Independence Day!

by | Nov 28, 2012

It's hard to believe that it has been 9 years since I left Salon Kitty's to set up my very own dungeon!

It was a case of means + opportunity really – I wasn't looking to leave as I liked the Salon Kitty's environment and had some good friends there. Plus as you can imagine, the thought of just how difficult it would be to set up a professional working dungeon is pretty intimidating! It's hard to even know where to buy some dungeon equipment – certainly in Australia unless you know a skilled kinky carpenter or metal worker the cost of importing large pieces from the US or UK is prohibitive (not that I let that stop me recently with my new Fetters gear – but 9 years ago I wasn't ready).

But then a Domme I knew slightly (Mistress Synna for those with long memories) advertised on a BDSM mailing list that she was planning to retire from professional domination and head to Queensland to take up a different lifestyle. I'd actually visited her dungeon before (my old one – Underworld) and had been impressed with the set up. So I emailed her and then went round for a cup of tea and to begin to hammer out an agreement. I ended up taking over her lease, purchasing all her equipment and house stuff lock stock and barrel.

It was a huge secret until it was done – not even my closest friend Mistress Serena knew until the morning I came in to tell Mistress Amanda that I was going to be leaving! Certainly I never got a chance to tell any of my clients – so to this day I still get people ringing me up saying "I used to see you at Salon Kittys then you just disappeared!" – usually these are people not so savvy with the internet 😉 as I've been online writing this blog and contributing to various BDSM messageboards and communities for over 10 years!

When I walked into Underworld I immediately started planning – I'd been lucky to have trained and played at SKs so I had a good idea of what equipment worked for my play style, what toys I couldn't do without and just what favourite items my crossdressers would need. Let me tell you, even though it was a "fully equipped" working dungeon that list was very long! But bit by bit I added new pieces, changed things around and added more and more. Some new equipment both large and small was custom made for me, and I hit the internet with a vengeance and started the BDSM shopping binge that never really ended 😉

The a few years later (five years ago in fact) – fate and opportunity popped up with a new offer for me. Again I wasn't actively planning to move my dungeon – or looking out for another property to buy – but I was wandering past a real estate agent's office in Newtown on my way back from martial arts training and saw what looked to be an amazing opportunity!

And so Carisbrook was born – let me tell you it was a Very Difficult Birth! omg – if I'd realised I probably wouldn't have been quite so gung ho – or at least have planned my transition from one dungeon to the other a little better… But I'm so proud and happy with what was achieved by a small team of True Believers – slaves who set aside their lives to build an amazing space for me 🙂 But more about that later – I think I should post some before and after photographs on the 5 year anniversary of Carisbook's first session which is coming up in a couple of weeks…