THE END OF SUMMER

Summer is nearly over, and I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I am glad it's over because I've been struggling with loneliness and in a few days I'll be able to bury myself in projects and other busyness. As a closing parenthesis, this weekend really stank. I was blown off by some people I was trying to make friends of, and suddenly dropped from an activity that after some effort I was finally beginning to enjoy.



You might guess that I was feeling really unwelcome among humans when I came down to the Beach to hang around with these sea lions. They don't pressure me to talk, and I never feel like I have to paste on a phony smile.



Again, I have mixed feelings ... Summer is almost over, and as much as I adore Fall, I wish time would slow down a little. I feel like I'm missing too much as it goes flying by. I can't believe how big the Kid is getting, and somehow we didn't fit in as many trips to the community swimming pool as I thought we would. School starts on Wednesday.



Swimsuit: Surf Couture "Seaside One Piece"
Shorts: Tres Blah "Denim Bermuda Shorts"
Sandals: Lassitude and Ennui "Signature Sandals" (for use with SLink feet)
Hat/Hair: Maitreya "Siobhan"
Skin: Essences "Sash" (@ The Dressing Room)
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Hands and Feet: by SLink
Location: Baja Norte

Love,
Serene

ENCOURAGEMENT

I love arty people. The brave and motivated people who create something the best they can. They risk rejection by setting up shop one day, and hoping someone will like their work. I guess that includes builders, designers and bloggers.



Not all of us are equally talented, it's true, but there's nothing I like better than watching someone gradually learn skills. Imagine me sitting on the bleachers, cheering them on and waving a pair of pompoms madly. That is why I don't like the idea of "exclusive" fashion feeds. (That, and I'm not on any yet :D) That is why I don't mind designers who manage to make something original out of clothing templates or full-perm mesh kits. That is why I love to see creative reworks of open-use skin templates like Eloh Eliot's.

Conversely, I can't stand lazy people who rip real creatives off just to get a few bucks. Go buy some full-perm templates and make your own, will you please?



I have more respect for the marginal creators who slowly work their way up to some skills, so I decided to feature a couple of them today. For a while now I have been receiving and dutifully opening review copies from Alli and Ali Hair and from Graffitiwear. Now I'll be honest, most of the products popping out of these boxes are not my style and also not up to the skill level that I would like, but I decided to review these. Please take what I say as constructive, because I don't bother to critique people that I feel have no talent.

Graffitiwear is a shop that mostly makes clothes of a low-rent urban design, let's say from a neighborhood that is rapidly becoming a red-light district. The clothing is template-based (not necessarily a bad thing), brightly colored but mostly lacking in original details or shading. I still open some of their review boxes to keep an eye on any style or skill changes and was surprised to see this southwest-style turqouise necklace pop out of the box. (Not the round beads, those are from Aura.) Not bad right? A nice accessory that goes well with this summer's popular bright colors. Good job.

Alli and Ali is an example of a Hair brand that is trying hard but needs some work. Most of their hair uses very "old-school" construction using a base of sculpted prims covered with a ring of identical repeating flexiprims. The flexis on the long hairs poke into your shoulders. The textures are very high-contrast and uncomfortably shiny-looking. And annoyingly, the hairs all come set to full-bright. (But it is modifiable so feel free to turn that off.) ... On the positive side, I am beginning to see hairs that are less shiny, more creative in construction, and showing signs of growth. I tried on this hair and said, "Hmm." (Imagine the pleasantly surprised tone.) I turned off the full-bright and scowled at the long bits that were cutting into my shoulders. The hair is editable so I shortened the wisps in front and then sat back to look at the results. "This one is actually kind of cute." There are still a few repeating flexiprims, but do-able. Don't you think?

Hair: Alli and Ali "Dakota" (slightly modified)
Necklace: Graffitiwear "Native American Pendant" (earrings available)
Skin: Curio ":GP: Bean Frex [Light] Elf-Snug 1"
Vest: TokiDoki "Sango" (group gift)
Shirt: Whippet and Buck "Cole Boatneck"
Pants: Tableau Vivant "Shindig Pants" (fitted for men)
Necklace: Aura "Beaded Boho" (mesh)
Shoes: Surf Couture "Shoelace Sandals" (unavailable I think)
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"
Lashes: Hebenon Vial "Dramatique" (unavailable)
Facelight: Nlight Free 2.0 (free on SL Marketplace)
Poses: by Marukin

Love,
Serene

ALOE PLEASE

When I was a kid I used to walk down to the beach and hang out all day. I would get too hot on the sand, but I could float or snorkel for hours and never get hot. You would think I would have learned to use sunscreen, but I guess the teenage brain really does work differently. I went home regularly sporting horrible sunburns just like this one. Lobster Red.

I think just maybe the sunburn set should have come with a big bottle of aloe vera gel. I lived in that stuff in the summertime. Trust me, aloe is the best ... and never put Noxzema on a bad burn. It feels good, but your skin will pay later.

I’m sure you’ve already seen Reek’s goggles and fins on other people but I couldn’t resist pairing them with Bare Rose’s new wetsuit. Of course the wetsuit comes in several colors, with shirt on and shirt off versions, with booties and gloves and surfboards, all at Ms. Dion’s usual ridiculous low price. And this smashing Reek gift comes with all pieces in eight different colors to match whatever. I modified the goggles to hang around my neck so you can see the horrific sunburn on my face. The Reek Sunburn pack comes with several versions of burn: with or without bikini lines, with or without glasses lines, farmer tans and so on.

Wetsuit: Bare Rose “Into Liquid”
Swimsuit: Surf Couture “Seaside One Piece”
Goggles and Swimfins: Reek “Flippers and Goggles” (Good Sh - - Hunt Gift)
Sunburn Tattoo: Reek “Sunburn”
Hair: booN “ZGO223”
Skin: YS&YS “Barbara TDR Summertime” (from the Dressing Room, unavailable)
Eyes: Poetic Color “Night Rain”
Eyelashes: Glow Studio “Innocent. Eyelashes – pure”
Poses: by Long Awkward Pose
Photostudio: by N30

Love,
Serene

BEACHBUMMIN

Nothing schmancy, just this year's beachwear. I love this suit. The bum ruffles remind me of the ruffle underpants I had when I was little. You remember those?

This happily sloppy man's shirt is comfy and will keep me from getting too much sunburn.

Have you seen my book?

Shirt: Mr. Poet “Off Shoulder Shirt” (also includes tanktop not shown)
Swimsuit: Surf Couture “Seaside One Piece – Purple”
Glasses: Deco “Soviet Sleeper Glasses Green” (at Trilogy on Combeynot)
Shoes: YS & YS Raimbow Shoes Bianca (texture change, from the Dressing Room)
Skin: PXL Creations “Luthien Blue”
Hair: booN “ZGO223”
Eyes: Poetic Color “Night Rain”
Poses: by Dismorph, Long Awkward Pose, Penny Dreadful Arcade (unavailable)
Photostudio: by N30

Love,
Serene

p.s. I did need to modify the prims on the shirt a good bit, because it was shaped to fit men, but it wasn't too hard. Apart from just the size, I tilted the bottom edges of the shirt-tails outward a little to keep them from cutting into my hips. Not too difficult.

MY NAME IS BARBARA

"Please don't call me Barbie", she said with discernable acid in her voice. I nodded and smiled at her. The smile was a nervous reaction. Thing is, she gives me the creeps. Always perfectly coiffed, a little too fond of pink. I think she must sleep in lipstick.

Don't laugh! What do you really know about her? She always has a new model of pink sports car, even though she can never hold down a steady job. One year she's a Malibu Surfer, Stewardess, Policewoman, Astronaut, Race Car Driver, Paleontologist, Doctor, Gymnast, Fashion Model, ... on and on and on. Was she fired? Did she quit? Are these jobs just for cover?

Who is she really? A drug dealer? A spy? A mystery shopper? A dishonest debutante with a rich daddy?

Damn. I knew it.

Jacket: Aoharu “BT Leather Riders Vest”
Suit: Pink Outfitters “Socialite Romper”
Weapons: Breach “Sawedoff Supershorties”
Scarf: Ibizarre "Rosa Flower Lace Scarf"
Earrings: GField “Pearl Rose”
Bracelets: Second Wave Apparel “Asian Bangle Rose Quartz”
Boots: Surf Couture “Elsa Boots”
Hair: Truth “Anya” (tinted)
Skin: Frick “Rosy Goth”
Eyes: Poetic Color “Night Rain”
Poses: by Long Awkward Pose and ImpEle

Love,
Serene

THE FAE OF SILVER FALLS

Doth the Fay
Have aught to say?
Not today.

The water flies
and swishes by

buckles tight
and garments white
reflect nights light

Fairy fair
with silver hair
suddenly ...
not there!

Coat: Aoharu “FurCoat_G2_WhiteFur”
Skirt and Collar: RunoRuno “Undress Evening”
Shirt: Pig “Anarchist Slumber Party” (hunt prize)
Boots: Surf Couture “Elsa Boots”
Hair: Lamb “Whoop De Doo”
Skin: Curio “:GP: Moonbeam [Light] Elf-Happy Holidays” (gift)
Eyes: Poetic Color “Night Rain”
Location: Eiliach Eilid

Love,
Serene

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

I like to dress comfortably to run around for my last minute shopping. But finally I just have to stop and breathe ... and look at something beautiful. This year while I was running around I stumbled across a fabulous group of holiday displays over at the Happy Mood sim. Made my day.

My last post I showed the Curio Christmas Gift Skin but I wanted you to see my favorite. This is more lipgloss than I usually wear :) but now I imagine my lips taste like one of those cherry roll on glosses *mmm* ... And yes honey that is Mistletoe.

Okay just one more headshot so you can see the elaborate braids. This hair comes with two versions in one package. The other hair takes one of the big braids down and loops it around the front of your neck. That version is also very pretty but I had a hard time getting a good picture because it didn't look right with my animations.

Okay a candid of me staring at the Christmas tree and falling snow. Can I just stand here a while and meditate?

I love snowglobes. Haven't you ever wished that you could go inside the tiny world of a snowglobe? Now you can! And I only showed you one so the others would still be a surprise. Ho Ho Ho.

Mistletoe: Evie’s Closet “Mistletoe Garland”
Shirt/Sweater: COCO “Frilly Blouse & Sweater”
Pants: Hilarious “Light Jasper Cuff Jeans”
Boots: Surf Couture “Elsa Boots”
Hair: Irollic “Mew”
Skin: Curio “:GP: Bean [Light] Elf-Snug 2”
Eyes: Poetic Color “Night Rain”
Poses: Animazoo and Long Awkward Pose
Location: Dreaming Night at Happy Mood

Love,
Serene