Storing Figure Skating Costumes

If you're anything like me, you don't have enough space in your closet as it is. Adding skating costumes to this is kind of a space-consuming nightmare, so I thought I'd write a post today on a few storage options for skating costumes, to liberate your wardrobe a new!

A New Keyboard For Easier Blogging

Well today's post has nothing to do with skating (although I do have a grandiose 5 skating posts in the works at the moment, so stay tuned!), but it is important to my blog anyway, so I thought I'd go ahead and share the news!

A little over 3 years ago I started getting wrist and hand pain, an injury which has only worsened over time. Eventually I had to give up writing, in lieu of typing, and even that has now become painful when I'm very active on my keyboard.

3 Ways With Strip Diamantés

Well I was taking a look at one of my favourite rhinestone seller's eBay page recently, and I came across beautiful rhinestone strips of all sizes, and colours! It instantly got me thinking of ways you could use this fantastic product in skating, and voila! a new post was born!

Sunday Skating Activities To Do At Home

So it's Sunday, and it's raining outside.

Perhaps you don't have a rink run today, and you aren't (or can't) running any errands, but fancy doing something skating related, either for practicality's sake, or for fun.

I'm trying to get back into the swing of blogging, so I'm going to try and post little and often this week, to see if I can keep it up.

So today I thought I'd write a short post on some ideas for house-bound skating-related activities for a lazy Sunday!

A Complete Guide to Figure Skating Tights

Today I made a little graphic for the FigureSkatingAdvice Facebook page, having been inspired by my many hours traipsing through thousands of posts on Tumblr, and seeing many cute little graphics that had been handmade with free graphics software, simply displaying pretty typefaces, quotes, and wise words. My creation was based around a few of the things I used to do in the month of June, as the season pulls to an end and skaters across the world take stock, analyse how things are going, and where they want to be headed next season.

June activities for figure skaters!

The summertime is the ideal opportunity for skaters to start concocting new programs, listening out for new pieces of music, and when the time is right, to start those important costume sketches. If you follow my blog, you'll know I have written quite extensively on the subject of costume design, and if you want to view some of my most-read materials on the subject, click here for a list of posts.

Although I've looked at the subject of skating dress and men's costume design many times, I realise that another hugely important accessory which should not be neglected and can contribute strongly to the over-all skater's look was as yet left neglected: tights. If you want to find out all about figure skating tights, then follow me! *jumps out of chair* (OK so when I say "follow me", I mean click the "keep reading" button...)

Dealing With Trophy Hunters

Hey guys!! I'm back!! *waves*

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I realise it's been a while since my last post, and for good reason(s): I've seen the hand surgeon and it turns out I'm going to need some more tests (this may mean that blogging slows down again in the near future... boo); I was going through my end-of-year-3 (out of 4! Woohoo!) exams at university; we've been cleaning out our house (and oh yes, that means emptying that last moving box from 2 years ago... *hides in shame*). So as you can see a lot has been going on! I'd love to know how you've been spending the start of summer, so don't hesitate to drop a comment or come say hi via Facebook or Twitter!

Now, on to today's post. I was going through some old skating photos and thinking back to my childhood in the rink, and I must admit that my mind did wander to that feeling of going into a competition, knowing you weren't going to win it. Of course this happens 99% of the time (if not more), but usually for a ton of reasons. It happened to me quite a bit simply by glimpsing at the competitor list however: if a trophy-hunting skater was participating, I knew the top spot was as good as already taken.

3 Ways You Can Save Money On Your Skating Starting Right Now

OK, so another budget post today. Because you can never know too many ways to save your hard earned cash, right? Like it or not, skating is a very financially demanding sport, and there are some expenses that we just can't cut corners on (skates, for one thing!). But how many of these skating expenditures are you shelling out too much for?

Read on for 3 ways you can save your cash, starting right now!

Ashley Wagner Answers My Question On Disappointment

Yesterday espnW held a Q&A session on Twitter with USA's Ashley Wagner, and called out for questions to Tweet to Ashley. Of course, never one to miss an opportunity to get insight into the workings of a champion's mind (for both myself, and my readers!) I went ahead and Tweeted a question, knowing that the chances of being picked for these things are kind of slim.

3 Great Rinkside Recipes To Make Your Life Easier!

So first of all, I want to say YAY! I'm managing to type little and often now, so naturally one of the first things I wanted to do on my computer was get down a new blog post for all you lovely readers who are being patient with me and my on-going hand injury.

Today I was warming some soup (as you do when it's so cold outside you actually avoid going out. At all), and as the seemingly-mystical vapours of Heinz's Cream of Chicken wafted up into my nostrils, it hit me that cooking recipes for busy skaters (read: skating people, especially parents) might make for an interesting topic of discussion. So here we go!

Update from FigureSkatingAdvice

Hi there! Thanks for stopping by today.

I thought I'd give you all a little update, seeing as this is now the second week that I haven't been able to post due to my hand/wrist injury.

FigureSkatingAdvice Facebook Page Reaches 100 Likes!

Ok so today I've got a post that's dear to my heart, because a couple of weeks ago, we made it past the 100 Likes milestone over on the FigureSkatingAdvice Facebook page!

Needless to say I am incredibly thrilled and thankful to all my wonderful readers for their support, so in celebration of this, I decided I wanted to put together a special post featuring some of my readers who also Like the Facebook page, as a THANK YOU for their support!

Time Out!

Hi there readers! Thanks for popping by today. You've either visited today because you know my weekly post happens on a Saturday, or you're here by chance. In any case, let me say: Welcome!

Unfortunately today there won't be a new post, and next week isn't looking good either. I have been suffering for almost 2 years now with chronic tendinitis in my right (dominant) hand, and wrist. It flares up in fits and spurts, and for the past two weeks it has definitely been in angry mode. This equals lots of anti-inflammatories, pain-killers, and a lot of rest (which is super difficult with your dominant hand, let me tell you!).

Figure Skating "Tips Of The Day" Now On Twitter

Have you seen those images across the internet, entitled "life hacks", which seem to be exponentially proliferating lately, and which illustrate all manner of quick short-cuts, tips, and tricks you can apply to your everyday life to make things just a little easier, and more pleasurable? If you haven't you only have to Google the term to see how massive a "thing" life hacks have become. And it got me thinking. Why not "skating hacks"?! Imagine having those little insider nuggets of information that would make your skating life a little bit easier?

Training Without A Figure Skating Coach

The idea from this post came from one of my Facebook "Likers", who is currently training on her own and asked for some tips on keeping up without a coach.

Now this, I must admit, is an area I have very little experience in. I've always taken lessons during my skating life, but I have been surrounded by many who didn't. So today I'm hoping to pull on those observations and make some savvy common-sense suggestions for getting on the ice coach-less!

Note that these tips also apply to skaters out-width their regular lesson time! If you want to read on how to stay focused and maximise your ice time when not in lessons, then read right on!

Be Featured on This Blog!

About a week ago I posted on my social media outlets (find us here: FigureSkatingAdvice @ Facebook, and Twitter) that to celebrate passing the 100 Like mark on Facebook, I was putting together a special little post featuring those people who made it happen!

It occurred to me that I hadn't spoken about it on the blog yet, and seeing as I want as many people involved as possible I thought I'd better write up a post! If you want to be featured on the blog, just head over to the Facebook page, Like it, and then fill in the blanks to this question:

"I got into skating because_____________, and the biggest thing skating taught me is _____________"

Let me know your answers (on the Facebook page) and also where you're from and I'll include you in the milestone post!

Until next time, thanks for your continued support of FigureSkatingAdvice.com!

XOXO

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