Summertime

Perfect song on the radio
Sing along ’cause it’s one we know
It’s a smile, it’s a kiss
It’s a sip of wine, it’s summertime
Sweet summertime

~ Kenny Chesney, “Summertime”

A breath of fresh air, the scent of lilacs on the breeze, a little sunshine, and summer is finally here! This calls for a summer dress with little flowers and cool fluttery sleeves and Eclectic Wingtips’ sweet summer frock fills the ticket perfectly. Her prims fit perfectly—a great use of flexis and sleeves with seams in exact sync.

My beautiful visage is provided by Tyr Rozenblum, who debuted this skin at a Lazy Sunday sale. She is doing a set of makeups soon to come, and I am excited to see how she dresses up this fresh young face with makeup. My long flowing locks are from Kavar Cleanslate. The one thing that always bums me out is his hair is static—it goes through avatar arms and shoulders—it’s not always great for a moving avatar, and I know that’s not always easily overcome. However it’s lovely for portraiture, especially the blonde coloring.

Finally, these shoes, which I could not RESIST showing here and now—new stilettos from Siddean Munro. These shoes are what I call “sex on a stick” but in this case, “sex on a pointy stiletto heel.” They are entirely unfeasible in RL but perfect for SL with the curvy foot the string-bound feet, lovely ties, and delicious pretty toes. And matching these was a no-brainer for me. I mean, literally easy as pie, and I stink at matching (though I am starting to think some of the shoes I can’t match are what stink).

And the living is easy….

Hair: Exile Tempest/champagne by Kavar Cleanslate for Exile

Skin: Grixdale – Teagan 2 – Honey – Sparrow – BL by Tyr Rozenblum for Grixdale

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

Dress: e! Algernon Dress (Pink) by Eclectic Wingtips for E! Eclectic Apparel *

Hat: SAIKIN straw floppy hat plain by saikin Inaka for SAIKIN

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

Poses by Rogan Diesel for Diesel Works Animations *

Nine Lives

Well, the news is out. The KittyCatS sim will be opening and KITTENS will be FOR SALE at 11:59 pm slt, Sunday, February 6. Pile into the sim to get your little bundles of joy.

I have been wearing my Packers colors jersey from Eclectic Wingtips all day, hoping if I stink it up enough the Packers will win. (Notice Eclectic used the team colors, kinda, but did NOT violate copyright or trademark laws like so many across the grid, which is why I show this one.) See, I am a HUGE Packers fan. I will be knitting furiously as I watch that hottie Aaron Rodgers show the Steelers how it’s done. Who woulda thought they would get this far? They have nine lives!

I won’t be cuddling a kitty, which might be just as well. All the excitement might freak the poor kitty out. But when the Packers win (and they will), I will run over at 11:59 pm, get my new kitten, and cuddle her (cuz it’s gonna be a her) and kiss her and name her Donald Driver. (Cuz he will kick ass.)

And if she has Packer green eyes, all the better.

Go Packers GO!

Hair: ((JUNWAVE))HIYORI(TypeA)*D-BROWN* by LGM Jun for JUNWAVE

Skin: LOGO Babydoll Amber Skin – Pearl Base (No Brows) with LOGO Babydoll Amber – L08 – Brows Style 2 Dk Brown by Maximillion Grant for LOGO *

Top: e! Lucky 13 Jersey (Packers Superbowl) by Eclectic Wingtips for E! Eclectic Apparel

Pants: [SC] Surf Couture – Yoga Pants – Light Gray by Emma Gilmour for Surf Couture

Shoes: HOC Industries – Animals by Guu Nishi for HOC Industries

KITTEN: KittyCatS Kitten by KittyCatS

Layers

I could do a whole, you know, meaningful deconstruction of layers and I could, like, discuss the many layers of being as a person is real and virtual all at once and how as you peel away the layers, you find these, like, strata of meaning and being. (Cuz you know, I haven’t spared you this tedious discourse before.)

Or I could just about how cool it is to pile layers of tattoos on in V2.4! Guess where I’m going…

First let me dispense with this sexy-as-heck dress from Eclectic Wingtips. A sexy wrap mini with three-quarter length sleeves, it serves its desired function of showing leg up to there without going all the way up “there.” To complete the long legged look, I am wearing some economical sandals from May Vayandar. The hud was a little primitive (in looks and function) but the sandals are sexy and do the job of making my legs that much longer. And critical analysis shows the toes are pretty cute—and that’s a big one for me. I topped this look with a wild and frowsy curly do from Mirja Mills that is coming out this weekend.

The bigger story here, however, is my skin from Maximillion Grant. I blogged about his skins about a year ago when he came out with a great service on the web that allowed a customer to predesign their own skin, choosing a variety of facial features what would add up to a unique skin. I really liked the idea, though I was almost overwhelmed by choice.

Maximillion has taken advantage of the new tattoo layers to bring this versatility in world. With his newest skin, Babydoll, he has released a set of tattoo layers—eyebrows, eyeliners, lips, glosses, blushes, and facial features—which can overlay the skin to enhance it. I logged into V2.4 so I could pile on the layers. This is a skin for the woman who likes playing with makeup.

The first essential feature for me was changing my eyebrows, and let me warn you that when you are wearing the skins, you need to wear the “no brow” skin or the eyebrows won’t cover the base eyebrows. (I foolishly messed around with this with the demos standing in the store for 20 minutes before asking Polly Pavlova, Maximillion’s partner, what I was doing wrong and she patiently explained to me… duh.) Then I tried on all the different lipsticks, popped on a beauty mark (and removed it), and slapped on all the versions of eyeliner, one after the other. Frankly, the time it took to rez was less than it would be to do this in real life at a makeup counter and I didn’t have to wipe my face with oily makeup remover each time. One last note: remember to use “add,” not “wear” in V2.4 to get a correct overlay; with “wear” it will replace a layer. And remember to remove one before putting another on top—unless you like that sort of thing.

What if you are not using V2.4? Well there is a great solution—go back to Maximllion’s website and choose all the features you want minus one. For example, if you know there is one eyebrow in the set you will always like, order your custom skin with that eyebrow style—one less layer to contend with. Maximillion has made the makeup layers to work over all LOGO and Infinity Skins.

The skin itself has beautiful features—Maximillion has been making skins in SL for a long time and knows his stuff. His eyes are beautifully detailed; the lips are luscious (and you can opt out of the pout if you want), and the nose is nicely defined without being too thin. None of the features are over-exaggerated or so set that they require a specific shape to wear them. This skin is a definite win.

Now I have a bag full of make-up. Yay!

Hair: .:EMO-tions:. * ANGIE * /brown by Mirja Mills for EMO-tions *

Skin: LOGO Babydoll Amber – L08 – Brows Style 2 Dk Brown with
LOGO Babydoll Amber – L08 – Brows Style 2 Dk Brown and
LOGO Babydoll – L03 – Upper Liner and
LOGO Babydoll Amber – L01 – Lips – Brandy (Pouty) by Maximillion Grant for LOGO *

Dress: e! Zahra Dress (Chocolate) by Eclectic Wingtips for E!  Eclectic Apparel and Accessories *

Jewelry: *League* Zahavi Jewellery Set by Nena Janus for *League*

Shoes: >:TARA:<ExTreme High Heels Cat Rebel Brown by May Vayandar for Tara

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 *

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 *

The Orchid Thief

In a previous virtual incarnation, my persona surrounded herself with orchids. She wore orchid perfume, lived in a “hot house,” had a black orchid tattoo on her shoulder blade. During my first year in SL, in fact, I wore a poorly (self) made black orchid tattoo on my shoulder blade to remind myself of my previous virtual being.

It was no wonder then that I would want to show this beautiful dress from Kimmera Madison. Named after Honey Fairweather, who is herself a very precious and unique blossom (as I have learned having met and worked with her), the dress is adorned with beautiful golden and brown orchids shaped like lady slippers and so exquisitely textured I can’t stop looking at them. The textures throughout the rest of the prims are also beautiful with translucency and alpha clash being used as a benefit. The wavy hem on the bottom is a brilliant touch and that one detail alone reveals how Kimmera’s work is a cut above the rest.

I show this beautiful dress with a lovely glowing skin from Mallory Cowen. Made specifically for blondes, this set includes several makeups and all have the light brow and coloring more appropriate for blondes, which is sometimes a hard find in SL. Another hard find is a decent blonde texture on hair. Bubbles Clawtooth’s is a beautiful honey blonde, elegant and warm without being too yellow.

Just as I wonder
whether it’s going to die,
the orchid blossoms

and I can’t explain why it
moves my heart, why such pleasure

comes from one small bud
on a long spindly stem…

…it’s
purely erotic,

pistil and stamen, pollen,
dew of the world, a spoonful

of earth, and water…

~Sam Hamill, The Orchid Flower

Hair: CBC: Mrs.Mittens – Bombshell Blonde by Bubbles Clawtooth for Clawtooth

Skin: LAQ ~ Pearl – 10 [Peach] Glow skin by Mallory Cowen for Laqroki

Dress: Tres Beau “Honey” by Kimmera Madison for Tres Beau *

Earrings: E! Twisted Earrings by Eclectic Wingtips for E! Eclectic Apparel and Accessories