Angel Unaware—KittyCatS & Friends Advent Calendar, Day 23

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” ~ King James Bible

The holidays remind me of the angels who tiptoe into my SL and make it better. Start with Multimuse, who answered my early morning call for help finding wings. Add in Barely, who can throw down like no one else and take it like a man. There’s Z, who taught me windlight so many years ago and still teaches me some new trick with SL every day. And John, who tells me what esoteric dish he is making for dinner so I can rush to find the recipe. Janey, in Skin Addiction, once said something nice to me. Stephen logs on to hear me whine and still likes me. I could go on and on about my many angels (chief among them Callie). I hope you remember your angels this year and thank them for blessing your life. And in SL, if you speak to a “stranger,” try to treat them with kindness because they are someone’s angel too.

This year for the KittyCatS & Friends Advent Calendar, we had a bunch of angels, all of them giving beautiful gifts via the calendar. Today’s gift is no exception, a custom-colored gown from Mami Jewell. Mami has colored this beautiful and dramatic piece a lovely coral (though the windlight I used kind of obscures the color). The dress includes the amazing headdress and the barbed wire decorations and the amazing mesh bodice. And it’s a GIFT! A full Azul dress!

I wanted a beautiful skin to suit this look and I didn’t have to look very far with the gorgeous skins from Shyla Diggs’ work at Uber on my list. Shyla made this run of skins absolutely gorgeous with dramatic but useable makeups, colorways that will look fabulous with many different outfits. And as always, you get Shyla’s gorgeous brows, nose, lips and blushing face. My dramatic hair is Mina Nakamura’s featured work for Kustom9, a wild and fantastic hair, perfect for photos like this. With a great texture-change HUD, you get several color options, including a series of ombres. My wings from Selos Dae come in four colors, all of them beautifully textured and in four iterations for your wearing pleasure. They add the final perfect touch to this angel.

Hair: MINA Hair – Roosje (no materials) by Mina Nakamura for MINA, available at Kustom9 *

Skin: -Belleza- Eva Uber Med 3 Dk by Shyla Diggs for –Belleza-, available at Uber *

Eyes: #adored – dawn eyes – morning by Constance Daehlie for #adored *

Dress with headpiece: -AZUL- Maeve/Coral by Mami Jewell for –AZUL-, GIFT available exclusively in the KittyCatS & Friends Advent Calendar *

Wings: [][]Trap[][] Silver Riven Wing by Selos Dae for  [][]Trap[][]

Hands: Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands – Elegant1 by Siddean Munro for Slink

Nail appliers: Maai Slink * Fingernails * Darling by Snow Wolfhunter for Maai

Poses by Dahriel for *PosESioN*

Clara—KittyCatS Friends Advent Calendar, Day 5

“The nutcracker sits under the holiday tree, a guardian of childhood stories. Feed him walnuts and he will crack open a tale…” ~ Vera Nazarian

When I was growing up, one of the biggest holiday thrills was going to see the Nutcracker at the ballet. The costumes, the music, and of course, the amazing ballet dancers, thrilled me and made me feel like a most cultured and fortunate girl. Years later, I would remember this when I took my niece to see the Nutcracker and we got a backstage tour from the conductor of the orchestra, who was a friend of mine. The dancers, who filled the stage, were small bundles of muscle and sinew and dramatic energy. The costumes hung from the racks, limp, now disembodied. And the magic of the sets was revealed to be truly a trick of the eye as the exposed plywood in back revealed fake walls. Nevertheless, I will never forget the magic of the performance.

When Tobias Convair told me he was making this mesh nutcracker as his gifr for the KittyCatS & Friends Advent Calendar, I was thrilled. He has made it modifiable so you can use it for decorations on your sim if you upsize it, as a mantelpiece if you downsize it, and as a prop for dancing if you put it in your hand. It’s a beautiful piece of holiday work, today’s gift in the calendar.

I struggled to find a girlish ballet outfit for my Clara and ended up wearing a gorgeous little tutu from Charming Meiler, leant to me by Liliandra Baxter when I begged her for help. The dress was not enough alone so I used the miracle of layering and system pieces to dress up the outfit. An undershirt layer from Devyn Grimm from a bazillion years ago (and still gorgeous to this day), bloomers from Ivey Deschanel, and little full-perm bows from BabyCreations, which I placed myself, customized the look.

Chiaki Xue just released this new cute hair a week or so ago, and the ponytails are in keeping with Clara, a little girl who receives a Nutcracker from Drosselmeyer. In some productions, an actual little girl dances the part but oftentimes it’s an adult woman, so wearing this luminous skin from Shyla Diggs is not entirely a mistake.

I want to remind you that once a door is open on the KittyCatS & Friends Advent Calendar, it remains open, so you can get any of the past gifts if you haven’t already gotten them. The calendar does distribute only one per avatar but these gifts are copy so if you grab one, you can use it over and over.

See a version of Clara dancing with the Nutcracker after Drosselmeyer has given it to her here.

Hair: *Dura-Girl*58(Coffee) by Chiaki Xue for Dura *

Skin: -Belleza- Lola Med 2 Br by Shyla Diggs for –Belleza– *

Eyes: Egozy.Eyes (Blue) by Nicole Button for Egozy *

Dress: ::{u.f.o}::Swan Lake, Act1 –white by Charming Meiler for  ur.favorite.one

Undershirt: Chaospire “Lacepetal” Camibloomers Top (White) by Devyn Grimm for Chaospire

Bloomers: :::Sn@tch Late Boomers (White)::: by Ivey Deschanel for Sn@tch

Choker: *BOOM* Precious Bow Choker carnation by Aranel Ah for *BOOM*

Bows: Princess Bow Pink by BabyCreations for BabyCreations

Hands: Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands – Elegant by Siddean Munro for Slink

Nail appliers: Maai Slink * Fingernails * Darling by Snow Wolfhunter for Maai

Tights: .:*Millicent*:. pantyhose salmon by Lia Setzer for Millicent

Shoes: .:*Millicent*:. Ballerina shoe by Lia Setzer for Millicent

Prop: +CONVAIR+ Nutcracker Soldier by Tobias Convair for Convair, GIFT available exclusively in the KittyCatS & Friends Advent Calendar *

Poses: ~La Petite Morte~ The Nutcracker Suite Masha by Voshie Paine for La Petite Morte and *~*HopScotch*~* Scenes de ballet by Chandni Khondji for HopScotch

Thank you, sweet Liliandra Baxter for lending me your dress!!

Diana

Diana, she loves me
No innocence or compromise
Diana, she loves me
The only way she knows

~ “Diana” by Paolo Nutini

This sexy, sophisticated song seems to match the look I put together for today, so let’s call her “Diana.” First is Harry Hyx’s on spot top, a constructed tunic, sleeveless and belted in front with a graphically appealing open back and asymmetric hemline. This mesh piece is wonderfully rigged and fits very well with a great alpha. Underneath I chose wide-leg slacks from Datrip Blackbart, which he will have at the next Showroom. New boots from Senzati0n Domenitzo, discounted at this month’s Thrift Shop, finish the look.

Umazuma Metaluna’s newest skin as the most arresting eyes, verging on a beautiful maturity that gives the skin a ton of character and reveals a woman of substance, not just a pretty princess. With Uma’s characteristic sensuously full lips (which I adored with her customizable lipstick from another set), the skin includes a beautiful hairbase and her lush skin tones. Truth Hawks just came out with another wavy long style, with curls corkscrewing down beautifully with his lovely textures. And Maxi Gossamer presents this artistic set of jewelry at Collabor88, a fatpack in one with her texture change scripts.

Hair: TRUTH HAIR Aida by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: [theSkinnery] Meysha – November Moon (toffee) DB+H CL1 with [theSkinnery] Valerie Lip Intensity 1 (new) by Umazuma Metaluna for [theSkinnery], available at November Moon *

Eyes: #adored – dream eyes – black coffee by Constance Daehlie for #adored *

Top: ISON – bandage back top – (plum) by Harry Hyx for Ison, available at Collabor88 *

Slacks: Legal Insanity – autumn flared pants rose by Datrip Blackbart for Legal Insanity, available at the Showroom *

Jewelry: MG – Necklace and Ring – Gypsy Flower Amulet of Antimony by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer, available at Collabor88 *

Hands:Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands – Elegant and Elegant 1 by Siddean Munro for Slink

Nail Appliers: Maai Slink * Fingernails * Darling by Snow Wolfhunter for Maai

Boots: Essenz – Helsinki (Fatpack 1) by Senzati0n Domenitzo for Essenz, available at Thrift Shop *

Poses by Luth Brodie for Reel Expression (no longer available)

The Heiress

You don’t have to be an heiress to look like one. If you act like one then everyone will just presume you are one. ~ Paris Hilton

Some girls can show up at a formal event with a streak of purple in their hair and a neck full of gems and pull it off. Usually it’s the heiress, the one who doesn’t need to worry if anyone else thinks she looks good—she knows she does. A sexy formal like the newest one from Poulet Koenkamp sets the tone. With sexy shiny satin stretched across the bodice, a low cut back and slits up the sides, this dress is elegant with quite a bit of oomph. With an optional faux fur stole, it’s clearly haute couture.

Paired with Zuri Lyric’s gems, which were made especially to match this gown, it’s this side of over the top glamour. The jewelry comes with many pieces—rings, bracelets, a necklace, earrings—so you have several pieces for mix and match and additionally a texture-change HUD so you can choose metals, gem colors, stone colors and drop colors to cook up a great look.

I am loving the new skin from Inka Mexicola that is at the Dressing Room Fusion so much I had to show the other version, which includes a lustrous purple eye make-up. Inka gets that bright eye make-up needs a neutral lip and I love the color combo on here.

I am wearing Kavar Cleanslate’s sexy, post-apocalyptic hair for Uber with the outfit. This is where our heiress deviates from the norm, where she can add edge to the otherwise old-school Hollywood look she has going, especially since I chose one of Kavar’s “Wild Fusion” mixes. Our heiress asserts her independence, her edginess wit this gorgeous hair, making the whole look postmodern.

Hair: Exile::Day The World Went Away by Kavar Cleanslate for ::Exile::, available at Uber **

Skin: Essences {Linka01} *medium01* brunette by Inka Mexicola for Essences, available at the Dressing Room Fusion *

Eyes: #adored – dream eyes – stornborn by Constance Daehlie for #adored

Dress: :: PM :: Miss Scarlet Gown by Poulet Koenkamp for PurpleMoon Creations *

Jewelry: Lazuri Marzia by Zuri Lyric for Lazuri *

Hands: Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands – Casual by Siddean Munro for Slink

Nail appliers: Maai * Slink * hands & feet * Darling by Snow Wolfhunter for Maai

Feet: Slink AvEnhance Feet High by Siddean Munro for Slink

Shoes: Essenz – Singapore (Fatpack 1) by Senzati0n Domenitzo for Essenz *

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin and Voshie Paine for La Petite Morte

Living Grandly

“Always live your life with your biography in mind,” Dad was fond of saying. “Naturally, it won’t be published unless you have a Magnificent Reason, but at the very least you will be living grandly.” ~  Marisha Pessl, Special Topics in Calamity Physics

I’m reading Special Topics in Calamity Physics right now and rather enjoying it, so I snagged one of Dad’s pithy ideas for my quote. I hope you’re living grandly as I am. Biography or not, I’ll look good. Start with my slinky party dress from Lisanna Lauria. She has this at District 5 in several colors for girls who like to go out look chic. With a criss-crossed back, it’s really sexy. Paired with wedge sandals from Antonia Millar, also from District 5, which include a great texture-change HUD for different choices, and AvaGardner Kungler’s bracelet for the Dressing Room Fusion.

My sexy sensuous skin is Inka Mexicola’s offer for the Dressing Room Fusion. I love the eye make-up, the sensuous lips, the darling nose. For the price, it’s quite a look. I wore Kavar Cleanslate’s brilliant updo for the Arcade, choosing to tempt you with the rare, a light brown streaked with rainbow colors. I didn’t think it would go but boy, I like this look a lot—the soft sexy skin from Inka and the beautiful locks from Kavar. This is the way to live life grandly, regardless of Magnificent Reason!

Hair: Exile::Dancing on my own- sparkle Rare Brown by Kavar Cleanslate for ::Exile::, available at the Arcade (opening tomorrow)

Skin: Essences {Linka02} *medium01* brunette by Inka Mexicola for Essences, available at the Dressing Room Fusion *

Eyes: #adored – siren eyes – kelp by Constance Daehlie for #adored

Dress: MoDANNA [Luxembourg Collection] Sexy Dress Emerald by Lisanna Lauria for MoDANNA, available at District 5 *

Bracelets: (Kunglers) TDRF #047 bracelet R – Silver by AvaGardner Kungler for Kunglers Extra, available at the Dressing Room Fusion *

Hands: Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands – Casual by Siddean Munro for Slink

Nail appliers: Maai * Slink * hands & feet * Darling by Snow Wolfhunter for Maai

Feet: Slink AvEnhance Feet High by Siddean Munro for Slink

Shoes: EMPORIUM – Joss Sandals by Antonia Millar for EMPORIUM, available at District 5 *

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin

Grace

“Grace in women has more effect than beauty.” ~ William Hazlitt

A beautiful look for the beautiful notion of “grace.” My dress is one of GraceHaddington’s newest, a beautiful joining of two mesh pieces to create a whole look . It comes with a texture-change HUD so you can choose between three color ways of the texture, and with the straps up the side and the leather inset, it skirts the border between pretty and sexy. I am wearing these strappy wedges from Lokii Violet at District 5, which also include a great texture-change HUD with a bunch of choices for the straps and the metal. The pretty bejeweled choker is one Maxi Gossamer made for a recent fair and I hope is now in her store. It includes color change for the larger and smaller gems for mix and match.

The ladies in Skin Addiction spent all day yesterday talking about this skin from Umazuma Metaluna. It’s a huge hit because of its beautiful features, freckled skin, full juicy lips and wonderful body. If any of this appeals at all, get over to Fantasy Collective and get it! My lovely braid is Truth Hawks’ newest hair and ideal for a lovely pulled back look. The braid is, of course, rigged so it moves wonderfully with the avatar and provides versatility for many looks.

Hair: TRUTH HAIR Freya by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: [theSkinnery] Zuri – Bare face (toffee) DB CL2 with [theSkinnery] Zuri Lip Intensity 5 (modified) by Umazuma Metaluna for [theSkinnery],available at the Fantasy Collective *

Eyes: [theSkinnery] Bohemian eye collection – 1 by Umazuma Metaluna for[theSkinnery],available at the Chapter Four *

Dress: [LG] Boutique-[ SUMMER14] She Wants You by GraceHaddington for LivGlam *

Choker: MG – Necklace – Belladonna Crystal Beaded Choker by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer *

Hands: Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands – Casual by Siddean Munro for Slink

Nail appliers: Maai * Slink * hands & feet * Darling by Snow Wolfhunter for Maai

Feet: Slink AvEnhance Feet High by Siddean Munro for Slink

Shoes: :{MV}: Magadon PVC Heels by Lokii Violet for :{MV}:, available at District 5 *

Poses by Luth Brodie for Reel Expression (no longer available)

The Dog Days

“The first week of August hangs at the very top of the summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. It is curiously silent, too, with blank white dawns and glaring noons, and sunsets smeared with too much color. Often at night there is lightning, but it quivers all alone. There is no thunder, no relieving rain. These are strange and breathless days, the dog days, when people are led to do things they are sure to be sorry for after.” ~ Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting

Before I launch into the main segment of this entry, I want to share a little trick with you about making hyperlinks in your profile. It’s very easy to do if you know the correct code.

In your profile, in a chat, etc, you can “link” a slurl or a url very easily. This is the protocol:

[https://slfashionpassion.wordpress.com A Passion for Virtual Fashion]

If you insert this into your profile, this is what you will see:

But this is what everyone else will see:

THIS does chew up extra characters in your profile, so be careful using it. Consider using a tinyurl or another truncated url. And watch your spaces. Any before the http:// will screw it up.

Woot!

It’s the dog days of summer, though I am enjoying lovely sunny weather and cool breezes. I dressed up accordingly with a cheerful mien so I could face these dog days with happiness. And what a lot of happiness the grid is offering right now. First start with the new hair from Truth that he is offering at Uber. In two different face-framing styles, the hair includes a darling color change hair band with a series of great textures. My skin is Sawsan Secretspy’s lovely work for Designer Showcase, a clean palette for your choice of makeups, and I chose lipstick from Constance Daehlie.

My beautifully designed top is one of Erratic Rain’s pieces for Uber. She designed the mesh top to bottom for both this and the shorts she is selling and the textures are gorgeous. I found a pretty little necklace from Menieelee Gelles at the Chapter Four to match and a skirt from nodoka Vella. Pretty new peeptoes from LacunaInc make the look complete.

Oh.. and my dawgs. Nina Helix is offering another gacha full of ferocious pups and Apple Fall was selling this ceramic pug that I have repurposed, both at Chapter Four.

Hair: TRUTH HAIR Malibu 2 by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH<, available at Uber *

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. Renata tan by sawsan Secretspy for .::WoW skins::., available at the Designer Circle *

Lipstick: #adored – sugarlips – pink-a-boo 3 by Constance Daehlie for #adored

Eyes: #adored – dream eyes – velik by Constance Daehlie for #adored

Top: erratic / amber – tie-up shirt / pink colorblock by Erratic Rain for erratic, available at Uber *

Skirt: {amiable}Tea-Length Skirt by nodoka Vella for {amiable}

Necklace: Soothe. Stone bijou necklace (coral) by Menieelee Gelles for ASO, available at the Chapter Four

Hands: Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands – Casual by Siddean Munro for Slink

Nail appliers: Maai * Slink * hands & feet * Darling by Snow Wolfhunter for Maai

Feet: Slink AvEnhance Feet High by Siddean Munro for Slink

Shoes: *LACUNA* Satin Peep Toe Heels (Slink) – Vivacious by LacunaInc for Lacuna *

Pugs: Apple Fall Pug Ceramic Décor by Apple Fall for Apple Fall, available at the Chapter Four

Chihuahua: Alchemy/Birdy – Chi Chi Chihuahua – Spike – Brown by Nina Helix for Alchemy, available at the Chapter Four

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin, available at Collatbor88

Mi Casa Su Casa

“I should say: the house shelters day-dreaming, the house protects the dreamer, the house allows one to dream in peace.” ~ Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space

Kaerri Rae and Reven Rosca want you to enjoy your life in SL. They want you to enjoy the domesticity of SL and the fun of setting up house—over and over again. So they have set up shopping with some of the best home designers at Casa.

The premise is pretty simple: offer the best designers, demand all original work, avoid Walmart pricing and expect your clientele to enjoy the benefit of going to a sim and knowing everything they get is made from the pixel up with loving care.

Additionally, they intend to invite artists-in-residence to exhibit their art to further elevate the mood and the environment. For example, the artists-in-residence this month are Ohsoleomio Resident and Kayly Iali, both accomplished RL artists who have brought their work into SL. I could not resist taking my photo in front of this beautiful painting from Ohsoleomio, which I subsequently purchased for my own home.

They will also offer items exclusive to the Casa sim and limited edition items. For example, this fully furnished little house from Cain Maven and Kaerri Rae. It’s a study in living in a 512 X 512 parcel with beautiful design and charming, humorous elements scattered throughout. (Including a duck or two, per Cain’s on-going theme.)

I went over to the sim to take photos in this great new dress from Zaara Kohime that she is featuring at Uber. This is not my normal way of capturing Zaara but it works as well as her pieces can be worn around the grid and I always look fabulous. This maxi comes in several different colorways, including an ivory that would be perfect as a beach wedding dress (barefoot, flowers in the hair). Zaara combines the best of SL creation—great mesh work with beautiful textures and a fashionable, stylish vision.

I had to indulge in flowers in my hair and Diaxm is offering this hairband for The Dreaming Tree this round at half off. My hair is Mina Nakamura’s lovely offering for The Dressing Room Fusion, complete with a set of ombre shades. And my glorious skin is Shyla Diggs’ version for Uber. I am showing this one again… and again.

Hair: MINA Hair – Ilse (no materials) by Mina Nakamura for MINA, available at the Dressing Room Fusion *

Hair band: Ariskea {Flores  } Headband { Rose water } by Diaxm for Ariskea

Skin: -Belleza- Beth Uber SK 4 Bl by Shyla Diggs and Tricky Boucher for –Belleza, available at Uber *

Eyes: #adored – dream eyes – velik by Constance Daehlie for #adored

Dress: Zaara : Antara Maxi dress *lavender* by Zaara Kohime for Zaara, available at Uber *

Hands: Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands – Casual by Siddean Munro for Slink

Nail appliers: Maai * Slink * hands & feet * Darling by Snow Wolfhunter for Maai

Feet: Slink Female Feet (AvEnhance) – Mid by Siddean Munro for Slink

Shoes: fri. – Ella.Heels (Shimmer) by Darling Monday for fri.day

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin

Featured:

• The Aperturas by Cain Maven for Maven Homes, available at Casa
• House 512 Limited Edition by Cain Maven for Maven Homes, available at Casa
• Village in the Afternoon by Ohsoleomio Resident, available at Casa