Dearly Beloved

“Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here
To get through this thing called life….”

~ Prince (Super Bowl half time show)

I got teary-eyed like everyone else when I found out Prince had died. I grew up during his ascendancy—he was on my AM radio in my old Nova when I drove to work in high school. His album, 1999, was one of the first I bought when I read an outstanding interview in Rolling Stone (I was 13). When I first saw him in the video for “Little Red Corvette,” I was shocked by how sexy a man could be.

When I went to college in Minnesota, his live shows in the Cities were already reknowned. When he wrote, “Sometimes it snows in April,” I knew just what he was talking about (because it does up here). I am heartbroken that he passed after such a long winter—I am sure he would have greeted the spring with relief and happiness like the rest of us.

Best of all, Prince transcended race and gender and class more than anyone else. He didn’t run to LA but stayed in Minnesota, keeping his wealth there, and turn into a privileged fat cat, rather choosing to fight for the rights of artists to make an income and generously giving his artistry to other musicians. He loved women—sexually but also intellectually, spiritually, and of course, emotionally. He supported so many women artists (writing for them but also employing them) but also respected women. His masculinity was never threatened by women. And race kind of went away with Prince. The people who surrounded him were of all races and mixed, as he was.

By the way, my son was mortified when I blasted “Little Red Corvette” in the car yesterday while we were cruising down Lake Drive on our way home. He was doubly mortified when I explained that the song was full of sexual innuendo. Bahahaha!

This look has nothing and everything to do with Prince. Prince was, I think, about the future and imagined other lives and ways of being. So my girl here belongs on a space station. Start with the sexy dress from Unitedcolorsteam for ROMP, one that is sexy but even sexier on this otherworldly woman. I accessorized with a stellar necklace from AvaGardner Kungler and bangle from Mea Carnell, both for Shiny Shabby, which just opened. Senzati0n Domenitzo’s sexy gladiator pumps finish the look.

The real story here (besides my meandering about Prince) is the opening of Fantasy Faire. The sims are, as always, gorgeous and the generous content available with 100% donation to Relay for Life is incredible. MissAllSunday Lemon is offering three hairs in the Solar colorway as her donation, including this funky bob that has studs (which I made transparent with her HUD). Aikea Rieko is also at the Faire and debuting two sets of fantasy skins, one of which is inspired by galaxies of stars and comes in many different color combos. She also offers almost any kind of applier you can imagine and I chose to use the Logo Alex head, which shows the skin beautifully. I honestly think a sexy space girl like this would catch Prince’s eye.

 

Hair: /Wasabi Pills/ Cleo Mesh Hair by MissAllSunday Lemon for /Wasabi Pills/, available at the Fantasy Faire *

Skin applier: :[P]:- Constella Skin (Femme):// Kiyana by Aikea Rieko for The Plastik, available at the Fantasy Faire *

Mesh head: LOGO Alex v3.0 Omega by Maximillion Grant for LOGO *

Eyes: [theSkinnery] Sona eyes (Omega Applier) 9 by Umazuma Metaluna for [theSkinnery], available at the Chapter Four *

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.5 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Dress: UC_Triangle_dress_all in 1_Maitreya_Lara by Unitedcolorsteam for United Colors, available at ROMP *

Necklace: (Kunglers) Chris necklace – Teal by AvaGardner Kungler for Kunglers Extra, available at Shiny Shabby *

Bangles: Meva Indrya Bangle golden by Mea Carnell for Meva, available at Shiny Shabby *

Shoes: Essenz – Ankara (Maitreya) by Senzati0n Domenitzo for Essenz, available at the Black Fashion Fair *

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin

Taken at Solaris Space Station

Dark Sister

I don’t have a blood sister but I have several soul sisters—Eshi, Raven, and now Syngen. And deep in my heart I have a dark sister.

Her ways are quiet but strong. This dress from Vixn Dagger is a perfect choice for her. With its rich brocade and laced decolletage, my dark sister is both contained and sexy. With its romantic and slightly Victorian air, this dress is ideal for a gothic look or a vampire. Vixn has really improved her work as her business has grown—she once just did eyes, which I find hard to imagine anymore because she has such a wide variety of darker and sexy looks for men and women both. (She’s also a mensch, but that is beside the point.)

My skin is from Sachi Vixen, who generously made this set exclusively for the Fantasy Faire, which benefits the American Cancer Society 100%. I layered on the Dark Fae makeup to make our dark sister even darker. I love the blue eyeshadow and made it pop with Ikon Innovia’s blue eyes. (If you go to Fantasy Faire, remember all the good stuff about keeping lag down—draw distance down, etc. They have a lot going on there.)

I show with a shape from Sophia Rossen, who has been fashioning great shapes for avatars around the grid. This shape was not meant to be worn with this skin but it fills it out perfectly (which is what makes a good shape). She is not too frowny nor too thin and not too squinty or alien shaped. In fact, I think she has a rather fine buxom figure.

A sister is both your mirror – and your opposite. ~ Elizabeth Fishel

Hair: .:EMO-tions:. * BREATH 2 * /black by Mirja Mills for .:EMO-tions:.*

Skin: Adam n Eve Skins – Astrelle Fae Special with Adam n Eve Skins – Astrelle Full Face Tattoo – Dark Fae by sachi Vixen for Adam n Eve, sold at the Fantasy Faire, benefiting Relay for Life *

Shape: Sophistishapes – ANNABEL bodyshape by Sophia Rossen for Sophistishapes *

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

Dress: Vengeful Threads  – Gothic Romance Dress by Vixn Dagger for Vengeful Threads

Masked

Who is the woman behind the skin? For some people, the mask is so much a part of existing that it’s integral to one’s self. We hide behind the masks of our avatars, sometimes revealing only what we want others to see.

We use fashion as a sort of mask. Or a cultural representation. What does a top like LeeZu Baxter’s say? Well it might say we are fashionable, cutting edge, or simply girly (considering its beautifully rendered ruffle sculpties). The tied neck in back–is it sweet or sexy? Are you casual? Are you cutting-edge? Wealthy?

But what about the mask? In this case, Alia Baroque, who has generously sponsored the Dark Realms sim at the Fantasy Faire for RFL, presents a new set of skins to benefit RFL based on a spooky clown set—with fangs and without. Alia’s work is artistic, truly fantastical, and genuinely unique. We don’t see here just white on a face—it’s actually painted on. Our girl’s underlying facial structure is a little tough—she has a sort of stiff upper lip and a petulant bottom lip. The eyebrows are exaggerated but underneath the face paint, we can see the real eyebrows. This isn’t blobs of color slapped on a template—it’s true art. There is quite a story here about this masked woman. By wearing her skin, we begin to tell it.

All the world loves a clown. ~ Cole Porter

Hair: [!SyDS! Hair] Opera without Music – Cafe by Serenity Stransky for !SyDS!

Skin: CLOWN xx +Fallen Gods Inc.+SKIN+ HUMAN Bianco Severo by Alia Baroque for Fallen Gods found on the Dark Realms sim

Top: [LeeZu!] Mailiin Blouse /silver by LeeZu Baxter for LeeZu! *

Leggings: *Fishy Strawberry* Topolinia Black Leggins by Fae Eriksen for Fishy Strawberry

Boots: .*Courtisane*. La Vivien Graybrown by Enktan Gully and LeeZu Baxter for Courtisane *

Poses by Rogan Diesel for Diesel Works Animations *

In the Deep Dark Sea

The Fantasy Faire will be coming to a close April 25. If you have not visited, I urge you to splurge a little on the other side of life in SL—a life of role playing and mermaids, fairies and tinies. It’s well worth the expense to expand your horizons.

The first night I walked the Mer Market at the Faire, I came upon a most glorious creature floating and flipping around in an amazingly… well, shrimp-like mermaid outfit. Pyewicket Tiger was the creator of his own beautiful mermaid ensemble, and I *had* to have one. I chose a mystical sea unicorn, which is unisex and fits me very well (though I admit it removed the beard). I purchased a skin in his underwater cavern to match and make what you see here.

Also available at the Faire are the AOs and poses and dances. I set into motion dances by yuuki Solo to snap some of these shots. Swirling around in graceful pirouettes and swirls, fins fluttering in radiant color in the cool deep sea is mesmerizing and relaxing to watch. I purchased Sala Snook’s brilliant Mermaid AO and watched myself tread water and swim from store to store, slipping through the water like a nymph.

“for whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea”
~ e. e. cummings

Skin: Glitter Skin Blue by Pyewicket Tiger for Pyewicket’s Myths at the Mer Market sim

Ensemble: Sea Unicorn by Pye Lt Blue by Pyewicket Tiger for Pyewicket’s Myths at the Mer Market sim

Eyelashes: Detour – Klee Dot Lashes by Keri Clip for Detour

Dances: +yb mer Dance2f and +yb mer Dance9 and by yuuki Solo for .:Yo bailo:. at the Mer Market sim

Animation Override: :KH: Mermaid AO by Sala Snook for :KAMI-HITOE: at the Mer Market sim

Neptune’s Daughter

coming up for air
rising to a very new
somewhere
coming up for air
on the last breath around

~ “Coming Up for Air” by Patty Larkin

Another trip to the Mer Market sim at Fantasy Faire 2010, another opportunity to look beautiful. This time I find beauty with one of Goldenstar Sands’ RFL pieces. Offered as a Kimono set for a mermaid as seen above, a strapless (or topless) mermaid as shown below or as a human kimono, this lovely ensemble can take you from sea to shore in a snap. So you can choose modesty with the gorgeous kimono or a more revealing mermaid outfit.

Again, I show Tuli Asturias’ beautiful Sayuri skin, which I have been wearing non stop because I am so entranced by its beauty. It is really the first skin for East Asian women that I have seen that is gorgeous and fits well.

I show also hair and jewelry from two other Fantasy Faire participants. This updo from MissAllDaySunday Lemon is a gorgeous elegant addition to her fantasy line of hair styles. See a whole selection of beautiful pieces on the Avatopia sim. Jewelry is from Tekelili Tantalus, an incredible builder who is featuring creations on the Mer Market sim as well. I was able to change the colors of the shells, seaweed, and even the pearls on these earrings to colors I wanted. And there are MANY colors available in for these—buy one set of jewelry and get never-ending variations available.

Last but not least, let me mention another creator who is selling at Fantasy Faire in the Mer Market sim. I discovered Bibi Questi at last year’s Faire when I was building my underwater area. She (incredibly generously) sells boxes of entire underwater landscapes that benefit RFL. Based on her own trips to the Thailand coral reefs, Bibi started making her own underwater items. “I had had an amazing dive at East of Eden, a one hour long drift dive passing hard coral reefs, coral pillars, fish schools and the giant muray [sic] John with the sun shine falling through clear blue water,” she wrote to me.

Each box she sells for RFL contains.. get this… over 100 color-matched items for transforming your sand with plant-covered coral reefs, swimming fish, fusilades of fish, individual coral reefs, sun rays, and floating jellyfish. All you need is one box and it will transform your entire underwater with much to spare.

This is my own underwater area at my sim, to which I added a few more of her items. The box is CHOCK full. I can’t tell you what a deal it is and how imaginatively she has made her pieces. The fish are so colorful, the reefs so true to life and the jellyfish so remarkable, you can quickly and easily create an underwater scape with an overall color scheme that works. (Much better than buying individual pieces and then having a big hodge podge).

This is what SL is about: sharing our worlds with each other. Bibi has generously and beautifully brought her very amazing experience to share with all of us. Many of the pieces you see here are available in the Midnight Reef Package (blue, pink and seagreen). You can also get the Sunset Coral Reef package (warm orange, red, brown and olive green) or the Vulcano Reef Package (black, gray, blue and white). Get all three to benefit RFL and switch things out as your mood changes.

On the last breath around:

Hair: /Wasabi Pills/ Antigone Hair – Jet black by MissAllSunday Lemon for Wasabi Pills found on the Avatopia sim

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Sayuri tone 1 :: 03a by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Outfits: Festival Fan Mer Yukata (B/P) – Both (Combo) by Goldenstar Sands for Safe Waters found on the Mer Market sim *

Festival Fan Fish (B/P) – Just Mermaid by Goldenstar Sands for Safe Waters found on the Mer Market sim *

Earrings: Nereid – Earring by Tekelili Tantalus for Tekeli-li! found on the Mer Market sim

Seascape: Bibi’s midnight reef package v6 by Bibi Questi for Bibi’s Coral Reef Shop found on the Mer Market sim*

Fantasy Honeymoon

Well, honestly, what is a Fantasy Faire without a good wedding fantasy. I mean, come on, it IS a fantasy. Big wedding, romantic honeymoon.

This is all pretense to show one of Delora Starbrook’s offerings for RFL. With its beautifully rendered system pieces and amazing translucent skirt trimmed with silver thread (and absent ANY alpha texture problems… Delora needs to be giving half of SL a lesson in channels), this pretty piece would make a lovely honeymoon outfit (especially as it comes with optional silks for later play).

This was also a pretense to give you a glimpse at BastChild Lotus’ beautiful wedding ring, which any bride this lovely deserves. BastChild smartly includes a proposal box, engagement ring and wedding ring (as shown here). The blushing bride’s hair is coming down, as made by Truth Hawks and her gentle and anticipatory blush is provided by Tuli Asturias. (And no, there is no secret message about my own matrimonial plans in this blog.)

“Too f–ing busy, and vice versa.”
~ Dorothy Parker’s reply to her editor who was bothering her for her belated work while she was on her honeymoon

Hair: >TRUTH< Bailey – seaspray by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Eva (tone 4/li) 01a by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Outfit: *HD* Selah – RFL by Delora Starbrook for Haven Designs available on the Elvencourt sim

Ring: .:L&B:. “Caged Love” Women’s Wedding Band – 18 kt gold by BastChild Lotus for LaPointe and Bastchild *

Shoes: Ingenue :: Dianthus :: Blush (Starlust Hunt) by Betty Doyle for Ingenue

P.S. This blog goes out with best wishes for my friend Raven Haalen and his beautiful bride, Kell Babenco. Hope they have a marvelous f–ing honeymoon! ;)

Life Underwater

The RFL Fantasy Faire will be opening April 19 and going through April 25, sponsored by the Friends Fighting Cancer team. The focus is, of course, fantasy, including role playing, tinies, nekos, fairies, demons, vamps, and science fiction.

I was given the opportunity to cover one sim, and I begged to cover the Mer Market, because I just love the beauty of underwater builds and clothing in SL. It’s my kind of fantasy.

Opal Lei of Mer Betta, is the sponsor of the Mer Market, and a perfect sponsor for such an environment. Her work is beautifully textured and rendered, carefully built and considered, complex and beautiful. When you get a mermaid ensemble from Mer Betta, you get your money’s worth.

In this case, I am showing the RFL piece Opal is donating for this event with all proceeds going to RFL. First, there is a basic mermaid outfit with fins (that include and on and off for flexiness), the basic leg covers, etc., and it comes in two shades per ensemble (in this case a darker and lighter purple). Then she offers “upgrade” packages—the Intimates and the Mutation, which you buy in addition to the basic mermaid set. The Intimates include a bit sexier ensemble that shows a little more skin (see directly above and below). The Mutation includes fins and wrist and shoulder pieces that are beautifully sculpted and textured (top photo). I can’t write enough about how beautiful I feel when I wear one of Opal’s ensembles. This particular creation comes in yellow, green, red and blue as well and they are all equally as incredible. (Tip: look UNDERWATER at the Faire to find even more beautiful creations in her store.) She is truly an artist.

I show this glorious ensemble with another beautiful piece of work from Tuli Asturias. Her new skin line, Sayuri, was made specifically to cast an Asian aspect to an avatar. This skin does not look as good on an avatar where it is not meant to look Asian, frankly, so I altered my eyes to make them more appropriate. I have tried before to find a skin that represents a beautiful Asian woman and have always struck out. I have finally found one. The Sayuri skin is absolutely exquisite.

“I must be a mermaid…. I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living.”
— Anaïs Nin

Hair: Delora Purple by Queue Marlowe for Analog Dog (modified)

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Sayuri tone 2 :: 06a by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Outfits: Mer Betta RFL2010-Owain Purple Rosetail v3.1c (w) by Opal Lei for Mer Betta, sponsor of the Mer Market *

Mer Betta RFL2010-Owain ~ CrescentIntimates (w) by Opal Lei for Mer Betta, sponsor of the Mer Market *

Mer Betta RFL2010-Owain ~ MutationAlpha (w) by Opal Lei for Mer Betta, sponsor of the Mer Market *

Here is my first movie I ever did make in SL, showing this beautiful mermaid outfit.