52 Colours: Dandelion

Miss Dandelion kept me guessing and browsing shops for a good while before her personality took form. I disregarded fairies and flowers after I realized that beside sort of eighties t-shirt colour, the colour also reminded me of superhero costumes. After a long search I realized that all the latex and spandex yellows were way too neon bright, so I had to come up with an alternative and then… this happened.

Bodysuit, tights and boots are practically a superhero costume, right? I imagine Miss Dandy Lioness is a magician in the same fashion as Zatanna. Not just tricks! …yes, that’s her name. A friend of mine asked if I was going to make a dandy lion and after the superhero idea occurred, it was obvious that that is -exactly- what I was making.

I cheated with the hair. I usually run around in blacks, so I most definitely did not have the exact cartoonish yellow hair in my inventory — if this tone even exists out there. I took an Exile hairdo and simply dyed it to rgb-tone of dandelion. I also edited it a little to make it work with the hat. So much love for modable hairs. <3

I took Miss Dandy Lioness to Alexander Theater for the pictures and fell in love with the ceiling with all the colours and a handy trapeze. The reason why the hat stays on is that it’s a -magic- hat, of course. By Illusions, as is the wicked bad kitty mesh mask.

I decided that the magician would travel with a flying dandelion by No Strings Attached, a bit like Mary Poppins and the umbrella, except more fun! Her costume is mainly a mix of Peqe’s golden bodysuit and Lassitude & Ennui‘s Selene-boots in blaze.

Taking flight from the roof of the theater, new adventures await!

Skin: LAQ - Ebba [Ivory] (DB) Christmas Gift 2011 | Eyes: The Plastik – Frozen Soul Flame | Makeup: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics - Discordia Makeover [eye/lip] & Bella Vetro Gloss  [Sante Fe]  [Lip 1] | Hair: Exile – Josie (dyed to dandelion) | Bodysuit: Peqe – Golden | Tights: Sn@tch – Ribbed Knit Tights Black | Boots: Lassitude & Ennui – Selene Blaze* | Hat: Illusions – Carrol | Mask: Illusions – Bad Kitty | Gloves: Sn@tch – Leather Gloves Black | Dandelion: No Strings Attached – Dandy | Poses: Olive Juice – Pony Prance / !bang – Stand 131

* complimentary copy

Black Snow

I’m sure most of you know that I came to SL originally to play in a Vampire: the Requiem game. Sonya ran walked around wearing a white skin and black clothes for at least the first half a year of her existence. Returning to monochrome palette is still sort of default for me, it’s easy, it’s natural, like a comfy blanket of glamour and undeath. …you know what I mean.

I love SL fur coats. And feathers, but that’s another story. Needless to say that when I received the notecard of Azul’s latest group gift I ported over the moment I saw this. With the bodysuit and stockings it also works perfectly as a dressing gown for divas.

The snow is from Baffle!’s polar hideout (old hunt gift). I deleted the skydome so I had just the snowy ground and the continuous, beautiful dance of snowflakes in the air. Then I hit a dark windlight and started shooting. These are not post-processed except touches of blur in the last one, all the dark contrast prettiness is created in-world.

The make-up is what started this all: two layers by Pin Me Down, at the moment available in Zombie Popcorn Brand (cheaper to buy now from the brand than later from the main store). I liked both the dots and the stripes, couldn’t decide between them and then blinked and realized they go actually well together.

 

Skin: Nuuna’s Skins – White | Eyes: Repulse – Undead Eyes (Silver) | Tattoo eyebrows: ^Re.Birth^ – Eyebrows: Black | Tattoo lashes: Miamai – Les Makeups Lashes | Tattoo makeups: Pin Me Down – Set 7 – 1&3* | Hair: LeLutka – Inverted CoalMine | Outfit: Azul –  (GG201202)Largo | Poses: Olive Juice – Rain Again? /aDORKable Poses – 14 of 25 / !bang – Stand 134 | Snow: Baffle! – Polar Hideout (edited)

* complimentary copies

Indulgence

I love that word. It wraps together the sins of lust and sloth with a liberal dose of vanity. It speaks of lounging, pleasure and preening. As far as lust is concerned, it’s more about velvet and feathers than the red primal need, which in itself almost courts wrath.

From all the things in Festival of Sin this Carnal lingerie set by *Solange!* was the one that spoke to me most. It told me: “I was made for you, you must have me, you cannot possibly continue your existence on the grid without me.” What was I to do except obey? Black lace and blue roses? Mine.

I dug up the Victorian Room prop room by Miamai for these pictures, most of the poses a part of the chaise longue. Sloth has never married vanity so well as with fainting couches. Grapes might be out of era, but chocolate bonbons might work for a touch of gluttony.

I also finally bought the voyante ring by je suis from the festival. They’re not fair exclusives, I have been eyeing them for a while now and when I had to pose in luxurious blue fripperies I had finally the excuse to get it. As for the hair, it’s an old hunt gift and I have no idea who the designer is, time has eaten away the creator. However, it was exactly what I wanted for this look, so I decided to use it anyway. Any information on the creator and/or similar hairdos out there is more than welcome!

These boudoir mules by Lassitude & Ennui make feet pretty again. Being mesh they also bend with your movements beautifully. I have really no experience with prim feet — even in shoes — because I never seem to make them match as perfectly as I’d like. I blame Sonya’s pale skin being difficult to match and me being paranoid about windlight and shadow effects. These tempt me, though. The things they do to her legs! Vanity at its best~

Festival of Sin:  Lingerie: Solange! – Carnal Slate | Shoes: Lassitude & Ennui – Boudoir Mules*

Scene: Miamai – Victorian Room | Skin: League – Sia Fair Bloom | Eyes: Poetic Colors – Aurora freebie | Lashes: Redgrave – 39- Luscious | Make-up: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics - Morado Otoro Makeover [eye/lip 2] | Hair: BP’s Starlust Valentine Hair! Black | Ring: je suis – voyante ring gemstone | Pose: KatzE erotic004 (last picture, the others a part of the couch)

* complimentary copy

Purple, Green and Gold

We don’t celebrate Mardi Gras or any form of carnival in Finland, adding one more holiday to a surprisingly long list of only-virtual-parties for me. Thus I’m also sort of clueless about which day/s it’s actually on where and when and if I’m already late posting about it or not, so I am completely excusing myself with my nationality. So there.

I went to Siyu’s Mardi Gras Masquerade party, not only once, but twice! The Gods of Carnival pranked big time and locked her sim on Saturday, so she graciously continued the party on Sunday. Two days of hopping like a flapper in a ball gown! Speaking of the gown, yes, it’s another of Evie’s gorgeous creations spiced up with a Schadenfreude mesh corset. The latter is from Flux event, along with the fan and make-up.

When we were not plotting the future society of our obvious alternate universe bubble where we were trapped, I took pictures! Which is always slightly tricky when dancing and extra tricky when you have to keep the graphics to event-level. I had even changed the viewer to stay stably glued on the dance floor. Regardless, I like some of the shots.

As much as Rio-style might be fun, I must say I am rather partial to this type of Venice carnival. Revelries in ball gowns and masks leave so much more to imagination!

 

Flux Event: Corset, fan, make-up: Schadenfreude – Underbust corset, Mardi Gras Fan, Langwidere Mardi Gras Eiraku Eyes/Lips/Nails

Skin: League – Sia Fair Bloom | Eyes: The Plastik – Aleria Fool Purple | Hair: Sky Everett – Kiera black | Dress: Evie’s Closet – Aventine Purple | Shoes: Shiny Things – Delphines gold | Mask: Illusions – Mardi Gras 2012 Masquerade Mask | Pose: !bang – Stand 139 

52 Colours: Dark Raspberry

Miss Dark Raspberry provided surprisingly much trouble for me. I found out early on in the week that dresses categorized as ‘pink’ in Evie’s Closet are pretty much perfect for this colour, I located some berries from the Marketplace, found an orchard/vineyard sim and took some pictures… and hated them the next day. In addition to some technical difficulties I won’t go into, they lacked the spirit. So, I logged back on and went to Alirium instead. I feel better about these, although I still feel like something is missing…

I knew Miss Dark Raspberry would wander around in summery locations barefooted, though, so Alirium was perfect for this.

The carelessly stylish hairdo is one of the first mesh ones by Exile, a subscribo-gift back in the day. The earrings are by Zaara — I should remember to wear her stuff more often, they are gorgeous.

It’s a shame flutterbies don’t eat berries — she’d share!

 

Skin: League – Sia Fair Bloom | Eyes: Shiva – lovestruck | Lipstick: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics – Bella Vetro Gloss [Nightshade] | Lashes: Redgrave – 39- Luscious | Hair: Exile – Mesh GG Brown/Purple | Earrings: Zaara – Anjami Chandelier Gold | Dress: Evie’s Closet – Nathalie Pink | Poses: Olive Juice – Betty / aDORKable Poses – 16 of 25 / Diesel Works – Julie 13 | Berries: Spazztastic Creations – Meeroo Pink Berry Bunch Nom

Outside Whose Norm, Exactly?

I spotted this challenge in Plurk and first it made me cheer, then it made me confused.

“I was thinking that it would be a fun challenge for you to do something out of the norm for a day. Do something that is uncharacteristically you! Try sci-fi, steampunk, grunge, burlesque, etc. Step outside your comfort zone and show us what you can do!” – Adorkable Peapod

I’m all for seeing everyone doing sci-fi and steampunk and burlesque and and… waitaminute, I blog those things all the time! Obviously I can’t do those for this challenge if it’s what I mostly do. So, after  a moment of pondering I realized I will have to blog casuals. Not just Sonya’s usual hang-out clothes which are sort of… near-vintage with a dash of couture, but like… jeans, tee-shirts, hoodies, shoes without heels! End of the world as we know it!

To complete the opposite factor, I took the pictures in a studio instead of in the world. Without props. I had to do -something- besides just stand there, though, so I played with projectors for fun extra shadows! I couldn’t bring myself to spend lindens for this, but fortunately I’m half-hamster and I had enough stuff in my inventory. I had to try and add something of my own taste into it, so tadah: bunny and coffee!

Most of the things are either not available anymore or old hunt gifts, but do take note of the skin. It’s the latest group gift by Mynerva, and it’s absolutely adorable. (I felt like I was borging Ely, though. Clone all the friends!) The format of the lower picture is one of my favourite versions to -read- when I’m browsing fashion blogs. I blog for the joy of character creation and the challenge of story-and-mood-expressing pictures myself, but for the actual shopping ‘lookit-awesome-new-things-on-grid’ blogs this is awesome. Shows the details. My most favourite version is of course the pictures that blur the line between screenshot and art and promise a story, but if we all blogged the same way, the feeds would be very dull. Hurray for personality differences!

After this challenge I can really tip my invisible hat to all those people who shoot in studio and still make pictures interesting. It’s truly a challenge!

 

Skin: ~Mynerva~Group Gift~Sara Pure | Eyes: Poetic Colors - classic – frozen silver (m) bright | Make-up: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics - Shadow Brown Winterberry 1 [eyeshadow only] | Hair: Dark Mouse – Sydney/Red4 | Hoodie: Acid & Mala – Bunny Hoodie | Jeans: Ducknipple – Faded Blue | Boots: COCO Designs – Flat Ankle Boots Black | Ring: .( bewildebeest ). – Good Morning! Ring | Bag: Sweet Leonard & Needful Things - Lonely Bird Bag | Poses: Croire – Shy Geek 1 | Glitterati – Long Hair 3-9

Courage

After yesterday’s Sorrow-post, I felt that I should make a post about Courage. It was one of the themes in Back to Black, as it well should be. My first purchase in the event was this magnificent costume by PurpleMoon Creations. It’s called Wicca the Lioness and it combines the bravery of the lion with the ability to fly, and fly I did! All over Spirit in Art Screamer, the same place where I took the Sorrow pictures.

Have you ever walked down the street and looked up and for a moment fully realized the space there, framed by the buildings and the street, with only one way open, free and inviting.

Sometimes it takes just that one moment to see things differently, clearer, from another perspective. Sometimes that moment is all it takes to realize what you need to do.

After the realization hits, all it takes is courage to spread your wings…

…and defeat your own personal monsters, no matter what they are.

 

Back to Black Event: Outfit & Hair: PurpleMoon Creations – Wicca the Lioness

Skin: The Plastik - Ataciara-Elven-Valah-Dark-2012 | Eyes: Poetic Colors - cat eyes (white) – preview | Lashes: Redgrave - 39- Luscious | Poses: Niqotine Poses – Water 20 / [snOok] – got the hump / Niqotine Poses – ScaryBitch 22 / LAP – Miss Attitude

Sorrow

CHIC Management’s Back to Black event could not possibly be in a more fitting month. Mental health awareness works so well with February when the dark has been eating at you since October and when it’s almost impossible to believe there ever was such a thing as summer and sunlight.

I wandered around the surreal art installation called Spirit a long time, taking pictures. As always I was drawn to the flying things. Watching flight while not being able to fly is always such a mix of melancholy and beauty.

Reaching out can be scary, you never know what you will find. Especially when the things in your mind begin haunting you…

Such strange things swimming in your mindscape, memories and emotions, fears and pains, regrets and shame… sorrow eating you, covering your skin, threatening to turn everything black.

Things stronger than you are, able to overwhelm you easily.

But to land on your feet, there’s no other route than through them.

I feel this turned so dark that I have to share with you a joke story about Finnish depression that made me laugh today. (It’s so true.) Also, I promise I have the counterpart to this post in the works and I’ll post Courage soon. These pictures just demanded a full post on their own.

Back to Black Event: Dress: Peqe – Jet | Boots: Lassitude & Ennui - Flutter boots raven – rigged mesh S*

Skin: *HOOLIGAN SKINS* ~BrokenDoll~ | Body tattoo: Fallen Gods Inc. - TAO female +FGInc.+ YIN* | Eye make-up: Pin Me Down - Fallen&Depraved | Lip make-up: Nuuna’s Skins - Makeup  v9 13 | Eyes: REPULSE – Living Dead (Blind) | Hair: Sky Everett - Lady Sophia-black | Necklace: :Hebenon Vial: Clockwork Collar [Burlesque] | Poses: Pretzel*Poses – They Call Me The Wild Rose 2 / Glitterati – Long Hair 3-7 / Olive Juice – Swept Away / Idea Motus – Laetitia / Olive Juice – Ladylike

*complimentary copies

52 Colours: Folly

Miss Folly is a succubus. What else could she possibly be with Valentine’s coming up, with a tone of raspberry-crimson and a colour called that?

She flirts with death in extremely literal sense, or perhaps the skeleton offering her his heart is her latest victim. Either way, he completed the image. He’s a prop by ImmateriA and he might easily by my favourite prize from the Tainted Love Hunt.

The Red Devil Lady outfit by Bare Rose had perfectly fitting tone, although I stripped a lot of its attachments away for a cleaner silhouette and switched the hooves into an old hunt prize from Malfean Visions. The vampiric pale skin with blood stains is by LAQ and I added a make-up by Nuuna to it for extra red and lethal seduction. I needed a wickedly big hair so I fell back to my first hair-love, Sky Everett. How I wish she’d make more! The sophisticated claws are provided by Mandala. Yes, they are ‘normal’ prim nails, I just never really got into the whole prim nail thing so they look perfectly fitting succubus material to me!

“For me? And it’s still beating… oh, you shouldn’t have~”

Tainted Love Hunt: Valentine Potion Table: Stone Misery | Skeleton Prop: ImmateriA – The Last Beat of My Heart

Skybox: A:S:S – That night |  Skin: LAQ - Elena 08 [Pale] Glow skin | Make-up: Nuuna’s Skins - AstroGlam Pink | Eyes: [sYs] – Demon eyes (red) | Prim lashes: Redgrave - -39- Luscious | Hair: Sky Everett - Rivenspire | Outfit: Bare Rose – Red Devil Lady | Hooves: Malfean Visions – Arcadian Legs | Rings & Nails: Mandala – Takara Nails /black | Collar: Rasetsukoku – Unseelie Collar | Poses: Di’s Opera – Expose Line female 1 / Olive Juice – Standing Erect is Hard / Diesel Works – Jazz 5

Funny Freebies

There’s a thread Show your Freebie Style in SLUniverse forums that I’ve wanted to post in for quite some time now, but never seemed to have the time to go hunting. It’s a challenge to make an avatar completely free, not even dollarbies allowed. It’s also a discussion about the best freebie places, blogs and resources. Definitely worth a see-and-read~

I wanted to make avatars I usually don’t play with and also to blog something I hadn’t already blogged in previous freebie posts. This is what I ended up with! Miss Pink Freebie and Miss Red Freebie, nods toward kawaii and rock.

I took both of them to Mysterious Wave for more pictures, because this is really the most enjoyable part of blogging for me: playing with settings, lighting, poses and environment.

Miss Pink Freebie’s outfit is a combination of a xmas outfit by xxYOMESHOUJOxx and pants by DCNY (from FabFree Station). The wintry hat + hair combo is a group gift by *BC322 (group free to join) and worry not, although I went to unfamiliar directions of pink with this, there were more normal colours included.

Miss Red Freebie has skin by M.O.C.K. Cosmetics — it’s a part of the Valentine’s hunt going on at the moment and won’t be a freebie afterwards. The make-up from the same brand is a freebie from FabFree Station, though. The hair is a group gift by (red)Mint (group free to join), the bracelets are free in Amorous’s shop, the croc pants are free in Sn@tch’s basement and the corset is a part of a group gift dress in World’s End Garden. I grabbed boots and bodysuit from the group gift wall of COCO Designs and added them to the look.

The skin with the heart on the cheek is from Mother Goose’s lucky board. The slight eye make-up I added is by M.O.C.K. Cosmetics from Seraphim’s headquarters. Both eyes are by Poetic Colors, Miss Red has the current freebie. The freebie pair changes every now and then.

I felt like cropping this one weirdly, it was all about the birds…

Miss Pink Freebie: Skin: Mother Goose’s – Ai | Make-up: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics (Seraphim) – Shadow Pink Winterberry | Hair & hat: *BC322 – Knit Cap Gift (pink) | Pants: DCNY (FabFree) – Salmon Wash Jeans | Sweater & boots: xxYOMESHOUJOxx – Xmas Outfit

Miss Red Freebie: Skin: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics – Sonia | Make-up: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics (FabFree) – Licorice Whips Makeover | Hair: (red)Mint – Hair No. 20 | Eyes: Poetic Colors – autumn moon | Corset: World’s End Garden –  Le Dernier Lamento | Pants: Sn@tch – Backstage Croc Pants (purple) | Bodysuit: COCO Designs – Sheer Bodysuit | Boots: COCO Designs – Flat Ankle Boots (Black) | Bracelets: Amorous – You

Poses: aDORKable Poses: Chill 7 for both first and second pictures, Niqotine: Cutesy13, Estetica: Junk in my Trunk, aDORKable Poses: 3 of 25 and aDORKable Poses Chill 8.