2014 Fantasy Faire: Helping in Heavenslough

I'm having such fun purpling it up from the various donation items at the Fantasy Faire - white there are a number of stores which offer different colors as their donation items, they seem to be overwhelmingly purple. It offers some consistency as I'm trying to zoom my way around the sims snapping pictures, and makes matching colors across stores a bit of a dream. My hair is a fun design from Analog Dog which combines the flexibility of a mesh updo with the flexibility of a flexy ponytail in curls. They layers of transparency can cause some problems, but overall I really like how the hair looks, and how futuristic the extended braid is. I also added a new feature from a new store called Folly - rainbow sheen. It's essentially a faint rainbow glow on the skin as a tattoo layer, and I am completely in love. It covers a lot more than my pictures show - though sadly there aren't SLink tattoo appliers; given how variable the glow spots are, though, I doubt many people will notice. I'm planning on keeping this about a lot - it adds a subtle rainbow edge without being overwhelming and comes in a variety of levels of transparency and brightness of shading. My mask is from Star Kinder, and I really adore the delicate mesh around the eyes, and the single jewel. There are matching earrings, but I ended up pairing it with a crown and necklace from AZE, which are simply lovely. Usually they would be more appropriate on a mermaid, but even we landlubbers can enjoy the bounty of the sea. I adore the shape of the shells and the delicate pearls and curls of coral. I also added some cutely curling earrings from Plastik, which come with matching ears but which can also be worn with other ears. They have a wonderful, thick curve to them which I really enjoy.

My dress from Sublime Shroud Kreations is actually in three rigged parts - the gown section, a corset section with the jacket hanging down, and sleeves - giving you a great deal of room to make alterations. I would imagine the corset could even work over other dresses, which is really nice - one of the things I miss about the old texture-and-prim clothing is the ability to relayer, and mix and match. I adore the texturing, from the shiny leather of the bustle section, to the softer leather of the gown, to the intricate lace-like pattern which decorates the rest of the outfit in bands. The sleeves are long and fun, with a fall over the hands which fits around my SLink hands perfectly. I particularly like that the fabric appears pulled and rippled in the texturing, so that it looks more natural. Finally my shoes, which I've shown off before, is from De La Soul. Lovely cephalapod beauties clinging to my feet, this time with a mottled pattern that shows off the materials Charlie used perfectly. I made the eyes rainbowy, as I'm wont to do, and went with a simple purple on the little suction cups - the body, eyes, and cups can all be tinted separately using a HUD, and once you purchase one set of shoes, you can hunt down some add-on HUDs to diversify the available colors. The Fantasy Faire special is, of course, all sorts of purples, from mottled materials-rich shades like this, to fades like the last one I showed off. 

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: Izzie's, Irene
Hair: Analog Dog, Ever (Fantasy Faire)
Sparkles: Folly, Tintable Rainbow Sheen (Fantasy Faire)
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Earrings: Plastik, Malei Earrings (Fantasy Faire)
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow
Mask: Star Kinder, Curlicue Mask (Fantasy Faire)
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Wings: Deviance, Sidhe
Hands & Feet: SLink, Rigged Mesh Hands & Feet
Nails: De La Soul, Cthu Nails (Fantasy Faire)
Jewelry: AZE, Golden Topaz Fluted Scallop Jewelr (Fantasy Faire)
Clothing: Sublime Shroud Kreations, Moroi Ensemble (Fantasy Faire)
Shoes: De La Soul, Cthu Shues (Fantasy Faire)

Poses: Exposeur

Location: Heavenslough
Light Settings: Sim Default
Water Settings: Sim Default

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Wolf in the Garden

The Red Ridinghood Story is a mixed one - the original is extremely dark, with no respite for either Red or Grandmother, and even modern recitations and re-imaginings of the story make much of the frightening experience of girls just becoming women and the predators which pursue them. Once most likely a warning to children, some women have recently embraced the story but shifted the power dynamics so that the wolf, the predator, the danger is the one in the cloak, not the one covered in fur.This idea carries through the the latest Enchantment Event, which is centered around the Red Ridinghood story and contains many indications that Red might have won over her furry attacker. In the original, Red was a trusting child who did what her Grandmother told her, though in her innocence she forgot to follow every rule her mother dictated to keep her safe. The angle of the story often lays blame at her door, but I think it's a heartless thing to blame a child for picking wildflowers, and even the firmest pathwalker will stray now and then. If there had been no predator in the woods, then no amount of leaving the path or picking of flowers would have led anywhere. Likewise, if Red had a sense of her own boundaries, if she did not automatically do as her presumed grandmother told her, than the story would go a very different way. It's understandable why later storytellers added in a huntsman to save her, but I've always been partial to the stories where she saved herself.Most women know what it's like to have a predator stalk us and to deal with covert predatory behavior; Red Ridinghood gives one narrative within which to understand our own experiences and perhaps with time it may shift the narratives of all of us.

I picked up several things at the Enchantment Event. This dress from Luminary with it's unique neckline and ruffled overdress caught my attention immediately, and I'm really glad I picked it up. The plunging dellcotage and cut-out shoulders are striking, and I love the gray-lined belt of the jacket over the patterned gray skirt. There is some awkwardness with the skirt rigging - it catches here and there awkwardly and the texture on the front can be pulled depending on the pose - but this is more than made up by the thick, luxuriant texturing of the top, and the really fun, interesting silhouette of the dress. I paired it with a dagger necklace from AZE which highlights the triumph of Little Red Ridinghood around my neck, complete with a few wolf-fangs. It really fit the angled neckline beautifully, and was highlighted by it. On my finger is a gorgeous, luminous ring from Bokeh, a simple design which also comes in a necklace, and in a wide variety of colors. My basket is my favorite of all of the baskets available, a fun and complex design from ANC which is tied with ribbons and has large, circular handles. I especially love the butterflies hovering above it, like the souls of the flowers Little Red Ridinghood gathered on the way to her battle. Finally, my poses are a series by Ilaya which were made specifically for photographing with a large basket or purse in ones hand, and which came with a basket, though I substituted my own. There are a lot more striking items in red and gray, for wolf and girl alike, available at the latest Enchantment Event, and I highly recommend checking it out if blood is a favorite accessory for you.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: Izzie's, Irene
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Kira (Gatcha)
Hat: Purplemoon Creations, Cora
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeshadow: Mock, Liz Shadow
Blush: Adore & Abhor, Star Blush
Lipstick 1: Adore & Abhor, Shreveport Lips
Lipstick 2: Mock, Mizu Venetian Red Lips
Wings: Deviance, Sidhe Wings
Hands: SLink, Rigged Mesh Hands
Necklace: AZE, Baneful Wolf's Eye (Enchantment: Red Riding Hood)
Ring: Bokeh, Enchanting Red's Ring (Enchantment: Red Riding Hood)
Nails: A:S:S, Dragon Scales
Dress: Luminary, Ylva (Enchantment: Red Riding Hood)
Bag: ANC, Rattenbag (Enchantment: Red Riding Hood)
Shoes: Lassitude & Ennui, Flutter Boots

Poses: Ilaya

Location: Organica Specialty Trees
Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Twisted Color Challenge: Week 50 - Redstone Mountains

Guess Who???

I know, I know, it's been freaking ages. Ironically, I took these pictures days ago - intending on doing a quick blog post to get within the end range of the Twisted Color Challenge - this week is Redstone Mountains, and aren't they lovely? - before the meat of my vacation began. Instead, I tried to be a little more reasonable in my plans and desires, and I ended up only getting to the Redstone Mountains today after much travel to be back with my family, and several days of illness. I'm finally beginning to perk up again, which honestly is a bit of a relief; being sick on holiday always seems like it should be illegal.

I don't have any deep thoughts this week, I'm afraid. Or, rather, I have deep thoughts, but they're swirling under layers of stuffiness and My Cat From Hell (new addiction - I love Jefferson Galaxy; doesn't he sound like he should be on Second Life?) and none of them are going to make it out to play with you lovely people. My Cat From Hell has clarified for me something which seems to put me at variance with most people who watch reality television, though (or perhaps just those who create it?) - I dislike greatly seeing people at their worst, fighting and being nasty. I adore seeing people succeed. One thing that My Cat From Hell does is that it is all about positive reinforcement and success - both for the people, and for the cats. They play up a bit of the drama in the beginning, but I'm guaranteed two happy endings a show, and that means the world to me. It also explains why I really no longer like Project Runway, which had been a favorite - now the deck is stacked so horribly against the contestants that it's endless fights and failure and a rare few successes, and it just makes me sad. Give me two happy endings a show any day and I'll be loyal.

I'll keep my clothing talk short and sweet today - starting from the toes and moving up. My boots are a recent release from Lassitude & Ennui, a lovely pair of Majorette style knee-highs with shiny metal buttons. I particularly liked the two toned effect, which made these a very appropriate choice for the reddish-brown / matte-brown of Redstone Mountains. They are fully rigged, which means the subtleties of foot poses translate cleanly, and rigged well enough that they pretty much always look natural. The texturing is exquisite, as well, with the subtle shine of quality leather and bits of worked patterning on the buttons and tongue of the boot. My dress is from Beetlebones, and if I remember correctly it was a purchase form ages ago which fell out of my inventory in a timely manner. Like few dresses, it is fully textured inside - which I believe adds to the rendering weight of the garment, but which also helps to ensure that the world won't be visible beyond if my angles become a little too hard. The sleeves on it are very sweet, and I really liked the lay and design of the bodice; it makes it a simple dress without ever getting near dull. The texturing around the buttons was an excellent touch as well, adding just a subtle amount of pressure without making it seem like they should be bursting.

My jewelry is from AZE Designs, and is a delicate beauty like most of their work. I'm actually combining two different sets - a copper, wire-effected necklace and earring set with a pair of lace bracelets (better seen here). I really appreciated the bracelets in particular, as I'm often wistfully wishing more sets had something for the ends of my arms to balance things out a little; these are interesting enough that they can be combine with other sets, and will probably find their way into many looks as the years go by. Finally, my lovely, multicolored, beautifully rigged hair is from Ploom. I saw this hair on FLickr, new I had to have it, and was so pleased to discover when I picked up the fades pack of it that it had an additional point of personalization - a streak which made its way through the bulk of the hair and down over one shoulder. Part of why I had to include a shot from behind for this post is because of how wonderfully this hair is designed and rigged - it clings to one shoulders and the back without becoming over extended, even when my head is turned, and I adore the poof of hair on top and how it gets caught up by a little band of lighter hair before fanning out. I really love all of the fades included, though of course I went as almost-a-brunette for this look, and hair stores which are doing fades are becoming some of my favorite on the grid. How it is faded is also striking; instead of being all on one level with a relatively quick fade, the Ploom fade is gradual and interlaces the different shades of hair in a way which seems more natural - truly, an awesome and fun style.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: Izzie's, Irene
Hair: Ploom, Camille
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Wings: Deviance, Sidhe
Hands and Feet: SLink, Rigged Mesh Hands and Feet
Nails: Bliensen + MaiTai, Strawberry
Jewelry: AZE, Theodosia (Gothmas)
Bracelets: AZE, Awilda's Manacles
Dress: Beetlebones, Puffsleeves Linen Dress
Shoes: Lassitude & Ennui, Jolenta boots

Pose: !bang

Location: Rosemist Isle
Light Settings: TOR, MIDDAY An Incongruent Truth
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Twisted Color Challenge: Week 47 - Dawn in Bayou

For Dawn in the Bayou I wanted a simple, casual style. I actually started with an entirely different outfit in mind, but the pink ended up being all wrong, and the teal wasn't quite right, and so I shook my inventory a bunch and this outfit fell out. I ended up really liking it, for all that it was mostly happenstance; I'll start at the toes, just because I normally don't, and because that's the pink I ended up using as my basis. These amazing shoes from SLink are a 100% Donation Item to Soles for Souls, and also feature her new very high heeled feet. I love the color on this, ad the open cutwork along the calves. The medium shoe was a little fatter than my calves, but even up close the divergence is not obvious. There is either a pointy toed add-on to them, or the open toed version I'm showing here. I set my toe nail polish to match, picking Nine Inch Nails' Deco set for a dusky pink; she does awesome things with dusty colors. I added in these amazing rigged shorts from G Field which were released ages ago, and which I'm wearing in large because it fits my rounded stomach, and I love how it flutters down over my thighs really well. The only other bit of pink is my lips - a lovely shade of opal from Mock, with a lovely pearlescent finish. I kept it as close to nude as I could so that my teal eyeshadow - also from Mock - would stand out more.

At belly button level is a gorgeous belly button ring from De La Soul, part of the Glaive set, which are not only color changing, but which also have a really fun design as well - all curls and dangles. I added teal nails from A:S:S, which are a lovely vibrant color that was a perfect match for this Sn@tch top which had been part of a fishing prize. I really recommend staying alert for Sn@tch's fishing changes, as the outfits which can be gotten that way are well worth the hundred dollar purchase of a fishing rod. I have an alt who fishes for me, and I'm always up for a trade. This top isn't mesh, the prims that make it up are snappy and cool, and those outfits usually include everything, from cloths to shoes to jewelry. Speaking of jewelry, this really cute necklace from AZE Designs has been hanging around my inventory for a while, and I still really like it. The shell design keeps it casual, and the turquoise is simply lovely. My hair is a recent release from Wasabi Pills, the jungle color almost right with a little bit of extra blue to make it match the teal. I love the short, loose hair which fluffs out at my cheeks. Finally, my cute and fun poses are from Don't Freak Out. What I like most about them is how natural and quirky they are - not only do I rarely have to content with twisted limbs, but I think the attitude of these poses really add something to my images without making me look like I'm a model on the sidewalk.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: Izzie's, Irene
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Mila
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeshadow: Mock, Glitter Pop Eshadow
Lipstick: Mock, Opal Lipcolor Matrix
Wings: Deviance, Sidhe
Hands and Feet: SLink, Rigged Mesh Hands and Feet
Finger Nails: A:S:S, Glamour silk
Jewelry: AZE Designs, Flux Turquoise & Puka Shell
Shirt: Sn@tch, Velvet Top (Fishing Prize)
Bellyring: De La Soul, Glaive Piercings
Shorts: G Field, Frill Shorts
Toe Nails: Nine Inch Nails, Deco
Shoes: SLink, Demi Boots Blush (Shoetopia Donation Item)

Pose: Don't Freak Out

Location: Miri's Club at the Station
Light Settings: Phototools, Got It light
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

SL Disney Bound – Week Twenty Five: Belle

I took Belle a little dark for this Disneybound - the penultimate one. I'm reminded of the storyline for Belle in the second season of Once Upon a Time, when you meet the "not fairytale" version of her; in the fairytale version she often comes across as sweetness and light, her purity being that which transforms the beast, but I've always thought that Belle or Beauty must have a significantly darker side; the only explanation for the tension between light and dark is that each has some of the other within them. That is one of the core conflicts of a Beauty and the Beast kind of person; spending so long seeking the dark in others, it's only when one looks inside to find ones own darkness that one can be free of the darkness of others. Getting a brief glimpse of the darkness of Belle as conceived of in Once Upon a Time, the love of danger, the attraction to the imperfect, was a real reminder of my connection with the story.

This Belle wears her black and white out on the surface in this amazing dress from Blue Blood that was part of her Whitegoth line. I adore the stripes, and the double layered skirt, and it moves beautifully. It actually comes with every conceivable layer, shirt and corset layered separately, and two skirts - this short Lolita one and a longer ballgown. My Belle-tastic brown hair is from Underscore in a loose style with large curls and a spiral of hair down the back. It comes in three different sizes, which means it fits even my big, round head. The tendrils down into the torso move really well as my head shifted direction; in particular, the front curl stretched in a natural way due to it's loose shape. Flying up from my head in butterflytastic glory is this metamorphesis from Boom; I love to find excuses to include in my looks. On my wrists and ankles is a simple, shell set from AZE which; I really enjoy how well it falls on the ankle, something which you can see more clearly in this closeup. I wish more jewelry sets came with anklets; I'm always tempted to turn bracelets into anklets, and necklaces into bracelets with jewelry. Finally, those amazing shoes are from Eclectica and are part of a new release set of hers. It has a fantastic shape and the shading is textured without being losing the softness of velvet. The heel, button, and body of the shoe are all texture changeable, as well, which makes them very adaptable.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De La Soul, Candace Creamer
Hair: Underscore, Maryanne
Butterflies: Boom, Metamorphsis
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Wings: Deviance, Sidhe Wings
Hands and Feet: SLink, Rigged Mesh Hands and Feet
Nails: Orc Inc, Rich Darks
Dress: Blue Blood, Adele
Jewelry: AZE, Plain Puka Shell Anklets & Bracelets
Ring: Eclectica, Vintage Dress Ring
Shoes: Eclectica, Crushed Velvet

Pose: !bang

Location: Snatch City
Light Settings: Places, Annamaria (modified)
Water Settings: Nacon's Lake Water

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Fantasy Faire: Evensong Woods

Evensong Woods is a gorgeous, snowy sim with peaceful, quiet areas interspersed with narrow rivers. All of the colors are muted and quiet, what hues there are remain dusty and chilly. Pale icy pinks and dull milky blues with the rich dark green of moss cluster around and cling against dark gray stone buildings and wide, dark wooden pathways. Most of the sim is above the ground, leaving room for strange flowers to bloom, but a few flank the entrance and exit, shielding the enormous mushrooms which pop out of the frigid ground. It really fit my mood of the last few days; a variety of personal and professional events have coalesced into a sort of dull ache in my heart, one well met with the peace of Evensong Woods at night. I'm hoping I'll be able to cheer myself up gradually, but something I've learned - hard won - is that often the best response to any emotion is to embrace it, feel it fully, and then let it go; the bright and sparkling days of our lives can be rooted in long, dark quiets and the dull ache reminding us of so many paths not taken.

My amazing, striking, and appropriate mask is of a spring chickadee from Illusions, a gorgeously textured and fitting mask. It is fully editable, which meant that when it was a little too narrow for my face, it was the work of a few moments to get it broadened out. I love the line along the beak, and how the white is gently textured into its surrounding black, and when I saw it in Evensong Woods on my way to finding places for pictures I couldn't resist picking it up. My hair is one of the latest releases from Wasabi Pills, also available at the Fantasy Faire. I love that it's asymmetrical, with a gentle curve over one shoulder, and the best eartuck I've seen on the other side - it perfectly fit behind my ear. The drippy front of the hair reaches almost my waist, and there's a large poof of hair in the back, largely unseen in these pictures. I really love how natural it looks on me. Lassitude & Ennui (last seen in boots) also released this amazing dress with a removable jacket. I mix and matched two different combinations of colors - one black and white for the jacket and the other black and gray for the dress. It's a heavily corseted dress worked in shades of velvet richness. I particularly like the band of see-through fabric at the bottom of the skirt, which adds a really classy edge to the entire look. Finally, the only color in my outfit is this amazing jewelry set from AZE Designs, specially colored for the Fantasy Faire. In her release, she said she made the shells when she couldn't find any to suit her in mesh, and they are really striking designs and beautifully textured - simply a treat to wear.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De La Soul, Candace (promotional item)
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow Mesh Eyes (promotional item)
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Cosmetics: Mock, Layla's Lilac Maurea Mod
Mask: Illusions, Chickadee Mask
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Erika Mesh Hair (promotional item)
 Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Dress: Lassitude & Ennui, Gothic Doll (promotional item)
Jewelry: AZE Designs, RFL Limpet Set (promotional item)
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Nails: A:S:S, Spring (SLink Nail System)
Stockings: Vetra Messing, Sheer Stockings white
Shoes: Lassitude & Ennui, Phoebe Mesh lace-up boots

Pose: !bang

Location: Evensong Woods
Light Settings: Sim Default
Water Settings: Sim Default

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only