Times Change - Rez Day 2010

Wow, I've had a blast - hard to believe it's been three years.  I've seen tons of terrific builds, met great people, taken lots of classes, discovered amazing creations everywhere.  And the changes - the clothes and hair and skin have changed so much, so many new things have been introduced and the techniques and skills of the designers have advanced by leaps and bounds.  Anyway, for my rez day this year, I decided to go back and grab one of my early blog photos and put it together with a similar headshot from today.  I wish I'd have done a headshot every year (but I think I will from here on out).

Now:

Then (early 2008):

Happy Holidays, Everyone!  :)

While Rome Burned...

Yes, 1st Life has kept me busy lately and I'm catching up - on blogging and on shopping. Earlier this week I walked into Glam Affair, saw the avant garde Nero Collection and fell in love.  Beautifully textured blacks with clean lines and fierce details - utterly fabulous.  The only way they could be more perfect is if I could afford them all.  The nipple grazing bodice and bold shoulders of Black Mistress come with a short hip skirt over shorts, but I couldn't resist pairing it with the July pants with their draping waist and ultra wide legs.  Keeping things simple and bold, my new favorite ultra short hair from Kin and the Afrika set from YS&YS finished the look.

Credits:

Outfit: Glam Affair Black Mistress & July Pants

Hair: Kin Cricket (Black)

Jewelry: YS&YS Afrika Set (Silver/Black)

Featured SLURLs:

Glam Affair

YS&YS

Kin

Just Mausin' Around

OK, I love this helmet.  I've loved this helmet since the first time I saw it.  It's whimsical, it's inspired, and it's perfect for eveningwear - right?  Paired with Eshi Otawara's Queen of Hearts, the fabulous Heroes of Fashion McQueen Goth boots and the tiny hearts on lashes from Miamai (careful editing these, the heart borders are separate from the hearts which are separate from... well, you get the idea, just plan to spend some editing time on them).  Oh and hair - that's going to take you a bit of time to edit as well, but the new Costa style from Tukinowaguma lends itself nicely to combat helmets (and is pretty great without them as well).

Credits:
Helmet & Collar:  Hat Mechanic Mini Maus
Hair: Tukinowaguma Costa (Ebony)
Eyelashes: Miamai No Alpha N22
Eyes: Ibanez Horizon Winter
Dress: Eshi Otawara Queen of Hearts & Carved Leather Gloves
Boots: Heroes of Fashion McQueen Goth Boots
Poses by Manifeste

Featured SLURLs:

Hat Mechanic (in the lower shops)

Miamai

Eshi Otawara

Heroes of Fashion

Tukinowaguma

Ibanez Eyes

Avenue in 3D

The Avenue Academy assignment this week was three outfits (formal, casual and swimsuit), 6 poses plus walk and default pose for each.  Choosing, styling and setting up the animations ran about 2 hours for each outfit and I was lucky that I saved a bit of time by having a casual and formal outfit already styled.  The first class was runway work and work it was - a very narrow runway high over water (with no walls) - a challenge just to walk alone then ramped up to a paired walk with a position swap.  Once we had all finished our falls... er... walks and practiced getting back on stage, we spent the rest of the time doing a multi-stop coordinated walk with multiple models in motion at once.  All in all, a terrific experience that took the training wheels off the standard "walk straight, turn and return".

Location URL:  Empyreal Dreams, The Artbox Anthology

Credits:
Outfit: CoCo Highwaisted Bubble Skirt and Sleeveless Sweater (Black)
Jewelry: Mandala Kagetora Necklace & Takara Bangles
Hair: 2MB Beverly (Black)
Pose by DeePosed

The second class this weekend was classroom work on tips and qualities of being a professional model, so when it was over I took my casual and classroom outfits to the Empyreal Dreams sim for this week's pictures.  The sim features 3D interpretations of works such as the Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Les Miserables as well as tributes to bodies of work from the likes of Edgar Allen Poe and it is visually stunning - definitely give it a visit.

Credits:
Outfit: Tres Beau Storm (Fire)
Jewelry: EarthStones Eternelle Marcasite Earrings and Pendant Watch (Garnet)
Hair: W&Y Hair 92 (Pack A, Black)
Pose by DeePosed

Avenue With A Twist

There were two Avenue Models Academy classes this weekend - Styling and Pose Management.  Styling was a very thorough and detailed assessment of last week's assignment (three layers, three designers, completely styled) including prim editing, overall effect, styling and shape and Pose Management was a repeat of the assignment adding a walk, default pose and four poses with the same level of feedback and runway walking until my fingers cramped.  Talk about intense - I'm loving this course!  After I finished styling for Pose Management, I asked several friends for feedback and one referred to my outfit as "Artful Dodger Chic", so I headed out to New London for a few Dickensian shots and discovered the offices of Scrooge & Marley (among other landmarks, fictional and real).

Location SLURL: New London Village, The Doctor Who Zone , TARDIS

Credits:
LeeZu - NOIR Efraims Daughter Pants
Glam Affair - Make-up Layer 05
[MANDALA] - Mikoto Belt (Black/Silver)
niciARTLINE - Leggings Muster Design #1
fri. - Comfy.Cardi (Wine)
~GW~ - Steampunk: Chemise
N-Core - Belt Ankle Boot Black
EarthStones - Asian influence Jewelry Set - Luck
W&Y HAIR New 38 (Black)
*Linc* Half Fishnet Stockings Black
Poses by Manifeste

Strolling Down the Avenue

All the updates this round are Avenue - Couture and Academy.  I was selected as one of the semi-finalists for the Couture Avenue Look 2011 contest for November (you can see my entry here) and had the opportunity to join the other four contestants on the runway.  I didn't win, but I had a terrific time and met some great people - I also didn't fall on my face, into the triangular holes on stage or into anyone's lap, so all good there.  For full details:

Couture Avenue Look 2011 - November Semi-Finalists
Couture Avenue Look 2011 - November Finalist

In other news, I started my first class of the Avenue Models Academy yesterday and it was completely fabulous.  There is a very different approach from MVW with a lot of emphasis on runway work and I'm really looking forward to eventually being confident enough on a catwalk that I'm not shaking like a leaf and holding my breath the whole time.  The first night was the info, overview and welcome and, along with a lot of information and links, we also picked up our first assignment:  Create and style a look on any theme using three layers from three different designers with separates not allowed (in other words, gotta rip apart stuff that goes together).  If you can't guess, I styled around a music theme.

Credits:

Top: LeeZu Noir Efraims Daughter 

Leggings: niciARTLINE Muster Queen (Transparent)

Belt: [ATOMIC] Music Belt_Black

Collar: Hat Mechanic Maus Collar
Hat: Wild O Garden Hat Black
Pants: Baiastice Anna Lou (Black)
Boots: Heroes of Fashion - McQueen Goth Boots
Hair: MrS - Languid (Black)
[White~Widow - w/Eyeshadow] Face Tattoo 10

The Silk Road Hunt Begins!

From the organizers of my favorite hunts (The Steam Hunt) comes the first semi-annual Asian themed hunt, The Silk Road Hunt!  If you are interested, take a bit of time to read up on the history of The Silk Road.  I just started this one over the weekend, so I'll be opening boxes when I finish and posting some of the bounty, but you can see previews of quite a few of the gifts (and they look great - as I would expect) at the hunt blog (URL at the end of the post).  As with The Steam Hunt, the clues are clever, the participants are friendly, the group is helpful, the hunt is well organized, the gifts are great and the overall feeling is fun, so head to the starting point and pick up some pagodas!  From the press release:

++++++++++The SILK ROAD Hunt+++++++++++

THE SILK ROAD consisted of an extensive interconnected network of trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean world, as well as North and Northeast Africa and Europe.

The SILK ROAD Hunt will take place from 1-30 November, 2010.

There will be SILK ROAD-themed gifts to find hidden all over the grid in more than 80 participating shops. You'll be offered a variety of gifts as you search for the hidden items. Only high-quality designers have been invited to participate, and their exclusive items will be available only for the duration of the hunt.

As with most hunts, you begin at a starting location. That location will give you the LM to the next, and so on.

THIS IS THE STARTING LOCATION LM:

Starting Point:  The Silk Road Hunt, Mieville Dickens

However, if you join the group, in November you'll be given a list of all the merchants' shops and you can start wherever you like!

SEARCH the group The SILK ROAD Hunters and join for free!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

http://silkroadhunt.blogspot.com/

Contest Entry - Couture Avenue 2011 (November)

OK, so I completely adore the Miamai Black Label Collection and was *thrilled* when they opened a shop on Couture Avenue (making them eligible as contest choices).  It was a complete pleasure putting a look together for this month and tons of fun doing the face and head shots.  I used items from several of the collection outfits and combined them with the Baiastice Anna Lou pants for a nouveau couture look with an Asian twist.

Couture Avenue 2011

Credits:
Eyes: Ibanez Eyes Horizon (Eire)
Hair: booN ANT213 hair (Black)
Skin: Dutch Touch JiP (Cream - PiP CL1 HB)
Face Tattoo: Lovely Mi Make-up Madame X [Eyes Only]
Jacket: Miamai [BlackLabel] Ansiotropic Jacket
Shoes: Miamai [BlackLabel] MothQueer Shoes
Nails: Miamai [BlackLabel] Myda
Pants: Baiastice Anna lou (Black)
Collar: Violator My Fetish (Platinum Black)
Poses by DeePosed

Couture AVENUE 2011:

Couture AVENUE, an exclusive shopping district, represents the finest style, creativity and sophistication hosting top fashion brands LeLutka, CheerNo, Chantkare, AZUL, Baiastice, Nicky Ree, Stylissimo and Miamai.

Couture AVENUE is looking for fashionista extraordinaires that are able to embody the spirit of these brands and combine top-notch looks and styling to be the face for Couture AVENUE in 2011.  Do you have what it takes?

The 'Couture AVENUE LOOK 2011' search is open to both men and women, offering one top male and female winner an invitation to AVENUE MODELS, an exclusive AVENUE MAGAZINE cover and to be the face of Couture AVENUE ads and promotions.

Each month a finalist will be chosen and receive :
- an exclusive interview and shoot in AVENUE Magazine
- $3,000L shopping spree at Couture AVENUE
- a discount voucher of 2,000L for a course at AVENUE Models Academy.

All monthly finalists will be entered into the finals where one male and one female winner will be selected to be the face for Couture AVENUE Look 2011. Each winner will receive :
- A one year contract to be the face for Couture AVENUE ads, events and promotions
- A cover on AVENUE Magazine
- An invitiation to join AVENUE Models

RULES OF ENTRY
------------------
1. Join the AVENUE Magazine Readers group to stay up to date on the contest events and updates.
2. Place the Couture AVENUE location in your picks with the following LM & texture.
3. Purchase two or more items from the Couture AVENUE shops and place the transaction history at the bottom of the application notecard. Transactions will be verified, those incomplete or inaccurate will forfeit their submission.
4. Style your look and SHOOT. Each look has to be sourced from at least two different designers' stores at Couture AVENUE. You may employ any photographer of your choice but importance will be given to showcasing your look and styling.
5. You will have to present TWO photos of your styling: one head shot and one full body shot (size: 1024 X 1024 pixels). Make sure they are labelled CALook2011(month)_(your name)_(headshot/bodyshot). Example : CALook2011September_Sweetest Sands_headshot
6. Complete the application in this notecard, rename and submit it to the Couture AVENUE Look 2011 Mailbox.  Applications will be accepted until 5th of each month, starting on September 5th, 2010, and ending on August 5th, 2011. Late submissions will be included to participate in the next round of the following month.
7. Each month, there will be a monthly runway showcase where a selection of semi-finalists will vie for a finalist position. Each semi-finalist will do a simple runway walk parading their styled Couture AVENUE look. One semi-finalist will be selected by a panel of judges to be a finalist.  In the final showcase, 12 finalists will compete to be elected as "Couture AVENUE Face 2011" - one male and one female winner.  The schedule for the monthly showcases will be :

2010
Round 1 - September 12th, Sunday at 11am slt
Round 2 - October 17th, Sunday at 11am slt
Round 3- November 14th, Sunday at 11am slt
Round 4- December 12th, Sunday at 11am slt

2011
Round 5- January 16th, Sunday at 11am slt
Round 6-February 13th, Sunday at 11am slt
Round 7-March 13th, Sunday at 11am slt
Round 8-April 17th, Sunday at 11am slt
Round 9-May 15th, Sunday at 11am slt
Round 10-June 12th, Sunday at 11am slt
Round 11-July 17th, Sunday at 11am
Round 12-August 14th, Sunday at 11am

Finals: September 4th, Sunday at 11am

8. Each entrant is allowed to submit only one entry and if you fail to be selected any month, you may choose to submit in another month with a new styled look.
9. All entrants must be able to commit to monthly showcase dates that apply to them as well as the grand final. Failing to turn up for your month's showcase and finals date will disqualify your entry with no exception.  In the finals, finalists will compete in a final round of styling and showcase it on the runway.
10. Entries are open to everyone including models and members of AVENUE groups with the exception of staff and management from AVENUE and Couture AVENUE Designers teams.

For more information, kindly contact :
Sweetest Sands
Couture AVENUE Manager
sweetest@avenuesl.com

Contest Updates - October

Well, all the contest results are in for this month, including the grueling selection for the EarthStones All Hallows Eve contest (what a fabulous pool of entries).  Yours truly managed a runner up slot in the Agnes Finney My Precious Queen contest though I didn't make the top three - still, pretty pleased considering it was a first time entry.  Congratulations to all the winners!  Photos are from the Styling Forward Semi-Finals as promised in an earlier post, theme was Black & White Anything Goes, credits at the end. :)

EarthStones 3rd Annual All Hallows Eve Photo Contest Winners
EarthStones Flickr Group

Agnes Finney My Precious Queen (October - Winter Theme) Winners

Angel Dessous Angel of the Month (November) Winners
Angel Dessous Angel of Angel Dessous 2010 Flickr Group

Couture Avenue Look 2011 Finalist
Couture Avenue Look 2011 Semi-Finalists

Photo Credits:

Hair:
booN - QPT129 (Black)

Outfit:
LeeZu! - Mia Corset (Black )
*COCO* - BalloonPants (Black)
*Linc* - Half Fishnet Stockings (Black)
House of Beningborough - Vivaldi Short Jacket (Harlequin)

Accessories:
Stiletto Moody - Bare Olivia (Black)
Mandala - Takara Nail (Black Bright)
Mandala - Mikoto Belt (Black/Silver)
Chapeau tres Mignon - Golightly Hat (Black)

EarthStones 3rd Annual All Hallows Eve Photo Contest!

It’s that time of year again, so put on your finest EarthStones jewelry, polish your bat’s wings, stir up the cauldron, spread your cobwebs and shoot your way to infamy and fortune in the EarthStones Third Annual All Hallows Eve Photo Contest!

Singles or couples, ladies or gents welcome (only a single prize pack awarded per winning photo, though).
Theme: All Hallows Eve, of course!
Deadline: Midnight SLT on October 24th.
Winners Announced: October 26th
Judges: EarthStones Staff & Management

PRIZES
1st place: L$5000 CASH!! AND a L$2500 EarthStones gift card!
2nd place: L$2500 EarthStones gift card!
3rd place: L$1000 EarthStones gift card!
Winning pictures will be featured in the EarthStones blog and displayed in store until November 6th.

THE RULES
1. Read the rules carefully – any photos not following the rules will be disqualified.
2. 512 x 512 minimum square photos, post production allowed and encouraged.
3. EarthStones jewelry must be clearly visible, only EarthStones jewelry may be worn in photos. All jewelry must be *for sale* at EarthStones (Sorry, no Lucky Chair, group gifts, freebies, etc.).
4. Maximum of 2 photos per avatar may be entered in the contest. (You may upload additional photos, but only two may be tagged for the contest)
5. Join and upload your photos to the EarthStones flickr group (PG Only, please) – http://www.flickr.com/groups/earthstones/
6. Inworld submissions will not be accepted.
7. Photos must be uploaded to the group during the month of October 2010. Photos entered after the deadline on 10/24 will not be considered.
8. Photos must be tagged with: All Hallows Eve 2010 Contest, EarthStones, [Jewelry Name] (ie. EarthStones Falling Leaves Necklace – Autumn)
9. Photo Description *must* include (you can include additional information, but the following is required):
Your inworld name (this will be the sole recipient of any prizes awarded)
Jewelry credits (ie. EarthStones Victorian Keepsake Locket & Earrings – Silver/Onyx)
10. Photos not properly tagged and described will not be considered.

Please contact Retribution Fall by notecard with any questions. Name your notecard [All Hallows Eve Question] – [Your Name] to ensure a response. Inquiries to any other member of the EarthStones staff will *not* be answered.

That’s it! Have fun and Good Luck!!
Click to join the EarthStones Flickr Group

The Fantasy of Nature

"I consider lace to be one of the prettiest imitations ever made of the fantasy of nature; lace always evokes for me those incomparable designs which the branches and leaves of trees embroider across the sky, and I do not think that any invention of the human spirit could have a more graceful or precise origin." - Coco Chanel

So much fabulous newness in the last week, it was simply irresistable.  Agnes Finney released the essence of the cocktail dress in Serene Romance at nearly the same time as EarthStones released the perfect complement for it in the Gothique choker and earrings sets.  Talk about perfection!

Credits:
Dress: Agnes Finney Serene Romance (Black)
Jewelry: EarthStones Gothique (Silver/Onyx)
Hair: W&Y 148 (Pack A - Black)
Eyes: Ibanez Horizon (Eire)
Poses by Manifeste

Featured SLURLs:
Agnes Finney My Precious Mainstore
EarthStones Mainstore
W&Y Mainstore
Ibanez Mainstore

Inventory Check - Hair Designers

I know that in my head I have an imaginary and purely subjective list of "favorites", but I got to wondering if that was actually where my Lindens were invested.  So, I figured it might be fun to total up the actual numbers and see how they stacked up to my mental list and, more importantly, what I was actually wearing the most.  Why hair first?  Cause I just spent time sorting through my "demos to buy" folder and my "stuffage from Hair Fair" folder as well as moving all those unfiled recent purchases to their proper categories.  For the curious, I have hair under body parts instead of clothing and my categories are - Exotic, Long, Short, Mid, Ponytails, Updo, and Hats (which includes any hair that comes with a hat, scarf, goggles, etc).  The "Top Ten" were:

1. Truth (15) mostly updos
2. Damselfly (11) mostly long
3. Tukinowaguma (9)
4. Detour (9)
5. Mirai Style (7) mostly scarves
6. Bishwear (6)
7. Cake (6)
8. EMO-tions (5)
9. W&Y (5) mostly short
10. BooN (4) mostly short

 

My "Go To" list of "hair I grab first on a regular basis in SL" in no particular order other than that of the photos in this article does come from this list of designers, but is mostly different from my "blogging go-to list" which pulls from more categories and designers:

Bishwear TossMeAround (Raven)
W&Y New 92 (Pack A - Black)
Mirai Style Ofif (Black)
Truth Grace (Crow)

 

One of the really interesting things I discovered was the huge number of onesies and twosies I have where I don't have a lot of different styles from an individual designer but I have a couple of really unique or interesting ones - I think I might own every short style on the grid.  I had hairstyles from a huge number of designers and a whole folder of LMs (which I think I may turn into a nice inventory preserving notecard).  I also noticed that I have an affinity for "slightly messy" even with more formal updos - must be some kind of commentary on my having come to terms with my more than slightly unruly RL hair. :)

 

SLURLs are within the article this time; I would like to additionally credit Cubic Effect's fabulous Knit Jacket (Black) and YS&YS Afrika Set (Silver/Onyx) seen in each shot.  I think that my next few inventory checks will be jewelry, poses and tattoos (once I catch up a little bit on my backlog of locations, pictures and outfits).

Why Contests? (And An Update)

Someone asked me today (after I finished up another set of contest pictures) why I entered contests.  It's obviously not for the fame (since I don't win) or for the money (since most prizes don't cover the entry outfit).  Then again, I don't blog for the freebies (since I don't actually get any) either.  I simply enjoy really great SL fashion, great SL locations and taking pictures of both.  I've also recently started playing with a photoLIFE studio and that's been great fun as well.  It's a challenge to put together an outfit, find the right accessories, get a location or background that sets it off, find the perfect poses and get the ideal angle for the photos.  And, after that, the real work begins.  For October, I've entered three contests - the My Precious Queen contest blogged earlier this week, the Angel of Angel Dessous contest and the Couture Avenue Look 2011 contest.

Angel of Angel Dessous Couture Entry
Dress - Angel Dessous Iberia Rosso
Hair - Tukinowaguma Jelena SH (Ebony)
Fan - Urid Dal Black Lace Fan
Collar - Ezura Lolita Crown Black Neckdress
Earrings - EarthStones Eternelle Marcasite (Garnet)
Pose by Manifeste



Angel of Angel Dessous Lingerie Entry

Lingerie - Angel Dessous Glamour (Forest)

Hair - W&Y New 92 (Pack A - Black)

Jewelry - Zaara Vanisri Wrapped Necklace (Onyx/Silver)

Pose by DeePosed

Couture Avenue LOOK 2011 Entry

Top - Baiastice Cage Top

Pants - LeLutka Rockin' Pants (Black & White)

Hair - W&Y New 148 (Pack A - Black)

Necklace & Earrings - YS&YS Afrika Set (Silver/Black)

Bracelets - Mandala Reiki Bracelet (Black Diamond)

Garter - LouLou Garter Pistolero

Belt - EarthStones Leather & Laced Belt (Coal)

Pose by DeePosed

And the promised update - I didn't place in the Click photography contest, nor did I make the finals for Styling Forward, though I'll post my semi-final outfit in the next couple of weeks.  The theme was Black & White (Anything Goes).  The closing dates for this month's contests are October 5th for Couture Avenue (October), October 12th for My Precious Queen (October), October 25th for Angel of Angel Dessous (November).  I promise I won't enter any more this month, since I have a final Steam Hunt wrap post to do and an absolutely amazing Halloween outfit to blog.  And no, my fingers aren't crossed.  Much.

Contest Entry - My Precious Queen

A friend sent me this contest information and a gift card some time ago, eliminating all possible barriers to entering this contest.  Unfortunately, while I went and bought an absolutely gorgeous gown, work buried me and I just now managed to get enough studio time to do the photographs and submit my entry into the Agnes Finney My Precious Queen Contest.  The year is divided into two halves and four themes (the seasons) with three princesses chosen each month to compete for 12 finalists slots.

















Credits:
Dress - Agnes Dazzle (Black)
Jewelry - Alienbear KrisCar II (White)
Hair - Sky Everett Lady Alanya (Black)
Pose by Manifeste

Featured SLURLs:
Agnes Finney My Precious Mainstore

What do you need to do to join each month's selection?
Step 1. Make purchases of:
- any items created by Agnes Finney. (Items that are marked 0L-10L are not counted.)
Different gown/ outfit have to be used when you are joining different month's selection. That is, no gowns should be repeated in your entries throughout the year. Different color of the same design is accepted though.
Step 2. Requirement of the pictures: (For your own reference: http://mypreciousqueen.blogspot.com/
-Take two pictures (Head shot and full body shot, 1024x 1024) with full perm
-Put the full perm pictures into a folder. Rename the folder as "MP Royal Princess+January+your full name." No need to put any words in the pictures.
- My Precious stores may post your pictures in advertising or on the blog. Any fees associated with the entry pictures must be paid by the entrant and will not be paid by My Precious stores. Please learn about the possible charges for which you will be responsible from those requiring additional payment for commercial use of a photograph they made for you.
Theme of the pictures:
Jan-Mar Princess selection: Spring
Apr-Jun Princess selection: Summer
Jul-Sep Princess selectoin: Autumn
Oct-Dec Princess selection: Winter
-If you want to wear any jewelry, please wear jewelry ONLY made by Alienbear Design. It could be just a pair of earrings or a necklace. It's your choice.
-Rename the folder as “MP Royal Princess + Month + your full name”
(Your entry will be ignored if you send us a notecard instead of a folder.)
The pictures to present the outfit and yourself as a queen. Touch-up with Photoshop is acceptable. :-) Send the pictures to Agnes Finney on or before 12th (midnight) of each month.
Step 3. It would be safe if you could notify me by IM after you send the folder. I will put the pictures up in the display area within 3 days and notify you about that. If you don't get my IM in 3 days, please IM again. :)
Step 4. Announcement of the in-store models, winners of MP Royal Princess will be made thru group notice and our blog. Therefore it is important if you stay in the group for updates.

Step 5. Contact Agnes Finney if you have any queries.

It Was A Dark & Steamy Day...

A friend recommended that I tour Nemo several weeks ago but I was regrettably too busy to give this fantastic steampunk sim the time it deserved.  No more.  This morning I put on Nicky Ree's beautiful Larissa gown, pinned up my hair, added my EarthStones vintage inspired earrings and perched one of my much loved Hatpins hats atop the whole ensemble, ready to explore.  From the observatory to the aeriel tour, around the teacups and down to Nautilus, Nemo is a feast for the eyes and a delight for the mind with its amazing detail and many many moving, whirring, spinning, floating and turning parts.  Don't delay like I did... go now, come back often.

Location SLURL: Nemo, France3D Futuna

Credits:
Hat: Hatpins Lady Ophelia (Doves & Kisses)
Dress: Designing Nicky Ree Larissa Collection (Black)
Hair: Cake Afterglow (Black)
Earrings: EarthStones Eternelle Marcasite (Garnet)
Poses by Manifeste



Featured SLURLs:

Hatpins Mainstore

Designing Nicky Ree Mainstore

EarthStones Mainstore

Cake Mainstore

Blogger Goes To Modeling School

Like a lot of bloggers, I'm a fashion consumer and, as such, I go to the shows, read the magazines, am a member of the groups and always kind of wondered exactly what the whole modeling thing was about.  When a notice came through that the MVW Academy was taking students, I figured it would be something fun and different and I'd have that peek behind the scenes so I sent in my headshot and signed up.  The course was divided into five classes, 101-105, covering pretty much all the bases in increasing depth.  I took all five, though graduates of other academies and working models can skip the first two and move to 103.  I learned something new in every class, picked up some great tips, met some terrific people and snagged a bunch of useful notes, recommendations and landmarks along the way.

The first four classes were from 2-3 hours in length and covered posing, photography, styling, walking, shapes, prim editing, dos and don'ts and involved a lot of instructor interaction with the students.  I had Miaa Rebane, Mimmi Boa, Mui Mukerji and Kay Fairey for these - the classes are offered at various times with various instructors to accommodate timezones.  The last "class" spanned three days over a weekend with Frolic Mills.  The first class was lecture and discussion of styling and color selection, the second was a closed runway exercise and critique and the third was the open graduation runway walk "final exam" - pass or fail.

The theme for the 105 exercise and graduation was "Red Carpet" and my Saturday night outfit just wasn't right - not because of any of the individual pieces, but because I didn't style correctly for the theme and the color wasn't right for my skin.  I should have been thinking Oscar and I went Grammy.  For the Sunday graduation, I kept the bracelets and skin but pretty much changed the rest.  Luckily for me, the changes worked, I didn't fall off the runway, freeze, crash or miss my poses and passed the exercise to become an official graduate.  Whew!

Credits:
Dress (Top): Lady Mor Ginevra
Hair (Top): Truth Cyndi (Crow)
Shoes (Top): Stiletto Moody Bare Katherine (Black Diamante)
Dress (Bottom): Miamai Gretha
Hair (Bottom): BooN QPT129 (Black - Hair Fair)
Jewelry (Both): Rozoregalia Hydra Earrings & Bracelets
Clutch (Bottom): Septem Essentia Manhattan Evening Bag (Black)
Poses by Manifeste

Steam Cleaning - Part 1

Well, I finished my third Steam Hunt and I have to say that they just keep getting better - terrific hints, great hunt prizes, friendly group and loads of fun.  The participating designers outdid themselves in wonderful builds and incredibly detailed gifts.  I'm still unpacking, but unlike most hunts where 80% gets deleted, I am once again running at an 80% keep rate.  For the guys out there, the hunt is heavy on gadgets, ships, houses, furniture, hats, textures and toys with most clothing vendors offering both male and female versions, so it's well worth your time to participate.  The only downside to the hunt?  Listing your favorite five hunt prizes at the end - I'm already up to 15 top 5s and am only halfway through opening.  Naturally I'm wearing, riding and surrounded by hunt bounty to give you an idea of what is in store for you.

Credits:

Hat: Hatpins Steamy Cogitator

Dress: Wishbox Steam Dream

Necklace: Jaquemate Pocket Watch

House: Kytheria Atrus Papilonis

Transportation: Twisted Metal Steamworks Steam Carriage

Featured SLURLs:
Steampunk Information Centre, Mieville Doyle (Steam The Hunt Starting Location)

It's Steam Hunt Time Again!

*Bounces up and down excitedly*  If you have never done the Steam Hunt, you have missed out on the BEST organized, executed and designed hunt on the grid.  Not only are the hunt gifts always amazing but the sims you travel through are dazzling.  Take your time, enjoy the trip and definitely join the group (it's friendly and fun)!

 STEAM: Steampunk Travelers' Event, Adventure & Megahunt

++++++++++STEAM: the Hunt!+++++++++++

This is the third Steampunk Grid-Wide hunt! STEAM will take place September 1st-30th, 2010. The gifts will remain available for the entire month... if you can find them!

There will be Steampunk-themed gifts to find hidden all over the grid in more than 135 participating shops. You'll be offered a variety of gifts as you search for the hidden items. Only high-quality designers have been invited to participate, and their exclusive items will be available only for the duration of the hunt.

As with most hunts, you begin at a starting location. That location will give you the LM to the next, and so on.

THIS IS THE STARTING LOCATION LM:

Steampunk Information Centre, Mieville Doyle

However, if you join the group, in September you'll be given a list of all the merchants' shops and you can start wherever you like!

SEARCH the group STEAM HUNT PUNKS and join for free!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

http://steamthehunt.blogspot.com/  

Great Art - Boxed

If you haven't been to Art Box, you have missed some of the best photography fun in SL.  You just pick a famous painting, picture, ad or original work, click and the entire scene rezzes in 3D with poseballs for your snapshotting pleasure.  From Van Gogh to Warhol with side trips to the Moonwalk (the one *on* the moon) and Wonderland, there is something for everyone here.  Both couple and singles poses throughout and several set for larger groups.  Plan to spend plenty of time inserting yourself "into the picture" - and naturally I dressed in my best artsy fun for the excursion.

Location:  Art Box, Klaw

Credits:

Hair: Mirai Ofif (Black)

Top: Gryphon Wings Steampunk Chemise (Pink)

Pants: LeLutka Ornella (Perky)

Belt: Manna Montmartre

Jewelry: Mandala Takara Bangle (Inca Gold), Amida Earrings (Gold), Kagetora Necklace (Wood)

Face Tattoo: White Widow Marguerite (Copper - Right)

Eyelashes: Miamai NoAlpha Lashes (No. 1)

Featured SLURLs:

Mirai Style Mainstore

Gryphon Wings Mainstore

LeLutka Mainstore

Manna Mainstore

Mandala Mainstore

White Widow Mainstore

Miamai Mainstore

Contest - Styling Forward

So I'm hanging around doing nothing and folks start talking about the Styling Forward reality TV show (details at the end of the article) in one of my groups and then the notice comes through that the casting call is in three hours.  I figure what the heck, might be fun since I've never done a runway before, so I start digging through my inventory.  Now, blogging is a whole different animal since I like to feature a particular designer's outfit and accessorize it, styling is more a matter of combining a lot of different things for a "look".  I decided to go for a edgy club look instead of an evening gown look, figuring that most folks would go for the gown thing and it seemed like the point was to stand out.

I have to say the lag was horrific, I discovered it's dang hard to count seconds and try to manage posing, turning and walking in a straight line at the same time and I have to admit I was worried sick about lagging into someone's lap.  That said, I about fell over when I made it past the first round, so it couldn't have been that bad.  Here are the results of my inventory digging (please note that the credits are a little more mixed up than usual since I used a lot of pieces):

Credits:
Hair: Emo-tions Stormy (Black)
Jewelry: Mandala Shaka Earrings (Red), Takara Bangles (Red & Silver)
Belt: Mandala Mikoto (Red Rock)
Top and Leggings: Glam Affair Julia (Red)
Pants & Gloves: LBD Efraim's Daughter & Brit Pants (combined)
Boots: Chapeau Tres Mignon (Heroes of Fashion) McQueen Goth Boots
Face Tattoo: White Widow Face Tattoo 6

Featured SLURLs:

Mandala Mainstore

LeeZu Baxter Designs (LBD) Mainstore

Glam Affair Mainstore

Chapeau tres Mignon (Heroes of Fashion)

White Widow Mainstore

Emo-tions Mainstore

Styling Forward Description (from the notice):
A new era in fashion begins ...
Some people say that being a virtual model is easy: You buy a shape and some stylish hair; then you get a nice skin, a pretty dress and a proper AO and off you go down the runway.
Maybe true! So what differentiates the hundreds of thousands of ladies that are dancing in a disco at any given time from the absolute top models?
It's their ability to style!
The ability to style and make themselves fabulous and unique every time, is the difference between anyone and a fashion connoisseur. They need to know when to leave an outfit alone (less is more), but also when to mix and match and accesorize in a fabulous way to create that look that will have everybody else inspecting them!
Frolic Mills & Mimmi Boa in association with METAVERSE TV are proud to announce the first televised master styling competition. This show is available for both ladies and gentlemen.

...we are pulse of pteron...

One of the the sims that everyone should be required to visit in Second Life is the beautiful, mystical and utterly entrancing Pteron.  As you enter, you have a choice of going to several different sattelite locations on the sim, each a world unto itself.  It does not do the build justice to call it a floating city, though that will be a visitor's first impression.  Make sure that your sound is on and prepare to be amazed (and to spend an incredible amount of time exploring).  I took a futuristic look at the sim, courtesy of Hugo's Design, Emo-tion, Mandala and Stiletto Moody, but for a different approach, be sure to see the impressions of a Steam Wyrmling and a Neko Princess as they travel through Pteron.

Location:  Pteron, Pteron

Credits:

Hair: Emo-tions Stormy (Black)

Catsuit: Hugo's Design Solar Cat (Black)

Jewelry: Mandala Takara Bangles, Takayama Necklace, Monica Earrings (Silver/Black)

Shoes: Stiletto Moody Lucille (Black)

Face Tattoo: Miamai LesMakeups (Masked 04)

Featured SLURLs:

Hugo's Design Mainstore

Mandala Mainstore

Emo-tions Mainstore

Stiletto Moody Mainstore

Miamai Mainstore

Contest Entry - Angel of Angel Dessous

What can I say - I've got a huge collection of Angel Dessous designs as well as plenty of blog and Flickr space so here are the September entries.  This time I entered in both the lingerie and evening gown categories for fun with the Provocateur lingerie in white and the Dolce Wedding gown in black.  I have to give credit to My Little Stone Chapel, Phenomenal as the spectacular setting for the Dolce picture - just gorgeous. Be sure to check out the Angel of the Month Group Pool on Flickr and the Angel Dessous Angel of the Month Winners - August.  If you are interested in entering, you can find the contest rules in my earlier blog post.

Credits:
Gown: Angel Dessous Dolce Wedding (Black)
Hair: Tukinowaguma Jelena (Ebony)
Jewelry: EarthStones Romance Set (Tahitian Black Pearl/Gold)
Pose by Manifeste

Credits:

Lingerie: Angel Dessous Provocateur (White)

Hair: Emo-tions Stormy (Black)

Nails: Mandala Takara Bangle (Buddha Cream Ring & Nail)

Set by Click Props & Sets (Detective's Office)

Pose by Manifeste

Featured SLURL:

Angel Dessous Mainstore

Wild Rumpus

I'm so glad I finally stumbled across Where the Wild Things Are.  One of my favorite books has been turned into a truly marvelous sim full of exactly the kind of spectacular scenery and detail you would expect.  Plan to spend time here just exploring - looking under, over and around.  This week is more wonderfulness from Cubic Effect, Mandala and Truth combined with the fabulous face tattoos of Tattanooga.  So join me. "And on our way... I can show you your kingdom. This is all yours. You're the owner of this world. Everything you see is yours...."

Location:  Where the Wild Things Are, Pax

Credits:

Shirt: Cubic Effect Shirt H5 for Women (Pansy)

Pants: Cubic Effect Flare Trousers (Gray)

Hair: Truth Mena (Crow)

Necklace: Mandala Kagetora (Purple/Silver)

Earrings: Mandala Monica (Purple/Silver)

Face Tattoo: Tattanooga Catwalk 003

Poses by DeePosed

Featured SLURLs:

Ce Cubic Effect Mainstore

Mandala Mainstore

Tattanooga Mainstore

Truth Mainstore