Tag: SL Home&Decor

A Cozy Little Nook

Posted on by cejalaval

http://A Cozy Little Nook

I love porches because of the cozy little nooks that you can so easily create. This autumn set fits my porch so perfectly, it just invites  you to “sit and set a while”… and the included animations make that easy and fun to do! A nice little touch is the built-in resizer, so if you need to modify the furniture to fit , it’s incredibly simple to do.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m just going to sit a while, read a bit, drink my coffee and wait for some company to join me for cuddling and conversation…  Happy shopping!

  • Couch & Chair:  Park Place Home – Smoky Mountain Rustic Settee & Chair – Autumn.  Sold separately, each with PG single and couple animations.  Available at the November Swank Event, Nov 7th – 31st.
  • Table:  Park Place Home – Cement/Dark Metal Fire Pit Table.  With flames to keep you warm when that autumn nip is in the air! Available at the November Swank Event, Nov 7th – 31st.
  • Magazines:  Park Place Home – Coffee table magazines
  • Cats:  Image Essentials Props and Poses – Full Perm Mesh Cats
  • Coffee:  What Next – Coffee Sierra Kettle & Mugs
  • Plant:  [Circa] Living – “Aziza” Tall Vase
  • Location:  my home in Blake Passage

 

Fall’s Embrace

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Fall's Embrace

So as I sit here sipping my hot mulled apple cider (you thought I just blogged about it???), I’m thinking how fall is not just hot drinks and warm clothes.  Decor and landscaping is such a big part of it, especially here on the grid where nature does not naturally participate… you need fallen leaves and pumpkins and blankets ready to wrap around you at a moment’s notice. It’s why we all go looking for those beautiful photogenic sims that change with the seasons, because it just doesn’t feel like fall if it doesn’t LOOK like fall.  That applies to your home here in SL as well.  And no it doesn’t mean that you redo everything every season.  What it DOES mean is that those summery deck chairs and barbecue sets get stored away till next summer (just like they do in real life!!!), and a few well chosen autumn sets or pieces take their place.  There’s a lot to choose from; here’s a set that I think is so fabulous, I’m now personally using it in my own home. Whether you choose this set, or another, or none at all, have fun exploring all there is out there.  Happy shopping!

Tylar’s Treasures – The Brock Fall Collection, available INDIVIDUALLY for sale EXCLUSIVELY at the Uncharted Event, Nov 5th – 20th.  Use them alone or group them together like I did for a fabulous fall setting (and since everything is copy/modify, your setting can be customized just the way you want it!):

  • Brock Fall Bench Bento – available in both cuddle & adult versions.  Animated with slow dances, bento couple & single animations & sequences.  Also includes 8 texture changes for the pillows & blanket, & two for the wood (dark or light). (See closeup below)
  • Brock Fall Fire Basket – with scripted fire & fire sounds, as well as smoke (See closeup below)
  • Brock Fall Fountain – with animated water & water sounds; includes the haystalk, pumpkin & gourd, scattered leaves & lights. (See closeup below)
  • Brock Fall Planter – beautiful autumn color!
  • Brock Fall Wall Vine – with animated bird & chirp (See closeup below)

Attack of the Man (or Woman) Eating Spiders

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Attack of the Man (or Woman) Eating Spiders

With one week to go, we’re getting into the final stretch for Halloween.  I’m just really starting to look around at what’s available, and I have to say, there’s just so much quantity out there in every genre, it can be downright daunting to find the quality items. I have to say that one of my favorite items this year — in fact I believe it will rank among my personal favorites for a long, long time, gracing whatever land I own — is ATTACK OF THE MAN EATING SPIDERS from Tylar’s Treasures.  It’s just such a uniquely creepy item, it’s really cool!  The scene features a bare tree covered in a spiderweb. The ground beneath  the tree is covered in skulls and two whole skeletons.  But what really makes this item come alive is that it has 3 animated spiders — one of the giant ones wanders around the scene (yes, you can set his range!); another giant is attacking a skeleton in the foreground; and a smaller cousin is moving up and down on a web from the tree.  This can be seriously creepy stuff, especially if you get tangled up with the big animated spider… which happened to me the moment I tp’d to the event using the LM below (consider yourself forewarned lol).  Want even more creepiness?  The giant animated spider is copy, so you can have as many giant spiders running around as you can handle before calling for the exterminator!

  • Attack of the Man Eating Spiders –  TYLAR’S TREASURES … A must-have for anyone who does Halloween landscaping! With 3 animated spiders, one that will roam as far as you allow (read the full description above).  Creepy, cool, chilling… everything Halloween should be! EXCLUSIVELY available at Mad Circus, Oct 5th – 31st. 
  • Location:  Pendle Hill

A Fall Bounty for All the Senses

Posted on by cejalaval

http://A Fall Bounty

Now that a permanent move to Florida is in the works for me in a year or two’s time, I find that I’m paying even more attention than usual to the seasons.  And although I’ve always KNOWN it, I’m really seeing how so many of the little things that make the fall season special just get lost in all the noise about Halloween.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Halloween, but I also love the crisp bite of the fall air and of the late-season apples (we just went apple-picking yesterday!!!!), the beauty of the red, gold and orange leaves on the trees and the crunch underfoot of those that have fallen, the clarity of the air and the way that mist and fog seem to reach out and beckon in the gloom, the bustle of the squirrels and the cry of the Canadian geese as they both ready themselves for what comes next, the scent of fall treats and comfort foods baking, and so very much more.  It truly is a season of bounty for ALL the senses. That’s why I was thrilled to find among all the awesome horror and Goth items at the current home & garden area of this month’s Swank a beautiful fall deck that, for me, just helps crystallize the glory of this season as I relax and watch the waves.  Check it out, and I think you’ll feel the same way…

EVHAH – The Fall Deck, which is actually not just the wooden deck but also all the decor as shown, plus the rocks & autumn tree at left (copy so you can more to the scene if you want), the surrounding flowers, & cattails (not shown), all in a rez box so it’s super easy to set up initially & then customize from there if you want.  Includes texture changes with 9 options for the blanket/pillows & 7 for the wood; you can also turn on a slow fall of swirling leaves from the autumn tree which has 3 autumn textures plus 1 green & a winter option, so you can easily use it year-round. Also includes both single & couple animations (I’m using one) — including swim, drinks, dance, cuddle, & sex options. With the little lights on the deck & on the autumn tree, this is just a gorgeous addition to your fall landscaping, day or night! Available at the October Swank Event, through October 28th.

Black Cat Halloween

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Black Cat Halloween

Anyone who knows me in SL or follows my blog knows that I’m a crazy cat lady.  I have more cats than I’m willing to admit, and about 18 boxes (for those of you who are unversed in the world of KittyCatS, that means ready-to-birth kittens) in storage.  So needless to say, when I saw this Halloween gacha set full of black kittens my craziness rose to the surface and I just HAD to HAVE THEM ALL and blog about them.  Although I couldn’t fit everything into my pic and do them justice, you can see the full set below.  What I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE about this set — in addition to it being cats together with Halloween, which is in itself enough! — is that every piece is wonderfully detailed, and unique and different in its own way.  Yes, one or two are variants in black or orange, but the number of completely different items is extremely high for a gacha set of this size, with 12 commons & only two items classified as “Rare”.  And I just have to mention that the rat with the cat animates on touch, and the dog has really red eyes.  Such fun!

Black Kitten Gacha:  MOoH! – EXCLUSIVELY at the Driftwood event, Oct 5th – Nov 5th, 50L a play. Good luck!

Another Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Another Legend of Sleepy Hollow

We all know the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the story of Ichabod Crane.  I happen to live not all that far away from Sleepy Hollow, and the cemetery there is always a place for all kinds of haunted doings at this time of year.  There might not be a Headless Horseman anywhere in sight, but this is my version of Sleepy Hollow this year… the scene adds just the right bit of eerieness to make the season feel more Halloweenish!

  • Graveyard: [HarshLands] – Cemetery Walls.  A modular set of graveyard walls that come in multiple configurations — open sided walls, gates, closed walls, corners — in three variations — mossy, bloody, or regular — so you can create your own customized cemetery.  Available at the October Swank Event, through October 28th.
  • Tree: CJ Creations – Halloween Twisted Sleepy Hollow.  This is Halloween decor at its finest. A twisted hollow tree with moss & hanging vines, skeletons, spiders, & an eerie shrouded figure with a lantern. Best of all, you can turn fog in the hollow on/off by touch.  I’ve added another pic below so nothing is obscured by the cemetery walls. EXCLUSIVELY available at the October Swank Event until October 28th.
  • Fog:  Dysfunctional Designs – Creeping Fog, because I couldn’t resist adding more to the effect from the tree!

The Reaper

Posted on by cejalaval

http://The Reaper

OK, so we’re far enough into October now where fall has begun in earnest. That means two things… it’s now officially fall, to the point where I’ve ripped out all spring/summer flora from my SL land and have put in all kinds of autumnal glory and fallen leaves.  I have to admit that it’s not only a nice, refreshing change, but it’s gorgeous! The fact that it actually uses less prims is a welcome bonus too lol! But more importantly, October means Halloween. I’ve been seeing lots of absolutely AMAZING Halloween decor this year, and I plan on featuring quite a bit in this blog.  First up is this fun item that can fit on just about any size lot to add that perfect touch of Halloween dread!

  • Halloween Arch –  TYLAR’S TREASURES – Reaper Garden Entrance, with animated bats.  Features a fall branch tunnel with fall leaves, bats flying above, all decorated with a standing reaper at the entrance — a reaper with flaming eyes! — & a creepy pumpkin on hay bale. Perfect for your Halloween decorating! Copy/modify, this fantastic item is EXCLUSIVELY available at Heathen’s Court, October 5th – 31st.
  • Location:  Pendle Hill

Do You Believe in Magic?

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Do You Believe in Magic?

It’s funny, but no matter how old I get, I never forget all the little fantasies and fairy tales and stories I’ve read and seen throughout my life.  Little everyday things may suddenly bring one to mind, totally out of the blue.  Like when a bell rings, I might think of Clarence getting his wings in It’s A Wonderful Life.  When someone complains that they have no idea what to pack (including myself lol), I laugh to myself when I remember that the most important thing is a towel (A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy).  And when I suddenly see a light or a candle brighten in a certain way, I always think of Tinkerbell in Peter Pan.  I know that some people will sneer at this.  But for me, I think that the ability to not only remember but to continue to see magic in the world around me is a gift, one that in today’s world I believe is increasingly valuable.  Of course I know it’s not real; but that doesn’t mean that the thoughts, the possibilities, don’t bring a smile, a lifting of the heart, a lightening of the step, in what can be a heavy, exhausting, depressing world.  And the fact is, magic comes in many forms. There’s magic in a beautiful sunset, in the night sky, in a brisk autumn afternoon, at dusk in the summer as the fireflies gather.  So believe like I believe, or don’t… go ahead and deal with things in your way, and I’ll deal with them in mine. We’ll see who smiles more!

  • Dress:  !!smesh – Felicity.  As much as I love fall, a part of me is still clinging onto summer.  With exceptional little outfits like this, it might become an endless summer! I love the cute teeny little shorts with the gorgeous lace panel that runs all the way around, but the top is what won my heart…  the bra cup with the lace overlay & the hanging ties with little beads.  And the color picker lets you not only choose a color from 24 starter choices but the whole color spectrum as well for the lace top, the bra, & the shorts so you can find the absolutely perfect mix of customized tones that you want.  You can adjust the transparency of the top &/or shorts too. Sized for Slink H/P, Belleza F/I/V, & Maitreya. 
  • Skin:  7 Deadly s[K]ins – Maze, worn in Maple browless.  Because this pack of Omega face/body skins also includes BOM skins & yesterday’s experiment worked perfectly, I again mixed a BOM skin for the head with an OMEGA skin for my body.  I love, love, love the result, especially with Maze’s smattering of freckles (I still add my own of course!)!  Fatpacks of 5 dark or light tones are available EXCLUSIVELY at the Dubai Event until Oct 20th.  A We Love to Blog Designer.
  • Hut:  Nerenzo Design – Little Shelter.  A great little item for the beach or the garden, the Little Shelter adds a great touch to your landscape, day or night.  Just see below! Includes 54 single & couple animations (I’m posed in one in both shots!), as well as 6 wood textures & 9 fabric options.  Available in both cuddle & adult versions.
  • Head:  Akeruka (AK) – Cleo (deluxe bento, now with BOM)
  • Body:  Slink – Hourglass Mesh Body Original, Full Version including Hands (Dynamic) & Feet
  • Hair:  Argrace  – Nanao
  • Brows:  Izzie’s – BOM Layers Eyebrows Curved
  • Freckles:  Izzie’s – Heart Mole & Freckles (System Layer); DS’Elles – Body Freckles (Omega)
  • Makeup:  DS’Elles – Series 6 Eyeshadow
  • Eyes:  IKON – Triumph
  • Nails:  Encore – Shades of Blue
  • Pelican:  Animania – Standing Pelican, Brown
  • Location:  my home at the Hideaway Collective (private)

 

Welcome to the Casbah!

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Welcome to the Casbah!http://Dressing Casbah Style

So in yesterday’s post, I showed you some awesome Moroccan furniture, but what I didn’t show was that I’d set is up as a little boutique store called Ceja’s Casbah Chic.  No, I’m not branching out with my own store.  I just felt that the best way to show off this amazing store structure was by actually creating a little store to show its versatility.  The fact that I had this amazing Moroccan furniture and even a Moroccan-style formal dress inspired me to create the Casbah, and thus began one of my most fun sets ever since I began blogging almost two years ago.  I’ll be a bit heartbroken when I dismantle it, but I’ve loved my little casbah while I’ve had it!

Salacity Structures – Baldwin Store.  Talk about versatile!  This is a whole store building, completely ready for you to create your own cute little store space. It’s a beautiful small-to-midsize shop space, crafted in a traditional style with plenty of windows & open space. Choose from a blue or green metal awning out front (both are in the package), create your signage simply by dragging a banner onto one of the four texture-ready signs included in the package (two different styles, each in two sizes), place it where you want, & you’re ready to start decorating & laying out your wares! Scripted doors automatically open at approach, granting a special welcoming touch & easy access for customers; brick exterior; two big bay windows; wood plank floors… all create the perfect atmosphere in whatever style you want.  Inside are hardwood floors & floor moulding, stucco walls, & beaded board ceilings.  It comes unfurnished of course, but you can see below for a view of the inside, decorated casbah-style for MY store. 100% mesh; 51 prims/LI. It’s available through the Main Store; demo is in the “Large Items” rezzer! (The store directory can get you there.)  Both demo & product are also available on Marketplace…

Roped Passions – Amina Formal Moroccan Dress.  If you’re going to create a store called Casbah Chic, you better have some Casbah styles! This is a gorgeous example of non-Western dress, far apart from the silks that you see all over the grid.  The HUD offers a choice of 7 rich colors, with your choice of gold or silver lining, as well as different metals for the necklace. Sized for Physique, Venus, Maitreya, & Classic. 100% DONATION Item at the Spoonful of Sugar Festival, supporting Doctors without Borders, Sept 14th – 29th.  You can TP directly to their store at the festival HERE.  To learn more about the S.O.S Festival & MSF/Doctors Without Borders, & to see all the latest happening and developments, click HERE.  

The complete look:

  • Head:  Akeruka (AK) – Cleo, one of the new deluxe bento heads from AK
  • Body:  Slink – Physique Mesh Body Original, Full Version including Hands (Dynamic) & Feet
  • Skin:  theSkinnery – Giulia (Freckled version)
  • Eyes:  IKON – Triumph
  • Lashes/Makeup:  SLACKGIRL –  Thay Deluxe Lashes; HD6 Eyeshadow
  • Hair:  no.match – NO_JEWEL
  • Freckles:  Izzie’s – Heart Mole & Freckles (Omega)
  • Nails:  Livia – Metallic Shine
  • Shoes:  Eclectica – ‘Sheherezade’ Arabian Slippers
  • Pose:  Corpus – Mannequin 6

(For details about the furniture, see yesterday’s post by clicking here or looking on Recent Posts in the sidebar. )

 

Listening to A Summer Song

Posted on by cejalaval

http://Holding onto Summerhttp://Goodbye to Summer

I really can’t believe how quickly that nip in the air appeared.  In the space of just a few days I went from wearing shorts and tank tops to jeans, 3/4 sleeves, and even a jacket at certain times of day. The trees have felt it, too, and are just starting to turn.  And although their autumnal color is very beautiful and the fall air is refreshing after the oppressive heat, it’s also bittersweet…  I’ve always found fall to be a little sad. All the beauty of fall is actually a form of death (of course, much of it is reborn in spring, but still).  And although it doesn’t mean as much as it once did, when there was a real break in life between summer and the rest of the year, there’s enough of a holdover from childhood for it to be a bit melancholy.  It’s the time of all the “lasts”… one last summer barbecue, one last swim in the lake, one last bonfire, sometimes it’s one last kiss… whatever your summer is about… whatever made it special to you.  The weatherman says we’ll be back in shorts for a couple of days midweek, but I know that’s just a delaying tactic by mother nature… summer’s end is coming, if not already here… and it’s time for that one lasting look around before it’s gone (at least until next year!)… and to turn around and head into the next season with its own beauty, its own pleasures…  They’re already selling Halloween candy in the RL stores and Halloween costume here on the grid… can pumpkin spice latte be far behind?  😉

  • Dress:  Graffitiwear – String Kini Fatpack.  The perfect way to bid farewell to summer, this bikini comes with a matching half-on/half-off jacket that is sliding off your shoulders in a very natural but oh so sexy way.  The detail is fantastic, down to the way the little drawstring cords hang at the bottom of the jacket. Available in two color themes, dark & light (I’ve shown one of each), both with 10 tones for the top, the bottom, & the jacket separately. Sized for Tonic, Slink H/P, Belleza F/I/V,  & Maitreya.  Available at the Designer Circle 18/19 Sept 8th – 21st.  Demo available.
  • Campfire:  Nerenzo Design – Awesome Campfire, full package… includes the log with pillow (3 different colors wood; texture change menu for the pillows), the campfire (turns on & off), the radio, the backpack, the stump with candles, mushrooms, clover, grass, & a 7 rock arrangement.  It’s all copy, so you can set up a scene however works best for you… for me, trying to hang on to that last piece of summer, listening to the radio play A Summer Song, is the scene that came to mind.  Available in both cuddle & adult versions as the “full package” with the rezzables & the fire, or as a “log only” version. The fire itself can be bought separately too. Both the cuddle & the adult version have a 100% bento menu of 131 single & couple animations (but no facial expressions except the oral animations in the adult menu). The full package (both versions) currently has a promo price of 30% OFF until the Sept 22nd.
  • Head:  Akeruka (AK) – Cleo, one of the new deluxe bento heads from AK
  • Skin:  theSkinnery – Giulia (Freckled version)
  • Body: Tonic – Curvy Beauty + Booty Control… truly the most natural curves on the grid with the ability to add that extra oomph how & if you want it!
  • Hair:  Doux – Pink
  • Eyes:  IKON – Triumph
  • Lashes: SLACKGIRL –  Thay Deluxe Lashes
  • Freckles:  Izzie’s – Heart Mole & Freckles (Omega)
  • Standing Pose:  STUN – PosePack Collection Bento ‘Cindy’
  • Location:  my home in Blake Passage