Rose Red

Caroline Stahl wrote a fairy tale called The Ungrateful Dwarf in 1818, a story about sisters who were unalike yet alike and whose kindness led them to help an Ungrateful Dwarf whose death left them wealthy (a passing bear did them the favor of killing the Dwarf, their hands remaining clean). The retelling by the Grim Brothers, renamed Snow White and Rose Red, transformed the bear from passing, helpful wildlife to a prospective suitor with a convenient brother. What I always liked about it was the idea that simply by being kind one could succeed. We live in a world now where, media-wise at least, the world is a dark and cruel place where even the kindest will be undermined and twisted into something unrecognizable in the name of ethics and morals. I want to live in a world where kindness and generosity is rewarded; I am unsure if I do.

Creation.jp is open again until the fifteenth of January with a number of free gifts, like my hairbow from G Field, and some exclusive items, like my outfit from G Field. There are several other freebies and some awesome clothes, so I really recommend you give it a look! My shoes, on the other hand, are an old release from Adore & Abhor that I finally found the right mix of cute and casual to pair with! They're plaform sneaks with a tight ankle line and a long tongue - perfect for that mix of bouncy and athletic inspired by my G Field sweater dress with the heart shaped pockets. I'm glad I didn't resist getting dragged over to Creation.jp before it closed down on the fifteenth, and I encourage you to go by as well!

Sea Gold

I've been spending a little time going through my folders, trying to clear things out a bit and make some room, metaphorically speaking. As I go, I've been having fun pulling together various looks or picking up a few more things, because how can I really live without increasing my inventory over time? Really. This look brings out a few older things - like my really fun hair from KOY with hair cascading over one shoulder. A lot of styles go for symmetry, so I always appreciate running across one which deviates from the norm. I also really like the even bangs in contrast - and the nice little vee on my forehead - very cute. Center parts can be very fun. It also gave me space to show off this awesome spiderweb mask from Bliensen + MaiTai, available in Pumpkin Town. It comes in a variety of metal shades and a fantastic glass which is tintable, which is how we achieved aqua web - I put the cute in creepy (wait, is there cute in creepy?). I love the shape of the web, and how it curves over the face so that it's easy to adjust it to fit even my plump cheeks! I also love that there is a choice for tinting; I have a tendency to gravitate toward more outre colors, and so being able to tint accessories makes me very happy.

My outfit is from G Field and is being sold at Creation.jp. Each color can be purchased individually, but as always with G Field I go right for the fatpack and these fatpacks are competitively priced! The top and skirt are separate purchases but work gorgeously together, and I ended up storing them in my inventory together though I'm sure they'll get some single play as time goes on. The skirts are separate wear for each color, but the shirts come with a HUD which is color changing for the fatpack and also offers the most interesting variation - a loose and tucked in toggle for two different styles of sleeveless. I am particularly fond of the tucked in style, especially with the delicate textures of her skirts - check out that amazing gold detailing in the texture. I miss the old rose texture of her last highwasted skirts, which came out when prims were how we skirted, but I love the gold leaf flowers just as much, so my heart is very confused! These gorgeous, wire and metal wings I'm wearing are a group gift from Violent Seduction, which costs a little cash to join group-wise, but it's an excellent way to stay on top of releases - and one of those out very soon will work wonderfully with these wings, though of course I couldn't wait to show them off.

My final two accessories came colored to match my sea green G Field skirt, which was a blessing unlooked for. First, the shoes: long have I loved them, long have I lamented to outfit in matching grandeur until I saw the skirt and hope bloomed anew. Lassitude & Ennui make some of my favorite shoes, and these are a perfect example of why I love them so much; delicate form, delicious and crisp colors, and the most adorable buckles in the universe. They come with gold or silver metal - clearly here I'm using the gold so that it will echo the skirt. And finally, my perfect gleam of nails is from Adore & Abhor - one of her early releases for the Fit for a Princess event which can now be found in the store. This tone was a particular surprise, as I was expecting to have to go gold with my nails but it worked so perfectly with the sea-green shade and there's a touch of gold along the edge to carry the theme along.

Rusting in the Swamps

I've always loved the image of an abandoned doll.

There's something haunting, sweet, creepy, and profound in it for me - something which tugs at my heartstrings and makes me pause for a long moment, as if listening for the tinkle of classical music.

This face of the rusted doll comes courtesy of Fallen Gods, and went round-ear for the experience - the texture being too difficult to match effectively. It's a gorgeous skin, both for the base texture and for the delicate carvings laid on top of it. I particularly liked how it frames the face with delicate curls along the edge of the cheek; with my KOY hair, it looks like the fringe on the wig edges is simply continued in metal. Rust is a gently tumbled skin with a greenish-brown cast, and the sort of shadow-defining edges which really make it unique. Appliers can be bought separately, and if you've already gotten the Materica appliers HUD then just ask for a re-delivery at his store, and Rust shows up there like magic! Now to just convince someone to make ears and ear appliers... The wings I'm wearing are also from Fallen Gods, and were a freebie during the recent Clockwork Spiral event. I love his thematic add-ons deeply, and this is a really awesome melding of key and wings.

My FATE eyes are another awesome release, but no where near as new. When it came out I spent a great deal of time playing with all of the options and am really blown away by how unique these eyes can be. Firstly, the number of options is jaw-dropping - from tinting and adding additions to the sclera, to multiple layers for the iris, to additions on top like the circuitry I'm showing here. There are also multiple iris shapes, though I went with a round to match my clock-face rims, so you can be human, animal, or something completely alien. Each layer is tintable, which means the sky really is the limit, and the HUD comes with a selection of pre-sets to give you a sense of just how wide the variety is. It really has to be played with to appreciate - I firmly believe you could match just about any requirements with this single set of eyes.

My hair is a tight skullcap from KOY which isn't my usual, florid style but which works gorgeously with the rest of my look and is very well made. I love how he is using smaller bits of hair to add verisimilitude around challenging areas like bang-openings and along the nape of the neck - and how the bottom edge of the bangs is unified enough to look like a hairstyle, but has distinct edges and pieces so that it doesn't look too perfect. It's also good hat-and-tall-collar hair, which I think everyone needs in their inventory.

My outfit is a hodgepodge of different stores and times. The bulk of it is a series of editable gacha wins from Remarkable Oblivion, and you really don't want to know the lengths I went to get all but one piece of this particular gacha set. None of the pieces are rigged, which means they can be moved and resized around every body. I ended up scaling the top hat down to a fascinator size, but it and the collar would work as well on a man as they do on me, and with a similar level of Gothic panache. I love the oversized effect of the collar tips, and how they curve over the individual feathers twisting this way and that. The cage skirt is a lovely example of the type, complete with a variety of different bows which makes it seem less uniform and add some whimsy to it, and the garter is simply a fun touch for any look - I think a version should be added in blue for all of the Second Life Weddings out there!

My top a Spring Bunny hunt prize, from Ambrosia, and a lovely example of what quality can be found even from a free event. The checkerboard is very Alice through the Looking Glass, and I thought the shift in texture worked well with the remarkable stripes on Remarkable Oblivion's collar and skirt. It has a fantastic curve along the bust and is cut high on the hips so that a little metal peaks through along the waistband of the cage skirt, giving my whole look a burlesque edge I'm rather fond of. Under the cage skirt I added a set of very cute, rigged shorts from G Field, and then tinted them slightly gray in order to match up the blacks. I've been wearing these shorts on and off since they were released just after the advent of mesh, and they're as solid as they ever were.

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

Twisted Color Challenge: Week 43 - Beach Club

Beach Club is a really cute color combination, and I ended up with a fun summer outfit even as the weather grows colder. I took the pictures around the Isle of Amras, the roleplaying sim I was staff for which closed recently - we're beginning to make plans for an entirely new roleplay, which looks like it will be a lot of fun and a real change of pace. Probably the most fun thing about it is being part of a large group of people hammering out the details of a fictional world together. Watching the social dynamics, how writing things out work, how having fun and actually getting things done need to be balanced somehow (usually on the backs of our few organized, sensible folk) is very, very fun. It's also exciting to see a bunch of people with very solid opinions and natures go head to head and try to hammer out differences. All in all, I'm having a lot of fun, even if there are the occasional moments of "Mommy and Daddy are fighting. 8( 8( 8(" It helps that everyone is a lot of fun to be around and play with - and I really think that what we make together is going to be amazing. The hard part is setting up the bones to build upon and getting everyone on the same page; once that's done, I think things will go a lot more smoothly. I'm most excited at the thought of having a whole new build to begin to take photographs in, especially one where I have full rezzing rights, so I can set down projectors inside of buildings and really make some awesome images.

My hair is an amazing recent release from Underscore which is very unique and Nordic style. I really liked how the four-strand braid reacted to light and shadows - look at how distinct and round it is. I also really like the curls of the bangs and how the hair is uneven along the top; there's a natural effect to it which I really enjoyed. I'm a huge fan of waist length hair, and this one also comes with a boobs-friendly version as well as one for my ...slightly less busty than Lola's figure. My jewelry is from Virtual Impressions and is one of the lower-price new releases I picked up a while ago; their group is one of the most profitable I've ever joined, as for the first week anything new is release, group members get it on a significant discount. I always get the color-changing version, which comes with a HUD, and the jewelry can also be edited for fine refinements. The surplus of options simply makes me squee. My lacy shorts and hairflower are both from the same place, G Field, which is probably one of my favorite stores of all time. I've been seeing more of her creations hit the major fashion blogs, and it makes me so very happy. My amazing and fun shoes are from SLink and are a perfect fit for my SLink feet (SLink hands also shown). I like how the thin ribbons curl up the ankles and how delicate and summer like they are. Finally, my very cute and bright green nails are from Nine Inch Nails, who has an amazing selection of very pretty, formal and informal nails for pretty much every occasion.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: Izzie's, Irene
Hair: Underscore, Olisa
Flower: G Field, Rose Hairpin
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Wings: Illusions, Apsara Wings
Jewelry: Virtual Impressions, Wendy
Hands and Feet: SLink, Rigged Mesh Hands and Feet
Nails: Nine Inch Nails, Deco
Shirt: Tiny Bird, St Augustine (dress)
Shorts: G Field, Frill Shorts
Shoes: SLink, Ilena Sandals

Pose: !bang

Location: Isle of Amras (now closed)
Light Settings: Places Betham
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Taste the Rainbow Hunt: Rainbowtastic

The Taste the Rainbow Hunt is a very small hunt, but one that is extremely heavy on high quality, wonderful things which I completely had a ball collecting and making an outfit out of. I'll do a complete review of the hunt soon, but for now I'm just showing off one of the many looks available. I am by way of a rainbow fiend, as many who know me know, and so this hunt was right up my alley; in addition, the ratio of "keep" to "not quite" is extremely high - I simply adore everything I'm wearing. The hair is from Alice Project, and comes in every natural color, each of them with rainbow highlights woven in. I'm hugely fond of her highlighted textures, and the rainbow ones in particular fill me with glee. This is a gentle, curving style that went sweetly with the rest of my look. The horn, tail, and star-struck eyebrows are courtesy of aisling, and they are simply delightful. Both the horn and the tail have bundles of roses at the base, and there are little bits of sparkle coming from the tips of the horns. I really had fun tucking them into the accessories that came along with my corset from deviousMind. The roses with a rainbow veil, the necklace, the corset, rose pasties I ended up tucking into the top of the corset, a pair of textured bloomers, the tulle bustle, and the fishnet stockings all come as part of the same look in a wide variety of sizes and also as a textured top. I stuck with the rigged mesh, and was miraculously able to pair it with something I didn't get on the hunt, this pair of ruffled shorts from G Field to protect my modesty.

From Ellabella came this really intricate set of piercings, which at least for me fit out of the box with only being moved a little into place. I am not a piercing heavy person, but these are really cute and delicate, and I simply adore the texturing. The lipstick underneath them is from Pink Fuel and is one of a whole bunch of rainbow colors. Sometimes I have difficulties with lipsticks that are designed for the very pouty mouth a lot of avatars have - I have a wider, thinnner lip than a lot of the skins I see, so it's always fun to find cosmetics that work with my preferences. The wings are another set from Deviance, this time in a pale pastel rainbow instead of a rich, dark set of rainbows that were released in the gatcha. I was glad to see a paler set since finding a wide variety of rainbows of different hues can be a real challenge, and these add significantly to my collection. My only complaint about the hunt is the sad dearth of rainbow shoes, and so I ended up returning to my faithful surety, these gorgeous pale pastel shoes from katat0nik. Thus arrayed, rainbo from head to toe, I frolicked across Second Life a very happy fae.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Candace Creamer
Hair: Alice Project, Alexis Glitter/Rainbow (Taste the Rainbow Hunt)
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyes: De La Soul, Mesh Eye Rainbow
Unicorn Bits: Aisling, Rainbow (Taste the Rainbow Hunt)
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeliner: Mock, Glitterotica Eyeliner (Group Gift)
Lipstick: Pink Fuel, Metallic Lipsticks (Taste the Rainbow Hunt)
Piercings: Ellabella, Ballad of Stars (Taste the Rainbow Hunt)
Wings: Deviance, Titania Fairy Wings (Taste the Rainbow Hunt)
Hands: SLink, Rigged Mesh Hands
Nails: Nine Inch Nails, Butterfly
Dress: deviousMind, Sweet Rose Valentine (Taste the Rainbow Hunt)
Shorts: G Field, Mesh Frill Shorts
Shoes: katat0nik, Candy Rainbow

Poses: Flowey

Location: Chouchou
Light Settings: Nacon's Afternoon
Water Settings: TOR, Atomist

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

SL Disney Bound – Week Fifteen: Boo

For the Disneybound challenge this week, Boo from Monsters Inc, I ended up dressing it up quite a bit so I don't look very much like a young child frightened of the monsters under her bed, but it is nighttime when they'd be most likely to show up. I'm beginning to experiment more with shadows, and I am really, really loving the effect. This time I ended up taking pictures at my home so that I could play around with windows and moonlight, and ended up being very glad I could rez something to stand on - it's hard to place oneself into a narrow band of light. The effect is incredible, though - lights glean, shadows bend naturally over cloth and skin, the images almost seem to glow from within. I'm completely blown away with how transformed the images I can take in Second Life are by this - how much more natural they seem all with a single change we usually don't even think about.

To mimic Boo's hairstyle, I pulled up this amazing old hairstyle from Wasabi Pills with pug tails and enormous bows. It's an old favorite and really demonstrates the quality of her work over time. In place of a loose, oversized pink shirt, I pulled on this dress I got at Second Life's Tenth Birthday, a gorgeous ruched, beribboned confection from Ala Folie with an amazing red ribbon pattern over the fabric. I was astonished at how it lit up under the moonlight, as well - looking almost like it was made of satin. In place of the tights Boo wears, I tinted a pair of pants from Poised to tuck under my dress and into my cute little socks from G Field, like her socks. My one wish is I had sock tinters for my SLink feet so that I could have a nicer shape for them - the default Second Life foot is so ugly in so many ways. The final touch - not part of Boo's look but an addition for the far more evening-dress meets stay at home chic were these pearls from Eclectica - a really gorgeous and simple set that ties the whole look together.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De La Soul, Candace Creamer
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Trish
Eyes: De La Soul, Mesh Eye Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Jewelry: Eclectica, Pearm Mixables
Hands: SLink, Enhanced Mesh Hands
Nails: Adore & Abhor, Princess Nails
Dress: Ala Folie, Brigitte rose (free at SL10B)
Pants: Poised, Dreams Pants (tinted)
Socks: G Field, Layerable Ruffle Socks

Pose: Adorkable Poses

Location: My Home
Light Settings: TOR, NIGHT That Spells Moon 4
Water Settings: TOR, Eyeballin'

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

SL Disney Bound – Week Fourteen: Vanellope Von Schweetz

I'm breaking one of my own rules, but it's for a good cause, so I hope you'll forgive me. First of all, the outfit for Vanellope Von Schweetz was really a struggle - not only was I not familiar with the source material, but the style was so clear and so not what I wear; I am not a casual dressed in Second Life. Granted, I'm not all ball gowns all the time, but my style definitely skews Gothic Lolita with frills and bits, so the hoodie in particular just caused me no end of trouble - but more on that in a bit. The rule break has to do with these amazing shoes. I seriously tend to try to sit on things until they're released so people can hopefully find them. This isn't the case for some limited edition things that I wear in the course of making an outfit, but if something is going to be for sale, I try to not photograph it until it is for sale.

And then I saw these shoes.

The whole outfit was done, with a different set of shoes even, when I got these from Violent Seduction. They will - I promise - be for sale soon. I love them. I love them like a loving thing who loves. I particularly love that the heel is recolorable in various kinds of stripes and solids, so you can match them to an outfit, and the star is also recolorable to a variety of metals. I am a huge fan of customizability, but more than that I adore the shape of them, the curve down to the star, and the fact I'm literally walking on stars. They are unrigged mesh, and I ended up making them just a little bigger and they fit perfectly.

So I'm sorry. They should be on sale soon. Please don't hate me!  

(I just checked, they're on sale. That whole rant was useless. Why do I not check things first? I'm leaving it because I think it's funny; enjoy.)

The rest of my outfit is a study in compromises and inventory hunting. The hair was another late addition, from D!va and for sale at Collobor88, and I found it when I was trying to find a hoodie that I swore got made but I couldn't find except for some concept pictures, which took up the better part of an evening; I tell you, I bled for this look and it's nothing like her. I was sold when I saw the adorable red bow, though, and into my inventory (and onto my head) it went. I literally don't know where the candy came from - it's from Evie's Closet, but I have no memory of getting it even though I adore it and am now craving old fashioned lollipops. The hoodie was actually a prize from Forsaken for one of the Twisted Hunts, and there is nothing like it for sale in the store, and I think that is a crime - it is awesome, and I love the pattern, and why was it not modify-ok so I could tint it? Picture me pouting - this is a pouting faerie right here.What's moving me is an amazing new set of poses from Studio Sidhe for Genre, for the Art Deco theme, which I really adore. I'm all elegant and side-eyeing, sauntering all over Second Life's second birthday event.

The sole nod to Vanellope's teal hoodie is this shirt, stolen from a gorgeous dress from G Field which you have absolutely no hint of in the current outfit. She looks like a young to teenage girl, though, so it was very important to me - in addition to needing the teal - that I portrayed her fully dressed, even with otherwise somewhat scandalous accessories. Scandalous would be the miniskirt from Sn@tch, which is so outside of my comfort zone that I'm roughly in Poughkeepsie now, but the ruffly was perfect for the look and half a day in I was getting kind of desperate, and it's a really cute skirt, there's just much less of it than I'm used to. The stockings are another piece from a bigger set, from katat0nik, and were one of the few dual-legged stocking styles I could find; she actually has another dual legged style which is stripes on one side and hearts on the other, and I was desperately hoping for it in teal (when I saw it in pink on flickr) but no luck. See? Pouting faerie. I am not kidding when I say I went back at least a year through flickr looking for all kinds of things and finding none of it for sale - this was a nightmare.

Also very funny in hindsight.

Other funny things in this picture set? My wandering eyes because I couldn't use my facial animation HUD. I have not forgotten how annoying all that is, oh no I haven't.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De La Soul, Candace Creamer
Hair: D!va, "Lili" (Collobor88)
Candy: Magic Candy Stash
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow
Eyelashes: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Jewelry: Silver Wheel, Candy Slices
Hands: SLink, Enhanced Mesh Hands
Nails: Nine Inch Nails, Colorful
Hoodie: Forsaken, Delirium Smoked Hoodie (Twisted Hunt Gift)
Shirt: G Field, Classic Dress "Clea"
Skirt: Sn@tch, Ruffled Mini Skirt
Stockings: katat0nik, Lunar Dragon
Shoes: Violent Seduction, Tacky

Poses: Studio Sidhe

Location: SL10B: Turtle Stage
Light Settings: TOR, MIDDAY Coral Reef
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Monday Meme: SL Movie Poster Challenge

I was honestly stymied for a poster to imitate for Strawberry's Meme this Monday, casting around through some of my favorite movies, all of which seemed ludicrously difficult and not quite worth it, being both something I couldn't photograph in Second Life and nothing terribly iconic or amazing. And then I thought of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which had both an iconic poster and could be mimicked pretty quickly. My initial thought was to make several pieces, but what I ended up making was a single backdrop and then posing in front of it - clearly not the poses Russell and Monroe were in, nor the same clothing, but I did go for a similar style - burlesque - and similar kinds of cheesecake poses to show off both sides of one of my favorite Solange outfits. The second shared thing I'm wearing are these awesome stilettos from G Field which I was reminded of in a discussion of whether there was a simple stiletto in Second Life. I had remember this, and was all set to send a notecard to G Field's creator asking if it could be made sans rose, when I realized the rose is optional - on Deoridhe it's showing, and Zoe has the streamlined roseless shoe. Clearly, the one walking home with the diamonds and the man is Deoridhe, because Gentlemen Prefer Fae.

Credits: 

Deoridhe Quandry:
Skin: De La Soul, Candace Creamer
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Cookie
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow
Eyeliner: Idiosyncrasy, Eyeliner 1
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Lipstick 1: Adore & Abhor, Lips Blood
Lipstick 2: Mock, Mizu Venetian Red
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Jewelry: G Field, Rusty Rose
Dress: Solange, Carnal Special Edition
Shoes: G Field, Flower Pumps

Pose: Glitterati, 015

Zoe Kutenai:
Skin: Frick, Nemesis - Ash
Hair: Magika, Rewind
Horns: Europa, Lokyli horns - red
Eyes: Fire Eye
Piercings: Little Blue Boy, Hitsugi piercings
Tail: Lemon Tea, Drakodaimonen Tail
Dress: Solange, Carnal Red
Shoes: G Field, Flower Pumps

Pose: Adorkable Poses, Ice 1

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Twisted Color Challenge: Week 21 - Bathroom Tile

This twisted challenge is named, rather depressingly, Bathroom Tile, but the color combination itself is absolutely gorgeous. I love the sea green and warm brown - very impressive, and incredibly difficult to find. Tinting the sky of the gorgeous sim Kick was a whole lot easier, making it a gorgeous shade of sea green with brown clouds that I promptly ignored for most of my pictures... opps. The sim is gorgeous, though - very watery with lots of interesting lights and plants all over the place, with a photography display in the middle up a few levels. My sea green bits are fairly straightforward - a gorgeous jewelry set from A&Ana is actually the only thing in this look that hasn't been tinted to match. It was a deal at The Dressing Room Fusion that at first I hadn't picked up, but when I saw the shades for this week I simply couldn't resist. It's in several pieces, but all of them are pretty inexpensive, so go ahead and splurge. The other sea green piece is most of this gorgeous dress from The Muses, a store I discovered during the fantasy faire and that I sought out hoping for this peculiar shade of greyish green. No luck on that front, but I did end up picking up this sweet dress in every color, including ivory, the ivory part turning out to be very helpful in this challenge. The shoulder flowers, skirtband, and dress are all separate pieces, making it simplicity to mix and match tint. One other thing I really liked was how thick the mesh was, both in terms of covering under the skirt and in terms of how it hit the skin; there's a substantialness to how it was made which really helped in a wide variety of poses, even relatively difficult ones like arms-over-head. A lot of mesh releases are very thin, a single face and invisible inside, but how this mesh was formed it looks and moves like a heavy sort of worked silk.

The brown pieces begin with The Muses dress, since i tinted the flower trim around the hem to match the sort of muddy brown; I had tried tinting the shoulder flowers as well, but next to this exquisite collar from Plastik it was simply too much brown at the neck. The collar was also tinted, from gold to this shade of brown, is also mesh, and is actually rigged, which means it frames my face beautifully as I change poses. I actually have hunted for this collar multiple times, having resisted it once on the feeds, wanted it for a look, bought it and lost where I put it, and now finally using it for an entirely different purpose. It also has a substantial feel - not a single thin layer, but a smooth, weighty curve of fabric. Finally my boots - the only other untinted part of this look - which are from my go-to boot store, G Field. The cool thing is, the teal feather is actually part of the shoe - it's darker than the sea green of the look, but it is still freaking awesome looking. Overall, I'm really pleased with this look, somewhat pleased with the pictures, and dreading going back into my blog to try to get my labels working so they are actually useful, instead of a mess. Wish me luck.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De La Soul, Candace (promotional item)
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow (promotional item)
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeshadow: Mock, Turquoise (iced) Liz
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Sunny (promotional item)
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Collar: Plastik, Devastation Collar
Dress: The Muses, Memory
Jewelry: A&Ana's Fashion, Emeraude (The Dressing Room Fusion)
Hands: SLink, Enhanced Mesh Hands
Nails: Nine Inch Nails, Frenchie Floral
Shoes: G Field, Open Boots "Vilda"

Poses: Glitterati

Location: Kick
Light Settings: Nacon's Day Mood2
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

SL DisneyBound – Week Nine: Marie

I've never seen Aristocats, but it looks totally cute and Marie is an absolutely adorable kitty, all white and fluffy with pink accessories. I figure the bows and collar are like clothing, so I equipped myself in all pink with white hair and wings, and my usual pale skin - and for an added touch, I put on a pair of adorable ears and a tail from DV8, a store that closed a while ago but which made totally cute accessories sometimes and still has some things for sale on the marketplace. The ears had been made with bright green highlights, but I shifted them to white so that it would match Marie's aesthetic. It leaves me double eared, but that's ok - more ears means more hearing. I am the best hearer ever. I really like the freckles which come with the fishing outfit from Sn@tch; I'm not normally a freckles kind of girl, but somehow as a kitty they just work. Sn@tch always has something in her fishing pond, and while it's no longer this pretty, blushing ensemble, it's one equally well made and adorable.

The way fishing for things works - you buy the Seven Seas fishing pole for about a hundred linden, then hunt out the stores with things to fish store - start at Sn@tch and check back every few weeks as she changes it for something new and awesome. Me, I have an alt tasked with fishing me up awesome clothing and sending it to me in tidy little folders. My little Marie bow is an adorable hair accessory I had in my inventory from ages past and Violet Voltaire, a totally adorable store which closed... a while ago, but which also left us remnants to enjoy on the Marketplace. Yay marketplace. I just hope the marketplace changes won't scuttle these old stores - I'm not sure how likely their owners are to come back and get them copacetic with the new protocols. Finally, my stockings - both sets - and my shoes are from my perennial favorite, G Field, which is always a go-to place for accessories and shoes. She actually released these stockings for stacking ages back, before we could layer textures or items, and as such they're a testament to the ingeniousness of the past. Also, very soft and comphy.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Candace (promotional item)
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow (promotional item)
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Lily (promotional item)
Barette: Violet Voltaire, Starlene Pink Panther
Cat Ears: DV8, Elektra Cyber Ears
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Dress: Sn@tch, Make Me Blush - includes cosmetics (Fishing Prize)
Hands: SLink, Enhanced Mesh Hands
Nails: Adore & Abhor, Kitten Nails
Stockings: G Field, Ruffle Socks
Shoes: G Field, Ribbon Slingback Shoes

Poses: Glitterati

Location: Surreal Effects
Light Settings: TOR, BIG SUN good for sailing
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Twisted Color Challenge: Week 19 - Morning Glory

It all starts with a smile is a new-to-me sim, and I have to admit I am deeply grieved by the fact that all too often I first hear of beautiful sims in time for them to go away. This one is particularly charming, a small town surrounded by gently rolling hills topped with cherry trees in full bloom. Since cherry blooming season is so short, it's nice to be able to visit a facsimile of it in-world, to pose beneath the cherries and enjoy the gently floating petals.I also really liked the small town, with it's candy colored storefronts and pristine cobblestone steps. There aren't stores here, but there is an amazing Ice Cream Parlor with one of my favorite quotes: "You can't buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream and it's almost the same thing."

It's a very sweet sim, especially in the small details, which is what I love for my style of photography. When I am trying to photograph my shorter-than-average avatar in the world, these small details become much more important to me than they do for landscape photographers; the background, and how well made and interesting it is, is central to my pictures and what ones I take. I'm going to do my next photoshoot here as well and do some comparing of how different windlights change the mood and style of a sim; here, to match my Twisted Color Challenge shades of bright blue and pale pink for Morning Glory I went for a sweet blue and pink with clear, white light. I wanted to bring out the pastels in the world, lightly gleaming in the sweet morning light.

My hair, with it's adorable pigtails, is a new release from Wasabi Pills which is unrigged mesh, which means I was able to stretch it a little to make the pig tails only cover the ends of my ears. I really like the fan effect and curls down, which sets it apart from other pigtails I always have in my inventory. My cosmetics come from another sadly-closing place - Croire, which is having a 50% off sale for a while as the last hurrah. There is some lovely stuff there, so go check it out. Crowning my ears is a new release from Illusions, simple bands of string which is texture-change on touch as well as tintable, and are just a fun addition to my ears. It's been a while since I was rocking my massive-jewelry ears, and these are a sort of sweet throwback to them while staying more simple. My jewelry is an older release from Eclectica, her antique heart set which I simply adore. I've reshaded it to gold and pink for this look, and it along with my amazing stockings from G Field, really represent the soft and sweet pink of Morning Glory.

My dress and shoes are from a new-to-me store which I found through some of the cross-sim discount programs called Liv Glam; for a very low price, you get some really pretty dresses and shoes with HUD-based retexturing. I was particularly struck by how it was packaged - it is actually packaged in the HUD, which means that HUD serves two purposes; it both recolors the clothing and serves as a redelivery for other sizes of mesh if necessary. These are template-based dresses, but they are priced in keeping with that which makes them much more within reach of an ever-dwindling pocketbook; I ended up picking up a whole lot in a short amount of time, so you'll be seeing them here again sometime soon. Finally, my amazing pale blue nails and my Sheepie accessories are releases from Adore and Abhor, and I simply couldn't resist pairing a purse and a stuffie even though the pink of my stuffie is much brighter than Morning Glory; I simply love them together, and I thought this fit my child-like, sweet look very well. I entirely failed to get a good picture of the nails, but they are simply and clear colored and a simply gorgeous pastel without any of the graying that sometimes happens with very pastel colors.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Candace (promotional item)
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow (promotional item)
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Ear Deco: Illusions, Wrapped Cords
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Cosmetics: Croire, Psychadelic Palette
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Sunny (promotional item)
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Dress: Liv Glam, Jasmyne Print Dress
Jewelry: Eclectica, Antique Hearts
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Nails: Adore & Abhor, Sheer
Purse: Adore & Abhor, Sheepie Purse
Stuffed Animal: Adore & Abhor, Aries Sheepie
Stockings: G Field, Button Socks
Boots: Liv Glam, Sandy Boots

Poses: Glitterati

Location: It all starts with a smile
Light Settings: Gwen's Light
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Wrapped Up With A Bow

A long time ago, I began to notice some changes in packaging and started collecting some of the most fantastic and my favorites, meaning to pull together a few now and then for pictures. And I kept forgetting, or having something else to do, but finally I have pulled them all together and they are epic. These are just the ones with built in poses with me standing, so they're a little more repetitive than my usual shots, but I really think the inventive and glorious packaging - all of it giving you things either automatically or with a single click - speaks for itself. Above is the packaging from De La Soul, which contains the tree that is in the middle of the store along with a picture of the product. Below is an adorable corset-purse from Favole (since closed) that I seriously considered keeping just as the purse - it's well made and totally adorable, and comes with the hand-outstretched pose for easy clicking. The Frooti package was probably the funniest, including me falling backwards with fruit flying everywhere; it makes me giggle every time I see it. I also love the dollies, and the tiny packages, all carefully held out so that you can see them and click them easily. Inventive packaging is among my favorite thing in Second Life - it adds such fun and whimsy to a routine endeavor. Each of these pictures is a different store (except for one repeat).

My bow, which is nearly swallowing my head, was an awesome release from SoliDea FoliEs, a store which has joined my growing list of stores to check out when I have some time and attention. I love the big, swoopy curves. My one complaint is it is very hard to find a hair to fit under it - I once talked about making a "hood friendly" hair folder for moments like this, especially now that more and more hair is un-editable mesh. My hair is a gorgeous release from Truth that I picked up after finally cramming myself into the sim during his sale. I blew a lot of cash for that, and this is one of the awesome, curly results. I love the loose curls - they blow me away, all loose and sweet. My dress is from one of my longtime favorite stores that I haven't blogged for ages - but she is no less amazing; Blue Blood is simply the To Go to store for well made, Gothy Lolita clothing. I particularly love her huge, floofy, layered skirts with their rich and dark textures. She's making some forays into mesh now, but I return time and again to her prim clothing because they're simply fun and still very well made. Check out the adorable bows at my hips; so adorable. Finally, my shoes are from another old favorite, G Field; I've worn her bow boots many times, but these bow shoes I keep returning too because they're simply solid.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Candace (promotional item)
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow (promotional item)
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Hair: Truth, Kasia
Bow: SoliDea FoliEs, Haudrey
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Dress: Blue Blood, Acha
Jewelry: Eclectica, 'Flora' Jewelry
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Nails: Orc Inc, Glitterslash
Shoes: G Field, Bow Strap Shoes

Poses: Various

Location: Cupcake
Light Settings: TOR, FOGGY Silent Heck
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

SL DisneyBound – Week Seven: Kuzco

Week seven of my quick, quick, catch up Disneybound challenge is Kuzco, the "Incan" emperor from The Emperors New Groove. He spends a lot of time as a llama, but I decided for something a lot less hairy for this look, drawing inspiration from French and Japanese cultural fashions for something imperial, and ended up with less a casual look and more a really striking, High Fashion look that would get me stared at on the street. I ended up really loving it, though - it's so impressive and over the top. I found this amazing sim named Luminarios Divide to take pictures in, which had a dreamy, haunted Japanese-style garden. One thing I think about with strongly culturally significant items, like the head-dress which is appropriate for a Japanese Oiran, is cultural appropriation - the taking, redefining, and in some cases gross lack of understanding about aspects of other cultures.

Oiran are rooted in the Edo period (1600–1868), the word becoming a general term for courtesan in the mid-1700s. They were restricted to walled districts by the Tokugawa Shogunate and only allowed out to visit dying relatives and for cherry blossom viewing. Japanese women also ended up being kidnapped or bought by Portuguese traders and their crews; the impression that Japan is more sexual, and the racists stereotypes of Japanese (and Asian) women as submissive and obedient likely has it's roots here. How much do I, a non-Japanese woman, play into these stereotypes when I wear artifacts of a foreign culture? It's difficult to say, and so while I am drawn to these symbols of complicated cultures and rarefied society, I also try to keep in mind the historical and modern implications inherent in them.

This gorgeous hair, complete with the enormous combs which indicate a wealthy Oiran, is from Tukinowaguma - an amazing hair store with a wide variety of well made, unique hairstyles. Whenever I want something that blows me away. When I saw Kuzco's hair, I knew right away I would have to go to Tukinowaguma in order to hope to match the glory of his sunburst-style crown. I added a chain bindi, a new release from Souzou Eien and a perfect fit for my brow; I love how simple and spare it is against the opulence of the rest of my look. My eyeshadow is a slightly naturalistic shadow from Elymode, in shades of red and gold to match the overall color theme, and I paired dark red lips from Heartsick wish a single stripe from La Petite Morte to loosely echo the distinctive red lower lip of the Oiran. Heartsick is currently having a sale to try to raise money for the creator to get a new computer - hers died a horrific death. Finally, the distinctive bright turquoise earrings he wears are more demurely represented by a pair of ring earrings from Earthstones.

My collar is from Rosal, and is my favorite of her many different corset styles - the Unmei - which is loosely based on the Obi, brocade fabric, and silky ties. She recently released gloves and ballet style boots to match, each with the distinctive band of brocade and stylish bow. I paired it with this simply amazing gown from Violent Seduction, based on the styles of 17th Century court gowns in France, with it's low-cute, square-necked top and the heavy, velvet overskirt and corset. My only wish from this outfit is that I could wear the corset part separately; I would love to pair it with a variety of tops and bottoms to enjoy it across the grid. The skirt is rigged to the legs, which means sometimes it's movement is a little odd, but overall it means that it remains puffed out no matter where one goes or how one moves. Finally, my boots are from G Field and come in two parts, so I was able to get the gold and black style of Kuzco's sandals. The top part are actually originally white, but since all of her shoes are modify-ok I was able to tint them to match the gold of the rest of my look.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Candace (promotional item)
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow (promotional item)
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeshadow: Elymode, Autumn red/gold
Lipstick: Heartsick, Morticia
Lipline: La Petite Morte, Red Stripe Lip
Hair: Tukinowaguma, Tokie
Bindi: Souzou Eien, Precious Bindi Gold/Red
Earrings: EarthStones, Bali Hoop Earrings
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Collar: Rosal, Unmei
Corset/Skirt: Violent Seduction, Versailles Dress (promotional item)
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Nails: Orc Inc, Glitterslash
Shoes: G Field, Open Boots "Vilda"

Poses: Glitterati

Location: Luminarios Divide
Light Settings: CB's Rouge 4
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

SL DisneyBound – Week Four: Snow White

Once upon a time in a misty-gray world, a Raven and a Butterfly fell out of love and battled to the death. The Raven's sharp beak left golden dust and blue tears filtering down from a butterfly wing, and the Butterfly's sharp words drew blood and feathers from the Raven, and their wounds littered the snowing ice below as they both expired from their wounds. It wasn't until Spring when the ground began to bloom again, dust and tears, blood and feathers, snow and death rising from the ground and named by the birds Snow White. She emerged from the cage left of their dying wishes to see the world and find it made of equal parts light and dark, day and night, joy and grief, love and hate - each so mingled they can't be separated. The whispers of the bees and the whimpers of the swallows led her inexorably to the Apple of Desire, which tempted the palm of her hand, the shadows of her form, the icy bite of her teeth. She followed it's trail of passion to find it at last, caged and cold and shrouded in mists. Her fingers brushed the cold bars and they gave way before her, the apple transforming at her touch to fledgling and chrysalis, each having waited in crimson silence for their pain to return to them reborn. 'Eat Me' the Apple whispered, and she did. 'Eat me,' the world whispered, and she went to consume it all with a smile and a cut of canines.

Coming up with a look for Snow White almost undid me; it took me longer than any look to date, and unlike almost all of the older ones, everything I used except the corset came from already sorted clothing which I've owned for quite a while. The corset was my starting point; representing my science, Pisces, it's the only corset of Perception that I've indulged in, though I've been tempted by a bunch of the other Zodiac Releases she's had and I've picked up some of her jewelry. For the rest of the outfit I struggled, though. Although the colors vary widely, the roses and clothing attached to them are parts taken from G Field's indomitable Fairy dress with it's wide variety of skirts and it's beautiful texturing. I actually started with the skirt and then filled in the rest once I realized how well the corset and skirt fit together; thank everything that the dress was prim instead of rigged mesh, or I could have never pulled this off.

After a whole lot of trial and error, I finally settled on this very old dress release from Blue Blood - one of my favorites of her whitegoth releases, and a dress I actually have pulled out a few times for different looks because I like it so much. Again, since it was prim instead of mesh I was able to do a lot more nudging, including leaving off one of the sleeves so that my arm flowers would work out. The love of the Raven and Butterfly lived on in Eclectica's gorgeous heart jewelry, which like a lot of her releases was color changing so that I could make it match with the rest of my look. I also echoed the red in my gorgeous Adore & Abhor lipstick, pairing it with this dark, short style from Wasabi Pills to match up with Snow White's fabled lips as Red and Blood and Hair as dark as a Raven's Wing. The Fabled Apple of Desire is actually a free purchase in World's End Garden, the gorgeous sim where I took these pictures and the setting for my Fairy Tale.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De La Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose
Eyes: De La Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Ears: Illusions, Seelie
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Lipstick: Adore & Abhor, Shreveport Lips - Blood
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Claire Mesh (promotional item)
Flowers: G Field, Rose Fairy
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Jewelry: Eclectica, Antique Hearts
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Apple: World's End Garden, Apple of Desire
Shirt: Blue Blood, Fluture
Corset: Perception, Underbust Corset - Pisces
Skirt: G Field, Rose Fairy
Shoes: G Field, Flower Pumps "Eve"

Poses: Glitterati

Location: World's End Garden
Light Settings: Places Kumming
Water Settings: Mirror Glass

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

SL DisneyBound – Week Three: Gaston

No one hops like Gaston

Spins on tops like Gaston

In the garden there no one eats crops like Gaston

I'm especially good at munching carrots!

(Omnomnomnom!)

Ten points for Gaston!

My Gaston is a bit of a bunny, actually, inspired in part by this adorable dress from Ambrosia which was one of the RMK Gothic Bunny hunt prizes (collar, cuffs, and ears included). This year I actually remembered to get all of my prizes, which is amazing! I have some duplicates, so I'm thinking of hooking my alts up. My big concession to Gaston is my black Wasabi Pills hair, where some of the orangy-yellow from his outfit is found (I also tinted the collar and cuffs, which began white). The little ring I'm wearing is also a hunt prize, but this time one at the Noodles store, along with several other store hunts. Gaston's brown boots are a modification of G Field's fur cuff boots - I figured I hunted the fur myself, so it's cool to wear.

I have loads I want to say - rants about the mistreatment of women on the internet, explanations about different mental health issues, analysis of various social and psychological topics, but every time I open the box to type in, my brain is entirely emptied. Some of it might be the weird amount of cleanliness of my apartment; some of it might be how I've been trying to catch up on hundreds of things, and part of it... I don't even know. My brain is filled with cottage cheese. It feels like Second Life is filled to the brim with things to do, and I'm just entirely overwhelmed! For tonight, I have tasty food, I have a blog post finished on time, and I'm going to spam everything in the known universe with more LEA base posts so that maybe I can finally get caught up on that ongoing project! Cica's back, by the way - this time in what happened after the black-and-white cartoon world was hit by water.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose
Eyes: De La Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Ears: Illusions, Seelie
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Cosmetics: Mock, Lucir - Espresso
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Ginger (Promotional Item)
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Dress: Ambrosia, Bunny Girl (Alice in RMK Hunt)
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Ring: Noodles, Bunny Ring Gold (Easter Hunt)
Heels: G Field, Fur Cuff Boots "Sasha"

Pose: D. Luxx

Location: * R u s t  * by Cica Ghost
Light Settings: Phototools - Lo Light 04
Water Settings: Mirror Glass

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Sakura Cupcakes

I'm so late on this! Thirty lashes with a wet noodle! Cupcakes is having a special event where each store is offering something on a discount, and these really fun antlers festooned with sakura flowers are the offering from Violent Seduction. Make sure to swing by Cupcakes and check out the other stores before the prizes evaporate at the end of March (I know! I'm so late!); I saw the cutest pile of presents and some really nice lipsticks, too. The dress I'm wearing is another recent release, this time from G Field; special versions of this were Relay for Life donations, but the full fatpack has to be seen to be believed, and believe me I picked up the whole lot. It's a rigged mesh dress, weighted very naturally like a heavy satin, and the texturing reminds me of G Field's early rose dresses. To highlight the dark of my antlers and the top of the dress, I'm wearing new dark shoes from Felicity in black. These feature a similar triangle design to many of her other styles, this time augmented by those silver studs that are so in style now. At this point I can tint her shoes in my sleep, so tinting and fitting were very quick; there is an additional HUD to tint the toenails any color of the spectrum.

I ended up going to Cupcakes to take my pictures after I saw how gorgeous the store setup was. With each store on its own island in the sky, there was both some uniformity and an opportunity for each store to have a slightly different feel. Violent Seduction had a gorgeous pipefox in front of it, and several flights of butterflies, and the store layout was very open despite being in a stand of dark trees. In contrast, Tuli is a modern brick facade, and nearby Sanu has the cutest button of a house, flanked by bunnies. Each store has it's own style and charm, but the island design keeps them connected and makes directions easy to understand. I also really loved the aurora borealis moving overhead, colors always shifting and changing even during the day! Between that and the clouds, I was in heaven.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose
Eyes: De La Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Ears: Illusions, Seelie
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Cosmetics: Mock, Basically Experimental Cherry (Group Gift)
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Dean (Promotional Item)
Antlers: Violent Seduction, Sakura Horns (Promotional Item) 80$L until March 31st
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Jewelry: Ommik, Bokeh Set
Dress: G Field, Puff Sleeve Dress "Taylor"
Heels: Felicity, Monique Stilettos (Promotional Item)

Poses: !bang

Location: Cupcakes
Light Settings: Places Greed2

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only