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

Le Fleur

“I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.”
~ Edna St. Vincent Millay

Flowers fill the my world right now. The summer has been blessedly beautiful and perfect for flowers and other plants. My basil is absolutely magnificent; my impatiens are full and vibrant in my window boxes. I have a hanging basket of pink geraniums that is more flowers than leaves.

So I was attracted to a few pieces at the Love Donna Flora event because of their floral theme. First was this elegantly sexy dress from SamanthaSJones with big blossoming flowers and a great shape. Long sleeves that billow out slightly lead up to a sexy low cut neckline and a hem that pulls up in front and in back. I really love how Samantha uses texture on all her clothes. She doesn’t just recolor—she uses pattern and colors to create sheen and interest. This dress if one of her generous donation pieces for Love Donna Flora and comes in six colorways.

My shoes are also a donation for Squinternet Larnia from Gospel Voom. With a beautiful blowsy blossom print on them, they match the dress perfectly, and are blooming great with Gos’ great color match system. Fun poses from Lashae Karsin, also completely donated for Love Donna Flora, help me show everything off.

Aida Ewing is donating proceeds from a few skins at Love Donna Flora, but I am ashamed to say this is not one of them. I preferred how this red lip looked with the dark hair from Mirja Mills, featured at the Hair Fair (closing Sunday so get over there and help Wigs for Kids). With pretty blue eyes from Keiba Resident, available at the Seraphim Social, and a gorgeous necklace from Maxi Gossamer, this look is elegant and chic—hence not just a flower but “la fleur.”

“A flower blossoms for its own joy.” ~ Oscar Wilde

Hair: .:EMO-tions:. *ROMANCE*/ chocolate by Mirja Mills for .:EMO-tions:., available only at Hair Fair 2013 *

Skin: -Glam Affair – Katya – America 04 F by Aida Ewing for Glam Affair *

Eyes: [UMEBOSHI] Pearl eye -Pacific Blue- (large) by Keiba for Umeboshi, available at The Seraphim Social

Dress: [LG] Boutique-[Summer 13] Sessie Print Dress by SamanthaSJones for LIV-Glam, available at Love Donna Flora *

Necklace: MG – Necklace – Tarentella Gypsy – Group ALL by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer *

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

Shoes: [Gos] Lauren D’Orsay – Flora Satin by Gospel Voom for Gos Boutique, available at Love Donna Flora

Poses by Lashae Karsin for Flash Friendly Poses, available at Love Donna Flora *

Double Trouble

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

There were two sisters. They both had their father’s eyes and their mother’s figure but in that the similarity ended. While one was outgoing, the other was introverted. One was naïve and trusting; the other worldly and cynical. One was dangerously silly and the other was deadly serious. (You get the point here.)

They both went shopping at Love Donna Flora when it opened at midnight. The went in opposite directions—one to the left and one to the right, covering the perimeter of the sim, going from cart to cart. One chose the sexy brocade mini dress from Kiddo Oh and clicked the HUD for a crème colored dress. The other chose the same dress but clicked for the chocolate dress. Both loved the lace system piece with the dress, the bow at the collar and hip, and the gorgeous silhouette it created. Both were also delighted that 100% of the purchase price went to Squinternet Larnia as they discovered with most everything they purchased that day.

With poses from Olaenka Chesnokov (meant for a premiere red carpet photo op but perfectly useful for other modeling), the sisters happily wandered the sim and found gorgeous skin from Amesha Jewell. Each chose the tone she felt best suited her—one a darker skin and one a lighter but with the same makeup—a wicked cat eyeliner and glossy lips.

Their wavy tresses came courtesy of M4r1lyn Magic but as one sister was more a winter and the other a summer, they chose accordingly and tinted their hair with his handy HUD to suit their desires. When they met up on the other side of the sim, they were astonished to see each other, discovering while they had differences, much was the same.

“I was too young that time to value her,
But now I know her. If she be a traitor,
Why, so am I. We still have slept together,
Rose at an instant, learned, played, eat together,
And wheresoe’er we went, like Juno’s swans,
Still we went coupled and inseparable.”
~ William Shakespeare, As You Like It

On one:

Hair:  ~Tableau Vivant~ Larnia – Summer by M4r1lyn Magic for Tableau Vivant, available at Love Donna Flora *

Skin: A // Flora ~ Tone 6 // Vintage Gloss [Mid Cleavage] by Amesha Jewell for Aeva // Heartsick, available at Love Donna Flora *

Eyes: IKON Lucid Eyes – Coffee (M) by Ikon Innovia for IKON *

Dress: .::DD::. Dead Dollz – Love Donna Flora – Chocolat by Kiddo Oh for Dead Dollz, available at Love Donna Flora *

Nails: Nailed It – Prim Nails – Love Donna Flora! Set by Giela Delpaso for Nailed It, available at Love Donna Flora *

Shoes: [Gos] Eva Slingback – Colour Collection by Gospel Voom for Gos Boutique *

Poses: oOo Studio: Premiere for Love Donna Flora by Olaenka Chesnokov for oOo Studio, available at Love Donna Flora *

On the other:

Hair: ~Tableau Vivant~ Larnia – Winter by M4r1lyn Magic for Tableau Vivant, available at Love Donna Flora *

Skin: A // Flora ~ Tone 3 // Vintage Gloss [Mid Cleavage] by Amesha Jewell for Aeva // Heartsick, available at Love Donna Flora *

Eyes: IKON Lucid Eyes – Coffee (M) by Ikon Innovia for IKON *

Dress: .::DD::. Dead Dollz – Love Donna Flora – Chocolat by Kiddo Oh for Dead Dollz, available at Love Donna Flora *

Nails: Nailed It – Prim Nails – Love Donna Flora! Set by Giela Delpaso for Nailed It, available at Love Donna Flora *

Shoes: [Gos] Eva Slingback – Colour Collection by Gospel Voom for Gos Boutique *

Poses: oOo Studio: Premiere for Love Donna Flora by Olaenka Chesnokov for oOo Studio, available at Love Donna Flora *

A Butterfly’s Wings

Butterflies can’t see their wings. They can’t see how truly beautiful they are, but everyone else can. People are like that as well. ~ Anonymous

The above quote is not quite true. Butterflies physically *can* see their wings but whether they realize the beauty of what they are seeing is another thing. I kind of imagine creators in SL are the same way, including Squinternet Larnia. They may see the beautiful thing they create but not understand that once they set it out for sale, out to fly as it were, they have no idea what impact it may have on others. It might be a dress that is worn the day a woman invites her best friend to visit in her in RL or a suit a man wore the first time he met the love of his life.

The Love Donna Flora event is not just a charity event but a genuine outpouring of fond sentiment about the creations that Squinternet Larnia has made. Doubtless Squinternet doesn’t realize the impact her creations have had on people or the grid. The Love Donna Flora event is a chance for her to find out.

Two creators sent me items early. First there is this gorgeous dress from Eleseren Brianna, one of three she is offering at the Love Donna Flora event. With its beautiful lace decollatage and deep cut back, the salmon-colored satin and tulle sleeves make this a dream of a dress.

The blogger Isabelli Anatine made lovely butterfly posing props for Love Donna Flora as well (the inspiration for this blog). In three different scenes, a woman holds butterflies, watching them fly and admiring their beauty. Could the possibly know how much joy they bring to the world? Never.

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. ~ Maya Angelou

Hair: Amacci Hair Luna ~ Natural Brown by Carina Larsen for Amacci, available at Hair Fair 2013 *

Skin: -Belleza- Ava Med TLC 4 by Tricky Boucher for -Belleza-, at The Boutique *

Eyes: [UMEBOSHI] Mirror eyes Duo Brown (med) by Keiba for Umeboshi, available at The Box

Dress: }RC{ Zuri Rose Gown by Eleseren Brianna for Romance Couture, available at Love Donna Flora, opening July 25 *

Poses: UNCERTAIN SMILE – BUTTERFLIES SET by Isabelli Anatine for Uncertain Smile, available at the Love Donna Flora, opening July 25 *

Loving Donna Flora

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” ~  Anne Frank

The Love Donna Flora event is opening on July 25 and going to August 11 on one sim with over 130 designers. They are each donating at least one item with 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the item going to Squinternet Larnia. Many are donating much more. Squinternet has had cancer that has metastisized to her bones and because of her current treatments, her income in SL—which is her personal living income–has decreased while her expenses have increased. Cajsa Lilliehook, concerned for Squinternet’s well being, organized this event.

I first ran across Squinternet Larnia’s work in a small shop in what I am guessing was late 2008. I remember I was impressed by the variety of fashion and the creativity of the creator. She seemed to build each outfit as its own creation—no separate colorations—and she employed broad use of vibrant textures in varying proportions and shapes. She clearly wanted to push SL to match her vision rather than developing a vision from what SL had in its toolbox. She was mostly successful in her work. Her clothing was unique and exciting.

I remember thinking that it must be an Italian creator, and I can’t figure out why I knew that. I suspect it was the daring use of print and the playful approach to design. I remember gleefully buying an outfit that was proportionally tweaked—there were big puffy sleeves and a slim silhouette with a bright crazy print, but it all worked. In SL in 2008, that was exciting—trust me. Not a lot of people were toying with “fashion” as much as just making avatar clothes.

The first time I showed Squinternet’s work in this blog, I photo’ed a beautiful dress of simply system pieces in 2009 (top, glitch, skirt). It was excellent work. The piece holds to this day. (I wore it as I show here and got a few compliments when I went out.) There are no seams, there is proportion in the texture with an elegant color palette and shape. The texture doesn’t deform terribly on wearing (the shoulder straps are STRAIGHT!) and the whole thing makes sense. It takes a whole lot of talent to make system pieces sexy. Squinternet did it.

Squinternet learned that she had a cancer that had metastasized sometime around the time I was organizing Fashion for Life in 2012. When she signed on for FFL, I had no idea she had cancer. I was contacted by a friend of hers and then her to explain the diagnosis, and of course, I was concerned. I had placed a store for her and, receiving an offer from Cajsa Lilliehook to set it up in Squinternet’s absence, let it become a gallery for photos of Squinternet’s work in SL.

I had two creators that year out due to cancer. One would call me tearfully on Skype, in pain and on heavy medication, to cry about missing out on Fashion for Life. The other, Squinternet, rallied, and ended up setting up her store (and donating funds from her creations), despite the great uncertainty in her life at the time and the medication-induced fatigue and confusion she was experiencing. Leaving both stores there, empty or not, was a tangible reminder to people why they were donating to the American Cancer Society. Squinternet could have kept the news to herself and just ducked out. She decided instead to throw her support behind the effort when she herself was suffering. (Let me note I have many pieces in my inventory that were donated by Squinternet to various charities including Fashion for Life and Hair Fair. This wasn’t the first time she had done this.)

The core truth behind all this, folks, is that Squinternet has been dealing with this a long time. She has been looking down the long dark tunnel of not knowing what is next for quite a while. This is not a sudden diagnosis. I am guessing anyone who has had cancer will tell you it’s not the pain–it’s the uncertainty and the dependence on others that really wears them down, including the financial uncertainty. I doubt that the Love Donna Flora event will cover Squinternet’s expenses from her cancer; chances are, however, it will put a dent in them and give her some peace of mind so she can put her energies to fighting the disease.

You may feel uncomfortable giving a donation to an individual you don’t know. And certainly there are many other creators in SL who have faced difficulties without the same sort of assistance. Both arguments can be made quite truthfully. However, consider that you are simply tipping Squinternet for her fine work on the grid, giving her a bonus for all these years of sticking with SL. Or maybe it’s just kick back for all the things she so generously donated herself.

Or look at it another way: the creators selling you their items are the ones deciding where their income is going. In this case, it’s being donated to Squinternet Larnia. That’s their choice. Enjoy the lovely things they are offering. Dig in and go shopping!

I would like to give kudos to Cajsa Lilliehook who personally organized Love Donna Flora. She has undertaken a Herculean task—I would know as well as anyone. It’s a tireless, thankless job with no compensation. Lots of people have a list of “shoulds”  and “great ideas” that turn out to be ridiculously time-consuming and ineffective. Many have unsolicited advice and criticisms to offer. And some just like to create drama or pull attention to themselves. It’s not fun. A big thanks goes to Cajsa for doing all this.

“The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful then a thousand heads bowing in prayer.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Hair: TRUTH HAIR Mina – LightBrowns04 by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: -Belleza- Ava Med TLC 3 by Tricky Boucher for -Belleza- *

Eyes: sa_SpringtimeEyes_Olivegold by Silverr Andel for Sterling Artistry

Dress: * Donna Flora * CELINE by Squinternet Larnia for Donna Flora

Necklace: ADELE necklace by Squinternet Larnia for Donna Flora

Ring: SQUARE ring onix by Squinternet Larnia for Donna Flora

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

Skin Applier: -Belleza- Slink Hands – Medium by Tricky Boucher for -Belleza-

Nail Applier: Nailed It – Metals Set by Giela Delpaso for Nailed It *

Shoes: [Gos] Eva Slingback – Colour Collection by Gospel Voom for Gos Boutique *

Poses by Rogan Diesel for DieselWorks Animations *