Category: Landscaping

Waiting

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Waiting

Well once again I’ve missed several days of blogging, but the good new is that I am now fully vaccinated!  It is amazing though… where I live, people were scrambling to get appointments for the shot (including us); now, it’s incredibly easy to get an appointment.  Not only that, before you took what you got, no matter how far the drive, no matter which shot it was. Now there’s a luxury of choices… close locations, whichever brand of vaccine you prefer.  I didn’t have too much of a reaction to shot #2; yes, I still can’t really lift my arm after a few days, but other than that I reacted much better than I did to shot #1.  What’s been even harder for me to deal with in the world of blogging though is that my desk chair — my new, awesome desk chair that I picked up at a consignment shop last month — has suddenly “dropped”… it seems that it needs a replacement gas canister, but until that’s handled, I’m so low at the desk that it’s hard to type lol… I feel almost like a little kid sitting at the grownup desk. That said, I’m trying to take maximum advantage of my time inworld since the combination of a sore arm and having to reach up to type are not the best combination for relaxation and enjoyment lol! (Not that something little like that will keep this girl from shopping!!!)  Lots and lots of great events going on right now, with loads of fabulous items.  Here are just a few…

The Look:

  • Outfit:  Jumo Originals – Aeon Outfit.  Awesome style is yours with this one-shoulder asymmetrical top with ruffles at one hip, paired with pants that are not too tight/not too loose… just perfect! Comes with 3 textures in your choice of 8 Hud colors (the fatpack has an extra HUD with 4 additional textures), & is sized for Tonic (Curvy/Fine/Mini), Slink HG/P, Belleza F/I, Legacy, Altamura, & Maitreya.  See the pic below for a closer shot of these fabulous textures (I’m using the Black HUD).  EXCLUSIVELY available at the March round of the Swank Event, open March 7th – 30th.  
  • Head, Eyes, Eyeshadow:  LeLUTKA – Nova Head
  • Body: Tonic – Curvy Beauty (worn with Booty Control).  Still the most natural curves on the grid with options to add that extra oomph how & if you want it, as well as others to minimize the bust &/or the butt, perfect for a slinky gown like this!  With Tonic, you can truly customize the look of your body & not only look fantastic, but also look the way YOU want to!
  • Skin:  theSkinnery – Monica
  • Freckles:  Izzie’s – Heart Mole; Finer Threads – Sel Beauty Marks
  • Hair:  Stealthic – Purity
  • Makeup: #ADORED – Dreamgirl Shadow, pastel palette edition; Top1Salon – HD Rebellious Lipstick
  • Jewelry:  Maxi Gossamer – Jessica Sanctuary Necklace & Earrings; Chop Zuey – Bel Aire Gold Women’s Wedding Band
  • Shoes:  Tonic – Vintage Lace Peep Toe Pump

The Scene (all from the H&G Expo):

Dench Designs – There’s nothing better than shopping with a purpose & scoring awesome landscaping decor!  I’m showing just a few of the donation items for Relay for Life from Dench Designs, located in Region 6 of the Home & Garden Expo, HERE  (and these are just a few of the items from this designer!)

  • Rookery Boat & Rug – Includes the Boat, the rug, the pillows, the trees behind it & the flowers next to it.  Animated for female/male/cuddles; texture change for the rug/pillows.  Only 7LI! 100% DONATION to Relay for Life
  • Rookery Waterfall –  This rocky waterfall is animated (male/female/cuddles; see below for one example), & includes lots of extra decor that — depending on your taste & your prim availability — you can choose to add or not.  (The pic above has all the extra decor included — trees, lanterns, fish, dragonfly, an eating duck!)  100% DONATION to Relay for Life.
  • Stone Planter  – HUNT item (see the pic below for a more detailed image)

Good News! The Home & Garden EXPO is OPEN!

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Good News! The Home & Garden Expo is OPEN!

Anyone who’s familiar with my blog knows that I’m a big supporter of charitable efforts in Second Life, especially Relay for Life, which if you don’t know, is a fundraising effort for the American Cancer Society.   RFL events are held throughout the year; each one is filled with wonderful shopping, entertainment, experiences, and loads of creativity.  Since I’m not a designer, I can’t create/offer items where I can donate the proceeds.  So instead, I utilize my blogging efforts as I can, and then I shop, shop, shop, and shop some more.  The Home & Garden EXPO is one of these mega-events, open from February 27th through March 21st. It’s such a win-win shopping experience… I score awesome creations by a whole range of designers I might already know and love or be seeing for the very first time… and my shopping dollars are going to support Relay for Life,  Shopping with a purpose… what a concept, and what a wonderful way to use this medium, this life, to support such an important cause.  All the details to this year’s event — donation items, 10L hunt items, auction items, entertainment & talks, the decorating competition, grand finale auction, a shopping guide, and more — can be found HERE.

The Look:

  • Outfit:  GiuliaDesign – Elisea.  Stunning off-the-shoulder crop top with sleeves that are half gauzy with the same embroidery that embellishes the top edge along the breasts.   The waist high pin-striped pants are a full flair leg; all colors have a black tie belt. See the full-length pic below for a good view of all this fabulous detail! Available in 10 colors — all with a silky feel — or in a fatback where you can mix & match the tops & bottoms like I did, Elisea is sized for Hourglass, Belleza Freya & Isis, Legacy, & Maitreya. EXCLUSIVELY at the March Vanity Event, open March 4th – 30th.  Demo available.  
  • Head & Eyes:  LeLUTKA – Nova Head
  • Body:  Slink – Hourglass Mesh Body Original, Full Version including Hands (Dynamic) & Feet
  • Skin:  theSkinnery – Monica
  • Freckles:  Izzie’s – Heart Mole; Finer Threads – Sel Beauty Marks
  • Hair:  Stealthic – Searching
  • Makeup: #ADORED – Dreamgirl Shadow, pastel palette edition; Top1Salon – HD Rebellious Lipstick
  • Nails:  Encore – Shades of Pink
  • Jewelry:  Maxi Gossamer – Jessica Sanctuary Necklace & Earrings; Chop Zuey – Bel Aire Gold Women’s Wedding Band
  • Shoes:  Phedora – Clelia Platforms

The Scene (all from the H&G Expo):

  • Backdrop:  My View – Teahouse.  It’s hard to call this a backdrop, because it’s so much more.  It’s really more of a full landscaping item in that the flowers/outdoor vase are on all 4 corners… the doors open & close (& can stay open if you prefer), there are single sit animations included in the inside chairs (see the shot of the interior below); it’s so adorable, with so many little touches that elevate it. 100% DONATION to Relay for Life in Region 6 of the Home & Garden Expo, HERE.  The H&G Expo is open from Feb 27th – March 21st.
  • Pose:  Shutter Up – Good News.  As you probably know, I don’t often do couple poses since it involves logging into two different computers at the same time, & controlling two avatars, & I’m just not that adept lol! But this time, I just couldn’t resist.  Good News is just, well, that good!  Includes the pose ball set as well as the cell phone in my hand.  (NOTE: due to the huge flair of the pants, I did need to adjust the position of the back leg slightly.) 100% DONATION to Relay for Life in Region 6 of the Home & Garden Expo, HERE.  The H&G Expo is open from Feb 27th – March 21st.

Ruins & Roses, Blossoming into Romance

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Ruins & Roses, Blossoming into Romance

IMHO, the whole key to being a successful designer in Second Life (or for that matter, IRL) is having an artistic eye.  And no that doesn’t mean that every item of clothing and every object has to look like an objet d’art, but the style, the form, the colors & patterns, the textures, it all takes that certain something.  Most brands here in SL are for clothing, or for decor, or for whatever; it’s unusual to find one that excels in multiple fields.  But when they do (as in this case), they can work together in amazing ways.  I have to wonder if these gorgeous formal clothes were designed with the setting of the rose-covered ruins in mind, or did the idea for the ruins come after the  clothes were already created… or is it all just some happy accident that they work so perfectly together to create a romantic scene?  The fact is that it doesn’t matter in the slightest, just some mental meanderings; both the clothes and the scene are fabulous each on their own, or together.  Happy shopping!

The look:     

  • Gown:  Swank & Co. –  Blossoming Couples Gown.  A truly exceptional gown, combining a stunning black sequin sheath with what I can only describe as water colors for the bodice & bottom of the gown.   Includes 6 different colors/flower patterns.  Sized for Tonic, Slink HG/P, Belleza F/I/V, eBody, Altamura, & Maitreya, this is called the Blossoming Couples Gown because there’s also a coordinated men’s tuxedo.  Both the men’s & women’s versions are EXCLUSIVELY available at the February round of the Swank Event, open until the 28th.  
  • Body: Tonic – Curvy Beauty (worn with Booty Control).  Still the most natural curves on the grid with options to add that extra oomph how & if you want it, as well as others to minimize the bust &/or the butt, perfect for a slinky gown like this!  With Tonic, you can truly customize the look of your body & not only look fantastic, but also look the way YOU want to!
  • Head, Eyes, Eyeshadow:  LeLUTKA – Nova Head
  • Skin:  theSkinnery – Monica
  • Freckles:  Izzie’s – Heart Mole; Finer Threads – Sel Beauty Marks
  • Hair:  Exile – Full of Grace 
  • Lipstick:  theMARS – Classy Night Lip
  • Jewelry:  J&W Jewelers (extinct vendor?) – Arturo Black Diamonds Collection; Chop Zuey – Bel Aire Gold Women’s Wedding Band

The scene:     

Swank & Co. –  Romantic Rose Covered Ruins w/Light Effects.   It’s really hard to describe the magic of these 4-sided ruins (with each side being somewhat different).  They include controllable light effects; there’s swirling mist rising from the floor; shafts of light; faerie lights, & so much more.  Although best viewed at midnight, it’s not the easiest to show these details when photographed in that light, so you’ll just have to see the how incredible these ruins are for yourself.  EXCLUSIVELY available only at the February round of the Swank Event, open until the 28th.  See the full shot below.

Celebrate Love

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Celebrate LoveYes, Valentine’s Day is over, but I wanted to make the point that love isn’t about a single day… Love is something that we should celebrate every day.  It’s a nice thought, right, but of course the rest of life gets in the way and we get buried under all that minutiae and aggravation of daily living.  Not to mention that love is messy… to use a well-known saying, love isn’t all lollipops and roses (or hearts!!!), it takes a lot of work and commitment and can easily be pushed into the background while other more immediate feelings take dominance.  All it takes, though, is something big — like getting ill — to bring love back into focus.  I often wonder how many people do a big hoopla for Valentine’s Day only to go back to what I’ll call “less loving behavior” the very next day.  It’s sad, it’s frustrating, and it’s just the way life is. That said, I wanted to at least draw attention to the fact that we must all make an effort in our daily lives (and yes, I’m including myself in that!!) to show the ones that we love that we truly do care.  It’s really not that hard… it can be just a touch, a look, a few words, whatever, but it’s definitely worth it when you see/feel the reaction from your loved one.  That’s what strong, long-term relationships are all about, and it makes that hard work just a little bit easier.  So on that note, let’s all celebrate love and have some fun going shopping lol!

The Look:

  • Outfit:  Essence – Metropolitan Girl.  Adorably sexy outfit, with a cute, striped off-shoulder tube top, banded in one color with bright stripes of another down the arms, with a laced back; a high-waist tulip denim skirt; & the cutest sneakers for “high” feet. Includes a 12-color HUD for the crop top, 16-color HUD for the denim skirt, & 4-color HUD for the sneakers.  Sized for Slink HG/P, Belleza F/I/V, & Maitreya, the outfit is available EXCLUSIVELY at the February Swank event open Feb 7th – 28th.  
  • Head & Eyes:  LeLUTKA – Nova Head
  • Body:  Slink – Hourglass Mesh Body Original, Full Version including Hands (Dynamic) & Feet
  • Skin:  theSkinnery – Monica
  • Freckles:  Izzie’s – Heart Mole; Finer Threads – Sel Beauty Marks
  • Hair:  Doux – Peach @ Equal10
  • Makeup:  theSkinnery – Aurora EyeShadow (Group Gift); Top1Salon – HD Rebellious Lipstick
  • Tattoo:  Juna Artistic Tattoo – Lory
  • Jewelry:  Eclectica – Boho Earrings; Chop Zuey – Bel Aire Gold Women’s Wedding Band

The Scene:

  • Heart Decor – (AZ) Studio – Celebrate Love.  A collection inspired by vintage florals, this party set includes a backdrop (shown), 3 different resizable topiaries (shown; sold as a set in either red or blush), ground floor coverings (shown; includes both red & blush options), art object (shown), garlands, balloons, strings, & a wreath. All items are sold individually, & are EXCLUSIVE at the February Swank event open Feb 7th – 28th. 
  • Pose:  FOXCITY – Bike Ride

Your Tropical Escape Awaits

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Your Tropical Escape Awaits

Even here in Florida, I find myself dreaming of a tropical escape.  That may surprise you (I know it surprises ME), but I’m in central Florida and it’s been way too chilly to ever consider this “tropical”.  From what I hear I’ll be singing a totally different tune once the summer comes, but for now, that sunny warmth and cooling sea breeze is only the stuff of dreams.  Why not make that dream a reality (Second Life reality that is lol)?  And nothing creates the perfect spot for escape and renewal like a cabana right on the water’s edge, extending over the water so you can watch the sea life and the foaming waves… Sighs… happy shopping (and dreaming)!

Simple Reflections – Tropical Cabana.  The perfect addition to any tropical escape, with simple clean lines but wonderful detail — touching the back shutters provides options for both the shutters — glass or wood — & the drapes — sheer or opaque (I chose glass & sheer).  Roomy enough to decorate how you want; small enough to fit most spaces.  EXCLUSIVELY available at the January Swank Event, open from January 7th – 30th, with the theme “Renew Yourself”… & this cabana certainly gives you the opportunity to do just that!  Also shown: Tropical Drinks Tray, because what’s a tropical escape without a tropical drink?

I decorated the cabana with these items (several of which are part of other sets), but there’s so many ways to go… have fun!

A Winter Wish

Posted on by cejalaval

http://A Winter Wish

Tylar’s Treasures – Just as every piece of clothing you love may not fit your body, not all landscaping that fits your taste will fit your space.  With these three fabulous new main store releases (sold separately), you have the makings for an absolutely enchanting winter scene that are built to accommodate differing availability of space. 

  • Winter Gazebo.  Beautifully detailed, with ivy climbing up the columns, ice crystals scattered in the center, & icicles hanging from the dome.  Not only that, this fabulous gazebo is bento, which means that it’s animated with slow dances, couples & single animations (& yes, I’m using one of the single anims in the pic).  Available in both Cuddle & Adult versions.
  • Snow Mound with Trees & Bridge.   This is purely a decor piece, and what lovely decor it is!  A snow mound with 5 snowy pine trees around an open center (perfectly sized for the Winter Gazebo!!), with a bare winter white tree sparkling with falling snow crystals on each side of the included bridge, together with some other wintry ground flora.  Gorgeous!
  • Snowy Stone Bridge (not shown).  Although this bridge LOOKS identical to the one in the picture, it’s really something totally different.  That’s because this version of the bridge is bento, with slow dances, couples & single animations.  Available in both Cuddle & Adult versions.

And if you’re wondering about the stunning gown you can barely glimpse? Stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog for a close-up look and details!  Happy shopping!