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Writing from Kissimmee, Florida —

“The earth laughs in flowers.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

A little while back, when Conan was taking pictures of my new house, he also shot some of me posing in a new gown from Kelini Couture.  Now that the push to finish up this year’s OFPC is over with, I feel more justified in writing this session up.  The terrible thing is, due to the self-imposed delay, the gown is no longer available.

I don’t feel too bad about it, though.  This dress was one of the most photographed and frequently written up in the past few months, so it’s not likely you missed hearing about it.  The Flower Power event was one of those double-ring shopping fairs, to squeeze in the maximum amount of stores; but, with some persistence (and a good item search function), you could find the Kelini booth and fill up your shopping bag.  It’s not available any more, so let’s hope Eva will hear our crying and pleading to place it in the store.  (Please, Eva, PLEASE, pretty please!)

Amalia‘s strapless top is sewn with some additional pleated folds (lined in gold satin here) that extend down to form a sort of mildly panniered overskirt effect.  The sheath undergown is studded with golden flowers in a very nice effect, and the hem is raised enough for a pair of elegantly-shod feet to be revealed — this time in N-core’s Knotted sandals.  N-core prefers to sell their shoes in individual colors yet; but the included HUD allows plenty of options in soles, heels and other secondary parts.  And, for once, I decided to wear pantyhose, from BAX Coen.  I like the effect so much, I may make copies of the feet with the SLink appliers for the hose and keep them on hand for ready use.  A caution:  if you use attachment feet with as system body, as I still prefer to do, you’ll need to purchase a package in your desired tone from both sides of the display, one for the appliers and the other, older package for the system panties.  It’s worth the investment!

The makeup is relatively simple for once; I didn’t use multiple layers for my eyeshadow, as I love to do so much.  Mandala’s collar and earrings make a lovely compliment to the confection, and Donna Flora’s Vanilla ring adds a grace note, as does the Finesmith ring on my other hand.

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The details:

• Skin: Glam Affair Cleo (America Clean B)
• Eyes: Poetic Colors classic eyes (blue hour (m) bright)
• Hair: Tukinowaguma Shinobun
• Attachments: SLink hands and feet
• Gown: Kelini Amalia (exclusive to Flower Power event; no longer available)
• Shoes: N-Core Knotted (Green)
• Hosiery: BAX Coen Soft Shine Pantyhose (Black 35 Seams 1)
• Jewelry:  Mandala Nyorai Choker and Earrings; Finesmith Here Comes The Sun Ring (Grass); Donna Flora Vanilla Ring; The Forge House Lannister ring (Gold/Black; vintage)
• Makeup: SlackGirl Nebula eyeshadow (06); MUA Counturing Blush (Light – Full); Oceane Body Design Jade Lipstick (Royal Purple)

Photographed at my home; all photographs by Conan Bankersbox

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I love using Second Life as a platform for devising costumes for my fiction characters and making them come to life.  And it also gives me a chance to create some really good artwork in my photos!

This suite is of a woman who calls herself Daronna; she is in a pensive mood as she attempts to work out memories in the evening, following the day’s duties.  I tend to write my stores in fits and starts, and so I first began dressing Daronna several years ago, when system and flexi were still the norms in SL fashion, and Bliss Couture was a name to conjure with for many of us.  It was before tattoo makeup, however, and definitely before modern tattoo allowances — this makeup is in six layers!  (As I always attempt to do, I’ve listed the makeup in application order, beginning with the lowest level and building up.)

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Most newcomers probably don’t know about the grand days when a lot of colleges were experimenting with Second Life as a teaching tool for various subjects (mostly computer oriented), and even as the first steps in a virtual form of distributed education.  After all, if you could get the classroom out to the students instead of the students coming to the classroom, so to speak, the options for teaching your subject could grow exponentially.¹

Most of the colleges have left, sadly, except for perhaps an occasional computer-science class taught by a rebel, unreconstructed professor or two.  A few remain, though, such as the University of Western Australia, and, here in the United States, the University of Idaho.  Idaho’s campus actually covers five regions, and was designed with some care for looks in many areas.  Where I am here is near the center point of the complex, and I’m wearing a goodie that just came out from neve, the new label offered by coldlogic.  It’s perhaps not the perfect top to wear as the days go cold — which they’re doing with a vengeance here in RL Alabama right now —

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You can’t get much redder than this ensemble from Finesmith. Yula is getting more and more into the couture side of fashion, and this outfit, complete with shoes, “gorget” and SLink nail appliers, comes in several colors; but Keiko finds red about as perfect a color as anything.

Oh, the lady in red, the fellahs are crazy for the lady in red
She’s a bit gaudy, but lawdy, what a personality

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“Hmmm…?  Oh; hello, dear.  How can I help you tonight?…”

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I seem to be acquiring a reputation for pictures of women who belong in a James Bond movie -- or at least one Bond movie. So why not have some fun with it today, and get a little added mojo from the lovely Shirley Bassey, and her memorable version of a title song from said movie?The gown here is Meli from Angel Dessous, and is one of the biggest gowns you'll find outside of Sascha's Designs. It comes in three color combinations; since I was in a metal mood, I chose the gold strapless bodice and huge black ball skirt. This has a netting overskirt as well, as you can see if you look down at the hem on the ground; and a furred or feathered waist.

Goldfinger
He’s the man, the man with the Midas touch
A spider’s touch

The hair is from Hairoin, and the golden skin from Wunderlichs, who also do the silver skin I often wear.

Such a cold finger
Beckons you to enter his web of sin
But don’t go in

The jewelry is all part of a series from Lilipily. I've put it together into a suite, but it's only available separately, at least through the Marketplace. (You can also purchase it in silver, and both versions come in either copy or transfer types.)

Golden words he will pour in your ear
But his lies can’t disguise what you fear
For a golden girl knows when he’s kissed her
It’s the kiss of death from Mister Goldfinger

Gold on gold? It seems to work here for the eyeshadow from CoCo, which I've then overlined with the purple/lashes version of BOOM's Liquid Glaze liner. And the lips are from Oceane Body Design.

Pretty girl beware of his heart of gold
This heart is cold
He loves only gold
Only gold
He loves gold
He loves only gold
Only gold
He loves gold!

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The details:

• Skin: Wunderlichs Metal Skin (gold)
• Eyes: Poetic Colors Gold Flakes (amethyst)
• Hair: Hairoin Magnetic (Pisces)
• Gown: Angel Dessous Meli (gold/black)
• Shoes: Detour Glamour Metallic Pumps (gold)
• Nails: Mandala super long HUD nails (some of the nicest prim nails you’ll find; the HUD lets you choose from five shapes of nail, then customize the colors to a fare-thee-well, with different colors on each nail if you wish.)
• Makeup: CoCo Rainbow eyeshadow b3; BOOM Liquid Glaze liner (lashed purple); Oceane Body Design Jade lips (Cherry, gold stripe)
• Jewelry: Lilipily Chantel earrings, necklace and bangles

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For years, the Brandenburger Tor, or Brandenburg Gate, was the image of Berlin in the imaginations of people.  Constructed in the late 1700s, it originally served as an actual gate to the city of Berlin, and stood at one end of the Unter den Linden, a monumental avenue of linden trees.

Then came the events of World War II and the Cold War.  The Gate became a symbol of Nazi Germany, and then eventually a symbol of the division of Germany into Western and Communist blocs, focused on Berlin.  And much of it has to do with a wall.

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The 2011 Accessory Fair is going on now in two special sims. When I visited the other night, it was remarkably lag-free, and I found some several interesting things I may write about myself in the near future, though I was mainly looking in vain for some classic Egyptian queen’s crowns and couldn’t find them this time.

For now, though, consider these tasty items that Cajsa Lilliehook of It’s Only Fashion found for herself, along with some wonderful black-background photography!

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The Accessory Fair has gone to Egypt where a river of inspiration resulted in beautiful jewelry and accessories worthy of a Pharaoh or a Pharaoh’s Tomb. One of the first places to visit there is Mood featuring jewelry by Jori Watler. Mood is where you go for modern classics, designs that look au courant forever. This set is th Egiziano Dea Ensemble. This closer look shows how rich the texture work is in Mood Jewelry. The Mood Dakhla set for Relay … Read More

via It’s Only Fashion

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Anika went over the lacings of her light lorica vest and trews again, making sure all the knots were tight and the tag ends were tucked in.  She wished she could remove the skirt she had worn in town as a deference to people’s more narrow-minded sensibilities, but the judges had insisted she fight this stupid duel as she was.  Trying to keep from tripping over the hem of her skirt was liable to be a distraction, and when you were in a fight, the fewer things distracting you or falling off you, the better.

Her father, a mercenary turned weaponsmaster, had drilled that into her when she begged him to teach her the ways of the sword.  It had taken her long months to convince him; he had told her straight out of the gate that the life of a mercenary sell-sword was a hard one, and a dangerous and often short one as well.  But Anika had begged and wheedled, and proved her determination by doing every smelly, discipline-requiring job Petron had thrown at her to dissuade her and wear her down.  When she stood in front of him, smelling of five days of stable leavings without complaining once, holding herself at attention despite a bone-deep desire to drop and fall asleep, Petron had sighed — but with a light of pride in his eyes that his daughter could see clearly — and told her to get bathed and eat.  Her first lesson would be the next morning.

That had been seventeen years ago.  Petron had taught her everything he knew about fighting and weapons in eight of those years.  The rest had been spent traveling as a freelance mercenary, slowly earning a reputation with clients and the Mercenaries’ Guild as one of the youngest, ablest sell-swords in the country of Lyritea.  She kept enough banked with the Mercs that she could choose the jobs she accepted now instead of having to take anything offered her.  And in all her working time, she had managed to keep her nose clean, never get in trouble with city guards, clients or clients’ husbands — or lovers — and never, never with nobles….

Until today, when she had walked by the shrine of Nelagha, a god or saint or something she had never even heard of before in a city near the borders, and had apparently failed to salute the statue resting beneath the stone archway.  Now here she was, gearing up for a judicial duel in the ring behind the courthouse.  And, judging by the swirling field of energy that made up the “floor” of the ring, it probably wouldn’t be an easy one.  Anika had heard about some towns in Lyritea’s southern border regions that were more influenced by the magic-bound traditions of the neighboring country than by the ways of Crown City, and this appeared to be one of them.  Swallowing her nervousness, she stepped down through the gate of the arena, which clanged shut behind her with finality, and started scouting around for her opponent’s entry….

I did a little scrounging around through the recent Fantasy Faire, and discovered this warrior outfit that was both fetching and potentially practical. Just remove a few extra prims -- which Anika has not been allowed to do here -- and you are all set to go into battle.

She didn’t have long to wait.  No more than a minute later, the gate on the opposite side of the catha opened to reveal a bearded man in the blue and silver livery of the city courts.  His hands glowed faintly as he bowed in ceremonial greeting.  She returned the bow, having little choice but to go through with the fight, and yanked her long sword from the scabbard on her hip.  Petron’s parting gift to her on her leaving home, he had sworn that this blade would cut down on problems with wizards and sorceresses.  It was time to see just how much those words would hold up….

The sword is a prop katana that can be worn or held in your hand in "warrior ready" pose. A simple HUD controls the pose.

She had time to pull the sword up into a ready position; and then the mage was throwing a ball of lightning-fire at her.  Reflexively, she swung at the stuff — and was mildly shocked to see the ball split in two and crackle into nothingness.  Anika smiled slightly then; this was going to be a more equal battle than she had feared.  As for the mage, she saw him goggling at her, then moving his hands as he readied another spell.  Taking no chances, she dodged behind the tall monument in the center of the ring, considering how to lure him around to where she could close the battle to where a blade would count more than slung spells….

The leather is textured with a Celtic-knot pattern, which extends even to the palms of my gloves. A nice effect!

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The details:

• Skin:  PXL Candy SK SE, light eyebrows
• Eyes:  Poetic sapphire eyes, gold flakes
• Lashes:  LeLutka Photoshoot II
• Hair:  Calico Ingmann Creations Temira (Burnt Copper, scripted)
• Clothes:  MysticHope Anfaela Brown
• Boots:  *RD* unisex tall leather boots
• Jewelry:  EarthStones Crystal Elements suite (earth/gold — necklace 2 in the necklace pack)
• Other:  Hanzo Blades Imperial Fury katana – hip sheathed

Photographed in Avilion Nexus combat sim — teleport to sim (in costume, as this is an RP sim) and go to magician’s dueling arena

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I always like to do a casual and formal shoot for Saint Patrick’s Day, one of the lovely holidays in world.  This year, besides the computer needing replacing, RL work and home has kept me hopping, and I haven’t been able to do many things I wanted to do.  But I did manage to squeeze in a few fast photos of this beautiful gown very early yesterday….

The dress is from PurpleMoon, and is called Serafina.  It also has a large production-show skirt that I didn’t take the time to fiddle with, but is still beautiful.  For me, this skirt is enough, along with the lovely high collar behind my head.  (I have a thing for dragon-wing collars, I guess….)  The collar is removable, of course, as is the excellent orchid-bloom detail on the breast; but who would want to do away with such niceties?  I used for hair an old ‘do from Sinsation — yes, Sinnocent Mirabeau did do some sane hairstyles during her time in world, and this is one of my nicest short bobs.  Along with this is a new eyeshadow from Miamai, one of their usual package of five at a time.

The jewelry suite of necklace and earrings came, I believe, from last year’s Jewelry Fair; it is by RH Engel, and this is the first time I’ve worn them. (Gotta clean out that inventory sometime…!)  I matched this with….

…a beautiful emerald bracelet from EarthStones, and a big, splashy, Art Deco-like cocktail ring.  Erin go bragh!!

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The details:

• Eyes: Poetic Colors sapphire, gold flakes
• Makeup: Miamai XGen Makeup Lash ‘n Liner (teal, no hair base)
• Hair: Sinsation Emma (no longer available)
• Nails: Candy #P000 Basic (green)
• Gown: PurpleMoon Serafina (emerald, flexi skirt)
• Shoes: Armidi Gisaci Barcelona slingback pumps (seagrass)
• Jewelry: Earthstones Envision bracelet (gold/emeralds); Chop Zuey Couture Jewellery
  Voices of Earth ring (gold/emeralds/pave diamonds); RH Engel Lumiere necklace and earrings (gold/emeralds)

Photos taken at my Secret (Public) Photo Studio at Harper’s Fine Art and Photography