Sakura - Spring's hope - Fantasy Faire 2015

In IchiGo IchiE the sakura were in full bloom. The delicate flowers appearing from bare wood heralding the start of spring, of life's miraculous return from the depths of winter sleep. Méi awoke with the flowers, her long slumber at an end. 

The world inhaled, the chill of the air warming with each passing day. The spirits of spring and rebirth unfurled as she moved, hopping at first from branch to branch, running along swaying twigs with a sure step. Méi would not fall. Her own wings would keep her aloft, those and those of her companions surrounding her would carry her from bough to bough.
  Bringing life and beauty to the world was never easy, there was always a struggle. As her steps brought buds from the bark of the trees she considered this, as she did each year. These blooms were life, they were beauty, they were ephemeral. They were joy to all who saw them, they called for enjoyment, for delight in life as long as it lasts. Méi flew among the trees, bringing life for life's enjoyment. Each flower a bloom for the future, made possible by the growth of the past.
Two posts in one day... I know - testament to my lack of organisation. 

This post was planned, but the message it contains reached a new level of personal this morning as I was writing, thanks to another post, and conversations in our second life. So this one is for Ursula.

The Fantasy Faire in 2015 has so far raised L$ 6,268,699  That's $ 25,075! All for Relay for Life - The American Cancer Society. The more money raised, the more research, the faster new techniques and treatments are developed, the faster we find a cure. 

So go - the Fairelands will fade back into the mists for another year at the end of today. Enjoy the Sims. Bump into the talented and generous creators. Complete the hunt and be so covered in prizes you won't see daylight for a week. Hit up the donation kiosks. Cover bail for those characters locked up by the Pawlice. Shop shop shop! The Relay for Life vendors are clearly marked, all the L$ going to RFL. 

Make a difference today.

Hair : /Wasabi Pills/ Jasmine Mesh Hair - (BOOBS) - Licorice
Odyssey
Skin : :[P]:- Immortalia Skin-Femme:// Mortulus - Free in each SIM!
Tattoo layer :  :[ET]: FF Dragon Scales - Light
Vallacia
Earrings : RFC - Dragonbead Earring - Cape Amethyst
Spires of Andolys
Necklace : ~tc~ Baroque Necklace - Silver (mc)
Tangleshimmer Grove
Outfit : -AZUL- Pepeke (Dress, Wings and Butterflies)
YoZakura

Visit the Sim
IchiGo IchiE

Fantasy Faire 2015 - Midnight Sakura

Cherry trees usually blossom in the daytime. Ordinary cherry trees, and ordinary flowers, maybe... but not the mythical Nightshadow Sakura, the admired and treasured plant that maybe two dozen adventurers have ever witnessed to turn into a bouquet of splendid silky flowers for one night only, promptly fading away at the next dawn. For the Nightshadow Sakura is a messenger of great and important tidings... whether good or bad, however, the flowers cannot foretell. They only glow in a soft silky mysterious light, as if smiling, and observe the world with majestic grace...

Outfit and accessories: "K'aalogii" by -AZUL-. This fabulous kimono set is a RFL donation item (850 L$), created in the true and authentic -AZUL- style, which is a synonym for "grandiose" and "regal". :) You can find their shop in the YoZakura sim, so don't hesitate to pay a visit.

Skin: "Oceanica Atlantic Eclipse" by Fallen Gods Inc. - a RFL donation item (1.100 L$) The skin package includes a complete set of mermaid fins and some jewellery, too, so you actually get an avatar for a very reasonable price. Fallen Gods is at Odyssey... where else? :D

Ears: Uni Ears "High Elf" by Soul (399 L$). The ears are not a current RFL donation item, but they are available in Charlie's booth at Ichi-Go Ichi-E.

Hair: "Petula" by Analog Dog - a RFL donation item (350L$) available at Tangleshimmer Grove.

Eyes: Perspective Eyes in "Oxidation" by IKON - an old group gift now available for 150 L$.

Necklace: Oceanica Necklace in "Ivory Shell" by Fallen Gods - included in the Oceanica Skin packages.

Cherry blossom petals with several built-in poses: Runo Runo - 200 L$.

The picture was taken at YoZakura.

Fashion For Life 2012

For her, as usual, the darkness was everywhere, the flashbulbs bursting all around lit her beautifully, but showed her nothing of those watching.

Not that it mattered, it was her they had come to see, and she was there to be seen after all. No mere red carpet, this was the runway of the year, all eyes were on her.

Against the spangled backdrop, the red of her hair stood out like a splash of freshly spilled blood, its motion as she moved, as fluid as the sanguine liquid it resembled, carried the illusion further. As the cameras clicked, the whispers began..

                           "Who is she wearing?"

                                                        "The cut of the silk, so daring, so new, so now!"

The soft voices of the fashion and gossip reporters were soon drowned out, along with the scratches of sharp pencils on paper, frantically sketching the dress. The louder, hoarser voices of the photographers

covered all others with shouts for her attention, trying to make her turn this way, then that, looking for the shot that would bring their money for the year.

Dropping a hip, slouching a shoulder, she gave them what they wanted, the midnight blue of the silk caressing her every curve. The designer's skill cut the cloth so it shone under the lights, careful and intricate pleats added drama to the gown,  the sections woven finer gave movement even as she posed. She would never pose for long, this brief outing was all it would take for the gown to become the sensation it was designed to be.

Crossing her arms across her chest, as if in some fundamental move of protection, she had their attention, this had not happened before. All sounds died away as she parted her lips, preparing to speak in her low voice, one that carried through the crowds...

   "In all of the darkness, there is a light shining. The light is people doing what they can to help."

 

This is the -Azul- Marcela gown, in Sapphire, a colour exclusively available at the Fashion For Life 2012 event.

As a dress, it is truly beautiful, the colour is rich, and accented with black on the pleats. It involves a system skirt, which usually would have me sighing and resigning it to the 'will never wear' pit at the bottom of my invent. System skirts never work with my shape, and I do hate to change my shape.

For this, however, the creators have very helpfully included a notecard with details of shape measurements to make the system skirt look its best. So, here, the ass is a lot smaller than usual, and I'm a bit knock-kneed (though you can't tell). Most importantly, even with the suggested alterations, it still looked like me. Big plus. 

The biggest plus, of course, is that as part of the Fashion For Life event, the proceeds from the sale go to the American Cancer Society. Fighting cancer, bit by bit, in each and every country is a goal everyone can get behind.

Dress : -Azul- Marcela in Sapphire, exclusive to Fashion For Life 2012

http://slurl.com/secondlife/DreamSeeker%20Its%20Time/127/49/26

Other items of note

Hair : (r)M ~ Hair No.09 (f) Brocade Red

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Magic%20Isle/123/128/31

Nails : Rozoregalia *Gemma*Ring&Nail/3*(F):Ring&Nail1

http://slurl.com/secondlife//159/160/34