Just Me and Mesh

After looking so scary in the last post I thought I'd better try a more normal look today for a couple of reasons. Reason number one is that my friend Clay was a little disturbed that my zombie av could have such sexy hair, so I thought I'd wear the hair for him while looking more normal. That's also who the wink is for! Reason number two is so I could remind myself how good mesh can look. Zombie Girl aside, most of the new female avis in our library are just ugly. Poor noobs.

I'm in the mood for casual, and have chosen a few of my recent casual items to wear today. The Pure Poison wedge sandals with the cherries on them are adorable, and work so well with my cherry necklace from Yummy Accessories. Of the several pairs of jeans I've bought recently, Mon Tissu's rolled up cuffed ones are my favorites. The latest coldLogic release has the cutest summer tops!

Digs has a lot of beautiful new home furnishing releases that can be used indoors or out. The Genoa lanterns (currently found at The Liaison Collaborative) are definitely going on my patio. I used an animation from the Digs Jensen Footstool for this picture because I thought it showed off the shoes and my casual attitude today.

Credits:

Yummy Fruit Necklace - Cherry (at Collabor88)
coldLogic shirt - bates.snow (New Release)
Mon Tissu Harlow's Cuffed Jeans ~ Medium Wash
Pure Poison - Cherry Wedges (New Release)
Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands
Slink Female Feet (AvEnhance) - Mid
Slink Visage Mesh Head - Becky

Adam N Eve Taliya Genesis Tone B Basic Applier for Slink Visage Head
Adam N Eve Skin Taliya Tone B Bare
Argrace Hair HARUKA - Russet
IKON Spectral Eyes - Amber

 

My Blogging Journey Makes My Feet Hurt Sometimes

It's time for the Strawberry Singh blogger challenge of the week. This time we're talking about our blogging journey. I hung out in my new gazebo from Digs while I thought about my answers to the questions.

Meme instructions: Copy and paste the following questions and answers to your post, delete my answers and input your own. Don’t forget to leave a link to your post in the comments so others can come by and read your answers as well!

1. Which electronic devices do you use to blog with? I only use my laptop to blog. I'll occasionally comment on my iPhone, but I'd never use it to write a blog post.
2. Do you have a mission statement for your blog, if so, what is it? My mission statement is pretty broad - "a Second Life blog about whatever takes our fancy." By that I mean that I'll blog things I like - fashion and home and garden, primarily.
3. How do you feel about blogs that use their platforms to spread negativity? I don't get them. I'm mystified that anyone would take the time to spew ugliness on a regular basis. A big line needs to be drawn, however, between a blog whose sole purpose is to stir up drama and a blog that does an occasional negative review.
4. Are you a grammar junkie? Do you thoroughly check your blog for errors before posting and/or do you judge other people’s posts if they contain errors? I care about grammar and spelling. That said, I make mistakes too, so I'm not terribly judgy unless a blog post is incomprehensible. I do prefer clear posts, though. If a blogger takes great pictures but isn't really a writer, I'm perfectly satisfied to peruse a list of credits.
5. If you could switch blogs with another blogger who would it be? I'm too fickle to want to switch with just one blogger! Neva Crystall takes photos I just want to crawl into and live in. Strawberry Singh's blog, which I obviously love, shares so much fun along with useful information, stunning photos and teaching moments. Who wouldn't want to trade places with Berry every once in awhile?
6. Has your blog/blogging style evolved over the year(s)? How? Maybe it's evolved. It has changed. I started blogging with my friend Ayla, but she didn't enjoy blogging as much as I did, so now it's just me. Doing these challenges has helped me to relax and open up a little more when I blog.
7. What is the most extraordinary thing that has happened to you because of blogging? What is extraordinary to me is that there are people who read my blog. Who would have thought?
8. When it comes to Second Life blogs, there are different styles: Fashion bloggers, Lifestyle & Travel bloggers, Informative bloggers, and more. Which style do you prefer and where do you feel your blog fits in? My blog fits best into the fashion category, but I like all kinds of Second Life blogs. If you scroll down to the bottom of my blog you'll see the blogs I read most often. I have a lot of respect for information blogs like Nalates Things & Stuff, Jo Yardley's Second Life, and Living In a Modem World. They often explain to me the more technical side of Second Life and give me new perspectives to think about.
9. What has blogging taught you? Oddly enough, this question is the one that I'm stuck on. Obviously I've learned things about blogging, about promotion for events and products, about photos and post-processing tips. But I want to answer this with some insight about personal growth through blogging, but have I grown? Have I opened up? Does anyone care whether I have or not? Maybe I just like taking pictures. Maybe the journey makes my feet hurt sometimes.
10. Share your top 3 tips for new bloggers. 1) Don't start a blog to get freebies. Blogging is an expensive hobby if you're doing it right. It's fine to be on a few blogging lists, but make sure they're designers you love, or your personal style will suffer. 2) Involve yourself in the blogger community through blog challenges, inworld groups, charity events, and/or Plurk. You'll make new friends involved in the same hobby and your blog will be richer for it. 3) Be yourself and your style will shine through. 

Credits:

coldLogic belt - zois.sunny (New Release)
coldLogic dress - zois.sunny (New Release)
Kunglers Yara necklace - Golden
Maitreya Hair Siobhan (Mesh) - Ginger
Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands
Slink Female Feet (AvEnhance) S - Mid

Beetlebones SUNANTHA SANDALS

Glam Affair - Vera - America 02 F
IKON Spectral Eyes - Amber

Pose from Le Poppycock

The Bedroom

I love home decor in Second Life. I can be awfully fickle and redo a home from the ground up more than once a month. Digs just released a lovely new bedroom set called Ainsley that I'm currently enjoying. The bed comes in PG or Adult versions for all our bedroom activities. Color change bedding and furniture gives plenty of versatility to the look.

Credits:

DIGS - Aisling Bed - Pastel

DIGS - Aisling Bedside Table

DIGS - Aisling Bedside Lamp

DIGS - Aisling Tallboy

DIGS - Aisling Dresser

DIGS - Aisling Reading Pile

DIGS - Aisling Mirror

DIGS - Aisling Wicker Storage

DIGS - Aisling Skincare

DIGS - Suspension Lamp - Pewter

DIGs - Closet Doors

DIGS - Weather Embroidery trio

What Next - Norwegian Wood  Guitar

The Loft - Alderan Planter White

Trompe Loeil - Hanging Tri-Planter Blue 

Dutchie Plants

Cheeky Pea - Kaleidoscope Dreamcatcher

Tres Blah - Bon Voyage Clock Radio (Pink) (Gacha Item)

Apple Fall - Lustful Lilacs

I Think I'll Go Shopping

When the first of the month comes around all the bloggers get busy with new releases. Monthly events begin, new items are released, and I go shopping. One of my favorite shops, coldLogic, closed down for about a week and reopened with a rebuild. It looks absolutely gorgeous. And they released two new dresses for the occasion! Yay!

My hair is from Exile and available through November at FaMeshed, the monthly showcase for new original mesh creations. The Loft floor planter, the stack of books and cactus from Aria are also at FaMeshed this month. Look for more FaMeshed goodies in my next post.

I'm also loving the color change dresser from Digs. It was available for Fifty Linden Friday and I apologize that I didn't get my blog picture done in time for the savings, but it's a great piece at any price.

Credits:

coldLogic dress - omara.hunter (New Release)
Exile Hair - Daydream - Fusion 2 pack (at FaMeshed)
Maitreya Calgary Clutch * Coal
Maxi Gossamer - Necklace - Baroque Peacock Flower - Long
Slink Classic Pointed Pumps Black
Slink Female Feet (AvEnhance) - Mid

Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands
-Belleza- Leila Med 4 R

Mayfly - Deep Sky Mesh Eye (Deep Honey Hazel, w3)

At Home with Dolly

When I go to events I don't just buy new release clothes, I buy furniture and houses, too. The Modern Villa is the new release by Trompe Loeil at Collabor88. I'm slowly decorating it and the great room is shaping up nicely with Dig's new Douglas sofa, table and wall art at Liaison Collaborative's Garden. The rug and floor cushion are from Pilot, the floor lamp is from Trompe Loeil's Oceana group at this month's FaMeshed. Other assorted accessories are from Dutchie, Post, and Mud Honey.

Part of the fun of decorating a home in Second Life is the pleasure of mixing the work of different designers into a cohesive look. For my fireplace grouping I used the Trompe Loeil Oceana sofa, chairs, trunk and coffee table. I mixed in a floor lamp from the Digs Douglas grouping, a table lamp, mirror, wall art, and some accessories from The Loft's Alders grouping at Collabor88. The Mission style dresser and the books on the trunk are from Apple Fall at Collabor88. The only items NOT from a new event are the Pilot rugs, the hydrangas in a glass vase from Apple Fall and touch of greenery in the right corner from Rustica.

I think I'm going to be happy at this new house for awhile. Did I tell you it has a pool?

Shower Her With Annual Reports and Silk Stockings

Strawberry Singh's meme/challenge of the week is about our Zodiac signs. Oh my!

Meme instructions: Copy and paste the following questions and answers into your post; then delete my answers and input your own. Don’t forget to leave a comment on Berry's post with a link to your post so we can all come by and check it out!

1. What is your birthday and/or Zodiac sign? – My real life birthday is in January and I am a Capricorn.
2. Do you believe in or follow astrology? – I'm ambivalent. I don't follow my horoscope in the paper because - well - how vague can you be, right?
3. Do you feel your sign’s attributes reflect who you are? – I've learned from an astrologer friend that a sun sign (mine being Capricorn) is only part of the story. She calls me a double 12th house Capricorn - because my sun and moon are both in Capricorn in the 12th house (the house of secrets - sort of Pisces related). We're ruled by Saturn who I think ate his children in the myth. He's kind of a stern taskmaster. How other people perceive me (according to her) is by my rising sign. It has something to do with the exact time we're born. For me that's Aquarius and that's good because Capricorns have a stern rep, but Aquarians are associated with Hippies - a lot more fun. I have a bunch of planets there, but I don't want to bore you with my arcane knowledge of the astrological meanings of Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter. All that said, my favorite Capricorn description was on a Sylvia calendar from years ago. It said something like "To capture the attention of the Capricorn goddess, shower her with annual reports and silk stockings. She's ambitious, loves classy things and has good legs." That's me in a nutshell if you add to that list a nice shiny espresso machine.
4. Have you ever been to a psychic or astrologer either in RL or in SL?  My friend has been an astrologer since the 70's. She has read my chart many times. Her philosophy (she's a Jungian) is that the alignment of the planets in your birth chart is a map of strengths and weaknesses in your psyche. But she doesn't see astrology as fortune telling, more as a jumping off point to self-knowledge based on the collective unconscious. 
5. Do you read your horoscope daily and try to follow any advice, recommendations or warnings it may have for you that day? Oh lord no!
6. Do you have very strong feelings about astrology, either negative or positive? Strong feelings? No. I do like reading annual reports and wearing silky stockings on special occasions. Eerie, yes?

Credits:

booN WMO003 hair chestnut
booN gathered raised hairbase chestnut
Maitreya Lux Sweater - Wool-Mix Creme
Maitreya Mini Skirt * Vivid Leather Lust
Slink Mesh Hands (av)
Glam Affair - Cleo - America - Clean F
Beetlebones Mesh Lashes

Mayfly - Liquid Light Mesh Eye (Summer Shore, w3) 

LISP - Mesh - Tea Poses 2 - Walking & Holding

Digs - Emmet Desk

Home Show Goodies from Digs

The Home Show is a new home and garden event that just opened and will last until the end of July. It takes up two sims and is filled with top notch designers' new and exclusive releases. Digs' new releases include an interesting casual living room grouping called Ferryside. The table, tray,  sofa, matching chair, and lamps are all part of the grouping. Everything has texture changes for easy customization. Also shown is the Ryker bentwood slatted chair, the Healy ottoman, and in the next photo is the Emmet desk and possibly the best desk chair in Second Life (not because it's naughty, because it's exactly what I want for my real life desk chair).

I added plants from Dutchie and a rug and wall art from Trompe Loeil to round out the room. HERE is your taxi to the Home Show. It sets you down right by Digs and What Next on the second sim.

Just a Little Streeeetch...

...and I'll get back to work.  It's a new month and there are events and goodies to blog!  My ultra feminine and sexy dress is from Valentina E. Couture at FaMeshed, and the desk and chair is a rare item from Dig's gacha at The Arcade Gacha Event.  The artwork is from Pilot, not a new release.  I managed to clutter up the desk with various items from my inventory. 

Credits:

Valentina E. - Marilyn Dress Blossom Cherry

TRUTH Hair Savina w/Roots (Mesh) - marmalade
Maxi Gossamer - Necklace - Lealao Pendant - Short

Gos Boutique - Sophia Peeptoe - Essentials Collection
Glam Affair - Amberly - America Clean Red
Poetic Colors Eyes - classic gen4 - snow light - medium bright 

BeetleBones Mesh Lashes V.01 (Dainty brown)

Slink Mesh Hands

Pose by the incomparable Del May
 

(See Taxi to Stores Page for SLurls)