Pearls, Sheep and a Party

“This is the year of Baroque!” one of the squirrel brothers declared.

Bunlings had been waiting and waiting and waiiiiting to hear the news on what the next Fallen year would be, and since they knew it was announced somewhere within the colourful tree season, there had been many impatient nose wiggles lately. Now a chorus of cheers erupted on the meadow until the inevitable silence followed with the question hanging in the air.

“What’s baarokki?”

The squirrel sighed. “Baroque. It’s fancy hooman style of shiny gold and squiggles and fluffy hairs and singing very high.” He wasn’t quite sure of the details himself, but knew it was definitely more accurate than-

“Maybe it’s a sheep party?”

The squirrel’s paws met his tiny face.

“Yas! Sheep party! Rokki like hooman hopsi music and bää like sheep say!”

“It. is. not. a. sheep. party.” The squirrel sighed. “If it was a sheep party, do you think Matshan would use it as his name?”

“Matshan’s name is a sheep party?” The in-depth ponderings of mixing these two ideas together was clearly causing giant headache for the tiny bunlings. Heads were tilted, ears were drooped, round balls of fluff fellededs over.

“No. Matshan is not a sheep party, he’s hooman arts of pearls and fluffy hair and-“

“Nuu. His hair is always very straight. ‘n Ladybun has the pearls.”

“Maybe Ladybun is a sheep party, ‘n Matshan just joins in?”

“No one’s a sheep party!”

“But you said it’s about fluffy hair, that’s sheep!”

“…fine. It’s a sheep party. Surely makes sense. Why not.”

Another chorus of cheers sounded. Bunlings did not understand much about arts, but sheep parties were right up their small alley. 

“Maybe the hair is fluffy because there’s a sheep there!”

“Ooooooo.”

“We must help Ladybun with the Fallen Wall of Fanciness, and bring sheep!”

“A quest!”

“We are hiirous! Sheep party hiirous!”

So they were off to find sheep, and fluffy hair, and parties, and possibly even one day deeper understanding of bäärokki.

* 

The picture is for Fallen God & Goddess Contest 2022, or as bunlings call it: Fallen Wall of Fanciness. The deadline to deliver pictures is on Friday, October 7th, 11 PM SLT. More info and details here: Fallen God & Goddess Contest 2022

My picture might be on that wall, but it is not competing. Bunlings just want to join in every year for the joy of joining.

The contest is a part of Fallen Gods Inc. 15th Anniversary Festival which features hunts, market, fortune teller, parties and much more. More details here: Fallen Gods Inc. 15th Anniversary

*

Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Pure [xx]+FGInc.+ Pearl

Face Tattoo & Forehead Pearl: Fallen Gods Inc. – Gloria Bright Gold, full & Gloria, barroco original hue (Seeker of Memories Hunt through October 2022)

Body Tattoos: Fallen Gods Inc. – Elegance Gold Relief & Sovereign Gold Filigree

Hair: Exile:: Versailles
Eyes: IKON Mortal Eyes – Parchment
Headdress: :MoonAmore: SwanLake / Feather Tiara (Pure)
Jewelry: [MANDALA] Pearl Rain Set
Dress: Belle Epoque { La Comtesse } White

Mesh:
Maitreya Lara Body
Slink Hands Dynamic (Bento)
LOGO Alexis Bento Head

Bunling: !Ohmai: Mochi Bunny 
+Half-Deer+ Kerfluffle Sheep – Marshmallow
Gloria, barroco sunlight +Fallen Gods Inc.+ 
Bliensen + MaiTai – Liaison Dangereuse – White with Roses
~Fallen Gods Inc. 15th~ Gloria Hunt / Flawed pearl display

Preparing for the Year of Squiggles

“Ladybun says this year Matshan will celebrate fancy squiggle writing and poking-top houses and desert,” one of the squirrel brothers informed the rest of the critters.

“We’re verigud at squiggle writing!” Bunlings got immediately excited.

“Finally, the Year of Desserts!” declared Addler, waving his too-short-arms in the air.

“The hot-sand and sun type of desert, not the ice cream one,” the squirrel corrected and observed the otter deflate like a sad balloon.

“Apparently there’s also snakes involved,” continued the other squirrel brother.

“Sneks!” Bunlings hopped around a little, then decided to double-check. “Nais sneks? Like Imhotep?”

“Not-at-all-dangerous-to-critters kind of sneks?”

“All kind of snakes! Also a very doomy one called…” the squirrel did a little drum roll on a pine cone, “Apophis!”

“A poppis!” Bunlings gasped, then reconsidered. “He sounds nais.” “He sounds like he’s gud at disko.” “Not duumi at all.”

The squirrel sighed. “…fine. Very good at disco. But how do you want to celebrate? Besides ice cream in the desert.” He raised a paw to stop Addler before he managed to bring it up.

“We must pose with Ladybun for the Great Fallen Wall of Fanciness!”

“Yas! We can play cleobun!”

“I have a black crayon for a perfect a poppis look!”

“I wanna pose, I’ve practised my profile nose twitch!”

“Fallen profile nose twitch a poppis cleobun picturing plan go!”

*

The picture is taken for Fallen God & Goddess Contest 2021. The deadline to deliver pictures is on Saturday, October 9th, at 11 PM SLT. Info and rules can be found here: Fallen God & Goddess Contest 2021.

The contest is a part of Fallen Gods Inc. 14th Anniversary, which includes hunts, market, events and much more! Read details here: Fallen Gods Inc. 14th Anniversary

Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Blessed Silver PG

Body Tattoo: Fallen Gods Inc. – Damned Black/Silver

Face Tattoo: The Gaze of Apophis Black&Silver
(currently available in Seeker of Memories hunt)

Hair: !lamb. Bang Bang Ink
Eyes: A.D.D.Andel! Sunstone Eyes: White
Maitreya Lara Body
Slink Hands
LOGO Alexis Head
Bunling: !Ohmai Mochi Bunny
Bunling’s A Poppis liner result of photoshop crayoning

Fortunate Bunlings

“Hoomans say it’s been a bad year.” The smallest bunling nodded and twitched her whiskers nervously.

“What’s a year?” Another bunling was busy cleaning his ear, frowning slightly.

“Is the season circle,” knew one of the Squirrel Brothers, always up to date with Hooman Info.

“Ahaa.” Many fuzzy heads nodnodded, pondering.

“But we brought them Gud Njuus in the winter!”

“What can we do if even Gud Njuus don’t help?”

“Next year has to be better!”

Another squirrel dropped down from the nearby nut storage and hopped closer with a conspiratorial look.

“We can give them a sign.”

A moment of spontaneous cheering later the bunlings paused. “Like… ‘here’s gud noms, please take’ sign?”

“Or ‘vroomythings on road, be careful!’ sign?”

“Or ‘no going upstairs except on parti bisnes’ sign?”

The squirrel sighed. “No, a mysterious sign! A symbol of Good Things to Come.”

“Oooooooo.” Bunlings liked mysterious things. They were usually sparkly-glowy and tickled.

The squirrel tilted his head back and forth a bit and then nodded. “You. You’re a symbol of good things to come.” He pointed at the smallest bunling, who tried to look behind herself and tumbled over. She blinked.

“You shall infiltrate the Fortune Telling Pool of This Is Not Really For Swimming, Get Out of Here!” He nodded. “And when the Sparkly Lady of Future Things comes to look into the pool, tadaaa! You shall hop up! ‘n be a Sign.”

The smallest bunling inspected herself, looking confused. “But there’s no hooman scribble marks on me. How do they know what the sign… what I say? I don’t speak hooman!”

“You’re a Symbol! Symbols don’t need to talk. They’re mysteeeeerious. They just are, and hoomans write on them in their miiiinds. ‘s allgud! Brilliant plan! Onwards!”

And that is how the Lady of Future and Fortune found a small bunling peeking up at her, as a Sign and Symbol that surely the times will eventually provide something comforting and delightful.

*

The picture is taken for Fallen God & Goddess Contest 2020. The deadline to deliver pictures is on Saturday, October 10th, at 11 PM SLT. Info and rules can be found here: Fallen God & Goddess Contest 2020.

The contest is a part of Fallen Gods Inc. 13th Anniversary, which includes hunts, market, events and much more! Read details here: Fallen Gods Inc. 13th Anniversary

The sparkly-glowy Lady of Future Things consists of:

Skin, PG Covering & Star Clusters:
Fallen Gods Inc. – Expanding Universe Psychic Opals

Face Tattoo:
Fallen Gods Inc. – Allseeing, face + Glitch Filigree
(Available in Seeker of Memories hunt for October 2020)

Magika – Empty Gold Hair
Izzie’s Demon Eyes
Head: LOGO Alexis
Body: Maitreya Lara
Hands: Slink
Pose: Astalianda – Oracle (available at Fallen Gods Inc. Anniversary Festival Market)

Bunling: !Ohmai – Mochi Bunny

Pool of Definitely Not For Swimming:
Oracle Pool, available in the Prophecy Hunt as a part of the Fallen Gods Inc. 13th Mementos prize

Bunling in the Moon

“There’s a bun in the moon!” The smallest bunling hopped up and down excitedly. “I can see her!”

Addler shook his round head slowly. “Nope. Moon is a prittiful star lady, like Ladybun! All glowing and radiant and gentle and kind toward critters and generous with noms and-“

Bunlings pondered this claim carefully, peering at the moon in the sky, washed in its light.

“It’s so big that if there’s a bun there, surely it’s a whole nest! Many nests. Burrow!”

“‘n if there’s a leidi in there, she must be giant! Like Ceri!”

“‘s both.” Said the more talkative of the squirrel brothers. “Obviously. There’s a star lady in the sky, ‘n you can’t see her because she’s all kah-moh-flaaazed, ‘n you see just stars on her skin. But she wears moon on her head, like Ladybun always wears all the things ever.”

Critters listened eagerly, eyes growing larger, ears perking, occasional excited thump of a paw on the soft grass the only sound.

“AND. And. On that moon on her head there’s a bun. Just like Ladybun carries critters with her, the great giant star lady carries moon bun on her head, too.”

“Oooooooooo.” Critters sighed in unison, peering back in the sky. Reverent silence fell, broken after a moment by Addler’s dreamy voice.

“…so, do you think she has moon cakes?”

* * *
It’s time for the annual Fallen God & Goddess Contest! Simply take a picture of yourself wearing a Fallen Gods Inc. skin and send it full perms to me (Sonya Marmurek) to participate. Picture ratio 4:3, more details and rules here. Every participant gets an exclusive skin!

* * *
Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Sidera Starborn
Eyes: [Cubic Cherry] {Nebula} eyes
Hair: Exile – Fall
Headdress: {Acios} Gaia Crown ~Claire de Lune~
Bunling: !Ohmai: Mochi Bunny
Sparkles: Cole’s Corner – Glitterati (at Uber)
Pose: Astalianda – Moon (hunt prize in ~Zodiac~ Hunt, opens October 5th)

The Scarab of Infinity

When dryads grow old and the millennia wear them down, their joints creak and mind wanders, the Scarab of Infinity appears to them. It hovers near, almost out of reach, giving the wood spirits a choice: reach out for life or continue fading until the gradual degradation turns them into trees.

Many consider life a nuisance at that point, the pulse of the world feels too hectic and the peace of not being aware is tempting enough for them to simply smile and turn away, let their minds drift until it slumbers for good and the body slowly becomes a nearly normal tree.

But for those who still yearn for more, those who feel the heartbeat of the other lifeforms around them, those who do not want to give up the sense of wonder; they reach out for rebirth and begin the cycle anew all the more wiser.

It’s time for this year’s Fallen God and Goddess Contest! If you enjoy your second life in one of the skins of Alia Baroque or love creating beings out of the ordinary, take a picture and join in! Contest information can be found here and pictures are accepted until October 18th, after which the voting will soon begin.

Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Arboreal Sacred Green Peace | Outfit: Fallen Gods Inc. – Arboreal Moss Outfit | Eyes: Fallen Gods Inc. – Glowing Eyes | Hair: Curious Kitties – Elementia v2 | Birdy: Happy Mood – Little Bird Green | Particles: Fallen Gods Inc. – Ring Particle Maker | Scarab of Infinity: Fallen Gods Inc. – Edited from the silks in the Scarab Fortune Teller prize | Pose: Astalianda – Up 2

Freedom

That’s the theme of this year’s Hair Fair Photo Contest. The rules are pretty flexible: only new pictures, hair can be any old thing or even self-made and the contest runs until June 30th. The Hair Fair itself will be in July, 14th to 29th.

I know it’s a cliche and an obvious association, but it’s such for a good reason. Flying is freedom, at least for me. Thus wings are the perfect symbol for it. I wanted a picture of flying, of long hair blowing in the wind and picked one of the Diva hairs from [ 69 ], probably not available anymore. There really should be much more editorial hairs on the grid, they’re wonderful for this kind of things.

Freedom is also about cutting ties and sailing wherever your imagination leads you. I originally wanted this one to be about cutting your hair — since sometimes it feels like I’m one of the few spokes-avatars for short hair on the grid — but what worked well as an idea looked like a beheading in the pictures. So symbolic pretty ribbon it is! The short hair is one of my favourite default ones from Waka & Yuki.

Freedom Wings: Hair: [ 69 ] DIVA – Dark Noir | Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Feathers xx Raven Carbon + PG Cover* | Eyes: Repulse – Callous Eyes (Grey) | Makeup: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics – Smokey Licorice Kisses | Wings: [europa] Nyxus wings Magpie | Eyeliner: Pin Me Down – Darkside 2 (ZP Carnival) | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Pose: Astalianda – Freedom Wings

Freedom Cut: Hair: Waka & Yuki – AGATA Model 02 | Outfit: Mimikri – Patty Neptune | Skin: League – Sia Fair Bloom | Eyes: Poetic Colors – classic frozen silver bright | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Lips: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics – Clear Lipgloss | Liner: Sorry.Asia – Drama.Eyes (black/blue) | Jewelry: .( bewildebeest ). – Alma Set – Silver & Blue Spinel (not available anymore) | Scissors: *YEN* – Scissors | Ribbon: lassitude & ennui – Ophelia | Pose: Astalianda – Freedom Cut | Sim: The Epic Toy Factory 

Fallen Fish

Apparently October is a contest month, here’s another that I sent a picture to: Fallen God and Goddess Election 2011. Since I had reached my costumes-creatures-mermaid folder in my marathon of inventory sorting, the decision was easy. I made a goldfish!

The resolution is different than my usual one, but the contest asked specifically for 3:2 ratio, so there it is. There was no mentioning if it had to be a straight snapshot in-world (if it had to, I’m automatically disqualified since I cropped in photoshop and sent a texture) nor did it say anything about if photoshopping otherwise was allowed or not. To play it safe I didn’t touch the picture beside cropping, although I had to take gazillion shots to get one where the square bug didn’t appear so I could manage to pull off a completely untouched picture.

 The other pics are just for fun and blogging, so this one got some curves-lightening on it. I took all the pictures under water in Selidor. It wasn’t a requirement, but felt appropriate. I played around with windlight and water settings and had a blast. I was also greatly amused by a random passerby who wandered over and thought I was a part of the landscape, then startled when I changed the pose and apologized.

As for the look itself, the skin and the scales and goldfishy parts are all by Fallen Gods Inc., all the jewelry is by .( bewildebeest ). — pay extra attention to the fun lantern that I had to add to mimic deep sea fishies. It’s actually supposed to be sideways, but… fishy needs to see where she’s swimming! I added two separate head crown jewelry decoration things and a ring to the mix, too. So much ❤ Coyo. Hair by Alice Project (mesh), eyes by Repulse, tattoo layer lashes by Miamai and the poses in order are mine, Niqotine Poses and Di’s Opera.

PS. I just put the pose used in the first picture and the original companion shape for the Queen Bee on Marketplace as a freebie. The blog hit over 10.000 so I had to do something other than faint, after all. ❤

Do You Dare?

I do! I went to Dark Eternity today to take pictures for The Daring Fashion Contest and now I can’t decide which picture to send, alas. The contest entry version won’t have the diffuse glow filter on it, since they prefer the shots with minimal or no photoshopping, but I went ahead and played around for the blog post. The look just called sort of… unnatural tones and sheen on the skin underneath the latex.

Obviously the latex outfit and spikes are by Dare Designs, but I added the boots made of sex mesh by SLink to them.

Hair is by Mirror and the cross-make-up is by Nuuna’s Skins — I’m obviously rather in love with them. The skin itself is by LAQ. I’m sort of leaning toward this picture, it shows more of the sim and is a close-up of the latex, hm…

This one isn’t even in the consideration, shows too little of the outfit and the fun cross-effect, but I wanted to take one from behind as well. What little you can see of the eyes are by Repulse and the poses in order are by Niqotine Poses (1&2) and Vain Inc. (3) Now I just have to decide…

Season of Hair

When I was brainstorming about seasons, which is the theme in the Hair Fair 2011 Flickr Contest I of course had the usual four seasons in mind. I wanted to make snow fairies and summer spirits, harvest maidens and spring fauns. While pondering I was busy cursing the Finnish summer for being too hot! Then it struck me. That’s the seasons as I know them: in the winter it’s too cold and in the summer it’s too hot and they sneak upon me like predators and always catch me wearing either too much or little!

As you can see, I ported back to Alirium Garden for this. I shoved Waka & Yuki’s adorable little black bob with a colour-change wool hat on Sonya’s head, dressed her in Aoharu’s poncho cardigan and even added mittens by VC Designs (from Zombie Popcorn Hunt). No wonder she gained a blush (by Exile) with all that wool. Pose is by TERHO from the time they were still Lazy Places. The glower she’s giving me for this avatar-torture is accidental and I’m sure very genuine.

Then I dressed her in a bikini and hopped on the winter side of Alirium Garden. I’m sure she appreciated the cooling off after all that wool in the sun! …she’s going to kill me, isn’t she? The hair is by LoQ Hairs, flowers by LaGyo and the rose ring by December. Pose is by Striking Poses. Skin is by League, eyes by Poetic Colors and lashes by Redgrave in both pictures.

Disclaimer: Hair Fair 2011 is not, I repeat NOT, open yet. It opens July 2nd.