Evil Cupid - Happy Valentine's Day!

For quite a long time Amorella had suspected that Eros had some beef with her. He gave Amorella the most impossible assignments ever... “See this Canadian woodcutter? His destined bride lives in Calcutta, she sells mobile phones. Make these two meet somehow, and make them fall in love, chop chop!” – Amorella angrily imitated Eros’ high-and-mighty manner of speech. Then a cunning and wicked smile broke on her tiny pink lips and she licked her sharp little fangs. She picked an arrow and she dipped the tip into a black jar that contained some indescribable dark liquid. “It’s your turn now to fall in love, dearest Eros. I hope you’ll like your destined bride. She’s a bit old and ugly, even for a Harpy... but nothing can stand in the way of true love, huh?” – Amorella murmured and flew off to look for her demanding and fussy boss.

Saint Valentine’s Day is around the corner for both Petites and biggies, and if you’re a Petite you should celebrate All Lovers Day wearing this elaborate and incredibly cute outfit by Ankle Biter! Yuna is always Yuna (to our collective luck), so you can safely count on the usual lovely detailing, the hallmark curly tail decorated with a couple of redbreasts in love this time, sparkler add-ons and jewellery pieces, a bow and a quiver, a long and a short skirt, a floating personal pet Cupid... what else do you need to play Love Goddess? Nothing, am I right?

Outfit: "Red Velvet Cherub" by Ankle Biter – 795 L$.

Avatar: "Royale Petite" in Pale by Fallen Gods Inc. – 1500 L$

Hair: "Orion" in Iceberg by Wasabi Pills – 110 L$ for a colour pack of five.

Eyes: "Serial Pierce Eyes" in Beam by The Stringer Mausoleum – an old hunt gift not available any more.

Pose: "Tacklin' Ya" by Olive Juice – this pose is not available any more, but a few sitting poses from the "Grounded Men" series look quite similar.

Enchantment in SL - My Love Will Arrive

The candles were burning, and she was afire, too. The perfume of the red roses was overwhelming. She wore a deep red gown, and her strawberry blonde hair was arranged in an elaborate updo. She touched a dry log in the fireplace, and the fire roared up. She was growing more and more impatient, moment by moment. She was the Lady of Flames and her lover, the Frost Prince, was to arrive. Soon, very soon.

I've been in debt with Charlie (Lerochelle Destiny, the owner and designer of .:Soul:.) for a long time, and now - quite unexpectedly - the mysterious ways of SL graciously permit me to clear said debt. When I saw the first pictures of his latest skin line, "Catalina", I was squeaking with glee. Then, when the tattoo layered "Uni" ears appeared, I was still squeaking, and also hopping with excitement...and what does an enthusiastic-yet-penniless blogger do in a situation like this? Yes. She pesters the creator for review copies. Charlie generously obliged, as always, only that SL unexpectedly decided to gobble up the gift (...well, the skin tone was "Cream", after all...), and regurgitate, in the same unexpected manner, the same gift a few days ago.

The splendid gown with the gold lace overlay is another booty, gotten by ill means from Titania Halasy this time. Titania is a wise woman who knows what to do when she meets a dangerous ankle biter out for a juicy morsel of flesh, or two... so now I can strut Jolie Proie, my "Beautiful Prey" with a looter's pride! The gown is also special because Titania and Alia Baroque created it together, Titania being the "humble tailor", as she modestly defined herself, and Alia providing the textures... and what can I add to all this? My only wish is that these two continue working as a team!

Last but not least, the background. I usually don't review any non-wearable items as I don't have a space to rez them, but now I've made an exception. The latest grandiose piece of furniture (if I may call Justine that...) by Alia Baroque's Libertine is "a dome, a group coven, a playground or a home port", a must-see and also a must-buy.

Skin and shape: "Catalina" in Cream by Soul - 899 L$. The skin shown here is from the Human series, but you should also check out the new Fantasy Line, consisting of eight beautiful and unusual skin tones. Each skin pack contains various shapes, muscled/toned skin layers, appliers, and many other extras such as makeup layers, so it's really worth it to pay a visit to Charlie's shop.

Ears: Uni Ears "High Elf" by Soul - 399 L$. The ears come with a special tattoo HUD, and they are also copy/mod, making them a true bargain.

Eyes: Spectral Eyes "Leonine" by IKON  - past group gift, now available for 150 L$.

Hair: "Ruri" in Ruby by D!va - 125 L$ (special discount price). Marisa Kira is rebuilding her sim, and she has decided to pamper her clients with a special offer in the meantime - everything is half price in the temporary skybox shop! "Ruby" was a Lucky Board gift but there are 12 other lovely colours still available.

Gown: "Jolie Proie" in Red by Faida and Fallen Gods Inc. - 260 L$, for the "Enchantment in SL" event. The gown is available in eight lovely gemstone colours, and you can read more about Enchantment in SL here.

Jewellery: "Eureka" by Ganked - not available any more (... what a pity).

Rose bouquet with pose: [[RH]] "Old Rose Bouquet" set - a free gift at the Creators Collection Box event until 14th February.

Sofa: "Justine" by Libertine - 3,700 L$. Visit Libertine's showroom in order to play with Justine before you buy this unique piece.

The not so little mermaid

Ariel had taken a gamble, she had known it at the time but in the heat of the moment, with passion and the dream of a new life blurring her vision as she gazed across the wave rocked surface of the sea; she had not cared. Giving everything up for love was the thread running through all the tales shared with her friends in school. The others, so strong and determined, had found their romance close to home, or so she understood. Only recently had she tasted what they may have long known, the disintegration and re-imagining of what life meant through one look, one sight, of the one face. She had gone to the wise woman, not for advice - this she had refused to hear. Her voice had been taken, part-price of her wish. She had risen to the surface, swum to shore to find him. Each step on the feet which had replaced her fins was fire, was the rasping stab of knives, the tearing bite of the shark but she carried on. She found him in his palace by the sea. For the first time he saw her, and they danced, they danced, pain and joy welling tears in her eyes. These tears in time washed away the illusion, as they fell at each dance. This new world had accepted her, a great beauty, welcome at the court. His heart loved another, he danced with her for sport. She would not do as she was commanded, she would not dance for their wedding, she would return to the world without pain, beneath the tide. In time, so the wise woman promised, her beautiful tail would return, and again she would sing. 

Utterly unplanned we are mer bound on the blog this week! There must be a cosmic plan (or at least it's mer season in SL?) I've been delving around The Fantasy Collective - a bi-monthly shopping event with an ever changing fantasy theme - this round it's all about the Mer.

The Fantasy Collective

Hair :  [RA] Jewel Hair - Ombres  L$ 275
Lovely hair with 8 HUD driven colour options can be worn with or without the decorative chopsticks.
Dress :  Valentina E. - Siren Gown Seaweed  L$ 285
Amazing ombre colour fade and texture to this beautifully shaped dress.
Mer outfit : LUAS - SIA ROSE. L$ 99
Highly detailed shell and pearl outfit - all pieces can be moved / resized to fit perfectly.

When I was scouting out locations I visited the RP SIM of the Deep Canyon Mers (third image above). Here while I was looking around one of the SIM owners, Chastity Starspear, arrived, and invited me on a proper tour - in a seahorse drawn carriage no less! The SIM has an established history, with many locations worth investigating - please feel free to check it out!

Deep Canyon Mers

Sparkling Mermaid

Spindrift Flotsam Leaper was a treasure-collector, gathering finds from the beach and ocean and creating caches of interesting and beautiful objects. When she was in good mood (which she was often), she leaped alongside the prows of boats, and cheered up the sailors immensely. They adored her long wavy seafoam hair, the sparkling blue skin, the opulent jewellery... until one day a greedy seaman had the idea that those lovely baubles would look better on his plain human wife. He reached for his harpoon... Spindrift jumped into the air, frightened and deluded, then plunged back into the ocean, and no mortal eye has ever seen her again.

Two fantasy markets are about to close their gates soon, so this is a last-minute notice again. :) The splendid deep blue skin is a current offer by Fallen Gods Inc. at the monthly We Love RP shopping event, together with the long Electra hair in many colour packs. The strikingly beautiful "Mata Hari" jewellery set is on sale at The Secret Affair.

Skin: Draco Odyssey/Laguna by Fallen Gods Inc. - 590 L$ at We Love RP. There are 10 male and female versions available (scaled/smooth, with/without tattoo marks, snake scales), the full pack is 1980 L$.

Hair: "Electra" in Merfolk by Entwined Hair - 185 L$ at We Love RP.

Eyes: "Dragon Eyes" in Mystic Crystal by Sterling Artistry - 85 L$.

Ornamented Hair Chain "Tribal" (Common), Chest Lace with Chains (Rare), Dancer Jewels "Blooming" (Common), Epaulettes "Tribal" (Common) - "Mata Hari" gacha prizes by Devious Mind - 75 L$ per play at The Secret Affair, running until 29th January.

Tiara: part of the "Revenge" jewellery set by Luas - 100 L$ on the Marketplace.

The picture was taken in the magical underwater garden at Ode.

OMGacha!

Snow had fallen as one year ticked into the next, the hand on the clock and fireworks bursting amid clouds swollen with winter whiteness. Some had melted in the horizon skimming sunlight of the days that followed, but more fell, and more, and more. Now the sunlight shone on a world draped in a crystalline blanket, powder soft and clean, muffling the sound of her feet. No clipping or clopping accompanied her movement. As she drew closer to the bridge the soft sounds of Tchaikovsky wove through the air, with each step, a growing "C'thulhu fhtagn". Any strangers wandering in the woods during the beautiful dawn would likely be surprised, but all who dwelled in the neighbouring hamlets and villages wouldn't bat an eye. Soon enough she would bump into some of these friends, the sounds of her ride melding with whinnying, trumpeting and the curious noise of a giraffe greeting a dragon. Kicking off their shoes, they would walk, trot, and run in the wonderland of snow.

OMGacha is here again! The beautiful backdrop to these images is the SIM redecorated for the January round. A frozen fantasy filled with pretty gacha machines, each brimming with bargain goodies. There's a good amount of gachas for the bois in this round also. More may follow from this if I have the time! Meanwhile - check out these lovelies, and head on over!

OMGacha January

Hairband : .{yumyums}. Cute as a Button ULTRA RARE  L$ 50
Part Minnie Mouse, part sewing box, ALL cute! There are colours and options for all tastes in the gacha - these ultra-rares come with a colour change HUD
Hair : pr!tty - Louise - [Colorful 5+6] .roots. (5 shown) L$ 80
Two hairs for the price of one - this pretty peachy pink is twinned with a tonal blue.
Skin :  Alterego I maliyah II 09 - Caramel  L$ 100
Beautiful skin, great detailing as ever from Alterego. For this price? What more could you want?
Outfit : {le fil casse} Snow Angel Romper Peach L$ 60
Sweet little playsuit - play the gacha according to the size of your av. Lace detailing is so pretty.
Shoes : .{yumyums}. CutiePie Flats {Sky Dot} RARE  L$ 50
Omgacha... omg the detail. Pretty inside and out (Don't tell me you've never rezzed your mesh shoes to see the work designers put into the insides!). These seem to be for MESH flat feet - I could be wrong - but I don't own these, so to look their best, here they are 'sans pieds'. Platform versions also in the gacha.
Hobbyhorse : Madpea Nutty Trotters - Tchaikovsky  L$ 50
Hehehe MadPea do it again. This hobby 'horse' is one of ten versions, touch menu options to perfectly size your ride. Animations for walking and running. Sounds included - perhaps not "C'thulhu fhtagn" but will liven up your trotting all the same!

The Day I Lost My Home

"The rockets set the bony meadows afire, turned rock to lava, turned wood to charcoal, transmitted water to steam, made sand and silica into green glass which lay like shattered mirrors reflecting the invasion, all about. ...And from the rockets ran men with hammers in their hands to beat the strange world into a shape that was familiar to the eye, to bludgeon away all the strangeness..."

                                                           (Ray Bradbury: The Martian Chronicles, The Locusts)

The current round of "A Tattered Page" is dedicated to Ray Bradbury and his masterpiece collection of short stories, The Martian Chronicles. I was a teenager when I first borrowed the book from our local library... and I've been re-reading the melancholic and deep stories again and again, ever since that day... and rather often I am not at all proud that I belong to the barbaric human race.

Skin: "Mrs K" by Fallen Gods Inc. - 990 L$; the package contains the skin, a shape, a pair of yellow coin eyes, and many appliers.

Hair: "Windsong" in Russet by Exile - 88 L$ for a colour pack of 10 shades, available at the current round of Collabor88.

Tiara: "Helios Head Piece" by 22769 - this magnificent tiara was a gift from Paco Pooley and Manuel Ormidale for the Sunshine Hunt, organized to celebrate the 7th anniversary of Fallen Gods Inc. inworld. It may not be available any more, but if you want to find some other top quality accessories, outfits and also furniture, a trip to 22769 is a must!

Outfit and jewellery: "Pohjola" by Tekeli-li - the top (160 L$), the bottom (160 L$), a full jewellery set (310 L$) and other accessories are available on the Marketplace.

The picture was taken at LEA10, where Whiskey Monday is currently building her ever-changing project, aptly called "Nothing Endures But Change". Very gently she also left a pose stand there, crammed with many gracious poses by Flowey; I took the occasion and picked "All I need" for my snapshot.

Leaf on the Wind

Some days in the capital there was nothing much to do. Lola stretched out on her sofa and laughed softly to herself. There had rarely been a bigger lie pop into her head. There was always so much to do in the heart of the city, whether it was trailing up and down crowded streets staring through plate glass at staggeringly expensive items of metal or leather, or delving into back alley boutiques and rummaging through market stalls for a unique bargain. History resounded with each footfall, Tyburn, Horseguards, palaces and bridges. Each step was a step to the future, vibrant cultures colliding to meld together on each street corner. Millions flocked to London, to see the sights, to feel the music past and present in each beat, in each breath. There was so much to do each day she struggled to pick, even after all these years. Later, she would walk through the park, the lungs of the city, spaces of green where in the middle of the metropolis deer roamed free. Come night, as lights began to shimmer from highrise and basement bar alike, new horizons called. The millennium wheel still beckoned on the skyline, drawing people to the river. London, the ever changing, ever true city was calling. Calling the punk, the romantic, the nostalgic, the dreamer. Answer the call.

You know we love an event here. Especially an event which benefits someone, or lots of someones in need. Leaf on the Wind is a fundraising event held to benefit Scarlet Chandrayaan, Owner of Alouette, in hopes of helping her wish of visiting London come true. The real life person, Amy, behind Scarlet, is battling cancer. This is a fight she has taken on once, and is facing again. Doctors have given her two years at the most if she just continues on with life as it is at the moment and makes the most of the time she has left. We’re all hoping she can fight this once more and live a long life of dreams fulfilled.

Each creator at the Leaf on the Wind event will have up to 4 vendors in their allocated booth, with a percentage of sale price going to fund Amy's travel. The theme of the event is "All things London".

There is also an Auction/Bid Board area for the duration of the event and on the last Saturday of the month (31st January), there is a DJ event planned where the winners of auction prizes will be announced.

All auction items are special deals with values of L$1000 and upwards.

Top :  !Chop Shop!/ Jack The Ripper L$ 100  = 50% Donation
Leggings : Maai  London stockings L$50 = 100% Donation
Boots : FORSAKEN=- Union Riot Boots:  L$ 200  =  75% Donation
Furniture : 22769 ~[bauwerk] London Calling - complete set L$ 800   = 75% Donation

Leaf on the Wind