Puppets and Presents

I'm beginning to feel like a grown up blogger!

I could say professional, but as someone who is professional in an entirely different field, I find the application of the term to a hobby in a virtual world both odd and uncomfortable. "Grown up" somehow seems a lot more accurate to me; a grown up blogger, and a decent photographer, but for both of them the term professional seems off-kilter and inaccurate.

It is, after all, a matter of paying for a group so you can stick the title Professional [Whatever] next to your name. I've seen people who are sixteen days old who are CEOs and CFOs; I've seen vast empires of self-reinforcing "Professional" model classes which turn out people who praise the "Professional" company and then seek to serve "Professional" stores. The general sense I've gotten in my two and a half years in world, is that calling yourself professional is a lot easier than behaving as if you are.


I'm not even sure what would make a professional Second Life photographer; perhaps being able to charge for it? And yet it seems to me if I charged, instead of photographing for friends and largely photographing myself, it would remove something from my enjoyment. If photography became a job, if I had to meet up with someone else and try to meet deadlines, it would remove some of the spontaneity and joy from my Second Life. I like snapping impulsive pictures, and "blackmailing" (not really) people with my snaps. I like exploring around a sim and gasping in wonder, then spending five minutes getting the pose and angle right so I can both show of me and the wonderment that cause me such pleasure.

I am, however, starting to receive things for me to review, which makes me feel grown up and self-important as a blogger! I'm getting quite the swelled head, so it's lucky what I received this week is primarily a tattoo layer - so it could easily swell with my head, instead of disappearing within it.



Wasabi Pills isn't actually a stranger to my inventory though I'm not sure I've blogged any of the pictures with me wearing what I already own. I got this awesome hair as a gift this week, though, and after trying it on and giggling a bit, I wandered off to Ode to go *clickclickclick* in an entirely unprofessional manner. It's very crown-like and cybernetic, which is of course why I paired it with katat0nik's teal Le Milkshake dress, available only at Help Japan. Cyber, cupcake... it all goes together.

Oh! And I have to say! The pink color is called Jellyfish - not the pink on the dress, the pink on the hair - and it took me ages to find it because... I had no idea jellyfish were pink. I have to admit I find the idea of pink jellyfish now curiously charming, and if I ever actually make any, I'm afraid I'd have to tint them... pink!

I think they must be made of strawberry jelly.

The necklace and bracelets (which I got no closeup pictures of - see? totally unprofessional) are from Eclectica, and were a 60$L weekend purchase, though they're well worth the full price! I'm just cheap. The skin is an old favorite from De La Soul; I adore the cherry blossoms on the side of the eyes, and the lips are my favorite shade of hers, bar none. The boots are also from katat0nik, and were a gatcha prize I think. Or some like them were a gatcha prize! I love the hearts in the heels; they always make me smile. The poses are from HelaMiyo, a mixture of ones I've had for a while and a new "puppet" set which comes with a puppet frame to move me about. You get both the prop with the poses included, and the poses alone, which means you could make your own prop if you wanted too.

The eyes, which for once you can see up close, are the Pride eyes by Tacky Star that I wear nearly all the time, unless I'm in character as a human or something foolish like that. They are RAINBOW! I forgot to mention them in my last "what I almost always wear" paragraph, so now they get a paragraph all of their own!


Receiving review copies of things definitely makes me feel wriggly and important in a way which blogging my own purchases doesn't; it makes me feel recognized in a way which is what I suspect most people want to indicate when they say "professional." It's also felt very good to get the positive feedback from store owners, and even get a chance to chat with a few about random things. I do send out a notice to the owner of every store I mention in paragraph form, though I'd say my reasons thereof are rather confused. One, no doubt, is to get recognition, but another is because I have some friends who were friends before I knew them as store owners, and hearing from them how gratifying it was to read a blog post about themselves made me think sharing might be a good idea - even if it's on the self-aggrandizing side.

I think it's important for people to hear positive feedback, though, and I fancy myself someone with halfway decent taste - so I'd hope my option is worth something; at least the electrons used to produce it. That raises a question of who authenticates professionals in Second Life, though; is it via group consensus, whereby a number of people recognize someone as a "professional" machinamist, artist, or model? Does it require recognition from the company Second Life? Should there be standards for it, a level of quality, or does the question of quality itself open us to a squashing of individuality; a demand for people to conform in some elemental way?


I know I've sometimes felt very uncomfortable about people who set themselves up as authorities and determiners of quality and value. Some of it is due to the clear superiority of my aesthetic sense (that is meant both seriously, as I do fancy myself having good taste, and ironically, as I'm not quite sure what good taste really is beyond 'I like that.'), but if I was so clearly superior than one would thing the world would reorganize itself around me, paying homage to Deoridhe the Wise, and judging by my stats that is clearly not the case.

And honestly, I'm not sure I'd like a world full of miniature Deoridhes, dressed in Lolita style clothing with big boobs. One of the things I like about second life is the sheer variety, even if that variety strays far into the realm of the fugly and the blush-inducing. That being said, I'm seriously not a fan of t-rex arms and giant, lycra covered secondary sexual characteristics (and even sometimes the occasional primary sexual characteristic hanging out in the wind).I find the over-sexualization on Second Life disturbing, both personally as people have tried to enforce that standard in my style, and philosophically as I object to women being primarily viewed as important based on their attractiveness to men.

Which isn't to say I don't want to be seen as attractive to men I want to attract, but I object to being told that is my primary function and desire.


I'm not a professional stylist, though; or a professional philosopher, professional photographer, or professional social scientist. My background is in the murky and often counter-intuitive disciplinary art of psychology, practical and professional psychology practiced every day in an imperfect world. Part of what I've learned from my clients is the importance of my always being open to being wrong, always questioning my assumptions, always being willing to let go of my preconceptions and follow my client to their internal logic... except when I can't do so and must enforce social norms and societal demands.

It is my job to empathize and illuminate my clients, then figure out how to tell them they're wrong. That is what my being professional means; it is a dirty, often depressing tasks which keeps me awake at night at times, fretting over whether I made the right choices, knowing that the person who will suffer from my errors is decidedly not me.

I never want to be a professional in Second Life.

( All pictures can be seen here. )

Credits:

Eyes: Tacky Star, Pride
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ear - Fairy
Skin: De La Soul, Charlie - Cream, Sakura Makeup
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Antiope Hair - Jellyfish
Dress: katatonik, Le Milkshake - teal (Help Japan Item)
Jewelry: Eclectica, China Beads (Japonais)
Shoes: katat0nik, Ice/Berry Sweetheart Boot - Light Blue

Location: Ode
Light Settings: [TOR] DUSK - Siennarel
Water Settings: [TOR] Freak-A-dermia

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Color Challenge: Week Twenty-five - Periwinkle

I love the color periwinkle - and the periwinkles that grew under my childhood window - but I didn't have much in my inventory for Periwinkle Week! The hair was the basis of the outfit, and everything else radiated out from there. Well, that and the desire to wear the shoes from Eclectica!



The hair is from DV8, Dreadful Steam in Periwinkle, and I love the combination of textured hair and ropy twists of hair into a striking updo. I love the cyber style of it - not my usual appearance, but enjoyable none the less. The updo is festooned with a couple of rings, making it appear as if the hair was almost metallic rather than... hairific.

I matched the hair with a dress from my eternal favorite, G Field, one of her Cocktail Dresses - Helen! I love the lacing down the back, and the flowers decorating the front at the waist and chest. The skirt is thigh length; long enough to be classy, but short enough to be flirty.


The shoes are new Garden Party shoes from Eclectica. I love these shoes so amazingly much! I've been waiting for an outfit to slide them into, and this one seemed to fit the bill.They come in both a pattern dominated style, shown here, and where the pattern is in the trim and the main shoe is black. They come in a bunch of different colors, all of them vibrant without being oversaturated.

The necklace is from Deco, a store I don't often wear but which worked perfectly for this outfit. It's a double strand of pearls, hanging low enough to brush behind the roses of my dress. It fit perfectly, looking natural with the outfit. The bracelets are from Ticky Tacky, a fantastic jewelry store with whimsical designs. I love the mixing of small and medium beads which set the usual stack of rings apart from the rest. The stockings are from a new-to-me store Has Been, as part of the Demure lingerie set.


I found the sim through the Destination Guide, which frankly I've been enjoying quite a bit in terms of finding new sims! Between that and Second Life of my Dreams, I don't think I'll ever run out of places to explore! Honestly, I'm amazed anew every day at the sheer creativity and amazing design in second life. One of the fun things about this sim was you could sit on all kinds of things! You could tightrope walk, or sit on a bed and take a tour, or even settled down in a tree and enjoy the sunset! Probably my favorite part was going about and trying to sit on things, to see all the things I could do! I rode the bed ship twice!

The other fun thing was these prim avatars floating around all over the place. At first, it was very disturbing to see a figure out in the distance and yet no green dot to correspond with it, but it wasn't long until I not only got used to it, but even rather enjoyed being around people who weren't actually people.



( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Eyes: Tacky Star, Pride
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ear - Fairy
Skin: De La Soul, Charlie - Nude
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Hair: DV8, Dreadful Steam - Periwinkle
Dress: G Field, "Helen" Cocktail Dress - Lavender
Necklace: Deco, Black Pearl Double Strand
Bracelets: Ticky Tacky, Worship the Black Pearl bracelet
Stockings: Has Been, Demure Stockings
Shoes: Eclectica, Garden Party shoes, lilac

Location: Mysterious Wave
Light Settings: [TOR] Awwyeah
Water Settings: [TOR] Chivandria clair

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Fantasy Faire: Revisiting Nemo

I never saw Nemo in its original incarnation, so this is less revisiting for me, and more a glorious exploration of something which is clearly made with love and care. The textures are both lush and precise, and I'll admit now I thought several things were full prim when they turned out to be textures.




Like Dark Mirage, Nemo is rendered brighter and more colorful with beautiful stained glass - though Nemo's is much more colorful and loosely patterned than the stark fire colors in Dark Mirage. There is a repeating of patterns, here, too - like bright jeweled windows in the tower. One fun thing is that the glass is actually "reversed" on the inside - a detailed aspect which filled me with glee.




Warm and cool alike circle the tower, supported and surrounded by silvery and coppery metal with textured patterns on it which are a delight to the eyes. I love the texture on the ground, too - swaths of grass where now and then the machinery shows up underneath; the effect is both startling and delightful. I love the bubbles holding up the bridge, too! In the courtyard behind the tower is the clock, a lovely telescope, and a gorgeous globe, all of which I photographed closer here and there.




Here is a close-up of the clock, open. It's completely mechanized, opening and closing, and the clock works! I want it, like a wanting thing that wants. I have no idea how much it would cost, or how many prims it's made of, but the style and beauty is such that I might remove a few things from my home to make space for it. I stood there a while just opening and closing it...




This is a view coming up on the tower, this shows the plaza around the telescope. I love the tree there - how it looks a bit too much like a wrench.




Near the end I found the cutest mushroom napping place - combining my favorite things, something attractive and a way my avatar can go plopping right in the middle of it.




I love the detail of having the plans for the animals by the animals.




And a mechanical manta ray! Sadly, I couldn't sit inside of this.




( All of the pictures found here. Over 200! )

Credits:

Eyes: Tacky Soul, Pride
Skin: Adam n Eve, Astrelle Fae (light brows) with Full Face Tattoo - Dark Fae
Hair: Ploom, Dot - Angelfood
Wings: Illusions, Chibi Angel Wings
Dress: Caverna Obscura, Serenade Gown - Pearl
Shoes: G Field, Flower Pumps "Eve" - white

Poses: Glitterati

Location: Nemo Revisited
Light Settings: Nam's Optimal Skin 2
Water Settings: [TOR] Meridian verde

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only 

*flails*

I got!!!

Stuff!!

Cool stuff!!!

Awesome stuff!!!

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG.

Just 'cause.

People are SO freaking nice!

I just... um...

*flails*

OMG!!!!!!!!!!

Ezura and Favole available at the Dead Dolls Charity Event!

Credits:

Eyes: Tacky Star, Pride
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ear - Fairy
Skin: MiaSnow, Rainbow tan 4
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Hair: Tukinowaguma, Ariana - gold
Hat, Scepter: Ezura, The Crown
Collar: Favole, Opulent
Dress: Ezura, Lolita Crown - Red
Shoes: Ezura, Lace Ankle Boots - Black

Pose: My AO

Location: My Home
Light Settings: Torie Senne WL settings

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Broken

There are a lot of Japanese Charity Events going on - they sprung up like mushrooms! - and another is being hosted and run by Dead Dolls, a group in Second Life. Set in a gorgeous sim decorated with an Edo Japanese theme, complete with sacred trees and open porches.

I ended up going modern for the photoshoot, though, seeking out Tochigi Japan, a modern cyber version of what Japan might someday be. It looks like it is mostly a mall with a club attached, though in the time I spent there I didn't see anyone else about. The setting is lush and complicated, though - including a cute little cafe and a market. I had fun flying high and low, looking for little nooks and crannies I thought you would enjoy seeing.


Poses: Glitterati, Long Hair 3 - 5; Cosmetics: De La Soul, Charlie Makeup - Red Lips; Dress: Blue Blood, Camelia - purple; Shoes: Favole, Lilith

Blue Blood has released two different dresses, Camelia in purple goth and whitegoth. I adore her textures; here you can see patterning on the black, the purple ruffles, and the detailing with skulls at the waist, chest, neck, and wrists. The ruffly edge along the bodice line is simply charming, open and provocative without being flashy.

I've paired the dress with these Lilith Boots from Favole, which you can get a closer look at here. They have an adorable bow and chain detailing in your back, above the platform heels festooned with rivets. Favole's characteristic eye for detail is seen in how well they fit, as well as the charming flash of chain here and there in the pictures I took.

The cosmetics are the first of several from De La Soul, an entire set of red cosmetics that include an incredibly variety of options. Shown above is the red eyeliner with red lips; it also comes with a nude lip, and with lips that show teeth.


Pose: Glitterati, 047; Cosmetics: De La Soul, Charlie Makeup - Red Rising Sun; Dress: Blue Blood, Camelia - purple whitegoth; Wings: Favole, Peace

Here is Camelia in purple whitegoth, from Blue Blood; the patterning is harder to see in whitegoth, but I have to admit I like the look. It looks almost neon, perfect for clubbing in Tochigi Japan. I love the fall of the skirt, too, with it's wide sides and graceful movement. It moves well with you when you walk and dance, making every entrance and exit an event.

The wings (more easily seen here) are from Favole, which offered a truly stunning panoply of choices. I'm wearing a Favole accessory in every picture, but I only bought half of what's available there! They come in a shoulder version, without the silver chain, or a spine version chained together; an amazing effect and touch of detail.

The cosmetics are the second of several from De La Soul, the Rising Sun version with nude lips. I love the tattoo effect on the face of the sun - it would be good for a thematic avatar outfitting, or over the top drama for fashion.


Pose: Glitterati, Pin up 1 - Curvy; Cosmetics: De La Soul, Charlie Makeup - Red Rising Sun with Lips; Eyes: De La Soul, Luminis, Rising Sun; Hat: Favole, Vepar; Collar: Favole, Prolific; Cuffs: Ezura, Lolita Crown Red Cuffs; Dress: Malfean Visions, Tsuki-Yomi; Shoes: Malfean Visions, Amiage Sneakers
The next outfit shows a truly epic combination of accessories from the Charity Event. The dress and shoes are both from Malfean Visions - a style which also comes in a black base and a white base, all of them matching these awesome sneaker heels. I wish I could have picked up all three dresses, but alas the pocketbook forbid! It's a cute babydoll style, with a scoop neck and funky black and white detailing on the bodice and hem. I am actually even more in love with these sneaker heels, though; I love the stripes on them, and the oddly casual elegance. They took a bit for me to fit, since I'm shorter, but the shoe base that comes with them is modifyable. I ended up raising the heel quite a bit, and then they fit like a dream!

The hat and collar are both from Favole, and though they don't outright match, I thought the combination of black, white, and red made them work well. The collar is largely white with a stylish rose (there's a black on black version available as well, see: Deo wanting and eyeing pocketbook sadly), and fits well around the neck. It's modifyable, which is a blessing when one hasn't the swanlike neck required for a lot of collars on Second Life! The hat is closer to a crown with wings, with open view at the top, and has cute batwings coming off form either side, as if it's about to go fluttering off into the stratosphere.

The cuffs are from Ezura, and will show up again along with a set of boots that I quite love.There is a matching outfit and collar, but the collar I couldn't make fit - my lack of a swanlike neck being exacerbated by it being no modify. It's a gorgeous set altogether, though, so if you have either a swanlike neck, or more comfort with modifying your shape for clothing than I do, I highly recommend picking it up!

The cosmetics are from De La Soul, the Rising Sun face with red lips. I think this is quite my favorite, this or the red eye makeup with bright red lips. This is a good itme to note, I think, that this set is made to go with her Charlie skin, available in store, but works well over the Adam n Eve skin I paired it with here.


Pose: Mannequin, Broken3; Cosmetics: De La Soul, Charlie Makeup - Red Lips; Eyes: De La Soul, Luminis, Rising Sun; Hat: Favole, Vepar; Bracelets: Ezura, Lolita Crown Red Cuffs; Shirt and Pants: De La Soul, Japan Relief Jeans and Sleeveless White Turtleneck; Shoes: Malfean Visions, Amiage Sneakers
This picture shoes one of the first of the poses I got at the Event, the Broken set by Mannequin. It doesn't work as well with skirted outfits, but the effect is awesome with pants, and if I hadn't been trying to get quite so many pictures taken, I might have tried it with heavily modified skirts. I love how realistic the slumped positions are; take a moment to check out the full photoshoot and you'll see all five that are available.

The outfit is from De La Soul, and comes with many more varieties than I have room to show! I chose the white t-shirt to pair with the black jeans; the shirt also comes with the logo just on the back, and the collar comes in male and female sizes. There's also a black version of the same style, with the red cross on it, both with the front design and without the front design. It's a simple sleeveless t-shirt, but striking and a fantastic addition to any wardrobe.


Pose: Mannequin, Broken2; Cosmetics: De La Soul, Charlie Makeup - Rising Sun with Red Lips; Eyes: De La Soul, Luminis, Rising Sun; Hat: Favole, Vepar; Bracelets: Ezura, Lolita Crown Red Cuffs; Shirt and Pants: De La Soul, Japan Relief Jeans and Sleeveless Koi Turtleneck; Shoes: Ezura, Lace Ankle Boots - Red

You can see the De La Soul jean style more clearly, here, with the white version of them. The jeans come with sculpted cuffs, but can also be worn without - as I did here. I'm also wearing, and have been for many of these pictures, the Rising Sun eyes - you can see them more clearly here, though. I love the koi version of the sleeveless t-shirt; this comes just in black, but is also wonderful with it's dramatic simplicity.

The cuffs and boots are from Ezura, and have a matching collar and outfit also available there. I love the silver crown detail against the red lace, and I'm sure these will come out of the inventory many times in the future for the edgy, lacy look.

This is also another Mannequin pose; I love how the neck doesn't look quite right, and the bent in of the wrist. It makes it hard to accessorize for the poses, but the effect is worth it!


Pose: HelaMiyo, Looking back 1; Cosmetics: De La Soul, Charlie Makeup - Red Lips; Eyes: De La Soul, Luminis, Rising Sun; Hat: Favole, Vepar; Dress: Likka House, Victoria - blue; Shoes: Favole, Lilith
This gorgeous dress I simply couldn't resist. It's from Likka House, and I believe the green variety of it is on sale for a different Japanese Charity event - Project Fur, perhaps? I love how it swings. The combination of static and flexy prims is absolutely charming, and moves beautifully as you can see from above. I love the collar, too, and I paired it with the Lilith Boots from Favole I was wearing earlier, to gorgeous effect.

Hat: Favole, Vepar; Dress: Likka House, Victoria - blue; Shoes: Favole, Lilith; Prop with Poses: FlufferNutters, Cherry Blossom Branch

Finally is this adorable prop from FlufferNutters, a branch with cherry blossoms on it with several seats included. I really love the delicate coloring, and the poses are very fun! It's would make a whimsical, charming  addition to any woodland scene. Laely, the creator of FlufferNutterz, couldn't be sweeter; I had a delivery issue when I bought this, and she'd handled it by the end of the same day. Truly awesome customer service.

I want to say a quick word about the other, non-event things I'm wearing. My ears are my usual Mystic Ears from Illusions - a staple of my appearance. I've tinted them pale to go with my Adam n Eve skin, Astelle, which was from the Fantasy Faire and had become my new obsession. The wings are my old standbys from Fancy Fairy, recolored to match; I literally bought these as my first thing in Second Life, and still wear them - and still get complemented on them! The hair is a new purchase from Tukinowaguma, and I thought it fit the overall Gothic Doll look I was going for, and so could carry through all of the clothing.The rest of the poses are from Glitterati, where I recently blew a lot of Linden.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ear - Fairy
Skin: Adam n Eve, Astrelle Fae
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Hair: Tukinowaguma, Esther - tan

Purchased at: Broken, A Dead Dolls Charity Event for Japan
Locations: Tochigi Japan Cybercity and Tol Narwa Vire
Light Settings: Shadowset

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Color Challenge: Week Twenty-four - Eggplant

I don't like to eat eggplant,but I actually had some in my inventory.

I don't know how many people know about the gatchas, but I spent a while utterly obsessed with them. I used to spend way too much, trying to get that complete set - finally I learned to focus on only a few, but it left me with an entire folder of things just for the purpose of giving them away.

One of these multi-gifts was Scribble's "Gathered Up" dresses - which come with a wide variety of prims you attach to make a bunch of different outfits. I made a long, scrunchity dress which I think I almost look elegant in. Fitting was a breeze, since the prims are sculpted and modifiable; it took me only a little while to stretch things to fit my shape.



I paired it with the Eclectica "Swoon" Gloves, which are completely delightful and something I'm finding it difficult to take off! Tiffy Vella has awesome customer service, as well. When I tried to fit and tint these gloves, I was stymied by the fact that although the gloves said modify ok, when I went to edit them they cruelly shut me down! I contacted Ms. Vella via notecard, and before I could blink she not only came down to check the sales display, but she gave me another set of the gloves! I was completely blown away at how kind she was about it.



The sim is Immersiva, which I've photographed in before, filled with the gorgeous creations of Bryn Oh. This time a new, more interactive element has been introduced. There are these rectangles that float around in the air, fascinating to watch as they inch through the air. However, if one of these run into you (or you do, as some might, run around the sim running into them) there is a soft chiming sound and BOOM! Bricks everywhere. I had entirely too much fun making piles of bricks. The one by the entrance actually plays out an entire plaintive song. If I'm not mistaken, it's similar to the song the Rabbicorn's musical box plays out, but I've been wrong before.

A second fun, interactive thing is a small television which floats up out of the water. If you stay very close to it, you can hear what sounds like a man's recording to a loved one. I'm not quite sure what it means, but his voice is so sweet as he explains how the machine had been broken, and how he's using up tapes to send to 'you,' whoever you happen to be.



The changes which are in place every time I return to Immersiva remind me of the long, slow process of change all of us undergo, often without even realizing it. We make choices, some big and some small, and those effect other things in our lives, changing who we are and what choices we'll make in the future. I spend a lot of my time in doubt, wondering if I'm making the right choices; wondering if other choices might not be better ones than the ones I make. It's exhausting to do so, to try to think through all of the consequences.

More and more, I'm trying to make choices that will make me happy in the short term - to live with integrity but in such a way that I don't injure myself for the sake of others. I don't know how successful I'll be at that - sometimes it seems like all I can do is hurt others - but I'm determined to try.

( More pictures found here. )
( Daughter of Gears photos here. )
( Standby photos here. )
( Older Immersiva pictures here. )

Credits:

Eyes: Tacky Soul, Pride
Skin: Curio, April - Rainbow 1
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Hair: Tukinowaguma, Ariana - gold with white roses (tinted)
Dress: Scribble, Gathered Up - Eggplant
Gloves and Collar: Eclectica, Swoon - Ivory
Stockings: Vextra Fashion, Sheer Stockings - white
Bracelet: Kyccie's, Hopeful Flower - Amethyst
Shoes: G Field, Ribbon Slingback Shoes - tinted

Location: Immersiva
Light Settings: [TOR] SCIFI - Lilack
Water Settings: [TOR] Freak-A-dermia (modified)

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Project Fur

Project Fur is one of the many Japanese relief efforts being set out in Second Life, one taking up the majority of a sim and built to go on for quite some time. My one complaint is how hard it is to find things, which is why I've included links to where each of the displays were below. Everything with links was gotten at Project Fur, everything without is something I had already.

I recommend a walk through - either vaguely, if you like retracing your steps, or systematically. The outside edges are largely empty, but it seems like more stores are being added all the time. In the center is quite a nice garden, as well, and some Japan-Relief only animals.


We'll start with some close-ups.

The necklace around my neck is for this event only, and is an adorable little cat within a heart. It was made by Little Boy Blue, and comes with the heart in white and the cat in black - the version I got - or with the heart in black and the cat in white. It's Tomoyuki's usual amazing work, pristine in design and completely charming. I love how it looks like the sort of thing someone might wear just about, to memorialize or honor a beloved cat.

The jacket is from Malt,and comes with a belt (not shown) and some capri pants (shown below). I adore the ruffling detail on this, and the curve of the fabric. It is gorgeously detailed, with an amazingly delicate clasp across the front - I love the dangling beads detail; somehow they just bring the whole thing alive!


The cat that is standing in as my hat comes from Falln Angel Creations and also comes in black and white varieties. He has the cutest fish in a bag in his mouth - and I adore his huge eyes, peering off watchfully from his perch on my head. I have no idea what I want to name him yet, but I know he needs a name.

The hair is from Magika, and is also just for this event - a coontail version of Sophie. It comes in blond, red, brown, and black; I initially picked up the red version, intending something closer to my last Japan relief outfit which ended up coordinating with red in a lovely way, but after putting together this outfit from Project Fur, I realized I needed a paler shade, and so picked up one of the blonds as well.I love the stripes along the side of the face - not a normal look for me, but very striking.



The dress is from 1-800Bettie, and is a gorgeous confection of cream and black. You can't see the bodice well, but trust me it's charming. I love the swoop of the skirt and the curve around the waist. The gauzy lace along the edges is simply gorgeous, edging under the bodice and above with a beautiful simplicity. There's an included system skirt, but honestly I'd be inclined to go with the prim skirt and bounce about all over the place.

The shoes are from Baby Monkey, and they are Ultimate Savannah shoes in white - not cream - but they fit the rest of the outfit very well. They were a last minute purchase, when I was putting the final touches on my entire outfit and I was still missing shoes. The toes are actually prim toes, easy to recolor and including a listing of some of the tones of more common skins. Perhaps in the future this will become a common occurrence - skins coming with the tones for matching toes and fingers.

The capris underneath are the ones I mentioned earlier, from Malt, though they're called lace tights and not capris. Honestly, they're toned dark enough for pants, though, and to wear alone with the jacket and belt.


The wings are Spyralle, and were the hardest to match in the whole outfit, but I simply couldn't resist them. I ended up setting the windlight so the sky matched them, in absence of anything else which could be matching to the poor things! I love the angular nature of the wings, how they seem both artistic and somehow abstracted. Not quite of this world.

That's in sharp contrast with this sim, AM Radio's The Far Away, which is a very naturalistic field scene from the midwest. I have actually seen plains like this in the Dakotas - long seas of grass and grain which seemed to go on forever and a horizon which could be hundreds of miles away. Driving across Kansas once, I had a sudden image of the stories I read as a child - Laura Ingles Wilder describing how she and her family would travel for days in the same bowl under the same sky, everything seeming to be the same for weeks at a time. I was in a car, though, so Kansas only took a day and a half.

We only have six months to enjoy AM Radio's beautiful work!

( All of the pictures can be seen here. )

Credits:

Eyes: Tacky Soul, Pride
Skin: Adam n Eve, Astrelle Fae (light brows)
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ears Fairy
Hair: Magika, Sophie - Coontail Edition
Wings: Spyralle, Fractal Wings
Kitty: Falln Angel Creations, Japan Cat - black
Necklace: Little Boy Blue, Kuroneko Necklace
Jacket: Malt, Frilled Vest
Dress: 1-800Bettie, Shimmer Swirls Dress - Cream
Leggings: Malt, Capri Lace Tights - Noir
Shoes: Baby Monkey, Ultimate Savannah - white

Poses: Tutti Frutti

Project FUR Japan - main area
Location: The Far Away
Light Settings: [TOR] MIDDAY - Coral Reef

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

867-5309

I remember that song from the 80s with the telephone number. Apparently, anyone in any area code with this number got any number of random calls because of it.

I remember once friends who lived in a house whose number used to be an escort service. It was handled various different ways, depending on who answered and what their mood was. My favorite was when one of the visitors answered, took an order (I believe it was a tall redhead) then told him he had the wrong number.

These days, in Second Life, Digits mean a whole different thing.

Strawberry Singh came up with the idea of sharing a few digits from your appearance and seeing how much variety there was on second life between avatar-mesh shapes. As a disclaimer, I made my own shape and I think some of the missing measurements, like love handles and musculature, are really important for the overall shape. I'm not, however, terrified of hundreds of little Deoridhe's running around - especially if they make fluffy, Gothic Lolita style clothing! Hel, if you want my shape, and you make clothes... contact me in world!

Credits:

Eyes: Tacky Soul, Pride
Skin: Adam n Eve, Astrelle Fae (light brows)
Hair: Miriel, Artist Hair - Wheat
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Iridescent Wings
Silks: Solange, Gypsy Harem Silk - Blue (FFL 2011)
Feet: SLink, Flat Bare
Poses: Glitterarti, 002 and 008
Light Settings: AnaLu, studio5

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Color Challenge: Week Twenty-three - Asparagus

Asparagus Week made me seriously giggle, especially after Banana Mania. And next week is Eggplant! We seriously need to figure out a color challenge dish to go with our outfits!

I'm feeling a bit worn this week - the kind of adrenaline fall which comes after a major event like the Fantasy Faire, where I was blogging almost every day and scrambling to make posts. I don't think Revisiting Nemo will ever make it into a post itself, somewhat sadly since the sim was awesome, but I feel like I'm running out of words.



Pose: Magnifique, Shy Standing Pose 4

I'm feeling lost this week, and a bit desolate. It feels a lot like everything is ending, like nothing good will ever come. Listening to the talk about how the government wants "austerity" for the masses, to cut benefits for everyone, while also hearing about banks getting enormous tax returns and giving out bonuses - BONUSES! - to their employees which could feed a family of four for a year...

I come to Second Life, to a certain extent, to escape the ugliness and negativity of the world I live in every day, but doom and gloom seem to be the currency here as well. From people posting about how the reason Second Life is failing is because users aren't big enough cheering squads, to running into the same mindset in some of the social things I'm involved in, I am - quite frankly - tapped out on cheering.



Pose: Magnifique, Shy Standing Pose 5

It's easy, when things are beautiful, to think positively. I still get a frisson of joy when I see a particularly amazing art exhibit in Second Life, or roleplay a scene where everything seems to snap together, or find the perfect outfit with the perfect accessories, in the perfect place.

I have a home, my income is stable unless they cut funding so I'm unemployed, most of my clients are doing well, and I'm catching up on paperwork and extra responsibilities... but I feel a sense of inner dread today which I can't quite think away; a heaviness on the spirit that I'm not quite sure what to do with.



Pose: Magnifique, Fairy Stand Pose 2

Perhaps a list, checking off little things one by one, might help. Maybe just typing out the words - I am afraid of so many things that sometimes I can't breathe and I have to remember how to move, how to think, how to do anything but be afraid - will help.

The sim these pictures were taken in is a glorious build by AM Radio. We have six months to enjoy it, and I plan to cram in a few more pictures of that and his other displays.

Credits:

Eyes: Tacky Soul, Pride
Skin: Adam n Eve, Astrelle Fae (light brows) with Eye Tattoo Forest Deity
Hair: Truth, Mariposa - driftwood
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Iridescent Wings
Dress and Shoes: Angelwing, Green Constance Dress
Gloves and Collar: Eclectica, Swoon - ivory

Location: The Quiet (AM Radio)
Light Settings: [TOR] HORROR - Dullard

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Fantasy Faire: Exotic Worlds

I have to admit, I was not expecting Exotic Worlds. I forget sometimes that Fantasy can include Science Fiction, too. That the future, and that the wild wildernesses of possible other planets, would be included in the Fantasy Faire was both a delight and a surprise.


This world was amazing, though - robots mingling with primal fire women, combined with enormous mushrooms and runestones that glow. In the center was two amazing things, both difficult to capture in a static shot - one a labyrinth of land and water, circled by the runestones. The other, an enormous tree that I ended up photographing from multiple angles, but never quite capturing entirely.


The shops are all set up in tents around the sides, their braces also glowing faintly as if with some alien  power. Enormous mushrooms pop up  here and there, glowing and releasing sparks of light onto unsuspecting visitors. Here and there I was reminded of a book I read - Escape from Prism - which was about a world where the living things were based in silicon, not carbon, with the expected superiority in them that one finds in Science Fiction, where the idea is that we really could be doing things better.


One of the stores is filled with these adorable, breedable robots. I have to admit I sat and watched them moving around for a while - I doubt I'll indulge, but I adore the idea of breeding mechanical things. The little flowers they feed from (I assume) and the electrical tree center are also a charming combination of the organic and the mechanical. Little wind flowers make me remember the wind farms I once saw on a long drive, and the impish part of me wonders if we can make them solar powered, so they're more green.


Speaking of green, bizarre flowers - some of them green - lurk around the edges of the "human" areas of wooden boards and shops. It's a reminder of the feel of many Science Fiction books which focus on the cultural and environmental instead of quite so much of the science as the founders of that discipline. The feel of much of science fiction is of being under threat, of the common and usual having insidious effects on us, or of the danger and wonder of the unknown. This can take the mindset of either "our civilization is right" reinforcement of our situations, or as a reprise once again of the idea of a "noble savage" where some other culture has it right. The unspoken part of the latter is where we kill them off; the unspoken part is that this makes an "us" and a "them".


Here and there, the landscape is enlivened by floating islands of plants with flowers and gems dangling among the roots. I love the textures on the gems in particular, reminiscent of honeycomb yet glowing with internal lights. In the back, you can see the giant trees at the heart of the sim, guarding the labyrinth in water. There's also a cage there - like in all the other sims, people were "arrested" to raise money. The one here is particularly beautiful.



I mentioned in my last post that I'd recently been to the pose faire, picking up a few new sets from old favorite pose stores and also picking up the freebies from new stores, to try them out and maybe ifnd some new pose stores. Poses are a challenge to choose in many ways, at least for me, because it's hard to know what you already have, what is similar, what is different. My purchases, therefore, tended to be toward sets designed a stylistic ends - like sets meant to be worn with long hair - or clearly novel things - like this adorable, wearable circle of butterflies. I love how they're flying around at angles, which draws attention to the bracelets from Forsaken which I simply had to wear again while bouncing around this new sim.


I was amazed anew at the decorations put out by shops, dappling the landscape with wonder. These figurines (there is a second one - see all the pictures to see it) seem to be made up of lava, tilted up and curved wonderfully. I think the disturbing yet alluring part of this figure is how my brain registers the lava texture as both moving and hot, yet the form of the woman is clearly one which could not hold under science as I know it. It causes a cognitive dissonance which is really quite pleasing.


This is the inside of the cage you saw at a distance earlier - filled with glowing rainbow grasses and entirely impossible to escape without teleporting out. I adored it, from the soap bubble energy field around it, to the crunch of flowers under my feet as I vainly tried to escape.The outfit I'm wearing, by the way, is the only one you'll see that I didn't buy at the Faire. It's from the store Soleil, and the combination of a rainbow and sunshine makes me incredibly happy. I'd love a second one combining a rainbow and storm clouds; I think the effect would be stunning.


My favorite thing, though, had to be a reprise of the lilies form the Sea of Mer I began at. This time on the surface, these lotuses make me deeply, deeply happy. I love the glowing centers, and how the light shapes the colors into a perfect fade. The Lotus is a Sacred Flower in Hinduism, sat upon by gods, and looking at it here I get the same sort of wonder I did the first time I saw one in the flesh.

( More pictures here - only until the end of today left! )

Credits:

Eyes: Tacky Soul, Pride
Skin: Adam n Eve, Astrelle Fae (light brows) with Hearts Eye Tattoo
Hair: Calico Ingmann Creations, Calico - Light Hyasynth Blue
Wings: Illusions, Chibi Angel Wings
Dress: Soleil, After the storm
Bracelets: Forsaken, Bullet with Butterfly Wings
Shoes: Sanu, Hootie Flats

Location: Exotic Worlds
Light Settings: AnaLu Studio 1
Water Settings: [TOR] Meridian verde

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Fantasy Faire: Fantastical and Magical

Fantastical and Magical is like the daydream of a child on a sugar high. Sparkles and bright lights, wildly colored mushrooms and chocolate lakes, even the threat of a gingerbread house is here to entice you into forgetting all your troubles and having a snack.




I love the layering of cotton candy tufts of grass with candy canes and donuts. All the cutest stores are here, too, tucked in among the whimsical decorations and toothsome seats. There were too many things to focus on, look at, for me to possibly capture it all. I managed to catch some of the few things, a shot here and an angle there - but every time I wander through I notice some new delight to catch my attention.




Everything childlike is here, inviting you to delight and wonder. I loved the little crannies hidden within the stores and between them, or spread out gloriously in the middle of the sim.




Everywhere there are things to sit on, and things to ride. The Pinocchio above spins in a circle with the donuts swinging around it - and you can sit on the donuts and go for a sweet ride while you look out across the sim. It's all set inside of a giant tea cup - which I simply loved as a feature! Especially when there was a teapot nearby to pour down tastiness for us to swim in.




The plant above had a moving head, too! I found a couple of those as I wandered around - the flowers which follow you as you move - and I never tire of bouncing back and forth, making things move. This one particularly delighted me because his expression was so affably threatening!




You can't really say there's a single centerpiece to Fantastical and Magical, but I think one of my favorite features was the chocolate lake with the boat spinning around on it. I never figured out how to sit on the cushions, but I loved just watching it spin around, cutting through the chocolate like Willy Wonka was at the wheel. I simply couldn't resist waiting until the shot took in the giant strawberry, too. Yum, chocolate and strawberries!




What I'm wearing is not, for once, something you can get at the Fantasy Faire. Instead it's one of the Flower Mini dresses by Hal Hina, a Japanese store I'm quite addicted to. I paired it with G Field shoes and jewelry, and I'm wearing the Adam n Eve skin which I've simply been refusing to take off. I paired it with her Hapsut eyeshadow, which is a classy simple black outline.




I found a ginger bread house here to go into, but luckily for me there was no old with there to try to make me into dinner! It's the cutest house ever, though, with a fireplace built inside. I simply fell in love with it, as well as the cake slide, and the donut leapy things.




Come to the party! Check out Fantastical and Magical, while it still remains among us!

( More pictures can be found here, a couple more sims left to add! )

Credits:

Eyes: Tacky Soul, Pride
Skin: Adam n Eve, Astrelle Fae (light brows) with Hatsup Eye Tattoo
Hair: Majika, Bean - Blonde
Wings: Fancy Fairy: Azarelle Iridescent Wings
Jewelry: G Field, Peart Set "Blossom" - white
Dress: Hal*Hina, Flower:mini dress [cream yellow]
Shoes: G Field, Ribbon Slingback Heels - cream

Location: Fantastical and Magical
Light Settings: Nam's Optimal Skin 2

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only