Author Archives: Achariya

Wizarding Faire pose set with books!

Witch at play (1)

Don’t you hate it when your books do that?! Today I was inspired by Fricka’s new gacha dress and tights set. The tights come with SLink feet appliers, but I wanted to wear these witchy Flutter boots from Lassitude & Ennui (I was reminded of them by a customer who came knocking this morning, “Pardon me, please help me find these boots?” It’s a little funny because I have nothing to do with the store for the most part, but people think I do.). The dress is adorable and topical for the season, and incredibly cheap in Fricka’s shop.

The Wizarding Faire is also great for the season! How convenient that there are such great witchy poses and props, especially these from OKKbye. The poses come with the appropriate book props, and are incredibly playful. I can see these poses being useful in many blogging situations, and in real life too, especially when my books fly away. …Ok I am talking out of my arse. Anyway, I dig it! More photos and credits behind the cut.

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Berry’s meme: a close friend

Mischief Managed (6)

I am still wandering Hogwarts, and thought you might like to see it. I’ve posted a few more photos of the sim over on my blog, but — GEMINIO. Here are more! In the bottom photo you can see my wand, the Schadenfreude Celestial wand. It’s beautiful and magical, and I swear I didn’t turn Allegory into the newt that hyasynth is holding.

Yesterday, I began to work on Berry’s meme, revealing the deep, dark secret that Acha was born a man but forced to cross-dress ever since. The second part of the meme is about friendship.

2. Blog about one of your closest friends in Second Life.

Lucky for me it’s hyasynth Tiramisu. I think the gist of this meme asks the question, what makes a good friend in Second Life? I think for me it’s a combination of honesty and loyalty. At the beginning of my career as a blogger, my pictures were horrendous crap. hyasynth has always gently assisted me, pointing out that I probably need poses other than my AO, that I should perhaps blog things besides her own clothing, that spending some time learning Photoshop would help me develop my eye. All of these things were true, and have helped me grow as a blogger.

I’m still growing and learning, but I’ll remember the lovely moment when hyasynth actually “liked” some of my photos on Flickr. It felt like my mentor was giving me a decent grade! Aside from simply helping me grow as an SL photographer, hya inspires me constantly with all of her art. She’s always growing and pushing herself, and is one of the hardest-working ladies that I know.

hyasynth and her newest baby

Mischief Managed (5)

Wizarding Faire:
Skin: My Ugly Dorothy – The Good Lady
Cloak: FATEplay Cloak – Drake – Medium – Serpent
Shoes: Lassitude & Ennui Batty Shoes in green/silver
Book: Schadenfreude Curious Flora (wearing)
Wand: Schadenfreude Celestial Wand

Other:
Pants: Plastik Elizabeth Mesh Pants in Darkness
Eyes: NP Lunar eyes in Lettuce
Glasses: Lassitude & Ennui Pince-Nex “Steampunk” silver
Hair: Little Heaven Quentin Silver (vintage)
Shirt: Schadenfreude Ivory Oxford
Collar and tie: Schadenfreude You-Know-Who necktie pack with oxford collar
Hands: Slink fist and casual

Berry’s meme: I’m a man, baby

Sirius Black (2)

When I first heard about Wizarding Faire, I thought to myself: Oh yes, now I can be my favorite Harry Potter character, SIRIUS BLACK! So instead of trying on any of the fine clothing from the Faire itself, I scoured Marketplace for a green frock coat, so as to better embody Mr. Black. Sadly I didn’t find one. But I’ve done the best I could, aided by a tattoo beard and flowing RP locks from Calico.

Here’s Mr. Black defending himself from the Hogwarts Express. He’s going to be around all week, and I’ll probably tweak him a little here and there (over in my blog), so you can see the evolution of this RP character. (Hm. I wonder if the Wizarding World needs a good Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher…)

But on to the important part of this post, Berry’s meme. This week, it’s the “Your Avatar’s Private Life Challenge.” I realized that my Wizarding Faire post fits this meme incredibly well, because…

Here’s a secret: my avatar, Achariya Maktoum, was born a boy. That’s right, fresh-out-of-the-box Acha was something like “Gothic Male” (that was a thing in 2007, right?). I’ve always been completely honest about the fact that Acha’s player is a married mom, although I hear that this isn’t what the cool kids do. But along the way, I got seduced by all the pretty dresses (I blame hyasynth) and Mr. Achariya swiftly became Ms. Achariya.

Therefore…

1. Meme Suggested by Mr. Jefferson: “What does your avatar get up to after you log out?”

I always imagine Acha grumbling whenever I force him into a girl shape. “Darnit, player. You created me as a man, why can’t I just keep my manly shape?” “You be quiet, Achariya Maktoum! You get into that cute petite girl shape and PUT ON THAT FROCK!” So whenever I leave SL, I suspect that Acha immediately loses the girl shape and slides into a suit. “Ahhh, finally,” I can imagine him saying, “I can reattach my…”

That’s why this blog post suits the meme. I’m pretty sure that when I’m not around, Acha plays with his wand out of sheer relief. The wand, by the way, is by Schadenfreude for the Wizarding Faire, and it comes with three poses, beautiful texture options, and MAGIC.

2. Blog about one of your closest friends in Second Life.

I’ll do this part of the meme tomorrow.

Sirius Black (3)

Sirius Black (1)

Homorphus!

Eyes: Shine Lustrous Arctic (large)
Watch: Elate Silver Pocket Watch Necklace
Pants: ~silentsparrow~ Batty Suit
Skin: Ugly Duck Uriel – beard – scars
Shirt: Schadenfreude Strigoi Oxford
Beard: [K] TMD Facial Hair – beard
Hands: Slink male hands – closed and relaxed. The closed one has the wand.
Shoes: Lassitude & Ennui Arcanist Shoes in black
Hair: Calico Liam in browns
Jacket: Phunk Mesh BW Pinstripe Suit
Wand: Schadenfreude Dragon Wand with magic and poses

Cute flowers, not creepy flowers

Whimsy's garret (4)

Happy Sunday! I was seduced by all the pastel cuteness at My Attic, and especially Whimsy’s cool WinxBox, made specially for the event. I played happily in it for a while last night, enjoying all of the sit positions and different wall textures. It suited the My Attic theme, which was “Flowers in my attic.” Luckily this was interpreted literally (flowers on things, including hair and pants) instead of metaphorically. There were no incestuous relationships or abusive grandparents for sale (did you know that the book has a drinking game?). More photos, including Jackal’s elegantly lacy Slink add-on pumps for The Boutique, behind the cut.

Whimsy's garret (3)

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New azure jewelry set from Ellabella, and stuff

Detail: Ellabella necklace

Yesterday, late at night, I looked at this lovely blog and realized that I had things to say! But none of them were more important than Cajsa’s post, in which she described all of the articles that she’s written for AVENUE this month. I am partway through that list, and have the cool article about Bryn Oh bookmarked for later. So awesome!

Then I wanted to post something here this morning, and Gidge was already awake and looking pulled-together and gorgeous, like the organized working mom she is.

But I had things to say too, and I wondered what to do with them. My fingers kind of wandered for me, and I opened up a dusty blog named achariya.net. “Huh,” I thought. “I have stuff to say here again.” So I actually…posted on my own blog for a change. That doesn’t mean the fine women at IOF are off the hook! I will continue to bug everyone over here too! And I don’t really know what I want to do with that space yet. Maybe I’ll post once a month. Maybe I’ll only photo other people. The possibilities are vast…

Oh and look at my pretty new necklace from Ellabella for Genre (photo above) and a sim where I’m about to go shop like mad (photo below).

A Clockwork Spiral (3)

***Sim photo: A Clockwork Spiral (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cursed/61/141/613)
***Dress: Rebel Hope Roxanne Mesh Leather dress in black
***Jewelry set: Ellabella Nahimana necklace and earrings at Genre
***Cheeky halo thing: Hate Me and Eat Me Fedora headpiece for The Couturies Docks
***Eyes: TSM Catscratch Eyes in WW LE – Teal Mae More
***Hair: Wasabi Pills donna mesh hair in Aquatic
***Tattoo: Plastik Haila Tattoo
***Makeup: Schadenfreude monarch vlinder eyes & cheeks, with glitter
***Hands and feet: Slink
***Skin: Belleza Leila Pale 1 BL for C88

Twins of yore

I am out of practice

A friend asked me to contribute memories and some photos to a tribute to Nomine. I wrangled Grady Echegaray of Strange Pixels in to help, and it almost felt like old times. Here we are in a bunch of cool Nomine stuff, thinking about the days when Mourna and I would deck ourselves out in it and take pictures like mad twins.

Grady:
MayCreations biker boots black
Nomine Strapped Jeans – Caanan low rise 1
DECO – Showdown Boots alpha
[LeLutka]-SHAVED hairbase – Artic
lipstripenew 6
[mock] Mock and Mole (Face/upper/lower)
*League* Vintage Heart Earring L
/Wasabi Pills/ Teeloh Mesh Hair – Iceberg
lassitude & ennui Capricornus mesh horns – light / silver
Nomine Babylon Gloves
Nomine Babylon Open Collar
Nomine Bone Collector bracers
Nomine DopeSick Necklace – blood (female)
Nomine Mesh Corset – XS skulls n’ roses
Nomine Razored – heart choker
Nomine Stained Contacts – Mourna lilac
Hybrid Butterfly Shape
++LALA Moon+ Base Head

Tanya:
Brows: Cupcakes eyebrows in violet
Tattoo: Wicked Tattoos: Mystic – light ink
Eyes: The Stringer Mausoleum Catscratch eyes in tangerine
Hair: Wasabi Pills Teeloh in locorice
Horns: Lassitude & Ennui Capricornus mesh horns in dark/blurple
Corset: Nomine mesh corset Tribal – phoenix
Jeans: Nomine strapped jeans – cydonia
Makeup: Nomine makeup tattoo – tiger cries
Tail: Schadenfreude faun tail
Hands and feet: Slink mesh relax hands and bare flat feet
Skin: Belleza – Leila Pale 1

Colors bleeding everywhere

Oubliette at noon

I ponder that I am such a recluse in SL because the second I want to be somewhere, RL happens. For example, I would’ve really wanted to be at Squinternet’s gathering this morning at 9 SLT in order to listen to my friends talk about her, and honor her memory. Instead, I was driving my kid between violin and ballet, yep, the normal Saturday routine. It made me wonder how many SLers feel my pain — I suspect that many of us take up SL because it slides neatly around all of our other commitments. Health issues; work all day (at home or elsewhere); look after children/a child at night; head into SL to decompress…

Speaking of which, this pink jacket (fashionably Dead at C88) absolutely makes me decompress. It was brighter than the leaves of Oubliette, which is pretty amazing, considering. I’m still camped out in the sim, soaking in its beautiful glow. There’s a rumor that the sim might be looking to lease to few good vendors or residents — if you find the sim as lovely as I do and are looking for a place to call home (or sell your work), contact Elizabeth Tinsley in-world via notecard.

More photos and credits behind the cut. Also, look how cute Gidge looks in these stretchy pants!

This jacket is green if you look away from it (1)

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I keep smelling something Rococo

HMAEM nose ring

Hate Me and Eat Me came out with this awesome new nosering, such a cheeky take on the SRS BZNS rings that I had to wear it right away. It’s so Rococo, it’s mad. I’m wearing it with new boob bandaids from Plastik. They come in so many different colors that they’d suit ALL of your pastel boob bandaid needs (and I know that I personally have many). The outfit is entirely from Trinite, the Ryder outfit. I haven’t worn an over-boob shirt in a while, but I love that it’s cutified by the floppy gartered armwarmers. Nice balance between cute and hoe.  Oh and these eyes are still new, the chartreuse color from The Stringer Mausoleum.

My FLF item is that cool floaty cloud memory board from Sway. I’m so lame with textures lately that I only have me to populate the three photo spaces. Jackal, stop being so busy in your real life! I need more pretty photos of you!

Trinite outfit

Cloud: Sway’s Memory Board
Nose Ring: Hate Me and Eat Me – hita (nose ring)
Outfit, including shoes and armwarmers and skirt and shirt: Trinite Ryder outfit
Tape: Plastik BoobyBandaid in Blaze
Eyes: The Stringer Mausoleum Catscratch Eyes in Chartreuse
Hair: Wasabi Pills Cookie Mesh Hair in Vanilla Pudding
Horns: Plastik Druzi Horns in hades and zeus
Gloss: Mock Fruitilicious gloss
Wings: Schadenfreude group gift drawn wings
Skin: Belleza Leila Pale for C88
Hands: SLink Mesh Hands in Relax
Tattoos: ~silentsparrow~ crowjane tattoos
Eyebrows: Cupcakes violet eyebrows, vintage

Ojos mandarina

Eyes from Helena!

I am not the IOF queen of extremely pretty enormous face shots, Hybie, Gidge, and Cajsa are. But I totally stole their style to show you these vivid eyes and playful web lashes. The eyes are from The Stringer Mausoleum, and Helena says they’ll be in a special edition pack of four colors for purchase by her group (tangerine, saffron, lime and chartreuse colors). There are other new colors of these eyes out from TSM too (not group-only), and Phire posted about the very cat-like yellow set over at her blog Style Genesis.

Also, I’m totally naked.

In my last post, I speak for the trees, I mentioned that dwindling profit to the vendors has cut short the life of the beautiful sim Oubliette. I’ve been camping my avatar there, trying to capture the beauty of the sim before it fades (and investing as much as I can into Balderdash trees!). These two photos of Rivendell-esque beauty are from the sim:

Oubliette (2)

Oubliette

Hair: Clawtooth Merci Beaucoup hair in Pumpkin – C88
Skin: Belleza Leila Pale 1 – C88
Eyes: The Stringer Mausoleum TSM Catscratch Eyes – Achariya’s Picks (Tangerine one) – Group Only Buy
Lashes: Miasnow Web Lashes
Sim: Oubliette

I speak for the trees

Saiygewood (3)

I feel a bit like the Lorax today. One of my favorite sim-builders and tree-makers is contemplating closing up her in-world (extremely beautiful) sim after October, and the idea of it hurts my heart. I’m walking in some of her woods here (you can buy it as a nice big low-prim chunk) — the woods are called Saiygewood, and they are sold at Balderdash on Oubliette.

Nature, oddly enough, is what drew me to Second Life. I started an account with a vision in my head — I wanted most to recreate the mental place that I go to while I meditate. It’s an outside space surrounded by trees; an ancient stone circle under the clear sky. I’ve created this once or twice in various Second Life abodes, and each time, I’ve used Saiyge’s trees to give life to my dream.

I’m going to be living in Balderdash on and on for the next few weeks just to soak up the lovely ambience before it fades. I feel like an Elf in Rivendell right before the end of the fourth age. If you want me, I’ll be walking in the trees.

Saiygewood (2)

Balderdash – Saiygewood – The Dreaming Forest
Poses: Marukin – Autumn – C88
Boots: League Lauren Wedge Boots in Tan – C88
Skin: Belleza Leila Pale 1 – C88
Glasses: Hate Me and Eat Me – My shades – gold
Skirt: tres blah leather skirt – gold – C88
Neckbow: Lassitude & Ennui Ophelia Bow & pearl choker
Shirt: Plastik The Clockwork Collection Kalina top
Hair: Lamb – Isolation – Honeycomb Roots
Tattoo: Wicked Tattoos – Checkered tattoo
Hands: Slink hands in relax
Socks: Vintage from Shiny Things