RAW Show Highlights

Thanks so much to everyone who came out to the RAW show on Thursday; it was a sold-out event & such a fun evening :)

I got to introduce some the pieces I've been working on lately & it was an overwhelmingly positive response!

One of my big new wall pieces; "Twilight" my favorite of the night :)

This nifty optics necklace went home with someone else :)  Sad to see it go, but she really loved it & it looked so good on her!

It was a great show; looking forward to the next one (Art in the Park-yikes!)

I'll be listing the new pieces on my Etsy shop soon, along with more jewelry :)

After Art in the Park comes Canevale--plans are coming together; we have a great line-up of artists & performers & will be making more announcements soon.  Tickets are on sale now at the Idaho Botanical Garden; just $10 :) 

Next week will be a busy one; just got commissioned to make a trophy for a NASCAR race-it has to be finished & shipped by the end of the week!  And working on securing another big trophy order, plus making more stuffs for Art in the Park & Carnevale; & planning, meetings, etc--omg!

Loving it, though; being busy is good & I'm grateful for all of it :)

Stay tuned...

Thanks so much to Laurie for the great pics--check out more of her beautiful work at:
 http://www.laurieannescreations.com/

Amber

Commuting from South East London - GLIAS Newsletter

The latest GLIAS newsletter has arrived - and contains the following article about our local train services.

Do people think this is true?? Answers in our comments column please.

COMMUTING FROM SOUTH EAST LONDON

The weekday peak periods at London railway termini are bad, but are those at London Bridge the worst of all?  This congested station on a relatively narrow site is shortly to be dramatically rebuilt in an effort to improve the  situation (GLlAS Newsletter 257, p7) and a new line is already under construction to the southwest of the  station.

Evidence suggests that on trains to and from South East London travelling has generally been bad for a long time. R W Kidner on page 24 of his book 'The Southern Railway' (1958) mentions newspaper headlines such as 'appalling scenes at Charing Cross' and 'Girls crushed at Waterloo'. However, it is not clear if the incident at Waterloo was at Waterloo East or the main line terminus. Mention of fights breaking out at London Bridge  among frustrated passengers can be found on the internet, eg during hot weather in June last year and a 25-year- old woman, an architect from Lewisham, was mugged last September with little reaction from surrounding  passengers (Evening Standard 14 March 2012, p22).

Southern Region's Kentish lines were the most densely occupied in the world; see LTC Rolt, Red for Danger  (Pan 1966) page 275. It was in South East London that the Bullied 'double-deck' trains were introduced in an  attempt to pack more people onto a train of given length. These 4 - DD units held 122 more passengers than a  standard four-car train and first appeared from Lancing Works at the end of 1949. They ran from Charing Cross  to Dartford, and sometimes on to Gravesend and elsewhere. Accounts from people who commuted on theses  trains suggest that the experience was unpleasant and they were withdrawn on 1 st October 1971. Platforms were  lengthened and standard 10 car trains used instead. Two of the 4 - DD coaches have been preserved.

Ladies-only compartments were numerous on these lines c.1979. From memory there was something like one or more in each 4 or 5 car emu. While one did occasionally see 'ladies only' compartments at St Pancras and Paddington there seemed to be far more of these on trains running between London Bridge and Dartford. Is this subjective memory at all correct? If there were more than usual there was almost certainly a good reason. Can any reader explain what was going on?

Bob Carr

(and thanks to GLIAS and hope neither they nor Bob will object to this - I promise to send any comments you append below on to them - and personally I don't remember any Ladies Only compartments)

Give-Away!!

Everyone who buys a ticket for the RAW show (just $10) under my name will get a free gift at the show :)  You can choose from these nifty steel bio-hazard signs--great for the garden, wall, fence, etc or you can pick from my collection of simple hardware necklaces.

To buy tix online go to: http://www.rawartists.org/boise/radiate

Click buy tickets & choose my name from the list :)

Then, come enjoy the show on Thursday & claim your prize!

There will be music, performances, art, drinks, a fashion show & more.  I will have a whole new collection of wall art & sculpture to see, along with some new jewelry creations.

Hope to see you there :)

Amber

In the paper today :)

A nice little blurb in the Statesman today about the RAW showcase next week :)

I'm super excited to be introducing some new pieces; hope to see everyone there--tix are available at the pre-sale price through Monday http://www.rawartists.org/boise/radiate

Amber

New Collection: Sneak Peek

Just a peek at the new collection I'll be introducing at the RAWartists Show next week :)

Lots of new wall art pieces, along with some big steel vases, sculpture, & more :)

Steel, aluminum, copper & brass: sooo excited to see these pieces in a collection on the wall!

Thanks so much to Blake Trailers & Fabrication for the amazing plasma-cut work!

This collection is all about metals, layers, & hardware; we will be introducing some of the new pieces at the RAW show, then the whole collection at Art in the Park & Carnevale :)

More to come!

Amber

Chick Pics---the herd of birds....

some amusing chicken pics from the other night :)  Chickens crack me up--I love having them around; even though they eat some of my garden plants & dig holes to take dirt baths, lol

The banties (1/2 size chickens) ducks & black kitty in the background :)

Red Chicken (yes, that's what we call them; red chicken, black chicken, grey chicken, etc)  Red Chicken thinks she is a super-model--always strutting around like a diva.  I sent a pic of her into Chicken magazine for a contest: don't tell her though--it will just add to her rock-star attitude...

Speaking of divas; the Skwishy Cat has to get in on the action any time there is a camera involved, lol

As the sun goes down; all the chickens make their way back to the coop: they have a 2nd story palace above the garden shed; complete with their own ramp--covered in black skid-steer tread: perfect for chicken feet :) 

The duckies, sometimes need a bit more encouragement to go to bed on time...just like little kids, I swear, lol

The herd of birds can be a bit pesty at times; they seem to always want to come in the shop & roost in my roll-around toolbox:  but really they are tons of entertainment & they keep the bugs & weeds under control.  And, the fresh, organic eggs every morning are a huge plus :)
Thinking of getting s'more of the little banties....hehehehe :)

Such a farm around my little shop; horses on one side, cows on the other, & my herd of birds....  And my sweetie would like nothing more than to bring home a pygmy goat--any day now; I wouldn't be surprised ; )

Amber

Carnevale: planning in progress :)

Carnevale 2012 plans are well under-way; can't wait!  This year is going to be even bigger & better than last--we are adding in a fashion show, will have more booths/vendors & bringing back the Red Light Variety show to perform, along with some of our favorite fire dancers including Rose :)

Still booking performers & artist applications are open through Friday-applications are on the Idaho Botanical Garden website, or contact me for details.  Looking for mimes, jugglers, dancers, & more artists to join in the fun...  If you know anyone who might be interested; let me know.  

I'll be introducing a whole new collection of wall art & garden pieces that have been in the works for months; so excited to share :)  Will also have lots of new jewelry, accessories, etc.  And, I'll be making some very cool custom awards for the costume contest: best dressed, best top-hat, best mask, etc.

Tickets on sale soon; hope to see you there :)

Amber