A Tattered Page: Living Blade

"She was known as Scarlett. At that time she was selling arms, although it was beginning to lose its savor. She never stuck at one job for very long. Three, four hundred years at the outside. You didn't want to get in a rut.

Her hair was true auburn, neither ginger nor brown, but deep and burnished copper.. color, and it fell to her waist in tresses that men would kill for, and indeed often had. Her eyes were a startling orange. She looked twenty.. five, and always had."

We first meet Scarlett, one of the four Horsepeople of the Apocalypse in the book Good Omens (from whence all my quotes come), on the last days of her arms dealing with a broken down truck. She quickly shifts gears to become the most successful war correspondent in the world - she always seemed to arrive just as war was breaking out. She has peers, of a sort, spread out across the globe, each embroiled in their own concerns, waiting for a very particular day.

Genre: Life's Tragedy

Life's Tragedy by Paul Laurence Dunbar

It may be misery not to sing at all,

And to go silent through the brimming day;

It may be misery never to be loved,

But deeper griefs than these beset the way.

Genre this time is about Ancient Worlds - a whole slew of options, from Greece to Egypt, and today I'm a fashionable woman from Greece sporting the latest in Egyptian cosmetics and jewelry. My chiton is created by Luminary, and I chose a particularly bright gold because the hue and texture was incredibly attractive to me - it looked luminous and liquid, with bits of dull and bright intermingling pleasantly. The shoulders are lovely and rippled, and so is the skirt - falling in long, loose folds.

To sing the perfect song,

And by a half-tone lost the key,

There the potent sorrow, there the grief,

The pale, sad staring of Life's Tragedy.

I paired it with a heavy pendant from Eclectica in lapis lazuli and gold. I am a fan of scarab beetles - a symbol rooted in ancient Egypt - for a number of reasons, including it's connection with the sun and transformation. The winged version Eclectica created for this pendant is gorgeous, the wings inspired by traditional jewelry without copying it. My only, selfish wish would be for a wider variety of colors and the ability to mix and match - I am a spoiled fairy, I know, but I have daydreams of rainbow scarabs dancing in my head.

The earrings, which are similar but from a different hand, come from Sax Shepherd Designs and offer a subtle counterpoint to Eclectica's dynamic winged sun roller.

To have come near to the perfect love,

Not the hot passion of untempered youth,

But that which lies aside its vanity,

And gives, for thy trusting worship, truth.

I pulled up my chiton for a few fragile moments to show off these amazing sandals from Bliensen + MaiTai. I adore the fire feathers hanging down from the anklets and lovely, double layered bands over the feet. They are really quite charming and fun, and slip on perfectly over SLink's flat feet. The twine along the front is a particularly nice touch - I love how it's slightly uneven and imperfect, something which is more difficult than perfection in a world like Second Life.

This, this indeed is to be accursed,

For if we mortals love, or if we sing,

We count our joys not by what we have,

But by what kept us from that perfect thing.

And finally my poses are all a release from Genre as well - a gorgeous statuesque set from ht studio. Half of them are shown with men and half of them with women, but I found all of them worked well with my entirely female body. Despite seeming very similar at first, there is a variety to the arm and leg placement which is really quite pleasant. In another skin, I could be holding sheaves of stone wheat and standing in an arched niche.

Genre: Time with the Elephants

Genre's back again and covering Southeast Asia, which not only encompasses a lot of India, but touches lightly on Indonesia and Thailand with some charming mashups around the edges - all set to the sound of screaming peacocks showing their feathers. My Luminary dress, a lovely calf-length fall of skirt with an empire waistline, is reminiscent of a long Kameez without the accompanying pants and scarf that would make it a Shalwar Kameez, which is found across Southeast Asia as a comfortable and beautiful type of outfit meant for both men and women. This is a more girly cut, though, low in the bodice with an empire waistline, and with a modern, calf length. I love the fullness of the skirt, with big loops of fold which move in an interesting way with various poses. The mesh edges are finished well with the texture going well up under the skirt, high enough even for the most finicky photographer.  One touch I really loved is how seams are included into the texture, giving it a real verisimilitude, and the additional gems set into the front and back make it really unique and fun. For shoes, I really couldn't do better than the toe loop sandal from Bliensen + MaiTai in a variety of bright colors and patterns. I simply adore the textures here - layers of bright, contrasting shades which offer up some real variety in what they can be worn with, and a velvety-seeming base in a variety of shades as well. I also really like the style; many sandals of this style have bare to no coverage on the front of the foot, but in this case there is a wonderful triangle of brightness in the middle of my foot which is quite cheerful. It comes for the SLink mid foot, and also for CMFF and The Mesh Project.

My accessories are numerous and gorgeous, and all pretty much come from Genre this month. Across my brow and set carefully into my hair is a gorgeous, color-change, low-set diadem which can be worn high along the hairline, or lower as I am so that the large jewel in the middle sits right between the brows. It's a new release from Souzou Eien, and combines simple chain with a profusion of beads and the large, central medallion. The color change part is the chain and the gems; the black beads hanging down appear inexorably jet. It matches the additional jewelry from A:S:S nearly seamlessly; both combine circles and dangle in the same charming manner. I'm not normally a nose-ring sort of girl, but with ones this lovely I might well change the habit! I'm also wearing A:S:S nails, though they're part of an older pile of gorgeousness and not a new release. My eyeshadow is dark with bands of bright color across the lids, a release from #adored which adds real drama to any look; I love the smokey edges and solid liner. Added into my hair is a lovely flower from NSP Florals - one of a whole slew of colorful hibiscus flowers set upon delicate gold leaves. My necklace is from yet another choice store, Storybook, and it is a fantastic collar style with large openings and uneven edges which give it a natural, crafted air. The circle of pure metal below the chin is a fantastic touch as well, and echoes the overall "circles in jewelry" theme I have going. Completing the jewelry, on my wrists are the thickly soldered rings of stones from Sad Harlekin, which echo the same colors but offer in more irregular yet still rounded shapes. They are all of a piece with varying sizes up the wrist so that they sit well on my forearms.

The main European touch is this fun hair from Asset, shown in blond in complwte defiance of all of Southeast Asia. The large, loose braids over the skull are really fun and work seamlessly into the long braids over the chest and held with metal bands. It doesn't quite fit around my ears, but that's a minor note for such cool hair.

Fit for a Princess: In Exile

I'm decked out in a ton of Fit for a Princess finery again, in something which has become a wonderful habit. This month is "Happily Ever After", and it is living up to its name - a ton of stylish and shiny finery for the Princess on the go. My mood is darker, though - this is a princess who, despite her finery - has been cut off from her seat of power, like Elizabeth I in exile. My gorgeous, satin gown is a release from Junbug, and it is divine; rich color, flouncy lace, and rigging which holds up to even some of the strangest poses I could throw at it. I love the double puff of the sleeves and the smooth line of the bodice. The sleeves are also a good length and width, covering my SLink hands without obscuring them.

Left to walk the high reaches in the gloom surrounding her estate, the Princess in Exile dreams of a day when she can take her rightful role as Queen. She's keeping her crown, a lovely starburst set above a frame by Luminary, close at hand and practicing balancing with it on her head even through the most athletic of long, boring walks on cliffs. The frame is particularly fun, curving across the from of my hair; it can actually also serve as a forehead band on a different, tighter style of hair. The gorgeous matching necklace is from Krystal and I adore it. I have a total weakness for keys, and this one is completely lovely. It comes in four different colors with diamonds, and if I could also have it with color changing in addition my little key-loving heart would be gleeful. The final bit of Fit for a Princess gear is my nails - soft but rich colors with silver tips from Frogstar.

Fit for a Princess: Cream Blooms from Tears

I'm drowning in events this month, but Fit for a Princess has floated to the top, like lovely flowers sent spinning across the ocean to land upon the shore. The theme is flowers - and they festoon the whole selection with roses, daisies, and a variety of other blooms. I ended up in something cream colored, which is perhaps unexpected based on the shades available, but I ended up really liking it. The dress, from Luminary, has materials applied which lead to some textured responses to my windlight and the shadows I managed to run despite being at the Palace of Tears, a Fantasy Faire sim and the site for the second half of the Fantasy Faire Hunt. The dress is a light and frothy one, available in a few different soft colors with a short, frilly skirt and a high neckline. I an particularly fond of the neck and shoulder line, cut high across the neck and along the curve of the shoulder. The ripples of the skirt are deep ones, which makes them amiable to a variety of different poses, since the folds bend with movement. The edges aren't quite as smooth as I'd like, as the interior of the dress is invisible, so things can get a little wonky around the edges, but the invisilayer included kept my bits otherwise inside, and it's low enough cut in the skirt that you don't need to worry about underwear. I'd love to see longer skirts, maybe knee length, as well; a lot of styles seem to be trending toward mid-thigh or ankle length, but I think the style of this skirt would add half a foot easily and still be attractive.I'm really looking forward to seeing more of what Luminary has to offer.

My hair is from Milk, and is a lovely poofy style with an anime edge. I especially like the bangs, which flutter right down along the eyebrow line. The textures are stripy but cute, and I really like the shape of the hair poofs. In addition to her solid and natural colors, she offers a wide variety of candy shades and fades. The crown tucked in against my brow is from Frogstar and is an original mesh, flowery confection. It's well textured, crown, and set up so that I was able to tint the flowers a brighter yellow to match up with the yellow on my adorable HopScotch shoes. The curve of the crown is a curious and smooth one, with tiny jewels fastened along the edge, and manages at once to be elegant and playful. There's even a rainbow version, but out of character for me I chose the yellow instead. The nails from Bella Elephante are a bright and simple design, a whorl of flower over a solid gold base. I tucked a couple of rings onto my fingers by Moon Amore, prizes from a gacha at the Fit for a Princess event. The cool things about these is that every one comes with two nails and a HUD which allows for four different color change types for the rings - astonishing variety for a gacha prize. They start as middle finger rings, but I ended up moving them to thinner fingers because I have enormous hands, and I think they look quite cute. Finally, these adorable and enthusiastic poses are from Ploom. They're very natural and sweet with well executed subtle details, like the way the feet curve inward now and then, or a slight raise of an arm. I picked them all up at the Pose Faire, which sadly ended recently, but I'm glad I saw them and added them to my stable of poses.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: Izzie's, Irene
Hair: Milk, Dandilions (Fit for a Princess)
Crown: Frogstar, Scetochka Circlet (Fit for a Princess)
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeshadow: Adore & Abhor, Princess Blossom
Lipstick: Mock, Sahne Bitter Chocolate
Wings: Una, Steampunk Wings
Hands & Feet: SLink, Rigged Mesh Hands & eet
Nails: Bella Elephante, Blossom (Fit for a Princess)
Necklace: Bliensen + MaiTai, Time Loop
Jewelry: Amorous, Gaia
Rings: Moon Amore, Realeza Ring (Fit for a Princess - Gacha)
Dress: Luminary, Kohana (Fit for a Princess)
Socks: Cannibelle, Sheer Floral Knee Socks (Fit for a Princess)
Shoes: HopScotch, Ayana (Fit for a Princess)

Pose: Ploom Poses

Location: Palace of Tears
Light Settings: Places, Abracadabra
Water Settings: Mirror Water

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Fit for a Princess: Conjunction of Fairy Tales

I usually don't make sets and photograph within them, but one of the nice things about review items is getting a chance to do things we don't normally do - and building a tower for my princess was surprisingly easy with the gorgeous tower from Alouette, a bed from Positure Poses, and a lovely office set from Krystal augmented by the most adorable princess bookshelf from llama. For the end of the story - one which started with a Pea, continued with a long spot with no exit but my long hair, bound up in a braid, and finished in a glass coffin from Free Bird, waiting for my prince to come. It's a rather confusing and sad storyline - especially since there's no sign of my Prince! I felt the Pea, though, so at least we know I'm a real Princess.

The Tower from Alouette is a pleasing, round shape with several windows evenly spaced and a trap door in the floor, easily concealed by a rug and table so that I could never find my way out. The door and window open at a touch and stay open, making them perfect for looking out or posing for pictures. It's large enough for several areas to be established, but not to large that it no longer seems like a tower. There are also windows going up the stairway along the side, something which would help my captor more than I, unless I moved that particular rug. The bed from Positure Poses is clearly out of The Princess and the Pea, a warm stack of mattresses with a ladder to the top. I particularly like how the mattresses are all different - some are half the size of others, and the patterns they make together are pleasing while also looking mismatched. I also like that the bedstead looks like a standard one - it's a tall four poster but obviously not originally meant to have four feet of mattress. It's simply a fun, entertaining piece, that I really enjoyed playing with.

The office set, which includes a chandelier as well as little details for the desk, is from Krystal - who I usually know for her clothing and jewelry but who, it turns out, makes really nice furniture as well. The bookshelves come with a variety of colors, and there are some color change options so that things can be mixed and matched and you can shift away from the bright pink I showed off to mellower greens, sweet and soft blue, and dark black. I really love all the details, from the adorable diary, to the tiny votive candles, it's all sweet and simple and a lovely addition to any home. They are gatcha items, which means you need to bug your friends to pull together a full set, but at only fifty linden a pop it's not a huge money sink, and even a few items will add some fluffy personality to your home. The final accent I added is a really adorable wall-hanging bookshelf from llama. It really is styled more for the budding princess' bedroom, with tiny dolls on it and lovely, simple details and books, but I thought it fit in with the Krystal office really well.

Outside, I placed the simple glass coffin from Free Bird, with a pose for me - the Snow White princess - and another for my prince, should he ever happen along. It's not connected together so make sure to rez it in edit mode so you can place it smoothly. Luckily it is copy-ok, which means that if you mess it up a new one is only a click and drag away. While I was waiting for my prince, I decided to get all gussied up in some lovely clothing, and here the Fit for a Princess event delivered as well. This princess is very different from the last two, neither a wild elven wanderer, nor heir to a dragon's throne; I figured I'd go traditional with a simple green gown of satin from Luminary, which is as beautiful as it is modest. It covers from neck, to wrists, to ankles, with large, regular folds in the skirt which means that it poses well. The only flaw is that the edges are unfinished, meaning that there's a hard edge line where the dress ends and it's invisible inside; from most angles it isn't visible, but it does mean certain angles simply don't work.

I added some lovely hair from Calico, which is a simple, slightly curling at the ends style with a soft wave framing the face and a few long strands which fall in my eyes. It's solid to the waist in the back as well, and it's rigged well. I picked up the fades pack and it made it really fun - in this case my pink tips set off the mossy green of my gown to perfection, and I still get to be a blond. Tucked over it, and over the high neck of my gown, is Evie's Closet's Alatariel, a silver version of her filigree leaf jewelry set which is simply exquisite. It's a remake of an older set of hers, and you can really see how mesh has improved on old prim and texture work. My nails are another set from A:S:S, this time a bright colored one with white tiara detailing along the top edge of the nail; I chose the yellow version, but like all A:S:S nail sets, you get a lot of choices in one HUD. Finally, my tiara embossed toes are further embellished by these shoes from Hopscotch. They have a tiara clasp holding the band on one side, and also have a nice chunky heel, good for a princess who wants to keep her bling but not fall over. I'm wearing the bright pink set, which really stand out among the rest, but there are also more sedate colors and even some black and silver or gold neutrals for the classy princesses among us.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: Izzie's, Irene
Hair: Calico, Kismet (Fit for a Princess)
Crown & Collar: Evie's Closet, Alatariel (Fit for a Princess)
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyshadow: Mock, Dk Green (light ice)
Lipstick: Mock, Red Berry
Wings: Deviance, Sidhe
Hands: SLink, Rigged Mesh Hands
Nails: A:S:S, Tiara (Fit for a Princess)
Dress: Luminary, Grace (Fit for a Princess)
Shoes: HopScotch, Dorothy (Fit for a Princess)

Furniture:

Glass Coffin: Free Bird, Sleeping Princess Glass Coffin (Fit for a Princess)
Tower: Alouette, The Princess's Tower (Fit for a Princess)
Bed: Positure Poses, Sweet Pea (Fit for a Princess)
Furniture: Krystal, The Princess Study (Fit for a Princess)
Hanging Bookshelf: llama, Princess Bookshelf (Fit for a Princess)

Location: Imagine: The Plateau
Light Settings: TOR, SUNRISE Teaching
Water Settings: Mirror Water

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