Month: June 2020

Bye Bye Birdie

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Bye Bird Birdie

Ok, so I had my outpatient surgery on Tuesday. I have to say, surgery has never been a fun experience but in this new reality? It’s even worse.  Don’t get me wrong… I’m THRILLED that I finally had this procedure done… I’ve been having difficulties with my knee since last year and the surgery was originally supposed to be in late March, so the delay created its own issues.  But as someone who gets very very nervous with anticipation, going in and having surgery all by yourself, with no family to sit with you or comfort you or be there when you wake up, just makes it that much harder.  And my surgery (which was thankfully a very short and relatively minor one in the scheme of things) was delayed by 2 hours, so I just lay there in pre-op for almost 3 hours alone, with no company, no TV, no book, nothing to do but lie there with my own worrisome thoughts about having anesthesia and all that can wrong, despite previous successful surgeries.  I can only imagine how much more difficult it would be for someone facing a major operation or their very first one, how completely terrifying to go through that alone.  When my husband had open-heart surgery last year, I was there all day every day, keeping him company and both of us calm. I would have been desperate without being able to be there and see for myself and help take care of him. Yes, I know it’s for everyone’s safety which is definitely crucial, but it does make an already difficult process even more so. Well I’m home now, gimping around, dealing with the after effects, looking forward to the day when I can walk again without pain, looking forward to a future time when these restrictions can be eased, and loved ones can once again support each other through the bad times.  Hopefully, it will be sooner rather than later.  Until then, we do what we must…  and when the going gets tough, the tough can put their feet up and still get shopping!

  • Outfit:  ICEWERK Designs – Julia Jumpsuit with Julia Heels. Very stylish, & to me seems to invite touching, the stroking of the satiny fabric.  The jumpsuit & matching heels have 16 textures to choose from; the sheer panels have 4.  Sized for Slink HG/P, Belleza F/I/V, & Maitreya. EXCLUSIVELY available at the 05/20 Girls Heaven event, open May 31st – June 24th.
  • Bag:  MY BAGS by Mila – NEW! My BANUS in Green.  An adorable pouch bag, with both an arm & a hand hold.  Available in 7 colors, each for just 99L at Sail into Summer sales & hunt event.  There is also a hunt for 1L that you have to look for in the store. (All items are in the store!)
  • Skin:  7 Deadly s[K]ins – Maybeline, worn in Butter browless.  Another glorious skin, this time with some of my all-time favorites tones like Butter.  And the best part?  It’s FREE as the June Group Gift to members, with 7 tones in both omega & BOM, regular & browless.  See the closeup below (my own freckles & GENUS makeup added)…
  • Head, Brows, Makeup:  GENUS Project – Strong Face (free version)
  • Body:  Slink – Hourglass Mesh Body Original, Full Version including Hands (Dynamic) & Feet
  • Hair:  Doux – Marcela
  • Eyes:  Avi-Glam – Luminous Eyes in Ivy
  • Freckles:  Izzie’s – Heart Mole & Freckles (Omega); DS’Elles – Freckle Body (Omega)
  • Jewelry:  IT! (Indulge Temptation) – Aurora Earrings; Chop Zuey – Bel Aire Gold Women’s Wedding Band
  • Pose:  STUN Poses – Violet #3 Curve; Kokoro Poses  – Bird Holding
  • Props:  Evolving Images – Bird Cage V; B. Labs – Wine Tray
  • Backdrop:  K&S – Kitchen Daylight Photo booth (rare)

I want to be where the people are

Posted on by cejalaval

http://I want to be where the people are

I’ll never forget the first time I saw The Little Mermaid.  In a lot of ways, it was earth-shattering. Before that, taking your kid to see a movie was something you HAD to do.  Now don’t get me wrong; the Disney Classics like Cinderella and Snow White and Dumbo certainly are watchable the first time or two.  But The Little Mermaid was the first of what I felt was “an animated Broadway production”.  The music, the dialog, even the story all blew me away, with all those double meanings to entertain the parents.  It ushered in a new era of children’s entertainment, and as a parent I was able to thoroughly enjoy it myself (though I’ll admit it does get difficult on the 100th watching lol).  This pic is my homage to Ariel and Scuttle, and all I can say is you’re lucky that there’s no sound with my blog so you can’t hear me singing (I can’t carry a tune whatsoever).  The song is oddly appropriate for the times we’re living in as well; I know I saw something on YouTube using this song, as we were all adjusting to stay-at-home restrictions and lack of social contact.  My region enters Phase 2 today, but I’m having knee surgery this afternoon, so it will still be a little bit before I can go where the people are… but I CAN flip my mermaid tail and go swim through the Blake Sea… how much fun is that!!!  Almost my entire mermaid look is all from one fabulous place… Happy shopping!

  • Tail:  Midnyte Creations – Mermaid Tail & bra with HUD for 4 color options.  Maitreya fit only (which is why I’m not wearing the bra).  The Tail has 2 versions, animated & non animated. Animated version moves like you’re swimming when you walk.  EXCLUSIVELY available at Under the Sea, an Evil Bunny Production, June 6th – 16th.  25% OFF during event only! 
  • Skin:  Midnyte Creations – Mermaid Skin.  Beautifully textured with light multi-coloroed scales (see closeup below). Comes with 4 brow colors plus a no brow option, copy/mod Shape, & mermaid ears, BOM & Omega hud (Skin is only in 1 tone nut the eyebrows are in 4 colors). Created for Catwa Catya & Maitreya but I don’t have either & it looks great! (I’m just using my own shape.)  EXCLUSIVELY available at Under the Sea, an Evil Bunny Production, June 6th – 16th.  50% OFF during event only! NOTE: The brows are also sold separately to use with other skins.
  • Eyes:  Midnyte Creations – Mermaid Eyes. 5 eye colors, both BOM & Omega. EXCLUSIVELY available at Under the Sea.  See the closeup below.
  • Tattoo:  Midnyte Creations – Mermaid Tattoo, includes Face only, Body only, & Full (body & face), both BOM & Omega. EXCLUSIVELY available at Under the Sea.   ALSO WORN:  Mermaid Gills Tattoo, BOM only, which is a FREE GIFT at Under the Sea.
  • Makeup:  Midnyte Creations – Mermaid Lipstick, 4 colors, in both BOM & Omega; Mermaid Eyeshadow, also in 4 colors BOM & Omega.  Both are created for Catwa Catya, but obviously work great on Genus!  Sold separately, EXCLUSIVELY at the Under the Sea event.  See the closeup below.
  • Pose/Props:  Midnyte Creations – Mermaid Rock Prop & Pose Set.  Includes Rock, crab, animated seagull, starfish, separate water spray for optimal placement.  Includes 12 Bento Solo poses & 10 Bento couples poses.  Another exclusive at Under the Sea!
  • Head:  GENUS Project – Strong Face (free version)
  • Body:  Slink – Hourglass Mesh Body Original, Full Version including Hands (Dynamic) & Feet
  • Hair:  Firelight – Candie, Fantasy Gradient Edition

Vicious and Delicious

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Vicious and Delicious

OK, so I’ve borrowed my title from the name of two FlickR groups, but it’s just so perfect for this!  This whole pic is a bit outside of my norm, but inspiration takes all forms lol, and although there will still be plenty of pix in my “style”, I’m thinking that there will also be a bit more experimentation.  Don’t worry, everything will still be “safe” but I do want to start pushing myself a bit further.  I’ve taken on some new sponsors and left a few behind in order to help me on my journey.  I’m thinking of it as a bit of a reboot, a restart to get out of the rut I was in…  The reboot began back when I started experimenting with fantasy, and has now spread a bit further.  It’s not really a new beginning, more like an expansion pack (for any of you gamers out there lol)…  I’m looking forward to see where my journey takes me… I hope you are too!

  • Outfit:  YoU by GeMyles & Myles Harvy Couture – Signe Outfit with Peep Toe Boots. 4-piece set (hoodie, panties, bra, boots) in a black/white stripe. The banding on both the bra & pants feature a word of your choice from a 10-texture HUD (ex: Slut, Curious, Mischievous).  And the boots!!!! LOVE these boots!  Sized for Tonic, Slink HG/P, Belleza F/I/V, Maitreya, & Classic XXS-L. EXCLUSIVELY available at the 05/20 Girls Heaven event, open May 31st – June 24th.
  • Backdrop/Pose:  [VSM] devil inside – Color Your Life.  Available in 3 boxes: the unisex pose with brush (no other props); the pose set with props (including the canvas with an art change menu/easel/rugs/stool; the FULL set including props & skybox (including resize menu & on/off candles). EXCLUSIVELY at the June Swank Event, open June 7th – 30th.  
  • Head, Brows, Eyeliner, Lipstick:  GENUS Project – Strong Face (free version)
  • Body:  Tonic – Curvy Beauty (worn with Booty Control).  I find that the Tonic bodies are truly the most natural curves on the grid with options like Booty Control to add that extra oomph how & if you want it & others to minimize the bust &/or the butt.
  • Skin:  7 Deadly s[K]ins – Anne-Sofie, worn in Caramel browless
  • Hair:  eXxEsS – GIN
  • Eyes:  Avi-Glam – Luminous Eyes in Ivy
  • Freckles:  Izzie’s – Heart Mole & Freckles (Omega); DS’Elles – Freckle Body (Omega)

Communing with Nature

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Communing with Nature

Ahhhh spring/early summer! So delightful… warm but not hot, sunny but not burning, cool breezes that don’t chill.  My home is still in a “Phase 1 Recovery Zone,” so there’s nowhere to go and no reason to go there, which means I’m spending a great deal of time in my backyard or on my back porch.  I’m very lucky to have them; I think of all those people who are “trapped” like me, but without the ready availability of beautiful outdoor space, filled with birds, butterflies, and more.  I’m also paying more attention to it because it’s my last summer here at the home where I’ve lived for decades and raised my kids.  Our home isn’t on the market yet (still waiting for that permit!!), but hopefully it should be soon.  It’s exciting, it’s momentous, and yes, it’s bittersweet.  Part of me doesn’t want to leave… I love it here. It’s beautiful and it’s filled with memories.  But it’s an expensive area with limited activities unless you have the means and the willingness to spend a great deal of money (not to mention those long cold winters), so it’s the right time of my life to make a drastic move to sunnier climes.  And yes, when I’m there I’ll still spend a lot of time in my beautiful outdoor space, watching different birds, butterflies, and more… And I’ve found it interesting that I do the same thing at my home(s) here on the grid — I fill them with floral and fauna, and spend a great deal of time just sitting and watching them.  It’s not shopping therapy, but the color, the movement, the life itself, is definitely therapeutic!

  • Outfit:  Swank & Co.:  Snazzy Florals Top & Pants.  Adorably sexy, fresh as a spring day!  The top is sublime, & is included in two versions… either with floral edge trim only (like it is on the top edge) or with the fuller pattern as shown here.  Available in 4 colors (it’s the floral that changes; the base stays white); sized for Tonic, Slink HG/P, Belleza F/I, & Maitreya. EXCLUSIVELY at the June Swank Event, opening TODAY June 7th.  
  • Head, Brows, Eyeliner, Lipstick:  GENUS Project – Strong Face (free version)
  • Body:  Slink – Hourglass Mesh Body Original, Full Version including Hands (Dynamic) & Feet
  • Hair:  Doux – Bloodline
  • Eyes:  Avi-Glam – Luminous Eyes in Ivy
  • Freckles:  Izzie’s – Heart Mole & Freckles (Omega); DS’Elles – Freckle Body (Omega)
  • Jewelry: Maxi Gossamer – Ayla Moon Goddess Necklace & Earrings; Chop Zuey – Bel Aire Gold Women’s Wedding Band
  • Pose:  Le Poppycock – Good Day

Blue in Paradise

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Blue in Paradise

Just because you’re in paradise physically doesn’t mean you’re happy.  These days especially, no matter where you are the pressures & stress & worries & inequities in the world can impact even the most resilient of us.  But whether you’re stressing over racial inequality, COVID19, personal issues, or even a lost shaker of salt, don’t let people tell you that YOU have no right to be upset or blue considering what you have or where you are.  Yes, some are lucky enough to be more privileged than others, while others struggle every day, but we ALL have the basic human right to feel upset or scared or just plain blue.  Of course, it’s true the other way around as well.  Those around you have the same right; it’s not necessarily bad to remind people of what they DO have, as long as you don’t belittle their emotions in the process.  Well, time to get off my soapbox and find that missing salt shaker, don’t you think?  Then off for more shopping therapy, which ALWAYS lifts spirits!!!

  • Outfit:  Virtue – Felicia.  Love this style, which to me has a definite vintage vibe while still being right on target for today’s style.  The high waist & skinny belt really shows off your shape; the extra layer at the neckline & on the sleeves adds that designer detail to set the outfit apart. Since each piece is separate, you can wear the arms or go sleeveless. Choose from 6 colors including this fabulous shade of red, sized for Slink HG/P, Belleza F/I/V, Legacy, & Maitreya. EXCLUSIVELY available at the 05/20 Girls Heaven event, open May 31st – June 24th.
  • Skin:  7 Deadly s[K]ins – Aloha, worn in Cashew browless.  I run out of superlatives for these 7DS skins, each one a beauty in its own indescribable way! Aloha is another stunner, available in two options of 5 tones each (dark or light tones, including both omega & BOM, regular & browless).  See the closeup below, EXCLUSIVELY available at DUBAI Event until June 10th.  Shape & demos also available.
  • Tylar’s Treasures – NEW!  Sunset Key Collection.   Yesterday I showed the offsim island/bar & the rowboat (HERE); today it’s the land version of the bar.  Chairs have bento animations (singles, cuddles, adult, & dances); texture change for the bartop & the stools (4 colors for the bartop & 5 for the stools).  EXCLUSIVELY available at the June Designer Showcase, from June 5th – 28th, in both cuddle & adult versions.
  • Head, Brows, Eyeliner, Lipstick:  GENUS Project – Strong Face (free version)
  • Body:  Slink – Hourglass Mesh Body Original, Full Version including Hands (Dynamic) & Feet
  • Hair:  Doux – Tyrisha
  • Eyes:  Avi-Glam – Luminous Eyes in Ivy
  • Freckles:  Izzie’s – Heart Mole & Freckles (Omega); DS’Elles – Freckle Body (Omega)
  • Shoes:  Pure Poison – Sandra Sandals
  • Jewelry: Maxi Gossamer – Lyra Enchantress Necklace & Earrings; Chop Zuey – Bel Aire Gold Women’s Wedding Band

Wastin’ away in Margaritaville

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Wastin' Away in Margaritaville

OK, so when you’ve dreamed of escaping to a tropic isle, this may not be what you envisioned, but it certainly adds a very special something to an isle you already have!  And I definitely wouldn’t call it “wastin’ away” because this little collection is so gorgeous and such fun to use!  I know that I redid half my island in order to accommodate it all, it’s just so special!  Time to belly up to the bar and wait for the green flash… rejuvenate myself for more shopping therapy!!!!

Tylar’s Treasures – NEW!  Sunset Key Collection.  EXCLUSIVELY available at the June Designer Showcase, from June 5th – 28th, in both cuddle & adult versions:

  • Offsim Bar with Island – The island, the bar, the chairs, the flamingos, the palm trees with lights, the parrot, the scattering of leaves, & this awesome little wave around the island are all included on this little offsim island.  This is NOT just decor — you can sit there & use all the bento animations (singles, cuddles, adult, & dances).  You can also play with the colors of the bartop & the stools (4 colors for the bartop & 5 for the stools).  Comes in cuddle & adult versions.  The bar/stools are also available as a land version only.
  • Sunset Key Rowboat – comfy little rowboat, filled with bento animations for singles & couples (available in Cuddle & Adult versions), including dances.  Full texture changes available too, for the boat, the rope, both sets of pillows, the blanket, & the mat.