Happy New Year!

“Many years ago I resolved never to bother with New Year’s resolutions, and I’ve stuck with it ever since.” ~ Dave Beard

New Year’s resolutions have never worked for me. After the magic of a new year flipping over, it all kind of goes to the background and gets trampled by other life concerns.  Perhaps I could resolve to consider pink. Ivy Burner makes it easy with this darling sweater that is avaliable at Frost until January 5. Available in several other colors as well, the sweater has a HUD for changing the texture of the belt to different colors so you can match whatever else you’re wearing (in this case sexy white boots from Babette Ultsch and darling tights from Fricka Morgath).

Maybe I could resolve to look a little more cutting edge, in this case with a great makeup on one of Aida Ewing’s newer skins and this Miley Cyrus hair from Chiaki Xue. This hair can be worn by both women on men (I saw it on a guy last night and it looked great), as long as you have her hair base, which is sold separately. Snowflake earrings from Maxi Gossamer make it all complete—a pink wintery prettiness, perfect for a new year.

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

Hair: *Dura-Boys&Girls*50(Dark Brown) by Chiaki Xue for Dura *

Skin: -Glam Affair – Kaelyn skin – Europa 04 G with -Glam Affair – Kaelyn – Europa – Lips 04 by Aida Ewing for Glam Affair *

Eyes: {S0NG} :: Frost~ Frozen Eye by Funeral Plutonian for S0ng

Sweater: ~Sassy!~ Icebreaker – pink by Ivy Burner for ~Sassy!~, available at Frost *

Tights: {Frick} Winter Tights in Sugarplum by Fricka Morgath for {Frick}

Nail Appliers: Nailed It –  French Manicure by Giela Delpaso for Nailed It *

Earrings: Mg – Earrings – Falling Starflake – SILVER by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer *

Boots: *KL* Boots Eve Off White by Babette Ultsch for Kitties Lair *

Poses by Rogan Diesel for DieselWorks Animations *

Winter Wonderland

Sleigh bells ring
Are you listening
In the lane
Snow is glistening
A beautiful sight
We’re happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland

~ “Winter Wonderland” (this one by Bing Crosby)

I managed to squeak through Thanksgiving and Black Friday without injury and now I am in the middle track to the rest of the holidays. I have almost all my holiday gifts purchased. The cookies are baked and hidden away. The house is clean. What can I do with myself?

It’s time to receive and the generous folks at KittyCats and their friends are opening the advent calendar for yet another year. Touch down at the calendar, click on the door, and receive a gift from one of the generous KittyCat friends each day. The first gift is a KittyCats trap, a cute box for your KittyCat.

The rest of the sim has been decorated for winter enjoyment with beautiful picturesque spots for your snapshots and a great huge skating rink to enjoy alone or with a partner. I snuggled up in Kavar Cleanslate’s ingenious sweater/hair combo. The hair comes on top with the hood with a color change for hair and the hood. The dress is a separate piece that also has a color change and the special rare is the Glimmer dress. I wore the icy blue because I love it. I paired it with Babette Ultsch’s sexy off white boots, which are available at her store now (after Shoetopia). A pretty knit scarf from Rebeca Denbow keeps my neck warm. (I purchased because I can knit something like this in RL. Really!)

I went shopping the Black Friday sales for Skin Addiction and wandered into Tuli Asturias’ store and fell in love again. I think I already had this skin but I had to get it again because I still like it. Even with the changing lighting in SL, the skin holds up. The make ups seem a bit bold but I know Tuli is up to new styles and looks to be released soon. I have always been a Tuli girl.

When it snows
Ain’t it thrilling
Though your nose gets a chilling
We’ll frolic and play the Eskimo way
Walking in a winter wonderland

Walking in a winter wonderland
Walking in a winter wonderland

Hair with dress: Exile::First Snow – Dark Browns with Glimmer Dress addon RARE by Kavar Cleanslate for ::Exile::, available at The Arcade *

Skin: [:T:] Gina / sunkissed :: 02 Lagoon by Tuli Asturias for Tuli

Eyes: [Crash Republic] Moon Eyes – blue by Isabelle Requiem for Crash Republic *

Scarf: _CD_Cold Scarf Snow – by Rebeca Dembow for Candy Doll

Nails: Nailed It – Prim Nails – Medium by Giela Delpaso for Nailed It *

Boots: *KL* Boots Eve Off White by Babette Ultsch for Kitties Lair *

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin

First day advent gift: A.D.D. Andel! Kitty Trap!- KittyCatS Advent Gift 2013, available for FREE (a gift, duh) at the KittyCats 2013 Advent Calendar at KittyCats Winterland

The Menace of Zucchini

The trouble is, you cannot grow just one zucchini.  Minutes after you plant a single seed, hundreds of zucchini will barge out of the ground and sprawl around the garden, menacing the other vegetables.  At night, you will be able to hear the ground quake as more and more zucchinis erupt. ~ Dave Barry

I have vegetables on the mind, which have nothing to do with this blog but everything to do with the farmer’s market I keep going to and the myriad recipes I have been trying out. The best so far is roasting them in the oven with some of the fantastic olive oil I buy and some coarse grain kosher salt. And I have made stuffed zucchini three times this week rather than being on SL. Need I say more?

I have dressed up in a chic paisley dress recently released by SamanthaSJones with the new wedge shoes from Babette Ultsch I recently showed and can’t seem to take off. I have been wearing it for several days now through several zucchini iterations.

I am showing furniture from several vendors who are donating 100% of their income from sale of these items at Love Donna Flora. Yep, there’s not just fashion but also furnishings. Start with Kaerri Rae’s peacock-themed set complete with mirrored cabinet, rug, chairs, even wall art. A beautiful set like this deserves to be in your home, especially when it benefits Squinternet Larnia.

Fallacy DeCuir contributes this chair with a color change blanket and the shelves you see behind me as part of a set that gives 100%. I have put together several elements from the generous pieces that DeAnn Dufaux is contributing at Love Donna Flora. Imagine not only dressing yourself in the love people are showing for Squinternet but also surrounding your home with this love.

This lovely face comes courtesy of PeachieMuah, who is releasing “fresh” faces on a regular basis. She is refining the look with more defined brows, a lovely deep set eye, luscious lips. My hair is one that Calico Ingmann had at Hair Fair and presumably in her store. I love this asymmetrical style and love the color-change hud she has used for years for her hair.

What was paradise, but a garden full of vegetables and herbs and pleasure?  Nothing there but delights. ~ William Lawson

Hair: Arisa (B) by Calico Ingmann for Calico Ingmann Creations

Skin: (FreshFace) Acacia Olive Bigger Breasts by PeachieMuah for [Fresh Face] *

Eyes: .ID. Twinkle Eyes – Blue by Audrey Lamede for Insufferable Dastard, available at Love Donna Flora

Dress: [LG] Boutique-[Summer 13] Davinia Shoulder Chain Dress by SamanthaSJones for LIV-Glam

Shoes: *KL* Sandal Cora Color Set 01 by Babette Ultsch for Kittie’s Lair *

Poses by Rogan Diesel for DieselWorks Animations *

Furniture:

Kaerri Pavone* Set For Donna Flora by Kaerri Rae for Kaerri, available at Love Donna Flora *

Cobblestone – Donna Mini Set by Fallacy DeCuir for Cobblestone, available at Love Donna Flora *

[Park Place]  Jungle Table Decorations by DeAnn Dufaux for Park Place, available at Love Donna Flora*

Green Garden

Take me outside, sit in the green garden,
Nobody out there, but it’s okay now.
Bathe in the sunlight, don’t mind if rain falls,
Take me outside, sit in the green garden.

~ “Green Garden” by Laura Mvula

A joyful look deserves a joyful song like this one from Laura Mvula. This look I put together from elements at Love Donna Flora. Sometimes it’s the joyful encouragement someone who is ill needs–a view of flowers, the idea of living in the moment. Start with the gorgeous dress that Kinu Mayako has donated for Love Donna Flora. With a clever hud that allows you to change the colorway of the dress, you get nine dresses in one. Make a copy of the dress, lock in your color and delete the scripts and away you go!

Beautiful wedge heels from Babette Ultsch, just released, accessorize the look. Their ankle band and zip up the back make them more than just pretty. With an easy hud for skin color matching and six different colors, this wedge is versatile and as always with Babette, sexy.

The lovely nails set that Sasy Scarborough made for Love Donna Flora will brighten any look and with its hud will allow for eight color combos to splash flowers on your Slink nails.

The trees under which I dance also have been donated by Shadow78 Tryan. They come with a great hud that allows you to change the colors of the trees and the size so you can have these beautiful trees season-round. These are no copy trees—you get a set of three: large, medium, and small.

Audrey Lamede is donating 100% of proceeds from a generous fat pack of eyes she is selling at Love Donna Flora. Her eyes, with their typical luminosity and eensy pupil, are arresting and beautiful. A pretty pink bow at the neck from Aranel Ah is being offered at The Dressing Room Fusion. A ribbon around the neck has always been on my wishlist for SL, so inevitably I am going to be owning every color.

Audrey Cresci is also donating all funds from the poses she is offering at Love Donna Flora, and they are versatile and cheerful and perfect for a dance in the garden like we used to.

And I’ll fly on the wings of a butterfly
High as a tree top and down again.
Put my bag down, taking my shoes off,
Walk on a carpet of green velvet.
Dance in my garden like we used to,
Dance in my garden like we used to…

I go wherever you go. Take me wherever you go.

Hair: TRUTH HAIR Chilali – Gingers02Fade by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: -Glam Affair – Lulu ( America ) 02 B by Aida Ewing for Glam Affair *

Eyes: .ID. Twinkle Eyes – Blue by Audrey Lamede for Insufferable Dastard, available at Love Donna Flora

Dress: [ SAKIDE ] Mosaic Dress White by Kinu Mayako for [ SAKIDE ], available at Love Donna Flora *

Choker: *BOOM* Precious Bow Choker (neck) carnation by Aranel Ah for *BOOM*, available at The Dressing Room Fusion

Hands: Slink Mesh Hands (av) Elegant Left and Slink Mesh Hands (av) Elegant1 Right by Siddean Munro for Slink

Skin Applier: Glam Affair – Slink Hands Skin Appliers ( America) by Aida Ewing for Glam Affair

Nail applier: Flair – Nail Hud Add On – Slink Avatar Enhancement – Set 116 by Sasy Scarborough for Flair, available at Love Donna Flora *

Flower: MIASNOW Accessory – Hair Flower CHERRY BLOSSOM Pink by MiaSnow Myriam for MIASNOW

Shoes: *KL* Sandal Cora Color Set 01by Babette Ultsch for Kittie’s Lair *

Poses by Audrey Cresci for The Muse Poses, available at Love Donna Flora *

Trees: DaD Design Cherry Tree by Shadow78 Tyran for DaD Design, available at Love Donna Flora

Shadow Dancing

Do it light, taking me through the night
Shadow dancing, baby, you do it right
Give me more, drag me across the floor
Shadow dancing, all this and nothin’ more
~ “Shadow Dancing” by Andy Gibb

I am still struggling with shadows in SL, which may be my fault because I persist in using a client that seems unstable on my machine (I am guessing due to my inventory size). I am increasingly frustrated with the instability. So it’s a bit of “shadow dancing” for me.

Of course, the song suits this look, which I find has a touch of 70s to it.I start with this incredible dress from pixivor Allen, which was one of her Fashion for Life donation dresses, and is now sold in her store. It moves with a fluidity that is mesmerizing and has a silhouette that is simply fantastic. The system pieces are sexy (especially that lacing up the back) and match perfectly to the prim skirt pieces. While the dress comes with little silver mary jane high heels, I chose to wear some prim toe shoes from Babette Ultsch because they have the best silver texture in SL.

My skin is a new one from Gala Phoenix, who is simply making my heart sing with her newest skins. I love the subtle translucency and pinkiness to this skin, the gentle freckles sprinkled across the nose, the beautiful lips, the shapely eyebrows. Even the collar bone and breasts are beautifully shaped—that is no small feat right there. The best part is this skin is youthful but not “immature.”  My hair is Thora Charron’s free offering from Hair Fair, and it’s fantastic! I will say I recolored the barette to a shiny white but guess what? Native shiny doesn’t show in shadows. Go figure.

Shadow dancing, all this and nothin’ more…

Hair: [LeLutka]-PINNED hair – AuburnHaze by Thora Charron for LeLutka (modified)

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

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

Eyelashes: Eyelashes -20- DiamondDust *REDGRAVE* by Viola Leigh for *REDGRAVE*

Dress (with hair piece): (AlaFolie) Miss Philipines version 1 by Pixivor Allen for AlaFolie

Shoes: *KL* Sandals Nadia Silver by Babette Ultsch for Kitties Lair

Golden Treasure

I love putting together a totally fantastical look, one that is monochrome and stylized. There is no deep meaning behind this—just a satisfaction in finding a set of items that represent one of the hardest textures in SL to show–gold—in amazing ways.

I start with a swimsuit from monica Outlander’s early summer set of swimsuits and beachwear. The “Prue” is a great set—a bikini top with a thong and a nice little pareo to hide your bum. Monica has the sheen of the material and that bright golden color locked down perfectly. My shoes are great little prim toe shoes from Babette Ultsch that have a great gold texture (she also has a great silver pair).

My skin is the newest from Aida Ewing, a sunkissed beauty with a beautiful glow and sheen to the skin and lips and delectable make up. I really like this new set, which is being offered at the Skin and Shape Expo, because it shows a lot more depth and skill. Aida’s improving with each skin she makes and is starting to dominate the skin world. My golden brown hair is a Mirja Mills special color, which I love seeing because it’s so unique in SL. My earrings are grandiose affairs from Cora Lu’s newest line for Paper Couture and my luscious golden eyes are from Ikon Innovia.

Not all that blings is gold.

Hair: .:EMO-tions:. * ADORA * /naturals by Mirja Mills for .:EMO-tions:.* (modified)

Skin: -Glam Affair- Layla MedTan – D 02 by aida Ewing for –Glam Affair-, available at the Skin and Shape Expo *

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

Swimsuit: Miamai_Prue Gold by monica Outlander for Miamai *

Earrings: p.c; Studded Gold Circles by Cora Lu for Paper Couture

Shoes: *KL* Sandals03g Nadia Inka01 by Babette Ultsch for Kitties Lair

Little Wing

Well she’s walking through the clouds
With a circus mind that’s running round
Butterflies and zebras
And moonbeams and fairy tales
That’s all she ever thinks about
Riding with the wind.

~Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix (but see Corinne Bailey Rae perform it)

I keep sticking music in my blogs, but I am listening to a lot of it. This song popped up on my radar again recently, and I listened to it over and over while shooting these photos.

The music is so fitting because it is sung so absolutely amazingly by Corinne Bailey Rae, which suits this absolutely amazing dress by Moonstone Eiren. I met Moonstone when she showed up at a thing I did with John Zhaoying and Raven Pennyfeather for Smarter Technology in which we spoke about virtual goods and virtual fashion. Moonstone was psyched about the discussion and peeped in my window, do I look at new designers? Boy, was I glad I said yes.

Moonstone has a small inventory but it’s stellar. Take this sexy dress. Slit up the legs, textured with a sensuous suede in an rich hue, the masterpiece of the dress is the sculpty halter on top, which covers the chest but moves with an avatar brilliantly. The devil’s in the details, and she has a little ties at the hips and on the back of the halter. She also offers some beautiful jewelry sets (I wear a bracelet and earrings you can’t quite see from one set). Make sure when you visit her shop hidden away in the Caledon Moors, you cam up to the third floor to look at her great Poser-based hand-drawn art.

I show the dress with an equally sexy skin from Tricky Boucher. When I want sexy, sunkissed, silky skin, I don his skins. And of course, Queue Marlowe’s loose wavy tousled bedhead. Finally, sexy heels from Babette Ultsch and this look is complete.

When I’m sad, she comes to me
With a thousand smiles, she gives to me free
It’s alright she says it’s alright
Take anything you want from me,
anything.

Hair: AD ~ baby cinnamon by Queue Marlowe for Analog Dog

Skin: -Belleza- Elle Dark SK 16 by Tricky Boucher for Belleza *

Dress: ME_simplicitySlinkFire by Moonstone Eiren for ~artMEfashion~

Earrings and Bracelet: Me_Gems_Deamons horn Garnet carnelian by Moonstone Eiren for ~artMEfashion~

Shoes: *KL* Sandals03g Nadia Fallow by Babette Ultsch for Kitties Lair

Ripple

There are a few friends in SL who are dear to me, whose friendship reaches beyond SL. (I am sure everyone has friends like that.) Douglas Story is one of those friends. So it was with great pleasure that I got the first dance with him at the opening of his new art installation with Desdemona Enfield and March McBain, called “Ripple.”

I wore Indyra Seigo’s gorgeous dress, which is being offered as her RFL donation at the RFL Fashion Fest. I can’t speak enough about the elegance and sultriness of this dress, from the beautiful rendered platinum textures to the perfectly placed gems. With its mix of exoticism and sensuality, it’s one of the most beautiful and unique offerings at the RFL Fashion Fest. (And I will note this gown is transferable, so you may easily gift it to your lady friend.)

I donned Tuli Asturias’ new offering at the Dressing Room, this sexy version of Gina. If you keep going back, you will probably accumulate an entire fat pack of Tuli’s beautiful skins at a great deal.

I shamelessly posed at the exhibit itself. I strongly encourage you to visit. Douglas’ video images and background combine with Desdemona’s incredible scripting abilities and beautiful sounds from March. Like DynaFleur and StormEye, the piece is based on interaction with avatars. So you have to be there to see it. Click on things, change the textures, make the walls flip.  Take a date and float to the bottom of the huge vase and there are poseballs for dancing. And drop a thanks to Tayzia Abattoir and Larry Pixel, whose NMC group is so generously hosting it.

We have art so that we may not perish by the truth. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Hair: =TEKUTEKU= Marbles(black) by momo Foulon for =TEKUTEKU=

Skin: []::Tuli::[] The Dressing Room LE :: Gina 03 by Tuli Asturias for Tuli, exclusive to the Dressing Room

Dress: by Indyra Seigo for Indyra Originals for RFL Fashion Fest

Shoes: *KL* Sandals Nadia Silver Display by Babette Ultsch for Kitties Lair

Photography done on site at “Ripple” on the Ars Simulacra sim.

My Secret Star Trek Fantasy…

OK, let me state right here, I am not a Trekkie (yeah, right). No really. I don’t watch it religiously, I can’t speak in Klingon, I can’t give you a riff on the differences between Capt. Kirk and the other guy played by Patrick Stewart, I can’t tell you squat about being a Vulcun or Volcon or whatever Spock was. Nevertheless, I always dug the outfits the women on Star Trek got to wear—and now I think I am ready. Ready to be a Star Trek babe.

If I WERE a Star Trek babe, I would start with this sexy silver alien-skin swimsuit by monica outlander. Let me make something clear—doing silver in SL on system pieces is HARD. monica pulls it off and makes it sexy. Check out the asymmetry of this suit and the sexy back.

I really put this look together for the hair. This hair is out of this world, literally. lat Oh makes hair worth looking at—they are science fiction marvels. Between the twirled horns on top, the locks curled around the neck, the spikes coming out the back, the medallion and the pin stuck through it all, Captain Kirk would be speechless before me.

Add to it the very beautiful skin from Minnu Palen, part of a new series she recently released. This time I went into 2.0 and wore the dark dark lipstick in this set (after I spent a half hour joyfully trying on different lipsticks.. boy that’s fun). Now how could Kirk resist?

Finally, the boots. Those are the secret weapon. Remember how Kirk wore those sexy ankle boots? Well I have him beat. I have these dangerous stiletto heel silver boots from Babette Ultsch, another maker of amazing silver textures. And I CAN beat Kirk in a chase around the moon craters in these babies. It’s space and I am weightless, after all ;)

“GET A LIFE, will you people? I mean, for crying out loud, it’s just a TV show!” ~ William Shatner on SNL

Hair: MIRROR C10 / Black by lat Oh for Mirror

Skin: [LeLutka]-LOLA_stan-makeup4(D Brows)hairbase with [LeLutka]-LOLA -Lipstic_Dark by Minnu Palen for LeLutka

Swimsuit: Miamai_Bo Swimsuit Silver by monica Outlander for Miamai

Boots: *KL* Boots Florence 4.4 Silver Sequined by Babette Ultsch for Kitties Lair

Silver Screen

Ah, the life of a movie star. Evenings at the club, sipping Pina Coladas, days at the beach, showing off those long legs while reading a romance novel. (OK, I concede this fantasy is out of some late 40s movie.)