Event review: Kinkfest UK 2014

Posted by Aemilia Hawk on September 10, 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.

Eerie Beauty – “Demonic Cheesecake” revisited

Posted by Aemilia Hawk on July 18, 2014

Nicole Klein, the awesome photographer from The Hourglass, has just started up a sister company concentrating on a much darker image.

After a request to revisit the ‘Demonic Cheesecake’ collection, I feel honoured to be among the first of her retouched images in Eerie Beauty.

Check out her new facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/eeriebeauty

Photos courtesy of Eerie Beauty.
Photography by Nicole Klein.
All images are copyright © The Hourglass 2006-2014

Kabunza: Headquarters!

Posted by Aemilia Hawk on June 18, 2014

Kabunza has finally moved into it’s own headquarters!

We moved in last month and aside from putting up some room dividers (which I am hoping to do as soon as possible to section off our areas), we have pretty much settled in and made ourselves at home.

Our workshop and office is located in the heart of Swindon (the address can be seen on the Kabunza Facebook page, or you can message me and I will relay it to you) and is open most weekdays (depending on what events we will be attending) for visitors to come along and browse our current stock or even have a look through our leathers to order something custom to be made. I am also willing to give tuition at this location for anyone wishing to learn techniques from me privately.

Because we share a building with a kink friendly publishing firm, we have access to a lot of space, so with a little luck we will also be hosting a few workshops and events here (I have even been thinking about hosting a small but regular peer rope event). I will keep people posted about these through my Kabunza page on this blog as and when we plan them.

Of course, you will still be able to purchase our items through our Etsy shop, but now everyone has the added option of popping by the place where everything is made, having a look at our construction process and browsing through it all in person!

Officially open to the public! Come along and check us out!

Photos courtesy of Dark Desires photography.
Photography by Dark Desires photography.
All images are copyright © Dark Desires photography

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

Posted by Aemilia Hawk on June 17, 2014

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

Posted by Aemilia Hawk on April 17, 2014

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!

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

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

Posted by Aemilia Hawk on December 14, 2013

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

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

Posted by Aemilia Hawk on October 20, 2013

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

A Velvet Thought – Mistresses Musings: An artists touch

Posted by Aemilia Hawk on September 17, 2013

I have a good number of friends who are artists and in the past it has been my privilege to have had unique pieces of art drawn of me or for me.

During a little rummage through my storage, I have come across my collection. I cherish every one and class some of them as among my most prized possessions (alongside my top hat, floggers, cane and antique violet wand). Two such drawings in particular. Both of which I had full intentions to get framed, but due to life becoming rather hectic; I stored them safely and vowed to “get around to it” when free time became more readily available.

Unfortunately, I still have no frames (or much free time). However, that does not mean that I cannot share them on my blog!

This first drawing was done by Gillian Pearce of Hellionsart.com. I have known Gill for about half a decade now and a couple of years ago I had the honour of being drawn by her. It was at one of the numerous gaming conventions which I frequently attended back then due to doing a bit of freelance writing and photography for a gaming magazine (which shall remain unnamed). I was wearing a particularly steampunk attire at the time; I think she did a wonderful job.

She does commissions and they make excellent personalised gifts, so go and check out her site when you get the chance at: http://www.hellionsart.com/

This second drawing was done by none other than Ralph Horsley. Again, I met Ralph during my freelance gamer writing days and this one was drawn with the concept of having a few more of what I would consider “natural characteristics”. I already have my fangs and claws showing. Why not wings, horns and tail too? Wishful thinking; such is the mundane society we live in. I get attention enough already.

Ralph has done a few sketches for me in the past, but this one has always been my favorite.

One day, I will get them all framed. Hopefully I will have a few more by the time I get around to it so that I can create a collage of them on the living room wall (anyone interested in using me as their muse, please feel free to contact me as I would enjoy the opportunity), but in the meantime they will remain safely sealed away.

Eveproductions Photoshoot 08/08/13

Posted by Aemilia Hawk on September 5, 2013

On Thursday 8th August, I visited Eveproductions studio in Cambridge to have a few photos taken. Unfortunately, I do not intend to post a large portion of them on my blog as a lot of them were topless shots or nudes. But, in an effort to avoid too much disappointment; here is a selection of ones that I have deemed acceptable for viewing on my blog.

However, if you are lucky enough to be on my Fetlife profile friends list. You get to see some of the topless shots.

Exodus UK ‘Fire Poi’ photoshoot 01/12/12

Posted by Aemilia Hawk on December 2, 2012

After a wonderful weekend of 2 events, BOUND rope jam in London followed by the Exodus UK 2 year anniversary party in Birmingham, Benjamin and I have returned exhausted but elated from the experience.

As luck would have it; Raven Imaging photography was in attendance at the Exodus UK anniversary and after having such lovely images taken by them back in the October photoshoot, we decided another run of photos would be a prudent thing to do.

I managed to pick up my fire poi once again for more practice and Benjamin did his first public rope suspension (a very comfortable one I must add. It is very unfortunate that due to technical trivialities, we could not get any photos taken of this play).

Of course, this time around, given what I have lately been training and practicing in, the images that we did get mandatorily included fire.

Enjoy.