A few months ago I did a review on Swarovski’s shimmer effect rhinestone series, which was initially introduced to me by Alisa at Har-Man Importing. And last month, she sent me another new line of rhinestones, called Star Bright. Thanks, Alisa! Sign up for the free course & start making costumes! Star Bright is an Austrian Crystal collection, and Har-Man… Read more →
Tag: rhinestones
How to Decorate on Stretch Waistband / Stretch Fabric
I like belly dance costumes that have decorations sewn onto the skirt. 🙂 For this type of skirt, you don’t have to wear a separate belt, which can be more comfortable for some of you. At least for me – less opportunity for costume malfunction 😉 But how do you sew decorations to the stretch waistband of… Read more →
DIY Beaded Paisley Applique
In my last video, you saw how to make a heart shaped beaded applique. And this week I want to share with you this paisley beaded applique. I love paisley designs, and they look great on costumes in every colour. Let’s get started! Download the free paisley patterns here! To make these paisley appliques, you need: Felt – to use… Read more →
DIY Beaded Heart Applique – for dance costumes, wedding, & decor
Valentine’s Day is coming up! So today I want to share with you how I made this heart shaped beaded applique. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day theme costume decorations or just make one as an accent piece like a hair accessory or Valentine’s Day decor or DIY gift. If you stick to neutral colours like I did here, you can… Read more →
DIY Sparkly Star Appliques!
Welcome back to the Holiday DIY series! In my last 2 posts, you saw how to make a sleeveless choli top with cute double bows and a super easy no-sew skirt for your holiday costume. But I mean, these are great all year around! And today, I want to show you how to make these sparkly star appliques to add to your… Read more →
The latest Swarovski crystals for Dancers! – Swarovski Shimmer Effect Xirius 2088 Review
Today I’m super excited to share with you the latest & greatest rhinestones from Swarovski! 😀 Back in August, Alisa from Har-Man Importing contacted me and shared with me this brand-new line of Swarovski rhinestones. Thanks, Alisa! See the review in the video: Sign up for Sparkly Belly newsletter and get free course Belly Dance Costume Making 101! These are called… Read more →
Belly Dance Costuming Tips with Zahra Zuhair!
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 →
Inside the Belly Dance Costume Workshop
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 →
Preciosa vs Swarovski rhinestones – Where to buy rhinestones, comparison, cheap alternative
Rhinestones are your best friend when you make dance costumes. But it can be overwhelming to know which one to buy. I often buy rhinestones from Dreamtime Creations. and since I was buying some rhinestones for a project the other day, I thought to buy one of different brands to compare the quality and colours and share my observations with… Read more →
How to Use a Glue Syringe – glue applicator syringe for rhinestones
Here’s an honest disclaimer – This post contains some affiliate links. This means that if you click on the links and purchase products, I earn a small commission (no additional cost to you). The small commission I earn keeps all the Sparkly Belly tutorials free 🙂 No obligation, just an option. Thanks! Last week I showed you how to make… Read more →