Special Holiday Love! From UkeCordionPocalypse:
*** WARNING! This song may or may not get stuck in your head. If you listen to this song and then go on a mad shooting spree, slaying all snowmen in sight, note that we are not responsible. You were warned. ***

The UkeCordionPocalypse “I Hate Snowmen” holiday song by mabjustmab

Hey folks! since sideshow folk don’t have health or dental insurance, we are forced to think of creative ways to generate emergency revenue in times of need. well, now is one of those times. For a LIMITED TIME! I am offering a piece of sideshow history! http://mabjustmab.com/concessionstand/flea-market/glasswalkers-footprint/
Genuine sideshow artifact!
Actual Broken Glass that was walked upon by Mab, Just Mab

I have been a glass walker for quite a few years. And since I smash between one and three bottles every show, what started as a modest pile of broken glass has grown to more glass than I can carry around!

Now is your opportunity! You can own your very own piece of sideshow history! I can personally guarantee that this glass was seen on stage, breaking beneath my tender feet. You can see the broken shards UP CLOSE! If you ever wondered if I treat the glass I walk on, or if it is made of sugar, this is your chance to see what it really looks like! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is REAL GLASS!

I am offering a limited number of these. Right now, I only have 10! Each one is signed and numbered!

Each one comes complete with a card depicting Mab (me!) walking on the offered glass.

This would be a great edition to any collection! Great conversation started! You too can have a real sideshow exhibit in your home!

at only $20 it\’s a hell of a bargain!
shipping & handling $10

GET YOURS NOW! I do not know when I will be offering this again!

(click picture for larger version!)

GET YOURS NOW! I do not know when I will be offering this again!

Also on the block!!

I am auctioning off a special “Guest List for a Year” pass! all you have to do is register on my website (I won’t send you email and it costs nothing.) and put in a bid! at the moment, you can get guest list for a year for only $10! that’s 12 month’s of shows for the price of ONE!

http://mabjustmab.com/auctions/guest-list-for-1-year/

The bearer of this pass is on the guest list for any show that I’m in for a year (starting from the date of issue). All you have to do is text me that you are coming to the show, and I’ll put your name on the guest list!

I do several shows a month, most of them local. This offer is also valid for any show out of town too! At $10 a show, that can add up! In my head, it’s kind of like a Groupon or Living Social thing.

This is a great item for anyone who likes to see a variety of variety shows!

(this is the first time I’m trying this out…if it works out, I’ll offer another one next year!)

and if you don’t want to pick up a genuine sideshow artifact, you can still donate here!

With the new year, comes new possibilities!  I have decided it shall be the Year of Gigs!

photo by Devon Roland

Not just for me, but for all Variety Artists!  To that end, I want to compile (and share!) a list of venues.  If you have performed or know of a great performance space in the DC Metro area (or beyond!) fill in the details on this list!

I will share the results with everyone who contributed.

See you on stage!

Go here to fill out the form! https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEs3a1lZWGRzUTZ5NHQyNG94UDRfZ2c6MQ

it was very nearly one year ago that the love affair began.

For Christmas, my mother gave me her old Kamaka ukulele she had when she lived in Hawaii in the ’60s. It needed a lot of repairs before it could be played, so on my way up to a New Year’s Eve party in Baltimore, I stopped at House of Musical Traditions to drop it off for an estimate. They had Makala ukes on sale, so I figured I would pick one up and get started on uke basics.

I had the man behind the counter tune it up, and before I would leave I asked him to teach me a few chords. He taught me C, G, and F. and showed me a basic song (I wrote the uke tabs on the back of the price tag)

That night, at the NYE party, there were no less than 5 ukes, all randomly deciding to show up out of the blue. Thus began, 2010, the year of the uke.

In honor of the great year of the uke, I want to share this, my first uke tune, with everyone!
and wish you all a happy new year!

uke love!
Mab, Just Mab

C G F

(C)Should old acquaintance (G)be forgot,
and (C)never brought to (F)mind ?
Should (C)old acquaintance (G)be forgot,
and (c)old (G)lang (C)syne ?

CHORUS:
(C)For auld lang (G)syne, my dear,
for (C)auld lang (F)syne,
we’ll (C)take a cup of (G)kindness yet,
for (C)auld (G)lang (C)syne.

And (C)surely you’ll buy (G)your pint cup !
and (C)surely I’ll buy (F)mine !
And (C)we’ll take a cup o’ (G)kindness yet,
for (C)auld (G)lang (C)syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

It’s the time of year where folks give stuff to other folks!  Well, I’m no different!

How about a pdf of all the uke tabs I have in my arsenal? (be warned, this is not a small file!)

These are the uke tabs I have collected in the past year.  Most of them from the internet.  After downloading the file, just click the bookmarks tab on the left of the PDF window.  You can see the whole list of songs!

Have fun!  Grow your music arsenal!  And Merry Uke-Mass!

At last night’s show, no less than three people asked me about my corset/where to get good ones.

I tend to wear corsets that are suitable for “tight lacing”. They are sturdier, have better shape, give great reduction, better boning, etc. I like the “underbust” or “waist cincher” styles as “overbust” cups ~never~ fit right on anyone I have ever seen (not without serious customization). I like the Victorian style a little better. All of the corsets I wear use front busk closures and lace in the back (lace to the middle!).

A lot of times you will see cheap “corsets” that offer no reduction at lingerie/goth shops. They tend to buckle and crease and do nothing to accent the dead sexy shape of a woman. There is a time and a place for those types of garments, but I can’t think of any at the moment.

My old corset (that survived 4+ years of rough wear) came from Brute Force Leather/ Fallen Angel Fashions.   His corsets use solid steel boning, (which I like), and have a good shape. The customer service is touch and go/crap-shoot. His corsets are at the high end of pricing, so I decided to shop around till I found better for less, which I did.

The one I was wearing last night came from Isabelle’s: http://www.corsetmaker.com/
she uses spiral steel boning which is more flexible than solid steel boning. The cut/her pattern for the underbust is excellent, and gives a good reduction. It was an off the rack job, on sale, and around $99. It looks great, fits great, and feels great. Wow. Great deal!

You can’t discuss corsets shops without mentioning Timeless Trends. They are the mcdonalds of corsets. They have a standard formula pattern, not much variation between the cut of their corsets. Since they cut/build in bulk, most of their corsets are $99. I have seen them on some people and they look stunning. I tried one on and it didn’t look/feel right at all. It has a center peak to separate the boobs (not a flattering look on me) and a high back. The waist of the corset didn’t offer much reduction either. So try on a timeless trend before you buy if you can, but if they work for you, they are a good deal.

My latest and most stunning current corset is from Clockwork Couture. It took almost 8 weeks to get to me, it’s not custom fitted, and has flexible boning (even the busk!). All of these features usually lead to unhappy Mab. But lo! I tried it on, and the cut of the corset is beyond stunning. It offered the greatest waist reduction of all my corsets. I suspect if I ordered a smaller size, I would have been able to get a few more inches out of it. (sorry, no pictures yet! Still finishing the costume) The corset was in the high end of mid-level price range. I was lucky enough to catch it on sale. They run between $200-$250.

Someday I hope to get one of the ~really~ nice ones, specifically a Delicious custom job. (Actually, anything from their shop would delight me to no end.)

If you are getting a corset, a ~real~ corset, expect to spend up to $300 for a basic, well made piece. (Unless you choose to go w/ timeless trends). If you can find a well made/custom for less, ask a lot of questions. Boning used, lined? lacing? busk? etc. There are a lot of people out there that will sell very bad corsets for a lot more than they are worth (but a lot less than you would expect to pay for a nice one).

My current favorite corsetry resource is this corsetry discussion group, which is full of great suggestions, corset sales, and “stay away from this guy!” tips. You can scroll through and read past topics.

Hope this answers some of your questions, but certainly feel free to ask any others. Apparently, I love corsets.