A few months ago, I treated myself to a new phone – Samsung Galaxy S7. I wasn’t even going to get the latest & greatest (I was using Galaxy S2 at the time), but the store (and my fiance) convinced me into getting this smartphone. I must say, I’m so happy they did! The phone comes… Read more →
I’m so excited to publish this post today, because… I have one of my all time favourite belly dancers, Zahra Zuhair, on Sparkly Belly!!! A couple of months ago, I stumbled upon her YouTube videos where she was talking about creating your own signature style of dancing, which was really, really good and helpful. So I immediately emailed her and… Read more →
I like Princess Jasmine. Her typical look is not a floor length dress like other Disney princesses. She’s in rather simple harem pants, but she is still gorgeous and that’s what I find unique and attractive about her. And to me, the best part of her outfit is the sleeves. Her sleeves are so flowy, and simply romantic.I’ve always wanted… Read more →
Last week I announced that the enrolment to my online Belly Dance Costume Workshop (BDCW) is opening on May 22, 2016. I’ve been receiving messages and questions from excited dancers 🙂 If you have questions about the workshop, feel free to email me at mao@sparklybelly.com. I’m happy to answer your questions, and it’s great to know what you are wondering… Read more →
The weather is getting warmer, and it’s time to think about costumes for summer performances! Or in you’re in the southern hemisphere, think about winter holiday performances 😉 Either way, now is a good time to start making costumes for the upcoming season. So in that spirit, I have 3 big announcements for you today. Announcement #1… Enrolment of the… Read more →
I’ve been curious about those curly rhinestone appliques used to decorate belly dance costumes, often by Russian designers. And lots of dancers have been asking how to make these on Facebook. They are so cute and help you create beautiful, romantic designs. It took me a while, but I finally figured out how to make them, and in this video, you’ll… Read more →
Do you like an easy, quick DIY that’s actually wearable? I definitely do 😀 Many dancers liked the 10-minute overskirt DIY that I posted a while ago. So, I made another 10-minute project. It’s a cowl neck top that can be used as a practice top or decorate it to make a costume top. It’s a no-sew project so even if… Read more →
Want to finally learn how to sew? And make your own costumes? And save money? If you said yes to any of the above, you are in the right place! 🙂 The #1 Costume Challenge I’ve been sharing my DIY belly dance costume tutorials for a while now, and during this time, I have been fortunate enough to get to… Read more →
Alteration is a big part of belly dance costuming, and continuing from last week’s alteration project, I have one more example to show you. Last week I showed how I altered my beaded belt and made it shorter. In this week’s video, you’ll see how I changed the shoulder straps of the matching bra from over-the-shoulder style to criss-cross at… Read more →
Whether you are a belly dancer or not, you may lose weight and your regular bra or costume bra doesn’t quite fit you anymore. Or you may buy a costume bra from someone else, and the bra cups happen to be a bit too big. Stuffing cotton balls in the bra cups may work, but they don’t really stay in… Read more →