THE LITTLE THINGS

The Home and Garden Expo is still out there, fundraising for Relay For Life, through this Sunday, June 2, and you know you should shake your tail feathers and get over there if you haven't been already. I think I'm going to wind up my coverage of this event a little early, if you don't mind, before Gacha madness starts tomorrow, by showing you my favorite purchase at the Expo, this lovely little gem from Zigana. Why is it my favorite thing? Why not? Thinking about my buying habits, I am attracted to quirky, eclectic, meticulously crafted, mostly useless furnishings. Some people are realists, but I am not the least interested in my home having a toilet or a kitchen sink. If I set up a bed, it is usually out of doors under my tree. I would rather have chairs, lots of chairs, and a telescope, and this abacus.

Zigana "Antique Abacus" (at the Home and Garden Expo)

Love,
Serene

ON THE SIDEWALK

The Home and Garden Expo this week also has many furnishings of the sort you might need to build an urban sim. I picked a few things to show you, which you might see out on a sidewalk in town, or perhaps outside a restaurant.

I set out a pad of Barnesworth Anubis' pavers, suitable for an outdoor café or for your patio at home. Dysfunctional Designs made us a pretty little Grape Trellis in three shades of wood, and I set out the plain pine version of this Garden Café Table and Chair from What Next. It comes in several cute pastel shades too.



This Mailbox is a functional notecard box your shop can use to receive messages. It was put out as one of two charity benefit items by JD Creations. What I love is that this maker does not even have an in world shop but is still stepping up to help us raise funds for cancer research.



Finally a more conservative arrangement, featuring Tranquil Homes' Bistro Patio set with three of Barnesworth Anubis' neatly clipped Stone Planters.

Love,
Serene

WEEDING DAY

What, you were expecting a fluffy white dress? No, this is really weeding day. Anything with thorns has got to go. But the sweet wildflowers are staying. I planted these purples I found at the Forest Feast booth at the Expo. The Expo has a few stores that specialize in outdoor landscaping supplies rather than the ubiquitous home furnishings.



My helper is a talented gardener. (Dwarfins are interactive breedables, but this is an Avatar that is their Expo Hunt prize.) But it's a warm day, and after work there is nothing like cool water. The Atelier Visconti fountain has several playful animations for singles, and some couples animations I haven't tried yet. :D



Avatar: Dwarfins "Rigged Mesh Female Gardener" (Expo Hunt Prize)
Tree: Forest Feast "Sweet Memory Tree" (Home and Garden Expo)
Flowers: Forest Feast "Spring Field Grass Purple" (Home and Garden Expo)
Fountain: Atelier Visconti "Fountain Octagonal" (Home and Garden Expo)
Grass: Forest Feast Store Gift
Horses: by Awesome Breed Creations

Love,
Serene

ROCKIN' ROBIN

I have to just say that these lovelies make my eyeballs happy and my heart dance. They are all mesh and low land impact. The little Birdhouse has some happy bird sounds wedged inside. It and the Quilt Rack are charity fundraiser items. And if you participate in the Expo Hunt *nudge nudge* there is also a very beautiful craftsman-style stool with a quilt draped over the top. Don't miss!

showing:
Robin Wood's "Folding Quilt Rack - Hope Quilt" (charity benefit item)
Robin Wood's "Birdhouse - RFL" (charity benefit item)(also a version on a pole)
Robin Wood's "Potting Bench - shabby"
Robin Wood's "Flowerpot Birdbath"

Love,
Serene

BULL

Well you didn't think I could hang all my trophies on the walls, did you?



If you stop by the Bauwerk shop at the Home and Garden Expo, you too can delight your inner toreador. And yes, I already had the costume hanging in my closet.

Fabulous Chair: Bauwerk "Taurus Chair" (other colors available)
Outfit: Bare Rose "Luchador del Ruedo"
Boots: Lassitude and Ennui "Embroidered Boots"
Hair: Truth "Diana" (vintage)
Skin: Essences "Indy - tan"

Love,
Serene

SQUEEE!

This is a squeak-worthy snapshot of the Awesome Breed Creations booth at the Home and Garden expo! ABC horses are not only breedable, but also raceable, and coming soon there will be Jousting and Quests! I have been breeding their Clydesdales and Drum horses for about five months now, and love the whole knight-in-armor fantasy genre, so you know I'll be going to the jousting tournaments!

I'm prejudiced; I love my herd so much that I don't have prims to spare for a house these days. Every year the folks at ABC have a couple of charity benefit horses so let's see the latest at the Expo:



The two breedables sims are having a treasure hunt, go see the pirate and start the hunt for fun gifts from all the breedables booths. I shouldn't give too much away Shhhh  XD

Read more about the Home and Garden Expo HERE.
Read more about ABC horses HERE.

Love,
Serene

MUZIKAL TALENT PROVIDED BY IONIC

Yay the Home and Garden Expo got started yesterday and I am all hyped by all the fun things I saw there! If you need a reason to shop, every store there has at least one item set in a charity vendor to benefit Relay for Life. But I don't really need an excuse to shop right? This year not only are there eight sims of shopping, and one sim for events and live entertainment, they have added two sims for breedable pets. And there is a Hunt going on with some nice prizes. And I heard a rumor that some runway models are walking around in bikinis.



One of the reasons I love this kind of venue shopping events is to become acquainted with new work from shops I have never before seen. Today I am showing one of these, a store called Ionic. Yup they do make cute mainstream furnishings like the Alison bed and the Cosmia chair, both available in various colors and textures. But also ...



Also they like to do musical accessories. The old drum set registered a 8.7 on my So-Cool-o-meter. And the Amplifier-with-Throw-Pillows seating is their store's charity benefit item. Love it!

Bed: ionic "Alison bed - turquoise"
Chair: ionic "Cosmia chair -blue birds-"
Drum Kit: ionic "[Engrama] drums"
Amp Seating: ionic "amp-pillows seat" (RFL benefit item)

Love,
Serene

FOR SOPHIE

We all know what it feels like to feel out of place, but rarely does anyone lose their life for not fitting the common mold. After Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend were killed simply for looking different, her mother founded the Sophie Lancaster Foundation to educate people not to practice hatred or intolerance of people who like to dress outside the mainstream. World Goth Fair in Second Life raises funds for this charity. If you like anything gothy, alternative, or are a fan of black and red, this fair is a Win-Win-Win!



Each shop at the Fair has at least one charity benefit item. I am wearing this dark confection from Evie's Closet, and Lassitude and Ennui's delicious bony jewels. It also made me smile that many of the vendors are also giving out little gifts for those of us who have a limited wallet; for instance these cute shoes at The Little Bat, and a nice dramatic eye shadow by Beautiful Freak. Evie Miles also put back out an old gift, the lovely black and red Halloween Fable gown, for those of you who haven't seen it already.



Read more at the World Goth Fair website!

Gown: Evie's Closet "Morrow" (charity benefit item)
Jewels: Lassitude and Ennui "Macabre" (charity benefit item)
Shoes: The Little Bat "Sophie Pumps" (fair gift)
Hair: LaViere "Ambush"
Skin: Essences "Wednesday Living Dead"
Eyes: Dead Apples "Shattered - Silver"
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Lip Gloss: Pink Acid "Witches Gloss and Teeth 04"
Eye Shadow: Beautiful Freak "Flamina" (from fair gift pack)
Poses: by Flowey, Juxtapose and Ma Vie

Love,
Serene

STATUESQUE

I have been holding on to these jewels from Finesmith for a little while, waiting for a Dress that is upscale enough (and shiny enough!) to live up to this outrageously glam necklace! I am wearing it in chocolaty "smoky quartz" stones, but they change on touch to several other lovely colors, to match whatever frock you might have in mind.



The Gown from LIV Glam is absolutely red-carpet-worthy, but has simple lines so it doesn't compete too much with all these precious stones. (Okay yes, I know they are fantasy stones made of pixels, don't spoil the moment okay?)



Keep those paparazzi at a distance!

Jewels: Finesmith "Diamond"
Dress: LIV Glam "Masika"
Hair: booN "hairpiece DARE82"
Hairbases: by Tiny Bird (unavailable) and booN "gathered raised hairbase"
Skin: Essences "Opera Summertime 03" w/blush (The Dressing Room)
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Poses: by PosESion

Love,
Serene

JUST PEACHY KEEN

I think this year we've had the shortest turnaround ever between winter and summer. What happened to spring? Yesterday I turned on the air conditioner. Can I have my crocuses and hyacinths back please?



Well, at least I can drag out the spring flowers a little longer in my Second Life. So here's another springtime outfit, since I don't feel ready yet for hanging around in swimsuits and flip-flops.



Jacket: Sassy! "Spring Jacket" (100 Block Event by Depraved Nation)
Shirt: Whippet and Buck "Cole Boatneck Top Coral"
Pants: Boom "Miami Linens (Coral)"
Shoes: GField "Adele"
Hair: Exile "Like Lovers Do"
Skin: Essences "Opera Chic"
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Poses: by Adorkable (Closing Sale in progress! *sadface*)

Love,
Serene

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE

I was trying on this latex corset and vinyl pants, and thinking how incredibly uncomfortable they would be in real life, how hot and sticky, and I realized there was a perfect solution.



The cybernetic don't need to worry about body heat or perspiration. So here's my Borg. Cyber, not Swedish. Resistance is Futile!!



(click photos to see more detail)

Corset: NV Corsetry "White Latex Mesh Corset" (new)
Pants: Sassy! "Bite Me Vinyl Pants" (new)
Cyber Shirts: from Bare Rose "Dame Noir" Outfit
Star Trek Uniform: Unavailable
Shoes: Maitreya "Soho Boots" (only the foot part)
Skin: Glam Affair "Hybrid Christmas Skin" (old gift)
Lipstick: Pink Acid "Glitter Gloss 02 - Silver Small"
Hair: Discord Designs "Nethead-5e"
Eyes: Dead Apples "Shattered - Silver"
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Poses: by Adorkable (50% off Closing Sale on Now!)

Love,
Serene

MISS AQUARELLE

I love this romantic frilly shirt from LIV Glam! It came with a punky little mini-skirt, but I had fun pairing it with a pencil skirt and revving it up with the studded look of this necklace and boots.



And I love the flexibility we get from texture-change HUDs. The necklace, shirt and boots can be retextured all manner of different colors to go with different outfits. Thank you!!



Shirt: LIV Glam "Katiuscia" (w/ texture change HUD)
Skirt: Mon Tissu "Oxford Pencil Skirt"
Necklace: Cherry "Georgie Collar Necklace" (w/ texture change HUD)
Shoes: LIV Glam "Stella Palladium" (w/ texture change HUD)
Hair: Exile "Violetta"
Skin: Auxiliary "Love Fair - Kitschy Blue"
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Poses: by Marukin

Love,
Serene

BLOODY MATILDA

.My last stop at the Bare Rose store rewarded me with this delightfully macabre and gothic outfit called Bloody Matilda. The package includes the black and red dress in both bloody and non-bloody versions, perfect for your next costume party, gothic role-play, or a reading of Edgar Allan Poe.



Yes, it includes the Hat, a floral hairpiece, dress, stockings, and shoes. All you need is the skin you're in.



Outfit: Bare Rose "Bloody Matilda"
Hair: booN "KED937" w/gathered lower hairbase
Skin: Essences "Wednesday Living Dead"
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Bloody Makeup: Zeery "Bloody Hell Face Wounds" (old hunt prize)
Poses: by Del May, Lost Angel Poses, and Marukin

Love,
Serene

WILL IT RAIN TOMORROW?

I'm betting yes. It's more than a little breezy, gray, and I just planted some flowers today. It's the gardener's version of Murphy's Law ... at least we didn't plant the tomatoes today.



But I'm ready!!



Shirt: The Secret Store "3D Rose Sweater - Mint"
Bodysuit: Whippet and Buck "Striped Bodysuit"
Jeans: Auxiliary "Skinny Jeans" (they really should be called plumber jeans LOL.)
Shoes: Tres Blah "Saddle Shoes - Brown Floral"
Umbrella: Handverk "April Showers Parasol"
Scarf: Yummy "Bow Scarf - Mint Roses"
Hat: NuDoLu "Chapeau Long Rose Pluie" (gacha at The Chapter Four)
Purse: VCO "Rose Bag - 10" (gacha at The Chapter Four)
Hair: booN "hairpiece COCO73" (for wear under hats)
Skin: PXL "Sophia"
Poses: Epiphany "Umbrella De Rusalka"

Love,
Serene

THE EARLY BIRD

The Early Bird gets the beach. Sometimes I used to walk down early, earlier than you would think it possible for a teenager to get up on a Saturday morning, to get there before the screaming little kids and the pale tourists.



Maybe someone else would have harassed friends to come along. But they would have missed ... this.



*smiles* I always came back barefoot and sunburned.

Dress: LIV Glam "Susilie"
Purse: Duh! "Crocodile Bag"
Jewelry: Pink Cherry "Emerald Cut - Mandarine"
Nails: by Bamboo Nails
Shoes: Lassitude and Ennui "Boudoir Mules"
Hair: Truth "Nola" (sale extended thru May 10!)
Skin: PXL Creations "Sophia Nat Spring" (VIP Group Gift)
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Eyeliners: Kooqla "Black Magic Eyeliner"
         and  Pekka "Metallic Under Eyeliner - Turquoise"
Blush: the Skinnery "Blusher - Sunburn"
Lashes: Lelutka "Photoshoot II"
Poses: by Long Awkward Pose (unavailable) and Marukin
Location: Baja Norte
Music: Surf and a Breeze

Love,
Serene

PRINCESS VALIANT

I liked what I saw at Fantasy Faire in the De La Soul booth, so I went around to see their store afterward. I couldn't resist this outfit! Actually, the armor and tunic are two purchases; the armor is made to fit over the tunic set. The Armor is modifiable and comes with Textures you can use to customize the Shield and the front of the Breastplate with your own Crest. The pose is built into the combat HUD; it doesn't include combat meter scripts, but the sword is modifiable so you could add one.



I dug into my old inventory and found these still-awesome "Battle Royale" warrior skins from Curio. Gala Phoenix's 50% off sale is winding up today I believe, so go quickly!!



Ready for war!!

Armor/Tunic: De La Soul "Valiant Armor" and "Valiant Tunic"
Skin: Curio "Battle Royale" (50% off Sale)
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Location: Le Mont Saint Michel (Edelweiss Shop)
Pose: Built into weapon HUD

Love,
Serene