Masala Chai

“Make tea, not war.” ~ Monty Python

It wasn’t my intention to have one gorgeous subcontinent look followed by another but it panned out that way. I have been working on a special project, and in the meantime, four different events are opening tomorrow so there is scads to follow, look at, plan for. And the weather outside is absolutely gorgeous so I wonder why I am inside. It’s rare I feel behind the ball but right now I do. One of the best things I have seen among all if it is this gorgeous lehenga and dupatta and top from Zaara Kohime.

Mystic Realms Faire opens tomorrow and it’s been a few months of work for the organizers and has a great line-up of creators, including Zaara. It’s a most amazing construction: three pieces, all in mesh with a side jewel. It’s no easy task to rig mesh and make it work right and then to add textures to it to great depth and a sense of material. But then to layer the mesh pieces as Zaara has done with the translucent dupatta is an act of ingenuity or insanity. I am wearing the whole deal over the Belleza Mesh body (my own form of insanity..?) to show, once again, it can be done!

My skin is Inka Mexicola’s luscious offering for Uber, with glittering eye makeup and full lips. The Belleza body has a very good skin match on the HUD. My eyes are from Constance Daehlie, also from the Mystic Realms Faire, with deep intensity. (If you noticed, I use a lot of Constance’s eyes because she has captured a manner of having light and color in them I love.) My hair is one of Kavar Cleanslate’s tumbling down styles for Mystic Realms and suits this outfit because it doesn’t interfere with the dupatta. And as always, Maxi Gossamer completes my look like a cherry on top with gorgeous jewelry (texture change) that she is offering at the new Collabor88.

Hair: Exile::Royal Command by Kavar Cleanslate for ::Exile::, available at Mystic Realms Faire (opening October 10) *

Skin: Essences {Ingrid – Uber} Dark01 *brunette* by Inka Mexicola for Essences, available at Uber*

Lipstick: Essences – Ingrid {Kiss’n’Go} Berry Smooch by Inka Mexicola for Essences, available at Uber *

Body: -Belleza- Venus by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza– *

Eyes: #adored – cloud eyes – soot – b by Constance Daehlie for #adored, available at Mystic Realms Faire (opening October 10) *

Outfit: Zaara : Chandni lehenga *amethyst* by Zaara Kohime for Zaara, available at Mystic Realms Faire (opening October 10) *

Jewelry: MG – Necklace and Earrings – Mabon Night Flower by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer, available at Collabor88 *

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin

I also want to mention that the Body Modification Expo is opening tomorrow. Click the poster for a link to more information.

Enchained

It wasn’t the blackness of your hair
nor the brown beneath your eyes,
it was the passion of your
kisses that enchained me.

~ Traditional Solea

Saya Littlething has made a beautiful line of mesh flamenco gowns, so of course I need to wear one because flamenco is one of my favorite things. With a beautiful lace texture and ruffles going up the legs and across the decolletage, the gown is a lovely piece of work and moves well. (I was dancing with it to test—for the sake of my lovely readers, of course.) I wore gorgeous strappy shoes from Eku Zhong that were made for Slink feet but with minimal moving, fit the Belleza body just fine.

I am wearing one of Sawsan Secretspy’s newest skins, this one made for the Black Dot Event. I love the elegance of this one with its classic makeups and beautiful brows. I have matched it to the Belleza mesh body and it looks pretty seamless. Truth Hawks made this tumbled curly ‘do for the Uber event, a very good choice for the event as it’s sexy and classic all at once. Sometimes long hair is not necessary for sexy.

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

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. Aisha Darktan 02 by sawsan Secretspy for .::WoW skins::., available at the Black Dot Event *

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

Body: -Belleza- Venus by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza– *

Dress: [Scarlet] Lilire / Fitted Mesh Gown by Saya Littlething for *::Schoen::* *

Shoes: KoiKoi Mambo by eku Zhong for KoiKoi *

Poses by Annemarit Jarvinen for KaTink and Tutys for Tutys

Another Life

“Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I’m not living.”  ~ Jonathan Safran Foer

A few weeks ago I was asked to review the Altamura mesh body. I had never worn a mesh body before, so it was a new thing for me. Put on the full body alpha, wear the mesh, adjust shape, fiddle with HUD. I wore the fitted mesh body over my shape, found it looked kind of wrong, and I wore the shape supplied with the mesh body. Tall, lithe, model-like, I adjusted the shape a few more times and saw a very new me.

With a HUD that allows for alpha removal, hand and feet changes within two screens, it was relatively easy to click into a look. Click on alphas to remove spots and I was good to go.

I wore this fabulous lace halter mesh dress from Ariadna Garrigus, slipped on Slink-ready shoes from Yani Trice, plopped a hair from Chiaki Xue on my head and great earrings from Maxi Gossamer. Everything fit with minimal effort on my part. Instant glamour!

Except…. it was not me. The face, while beguiling, includes a darling lip biting animation if you wear the animated mesh head. But it can not be altered, adjusted, or otherwise changed. There is no accompanying make-up. (I am guessing the creator was planning on allowing appliers.) It’s an attractive face—the most attractive of the ones offered from Altamura but in wearing it, I realized the soul of “me” as an avatar was my face, especially since I take so many face shots. When I show skins in on my blog, I never change my shape. It’s a litmus test for the skin. So I am very attached to that face and seeing another one is very unnerving.

However, if I wanted to be someone else, have another life, this may be the way to go.

Hair: *Dura-Girl*56(Irish Coffee) by Chiaki Xue for Dura *

Mesh avatar: Altamura: TANYA AVATAR by Rumegusc Altamura for Altamura *

Eyes: {S0NG} :: Prisma~ Ice Eye by Funeral Plutonian for {S0NG}

Dress: ***Arisaris AA58 2 Halterneck Black Pencil Dress by Ariadna Garrigus for ArisAris *

Jewelry: MG – Earrings and Bangle – Neon ChuChu by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer, available at Collabor88 *

Shoes: :::LP::: Michi_Heels Black by Yani Tryce for Le Primitif

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

Maga

“Oh, Maga, whenever I saw a woman who looked like you a clear, sharp pause would close in like a deafening silence, collapsing like a wet umbrella being closed. An umbrella, precisely.” ~ from Hopscotch by Jose Cortazar

I just started reading Hopscotch by Jose Cortazar, recommended this weekend by a friend. But I had just started Behind the Beautiful Forevers from Keatherine Boo, which won a scad of awards and deservingly so. It’s amazing. But then last night someone told me to read A Sand County Almanac, so of course, I couldn’t wait and cracked that open. So I’ll probably find quotes from each one to share here.

This outfit reminded me of Cortazar’s description in the first chapter of his mixed-up book, a lady named Maga, who accompanies him through Paris on many adventures. (If you read the book and Maga turns out to be a poop, don’t tell me. I just read the first chapter so far.) I loved his description of this woman, and I thought it suited this look, a sophisticated beauty. I have assembled a set of mesh pieces on the Belleza body to prove, once again, that is quite doable. First, a top from one dress made by Nevery Lorakeet with a sheer panel on top and a lovely blousing that leads to a belt I found in inventory from Fhara Acacia (search: “belt,” scroll). My skirt is part of a dress from GraceHaddington that she will be putting out at Designer Showcase this month. With its perfectly shaded texture and flirty shape, it’s a great piece even without its accompanying jacket and worth it at the price. A handbag from Monicuzza Babenco from The Dressing Room and heels I retrofitted to the Belleza feet from Aleida Rhode (originally meant for Slink feet but nonrigged, so I could make them work), and the outfit is complete.

I am, as I said, wearing the Belleza body. Why? Well, frankly, I love being able to switch my hands and feet at the touch of a HUD button rather than searching through my inventory for the many separate pieces that make up separate mesh hands and feet. I was able to match my body skin pretty nicely to Sawsan Secretspy’s new Lolita skin, which she recently released at her store. I got Karla Marama’s hair at the Dressing Room. The sleek, low style is very nice though the rigging still needs a little work (saw some breaks in turning my head and pieces obscuring my face). It’s not the most sophisticated mesh hair. For a discount you can get bright colors at the event but regular hair colors like this were bundled for a higher price.

Hair: pr!tty – Rae – by Karla Marama for pr!tty, available at the Dressing Room Fusion *

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. Lolita Darktan 05 with .::WoW Skins::. Lolita Black eyebrows B/DT by sawsan Secretspy for .::WoW skins::. *

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

Body: -Belleza- Venus by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza– *

Top: *LpD* – *Celina* Top Pure V.2 (Mesh) by Nevery Lorakeet for Les Petits Details

Belt: R.icielli – VERONICA belt /black by Fhara Acacia for R.icielli

Skirt: [LG] Boutique-Fall 2014 These Waters Skirt by Grace Haddington for LivGlam, available at Designer Showcase *

Handbag: *YS&YS* – Velletri Bag ZebraGold by Monicuzza Babenco for *YS&YS*, available at the Dressing Room Fusion

Wedges: Elysium – Mei wedge shoes – noir by Aleida Rhode for Elysium *

Poses by Olaenka Chesnokov for oOo

Layla

Layla, you’ve got me on my knees.
Layla, I’m begging, darling please.
Layla, darling won’t you ease my worried mind.

~ “Layla” by Eric Clapton

I thought this great rocking song of desire was a perfect name for this sexy look, made better by fitted mesh. Start with this sexy dress that Kehl Razor hand crafted from mesh up to fit not only to standard sizes but also to match the rigging of the Belleza mesh body. Form fitting, sexy with lacing up the sides and a D-ring in front, this leather dress is just what you want mesh to do—bend to your will and fit to your bod. With sexy crossed mule platforms from Lindsey Warwick, also specially designed for the Belleza body’s feet, it’s a hot look.

I am, of course, wearing the Belleza body and with this dress, it was very easy to create this look. A few clicks of alphas and I was set. Shyla Diggs will be coming out with a new set of skins for the Uber event, and those skins perfectly match Tricky Boucher’s work on the mesh body, for obvious reason. With darkly rimmed eyes and a neutral lip, this makeup goes well with black leather. Truth Hawks has come out with a pair of sexy ponytails in mesh and I chose this wicked red to accompany my black look.

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

Skin: -Belleza- Brooke Uber Med 1 R by Shyla Diggs for –Belleza-, available at Uber *

Eyes: [theSkinery] Maple eye – Kiwi by Umazuma Metaluna for [theSkinnery] *

Body: -Belleza- Venus by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza– *

Dress: Razor/// Slither Dress – Belleza Body Sized by Kehl Razor for Razorblade, available at Suicide Dollz

Bracelet: Elysium – Kira bracelet – geometric silver (no mat – ver 2) by Aleida Rhode for Elysium *

Shoes: [L.Warwick] Revelry -Platform Heels- Noir Leather (BELLEZA) by Lindsey Warwick for L.Warwick *

Poses by Nancoix Urquan for {NanTra} Poses *

A Little Nonsense

“A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men.” ~ Roald Dahl

Check this out! I hit the motherlode! The folks at MadPea made a darling collection of gacha items for the Arcade this month, and I lined them all up (after I played with each one, of course). Each one is interactive in its own special way, from the goofy Sticky Finger I wore on my finger and flung around to the barking doggy that I had to turn off because it drove me nuts to the musical guitar you can wear and play like you did when you were 5 and your dad hoped he was raising another Eric Clapton to the ultra rare robot. These fun pieces can be won and traded or given away or you can use one in your own special photo for the MadPea Rewind & Play Photo Contest. To find out more about that, click through on the link to their Facebook page and the rules are listed there. Important thing is it ends September 30.

My Attic opened again and this darling dress from LacunaInc is one of the great fashions being offered there. The dress is a great little mini for the coming fall with a nice cowl neck and a short skirt. The textures are rich and the silhouette is sexy. I matched up Kenadeecole’s strappy wedges from No21, which she has made for both Slink and Belleza feet. They also have a HUD for choosing metal colors and an optional translucent cuff around the ankle.

That being said, I am again wearing the Venus mesh body from Tricky Boucher. I want to reinterate that it’s easy to wear mesh clothing with this shape by using the alpha area of the HUD and editing your shape. It works brilliantly and look how great my legs look! And I don’t have to shuffle hands around. I am so relieved to not have to deal with that.

My skin is Shyla Diggs’ newest and wow, I am impressed. As always, Shyla doesn’t fail to impress with beautifully shaped brows, gorgeous eye makeups, muted and lush lips, a darling nose. With or without the mesh body, this is a skin worth having.

Elikapeka Tiramisu has been rather quiet, pursuing her first life I presume, but she does have a store with some gorgeous mesh hairs with her lovely textures. Elika was one of the first in SL, kids. And she still can pull it off. This hair comes with a great texture-change HUD and, as you can see, some sleek styling.

Hair: [e] Cassidy by Elikapeka Tiramisu for [elikatira]

Skin: -Belleza- Yasmin SK 6 Br by Shyla Diggs for –Belleza– *

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

Body: -Belleza- Venus by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza– *

Dress: *LACUNA* Maeve Dress –  Aurora by LacunaInc for Lacuna, available at My Attic *

Earrings: MG – Earrings – Nima’s Fall Leaf Necklace by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer, available at  FaMESHed *

Shoes: REIGN.- Oli Wedges (BELLEZA/HIGH)- Crimson by kenadeecole for REIGN, available at No21

Poses by Dove Swanson for Long Awkward Pose (no longer available)

Shelf: Sway’s [Army] LampShelf . blue-plain (empty) by Sway Dench for Sway’s *

The Toys: MadPea Rewind & Play by Arduenn Schwartzman, Indigo Lucerne, Rag Randt, and Harter Fall for MadPea, available at The Arcade *

• MadPea – Crazy Jack-in-the-box
• MadPea – MadPea Singers Piano
• MadPea – Rosetta (Add or Rez)
• MadPea – Sniffy
• MadPea – Sticky Fingers
• MadPea – Thunder Chord
• MadPea – Thunder Chord  – Guitar Stand – Rez (click -> view.)
• MadPea – Wind-n-Watch (Add or Rez)
• MadPea – Zerbert 2000 RARE (Add or Rez)
• MadPea Toy Phone (blue) – prop to wear [use HUD to call]
• MadPea Toy Phone (red) – prop to wear [use HUD to call]

Building a Better You

The word is out on the grid. The Belleza Mesh body for women is almost ready to be released. Tricky Boucher is this close > < to making many women’s (and men’s) dreams come true. I was disgustingly lucky to get my hands on one of the first copies sent out and I put it through its paces.

First, let me say, I have not been a huge user of mesh body parts. I have blogged them here but it’s not my thing. Big boobs, a ginormous butt: nothing could quite convince me that it was “me” inside that rubber suit.

So is it all that? Yeah. It kinda is.

I got the very small package (not a lot in there), wore it right over my own shape, popped on a Belleza skin (this one being part of Shyla Diggs’ Claudia set), threw on the HUD, and away I went. There was so little to do except wear the alpha and the HUD and click to match the skin! I didn’t have to adjust my shape or wear a billion different layers or even lose my own face. I didn’t feel like I was wearing someone else’s body. I was just building a better me.

Made from fitted mesh, using all the features of the SL client, the body has been shaped and rigged to perfection, and believe me, I looked. I bent my body to see how the joints looked. I peeked between legs and under arms and did a thorough inspection of the booty (which is always my bugaboo on mesh bodies—thigh gap and ass divots leave me cold). This body is perfection.

Even more perfection came when I changed my shape to make a shorter and curvier girl. Moving sliders for my torso, breasts, legs, and body shape did nothing to make the mesh body distort grossly or make a body that wasn’t fully womanly. I LOVED the rounder girl I was able to create from working on my shape. Look at those thighs. Look at that butt! I know a lot of ladies in SL struggle with their body image. This is a full body we can be proud of and pleased with.

I am very happy with my face so all I need is the body, which is a great option to have. I will say the joint where the mesh body meets the system head is a little funky, but I think that’s to be expected. If I wore a mesh head, that might go away. I didn’t fuss about it. I want my Harper face too darn much.

The HUD allows you in several screens to do a multiplicity of things. Screen one, you can find your preset skin. Right now they accommodate Belleza skins and other presets but that will change as they bring in other creators’ appliers.

Screen two allows you to reveal or hide parts of the body using alphas, so you CAN wear your mesh clothes without appliers. Yay! I tested this quite a lot and found that the alphas didn’t always fit the clothes, but come on, Tricky has sliced and diced the body to within a few pixels. It does mostly what it has to do. I hope perhaps in the future he can work with creators to make custom alpha layers on his body as an applier.

Screen three gives you natural or push up breasts, and the push ups are not just a trick of the eye with a cleavage layer. They honestly push up. You can also choose your nipple color on this screen, and they are delightfully colored.

Screen four is one of my favorites. On this screen you can choose from among 12 different hand versions to be worn on the left and right sides and also choose a nail color. Again, I am hoping creators will be able to add to this.

Screen five allows you to choose foot shape and the feet replicate in size and angle the Slink feet or the JD feet. I loved these two screens because all I had to do was click to change a hand or foot, not pour through my inventory to find the one I wanted and add alphas and then find appliers for the skin tone of the hands and feet and so on. Click and it was done!

This is not to say you have to give up your Slink hands. They have enclosed a separate Slink skin applier to work with your hands and feet if you are attached to those “attachments.” I can see why people who have invested in these pieces will want to keep them, especially with the extensive network of appliers and add-ons.

The final screen gives you instant access to all things Belleza. The HUD sits in the upper right hand corner, which is a seldom utilized HUD position so it won’t get in the way of other stuff. However I was closing chat a lot to get at the HUD! (I am sure there is a setting in my client to stop the chat from appearing there.) Of course the option is to reattach the HUD to another corner but it’s clearly built to be in that corner (tabs on the left side) and works well there as HUDs attach in other corners.

New Note: Price is going to be 3995L for this body as you see it with the HUD. Got that straight from Belleza.

Yeah, I am pretty excited and happy that Tricky has brought this out. He has been working on this a long time, and I think he has done a fabulous job (with Shyla). I finally feel like I have built a better me.

Body: -Belleza- Venus by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza-, coming out this week!! (He told me Wednesday.)