Category Archives: Expos, Fairs and Fundraisers

Pointy Hats Off To The Wizarding Faire

I finally made it to the Wizarding Faire this morning. I wanted two very specific things at the event, as I’m not a wand using/Harry Potter reading/cape wearer sort, I had planned a really limited amount of time to get in and get out.

Props to the builders, when you land you can touch a picture to get a map that details exactly where each creator’s items are. It’s built as an alley of shops (Harry Potter? I don’t know) and each creator is located with a small group in each one. It took me a minute to figure out how to get out of the landing zone – you have to touch a wall of rocks when then opens into the alley. There are words that say TOUCH HERE – but my camera wasn’t set high enough to see them initially.

When I got about the first area of shops – I got caught in the familiar lag soup. And this is where I also want to send out a HUGE set of props to the builders and even organizers- because I mentioned on plurk that I was having trouble and boom hello folks were there to see what was going on.

Being concerned about people’s shopping experience is amazing and really appreciated.  Continue reading

Studio Time: FLUX is Awash In Sugar Skulls

I was raised protestant in the middle of America. We don’t have sugar skulls. In fact, I only ever heard of sugar skulls in SL. So when the Flux theme was DAY OF THE DEAD and people started putting out sugar skulls – I went -oh, this is connected?

Since cultural appropriation is a serious trigger for many people, I decided I should probably look up what all this means before I go wearing it. I learned a lot. Most of it creepy (to me). Continue reading

Studio Time:It’s a Cinch at Collabor88

It’s never a question that I will blog items from Collabor88, but for me the question is who to blog FIRST. There is such a consistent level of quality at the creators of Collabor88 that it has become painstaking to figure out which box I will open and like first.

That’s a cherished thing for an event, I would never lie and say I love everything I see. But the things that I love tend to be really well done.

So we’ll start this month with The SECRET STORE. Maylee Oh again hits one out of the park with a cinched high waist dress that leans toward a corset cut, juxtaposed with a Peter Pan collar. Sexy but demure. The name, Jezibell, leans toward the vintage cinched waist’s hint at corset pulling, but definitely keeps it PG with a delicately gathered bodice in rich deep tones. The skirt is textured with broad but faint stripes and shaded to indicate the fabric stretched over your curves. Continue reading

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

In Other News There Are Flowers In MY ATTIC

My Attic this month is full of beautiful floral themes and variations of the theme FLOWERS IN MY ATTIC.  Lacuna has released a gorgeous set of shorts and tops that say adieu to summer in the most beautiful way.

And let’s face it, we can have summer whenever we want in SL so we can wear them all winter if we like. I love the wallpaper inspired shorts, I want these in RL.

I’m also sporting one of my poses from PRETENSE for the event, called Flowers for You – this is a single pose. The pack comes with one friend pose, with a bouquet, and a single daisy and you can mix & match it all up for however you like.  Continue reading

Trespassing – The SL HOME DECOR TOUR Part 1

Tymmerie Thorne has coordinated a virtual tour of homes, to inspire us, to allow us to ooo and ah over the amazing ways the creations of Second Life are put together, and frankly to perv cam people’s bedrooms. Cuz you know, wockachickawockchickawockchicka.

The Tour is Today and Tomorrow – and you can get more info here. Continue reading

Events Are Everywhere!

Events, they’re everywhere. The trick to them is doing what my grandmother would’ve called separating the wheat from the chaff. While I might throw in my vote on the side of “There are too many events” what that really means is – there are too many crap events.

But that’s a generalization and those are never completely accurate now are they? Continue reading

My Colors are Blush And Bashful

I have moved to the sea, a nice change of pace from the government housing I where I was staying. But it seems that I’m doing too good of a job decorating, because every time I log in, there are people in my house. They seem to like it too.

I decided that perhaps if I showed up as a zombie with horns, the word would get out and I’d have less unexpected visitors. Continue reading

Prevention Is Everything

sept10_005

This is full of stuff from Collabor88, including the sign from floorplan. and the dress from League.

There is a saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Well, when it comes to suicide, many times prevention is everything because there is no cure after death. Today is Suicide Prevention Day around the world and I wanted to take a moment to highlight a group in Second Life® that is doing their best to support people who are contemplating or have attempted suicide by connecting them to real world therapy and resources as well as providing information and support in-world. The Survivors of Suicide is a group of about 400 people who maintain an information center and informal drop-in center with group support meetings on Sundays and Mondays.

sept10_001

As you can see there is a lot of information. I dropped in to look around and there’s a room for folks to hang out, a game room and even a little shop to raise money to support the group’s land fees, etc. There were about a half dozen folks hanging out, all very friendly and welcoming even though I was just stopping by for a peek for the blog. I suppose we all know someone who has committed suicide. It has happened in my family. One brother-in-law shot himself when he became so sick with cancer, emphysema and cirrhosis that he could not live with it any more. Another brother-in-law drowned himself when the umpteenth different drug trial failed to treat his depression and his insurance company informed him that he has reached his lifetime maximum benefit and he would no longer be covered by insurance for anything. That is a cruelty of the health care system that will be eliminated by Obamacare on January 1st. The aftermath of suicide is a horrible trauma for families, one that is not really eased that much by understanding the motives and decisions. So this group is doing important work. You should check them out and be aware of what to look for and how to help family and friends who are in despair.

Continue reading

And Suddenly It’s Monday Morning

Gidge was so busy all weekend, COLLABOR88 plus the Arcade plus yard sales plus the normal blogger girl stuff, shopping, standing on a pose stand, shopping, standing on a pose stand, a wee bit of entertaining, well, she got tired and passed out in her new bed. I got this one at a yard sale and it’s cute, it’s at THE ARCADE. I’m not entire sure it’s me, but it’s a fun prop. Continue reading