The Raffle of Revealing Riches!

This, my dearests, is my one-hundredth blog post. And to celebrate, I'd like to host a giveaway, to say thank you for being such brilliant supporters of my whimsy and my work.

I'm borrowing the rules shamelessly from the lovely TotusMel's tiered giveaway that many of you are familiar with. Indeed, TotusMel herself has kindly contributed the very first prize... an elegant Quadra Bracelet!

And here's the revealing part ~ if we reach 33 new individual entries, a $33 gift certificate to my shop will be added to the prizes ~ suitable for purchasing any style of earrings or a pair of Zephyr sleeve garters in your choice of color.

If we reach 66 entrants, a $66 gift certificate... and if, by some chance, we hit the magical zenith of 99 individuals entering, I shall offer up $99. These gift certificates can be used for smaller treasures, or put towards anything in the shop ~ a pair of cuffs or a a beaded silk collar.

So here are your various pursuits to enter my Raffle of Revealing Riches:

1. Visit my Etsy shop or the Adornments for Tarts Web site, and leave a comment here telling me which design is your favorite.

2. If you're not already a follower of this blog, click here to become one, and let me know about it in the comments.

3. Post a link to this contest to your choice of social network or your own blog ~ as many as you like ~ and leave a link to said post in the comments here. While you're there, follow me on Twitter, or fan me on Facebook, if you haven't already.

Each of the above pursuits completed grants you one golden (virtual) raffle ticket... you can put several entries into one comment if you wish. Your comment profile must include contact information ~ if it doesn't, be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment, or your entry is void. The winners will be drawn by random number generator on January 24th.

Multiple entries by a single person do not count towards unlocking the treasures, but most certainly increase your chances of winning something lovely by giving you more virtual raffle tickets...

So if you've been reading along quietly, now is the time to speak out! Fare thee well, sweetlings, let's get this raffle rolling!

Bohemian Carnival and Hollis

Last weekend we finally managed to attend the "indie circus orgy" known as Bohemian Carnival. I took the opportunity to don my "Stripey Fraggle Klown" outfit (spot the Aubergine adornments!) and gather the gang to run off with the circus for a night. I even managed to tart up my lovely friend Grace, who had thus far not indulged in the type of festooned debauchery I'm prone to.

I was a wee bit disappointed with how many spectators in plain-clothes were in attendance, and not all the acts were to my fancy, but it was a rousing time nonetheless. Stache took some pictures of our beloved burlesque buffoons Fou Fou Ha performing, which was certainly the highlight of my evening.

We also saw Klown-Fi band Gooferman for the first time, which was a delightful spectacle... and there were some lovely aerial acts.

Photographer to the stars Mr. Nightshade caught me backstage with Mama Fou, sneaking a sip from the clever and handy guitar flask of Vegas the Klown.

Originally conceived by members of Circus Metropolus and nouveau acrobatics troupe Vau de Vire Society as a gathering for the Bay Area underground circus community, and denizens of Burning Man's Red Nose District, the event has been growing for the past year or so. Curly wigs off to the organizers for the wickedly good time!

As a final sad yet hopeful note on this circus-ish post, I'd like to mention the plight of Hollis, a woman from our beautiful community (that is, the Bay Area Circus Burner Freak Activist community, of course) who was in a dreadful motorbike accident in India, and is now in a coma. Her family and friends need to raise $150K to airlift her home for treatment. Read more about it on Coilhouse, and if you can donate at all, please do it here. And spread the word!

Whiskey In The Dust

That about sums up my year at Burning Man. Lots of tiny magical moments, more whiskey than is reasonable for any lady of distinction to consume, and dust everywhere. Here are just a few of my favorite bits...

The glory that was the Hennepin Crawler. Much to our dismay we didn't make it to the Bomb Bay Tea Company even once... there's just far too much to do and see out on the Playa. But the Crawler crew received much love and adulation for their efforts.


Ecstatically dancing on the Center Camp couches to the brassy strains of March Fourth Marching Band, and later having the joy overload of hanging out with darling M4 stilter Sid Simpatico. Photo used with the kind permission of Deb.


Drifting in and out of sleep while watching the sun rise over the whimsical Basura Sagrada, from under a pile of faux fur shared with Fudo and Lord Wizzbang Hopton. Photo used with the kind permission of Erick.


Swinging in the stunning Altered State sculpture with Amber Lee. Photo used with the kind permission of M. Mendelson.


Helping Dan to navigate the mystery of a garter belt to hold up his stripey tights. Note the Aubergine Cuffs bravely making an appearance in the harsh desert climate!


Whiskey Root Beer Floats on Stache's birthday. Interpretive dance with Lord Hopton in the mysterious blue harp dome. Trying on bad Eighties prom dresses in a yurt with the lovely Sara B. Too many to count, or remember. But once again I got to learn my annual lesson in BEING IN THE MOMENT.

Deepest apologies for the long blog-silence, but sometimes life gets in the way. I'll be writing more soon.

Beauty Trickling Down

Another weekend in the finery sweatshop... I promised myself I'd finish six designs before I open the shop. I'm so close I can taste it, but I'm still missing a few last bits. This process sometimes feels like pouring honey, the beauty trickling down so slowly.

Just to tease you, my dears, here's another sneak preview... Aubergine. Plum-colored silk so rich you can almost taste it, topped with olive velvet and this lovely braid that reminds me of unripe grapevines. Dripping with bronze pearls, purple seeds, sterling, and green garnets.

Aubergine Choker and Drop Earrings

Aubergine Cuff