now after 2yrs of almost every day wear the shoe colour losing it life, and they were begging to get put down. So I decided to use these shoes as my Mas Shoes since the only real problem was the it losing colour, they were greatly broken in and are excellent for countless hours on your feet.

So I headeed to my Trusty Walmart, and purchased Metallic GOLD spraypaint, as well as gold spray glitter (it wouldve been fabulous if they had orange great contrast!). I sprayed painted about 4 layers of Gold, to get a nice rich hue. Then when that dried enough I proceeded to spray on 2 coats of glitter spray.

Pictured Below is completion of the first phase. (Forgive me for how the insole of the shoe looks - like I said its 2yrs and counting of wearing the shoe almost every day). I wished I had remembered to take some before pictures, as this is quite an improvement to how the shoe looked previously...lol

My second phase will be the finish touches. I will be adding orange detailing to the top brim of the shoe, by adding a slim ribbon finish, gem stones or maybe sequins. Just depends on what I find and whats more economical.

MAKEUP

So I have admittedly gone from Ms. Plain Ole Jane...to Miss love a makeup. Sometimes I take time out and just tamper with different looks and feels to see what works for me. But I'm definitely falling in love with getting glammed up!

I try to go for a made up look that doesn't look OVERLY made up, nothing worse than looking like somebody can take a knife and slice the makeup off your face.

Pictured immediately above is a dramatic eye that I did, don't critique me on it 1st of im not a makeup pro, and 2nd I was really testing the vibrancy of the colour not the technique so forgive me if its not up to par. I used L'OREAL H.I.P. (High Intensity Pigments) eye shadow in "Reckless 514" ( it gives a duo of an eggplant shade and a brighter purple which is what I used in the pic). I also used a tiny bit of an orange shadow from a CoverGirl Eye Enhancers shadow combo (featuring blue, green, organge, yellow-green shades). Definitely not a look for everyday wear but something fun and funky when you're looking for something dramatic. Now, I am not a makeup pro, in fact im soooooooooo far from it. So I give myself kudos, it not good but its not the worse out there lol...I found the vibrancy of the H.I.P. products good on my skintone BUT, this was only after layering it on thick.
Below are photos of the products I used.

L'OREAL HIP "RECKLESS 514"

COVERGIRL EYE ENHANCERS

CARNIVAL NATIONZ COSTUME DISTRIBUTION *REVISED*

Carnival Nationz revellers received this email today about costume distribution.



CARNIVAL NATIONZ COSTUME DISTRIBUTION DATES FOR CARIBANA 2008
Ladies and Gentlemen the time is here for 2008. Time to get ready for de road. We at Carnival Nationz are just as excited as you are to get this Pirate ship to sailing on the Lakeshore. I know all you care about right now is where and when is pick up, so lets get to that and finish with the long talk.

We have set aside special days for each section. Pickup begins on Wed July 30th and ends on Fri Aug 1st. For all out of town masqueraders please make sure we know to hold your costume until Friday evening. Please NOTE: At pickup you will recieve all other information pertaining to Caribana day assembly time, location, order of crossing the stage etc. The scheduled time for costume pickup is as follows:

Caribana Wednesday July 30th
Sextant Horizon (Yellow/Orange), Kacike (Brown), Captain Morgan's (Red), Calico Jack (Black/Pink) , CawCaw! (revised)
6pm - 9pm

Caribana Thursday July 31st
Treasure Island (Black/Blue),
6pm - 9pm

Caribana Friday August 1st
Baubles and Bullions(Purple and Gold), Shipwreck (Cream), Caw Caw (Green/Gold), Misty Dawn (White)
11am - 8pm


PICKUP RULES AND GUIDLEINES:
Please do not show up on days not assigned to your section before your scheduled pickup date. In other words if you are to pick up on Thursday PLEASE do not show up on Wednesday and assume your costume will be ready.

There will be no trying on at the mas camp on pickup days. We are also not responsible for alterations. For all minor alterations (as everyone may have) please feel free to do at home or at a professional tailor or seamstress ..thank you in advance for understanding.

Lastly if you cannot come to pick up your costume on the assigned date, not to worry, we will hold your costume for you until 8pm Caribana Friday. Please come to the mas camp OUTSIDE the other sections scheduled times. In other words if you are in Kacike and are supposed to come to the mas camp between 6-9pm on Wednesday and cannot make it for that time, then feel free to come anytime between the hours of 10am-4pm Thurs or Friday we will hold your costume until 8pm unless an appointment has been made for special pickup. PLEASE NOTE ALL FINAL PAYMENTS ARE DUE AT PICKUP.

We look forward to meeting you in person once again and jumping with you on de Lake Shore!!!

ONE WEEK TO THE JUMP OFF

So we have one week to go until the Caribana Weekend jumpoff. How prepared are you????

I live about an hour and a half away from Toronto, so I literally have to pack and all that stuff as apart of my preparation so the countdown begins for me.

HAIR - I've gotten my hair freshly cut. A week before why? because this gives me time to practice different styles and perfect them, so I'm not on Caribana wkend with a new haircut and have absolutely no idea how to style it.

FETE TICKETS - I knocked this out 3wks ago. I got tickets for JOUVERT and FIREFETE. I am toooooooo toooooooo hype for these events, especially JOUVERT! Back home I look the jouvert experience, its nice to dollz up on costume day but dutty mas is too much fun! So next Friday best believe I will be outside jamming in the paint and in the midst of the wetdown jam!

PACKING - So because I am taking somewhat of a trip I do have to get my packing in order. So I have started making list of all the places I will go, and starting to decide on what outfits for what, and shoes to match. Toss in a JUST IN CASE! You never know what might happen. Think of the tools and products you need for your hair, makeup etc. (curling irons, brushes, combs, variety of eye shadows....)

MONEY - BUDGET!!!!!!!!! If you haven't paid off the balance on your costume make sure you have that safely put aside. If you are like me and have your fete tickets out of the way, then you just need to make sure you have the "vex money" aka "just in case money", money for food, lodging, transport and other activities you may be getting into that wkend. Make sure you have crunched your numbers and budgeted appropriately so you are not in a bind of short of money you may NEED on Caribana weekend.

COSTUME - Costume collection for all the bands will pretty much fall between next Monday - Friday. PLEASE PLEASE do inspect your costume on receipt, try it on. This is to avoid noticing major flaws at the last minute. For minor flaw a glue gun always do the trick, its great to keep one handy. I was able to purchase a small one from Walmart for less than $10. It is PERFECT for quick minor fixes. Major fixes typically would have to be made by the mas camp, so you don't want to wait until Friday Night to say "Section leader my bra tooooo small" because in most instances at that point it will be too late to do anything, so be on point!!!

SHOES - If you are like me and you are revamping some old sneakers/boots into cutesy matching mas shoes. Try and get this done this weekend. This gives you time if you make any mistakes to correct them, or get another pair of shoes if necessary. I will be spray painting my shoes gold this wkend and adding some orange embellishments (will post before and after pics). For those of you still looking for shoes for the "Serengeti" section of Toronto Revellers, Animal print shoes seem to be all the rage! Scarborough town center was overflowing with cheetah and zebra print shoes when I was there last weekend.

Caribana 2008 Roll Call

Caribana 2008 Roll Call
Which band are you bloggers jamming with? Leave a comment and let us know. This helps people who may be in the same band and looking for friends to jam with to link up.

~-CARNIVAL NATIONS-~-

• CaribanaVirgin - SEXTANT HORIZON
• SocaKing - MISTY DAWN
• De Cocoa Ponyal - SHIPWRECK
• Ms. Sexy from Carnival Divas - SHIPWRECK FRONTLINE
• Trini in Toronto - CALICO JACK & HIS LOVER ANNE BONNY
• Karabana - CALICO JACK & HIS LOVER ANNE BONNY
• Bubblenut
• PartyAnimal - CAWCAW!
• Anonymous - CAWCAW! FRONTLINE
• Anonymous - BULLIONS & BAUBLES

-~-TORONTO REVELLERS-~-

• MasVirgin - GEM OF THE NILE
• Anonymous - GEM OF THE NILE
• Anonymous - GEM OF THE NILE
• Anonymous - DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH
• Anonymous - CITY OF GOLD
  
  

-~-TRIBAL KNIGHTS-~-

• Elsa - SEXY SAILOR

-~-MAS TORONTO-~-

• Anonymous - ARC ANGELS

MAC Cosmetics

So I have always been a fan of MAC Cosmetics. Today I visited MAC at Scarborough town center I was in desperate need of a makeup revival LOL. Now, I'm the woman who loves to wear makeup without looking like I wear makeup. Never was a fan of foundation, so I just would wear MAC's pressed powder to get light coverage that would even out my skin tone. Today I crossed into the foundation world. I was introduced to the "Mineralise Satinfinish SPF 15 Foundation". This foundation give almost a transparent coverage, but evens out the skin tone, giving a nice smooth finish that is sooooooo unnoticeable. ITS CRAZY! Even when pressed powder is applied to set the foundation, it is still undetectable. Needless to say, this foundation is my new best friend...lol...Gotta love a product that makes your skin look like you woke up with it being flawless without anyone noticing you even have makeup on!

Kudos to the MAC staff, everytime I've been they have also been very attentive, helping me with products recommending techniques and colours that would work best for me. Thanks!

Thats my tidbit for today!

P.S. I also went into Sephora at Scarborough Town Center, and they had lots of coloured and dramatic eyelashes to choose from, for those of you who want to go very dramatic with the eyes. Also, those of you who are interested in the Coloron Instant makeup they are sold at Sephora at $30 a pack (several applications included).

Stockings or NO Stockings??????

2weeks my dear friends!!!!!!!!!!!! 2 weeks til we on the road beads swinging, feathers blowing in the wind, jamming in all our FABULOUSNESS!!!!!! I cannot waaaaaaaaaaaaait...people! I CANNOT WAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!!!!!!!!


So, my friend and I were discussing all things Caribana, and game into a heated debate; Stockings or no stockings?

Me personally, I don't wear stockings come parade day. I am the stocking impaired. I am one those people I only have to take a step and my stockings gone in!!!! they rip, they sheer, the dead! I never could understand it, I could kill a stocking in no time, now add the combo of dangling beads and lots of wining and gyrating, I ain think they gon make it. So rather than walking around in rip up stockings, or having to sneak somewhere to take them off I go without.

Some people like to wear stockings for hygenic reasons, they feel its an added barrier to keep out any bodily fluid while you are jamming on the road. They also see it as away to prevent of your most private parts. Me I typically wear a matching thong underneath my costume panty for that purpose.

Some people don't know at all why they wear stockings, but it tends to be a Caribbean tradition that is passed on from generation to generation and the reason was lost in translation.

Fishnets....Fishnets are definitely cute and sexy with a costume if you get the right kind. Make sure you get your correct size so the net don't look like it holding on for dear life and the least movement you make it going to burst! Make sure the colour you get blends nicely into the look of the costume, you don't want to overwhelm it. DO NOT WEAR FISHNETS HOW THIS PERSON PICTURED BELOW WORE THEM!!!!

PLEASE LEAVE THE CONTROL PANTY HOSE ALONE!!!

Most of all if you do decide to wear stockings, be prepared to have a little repair kit with you. You don't want to wild out, then look rip up and tear up like you just battle in World War III.

For me I will be in all my glory come Caribana sans stockings - I can't deal with the fuss! lol. But to you who wear them...WEAR THEM WELL! And do the damn thing in all you sexiness!

CARIBANA ACCESSORIES

To the ladies within Canada right now prepping for Canada some of you may be wondering where to get some of your accessories, here are a few suggestions.

Shoppers Drug Mart
you find gem appliques here. They have cases you can buy with loose gems and the glue. As well as the often sell gem tattoos in a variety of colours and patterns. These items are typically located at the makeup counter itself or within the area. Also found in shoppers drugmart are Loreal HIP eyeshadows, these eyeshadows are high pigment shadows that are supposed to be more bold on the skin. This is only true of some of the brighter colours, do a test with the tester, to see how it shows up on your skin tone. Last year I was also able to get a kit of glitter gel. It was gold glitter blended into a non scented gel to make application easy. This was definitely a bang for your buck (if its a large group of you playing mas or you forsee yourself using it alot in the future) because you get a large amount in the kit, and because the gel is easy to apply and spread, a little bit goes along way.


ARDENES, and CLAIRES
These places are accessory central. You can find bracelets, earrings etc. I personally tend to prefer Ardenes because you can get more for your money. Ardenes pretty much always has 10 for $10, 3 for $10 (of more elaborate items), 3 for $5. And you can mix and match between earrings and bracelets, rings etc. They also tend to have a wider variety to choose from. You can go from Gold/Silver toned earrings, to beaded ones, to feather earings etc. They also sell a variety of hair accessories. Claires essentially offers the exact same thing, I just tend to find them a little more expensive, with less variety BUT sometimes you find items in there that Ardenes doesn't have.

MAC Cosmetics
So I have to plug MAC for a second. I don't know how many people are aware, but MAC is on a "green" initiative, and if you return any MAC primary packaging containers that held your powders etc., they give you a free eyeshadow or lip gloss of your choice! (I was told you only require one container for the return by a sales associate, however MAC website says 6. So definitely check with your nearest store to see how they work it) Now of course this free choice is from the lower end of the MAC spectrum, however a great reward for recycling, and if you have compacts you havent thrown out yet, or one you are about to finish up, its a great opportunity to get a NICE QUALITY eye shadow or lip gloss for the Caribana season. They recently opened a MAC store in the Eaton Centre (at long last), there is also one at Scarborough towncentre, and Square One, I do believe there is also one inside the Yorkdale Mall or right near it. The Bay also sells MAC cosmetics.
If you are willing to splurge, places like MAC and Sephora offer a variety of faux eyelashes (comng feathery styles, with gems and in various colours), high pigment eyeshadows and liners (for a dramatic look). Sephora has stores at Scarborough Towncentre, and at the Eaton Centre. Both stores offer online purchases.
www.maccosmetics.com www.sephora.com


This is to blogger Janelle, who asked about getting coloured fishnets. These aren't items you would find in the regular store. From my experience you will have to check out costume stores, or a adult store (aka sex shop) as they tend to have a variety of colours in fishnets and pantyhose to match costumes.

Those are some the main items I covered. If bloggers have any questions and/or suggestions just leave a comment

Caribana Event Tickets

To all of you who want to go to popular Caribana events like FireFete, Carnival In Yuh Backyard, Def Jam party etc. You can purchase your tickets online if you can't make it to one of their retail outlets, they accept creditcards as well as interac payments. You have the option of having the tickets Fedexed to you (regular ground $10 or express $15), or pickup your tickets at their locations in Eaton Centre, or at Erin Mills Mall. If you are picking up tickets you need proper Goverment issued ID as well as the card you used to make the purchase online. They hold the tickets until August 5th. Keep in mind their is a convenience charge for purchasing the ticket on time. But if you purchase early enough even with the convenience charge you can save $15 - $20 rather than waiting until right up onto Caribana to make a purchase in person.

http://www.clubcrawlers.com/CaribanaToronto/nightclubevents.php

Lead Up To Caribana - Things You Should Know

I gave readers the opportunity to suggest topics for future posts. Janelle (beautiful name - because thats my name too..LOL), wanted some insight on preparation for Caribana so I tried to put together some stuff in hopes that it helps.

A great place for info is none other than Saucy's "The Carnival Virgins Survivor Guide" . Here are a few excerpts that are some important tips one can use for Caribana.

SUNBLOCK

• "Sunblock, sunblock and MORE sunblock.Apply after bathing, apply when waiting on the band to move off, apply when you stop for lunch, apply often, apply liberally, ...just make sure you apply it. You don't want to look like a tobago bun bake by Tuesday morning.Carry some sunblock with you in a small vial or a sample size so you can re-apply as necessary."

Sunblock is essential. Don't feel because you aren't white you can't get sunburn. when exposed to enough direct sunlight ANYBODY can be sunburned. You may not look like a lobster, but you'll feel the effects with the tight feeling of the skin, a pain when you touch your skin, and the peeling of your skin in the days after. Not a fun experience at all, so make sunblock a priority.


SURVIVAL BAG

• "...I always carry a small "survival pack" on the road, it's usually a small pouch and in it are items like my sample sized sun block, wet wipes, safety pins, pain killers,clear nail polish (for stocking runs on the road), my cell phone, vex money, powder, oil absorbing sheets and lip gloss"
  

The survival pack is essential! Last year what i did was bought a camera bag that had a few extra pouches to hold in addittion to my camera; my cell phone, money and sunblock (I travel light). I also pulled the thin shoulder strap out to a longer length and strapped the bag to my hip - having the straps discreetly hidden under my waistband. It worked well for me last yr.

WARM UP TO THE DAY

• "If you want to have much stamina, start doing brisk walks round the Savannah, in your yard, on the treadmill , up the street. Wherever you can go walking, do it because it helps come Monday and Tuesday. It helps you to loose the weight plus build stamina because come carnival you want to be able to go until the music truck switch off. Try to start walking about 3 to 4 months before Carnival it really does help, STAMINA FUH SO."

Definitely true! I tried to do this before Caribana last year. I was able to make it down the Lakeshore without having to stop for any length of time to rest as many others had to do. This also helps to prevent soreness after jamming for hours.

DEODORANT

• "Deodorant... please, please, please wear it, preferably the clear, non-residue leaving stuff. Walk with a mini one in your lil bag on Monday and Tuesday, trust me you will appreciate it... (and you will be able to tell those who haven't put on any!)"

This should go without saying...but lets say it...DEODORANT IS IMPORTANT. Nobody want to jam with somebody who smells questionable. Find a deodorant that works for you. One that can offer hours of protection. Many deodorant lines offer products specifically geared towards athletes that last longer and can endure through lots of sweating.

NAVIGATING THAT TIME OF THE MONTH

• "For the ladies, if you are expecting your period around or on Carnival day it is advisable to wear a tampon instead of a pad. If you must wear a pad, wear the ultra thins. If you have a regular cycle or you are on the pill you can "delay" your period until AFTER Carnival.This article explains how it is done by taking your pills back to back without stopping or using a hormonal medicine called 'norethisterone' which is taken three times a day for three days before your period is due and then for seven days to delay the period. At the end of the seven days, the tablets are stopped and your period starts as normal. Your doctor can prescribe this medication and I can vouch for it working as I have used it before with no side effects."

Enough Said on that.

FOOTWEAR

• "Footwear. Ladies please, please, please wear comfortable shoes, sneakers or whatever you desire to wear on your feet. If wearing sneakers, make sure yuh "break them in" at least 1-2 months before carnival if you can't well there's always "Dr scholls". Some people often play mas in gym sneakers because they are already "broken in" and comfortable so it gives support all day. The worst ting is to see people walking in the band barefooted or in their socks alone because the sneakers hurting their damn foot"

Ladies...Comfort before beauty. Don't wear shoes just because they look fabulous with your costume even though they are uncomfortable - you are going to hate yourself later for it. Wear what is comfortable for you, as you are going to be on your feet constantly for most of the day. Also, keep in mind you can revamp any pair of shoes (by painting them, adding glitter and jewels) to make it cute for your costume

NB. Read Saucy's guide for a full list of recommendations that can be very helpful for you.



OTHER KEY THINGS TO REMEMBER

Try to rest up if you can before hand. Lots of people love to party the night before, but try to get at minimum a few hours of sleep so you are not on the road completely beat and lagging.
Eat before you hit the road, you need the energy. Drink lots of water on the road - being in the heat and exerting yourself like that dehydrates you rapidly and can also make you prone to heatstroke. Take advantage of the beverage trucks with your band, they usually have lots of bottled water

Keep safety in mind. Rule of thumb - no matter where you are (on the road, in a club etc.) don't accept drinks from anyone you don't know. As much as we sometimes willing to let a stranger wine up on us, don't wanter off into any secluded areas with anybody you don't know. Make sure that you and the people you're jamming with have a mode of communication between each other or plan incase you get seperated.

Transportation. - Getting to the Lakeshore on Caribana morning is crazy as many routes are blocked off, and traffic is hectic as everybody is trying to get into Toronto from every direction. Parking is limited...and SAFE parking is often VERY EXPENSIVE. Easy thing to do - public transportation take the trusty TTC, or opt for a TAXI. Don't worry, you don't have to feel shy about being on public transportation in full costume - On Caribana Day EVERYBODY does it so you will blend right in.

Costume - DO NOT wait until the last minute to get your costume! This can prove to be problematic. As soon as you get your costume try it on. Some Mas Camps have rooms where you can try on the costumes on the spot, to allow them to make necessary altercations right away. You don't want to wait until Caribana morning to try on the costume, and then realise the panty to small, or the waistband to small, bra is the wrong size etc. These problems can be addressed early oclock so be on the ball! Last year i Tried on my costume at the mas camp to ensure tha bra fit (I have big breasts so I was worried about the bra most) only to find out the panty was waaaaay to small, luckily I tried it on at the mascamp and got the situation rectified right away.

Makeup - DO test your makeup out in advance if you are doing it yourself. Take magazine clippings and try to copy styles and techniques in advance, so you can master them before the day. You don't want to wait until the morning of to try a new technique and get all upset and frustrated when you aren't able to master the technique within the timeframe.

Your Choice!

Caribana being a month away, what topics do you want to be covered in the inbetween time? Any particular information you need or want? Leave comments on topics you would like me to cover between now and then and I will definitely try to address them all.

SALDENAH WEBSITE UP & RUNNING

Saldenah Mas K Club website is FULLY up and running. Now offering pics of each section, and registration. Still no close ups the way other bands (Carnival Nations and Tribal Knights)websites are offering. For more information visit www.saldenahcarnival.com