Saturday, October 25, 2014

Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble

This week's post is done by a Guest Blogger, Earth Tvilling, my Real Life and Second Life twin sister. Enjoy:

It’s a wonderful honor to be your guest blogger this week. As Sun would tell you, I’ll drink tea, but I’m much more of a coffee person. I’m actually working on my second cup while writing this post. It will be tough to write as well as my darling twin, but I will do my best. So sit down, have a coffee, tea, or whatever refreshing beverage fits your taste at the moment.





Second Life is quite the place; every user has a story about how they joined. I have my own as well as I joined for a college class to do research for a project on how Second Life can benefit those with disabilities. During the project I learned much and fell in love with it, thus when the project was over I kept playing and learning. I kept making friends, meeting new people, learning so much about Second Life beyond the scope of the research I was doing for class. To this day, I still get fascinated, especially with avatars and unique fashion.

For most of the time, when I’m not working my KittyCatS business, I’m a dragon in world. As a dragon it’s hard for me to find places to roam freely throughout Second Life, but I get by perfectly fine despite my large avatar.


Zenith Black Noble Queen, whole outfit in black @FaMESHed. Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands Elegant. Skin: Jalwa Evil Queen group gift @ Jalwa/Bilo/Apsara

Halloween there are a multitude of parties, costumes, SIMS to go to in a unique outfit/costume of your choice. With so many options it can be a bit overwhelming, but that’s part of the fun I believe. As far my choices for costumes, I love trying to get costumes that completely change my appearance for Halloween, quite like a whole new avatar whether it be a quadruped, furry, Harpie, etc. For the past two years I have done multiple costumes no more than three and usually made up of avatars and such already in my inventory that I do not wear hardly ever or free costumes from some of my favorite designers, such as Utopia. This year, by my standards, I went overboard on my costume. Sun told me about a Zenith costume that I would very much enjoy and at first I was skeptical, however I was quickly converted to her line of thinking. Zenith came out with a Maleficent outfit I had to have. It was not a matter of if I should or should not, it was a matter of could I wait all month for Halloween so I could wear it and could I wear this during the year?




Of course the answer was yes. As a dragon for the majority of the time, getting to be Maleficent for Halloween was a dream. I had looked last year at similar costumes and none were to my liking, so when Sun said Zenith had one I was wary. By far this is my favorite costume I have ever gotten for my avatar. I will definitely be wearing this outfit for costume parties, special themed events, and the like. It also helped that the skin that I have paired with the outfit is a group gift at Bilo, which has a pale skin and light green tinted skin you can chose from.

Though we can change our avatars on a whim on Second Life, we definitely love to costume up for Halloween. Why not participate in Halloween in world, even if it’s just wearing a costume for the month, the week, the day, etc?  It’s another way to express the endless creativity which makes up Second Life. Not everyone has a lovely twin sister to help them find amazing outfits and costumes, but with it being October there are so many events that can help inspire you. Or go through your inventory, piece together different parts of outfits. One of my continued favorite costumes is males in dresses. It’s funny, it’s classic, it’s always a hit.


Sun: Outfit(including hat) Evie's Closet: Iseult Witching Hour @Evie's closet(discounted until Halloween), Eyeshadow: Senzafine Safira Gold, Lipstick: Senzafine: Moonglow Carmine, choker: Junbug Highland Ribbon Necklace in black, Eyelashes: Redgrave Natural, familiar: Alchemy Dire Wolf Shadow @Mystic Realms Faire, Hair: Truth Thalia @Mystic Realms Faire


My coffee is now room temperature, which means my time with you is at an end. Before we part, I want to know about you.  What are you going to be for Halloween (In World and/or in real life)? How did you come up with your costume? I would love to know.


SURLS:

FaMESHed: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fresco/172/170/36

Evie's Closet: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Oubliette/162/183/414

Mystic Realms Faire: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Eldertree%20Village/227/188/22
Faire closes today!!! Make sure you go and check it out before it is gone! This faire won't be back until next year!!!!!!

Bilo/Apsara/Jalwa:    http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Oubliette/162/183/414



Friday, October 17, 2014

Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble

Hey everyone! Two posts in only three days time! I feel so accomplished. So, picking up where I left off on Thursday night from all the events/rounds that have opened in the last week...

Collabor88's theme for October is Spoopy Motel (the theme name makes me giggle). The items are all very nice, as usual; Not too many risqué items. Most of the outfits are classy enough, and have some have a bit of a spooky twist, or will remind you of a horror/thriller movie.  I bought two outfits, one from Fashionably Dead and the other is from UFO.



The outfit from Fashionably Dead I bought is pretty cocktail dress--the sleeves are a little lax and partially see through, and it is knee length with a bit of cleavage. I thought it was classy with just enough sexiness to still be tasteful...if that even makes sense.  I bought the red dress, and there are two different reds to pick from (as well as other colors). A deep red/crimson, and a brighter red. Both are pretty.

The UFO outfit from Collabor88 is comely. It consists of three separate pieces: The partial lace blouse, the longer wool skirt which goes just past the knee, and the large heavy knit sweater.  The look you get if you wear a loose pony tail with the complete outfit is very relaxed--looks perfect for an autumn day on a porch or on a walk looking at leaves. I think it is a very charming outfit.

Outfit: UFO Annabelle in wine with white blouse @Collabor88; Hair: Truth Posy; Boots: JK Penny Belleza Venus Black @FaMESHed; 

Also from this round at Collabor88 I bought a hair from Lamb, my first one from this designer.  It is perfect for Halloween, because it has a cat mask you can attach with the hair(comes with a color change HUD so you can match the mask with whatever outfit). I tried a demo of it with my typical dark blonde, and it wasn't dark enough, and the light browns had one color similar to my typical dark blonde, but it still didn't look right, so I tried the blacks, and the red/black looks great. Not my normal color, but the look with it is very bewitching.

Dress: Fashionably Dead Sweet Pleated Dress in Deep Red @Collabor88; Shoes: LaRoo Khloe Pumps; Eye Shadow: Senzafine Safira in Safron; Lipstick: Senzafine: Moonglow Vintage Reds; Necklace: Amorous Ankh; Ring and Earrings: Maxi Gossamer Angelica's Ankh of Power in Red and Gold; Hair: Lamb: Pussycat in Black @Collabor88

The Theme Park opened this week...or maybe it was last week.....Anyway it is open, and it is SPOOKY as well....not really, but the items are cute, and have a fun Halloween thing going on. I got a Halloween dress from Leri Miles Designs. It has cute voodoo dolls on the front and back with pumpkins. The dress itself is black, and very tasteful. I immediately liked it, so I bought it straight away. It looks good with my hair from Collabor88.

Dress: Leri Miles Designs Lexy Dress Halloween @The Theme Park; Shoes: LaRoo Khloe; Hair: Lamb Pussycat@Collabor88; bracelet: Utopia Black Pearl


The Liaison Collaborative opened up this week as well, and there is no set theme. The designers just created something from the sparks of genius in their heads and I thank them for it. I liked some of the dresses, but nothing really jumped out at me...  There are these boots there I might end up picking up before the round is over...who knows.  I did get some furniture there, so there's that.

Lastly, Genre's theme this month is androgynous, so everything is neutral and unisex. I only bought a skin by Lumae(there is an option to by the flat chest tattoo as well as the skin for it to make you even more neutral). The outfits are too unisex for me, and not very colorful. But what can you do with androgynous...besides be neutral... So I am going to stay neutral on the topic.


SURLS:

Collabor88:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/8%208/41/178/1089

The Liaison Collaborative:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/8%208/41/178/1089

The Theme Park:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/8%208/41/178/1089

Genre:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/8%208/41/178/1089

FaMESHed:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/8%208/41/178/1089

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Of Chai and Red Teas

Sorry for the late update everyone. Last week was a fall festival in the town I live, a few relatives from out of town came to visit, and it was my Alma Mater's homecoming weekend! Lots of activities last weekend, and not enough time to get much done. And the funny thing is everything opened last week. Mystic Realms Faire, Collabor88, Season's Story, I believe the Theme Park opened, the Liaison Collaborative opened earlier this week as well Genre. Everything opened at once it feels like. So, let's get talking about the awesomeness that is the Mystic Realms Faire.


Outfit: Zaara Chandi @Mystic Realms Faire; Hair: Truth Neria @Mystic Realms Faire; Skin: Unique Megastore Ethnic India

As you are all aware, I am in love with Zaara Kohime's designs. She uses such beautiful, simple designs with such bold colors, and the best part of some of her outfits and patterns is they have an Indian twist or flare. So, when I found out she was contributing to the Mystic Realms Faire I thought I was going to go crazy from excitement. She came out with a completely mesh Sari called Chandni. And it is RAVISHING! I have not bought a fatpack before of an outfit; this was the first time...and I love it. Absolutely love, love, LOVE! I could not pick a color to buy, usually I buy reds, pinks, whites, and blues...but this one, I liked the purple, the black, the green.  It made sense buying the fatpack, which is cheaper to buy right now than buying all the outfits of course...being a fatpack. Zaara has mentioned the Chandni outfits have a bit of a discount on them since they are at the faire and once they are put up at her mainstore, she is going to increase the price. This means you should buy them now, buy what colors you want, or do what I did and buy the fatpack (around 3,500$L for the fatpack, individual is around 550$L). There are nine colors. All gorgeous...I keep saying that.......I need to stop....I can't, I am in love with them. Hurry to the faire now to grab it.


The Mystic Realms Faire covers two sims, which are done really well. Finding the stores and walking around is kind of....an adventure. The layout is very picturesque, but it is kind of difficult to shop and navigate, at least it was when I first went when it opened and was laggy and filled to the prim with people (eh, see what I did there! Nudge nudge).  I was able to go to Zaara first, then Alchemy has some dire wolf familiars for sale, so I bought one.  I explored as much as I could on the first sim, and on the second sim I got two new Truth hairs (also amazing and long and curly and perfect) and some other outfits. When I went back on Wednesday to do a more thorough look through, it was much easier to navigate after I have been there once, and thankfully it wasn't as crowded (still lots of people, but I wasn't denied via teleport a gillion times due to the sim being at max capacity). Link to the Mystic Realms Faire is at the bottom of the blog, check it out before it closes at the end of the month.

Outfit: Zaara Chandni @Mystic Realms Faire; Necklace and Head chain: Pekka Third Eye @Mystic Realms Faire; Hair: Truth Neria @Mystic Realms Faire; Nose Ring: Zaara Ayanna Nosering; Skin: Unique Megastore Ethnic India; Ring: EarthStones Splendid Love Bridal Set


(Quick tip: What I like to do is research who is going to be at an event or what is going to be there via the Seraphim blog. When I get to the event I do an area search with the beacons showing and the items are then highlighted. I did this at Mystic Realms Faire and I do this at other big crowded events. It makes things easier to find when I know what I want. But that is the thing, you have to KNOW who or what is there in order to do an area search. Also you have to wait for everything to load in order for the search to go through the whole area. But 1 hour searching through a crowded laggy sim and not finding an item/designer, or 1 minute doing an area search and find right where the item/designer is--What are you going to do?)

I was surprised to see Season's Story open up last week as well, and I immediately left the Mystic Realms Faire to Season's Story and checked it out. I am not quite sure what the theme is...there are train tracks and box cars, and it looks very scenic and a few of the vendors have a few Japanese elements.  I really like Junbug, and she has a new dress and vest at Season's story. It dress's colors are not fall colors at all; the colors are bright, light pink, light blue, light green, and an ivory.  There are two vests, one floral (also bright colors) and one white plaid.  I bought the floral vest and two of the dresses, the blue and the ivory. The dress is knee length, kind of "puffy" at the bottom and tight at the top, with a small turtle neck. It reminds me of a cheerier Lolita dress.  I like it a lot. The blue dress does not really go with the floral vest (I think the white plaid would be better, but I had my twin Earth pick the combo and she said it looked fine), I think I just need to work on accessories for it, and then it will mesh better. But the ivory with the floral combo is perfect.

Skin: Glam Affair Liv Skin India; Dress and Vest: Jungbug Dolly Dress and Vest @Season's Story; Shoes: Fanatik: Classic Pumps Nude; Ring: EarthStones Splendid Loved Bridal Set; Hair: Truth Thalia @Mystic Realms Faire; Eyelashes: Redgrave Natural; Eyes: Redgrave CatGreen


Also, it is Season's Story first birthday and a lot of the designers have free gifts, you can tell who has a gift because of little boxes with the cute floating balloons. There is a skin from Glam Affair which is pretty(very pale but cute) that is free, and a unisex hair as well from one of the designers. Some of the gifts I did not like, and you can't always tell what is in the box until you open it, but overall, it was fun to check out to see what was there, to grab some free stuff, and to celebrate the event's 1st Birthday!

SURLS:

Mystic Realms Faire:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Eldertree%20Village/227/188/22

The Season's Story:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nardias%20Cove/143/127/28

Sunday, October 5, 2014

A Twist of Lemon



This week's post is going to be over the new round at Uber.  The theme this month is uber sexy (couldn't help it); the actual theme is 50 Shades. Lots of sexy corsets, shoes, some awesome furniture, and just....sexiness. I am in love at Uber this month....or is it Lust..... I am lovin' the lust.  The hair and dress in this outfit are both found at Uber.  Please, please take a look at Uber asap. I am not even really into short hair, but the hair from Truth is gorgeous.  I have been wearing it all week. A definite must have.

Dress: JunBug Highland Wedding Gown Passion @The Gathering Gacha; Hair: Truth Dariela Blonde; Crown and Necklace: Junbug Highland Commons @The Gathering Gacha; bracelets: .Asling. Elyan Gold Bracelets @The Gathering Gacha
Earlier this week I was invited to a preview of The Gathering Gacha event. Junbug has got a very pretty highland wedding dress there that comes in simple, but perfect colors. The dresses themselves are the rares, the jewelry (necklaces and crowns) are commons. I was excited about the dress, and I took some photos right away. When I was there, the prices for the gachas were very reasonable. Junbug's was 30L a play. It was nice to play and not go broke.  There is also a dress there by Moon Amore that doesn't look quite right unless you are using one of the poses that come with the dress. There are photo poses, and then there is one pose you can wear while walking around.  To better explain the dress, you have to hold the skirt up to properly see it. It is pretty, but I wish there were two different visions included, the photo ready dress, and then one that you can just wear with the skirt down.

Dress: Moon Amore Zonda Dress @The Gathering Gacha; Hair: AD Pop Scotch Dark Blonde; Nose Ring: Zaara Ayanna Nosering in Clear; Eyes: Closed Natural eyes by Boudoir; Skin: Unique Megastore Ethnic India
This week has been awesome in regards to events. Both Uber and The Gathering Gacha.  Both links to the events will be at the bottom of the Blog.  Next week Collabor88 will be open, with a spooking Motel/Horror/Halloweenish theme...the picture posted on the blog makes more sense then what I just put.....but anyway, and the Mystic Realms Fair will open! Yay for awesomeness.

I may not be posting next Sunday due some Real Life plans. I will be getting online to go to some of the new fashion events/rounds of course, but I don't think I will have time for working on pictures for the blog, and to write. I may be writing a Fashion Flashback, or there may be a guest blogger posting next Sunday. We shall see what happens. Hugs and Smooches my lovely Tea Readers.


Dress: Hucci Baudette Dress Sangria @Uber; Hair: Truth Vixen Blondes @ Uber; Shoes: LaRoo Khloe Pumps in Black; Rings: Earthstones Splendid Love, Zenith Mirror Pearl Stone Ring @Uber; Necklace: Junbug Highland Pearls Black @The Gathering Gacha; Bracelet: Utopia Black Pearls; Eyelashes: RedGrave Natural; skins: Unique Megastore Ethnic India


















SURLS:

Uber:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Uber/131/127/27

The Gathering Gacha:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sharkfins/128/128/23