Out With A Bang

Today I visited Chakryn Forest and enjoyed the beautiful scenery—and what should zoom past but an exploding fireball! It does sum up the month of January, in that every time I thought I was finally on top of things something else would come up from behind and smack me in the head. However in a few short hours it will all be over and February will begin. I am fashionably embodying my celebratory feelings about the end of the month in this little yellow number from Bettie Voyager.

Once again Truth Hawks provides my hair—this is Sydney, and the hairband can be changed to whatever color you need it to be. Great for some casual wandering, just have to watch out for exploding fireballs!

Top: BP* bottan shirts /long or nomal/yellow

Shorts: [SC] Surf Couture - Cafe Shorts – Brown

Hair: >TRUTH< Sydney – espresso

Shoes: +mocha+  -  Flower Flat [G]

52 Weeks of Color Challenge: Emerald

This was much harder than last week’s challenge because emerald is not a color that is easy to find in SL, particularly in shoes and accessories. Why don’t designers make more green stuff? I finally chose this top from Kungler’s as a starting point and built from there.

My shoes are from Armidi Gisaci, and I was glad to find them because the more jewel-toned green that is emerald is hard to find. Believe me, I looked. And looked. And looked. Somebody make some nice green shoes, please!!!!!

One green item I just love is Eolande’s Oz jewelry set. The hair accessory from Morea Style is a little darker than emerald in my opinion but too gorgeous to pass up.

I don’t change my hair/eye/skin color that often in SL because I can barely make it through the clothing changes for my writing purposes. But my av does have green eyes from Xolo and this week in particular they get to stand out!

It’s not easy being emerald.

Top: (Kunglers Couture) Sophia top - aloe
Jewelry: Eolande's Oz - gold/malachite
Pants: fri.day - Trousers (White)
Shoes: Armidi Gisaci - Dalia Pump - Emerald
Cuffs on pants: [Decoy] Genesis 10 Capri - White 
Hair flower: COIFFE MOREA STYLE * GREEN*
Belt: GS ROSANNA belt w/emerald

Remember Paris

This Paris sim is a delight to visit—replicas of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, and other Paris landmarks. Super fun. And if you can’t be chic and fashionable in Paris, then where can you?

I have been waiting for the right occasion to wear the new (ish) hair from Truth Hawks, and this was it. This hair, called Tatum, comes with a hat with a color change menu so you can always match it with your outfit! I also love the new jacket from DeLa, which I am wearing here in black.

This belt by Mandala is one of my favorite items, so beautifully crafted you can see the leather tooling detail on each of the pockets.

 

 

And who can resist taking a photo under the Eiffel Tower? I was thrilled for the chance to visit this place again and take a picture in which I look like I might actually belong in Paris!

Location: PARIS *-._, Les Champs Elysees  ,_.-*  France  French, Les Champs Elysees - Moderate

Hair: >TRUTH< Tatum – espresso

Jacket and Pants: =DeLa*= Leather Jacket "Bebe" Black; =DeLa*= Trouser "Katherine" Black long

Sweater: (nova) cashmere dress sleeveless top LIPSTICK RED

Boots: J's Ankle Boots Square Black

Masterpiece

This season Masterpiece Theater is showing Downton Abbey, a British period drama about an aristocratic family and its household in the early twentieth century. I am an avid fan of all things period, and particularly British period. However, this is one of the first ones I have ever seen that was not adapted from a novel. In one sense it is great because it is completely new; but on the other hand, I really like being able to go get the book so I can find out what happens without waiting another week!!! Downton Abbey takes place just before the whole British class system starts to break up, and the opulence and beauty of the buildings and clothing are astounding:

This Edwardian treasure from GC looks perfect against this stone staircase. This is a gown that you need help getting into and out of. Where is my ladies’ maid? Regrettably, if I had lived during that period I probably wouldn’t have even rated as high as a ladies’ maid and would have been scrubbing pots in the scullery—I’d never have come close enough to touch a gown like this.

Another lovely contribution of the Edwardians was the bustle skirt. While completely impractical for sitting, I bet it did make sitting up straight easier, because when you sat down you had something to lean up against! The taffeta texture is so realistic could hear the rustle as I changed positions!

Of course a fabulous dress must be set off by fabulous jewelry and for vintage looking pieces Donna Flora is always a great choice.

    

Now I am off to attend to my duties as lady of the manor! Well, my manor, anyhow, such as it is!

(I am still working on my shadows, how am I doing?)

 

Gown: *GC* Black Taffeta Evening Gown

Jewelry: Donna Flora VENUS topaz set

Hair: Sky Everett Designs-Tudor Lady Katherine/black

52 Weeks of Color Challenge: Taupe

Luna Jubilee started this challenge awhile ago on her blog and while I have been following it I have not been participating. Well, this week I decided to finally get on board! Taupe is such a lovely, earthy color. The earth tones get far too little credit, even though they are often the most peaceful and calm-inducing colors out there. I chose kind of a flashy background to emphasize the simple elegance of this top from Thalia. My pants are from DeLa, and I love the texture on them as well, just enough dressiness to make this look a little more upscale.

 

When we think jewelry our minds don’t automatically shout “Brown! Brown is the best color for jewels!” However, this lovely chocolate diamond set from Ear Candy is just the right mix of earthy and elegant.

My shoes today are from Maitreya and are technically not taupe, but they are very close. These are so beautiful I am not sure they could even exist in RL.

And just for fun I am trying out Kristen’s Viewer and playing around with shadows. I am finally getting some shadows, but I think there is still some work to be done on getting the right lighting, or something. My face has some flat angles on it in this light. Also note how my previously brown earrings and necklace now look orange. Ah, the virtual morass that is high-definition graphics settings. 

Suggestions always appreciated!   

Top: *Thalia* Classy Top - Brown

Pants: =DeLa*= Trouser "Marni" Off white pants

Shoes: Maitreya Gold -  Shanti Eggplant

Jewelry: Ear Candy ~ Chocolate Diamond Earrings and Necklace

Hair: >TRUTH< Cameron - night

Miss Brazil 2011

Absolut  Modeling Agency hosted the Miss Brazil 2011 contest on January 22nd. It was the first time I have attended a show in which I could actually see the contestants, since high attendance numbers tend to create a lot of lag. This one went very well though, and while there was a little bit of lag, everyone and their fabulous attire rezzed nicely.

The contestants created three looks for the evening—a tropical look, a regional/traditional look and a formal/evening gown look. The contestants were all beautiful, of course, but how to decide who wins? I am just glad it was not my job.

The winner at the end of the night was Caroline Mosely, who demonstrated amazing taste in the garments she chose for herself and in the colors that set off her av to the maximum.

Miss Brazil Caroline Mosely:

 
Skirt: Morea Style Evening Alicia red
Top: Bliss Couture Babii gown red
Jewelry: Alienbear Princess Caritas

Lica Boa was the 1st runner up and was beautifully elegant in every look of the evening. I love this silver dress from AMC:

1st Runner-up Lica Boa:


MLC Autumn Princess Cloud

Luiza is my friend and was the one who invited me, and she did not disappoint! I adore this silver dress with the black feather stole, and her poses showed off the elegance of her clothing and her av. Fantastic.
Luiza Riddler:

 

Top: Lelutka-Shutter dress/silver 4/ Gloves: Mimikri - Gloves silver/ Shoes: Stiletto Moodey Bare Marilyn (Grey)/ Boa: Utopia/ Skirt: Morea Stephanie silver/ Jewels: Chop Zuey

It was so interesting to see the different looks the contestants put together and they could have all been Miss Brazil, in my opinion. Since there are so many other countries, I may just become a contest crasher!
More photos of the contest:  ABS Miss Brazil 2011 Photo Album
Link to Absolut Modeling Agency: ABS

Fashionable

I attended the Miss Brazil contest hosted by Absolut Modeling Agency yesterday. It was a lot of fun to see the spectacular outfits that the contestants put together. One of my SL friends was competing so I wanted to go and check out, you know, the fashionable people and see what they were wearing. (Those of us with a lesser fashion sense have to find our inspiration where we can)

I will write more tomorrow about the competition itself, but one big question presented itself to me early on: what on earth do you wear to a fashion show? Fortunately Kunglers just came out with this beautiful dress in four colors and it’s fantastic:

 

AvaGardner Kungler has such a way of making a skirt flattering and feminine at the same time. The textures on her pieces are always exquisite, and when I wear her designs the comments I always get are “beautiful,” “magnificent,” or “wonderful.”  She also seems to understand that some of us do not look good in the far more pervasive short prim skirts, and offers options for sophisticated and sexy clothes to those of us who prefer to dress like the more, well, let’s just say mature women that we are.

My hair comes from Truth Hawks, as most of my hair does, because it is, in a word, spectacular. This is a sort of half-updo, more formal than a classic ponytail, but still not too formal. Perfect for my first foray into the fashion world.

 

I also love the back button detailing on the dress in this photo:

 

 

Looks like there may be some fashion hope for me yet!

Dress: (Kunglers) Donatella - lemon

Shoes: *KL* Sandals Nadia Midnight

Hair: >TRUTH< Annie – espresso

Jewelry: Eolande's Cabochon Earring aurora borealis

Snow Day

There is nothing like a snow day to give you a sense of found free time, and secretly teachers like snow days just as much as students. One of my favorite things to do when I suddenly have time on my hands is read. Is there anything better when it’s cold and snowy than knowing you don’t have to go anywhere, but can cozy up with a book and a cup of cocoa and read to your heart’s content? You can stay in your pajamas or put on your most comfortable sweater and fuzzy socks and just relax.




Snuggling is best with cozy blankets and these beauties from Bittersweet Creek are perfect for keeping warm as you hunker down in your easy chair.

    
Stay warm!

Quilts: Bittersweet Creek Hanging Quilt
Socks: JANE - lil piggies socks.rugby.yw custard
Shorts: ::P:: Chino Shorts, Olive
Sweater: JANE - aviator sweater.cream
Braid: >TRUTH< Josephine - espresso

Idol Thoughts

Usually I am not able to watch the preliminary episodes of American Idol. I experience far too much vicarious embarrassment for people who seriously should know better than to go on national television and humiliate themselves. It humiliates me, as well. So while there are some good singers in the early days, I usually wait for the train wrecks to be cleared away. Since my husband loves watching the preliminaries more than anything else, this year I was forced to either watch the premiere or leave the room. And I have to say it was a lot less painful this year, maybe because the new judging panel is able to say no without being cruel, or maybe because Fox got a clue and stopped spending all their airtime on the unfortunate vocally talentless.

I am too old to compete on Idol (and never in a million years would have auditioned, regardless), but as I watched the panorama of singers I wondered what kind of contestant I would be. Would I be the sugary-sweet gal from North Carolina who flirts unashamedly with the judges, or more like the geeky Steven Tyler-look-alike blonde?  Or even more likely, the poor guy who ate paint chips as a child? Sadly I do not have a bra that I would flash to demonstrate my “star” potential, but one thing is for certain, I would make the most of what I do have in my wardrobe, and of utmost important are my Lucille boots from Hoorenbeek. Just enough pop with a little bit of rock. It would also be a good opportunity to get a little sassy with my ponytail from Truth Hawks and sport some pink-streaked bangs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And because flirting with the judges does seem to be working for some of the contestants, I’d be sure to make the most of my time in front of the judging panel, whether singing or not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hair: >TRUTH< Nadine 2 Streaked - night

Top 1: Film Crew Phantom, Fri.day

Top 2: (nova) suede dress BLACK

Pants: *Thalia* Belted Jeans - Dark Blue

Boots: [ hoorenbeek ] Lucille Boots

Jewelry: Mariposa: Jewels: Aubade Bangles Long (Silver/Obsidian), Mariposa: Simplicity: Onyx Earring (no longer available)

Barefoot

There are probably better things than the feeling of sand through your toes, but after clomping through a foot of snow I can’t imagine what they might be. There is not a lot of love shown to SL system hands and feet, unless it is ways of covering them up, but there is always the hope that one day our virtual selves will sport hands and feet that don’t look like we have severe arthritis.

In the meantime, there is Siddean Munro at SLink, who makes prim feet that you can wear when you feel the need to toss your shoes. (Admit it, you know you want to toss them!)
Aren’t they so cute? Too bad RL feet rarely look so pretty. These come with a hud to help you match size and color to your avatar skin. I am wearing Nellie from LAQ and managed to come pretty close. You also have a lot of options for nail color, and in my book an instant pedicure is a good thing. A very good thing. I went with a neutral nail color, but there are a lot to choose from.

Obviously bare feet go with pretty much anything at some point, but for today they accompanied a tank top from Exodi and denim shorts from Surf Couture. Bare feet also call for more casual hair, and I loved this ‘just-pulled-out-my-ponytail’ style from Exile. I am ready to go a-wadin’!

It’s been fun, system feet, but I have found a new love….see you around.

Hair: Exile Rina/twilight

Top: :: Exodi :: Lilian Tank (Pink/Pattern)

Shorts: [SC] Surf Couture - Shack Shorts - Light

Feet: SLink Jolie Pied v2.0 Flat Bare

Chillin’

 

When people ask me if I want my own sim in SL, I always tell them yes and no. It’s fun to build and terraform and decorate and landscape, but one of the wonderful things about SL is the variety of places you can go. And there is so much to see and do, why would you want to limit yourself to one sim? Today I checked out a few different places, first the aQ store:

My sweater and boots are from Kiwi, a great combination great for tromping around and exploring, especially if you end up somewhere snowy:

This is an Amaretto breedable horse sim, and it was a perfect backdrop to show off my casual braid from Truth Hair. Awww, who doesn’t want to watch baby horses?

One of my good friends in SL is a horse breeder herself, and so we paid a visit to her herd. Looks like they are looking forward to spring, as well!

Winter boots today, maybe a swimsuit tomorrow--and all at the click of the teleport button. How can you beat that?

Testing…..Testing…..

 

This is an outfit that in RL I would probably never pay money for, because it’s not practical for things like stepping over backpacks and running up and down stairs. I would also hate to get chalk dust all over it. And my attempts at fashion would probably inspire scorn and mockery on the part of my students. However, in SL my students are well-behaved and never leave their backpacks in the aisle for me to fall over. They never mock me and never lose their homework. And I look more like the proverbial hot substitute in this white sleeveless top from Elymode, which I would probably be fired over if I actually wore it to school.

  

My shoes are from Shiny Things, one of my favorite shoe stores in SL. My belt is from Nyte N’ Day, and breaks up the monotony of the black and white.

All I can say is darn those backpacks in the aisles.