Crystalline

Underneath our feet
Crystals grow like plants
(listen how they grow)
I’m blinded by the lights
(listen how they grow)
In the core of the earth
(listen how they grow)

~ “Crystalline” by Bjork

Bjork writes the most interesting lyrics over brilliant inventive music, which I love. The latest pieces she has released are up to her high standard—jarring metaphors and innovative music and melodies that somehow fit into appealing pop songs, embracing our wonderful technological world. (Listen to “Virus,” where the metaphor describes a passion as a virus—it’s unnerving and perfect.)

I bring up Bjork because Leezu Baxter’s work oftentimes reminds me of Bjork in its inventiveness and vision, with innovation occurring at all sorts of levels while still adhering to “pop” standards. Take this dress Leezu recently released. She builds a standard empire waist with a traditional SL silhouette, but then she shreds the lace texture on the prims, allowing gaps to show in the texture so as they float around it appears almost disembodied. She anchors them by placing several shorter opaque pieces underneath to make it less a piece of lacy puffery than a substantial “dress.” For the bodice, which is a typical sculpty, Leezu upends the average by creating a sheer peek-a-boo piece that just covers the nipples with an opaque silk (daringly more than enticingly). She always pushes and nudges in a way no other designer in SL does, giving us something innovative but also appealing and wearable.

Gala Phoenix has come out with her new Jewel line, and I can’t resist showing another skin from it. I absolutely adore the eyebrows, the lips, the nose, the tint of this rosy skin. Gala simply did not sit back and let SL pass her by as many creators in SL have done or have been forced to do—she continues to evolve and innovate, providing beautiful content for us.

My hair is a wild ‘do from Neveah Niu, who has been putting out some pretty incredible stuff lately. And my necklace is from this blog’s latest obsession, Matchbook Monday, who has combined cool shiny stone with cool shiny metal to make this outstanding choker–a perfect weight to this more airy look.

It’s the sparkle you become
Conquer anxiety
Sparkle you become
Conquer anxiety
Sparkle you become
When you conquer anxiety
It’s the sparkle you become
When you conquer anxiety

Hair: ICONIC Chaka -Black Pack* by Neveah Niu for ICONIC *

Hairbase: Black hairbase by chiaki Xue for Dura *

Skin: :GP: Petal [Light] Jewel-Amethyst 1 by Gala Phoenix for Curio *

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Imperial Purple (ML)  by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Dress: [LeeZu!] Toya Dress by LeeZu Baxter for LeeZu! *

Choker: : Amorous : Aphrodisia (Monochrome) by Matchbook Monday for Amorous *

Shoes: Slink Lulu Stilettos White by Siddean Munro for SLink *

PS Thank you, Mr. Oh ;)

Perfect Darkness

Deep water stay under.
See it rolling over your head and just roll with it until it’s all good yeah.
Deep water a little deeper then you thought feel it going over the edge
and just go with it
until it’s all good yeah.

 

The best part of being up north was the perfect darkness—the pure beautiful deep dark of the woods. I wear this beautiful black dress from Nicky Ree as a sort of tribute to that. Nicky is not a sculpty genius nor a brilliant nano-prim builder. What she is is a beautiful texture maker who has made the formerly limited tools of SL work for her to make gorgeous and memorable fashion in SL. This dress is no exception. With its intricate lace on the bodice and train, it is the perfect example of Nicky’s artistry.

My deliciously dark skin is a new one from Gala Phoenix, part of a Jewel collection she is offering in golden and rose-based skin tones. I have slowly become a Curio girl as Gala has released her glowing and ethereal skins. I was so excited to see these were out. I show one of the more intense skins here with deep dark sexy eyes from Ikon Innovia.

My jewelry is a new set from Matchbook Monday, my new jewelry goddess. It’s a little modern for this dress perhaps but I rather like it as I am really into chokers. This one has a sort of industrial/steampunk flare with little golden pieces strung on black wire with matching hoops. Her work is a little dark, a tinge kinky (but not overtly so, which makes it all the nicer). Her graphic skills, from textures to ads to photos are top notch. I am so loving her work.

Compass points out in all directions.
From this moment we over now.
With everything we do we gonna do it.
Perfect darkness is all I can see.

~ “Perfect Darkness” by Fink

Hair: .::S::. Elegance – Onyx by Beautifully Sinister for Secrets

Hairbase: Vanity hair base Noir by Tabata Jewell for Vanity Hair

Skin: :GP: Petal [Dark] Jewel-Black Diamond 2 by Gala Phoenix for Curio *

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Dark Silver (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Dress: *DNR* Ingrid Bridal Lace Gowns V1 Black by Nicky Ree for Designing Nicky Ree *

Jewelry: : Amorous : Now by Matchbook Monday for Amorous *

Can we talk?

I just took a glorious 4-day vacation up north and came back with yarn, soap, a full tummy, and hours of restful time. In the past I would miss not having wifi, but this time I really didn’t. No TV (except the Packers game), no internet, no news or stress. I think a little more time would have been great, but I was glad for the time I had. For four days it was a better sort of second life.

This little blue dress from Neferia Abel reflects some of the mood I am in. With its bright blue and pretty flounces, it reminds me of the blue water of the lake and the clear blue skies. The strapless bodice, accented by a black flower, evokes the old fashioned soirees at the resorts on the lake where gentlemen still wore dinner jackets and girls dressed up in party frocks to dance to live bands on a beautifully lit dancefloor overlooking the water.

My skin is a pretty one I picked up at the Fashion Garret from Miah McAuley. She has managed to make a lovely blank palette for wearing different make up layers (though she includes a pretty exotic eyeliner). My hair is a short and sassy cut from Jeanie Valois. I am so into short hair and this blonde is especially enticing. Earrings are glamorous chandeliers from Maeve Mortlock.

Summer is the time when one sheds one’s tensions with one’s clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit.  A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all’s right with the world.  ~ Ada Louise Huxtable

Hair: (Posh) ; Trouble ; Blonde by Jeanie Valois for (Posh)

Skin: Tulip-pale-db-05 by Miah McAuley for Natural Beauty & Face

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Blue (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Dress: ~Ivalde~FL- Stefani seagreen by Neferia Abel for Ivalde *

Earrings: Ear Candy ~ Turquoise Diamond Earrings for FFL by Maeve Mortlock for Ear Candy *

Shoes: [e] Millside Flats – Cerulean by Elikapeka Tiramisu for [elikatira]

Chair: Silver Barstool by Cory Edo for Trompe Loeil

Poses by Mojo Skytower for .::Poise::.

Gone Daddy Gone

Beautiful girl lovely dress
Where she is now I can only guess
Cause it’s gone daddy gone

I will be gone, Daddy, gone for a few days so no blog. I finally get MY summer vacation, a trip to Door County to get cherry jam and play miniature golf and look at the lake and poke around in yarn stores. I tried to rush to fill in the blog for a few days, but thought better of it. I do realize in taking a vacation I am missing out on the dawn of mesh. I did try some mesh on a few days ago but didn’t find it pictorial enough at the time to share. I’m sure there’s plenty to go around.

Luckily AmySue Shirakawa threw this outfit at me a couple days ago. The thing with AmySue is she always gives you the complete package—in this case the dress, gloves, the shoes and a necklace (which I am not wearing). I love how she combined stripes with a brocade on this dress and made it a blonde-perfect color. Her use of lace at the hem is sexy and intriguing and her shoes are knockouts. (And were the perfect color when I wore them—for ONCE.) I opted for a heavier necklace from Anuitka Barthelmess for this look just to mix things up.

My skin is another of Gala Phoenix’s beautiful recent releases. I admit I have become a kind of Curio girl, but who can blame me? Great eyebrows, sexy eyes, luscious lips, a translucent and glowing skin, a knock out bod—it’s all there. My hair is a sexy tousled blonde from chiaki Xue. I love this blonde color and I always love how chiaki makes shorter hair that frames the face so beautifully.

Beautiful girl lovely dress
Where she is now I can only guess

~ “Gone, Daddy, Gone” by the Violent Femmes

Hair: **Dura-Girl**18(Blonde)resize by chiaki Xue for Dura *

Skin: :GP: Sundust [Light] Stormy-Puddle 1 by Gala Phoenix for Curio *

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Absinthe (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Outfit: ! [Adored]ELLE-CREAM (including Elle Color Changing Shoes) by AmySue Shirakawa for [Adored] *

Necklace: Necklace No134 black by Anuitka Barthelmess for Kraftika

Old Letters and Lace

“I consider lace to be one of the prettiest imitations ever made of the fantasy of nature; lace always evokes for me those incomparable designs which the branches and leaves of trees embroider across the sky, and I do not think that any invention of the human spirit could have a more graceful or precise origin.” ~ Coco Chanel

Sachi Vixen has created a dress of beautiful origins—lace. What Sachi does, beyond just putting a lace pattern on the dress however, is create a very beautiful bodice with a flattering décolletage and short and long versions of an empire waist skirt. (I show the babydoll length here.) She doesn’t just stop with making a lace bodice, as many do. The beauty is in the details.. the lace along the top, the shadowing, and the hooks down the back.

Aida Ewing has come out with a beautiful fresh new skin line and I show the bold blue shadow and pink girly lips of one of the makeups. I love the eyebrows, the makeups (which Aida always does so prettily), and the shapely body. I found Nena Janus’ lace and pearls jewelry set in inventory, which suited this outfit perfectly.

And the softness of my body will be guarded by embrace [b]y each button, hook, and lace. ~ Amy Lowell

Hair: MINA Hair – Aislinn – BG06 with MINA TKO HairBase BG06 by Mina Nakamura for MINA Hair *

Skin: -Glam Affair- JadisV2 Natural – D 07 by aida Ewing for -Glam Affair- *

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Deep Cool Silver (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Dress: Adam n Eve Ana Popcorn by Sachi Vixen for Adam n Eve *

Necklace: *League* Pearls & Lace Necklace 2 by Nena Janus for *League*

Shoes: Maitreya Gold * Foxy Pearl by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya Gold

Subterranean Homesick Alien

Up above
Aliens hover
Making home movies
For the folks back home…

I wish that they’d swoop down in a country lane
Late at night when I’m driving
Take me on board their beautiful ship
Show me the world as I’d love to see it

Sometimes Radiohead lyrics mean nothing–or snippets do. But this song is an actual story—and I like it. Who would we meet on board their beautiful ship?

I climbed aboard Matchbook Monday’s new beautiful ship when I went to see her new jewelry store, Amorous, and I was shown the world as I love to see it. The build itself is pretty impressive—a lift takes you to the showroom floor with jewelry of amazing quality and textures. (It’s such an impressive build I actually shot on site and you are being subjected to a few extra shots.) Matchbook built the entire build herself—which shows she really has the chops to make things, big or small, in SL.

The feature of this blog, of course, is her jewelry. The necklace and earrings I am wearing include color changing scripts so you can choose a variety of color combos between the gems, making the necklace infinitely versatile. Most of her jewelry features such flexibility. She is still filling the store with goodies but what she has already is amazing. I love her use of offset circles and rich textures in many of her pieces. I can feel the weight and quality of this jewelry just looking at it.

My skin is one of Juliette Westerburg’s distinctive looks, one I believe I got as an exclusive a year ago. Juliette likes to play with ideas and looks, breaking outside the box of normal SL makeup with her hand-drawn pieces, which suits this beautiful jewelry. My hair is from Elikapeka Tiramisu, the grande dame of hair in SL.

My dress is one of the lovely offerings for the Platinum Hunt from Zoey Gabardini. She gives you this dress with both silver and gold bodices and the terrific sculpty skirt for a mere 10L. The hunt’s still on—don’t forget. My boots are from Bax Coen, and I want to note that Bax has done somethign I wish a lot of shoe and boot makers would do. She has made it so you can exchange your old Prestige boots for new versions that include invisiprims that can be clicked off. This is important because 1. we don’t need invisiprims in most clients anymore—the alpha layer solves our cankle problem and 2. invisiprims cause icky problems when using shadows. I ran to get my replacement boots when I went to do these photos so I could show the beauty of the boots and the build—not my invisiprims.

I’d tell all my friends
But they’d never believe
They’d think that I’d finally lost it completely

I’d show them the stars
And the meaning of life
They’d shut me away
But I’d be all right
All right..

~ “Subterranean Homesick Alien” by Radiohead

Hair: [e] Comfort – White 05 by Elikapeka Tiramisu for [elikatira]

Skin: -tb- {Pale} Space Mod – Light Winged Brows by Juliette Westerburg for tres blah

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Pale Silver (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Eyelashes: [LeLutka]-2011 lashes/long by Thora Charron for LeLutka

Dress: -paper.doll- PlatinumHunt by Zoey Gabardini for -paper.doll-, available in the Platinum Hunt *

Jewelry: : Amorous : Refrain by Matchbook Monday for : Amorous : *

Boots: BAX Prestige Boots Silver by Bax Coen for BAX Boots *

They’re all uptight.. uptight.

Taken on site at Amorous at the Matchbook sim

Block Party

Yesterday we had our neighborhood block party. For those who don’t know what this is, it’s a sort of suburban ritual wherein the block is closed off and neighbors come out to gather and eat together. Typically on our block we have games for the children (water balloons, a donut-eating contest, frozen t-shirt race, pinatas), the local firemen bring a fire truck for everyone to see, and people pull out grills. Tonight we had a band play and a movie projected on a sheet as well. It’s a way to see neighbors you haven’t seen in a while and meet the new neighbors and see the kids all having fun.

So I went today for a seemingly tossed-on, but actually very studied look. I wanted to appear casual yet sexy, not interested in those sort of bourgeois things like sweater sets and pearls, but young enough to pull off something funky and cool without looking disaffected like a teenager. Yeah good luck with that. But this outfit seems to do it. The cute polka dot top from Nirmanakaya Yalin has a sheer overlay to the bodice, practical straps (for running after toddlers with their hands in the chip dip), and a flirty fun print. The jeans, from Trill Zapatero, look patched together but have a form fitting shape and great length plus a belt, which cinches the entire look into something far more mature than a teenager would wear. Shoes from Elikapeka Tiramisu make this casual look complete.

My skin is a wonder from Gala Phoenix. With its pale and youthful visage, I look young for my age but not too young to be a proud homeowner and pesto pasta salad creator. A minimal amount of makeup with a pretty wavy hair-down do from Truth Hawks makes me pretty and fun without being over the top. The nod to the festive atmosphere is a flower tucked behind my ear.

Nothing makes you more tolerant of a neighbor’s noisy party than being there. ~ Franklin P. Jones

Hair: >TRUTH< Erika – cocoa by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: :GP: Sundust [Dark] Stormy-Mist 1 by Gala Phoenix for Curio *

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Light Absinthe (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Top: *tesoromio* spring top 11 red by Nirmanakaya Yalin for *tesoromio*

Jeans: BoHo HoBo patched jeans by Trill Zapatero for BoHo HoBo *

Shoes: [e] Millside Flats – Fire by Elikapeka Tiramisu for [elikatira]

Esperanza

I have written frequently about Esperanza Spalding. I am a huge fan, in part because she gives hope that studied, complex music is not a dead form for young musicians and she promotes the dream of innovation and the future, not just in music but in general (which we don’t have enough of nowadays). Add to that, she is an absolutely beautiful young woman whose story is quite amazing. Raised in a lower-income area by a single mom who worked many jobs to get her through school, she is a testament to the encouragement of the many adults in her life who got her where she is and nurtured her passion and talent. At age 20, she was on the faculty at the Berklee College of Music, and at age 23, she won the Grammy for Best New Artist (beating Justin Bieber). What an amazing role model for girls!

I tried to look like Esperanza, complete with upright bass from Paul Ge. (This one comes with poses and music. When I contacted Paul to inquire about it, he gave me a money back guarantee, which guaranteed I would not ask him based on his attentive customer service.) Esperanza always dresses fashionably, elegantly, and age appropriately. I wore this rather sophisticated dress by machang Pichot (that I did snag at the 50% off sale) for Esperanza’s performance tonight to echo an outfit she wore to perform at the White House.

What makes the look is this fantastic hair from Neveah Niu who knows that a girl doesn’t always want straightener or short hair, and Esperanza wears her hair like this typically. I love this hair—I will definitely wear it again. Anzhela Karsin made my skin, which is one of the few skins in SL that I have found that seems to capture a black woman’s features and looks without just being a skin colored darker and made from a white skin. The shape is of my own making—Esperanza is a tiny woman. Imagine lugging that bass around!

Check out this fortunate accident I created…. I was finding all the links above to plug into this blog and somehow threw one of the links on the prim behind me. So while I wrote this, I enjoyed Esperanza on the NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert.

I don’t expect to ever taste the fruit
My life devoted could bring forth
I almost believe
Well I do believe
Oh the path to peace is endless
So, choosing to close our eyes makes our faults mendless
Of this I’m sure enough
I won’t give up
I’m sure enough

~ “Espera” by Esperanza Spalding

Hair: ICONIC  JoJo-Blackpack* by Neveah Niu for ICONIC

Hairbase: AD hair base – black by Queue Marlowe for Analog Dog

Skin: Rhianna M1by Anzhela Karsin for Angelskins *

Shape: by me

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Dark Brown (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Dress: AOHARU_BT_TweedFeminineDress_Purple by machang Pichot for AOHARU

Necklace: “R.A.Crystal”*Frola* white & platinum necklace brooch on chest by Rama Anatine for R.A.Crystal

Shoes: N-core SEDUCTION XtremeHeel “Silver” BOXED by Claire Messenger for N-core

Bass: Upright bass (Wearable) Updated by Paul Ge for Mainland Music Instruments

In Flower

Her body calculated to a millimeter to suggest a bud yet guarantee a flower. ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

A gorgeous woman in full bloom—is there a more beautiful photo? All over the grid, women bloom with beauty and their feminine spirit, whether in jeans or miniskirts or lingerie. I chose to bloom today in this beautiful ball gown from AvaGardner Kungler. With its sculpty tiered skirt, blossom at the hip and simple bodice. Ava understands the silhouette has to be weighted properly so the top is minimal to allow the beauty of the skirt, with its painterly texture, to show off to best effect. I may note that this texture echoes some of Ava’s work on her jewelry. She has a very beautiful and distinctive style. I love wearing her art.

I show with the one of the ethereal, almost translucent skins of Gala Phoenix. I keep coming back to these again and again because they provide such a fresh foundation for many fashions. With a gentle sprinkling of freckles, well defined eyebrows and full beautiful lips, the skin provides a blooming visage.

My hair is one of the couture offerings of the Platinum Hunt. Fauve Beaumont and Lulu Jameson created this gorgeous updo with a color change flower just for you hunters. I wear with a hairbase graciously provided by Queue Marlowe at Analog Dog. And my jewelry from Danielle Astonia finishes this beauty in bloom with beautiful sculpty roses at neck and wrist.

The flower is the poetry of reproduction. It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life. ~ Jean Giraudoux

Hair: *Plume* – Desir/Platinum by Fauve Beaumont & Lulu Jameson for *Plume, available in the Platinum Hunt *

Skin: :GP: Sundust Frex [Light] May-Apple Blossom 1 by Gala Phoenix for Curio *

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Steel Blue (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Hairbase: AD hair base – creme by Queue Marlowe for Analog Dog

Dress: (Kunglers Couture) Raica – cream gown by AvaGardner Kungler for Kunglers *

Choker and wrist corsage: *Arwen Choker S/Pink w/flexy* and *Arwen Bracelet White* by Danielle Astonia for La Forgia *

Photographed at Mirromere

Madame Ichisumi

Madame Ichisumi likes to say she was a geisha of the highest order, a geisha of the Gion Kobu. Her history is much cloudier and she doesn’t remember all of it, but it’s certain she had never been a high-standing geisha—pursuing that vocation was too challenging in this modern era. Instead, she was a hostess, a rich man’s mistress, and briefly, an accountant when her lover had abandoned her briefly because of his wife’s complaints. Now that her lover has passed, she is the mamasan of a high end hostess club.

The hostesses find her dramatic stories amusing; the foreign businessmen eat them up. She tells of serving tea to diplomats and billionaires, of dancing before kings and playing the shamisen before presidents. As she deftly passes drinks to the patrons, she weaves tales of intrigue and reenacts dramas that turn on nuanced cultural twists. As she introduces hostesses to patrons, she employs the art of careful and subtle negotiation and pairing; she is a skillful matchmaker despite her dramatic mien, which is what makes her such a great mamasan. Lighting a cigarette, asking a patron about his work, choosing a selection on the karaoke–each is a gentle social nudge to encourage the patrons to drink, smoke, spend, and enjoy themselves.

She insists on being called “Madame” Ichisumi, not “Mamasan,” as a signal to her mostly western clientele, and she will never engage with them outside of professional contexts. (In fact, no one quite knows where she goes when she leaves early in the morning after work.) She always dresses elegantly and dramatically as befits her role. Wearing a dress from RFB Morpork, she is the epitome of elegance and drama. With its long sheath with prims swirling about her like a flight of birds, it well represents the kind of woman Madame is—beautiful, dramatic and also mysterious.

Her hair is always put up in an intricate and studied assemblage much as a geisha’s might be. This one from Tabata Jewell, also includes texture-change fans which Madame chose to forgo. Her makeup is always carefully applied, accenting her dark eyes and beautiful lips. This look comes courtesy of Lara Hurley with a softly blushing facade and beauty mark.

It always seems she picks up a phone and what she wants is there, anytime, any place. She needs 30 year-old Macallan for a patron, it’s there. One of the hostesses ripped her skirt? A tailor arrives within minutes. Madame fretted over her look this evening. It needed earrings. So she lifted the phone, dialed her friend Kikunosuke Eel, and after a brief conversation and a short time, a messenger arrived with lotus earrings. She gasped and wore them instantly.

Oct Oakleaf also stopped by that evening with a box specially wrapped for her. She opened it to reveal these exquisite slingbacks. As he kneeled down and slipped them on her feet, he showed her how the hud allowed her to change the lace insets. She smiled down at him, admiring her lovely feet, pointing the shoes this way and that. He was pleased as was she. He smiled and squeezed her hand as she left. “You’re more than welcome, my cherry blossom.”

“In the cherry blossom’s shade
there’s no such thing
as a stranger.”
— Kobayashi Issa

Hair: Vanity Hair: Shizuka-Noir by Tabata Jewell for Vanity Hair

Skin: Lara Hurley-Dessa for Platinum Hunt by Lara Hurley for Lara Hurley Skin, available in the Platinum Hunt *

Shape: Fluke Shapes – Jia Li by GM Nikolaidis for Fluke * (modified)

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Dark Brown (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Dress: Paris Metro: Take Flight Red & Black Bird by RFB Morpork for Paris Metro *

Earrings: *[MANDALA] Lotus Earring /RED bright by Kikunosuke Eel for [MANDALA] *

Shoes: +ADDiCTIA+ ELECTRO Stilettos – Lava Red by Oct Oakleaf for +ADDiCTIA+ *

Thank you for the inspiration, AC ;)