DIY - Painting Shelves

I moved into a 3 bedroom flat with my partner a couple of months ago which allowed me to utilise the spare room as boudoir. I felt this was the opportune moment to breath some new life into my old draws and shelves that I've owned since a kid. Besides, every pinup needs a gorgeously decorated boudoir, am I right?! Below are the steps on how I approached and created my first DIY project of painting shelves. Seeming it's my first DIY project it's not the most exciting, but later in the year I will be redecorating my draws and a vintage writing desk. 

Original Shelves 

1. Research inspiration and plan a colour scheme. 

 I definitely knew I wanted mint green as my main colour but I tossed around on what colour to pair it with. I narrowed it down to either mint green and light pink, or mint green and white. As dreamy as the mint green and light pink was pictured in my mind, I decided to go with the safer, subtle option of mint green and white.

Etsy.com was my main source of inspiration on how I wanted to paint the shelves. I searched options such as, "retro shelves", "vintage shelves", "mint green shelves".

Choosing the paint was actually quite time consuming. Finding the mint green wasn't too difficult. I matched colour swatches against my shorts which were also mint green. It was helpful to directly have the comparison. Choosing the white took quite a while. There are so many shades of white!! It was a fine line of ensuring I wasn't choosing a stark white or something too creamy.

The paint I picked:

• Horseshoe Falls by Dulux
• ...... by Dulux 
• Note: Make sure to buy tester pots to save yourself money as that's all you're going to need. 

2. Sanding 

This is the worst part. Sanding is not fun (well, for me it's not). My partner let me use his electric sander to make the job easier and he showed me how to use it. At first it was terrifying, I thought the sander was going to fly out of my hands.

To use an electric sander:

• Make sure there is a fresh sheet of sandpaper attached to it.
• Wipe any dust of the shelves. 
• I laid the shelves on its side to ensure it was sturdy while I worked. 
• Ensure the sander is constantly moving across the surface. Do not hold it still on one spot for too long. 
• Use sand paper on it's own, with out the tool, to sand those hard to reach corners/places
• Note: I advise not sanding inside your house. Take it outside or into the garage.  

3. Painting 

• Wipe clean all of the sanding residue. 
• I painted the inside of the shelves with the Horseshoe falls using a roller paint brush. I used an ordinary paint brush to take care of the corners. Ensure to apply your coat evenly as possible to avoid discolouration. 
• Next, I painted .... on the outside of the shelves in the same method as above. 
• Let it dry. Paint a second coat if necessary. 

xx Soda Fontaine xx

Miss Moonshine 2015

I competed in the very first Miss Moonshine Pinup competition on the 1st of February 2015. The competition is organised by New Zealand's Glory Day's Magazine and is held at The American Vehicle Day, Trentham, Lower Hutt. 

Any lovely Pinup gal is eligible to compete, all you need to do is submit a photo and summary about yourself to Glory Days Magazine to be in the running. This was my entry: 

Photo by MissT Pinups

"I am Soda Fontaine, Pinup Girl and Burlesque Performer. 

My first burlesque show was back in December 2011 and I have been hooked ever since. I was a bit of Theatre Geek back in the day so Burlesque appealed to me in the sense that you can be the complete master of your own show. Also all the sparkles and glitter helped lure me in too. My main burlesque style is 'cheesecake' and I tie in my love for Pinup into my performances. 

What I love most about dressing pinup style is how it makes me feel. With the outfits, hair and makeup all tied together, I feel glamorous and confident. All I need now is a '59 pink Cadillac Convertible to complete my look wink emoticon

I also have a love for travel, various genres of metal music, anything nautical themed and collecting artwork."

On the day of the competition, contestants are given the opportunity to arrive at the venue early and pose with classic cars with a professional photographer. You can pose by yourself and have numerous group shots with the other contestants. I decided to wear a different dress for the photos and competition but kept them in theme so I didn't have to change my accessories. 

With my Twinup Miss Charlotte Cake

Myself with Miss Charlotte Cake and Miss Monique Sweet

Photo by Artful Dodge Photography

Next it was competition time and all 16 pinups lined up to take the stage. One at a time, we had to walk the catwalk, work a pinup pose and lastly, say something about ourselves in front of the crowd. The judges tallied the votes and Miss Monique Sweet is announced as the winner. Miss Monique Sweet rocked the most amazing custom made watermelon circle skirt, with matching cardigan and accessories. 

Miss Moonshine was great practice for Miss Pinup NZ which I will be competing in within a few months. I highly recommend the competition for pinups who are starting out or whom are wanting stage practice. 

My Outfit Details: 

• Pineapple Flower Crown custom made by Pop That Cassette. 
• Fruit Charm Bracelet custom made by Pop That Cassette. 
• Necklace from Erstwilder. 
• Both dresses custom made by Honey L'Amour. 

xx Soda Fontaine xx 

Photographers Inc x Viva La Vintage

A couple of months ago I had a photo shoot with Photographers Inc. I was after a high-end, professional studio shoot and to show a slightly different side to Soda Fontaine. Photographers Inc uses a natural lighting studio and provides a makeover package. The amazing Amber Davies, co-owner of the beautiful Vintage store Viva La Vintage, provided me with gorgeous outfits to model for the shoot. Check out the photos :) 



My experience with Photographers Inc was fantastic and very professional. When you contact Photographers Inc they will book you in for a 15 minute consultation to discuss what kind of shoot you are after and pricing options. My session took two hours, 1 hour for hair and makeup and 1 hour of shooting time. The photographer Charlton is fabulous, he helps you with poses and makes you feel really comfortable in front of the camera. Lastly, you will be invited back to the studio to view your photos on a projector and choose your favourites. I love how my photos turned out. 

Photographers Inc is located in Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand. Check out their website http://www.photographersinc.co.nz/ for more information. 

xx Soda Fontaine xx

Christmas Pinup

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas :) Earlier in December I had a Christmas theme pinup shoot with Zandy J Photography to be ready just in time for Christmas. Check out the shots. 

                             

    

2014 has been such a fantastic year, to think back I am surprised at how much I have achieved. From winning Sponsors Choice and Miss Congeniality at Miss Burlesque New Zealand 2014, to winning a Golden Garter for 'Favourite Pasties' and featuring in two pinup calendars for 2015. Here's hoping 2015 is even better and I keep to one of my new years resolutions of keeping my blog up to date :) 

xx Soda Fontaine xx 

The Cat's Meow

On the 8th of November, I had the absolute pleasure of performing in The Rock n Roll Circus' Cat's Meow burlesque show. The Rock n Roll Circus burlesque shows are always a huge hit in Auckland with sell out shows. The Cat's Meow show was no exception. The VIP tickets sold out within hours of their release. That's because The Rock n Roll Circus has a reputation for providing a fun and high energy show in which the audience can get involved in, as well as providing top NZ burlesque talent. 

I performed two routines. The first being my new act 'Heart Breaker' in the VIP pre-show and my 'Champagne Worshiper' act in the main part of the show. Check out the photos below shot by Picture Finish Photography. 

A huge sparkly thank you to Sugar Spanx the producer of the show. Sugar Spanx is the best burlesque producer you could ask for, she ensures to keep you informed, is highly organised, and a complete sweetheart. If you are located in Auckland make sure to check out the next Rock n Roll Circus show, Las Vegas Nights. 

xx Soda Fontaine xx 

Viva La Vintage

Viva La Vintage is a gorgeous, quaint vintage store nestled in Devonport, Auckland. The store is owned by Amber Davies and her mother Bronny who are both complete sweethearts. Viva La Vintage stocks vintage and vintage reproduction clothing, accessories, and antique furniture. Each week, Amber has a model of the week to showcase current clothing within the store. I've had the delight of modelling for Viva La Vintage twice. Check out the most recent snaps below, all dresses are by Lazy Bones Australia. 

                        

These Lazy Bones dresses are so perfect for summer. The colours and patterns are vibrant. The fabric is lightweight and breathable, and the cut is so flattering for each style. 

If you would like to be a model of the week for Viva La Vintage, then contact Amber via her facebook page. 

xx Soda Fontaine xx

Jungle Magic

On Labour Weekend I performed in Waiheke Island at Jungle Magic. This show was produced by NZ's Island of Burlesque Fest. Jungle Magic was a dance party with a mix of performances through out the evening. I performed my 'Beach Babe' routine. I was thrilled to perform this again as it's one of my favourite routines to perform and I had only performed it once before. Jungle Magic was organised to raise funds for the NZ Island Burlesque Festival 2015. 

Backstage - Showgirl Life. Photo by Du Bont Creative

The venue was transformed into an untamed Jungle

Photo by Du Bont Creative

Photo by Du Bont Creative

Photo by Du Bont Creative

I love performing on Waiheke Island, it has a great vibe and the audiences are so supportive and lively. 

Make sure to check out a burlesque show on Waiheke Island if you can. It's the perfect excuse for a little getaway. You can't go wrong with a mix of burlesque babes on a beautiful island. 

xx Soda Fontaine xx