A Plastik Christmas…

Seasonal clothing doesn’t have to mean Santa Hats and Reindeer horns, sexy fluffy Mrs. Claus outfits and looking like you just fell out of an Igloo.. Aikea Rieko of the Plastik (also here and here) has taken some of her favourite designs and textured them with a whole host of themes, making them wearable for winter and Christmas. She has even taken a number of skins and painted them with Cranberry, Holly, Mint, Candy Cane and Christmas Past themes.



The skins come with matching ears. Price 999L includes one tone, 3 pairs of eyes and several Make-ups. The Cranberry colour is particularly lovely (if a little hard to shoot pictures of) and each skin  also comes in a number of makeup styles. She also has eyes which come in a matching pair or available in a prim version. She has shoes, and Arm warmers, Legging,TShirts with funny sayings, Scarves, Lingerie and Dresses (prices ranging around 199L) .



Everything is beautifully textured (& I admire her perfect seams…so hard to do..) Risk City may not be the first place one would think of shooting a Christmas Themed post, but it’s gorgeous and full of interesting spots… (I do look a little Vulcan on the above pic, dont’cha think??) I also found Katey Coppola’s poses (of Glitterati) to be a perfect expression of what I was trying to show..




Credits: All Pics shot @ Risk City. All Poses from Glitterati. All Magika Reall Prim Eyelashes. All Eyes Plastik Vae Coll.

Skins The Plastik {R} in Christmas Past, Cranberry, Menthe, Holly & Candy Cane. Plastik Outfit 1 – Turtle Dress (poinsetta), Shoes Fir Tree (stilletto), Leggings (emerald) Skin Elven Christmas Past (Cult). Hair Clawtooth be My Girl (snow). Outfit 2 – Dress Bordello (company party),Skin Elven Cranberry (freck), Warmers Poinsetta, Shoes (Goodwill to All), Hair Clawtooth could I resist (Sunset) Necklace Artilleri (group gift). Outfit 3 – Dress Friday (cutsey christmas), Fierri Leggings (holly jolly),Raziel Scarf (howl), Lipstick Gloves (jolly), Skin Elven Menthe (evel) Hair Clawtooth Louise Brooks (softest black). Outfit 4 -  Skin Elven Holly (hollyblooms), Dress Shredder (holly), Studded Scarf (vintage)Hair Curious Kitties Nyanotech (Maylie),Outfit 5 – Dress  Galizie (Decorum), Skin Elven Candy Cane (ice queen), Hair Clawtooth Beg your Pardon (chocolate cake).

In or Out?

It has been snowing all day. The pond is finally frozen over and people are skating…



I am a wuss when it comes to the cold. I am not even wearing boots…



Ice fishing anyone? Ignore me as I perform a perfect face plant in the snow…



I have been here before…years ago I wandered in here one September and a guy in a red suit gave me the grand tour. I am told he is really busy…



My kids have a snow day today. I am told that our ski hills will be opening a week early. Winter is not officially here for another few weeks but don’t tell Jack Frost!

Credits: Pics shot @ New England Lakes, All Poses by Rogan Diesel of Dieselworks Kalli & Cyn {R}. Skin by Glam Affair Eva Skin Winter Makeup (Dressing Room), Outfit by Jane (All on Sale) aviator Jacket (raven), Essence Pants (raven), Aviator Sweater (blush), Shoes Surf Couture Saturday Moccasins (black), Hair (with hat) Clawtooth Cuddle Puddle (Vampire Red) (sale).

Identity Crisis!!!

If a shark stops swimming it dies… I think this holds true of SL as well.  This might explain why I move about once every 6 months. I knew that I needed to downsize but I didn’t want to compromise (with a lower prim count) what I have come to love about living in a RP sim. So My newly converted Tavern is starting to look Christmassy (I will be showing it to you soon) and my new skybox is built with all the features that I need. I tend to buy my houses but prefer to build my own skybox.


I was going for a clean look with room for an office, a big empty area for pictures, or setting up props, and experiments hehe. I used textures from Insight Designs and a mixture of two different packs worked for me. I also wanted windows and light so I bought light textures and added those to transparent prims. You can actually make these pretty easily in in PS as well as adding shadows (which I am going to try from scratch next..).


I have also been madly reading Tutorials, trying to educate myself as to what goes into making clothes. Who ever knew that seams are so difficult to match? I have been haunting the Beta Test Grid wearing uv maps, trying to avoid the newbies who think they now have oodles of money and want me to tell them how to transfer that money to the regular grid… As you can see I have been neglecting my blogging, oh yes I went to 111… I have been wearing the same outfit by Plastik for nigh on a week now, procrastinating about blogging and at the same time marvelling at Aikea’s texturing abilities. Good thing Rogan Diesel sent me along a couple of new pose packs or I might have not changed, or blogged for weeks (my rule is blog it then change). And don’t think I didn’t know that I looked funny decorating my Tutor style Tavern dressed as a Disco Queen…



Skybox Details: All Textures from InSight Designs, TV & Lamp, Rug, 50 ft Woman Artilleri Home, Desk by Dutchie, Decorative Seamstress Insight Designs, Decor wall Art Escher Prim by Prim, Propelled Space Window Art Dummy (which is one of my favourite things…the stars move).

What I’m wearing: Dress Plastik Octane (Partyface) {R} (299L), Lelutka Pow Pumps, Hair Miel Mohito, Glasses Glow Studio (He is Mine!), Baubles Chained Crystal Earrings, Rodeo Blvd. Necklace, Silver Bangle Bracelet (All on sale as the store is closing), Skin Curio (GP) Petal Frex, Autumn Cinnamon. All Poses Dieselworks Odyssey {R} (539-599L).

Don’t Look Back..

Because of time restrictions, I have been to a large part absent from the Blogging community for the last couple of months. I have shopped on the run, blogged on the run, and basically taken only a passing notice of thing that have been happening. I have noticed a number of changes; some wonderful new bloggers and reviewers, economy making it difficult on our creators with many closing up shop, viewers to a large part 2.2 (viewer drama I did take notice..), A number of alternate virtual worlds garnering notice, INWORLDZ and Blue Mars, just to name a few (I did check out BM at the beginning..), both of which I am planning on making a trip to see. Also a number of creators are opening shops in some of these worlds… Now that I have more time again, I am going to be responding where the winds blow me….



I do miss interacting with many of the creators, builders and bloggers whose work I admire. I still find myself a big fan of the people whose blogs sparked my interest in the first place. I haven’t had time for challenges, or skin reviews (I really miss those!) but I will continue to seek out great builds, and try my hand at learning to make more stuffs!!



One of the Bloggers whose work pulled me into the blogging community is Casja Lillihook. Teamed with Gidge Uriza, their blog, It’s only fashion has always offered a human face to the fashion world. Casja is a smart classy lady who has always managed to speak with intelligence, restraint and grace. I may not have a Mad doctor to send you but I am offering all the best vibes, and prayers for your speedy recovery!



Credits: Skin Ugly Duck Lai Gothic, [Gos] Platform Pump, Orinthia Puro Earrings, necklace, Miamai Never Hair Steelgray + Head jewel, wool skirt mini black, Plastik Tayla Souless Eyes {R}, soul Ink – Compendium master Face Tattoo {R}.

Shot @ Selenium Pulse, Second Dream. Poses a mix of Canydoll, >A&A<, and Dieselworks.

Thanks GIMP!!!!

I have been a GIMP user since May 6th 2009. To say that it took quite a while before the program became fairly intuitive would be an understatement. I am glad I stuck with it because I can say that this little program, for all that it is open source and free is almost as good as photoshop. I can say this also because I finally am using photoshop and my transition into using it has been eased by what I learned from the GIMP program. I switched because GIMP doesn’t have quite as many features (no liquify…) I also wanted to learn Illustrator and InDesign which is part of the CS5 Design Suite. And I got tired of trying to translate the PS tutorials into GIMPspeak. I never learned how to expand the GIMP brushes but I did access a huge array of PS style plugins and scripts which have been translated for GIMP.



GIMP was designed initially because there were no powerful Photo editing programs like PS available which worked on LINEX operating systems. It also works on MAC and Windows. Many of the features are the same in GIMP and PS, like the use of layering, ability to use many file formats, colour RGB, Filters etc. (You can even put PS files into GIMP, .XCF is the layered format for GIMPers). It is rather funny because I am still at the point where I am figuring out where everything is in PS and playing with the features. If you have hesitated buying PS because of the price or because you aren’t sure it would work for you, then I highly recommend GIMP. I also can say that you can use it for more than just photo editing and pictures. You can use GIMP to make stuff for SL.The eyes I have been wearing for the last 6 months were made in GIMP by myself. So while I’m still in the whatthehell whereisthatfeature in PS, I thought I’d take a moment and say Thanks GIMP!!!

Credits: Flower Dress by Oyakin Narcissis, Skin Fashionably Dead Essential, Hair Surf Couture Del Mar. Shot in skybox from Nordari, min poegin, Wine and Roses Floral wall Decal set {R}.

You can find GIMP for Download here.

An Ode to the Hairiest Hair of the Hair Fair

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.  ~Kahlil Gibran

Attired to please herself: no gems of any kind
She wore, nor aught of borrowed gloss in Nature's stead;
And, then her long, loose hair flung round her head
Fell carelessly behind.
~Publius Terentius Afer

Those curious locks so aptly twin'd,
Whose every hair a soul doth bind.
~Thomas Carew



Credits: Pics shot at The lost World. Poses Glitterati Long Hair. Skin Dutch Touch Yri Cotton Night, Hair Boon VNS660.

Dude!!!

I know that I’ve been quiet lately. Busy has a way of doing that… I have been around the grid though, managing to get to some events and some sales. I do like to write and miss putting my thoughts on .. a screen. Ok I know I’m not likely to be the first to wear anything anymore, if I ever was and I miss a lot of what is happening. Truth is I sometimes feel totally out of synch with the blogging world. There are so many new bloggers out there!! I am enjoying discovering them though. But I am missing messing about on my blog…gimping and playing with pictures!

 

I have had a few little projects, like finally getting my feed reader set up properly. Part of the issue for me is that I do scan the feeds almost every day. But I lose my favourite blogs in the overwhelming mass of blogs posted to the feeds. So, the feed reader is the perfect solution. I still scan the feeds but when I want to leisurely check out my favourites, I go to my feed reader, and they’re there…and growing every day. Like my nose (which I changed).



My favourite blogs are like an old worn out pair of pyjamas. Most have been around for a while, many shoot on location, a lot talk about daily life and how SL fits into the equation. Or they simply have amazing pics. A lot of newer bloggers seem to have appeared fully formed. (As in the fact that they’re good already, not like my initial attempts…) And I’m happy to see that. I am also sad when a blog disappears.. As quite a few have over the last months. To blog a lot, you need to have a fair amount of time. To blog well, you need to have a good eye and be willing to learn. To be a review blogger you need to be willing to keep in touch with creators, be timely in your postings and creative with a multitude of clothes. I am more of a part timer now..



Credits: Skin Mynerva Summer Nights Butterscotch (summer of love), Hair Truth Midori Cherry, Outfit Silent Sparrow Moonchild Suite Copper (on sale a while ago), The Abyss Barbed Choker, Barbed Wristband, Steampunk Rusted Spectacles (summer of love), Courtisane Allumeuse Boots (black) (shoe fair). Poses were from the LAP sale a while back –Dude!

ALaFolie

This ensemble by pixivor Allen of ALaFolie, comes with several pieces which allows for a number of different looks. I had some trouble fitting the belt, which I fixed by making my waist slimmer (and I must admit I like the willow slim look).



The hair is an interesting style from Boon and skin is new from Fashionably Dead. I used a couple of different accessories from several jewellery stores. The outfit comes with the sweater and 2 different skirt options. The shoes are included.



Pics were shot @ Blades Sanctum Land, Annamarie Eterno, which is a RP community friendly to outsiders and with Sonic the Hedgehog as their theme.

Credits: Outfit ALaFolie Graphite 800L includes Shoes, Skin Fashionably Dead (bird skin) Princess, Hair Boon FTN683 Blond, Jewellery JD (JD Design) Bracelet simple, Necklaces Dark Mouse Reversal 0f Fortune & Ticky Tacky Fly Honey – Hot Mama.

Lionheart Skins

 worn – Lionskins HiDef Legend Decembrice (pout) Bloodless Eyes (gold) Matching Elf ears.

One of the interesting things about skins and skinmakers in SL is that each skinner comes from a slightly different place and has different goals in mind for their skin. This is why we have such a variety and depth to the skins, make-ups and body types. It is also why I like a lot of skins, they give us the ability to create different characters with our avies and match our skins to the types of clothing we wish to wear.


Tones – Legend, Saga, Tale, Fable, Myth, Story. HiDef and backside is regular. in Decembrice (pout). Bloodless Eyes.Matching Elf ears.

I enjoy the style of Aikea Reiko (the Plastik) because she bridges the gap between Grunge, Fantasy, Urban and Roleplay. I traditionally wear lighter to sunkissed tones of skin, but I found myself falling in love with the darker shades of her new Lionheart line. Even if you tend to wear the lightest of skins I urge you to try the demo’s of the darker shades. There is a subtlety to the shades which when added to the tinted Elf ears and glowing eyes, creates an effect which is stunning. And yet I still look like myself.


Story Decembrice in Bare, Freckles, Pout and Shy. Bloodless Eyes (night).

Overall the body is well shaded and natural. My only criticism of the skin is that the breast area could be softer. The face is strong, with emphasis on the eyes. Aikea’s strengths in texturing really shine here with many non-traditional eye make-ups which are outstanding.There are also several options given for each make up, freckles, pout, shy and bare. There is a lighter and stronger Hi-Def version of each tone.




Credits: Lionheart Skins (the Plastik) 24 Make-ups at 999L ea. in 6 tones and including reg and hiDef, and 4 different facial options. Necklace *BOOM* chains of wood, Hair Simply Brittnee Madrid, 2, 3, Dress Linc* (luck Inc.) Open Buttoned Dress (taupe), !Flavour Designs Hair Blossom. (Between shooting to writing there was a loss of colour correctness when this was posted to blogger, not sure what caused it but subtlety was lost.)

Tomorrow Never Knows

Where the cold wind blows
Tomorrow never knows
Where your sweet smile goes
Tomorrow never knows

You and me
we've been standing here,
my dear
Waiting for that time to come
Where the green grass grows
Tomorrow never knows

 
 

In the field your long hair flows
Down by the tail end of the tracks
Beneath the water tower
I carried you on my back
Over the rusted spikes
of that highway of steel

When no more thunder sounds
Where the turn goes
Tomorrow never knows
Well he who waits
for the day's riches
will be lost

In the whispering tide
Where the river flows
Tomorrow never knows    Bruce Springsteen

Rogan Diesel of DieselWorks sent me this set of Couple poses called The Hook Up. 199L per pose. 649L for the set. Afterwards I had to explain to some tourists as to why I was on my roof in my undies, they were worried I might jump. I am not sure how I would have explained these poses … I may have just ruined my stellar reputation in my neighbourhood. I doubt I’ll be receiving any more invitations to High Tea at the local branch of the Historical Society. Oh well!

Credits: SHE - Reasonable Desires Nikki Black Lingerie Group Gift {R}, Juicy Victorian Ankle Boots (cherry) {R}, Skin Dutch Touch Keira (cream) Double Trouble, Hair ILoveOlive Luani (jet black). HE – Aitui Stretched Ears, Boy tank (coal), Verge Boxer Briefs (this way), Tattoo It was freedom, MADesigns Promise Eyes (brown pale11), Hair Cheerno Simple (graffiti), Skin LAQ Daniel 01 (fair).

Ripped…..

The human mind delights in grand conceptions of supernatural beings. And the sea is precisely their best vehicle, the only medium through which these giants (against which terrestrial animals, such as elephants or rhinoceroses, are as nothing) can be produced or developed - Jules Verne, 20,000 Leagues under the sea




Science, my lass, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth. Jules Verne

 

The Nautilus was piercing the water with its sharp spur, after having accomplished nearly ten thousand leagues in three months and a half, a distance greater than the great circle of the earth. Where were we going now, and what was reserved for the future? Jules Verne




We were alone. Where, I could not say, hardly imagine. All was black, and such a dense black that, after some minutes, my eyes had not been able to discern even the faintest glimmer. Jules Verne

 

I hope you will forgive my lapse into Verneness but this Sim, Nemo is pretty amazing. These outfits are by Beautifully Sinister of Ripped and when I dropped into her store during the Faire I knew I wanted to blog some of her clothes. They fall into the Fantasy style but for me I have always loved crossing over in genres, hence the unusual locale. The store features a lovely variety of RP, Gorean, and Medieval Clothing both for females and males. Shoes, accessories and tatts as well. I will be showing you an example of the male clothing soon and I can tell you it’s pretty hot (think braveheart … ). I must also add that I am wearing the new Lionheart skins from Akea Rieko of the Plastik. You will be seeing a full review of these lovelies next week.

Credits: Look1- Ripped Ragged Seduction (black) 300L {R}, Skin Lionheart Hi-Def Saga August (shy) {R}, Hair Exile Carly/Dusk (hairband tinted) {R}, SLink Bare Feet. Look2- Ripped Bonny (red) 300L {R}, Skin Lionheart Myth August (shy), Hair Exile Carly Cinnamon (tinted hairband). All Poses Striking Poses NLA.

Hello …. Goodbye!

Souls And Rain-Drops by Sidney Lanier

Light rain-drops fall and wrinkle the sea,
Then vanish, and die utterly.

One would not know that rain-drops fell
If the round sea-wrinkles did not tell.

So souls come down and wrinkle life
And vanish in the flesh-sea strife.

One might not know that souls had place
Were't not for the wrinkles in life's face. 

Best wishes and good luck to of the Designers behind the Pacadi brand as it prepares to close its doors. I have enjoyed bogging your clothing and love the impeccable design and imaginative use of form and function! Sale continues until April 17th, link to their announcement. Fashionably Dead is also having a sale of its skins in Tableau until May 10th the skins will be 300L, and then retired.



Credits: All Pics shot @ Empress & Hierophant.  Outfits from Pacadi Jasha – Riffle Dress, Naala Dress & Aditi bodysuit, Shoes Anexx Buckle Wedge Boots (black), Skin Fashionably Dead (fd) Cactus Pear (Bird Skin), Lashes Redgrave Twiggy, Hair Fashionably Dead JennyFly (firepack).

Pose fair 2010

I have to admit, I was late making my way over to the pose fair. I did go with a purpose though and it was to take a look at the group poses and couple poses with the idea of blogging myself and my two new alts. I made these guys a while ago and have been putting their looks together whenever I get a free moment. I picked up a free AO from over at LAP (which is for under 30 days) and started looking out for deals, and ways of outfitting them on the cheap. The girl avie was easy, what with 50L Friday, sales, group gifties, and other various discount deals (like the Dressing Room) I was soon able to skin and clothe her pretty quickly and within budget. The guy was much more difficult. I guess most male Avies know what I’m talking about. There are few sales, almost no discounts and skins are almost impossible to find under 1000L. I did find a lot of freebies over at MADesign and it’s well worth a visit if you are looking to get a start. The best deal in skins is the group gift from Belleza (at 250L group fee) but I already had that one for my other male alt, and I also had a different kind of look in mind for new guy, something in between aging rocker and messy slacker… The skin I found at LAQ and it has a lot of options in the facial hair dept. Most of the look came from Aitui (yay I’ve been wanting those ear plugs!!) with the boots from Cheerno (a group gift).



In order to make this pose fit I had to do several things; I had to make him shorter and us gals taller. I had to put us all on different viewers (Snowglobe, Emerald, Kirstens). I kept the windows minimized except for the one I was working on. My viewer was on ultra graphics, the others were on low. I was surprised because I had no crashes and the pics all turned out fine. It is important to be on a stable viewer and no 2.0 versions until the bugs get worked out. I had found lots of stuff at the pose fair and still have lots of poses to try out. Poseballs can be edited which allows a lot of leeway with what you end up with and all in all, though the setup was longer, the experience was a lot of fun.



Credits: Poses used in this post were group poses by RC Cluster (Lady killer) & PDA Penny Dreadful Arcade(creatures). Pose fair here (until April 16).

My Look-Skin L.Fauna Lapine (pale2) Mulberry, Shoes Kalnins Orchid {R}, Hair Exile Fae (champagne), Dress Linc (luckInc.) teasedress (baroque), Necklace A&A fashion Extreme (gold) Dressing Room.

His Look-Skin LAQ Defined skin Daniel (fair) 10 pack (1995L), Aitui Type 1 stretched ear Human, Baseball Tee Samurai (grey), Tokyo jeans ultra low rise (dark wash), Hair Mino’s Deceit (black/blond), Boots CheerNo Mona Lisa GroupGift, MADesigns City Exclusive gifts – Promise Eyes Brown Pale, sf Design open leather vest jacket, HUZ Tatts valuepack Kanji. [LAP New Male AO].

Her Look-The Dressing Room-YS&YS Stella Cute skin, Glam Affair Marta dress, Eyes Ibanez (freebie), Duh!-Catena Mosaic Necklace, Deep Red stripe tights, Sneaker boots (black out), Hair Tiny Bird&Reek soon enough (sandy blond). [LAP new female AO]. (Respecting time constraints I did not add all the SLURLS, if you have trouble finding anything send me an IM inworld and I’d be happy to help.)