Summer Reading

“There is a temperate zone in the mind, between luxurious indolence and exacting work; and it is to this region, just between laziness and labor, that summer reading belongs.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Summer is a wonderful time to sit down with a good book, especially when it’s hot outside. I remember, as a kid, being in some summer reading contest in the library every year and trying to gobble up as many books as I could. Since these are the hot days of summer, I wear as little as possible and read read read. Today I am out on the beach in a Erratic Rain’s new bikini for Uber, a two piece set fit perfectly to the Maitreya body. Yes, I am wearing ridiculously sexy shoes as well because, well, gotta look good when you’re sunning and this pair from Senzati0n Domenitzo for My Attic, tops the sexy list.

My long hair seems unusually perfect on a breezy beach but this is SL, and fantasies abound. (Like the one about walking through sand in high heels.) Shylah Honey has made this hair exclusively for the Mix Event, which starts on August 1. And I purchased the skin Lumiya Rae is offering at The Lexi Project because it was so gorgeous and came with appliers for LeLutka and Omega. After trying it out on the Leda head, I decided this was the perfect look (especially after squashing my shape head a bit). I added a lighter lipstick by applying Carrie Janick’s lipstick set and then using the head HUD to dial the intensity down, mixing the purple from the original skin and the pink from the lipstick set.

Hair: *~*Damselfly*~*Karsyn Rigged-Mesh by Shylah Honey for *~*Damselfly*~*, for the Mix Event*

Mesh head: LeLutka Leda HUD 1.1 by JadenArt for LeLutka *

Skin applier: Lumae :: LeLutka Head : Fae – T5 – Amber // Violetta by Lumiya Rae for Lumae, available at The Lexi Project

Lipstick applier: Shakeup! Anuska Lips for Lelutka Mesh Heads [Fall Palette] by Carrie Janick for Shakeup!, available at The Showroom

Eyes: Mesh – Marble Eyes – Space by Soleil Reid for Dead Apples

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.3 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Bikini: erratic / beth – bikini top and bottom / pink (maitreya) by Erratic Rain for erratic, available at Uber *

Shoes: Essenz – Porto (Maitreya) by Senzati0n Domenitzo for Essenz, available at My Attic *

Chair: {NANTRA} Chaise the Wave by Nancoix Urquan for {NANTRA} *

On the Isle of Capri

Open my heart and you will see
Graved inside of it, “Italy.” – Robert Browning

One of the benefits of living this life is that I have friends all over the world who travel all over the world. I have received purses from Singapore, spices from Croatia, and recently, photos of a Capri sunset. So while I am stuck at home with a new dog and hot muggy weather, I get an update on everyone else’s vacation. So I thought I would dress up in this tropical look to imagine my own vacation on the Isle of Capri. Start with this beautiful tropical print dress from Kim Lysette, which includes a texture-change HUD allowing several different tropical looks with coordinating belt. Then add the gorgeous almost-antique necklace Sigifaust is featuring at Shiny Shabby. It includes a HUD for switching out the metal pieces. Finally, shoes from Aleida Rhode, great wedges that fit both Slink and Maitreya feet.

I couldn’t help but use the LeLutka mesh head applier from Monicuzza Babenco that she is featuring at this month’s Shiny Shabby. For some reason, I love in particular how she has managed to make a useful applier with makeup choices and a gorgeous skin and wonderful features that suits all the head shapes. Kuranosuke Kamachi’s newest hair was a perfect fit for this vacation look with great textures and with this particular color, a great fade to sunkissed, bleached ends.

Hair: =DeLa*= Fitted Mesh Hair “Fern” All colors by Kuranosuke Kamachi for =DeLa*= *

Mesh head: .LeLutka.Mesh Head-KARIN v1.1 by JadenArt for LeLutka *

Skin applier: *YS&YS* Samantha Tone04 Skin Applier – Lelutka Mesh Head by Monicuzza Babenco for*YS&YS*, available at Shiny Shabby *

Eyes: {S0NG} :: Hope~ Abyss Eye by Funeral Plutonian for {S0NG}

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.3 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Dress: LEGENDAIRE JENNIFER DRESS by Kim Lysette for Legendaire, available at FAD Fashion Event *

Jewelry: ieQED vita.necklace.black by Sigifaust for ieQED, available at Shiny Shabby *

Nail appliers: Nailed It – Maitreya – Dark Set by Giela Delpaso for Nailed It *

Shoes: Elysium – Birgitte wedge (Maitreya) – poppy red by Aleida Rhode for Elysium *

Poses by Luna Jubilee for !bang, available at Shiny Shabby *

Big Yellow Taxi

Late last night
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Till it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

~ “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell

A casual summer look starts with a lace top from Apple May for Shiny Shabby. She has made several versions of this top including those to fit the Freya and Isis bodies from Belleza (yay!) and the lace is a lovely texture for many looks. I paired it with a flirty skirt from LouLou Teichmann and darling flat sandals from Monicuzza Babenco, both also featured at Shiny Shabby. My great necklace set is Mirja Mills’ great boho set for My Attic, which goes perfectly with the casual clothes I have on. I am showing ValiantCo’s terrific cab sofa for Uber, part of their city theme. It includes a ton of single poses and cuddles and a few adult.

Shyla Diggs has released a new skin for Uber with eyebrows in separate shades beyond the typical blonde, brown, etc. I am really glad to see this because sometimes a blonde brow is just too light, for example. The makeups, as always, are subtle but fashionable and the features are gorgeous. Because of the dark blonde brows, I was able to wear this shade of M4ri1yn Magic’s hair for Shiny Shabby, two braids which come with and without the hat, which also includes its own variations via HUD. The whole look is a little folksy, a bit of pop, just like Joni Mitchell’s song.

Hair: Tableau Vivant \\  Koca hair [with hat ] by M4ri1yn Magic for ~Tableau Vivant~, available at Shiny Shabby *

Skin: -Belleza- Amber Uber SK 1 Dk Bl by Shyla Diggs for –Belleza, available at Uber *

Eyes: {D.A} – Marble – Deep by Soleil Reid for Dead Apples

Body: -Belleza- Isis by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza– *

Top: Lace Tops (Belleza Isis) – White by Apple May for Apple May Designs, available at Shiny Shabby *

Skirt: Bauhaus Movement – Switchback  MIDNIGHT Skirt by LouLou Teichmann for Bauhaus Movement, available at Shiny Shabby *

Necklace set: .:EMO-tions:. * ABIGAIL * by Mirja Mills for.:EMO-tions:., available at My Attic *

Nail applier: [LB Chrome Brown] *Belleza* Manicure and Pedicure by Santana Lumiere for La Boheme

Shoes: *YS&YS* Santorini Flats Mail (Belleza) by Monicuzza Babenco for*YS&YS*, available at Shiny Shabby *

Couch: [Con.] Checkered Cab Seat – A by ValiantCo for Consignment, available at Uber *

Fringe Benefits

“I adore fringe.” ~ Diana Vreeland

Fringe! I love it too! Djod Karu has made a very fashionable mesh outfit for Shiny Shabby that includes a fringe skirt over a mesh body suit and a jacket draped over the shoulders. I love that the fringe is irregular, which makes it seem like it has movement, better than many that would just use a transparent texture between the fringes. The jacket is rich and subtlety shadowed with light bouncing off the sequins. It’s just a great use of texture on mesh pieces. Senzati0n Domenitzo is offering these great braided sandals at Shiny Shabby as well. They were an ideal match for this look.

Ensorcelante is offering a new skin at Shiny Shabby. Ensorcelante has created a multiHUD for use on several different mesh heads, including the LeLutka mesh heads, and I think it’s fabulous in that incarnation. Unfortunately, unlike other appliers, there are no makeup options offered—WYSIWYG so I tinted the lip a little with a pink makeup built into the head to tone down the brown lip color. With the great long full hair from Ikira Frimon, the whole look is fashionable and gorgeous.

Hair: [^.^Ayashi^.^] Mizuko hair-fatpack by Ikira Frimon for ^.^ Ayashi^.^, available at Shiny Shabby *

Mesh head: .LeLutka.Mesh Head-STELLA v1.1 by JadenArt for LeLutka *

Skin applier: ** [PUMEC]  – AUTUMN –  HEADS APP -S(TMP/SLINK/LELUTKA/GENESIS) by Ensorcelante for Pumens, available at Shiny Shabby *

Eyes: {D.A} – Marble – Vintage by Soleil Reid for Dead Apples

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.3 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Dress: ** DIRAM ** JELENA Body&Fringed skirt – Beige with ** DIRAM ** JELENA Shoulder Coat – Black&Beige Sequin by djod Karu for Diram, available at Shiny Shabby *

Shoes: Essenz – Nairobi (Maitreya) by Senzati0n Domenitzo for Essenz, available at Shiny Shabby *

Poses by Dahriel for PosESioN

I Dream

“I dream. Sometimes I think that’s the only right thing to do.”~ Haruki Murakami

What a dream of a dress this beautiful mesh set from Kiddo Oh is. Besides the beautifully done mesh, the colors that fade into each other makes the dress absolutely gorgeous. Kiddo has attended to every detail, creating a top that has a sexy midriff-baring shape with a sparkle across the texture’s surface and a skirt that has a perfect flare at the bottom. This outfit is available at FashionTropic for a few more days so grab it.

I donned this beautiful look with one of Inka Mexicola’s lovely new skins. With a dew-kissed sheen and a gorgeous lip, it’s perfect for this dreamy look. Add Kavar Cleanslate’s gorgeous long hair with bangs for Collabor88 (which I show in one of his fantasy shades), and you get a complete dream-induced look.

Hair: ::Exile::Quiet Waters by Kavar Cleanslate for ::Exile::, available at Collabor88 *

Skin: Essences [Aribeth] medium01 *blonde* by Inka Mexicola for Essences, available at Kustom9 *

Eyes: {Dead Apples} Solar Eyes II – Sea by Soleil Reid for Dead Apples

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.3 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Dress: Kalama by Kiddo Oh for .::Dead Dollz::., available at FashionTropic *

Poses by VestigeCreations for Vestige Poses *

Animal Instinct

We’re animals. We’re born like every other mammal and we live our whole lives around disguised animal thoughts. ~ Barbara Kingsolver

I have to say that doing hair was fun but wow, I miss showing shoes and jewelry and all sorts of other fun stuff. Today I have a complete outfit, starting with an animal print dress from Ashleey Andrew, which she is featuring at Cosmopolitan in a bunch of colors, though I opted for the standard tan. I did so to match my rowringly sexy pumps from Glamistry for Kustom 9, which come with six different animal prints and allow mix and match shoe and toe as well as changeable metals via his brilliant HUD. My lovely necklace is AvaGardner Kungler’s beautiful piece for Cosmpolitan, which also comes in several colorways. I ran over to Santana Lumiere’s to get nail appliers for the Belleza hands (she has them for Slink, Belleza and Maitreya) to just make it that much more animal.

I was so excited when Max told me he was going to be doing Omega appliers for the Alex head. Inka Mexicola recently came out with this applier, which includes several brow color options and has a sublime face over the mesh face. The fun part of this applier is that you can see it with many expressions and create your own emotions mixing and matching the expressions HUDs (over 3000 combos). Worn with Kuranosuke Kamachi’s gorgeous hair for Shiny Shabby, my girl is wild and fun.

 

Hair: =DeLa*= Fitted Mesh Hair “Gardenia” All colors by Kuranosuke Kamachi for =DeLa*=, available at Shiny Shabby *

Mesh head: LOGO Infinity Alex Omega Hybrid Mesh with LOGO Alex Hybrid Mesh Avatar Expressions Set 2 Add-On and LOGO Alex Hybrid Mesh Avatar Expressions Set 3 Add-On by Maximillion Grant for LOGO *

Skin applier: Essences – Kendra Medium01 [OMEGA] by Inka Mexicola for Essences *

Eyes: Mesh – Marble Eyes – Coffee by Soleil Reid for Dead Apples

Body: -Belleza- Isis by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza– *

Dress: Garbaggio // Mami Dress – Tan by Ashleey Andrew for Garbaggio, available at Cosmopolitan *

Necklace: (Kunglers Extra) Miloca necklace – Golden by AvaGardner Kungler for Kunglers Extra, available at Cosmopolitan *

Nail appliers: [LB Art Cheetah] *Belleza* Manicure by Santana Lumiere for La Boheme

Shoes: Glamistry : RAMONDA Heels by Glamistry for Glamistry, available at Kustom9 *

Poses by Fanny Willis for Everglow *

no.match at Hair Fair 2015

Romantic hair!

I have seen Viking’s hair popping up at other events recently so I was glad to get a chance to see their hair at Hair Fair this year and it was a great experience! Choosing three different asymmetrical styles, Viking showed that hair can have variation, even across a similar shape. First long and straight and tied to the side, then a long braid with a full pouf, and finally curly and sexy dressy hair. It was classy enough to wear with Shyla Diggs’ skin and gorgeous drop earrings from Lusciousmami Emerald from the Showroom.

My dress is Dead Dollz featured exclusive for The Epiphany. It’s absolutely gorgeous but a bit complicated and costly to obtain. At this gacha event, players play on the machine as usual taking their chance with commons and rares but once they receive their prize they are given 2 options: open the box or redeem it for Epiphany points. (You only get 30 seconds to decide after you wear the box, so be careful to do this when you’re ready to make such decisions.) If they open the box they can keep the item. If they choose to redeem they exchange it for credit and the item disappears. The credits then compound and you can use them to “purchase” exclusive items that will never be sold outside of the event. A no-trans exclusive item costs 25 points; a trans item is 200 points. This dress is an exclusive item.

Bottom line, if you like this dress, you can purchase 25 common items in the gachas for 25-100L each and if you decide to redeem them all, you’ll end up with enough points to get the dress. Purchase the cheapest gachas at 25L each and you can spend 625L or less, if you get some rares to get it, and that’s true of any of the exclusive items. This dress is worth it. I am not sure all the exclusives are. I am guessing for hard core gacha enthusiasts, the ability to redeem points for duplicates will be a boon (and you can carry up to 100 points over to the next round). For those of us who aren’t hard core, well.. meh.

Hair by viking for no.match, available at Hair Fair 2015 *

• NO.MATCH_NO.DRAMA.
• NO.MATCH_NO.FAME.
• NO.MATCH_NO.TROUBLE.

Skin: -Belleza- Amelia SK MIX Makeup 2 with -Belleza- Amelia Blush Sk and -Belleza- Amelia SK Brows – Blonde by Shyla Diggs for –Belleza, for the Mix Event *

Eyes: #adored – dawn eyes – blue steel by Constance Daehlie for #adored *

Body: -Belleza- Isis by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza– *

Dress: Night Watch by Kiddo Oh for .::Dead Dollz::., available at The Epiphany *

Earrings: [LX] Bolly Earring Gold by Lusciousmami Emerald for LUXURY, available at the Showroom

Nail applier: [LB FrenchMilkColor] *Belleza* Manicure by Santana Lumiere for La Boheme

Poses by Dahriel for PosESioN

Murray for Hair Fair 2015

Happy about hair!

Roslyakova’s hair is one I had never encountered before. It’s a new brand of hair, clearly happy to be in the Hair Fair because four lovely styles were all made, all variations on long hair with either bangs, pulled behind the ears, worn all along the back or pulled to the front. The hairs come with texture-change HUDs and very lovely textures so it’s great hair with realistic styling.

As I had announced a couple days ago, the Alex mesh head from Maximillion Grant was upgraded with some new features, including the ability to use Omega appliers on it. This is a boon because another mesh head also accepts Omega appliers so skin creators can make skins for more than one head. It’s also not always a great idea because a skin that looks great on one head may not look terrific on another. I used Sawsan Secretspy’s recent release, applied it to the head, and had mixed feelings about it. The brows do not extend long enough for the eyes, for example. However the beautiful features of Sawsan’s skins work here as well including the beautifully done eyes and the beautiful lips.

There is still going to be a period of adjustment between Omega skins and the Logo head. The Omega HUD for the skins does not allow the same variety of choice that the default skin allows (eye makeups, blush, etc). Sawsan simply made makeup variations on the skin applier—you purchase one makeup, you apply it, done. I am hoping this can evolve in the future.

You DO get to show all the awesome expressions the Alex head includes, which is its biggest distinction, and I played around quite a bit with that feature, as you can see.

To give this look a pretty style, I got the off shoulder dress from Charming Meiler at the Season’s Story which has a pretty pattern at the neckline. I wore the gorgeous earrings from Mea Carnell that she is offering at Tres Chic.

Hair by Roslyakova for Murray, available at Hair Fair 2015 *

• MURRAY- Magdalena Hairstyle
• MURRAY- Giorgia Hairstyle
• MURRAY- Brigitte Hairstyle
• MURRAY- Birkin Hairstyle

Mesh head: LOGO Infinity Alex Omega Hybrid Mesh by Maximillion Grant for LOGO *

Skin applier: V2 Romy 04 GOLDEN [LNL] Omega Advanced Applier – Skin 1.4 by sawsan Secretspy for .::WoW skins::. *

Eyes: Mesh – Marble Eyes – Vintage by Soleil Reid for Dead Apples

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.3 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Earring: Meva Fusion Earring Gold by Mea Carnell for Meva, available at Tres Chic *

Dress: ::{u.f.o}::off shoulder baby dress – garden by Charming Meiler for ::{u.f.o}::, available at The Season’s Story

Poses by VestigeCreations for Vestige Poses *

Exile at Hair Fair 2015

Kavar Cleanslate has been doing Hair Fair since I remember, and it’s everyone’s first stop to see what Kavar has made. This year he made two men’s hairs and three women’s which I show here. And once again Kavar brings his best game to the Hair Fair, benefitting Wigs for Kids.  He made a variety of looks for ladies, including a long lush hair, very typical of the full long hair he excels in. I love how he piled on loose tendrils on top of the look as well. I also loved the tendrils hanging down from the updo for the fair and around the face for the ponytail. Face-framing and fabulous, his hair hopefully will generate a lot of donations.

Shiny Shabby is opening today with a theme of “country dacha.” Neva Crystall, one of the organizers of the event, comse from Russia and prompted the designers to work with that theme. A dacha, for anyone not familiar, is a country home in Russia where people go to retreat from the city. The biggest feature at most is a garden, sometimes for pleasure, often for food growing. Monicuzza Babenco made this skin for LeLutka heads which has a tinge of Russian glamour in its makeups and lipsticks. Aaliyah Alter made a loose top and jeans for the event for casual days at the dacha.

Hair by Kavar Cleanslate for ::Exile::, available at Hair Fair 2015 *

• ::Exile::Siren’s Call
• ::Exile:: In The Shade
• ::Exile::Walking On Sunshine

Mesh head: LeLutka Ever HUD 1.1 by JadenArt for LeLutka *

Skin applier: *YS&YS* Samantha Tone03 Skin Applier – Lelutka Mesh Head by Monicuzza Babenco for*YS&YS*, available at Shiny Shabby *

Eyes: #adored – dawn eyes – blue steel by Constance Daehlie for #adored *

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.3 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Top: American Beauty- Blue Shoulder Top by Aaliyah Alter for American Beauty, available at Shiny Shabby *

Poses by Fanny Willis for Everglow *

Amacci for Hair Fair 2015

Yet more hair!

One of the reasons I look forward to Hair Fair every year is because I get to see work by creators I don’t always encounter in my regular SL. Some are doing other things like clothing or jewelry or skins normally and make hair mostly for Hair Fair because hair is not their primary creation.

Carina Larsen is one of those. While she does hair, she also does a bunch of other great content, so hair is simply not her main line, but gosh, when she does hair, she does it beautifully. She is donating a portion of sales from FIVE hairs at Hair Fair this year and each one of them is gorgeous. With two updos, two ponytails (one that is an add on for a hairbase) and one sexy long hair, you are bound to find something (or some things) that will make you happy. She includes a great texture change HUD with some fabulous textures. And her styles are classics—wearable, usable and lovely.

Carina’s lovely styles combine perfectly with Nena Janus’ sublime applier for the LeLutka heads. It’s not a shape Nena has employed before (wider set eyes, poutier lips) but she was up to the task of making them look fabulous with her great skins.

My lingerie, which you can see very little of, is a new little set from Mariska Simons, which includes appliers for every meh body you can think of and variations of the bra/panties/garters/stockings combo.

Hair by Carina Larsen for Amacci, available at Hair Fair 2015 *

• Amacci Hair – Maud
• Amacci Hair – Aurora 1
• Amacci Hair – Desire 2
• Amacci Hair – Jasmine
• Amacci Hair – Amelie

Mesh head: LeLutka Stella HUD 1.1 by JadenArt for LeLutka *

Skin applier: *League* Lelutka Head Applier Milla -Sunkiss -Set 1 w/freckles by Nena Janus for League

Eyes: {D.A} – Marble – Rain by Soleil Reid for Dead Apples

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.3 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Lingerie: ~Blacklace~ Harlequin: Cream Velvet Corset w/ Omega & Slink by Mariska Simons for Blacklace *

Necklace: .:EMO-tions:. * PEARL* necklace by Mirja Mills for.:EMO-tions:. *

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin