Tag Archives: Flair

Wherever you go, there you are

Wherever you go, there you are.

I always wonder if I should explain long absences or not. I remember an SLSecret mocking those explanations—particularly the ones on Flickr where people change their name to a status update. But I will risk it and explain I have had a head cold. If head colds were mountains this would be K2. I won’t claim Everest because I always imagine there could be something bigger, but damn, this was a doozy. It made me feel perpetually drunk, kind of swimmingly dizzy with anything lit (like a computer screen) a big bit of glow. It was almost entertaining in its capacity to incapacitate, but I am now on the mend and have a big new box of decongestant, so here we are. I put this outfit on about ten days ago, or so and finally took some pictures yesterday.

It began with the gorgeous tuxedo dress from Liziaah. It’s hot and sexy. Menswear details and forms do not have to look dress for success androgynous. Sometimes the contrast heightens femininity and this jacket really does that.
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Studio Time Means WERK

Having a bit of a work day today with these new chair props from Purple Poses at COLLABOR88 this month. They’re fun, a great blogging accessory so bloggers, put these on your MUST HAVE list. Continue reading

What Makes a Classic?

“Classic' - a book which people praise and don't read.” ― Mark Twain

Mark Twain once said a classic is “a book which people praise and don’t read.” I don’t think that is true. Most of the people I know have read many of the classics and the reason they remain classics is they are great stories. Many classics can be downloaded for free from Amazon and for Christmas this year, I put together a list of books I recommend that are free.

There are classics in design, too, such as the knife-pleats that make up the skirt in this beautiful dress from Gizza. Another classic, the empire waist, the inset belt at the waist and the rich embroidery on the bodice. However, the great thing with fashion is taking the classics and combining them into something new and Gizza succeeds at that.

“Classic' - a book which people praise and don't read.” ― Mark Twain

I figured that a perfect place to shoot a classic dress might be at the Parthenon, the pinnacle of classical Greek architecture, so I headed off to Greece, the sim, part of a cluster of islands celebrating Greek culture. They do not allow scripts, so be sure you are as you wish to be before you land.

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The road is long, with many a winding turn

The road is long, with many a winding turn
I do not know Brandy Maltas (Kalli Birman in Second Life®). However, I know a few things about her. Most urgently, I know she has cancer, a second recurrence of metastatic uterine cancer that has spread to her liver. Secondly, I know she must be a kind person because people care about her and are trying to help her. From the event information, I know she is a single mother of three who is trying to do her best to survive and make it through this battle so she can see her children grown. Lastly, I know that I hope people will support The Road Ahead, an event to support her struggle, before it closes on January 1st.
The road is long, with many a winding turn
As an exclusive for the event, Mami Jewell has released a special amethyst color of her Electra dress. As you can see the dress can be worn different ways, all amethyst or black and amethyst, with all the billowing attachments or without them, with sleeves or without. Azul’s clothing is always versatile.
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I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields

I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.

I stopped by Orchid yesterday. What a lovely place to visit. There are deer, horses, and birds chirping away in a rustic winter wonderland that made me think of Alice talking to her cat, Dinah.

Do you hear the snow against the window-panes, Kitty? How nice and soft it sounds! Just as if someone was kissing the window all over outside. I wonder if the snow LOVES the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”

I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.

If you’re not feeling sleepy, though, this fun skater’s dress from ISON at Collabor88 is a winner in eight gorgeous colors. ISON also presented coordinating Nordic sweaters to wear over it, but I was drawn to this fur hoodie from Xen’s Hats for the Instruments. It also comes in several colors, but the white one is my favorite.
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If Only In My Dreams

Like It's Christmas in the Room

Skin: Glam Affair America/Simone Hair: Doe: Tessa – Fatpack Appliers: Glam Affair Simone Applier for Lelutka Mesh Head Eyes: [PXL] REFLEX Eyes (B) ~ GreyGold Mesh Attachments: .LeLutka.Mesh Head-SIMONE v1.4

Christmas Eve’ll find me
Where the love light gleams
I’ll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

Lelutka has released a new mesh head called Simone. It’s a special edition head with additional expressions including this mournful one that perfectly captures some of the emotional turmoil I am feeling this Christmas season. With the passing of my aunt this summer, everyone from my parents’ generation is now gone. My sister had a tough struggle with cancer last year and came though in the end, but now has a new cancer that has gone from Stage One to Stage Four in just one month. I will confess I cry a lot lately, but I am still hopeful she will beat the odds. She is the strongest woman I know. Homesickness has manifested itself in the kitchen with traditional Christmas baking like lefse and rosettes and cooking up Cherry Soup with Dumplings, the foods that make me think of home and family.

Like It's Christmas in the Room

| -Pixicat- Ballerina.Cat delivery box @ The Arcade | ~silentsparrow~ Felt Bird Ornaments – Partridge – Merry @ Tannenbaum | Silence. – Wooden Cutout Ornament – Gift 2 @ Tannenbaum | MudHoney Brights Giftbag Spots @ The Arcade | The Loft – Monochrome Christmas Fir Garand White M @ The Arcade | Botanical – Green Douglas Fir Christmas Tree (Tannenbaum) | Schadenfreude Jingle Ball 1 Catmas Ornament | ~silentsparrow~ Felt Bird Ornaments – Partridge – @ Tannenbaum | Silence. – Wooden Cutout Ornament – Gift 2 @ Tannenbaum | The Loft – Monochrome Christmas Fir Garand White M | {anc} glass ornament. for tree (2) @ Tannenbaum | !Ohmai: Gold Star Topper @ Tannenbaum | Trompe Loeil – Vintage Diamond Floor Lights @ The Arcade | [ zerkalo ] Magical Christmas – Pile of Gifts#1 | MudHoney Rustic Giftbox Plaid 4 @ The Arcade | MudHoney Rustic Giftbox Plaid 1 @ The Arcade | MudHoney Brights Giftbag Spots @ The Arcade | [ zerkalo ] Magical Christmas – Pile of Gifts#2 @ The Arcade | Sari-Sari – Traditional | Christmas – Reindeer RARE @ The Arcade | {vespertine} snowy dust 11 @ Tannenbaum | {vespertine} dala horse/red 14 @ Tannenbaum | Fancy Decor: Book Ornament Blue @ Tannenbaum | ARIA – Myrrh Handmade Vintage Bulb Bauble Ornament @ Tannenbaum | MishMish – Puppy in a box – Pastel @ Tannenbaum | Schadenfreude Fish 2 Catmas Ornament @ Tannenbaum | [RI] Pearl Berry Ornament (Bubblegum) @ Tannenbaum | [RI] Pearl Berry Ornament (Bubbly) @ Tannenbaum | Garbaggio // Round Xmas Ornament – Red @ Tannenbaum | Silence. – Wooden Cutout Ornament – Gift 2 @ Tannenbaum {anc} glass ornament. for tree (2) 1Li @ Tannenbaum | ~silentsparrow~ Felt Bird Ornaments – Hen – Bright @ Tannenbaum | ~silentsparrow~ Felt Bird Ornaments – Peacock – Bright @ Tannenbaum | Lark – Star Ornament – @ The Arcade | Sway’s [PineConny] Ornament . pink @ Tannenbaum | {anc} glass ornament. for tree (2) 1Li @ Tannenbaum | Silence. – Wooden Cutout Ornament – Tree 3 @ Tannenbaum | {vespertine} crane bauble /mustard 9 @ Tannenbaum | ~silentsparrow~ Felt Bird Ornaments – Raven – Merry @ Tannenbaum | ARIA – Myrrh Burlap Tree Skirt – RARE @ tannenbaum | ~silentsparrow~ Felt Bird Ornaments – Partridge – Merry @ Tannenbaum | Kalopsia – Glitter Leaf – Silver @ The Arcade | Garbaggio // Studded Xmas Ornament – Blue @ Tannenbaum | The Loft – Monochrome Christmas Bulb Ribbon White@ The Arcade

No one loved Christmas more than my mom. Each year, my dad and my uncle would scour the woods for the perfect black spruce or balsam fir. It has to be 17 feet with no bare spots, so when I put the angel on the top it stopped just shy of the ceiling. Dad made a tree stand with wheels so we could turn it to decorate it evenly. I did the top from my bedroom balcony while they did the middle and bottom before we oh-so-carefully wheeled it across the living room so it was framed in the center by all the windows that faced onto the lake. It was a huge undertaking that was never done in a day, particularly since many of the ornaments were generational hand-me-downs and hand-made memory-laden pieces that prompted stories and remembrances of the past. There were no themed trees or single-colored trees because that store of ornaments was much more precious – a store of memories.

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If you walk across my camera

Be yourself. The world worships the original.

Several years back, Billy Bragg and Wilco did a few albums on Woody Guthrie songs. Guthrie wrote the lyrics but they were never recorded. Guthrie’s daughter allowed Bragg and Wilco to write music and record the songs, Among them was the cryptic Ingrid Bergman.

If you’ll walk across my camera,
I will flash the world your story,
I will pay you more than money
Ingrid Bergman

I thought about her when I chose this background for these pictures, It’s reminiscent of Scandinavian embroidery and rosemaling. A few years back, dinking around on some genealogy website, I discovered she and my dad were cousins – sixth cousins, but still, he would have love to have known that. He admired her so. She once said, “Be yourself. The world worships the original,” which seems fitting since today I am not wearing my mesh head.  Now worship me. 🙂

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The Exercise Room

Transformation is the driver of self-actualization.I am taking a short break after a lovely morning workout in my exercise room. The attic of my townhouse from Barnesworth Anubis is huge, light and airy, perfect for a playroom or, for singletons like me, for a room to dance, exercise and even chill with a book on the massage table after a workout.

Transformation is the driver of self-actualization.

From left to right: dust bunny . basket table @ The Arcade, tres blah- Cozy Winter – Space Heater (Rose) @ The Arcade fucifino.Orleans Collection Framed Art (Texture Change) llorisen // eclectic stacked cushions RARE (copy) [ zerkalo ] Magical Christmas – Tiny Tree @ The Arcade dust bunny . robin nest . silver @ The Arcade dust bunny . porcelain deer @ The Arcade PLAAKA FlowerVase Pink Cone @ The Arcade ::{u.f.o}::Swan Lake, Act1 – haning ballet shoes blue, purple, pink and white ::{u.f.o}::Swan Lake, Act1 – ballerina clock coral llorisen // eclectic hello sign RARE (copy) ::{u.f.o}::Swan Lake, Act1 – en haut wall hanging llorisen // eclectic hello sign RARE (copy) Tres Blah Glitter Sign ANE SLON SET – Frame 01 20.aisling. Rugs @ The Arcade 17.aisling. Cushion Stool@ The Arcade 16.aisling. Potted Plant @ The Arcade 21.aisling. Candles @ The Arcade Dutchie sequenced yoga mat blue

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It looks like a movie; it sounds like a song

Dance is a way to find yourself and lose yourself
Pixicat has a wonderful ballerina skirt and bodysuit at The Arcade along with several darling ballerina globes to decorate your space. I was inspired to make a short video using the Resplendent Rose Ballet Barre that I purchased a few years ago. However, I have gone to the store and to the marketplace and cannot find it for sale any longer. If folks have recommendations, I would love to hear them.
Dance is a way to find yourself and lose yourself

I will do a separate post about the studio furniture and decor. I wanted to focus on this lovely ballet outfit from Pixicat. When you watch the video you will see how flawlessly it fits.
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a balloon with a broken string

“I'd be smiling and chatting away, and my mind would be floating around somewhere else, like a balloon with a broken string.”

“I’d be smiling and chatting away, and my mind would be floating around somewhere else, like a balloon with a broken string.”
                                       ― Haruki Murakami, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

I wanted to be sure to choose the perfect lingerie for this new sheer tunic Zaara released at Collabor88. I had this great set from Luxuria for Fifty Linden Friday. It’s still available, just not 50 lindens. I love the colors and thought it a perfect set for my new tunic. It applies to both Maitreya and Slink bodies, so it’s very flexible.
“I'd be smiling and chatting away, and my mind would be floating around somewhere else, like a balloon with a broken string.”

Black Bantam, a new to me label, released this lovely Autumn Dreams Balloon Chair, a fantasy piece that I took for a ride on the Linden Ocean.  Stacey Oller is the designer for Black Bantam and may be more familiar to folks under her fashion label Pink Acid. The chair contains several poses and animations for men and women (and kids) and comes in blue as well.
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