Feelin’ the Blues

The title of this post is not about being depressed. It’s a ploy to tell you about the great blues you can hear on the grid. First there is Hotlanta, where folks like Bradley Gazov spin the blues (he’s there Monday and Friday nights, fyi). Then there is the Savoy Jazz Club, where I have caught Hy Gynoid doing his thing. (I remember a night of raunchy women’s songs once we got him going.. ha!) And then there is Crossroads, where a gorgeous DJane, BluJns Benoir, kicks it. Or the infamous Junkyard Blues Club where I have caught some smokin hot sets from Fiery Otaared. Feelin’ blue? There’s a place on the grid for you.

What to wear to a club but something like this—short, sexy and blue. Eclectic Wingtip has recently brought some pieces out of her closet that are sexy and slinky. I really like this dress for it’s simplicity. Dress it up or dress it down—it’s a palette upon which you can add many looks.

Tuli Asturias is having a sale on skins right now. You can grab this beauty for half price if you scoot over to her sim. My hair is one of Truth Hawks’ newest with a daring streak. I chose to go Bonnie Raitt white to match the blues theme here.

My boots are from Gin Galtier, who is coming out with this winter set that will NOT keep your toes warm. However, this is the going look nowadays and really meant for a girl clubbing. The scrunchy legwarmer makes this “winter.” Gin did a great job knitting these up in a cable stitch.

A guy will promise you the world and give you nothin’, and that’s the blues. ~ Otis Rush

Hair: >TRUTH< Chantelle Streaked – quince by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Eva (tone 4/br) 07a by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Dress: e! Heatwave Dress (Navy) by Eclectic Wingtips for E!  Eclectic Apparel and Accessories

Bangles: * Pretties by JB * Moxie – Hues of  Blue Bangles by Jori Watler for Mood *

Boots: Djinn & Tonic [Winter Knit Boot] Royal by Gin Galtier for Djinn & Tonic *

Go Packers!

On Sundays where I live, there is so much green and gold on every living person, it’s enough to make one wonder if investing in gold and green dye plants would make one a millionaire. Packers fans are about as devoted as they get, and with this weekend’s battle against the Minnesota Vikings, there was a buzz in the air. We wanted to CREAM the Vikings. And we did! I am sorry to say, but there was something so satisfying seeing Brett Favre throw that last minute incomplete. (My international friends can pretend they are above all this but I have seen the World Cup. You don’t have to know the players or game to know the feeling ;))

Well, the biggest fans know it requires more than just cheering—it requires a sort of psychic oneness with the team to get them through. And this psychic oneness necessitates dressing up in the team colors in the most outrageous ways in order to push that ball through the end posts. Rob1977 Moonites accommodated me in my efforts by making his very cute Jackson sweater in green and gold. (I don’t think he intended this at all—he’s Irish and probably has no idea who the Packers are but it’s a lucky coincidence, dontcha think?)  Skinny jeans from Gin Galtier with a yellow pocket make it all nice matchy matchy.

I modified this hair from Kavar Cleanslate to make it greener. I hope the dye washes out tomorrow—eek! Tiff Aristocrat has made some darling facepaints for the 2.0 tattoo layer that bring out the spirit in all of us (though I would caution her against using trademarked team names for them). We know that’s why LL made that tattoo layer–so we can show our team spirit!

I love these high tops from Coke Dreadlow. They are beautifully sculpted, textured and scripted to let a person change the colors all over the shoe. A custom-made Packer Backer sneaker! (Say THAT three times fast!) And my beer helmet? Well ya know, it’s never a Packer game without some beer. (Found this in Blazed Undercity’s head shop—I don’t think I laughed quite so much as the night I visited that place.)

Teamwork is what the Green Bay Packers were all about. They didn’t do it for individual glory. They did it because they loved one another. ~ Vince Lombardi

Hair: Exile Dori/aqua by Kavar Cleanslate for Exile (modified)

Skin: *YS & YS* Andrea 07 Passion by Monicuzza Babenco for *YS & YS*

Makeup: Facepaint Green Bay Colors ‘half’ – f by Tiff Aristocrat for ***Sports Teams Face Paint

Sweater: *FIR & MNA* The Jackson Sweater Green Womens by Rob1977 Moonites for *FIR & MNA* *

Jeans: Djinn & Tonic [Bootcut Denim, Dark & Belted] YELLOW  by Gin Galtier for Djinn and Tonic *

Scarf: >TRUTH<  Lygon Scarf [yellow stripe] by Pixel Chrome for >TRUTH<

Socks: *Sprawl* Scrunchy Sock (green) by Pushbutton Skolnick for Sprawl

Shoes: PornStar Hi-Tops MultiColor v2 by Coke Dreadlow for Urban Bomb Unit

Hat: !Blazed.BeerHelmet by Blazed Undercity for OD Games & Scripts

Tutti Frutti

Awop-bop-a-loo-mop alop bam boom!

It’s about time I show a little sex appeal. Gin Galtier passed over a new collection of lingerie she will be putting out for Stumblebum and once I saw the wild textures and ruffles, I had to put this on the blog. I show the ruffled bra and panties, but it also comes with dark stockings, a garter, and a simple corset.

The whole reason I needed to do this sexy blog is because Queue Marlowe came out with this drop dead sexy hair for the Hair Fair. Queue, the goddess of curl, has made another stunner, one with a hairline that covers one eye and comes with a shoulder piece that allows the hair to seemingly drape over the shoulder but move with the avatar’s head movements. What makes me really love this hair is how Queue has the hair taper down to the ends. It’s so.. real.

The skin is from Kira Ahn, and it’s blessedly a sort of “clean slate.” She has included lip colors on the tattoo layer to enhance it, but I chose to wear one of Monica Outlander’s eyeshadow tattoos instead. This tutti frutti colorway is a perfect match to the lingerie. I love being able to do up my lips or nails with the tattoo layer to suit the outfit!

Felicity Overlord offers sandals with prim toes at a reasonable price. I thought this style with the ruffles was darling and clever, hiding the attachment point with a very appealing bow-tied top. The toes are acceptable (I should have a rating system for prim toes—delicious, acceptable, and gnarly as ratings). The hud is easy to use.. moreso than many in some ways because it has you use the native building tools of SL to change the foot and nail colors. (And you, dear reader, know I stink at foot coloring).

I got a girl, named Sue,
She knows just what to do
I bop to the east,
She bop to the west,
but she’s the girl
That I love the best.
~ Little Richard, Tutti Frutti

Hair: BAM! brown sugar by Queue Marlowe for Analog Dog, being sold at Hair Fair *

Skin: [dekade.] Skins  -Claire- sunkissed/DB/No Make Up by Kira Ahn for [dekade.]

Makeup: Miamai_LesMakeups_Summertime 01 by Monica Outlander for Miamai *

Lingerie: Djinn & Tonic [Corset Belt] Leopard Floral Pink by Gin Galtier for Djinn & Tonic *

Shoes: *FO* Odetta – Black Ruffled Stilettos by Felicity Overlord for Felicity

Welcome Back!

Friends are sneaking back into SL in unprecedented numbers. Back from holiday, back to school, back to create, back to socialize, everyone’s starting to hunker down for the fall into the winter. This evening I spent the evening shopping for AOs with a dear old friend while hearing from another who has just moved across country and is finally settled enough to be back in world.

My friend asked me to take her shopping and I said, well you know, a lot of the same creators are still in world and doing great work. Take for instance, these jeans, by Gin Galtier. We know her creator has been in world for a good amount of time, making funky fun clothes for avatars. I really like the texture of these jeans with their dark denim look at floor-dragging boot cut bottoms.

The top is from Eclectic Wingtips, a designer who has been doing her work for a relatively short time, and I see clear improvement whenever I see her new creations. I really like this wrap top, which comes in a variety of combos at a price that’s nice for separates.

The shoes are the creation of another veteran—Nardya Rousselot. She has made some of the prettiest toes in the metaverse, plump pretty little piggies that are so finely detailed you can see the wrinkles on the skin (yes I cammed that close).

Wanna talk about some oldies but goodies? Let’s talk about Gala Phoenix and Calico Ingmann. First, let me talk about Gala, who has been making skins for avatars since before my first pixels rezzed and doing it quietly and successfully for years. I see her skins all over with their bee stung lips, translucent skin (look closely and you can see the veins under the skin), and beautifully made up eyes. Even the ear lobes have holes for the earrings!

Calico Ingmann is another who has been around since before I was a twinkle in Ruth’s eye. This style, featured at this year’s Hair Fair, is a great updo with a casual bang framing the face, which makes it versatile for both casual, as I show, it, and more formal. Her textures are great, with gentle highlights running through.

Welcome back, dear friends. I was waiting for you to come home… :)

Hair: Meredith – Dark Copper by Calico Ingmann for Calico Ingmann Creations, available at the Hair Fair

Skin: :GP: Sundust [Dark] June-Grass 1 by Gala Phoenix for Curio

Top: Fallen Top (Green/Gold) by Eclectic Wingtips for E! – Eclectic Apparel and Accessories *

Jeans: Djinn & Tonic [Bootcut Denim, Patched Darks] Yellow by Gin Galtier for Djinn & Tonic *

Earrings and Ring: Morantique Lush/Vain earrings and ring for Mo Miasma for Morantique, available at Designers United 4

Shoes: NX-Nardcotix MANA Anessa by Nardya Rousselot for Nardcotix *

Dance Me to the End of Love

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic till I’m gathered safely in
Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love

There is something so romantic about a dark song about love until death. This song seemed a perfect accompaniment to Babyhoney Bailey’s offering for the Potter’s Field, which will be going on from July 24 – August 24–an artistic and design challenge to some of the grid’s younger and more interesting designers based on a dark theme. This dress is a beautiful and dramatic piece from Babyhoney Bailey, built from a foundation of simple but well done system pieces accompanied by dramatic prims including a glowing monocle.

I wear the ballerina boots Babyhoney offers for the dress (at a mere 44L!) because they are actually pretty. I was never in love with this weird contorted shoe shape (that is as painful looking as foot binding),  but for this ensemble it works. Babyhoney also offers the outfit as a lingerie set complete with parasol (because it’s rainy in those dark romantic other-lives). I was particularly impressed by how she used the system skirt layer to make a bottom for the bodice—ingenious!

Finally, the skin is also from Babyhoney Bailey. Her skins are getting more refined as she gets more experience. I like the asymmetrical nature of this skin—the mouth is slightly uneven, the mascara tears streak down crookedly. The whole look is enhanced by a huge hair from MiaSnow Myriam that may no longer be available.

Dance me through the curtains that our kisses have outworn…
~”Dance Me to the End of Love” by Leonard Cohen as sung by Madeleine Peyroux

Hair: MIASNOW Hair – SPECIAL DAY Red Dark by MiaSnow Myriam for MIASNOW

Skin: Djinn & Tonic  <MUA> Potter’s Field, The Mistress N-Black by Babyhoney Bailey for Djinn and Tonic, exclusive to The Potter’s Field *

Dress: The Mistress, Gown by Babyhoney Bailey for Djinn and Tonic, exclusive to The Potter’s Field *

Lingerie: The Mistress, 2.0 by Babyhoney Bailey for Djinn and Tonic, exclusive to The Potter’s Field *

Boots: Djinn & Tonic – Potter’s Field, The Mistress Boot by Babyhoney Bailey for Djinn and Tonic, exclusive to The Potter’s Field *

I want a photograph of you…

I want a photograph of you
but not a photograph of you
I wanna be closer than that
I wanna be closer than that…
Closer than that photograph.
~ Chuck Close by Tim Fite

How often have you wanted to reach out and touch another person in their avatar? Maybe an avatar is closer than a photograph…

Certainly with this skin from JOMAN Mai, you are closer than a photograph. The skin is at once an illustration and a photograph. It’s evocative, winsome, and otherworldly. The body is lovely with a beautiful navel (which you would notice with an outfit like this). I would not say all her skins hit the mark—they suffer from the pastel cartoon quality some skins have–but this one certainly said something to me.

I show it with separates from Jojorunoo Runo. She has experimented with shapes and translucencies to create interesting silhouettes for avatar apparel. The top is simply a photosourced knit texture but she makes it interesting with prim straps and a scarf. The skirt is cleverly engineered, attached to both legs and pelvis. Shoes are a vibrant yellow pumps from LeeZu Baxter and Enktan Gully to echo the yellow across the eyes and the little flower earrings from Mika Nieuport.

Closer than that, closer than that photograph…

Hair: booN BON000 hair black by boo Nakamura for booN

Skin: JM:Mai skin_devonz sakuran nomal by JOMAN Mai for JM:Mai

Top: ~*RunoRuno*~ Knit Tank by Jojorunoo Runo for ~*RunoRuno*~

Skirt: ~*RunoRuno*~ After Ballet Class Skirt by Jojorunoo Runo for ~*RunoRuno*~

Earrings: MIEL ELO EARRING by Mika Nieuport for Miel

Bracelet: Djinn & Tonic – Coco Blvd Bangle by Babyhoney Bailey for Djinn & Tonic

Shoes: .*Courtisane*. La Sauvage – Yellow by LeeZu Baxter and Enktan Gully for Courtisane *

P.S. Thank you to my sweet Chatty for enclosing my photo in a polaroid for this blog. As always, she made my life tons easier and made me look great :)

Casual Blonde

Summer weekends are so easy. Throw on a top, jeans, sandals, put a pin in your hair, all set. It’s a good time to count blessings, to be grateful for what we have rather than what we don’t have.

In this case I have a new top and new capris. The top, from LeeZu Baxter, comes in sheer and opaque, but I chose sheer, because she has made the color so beautifully delicate, especially as it is draped at the decollatage. It’s a t-shirt, yes, of the silkiest sheerest material. I wear it over a bra from 5th and Oxford—a chic, sexy look that suits. The capris are well-drawn system pieces from Babyhoney Bailey. This is avatar fashion at its essential—no prims, no gimmicks. Babyhoney’s work stands the test with great seams, wrinkles, colors and a nice round booty.

My ‘do is a new one from Truth Hawks with his ingenious streaks. I have subtly applied white streaks to this delicious champagne for that sun-kissed look. Tuli Asturias gives me a healthy glow with one of her new Jade skins.

i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

~ e.e. cummings

Hair: >TRUTH< Peyton Streaked – champagne by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Jade (tone 3/li) :: 01a by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Top: Oui Oui Shirt SHEER (Jacket Layer) /turquoise by LeeZu! by LeeZu Baxter for LeeZu!*

Bra: (5th&Oxford) The Tease – Bra *SAPPHIRE* 2 by Roslin Petion and CJ Carnot for 5th and Oxford

Capris: Djinn & Tonic [Clam Diggers, Darkwash] by Babyhoney Bailey for Djinn & Tonic *

Bracelet: *ByKay* ~ Isis Bracelet (White Gold) by Kayleigh McMillan for *ByKay*

Sandals: J’s Real Toe Belt Platform Sandals 8Colors (Silver) by JB Gazov for J’s

Poses: Everglow poses by Fanny Willis for Everglow *

It’s Golden

Part of living life is that feeling of bleah that sometimes creeps over. I had it yesterday. We really are living in tough times—people are out of work, oil is leaking like mad in the Gulf, a whole country in Europe is going bankrupt, we are still engaged in war, SL seems a mess, a friend passes away—should I go on? *sigh*

But then, as it always does, the sun rises to the next day. The flowers in my windowboxes are growing already and reflecting their color into my bedroom. The neighbor’s birds squawk joyfully (cockatoos next door—don’t ask). The weather is beautiful! I log in and someone makes me laugh right off with her stories. A newbie I once helped sends me one of her creations, and it’s absolutely amazing. I hear from a dear friend who I had thought I had lost to the aether of the internet, and he has a new wonderful job. I am so happy for him. It’s all golden. It really is.

The golden today starts with Sysy Chapman’s 69L dress from this week. With its two-toned top, cute halter and darling wavy prim skirt, this is a cute dress for bopping around the grid.

I accessorize with bracelets from Babyhoney Bailey which I have had for a while and loved. I would wear these in real life—they are very chic with their abstract textures.

What makes me even happier is wearing Tuli Asturias’ new skin with a new hair from Lamb Bellic. I love this low gathered ponytail with the strands escaping, the fullness of the ponytail. I have already given my review of Tuli’s new skins.. *happy sigh*

There’s always another day… always.

Hair: !lamb. Lost – Kit Kat by Lamb Bellic for lamb.

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Jade (tone 4/br) :: 05b by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Dress: SYSY’s HDH wk 29 – Peachy 69 dress by Sysy Chapman for SYSY’s

Earrings: * *Primagine* Victoria Set by Trixie Bumbo for Primagine

Bracelets: Djinn & Tonic – CoCo Bangle and CoCo Blvd Bangles with Skinny Bangles by Babyhoney Bailey for Djinn & Tonic

Shoes: ::Mine!!! Carla Heels_Brown/Gold by Marcy Susanowa for ::JustMine!!

Keen for Green

Day two of the great Valentine Day gift hintfest for you dolts.. I mean, folks who need to find things to give your beloved ladies. I am starting early on this so you have plenty of time to pile up the ideas.

Day two of your shopping trip takes you to a sweet little shop owned by VNP Ninetails. Push all the way to the back room. There you will find gowns based on a common photo sourced bodice with several variations. This one can be found in about 30 colors (!). Its virtues? Well there are the many colors available. I chose this amazing olive green (which always suits a redhead). I was concerned about matching shoes to it, but it comes with the shoes! Then there is that sexy sheen to the material. Photo sourced or not, it looks hot. And check out the back. Ay caramba! Between the strappy sexiness, the dip to the derriere and then that perfectly shadowed bum, well, dang! You can’t do much better. And it’s transferable! (Yes, folks, give it as a gift!)

I accompany it with copper hair from Elikapeka Tiramisu. The skin is a luscious and glowing Alyson from Tricky Boucher. Look at those ripe lips and the beautifully drawn eyebrows (again, the eyebrows.. oy!) But check out the décolletage and the back. With a dress like this showing the sexiest areas, only the best will do.

Let me comment about the poses. I haven’t always mentioned them but this time I have to. I found Diesel Works at the Shoe Fair and have enjoyed Rogan Diesel’s work since. Rogan likes the female body, it’s clear, and he’s prepared to make you feel as sexy as a model as you can dare to pose.

Step two for showing your honey how beautiful she is:

Hair: ETD Tiana – Copper by Elikapeka Tiramisu for ETD

Skin: -Belleza- Alyson SK 8 by Tricky Boucher for Belleza *

Dress with Shoes: .::Vassnia::. Classy Pie by VNP Ninetails for Vassnia

Ring: ALB CLEO GOLDEN flowerball ring (R) hand by AnaLee Balut for ALB

Bracelet: Djinn & Tonic – Coco Blvd Bangles & Skinny Bangles by Babyhoney Bailey for Djinn & Tonic

Poses: From Venus and Piper series by Rogan Diesel for Diesel Works

Romantic song for the day: “You’re the Best Thing” by Style Council

Day Off

I’m having one of those days when I just want to run away and take the day off. I don’t want to do my hair, dress up, sort my notecards, talk to anyone—I just want to be left alone to torture prims or something.

I want to wear something comfy, so I put on this really cute tank top from Babyhoney Bailey. The former model is now a fashion maker herself, and wow, she really does some great work. I LOVE this tank—the subtle shadows, the print with the vintage ladies, the flirty skirt.

I paired it up with jeans from Miseria Daines. They are really well done with rips and wrinkles and that sort of relaxed grungy feel that is so important on a day like today.

My hair’s a mess, thanks to Kavar Cleanslate. This style is my wavy hair, loosely tied, needing a wash probably. But still looking cute!

Finally, slip on clogs from sakka Flow. Easy, comfy, ideal when I am flopping around the sim, trying to force a prim to my will and ignoring the blue screens in the corner.

Well after realizing how cute I look, the day is looking up:

Hair: Exile Monica/coffee by Kavar Cleanslate for Exile *

Skin: Pulse Skin-Life/Tone 4 Warm m1by Lorac Farella for Pulse *

Top: Djinn & Tonic – Vintage Tank (Femme Faces) by Babyhoney Bailey for Djinn & Tonic

Jeans: [Miseria] Bitter Jeans – Dust by Miseria Daines for [Miseria]

Clogs: Sakka’s Studio ** Clog Shoes/ Caramel buckskin by sakka Flow for Sakka’s Studio