Carnevale 2013: a magical evening at the Idaho Botanical Garden

I almost can't believe it's come & gone again; year #3 was a huge success!  Thanks to everyone who came out to the Garden & took part in the fun :)

The pic above is one of the few I had a chance to get; it was the very end; the fire dancers under the moon as the stars were just beginning to twinkle.  The crane was for the aerial silk dancer & also used as a stage earlier in the evening; thanks so much to ICS for taking part again this year!

And here I am; complete with a giant set of wings & lots of feathers; I think with the heels & all, I was over 7 feet tall; should have joined the stilt walkers, lol :)  Corset & hat are from SubSpace: the rest, I created/cut/pinned/glued/stapled the night before...

This year, the line-up included the Red Light Variety Show, Professor Algernon, Belly Dancers (with a huge snake), Fashion Show by Bourgios Chic, & fire finale by Pele Rising.  

There was also a costume contest on the Red Carpet where guests got to show off their costume creations for a chance to take home one of the 3 grande-prize trophies that I designed & fabricated :)

our Best Top-Hat winner; she had an amazing costume & very creative angel/devil theme :)  Notice the trophy wings are miniatures of the ones I was wearing ; )

It was such a fun event; the costumes this year were over the top, & the performances were amazing; the Garden is such a magical place for events like this!

Even the kiddos got into dressing up this year!  Titus was a very close second to Best Top-Hat award :)

And doesn't Danielle look stunning?--she is a fellow artist who does amazingly dark & dramatic paintings & illustrations.

Another shot of my wings, hehehehe!

We don't have final numbers yet; but looks like over 600 this year :)  

 It was a huge success & lots of fun; thanks again to everyone who came to take part in the fun!

We are already making plans for next year; any suggestions; please feel free to email me at refinerii@yahoo.com

All proceeds from the event benefit the Idaho Botanical Garden; thanks again to everyone who came out :)

 

Special Thanks to:

ICS-Intermountain Crane Specialties

the Red Light Variety Show

Professor Algernon

Pele Rising

the Idaho Botanical Garden

 

Don't forget to like the FB Carnevale page for all the updates, latest pics, & more....  Hope to see you next year!

-Amber-

Carnevale Awards--Custom Metal Steampunk Trophies

They are cleaned, polished, & ready for Saturday :)

(wish I could say the same about myself)

Mixed metals & hardware; I think very fitting for a Steampunk ball :)  They will be awarded for Best Costume, Best Mask, & Best Top Hat: so come in your best for a chance to take one home.

Standing over 2 feet tall; these are pretty massive trophies :)

I'm getting really excited about the party--we have been working on new inventory all week, so I'll have some new creations available.

Carnevale gets underway at 5pm on Saturday--at the Idaho Botanical Garden.  Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate.  Hope to see you there--this is going to be the biggest one yet!

Check out my Events tab for all the details....

See you Saturday!  I'll be wearing a top-hat with purple feathers: come say hi!

Amber

And the Winner is.....

Congrats to Jenny Hansen: you are the winner of a pair of tickets to Carnevale!!

Thanks to everyone who entered; hope to see you at the Garden on Saturday :)

Omg: I'm getting so excited for the party---and I don't even have my costume figured out yet..well, I have a few things; a cute top-hat, matching spats, & a pair of big metal wings...the rest will hopefully come together next week ; )

I had wanted to reveal the trophies on Friday, but this preview pic will have to do: they are actually farther along than this, but the plaques will not be ready until Monday: so I will do the big reveal then.  I must say; I think these are going to be some of the coolest trophies I have ever made; right up there with the Nascar trophy :)  And they are big; over 2 feet tall. I can't wait to see what people think of them next week.

OK; back to work for me--busy weekend, & crazy busy next week with preparations.  Trophy pics will be coming on Monday & maybe even a sneak peek or two at my costume & wings tomorrow ; )

Amber

Carnevale Ticket Giveaway!

OMG!  Carnevale is right around the corner--I'm so excited for this year! 

Trophies are designed; looking forward to the reveal on Friday...

I have the beginning of my costume; a sparkly top-hat with tons of feathers...

Invites have been sent...

I think it's time for a ticket give-away :)  

For your chance to win a pair of tickets; just leave a comment below--the winner will be picked randomly this Friday with the big reveal of the award trophies :)  

Good luck!  Hope to see you at the party!

Amber

Chickens; the herd is growing...

About a month back, I noticed that Gray Chicken was broody; in the nest box all day sitting on a pile of eggs...  About a week later, White Chicken & Black Frizzly decided to join in the fun.

They decided to all sit in the same box, on a huge pile of eggs, lol :)  They squawked like pterodactyls anytime I got to close; puffing up their feathers like crazy birds.

 

Then, last week:

 I spied a tiny pair of legs & found one little puff-ball hatched out--OMG!  So cute :)

In a few days:

5 little puffballs!

And a few more days:

Everyone is out of the nest; 3 hens & 11 little puffballs running about digging up my garden; so adorable :)

They are all bantums (1/2 size chickens)--so tiny that they really do compare to cotton balls with legs, hehehe :)  

In the last few days, their little wing feathers are starting to develop; looks like at least 1/2 of them will be frizzles; their little feathers are already starting to curl.

They are so adorable & funny, I can watch them run around & scratch & flap their wings for hours :)

I'll keep them until we can tell who's a boy & who's a girl; will probably keep the hens & sell the little roos--contact me if you are interested in a little bantum frizzle roo :) 

Happy Spring!  

Amber

Carnevale 2013

It's coming...Carnevale 2013: the third annual magical celebration at the Garden: please join us!

June 15th, starting at 5pm at the Idaho Botanical Garden.

I can't believe this is the 3rd year already; what started out as my own little idea to celebrate art & performance has grown into an annual Garden event! This year we are starting earlier, to give everyone time to browse the artist booths, get a temporary tattoo, or even a make-over (steampunk style) before the performances begin.    The Red-Light Variety Show will be back again to wow us with their aerial silks, pole, hula-hoop, & other amazing acts.  We will also be treated to a magic show, high fashion on the runway, & fire performances at the end of the evening.   There will be a full bar & dinner service available, as well as fortune tellers, face painting, costume contest & more...

I'm working on some amazing trophies for the best costume, best top-hat & best mask; come in your best for a chance to win :)  Costumes are encouraged, but certainly not required--come dressed up or just as you are: either way, you will be treated to a magical evening :)

Check out the Facebook Carnevale page for lots of photos from the last 2 years, updates, contests, & more:

 https://www.facebook.com/GardenCarnevale

And, check back here--I'll be doing some ticket give-aways soon!

Hope to see you in the Garden on the 15th :)

-Amber-

Little Lost Duckies

Last week, my mother showed up with a cardboard box that was peeping...

Apparently 2 tiny little ducklings were out in the street in front of her real estate office--lost & all alone.

 So; since I am already set up for ducks, they came to live with me :)  I had to keep them in the bathroom for the first week; they were tiny & it was cold at night.  They have since moved into the greenhouse & I let them out to wander & eat grass whenever I'm outside.

They follow me around wherever I go; running after me as fast as they can; so cute!

Duckies are such happy little creatures; I'm glad to have them around :)  

I don't know what kind they are; I assume mallards, but I guess we'll see in a few weeks when they start getting real feathers :)

The Boo-Cat is unimpressed...

In other farm news; I have 2 broody banties; they are  both sitting in the same nesting box on a huge pile of eggs, lol.  So, hopefully in a few weeks we will have more tiny fuzz balls running a-muck! 

I'll try to get a pic tomorrow :)

Happy Spring!

Amber