Event review: Kinkfest UK 2014

Earlier this year, I was asked to take part and teach workshops at the UK’s largest and newest BDSM educational conference and event, Kinkfest UK. To say it was an honour to have been able to take part is an understatement and over the course of its 2 day debut, it quickly became my favorite event of 2014 and one of my favourite BDSM events of this past decade.

Concentrating more on the safety and knowledge aspects of BDSM during the day by hosting a large and very diverse assortment of workshops and classes, while during the evenings having a large environment to practice in and have fun with new-found skills, as well as having live performances of fire play and Japanese rope bondage, Kinkfest UK has it all. In fact, I think the only thing it lacked was a market.

Held in the same venue as they hold the Midland peer rope evenings at the Xtasia club in Birmingham, I ran several flogging workshops over the course of the event and I also managed to get in some very fun rope (photos below). They have expressed wishes to continue Kinkfest UK as a yearly event and I for one really hope they do. This event was simply awesome and given the chance, I would gleefully attend again.

The First flogging workshop on the 26th July:

My playtime while attending the peer rope workshop on the 26th July:

The last flogging workshop on the 27th July:

My rope model and workshop partner for the event: Jitsuka.
Photos courtesy of Kinkfest UK.
Photography by Red Fox Photography.
All images are copyright © KinkfestUK 2014.

Tease & Cake, Vintage inspired Pin Up Magazine – Additional photos 14/01/14

Continued from Tease & Cake, Vintage inspired Pin Up Magazine 14/01/14.

These photos are a sneak peek at some of the images that were taken during the course of the photo shoot that have not been published the magazine. So, all of you should still go to their website and grab a copy!

You can get your copy of Tease & Cake at : www.teaseandcake.co.uk
Check out the Tease and Cake facebook page at: www.facebook.com/TeaseandCake
And if you fancy having your own Pin-Up photo shoot, check out The Hourglass photography studio at: www.thehourglass.eu

Photos courtesy of The Hourglass.
Photography by Nicole Klein.
All images are copyright © Tease and Cake Ltd

 

Tease & Cake, Vintage inspired Pin Up Magazine 14/01/14

I told you all that there would eventually be photos of me doing Shibari on my blog!

Late last year (2013), a friend of mine was advertising for models for a Vintage/Retro magazine called ‘Tease and Cake‘ which centers around the 1950’s Pin-Up genre. I sent her a message, which was originally meant as a bit of a jest because I have never really considered myself to be Pin-Up material (despite desperately wanting to be), and essentially asked her if she thought I could be the next Betty Page.

I really never expected to find out that she had been discussing with her team the idea of shooting something along the lines of “A day in the life of a Mistress” with me.

The setting would be around the 1940’s, a retro style, to include a violet wand, rope bondage and to have a “Betty Page” BDSM feel to it. As it turned out (because, seriously, I just can’t seem to pull off the Pin-Up ‘look’ and I have developed an amazing respect for those who can, it is not an easy thing to do), it ended up being an interview and shoot centered around a genuine curiosity on the history of BDSM and how it has changed in the past 60 years along with photos to compliment the article. I also managed to rope-in (literally) another friend of mine (the lovely Emma Yada-yada) who playfully agreed to be my rope model for the day.

The article is titled “Fetish then and now” and here is a few example photos from the shoot, which appear in issue 7 of the magazine and is now available for purchase on the Tease and Cake website. It is an awesome magazine and packed full of retro goodness, but I do not want to give too much away. So, if you want to see and read more (including photos and articles on a host of other glamorous retro lovelies) you will need to head to the links provided and buy a copy!

You can get your copy of Tease & Cake at : www.teaseandcake.co.uk
Check out the Tease and Cake facebook page at: www.facebook.com/TeaseandCake
And if you fancy having your own Pin-Up photo shoot, check out The Hourglass photography studio at: www.thehourglass.eu

Photos courtesy of The Hourglass.
Photography by Nicole Klein.
All images are copyright © Tease and Cake Ltd

I tie.

A common misconception seems to be that because I tend to get tied up, I do not tie.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

All of the rope workshops and tuition that I have attended with Benjamin have been learning experiences for me as well. I simply choose to avoid having my rope photographed in abundance.

Eventually, when I feel as though my skill level has developed to a decent point, things may change and I may end up having photos or videos done every time I tie, but for the moment I am happy honing my skills on willing friends (I tend to prefer tying girls) and having fun.

My new rope. Soaked in the blood of my victims.

I have two sets of rope. My newest set, purchased from and treated by Benjamin, consists of eight 8.4m lengths of 5mm Tossa Jute which have been dyed blood red.

Benjamin has started up a small business treating and selling premium asanawa jute and you can check out his new site at: http://shibaribybenjamin.wordpress.com/

The other (my first set of ropes) is a very special set of eight 9m lengths of 6mm single ply Jute, imported from Japan, that Benjamin gave to me as a gift last year. I will now be keeping this set for special occasions.

My special Japanese jute.

So, yes. I tie.
😉

And in all likelihood, I will have some photos of my ropework here on my blog eventually.

Product review: UberKinky Wax Play Candle Pack

Wax play is incredibly fun as a stand-alone kink, it has its own unique mix of sensation and emotion, but it is also one of those forms of play which I have found works brilliantly as an addition to others.

I have found it a beautiful accompaniment to Shibari and Kinbaku (strategically placing candles in the rope which then paint the model with wax while in bondage can invoke some of the most visual of BDSM art as well as produce some of the most intense play scenarios). Even impact play after a little wax play, where you are literally flogging, caning or spanking the wax off the body makes for an incredibly different scenario and plethora of sensations.

When Uberkinky offered me a pack of their specially designed wax play candles to review, I greedily grabbed the pack and started to drool at the thought of where I could add them for best effect (both ‘scenario’ and ‘body cavity’).

One of the things I noticed more than anything else with the UberKinky Wax Play Candle Pack is the quality of the wax itself, they are paraffin based which means they have a tendency to melt a little quicker and feel a little waxier, but more importantly; they produce a wax that is completely devoid of the soot which tends to accumulate with normal candles when you invert them (which, while being a positive attribute for any play, in my opinion, makes them especially good for rope performance on stage where time and appearance are very important factors).

I have also noticed that there is very little in the way of wax evaporation. lots of drippage and body coverage while using only a fraction of the candle and the wax burns at a slightly lower temperature, meaning you can add a larger range of sensation without feeling as though you are about to unpleasantly burn off a layer of sensitive skin.

The only downside that I can think of is the fact that they are colour dipped instead of a solid colour. The center of the candle is a white wax that takes on the colour of the candles dipped shell as it melts, which, while adding colour to the dripping wax, means that the dripped wax on the body is not as vibrant a colour as the candle itself. It is only a small downside, but a downside nonetheless. I still think the positive value of these candles far outweigh that single noteworthy negative.

As an added bonus for people who are new to this form of play, Uberkinky has written up the Beginner’s Guide To Wax Play which gives tips on safety, aftercare, how to get started and much more. Worth a peek 😉

Performance: BOUND, London – 22/11/13 Additional Photos

Continued from Performance: BOUND, London – 22/11/13

More photography of our London BOUND shibari rope bondage performance:

Photos courtesy of Clover Photography.
Photography by Clover Brook.
Images are Copyright © 2013 kinkyclover.com

Otonawa workshops with Peer Rope London

I have been incredibly busy this past month, but I finally have the time to sit down and write a few posts for my currently neglected blogs.

First up: A short post about the extended 4 day weekend of Otonawa workshops and Peer Rope London events that we had attended this past week while they are still fresh in my memory.

Mister Otonawa and his lovely wife Tsubasa are one of my favorite Kinbaku performance couples. They bring to the stage a mix of Kinbaku with stand-up comedy and sideshow theatrics. Their performances are incredibly unique and entertaining (Mister Otonawa is also the inventor of ‘Air Kinbaku’, rope without rope).

When Benjamin was asked to safety monitor the workshops and help anyone who may be having a little difficulty while taking the classes, I jumped at the chance to tag along and perhaps learn a few things in the process (I find it a little funny that Benjamin was so busy doing the monitoring over the 4 days that he did not get to tie me up at all).

One of the evenings was an open stage night and we were treated to a full performance by Mister Otonawa and Tsubasa. The word ‘Awesome’ comes to mind when I think back to that particular night.

Luckily, I had taken videos of all the lessons so that Benjamin and I can refer back to them when opportunities arise to practice. I personally sat in on one of the workshops, partnered up with a friend of mine, and I think we learned a lot.

I managed to break out my poi floggers and dragon tails during the evenings and moments between workshops (at one point having 6 people lined up in a row and bent over while I flogged up and down the line) and even encouraged Mister Otonawa and his wife to have a go.

I wish to send out a big thankyou to the organisers of the whole wonderful weekend (I am not sure if they are comfortable with names being mentioned, so I will simply say ‘organisers’ as they know who they are). We had a fantastic time.

It was a trip down Roper Lane that I will not soon forget.

Performance: BOUND, London – 11/10/13 Additional Photos

Continued from Performance: BOUND, London – 11/10/13

More photography of our London Bound shibari rope bondage performance:

Photos courtesy of Bee Bzzz.
Photography by Bee Bzzz.
Images are Copyright © 2013 Bee Bzz

Performance: BOUND, London – 11/10/13

It was late by the time we managed to attend BOUND shibari night, held at The Flying Dutchman in London. It was Benjamin‘s birthday and we had already spent a large portion of the evening with close friends and a restaurant meal.

Most of our time spent at BOUND tends to be watching the performances and socialising (a large majority of our friends attend this same event), but this evening was different (despite being Benjamin‘s birthday) and it was not until the performance before the last that Nina Russ approached Benjamin and said “Oh, by the way, we have booked you in as the last performance of the evening. Happy Birthday!”

Nerves ran high (which is probably why nothing was said until about an hour before we were due to perform) and we almost bottled out of doing it. But in the end we swallowed hard and went on stage; as you can see from the simply amazing photos.

We have both been buzzing from the experience all weekend, after all, this was our first Shibari/Kinbaku performance.

I am just glad he had such an awesome birthday.

These images were taken from two different photographers (details are under each collection of photos). I have been told more people were taking photos, but these are what we have received to date.

Photos courtesy of Amplified Pulse.
Photography by Rebecca Seal-Davis.
Images are Copyright © 2013 www.amplifiedpulse.com

Photos courtesy of Sex is not Art.
Photography by Manolo Remiddi.
Images are Copyright © 2013 www.sexisnotart.com

More photos can be seen: Here.

Dr Phil’s London Shibari Workshop

Benjamin and I have been on many Shibari and Kinbaku training courses over the past 9 months. We have had private tuition, attended workshops, demonstrations, performances and events or have even simply met and managed to discuss rope one-on-one with Riggers and Rope Models who have dedicated their lives to it and are simply amazing at what they do. Names like Bruce Esinem, Nina Russ, Gorgone, Kasami Ranki, Vinciens, Kirigami and Peter Slemrian to name but a few. However, I always seem to avoid going into depth about our experiences with them as it is often simply training or technical discussion; which can sometimes come across as tedious for those not interested in that particular subject or too much of a single type of study (Which is not always the best thing to fill up a blog as diverse as mine with; I prefer to mix in as many different aspects of my BDSM practices that I can).

I hope to change things and add a little more to my blog in the way of personal and lifestyle experiences. It has been suggested that I should write more; Ergo, I shall!

Dr Phil’s London Shibari Workshop:

Dr Phil is a French Rigger who has had a passion for bondage since the age of 24. Benjamin seemed eager to attend the rare opportunity of a rope workshop in London hosted by him at Chez Esinem, and we jumped at the chance when a couple of our friends announced that they would want to go along with us.

The class was quite small, consisting of only 5 Riggers and 4 Models (not including Dr Phil and his Model), so it allowed for discussion and getting to know people, which is always a bonus, and primarily concentrated on styles that we were already relatively familiar with (it is great when you understand the basics to begin with, it helps in noticing each Riggers individual and often subtle variations) but also included a little of the aesthetic and non suspension ties. The only harness that we remembered to take a photo of was a very pretty (non-suspension) version of Hojōjutsu.

The latticework between the shoulders makes a great ‘handle’ for controlling your play partner.

Also joining us at the workshop was well known artist and frequent addition to BOUND: Isobel Williams, Who sat on the sidelines during the ‘throwing of string’ and sketched, inked or painted away. You can see some of her rendition of the day on her blog at: http://boulevardisme.blogspot.co.uk

It turned out to be both a fun and informative day. One I would gladly repeat.