LEAFY

Are you ready? So far this year's fall colors are a little drab in my part of the world but we will make do. Let the pumpkins commence!



I should mention that the Top and Shorts interfere with each other slightly in the back, only to be expected since they were produced by different makers.

Shirt: Bonbon "Falling Lady - Top 3" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Shorts: White River "Daytripper Shorts"
Boots: White River "Pale September Boots"
Ears: Pritty "Teddy Bear - {Ears}"
Hair: Pritty "Lelu"
Eyes: Song "Misato"
Lipstick: by Shiny Things
Skin: by Essences
Body: by Maitreya
Poses: by Juxtapose

Love,
Serene

OLD CYBER VILLAGE

I really like these little buildings I picked up at the Arcade Gacha. Although they are obviously meant to be futuristic, they have softened over time. The colors and details are cute, not entirely grunge, and a few persistent trees to keep them from looking too dystopian. That's encouragingly optimistic! I dressed them up sparingly with a bench, a lovely classic car, and a few lights.

Minimal Bionic Buildings (at the Arcade Gacha)

Love,
Serene

TWINKLE

I ran off to the circus Arcade today and it was fabulous fun!! Doe has this hair with twinkle lights, and the matching necklace is a free gift under the tree. I managed to collect all but one of Santa's reindeer by Schadenfreude. If you have an extra Dasher I would love to buy him from you! I have some cute little dogs in sweaters to show you too. Get in as soon as you can and have fun trading. This year there are two mirror sims instead of cam shopping, to make it easier on us. Happy Holidays!

Hair: Doe "Nole" (the Arcade Gacha)
Necklace: Doe "Merry Lights Necklace" (the Arcade Gacha, gift)
Earrings: Bliensen and Maitai "Tannenbaum"
Coat/Dress: Neve "Chilled" (with texture change HUD)
Lipstick Applier: Cheeky "My Autumn Lipstick"
Head: Catwa "Catya"
Ears: by Aitui
Skin: by Essences
Eyes: Song "Toki"
Pose: Don't Freak Out

Love,
Serene

SHOWING MY AGE

I've always loved to mash-up outfits with bits of this and that and mix old and new. I wore pointy ears and wings before it was the "thing" and I'm still wearing them after it was the "thing". This outfit contains rigged mesh, unrigged mesh, sculpted prims, system clothing and flexi-prims. The top half of my body is my system shape, the bottom half is a mesh body, because my kewl new pants are appliers-only. I wish Second Life had more appreciation for longevity; just because something is getting older doesn't mean it isn't still beautiful, like this scarf, which I bought in 2009. Hmm? What do YOU still have in your inventory that has stood up to the test of time?



Scarf: by Argrace (probably unavailable)
Wings: Fancy Fairy "Lilt Scripted Wings" (old but still available)
Undershirt: Silentsparrow "Lysi" (unavailable)
Lipgloss: Sugar Heart "Lip Shine" (store is gone)
Hair: Lelutka "Vent" (old gift but still available, great to wear under hats)
Boots: Lassitude and Ennui "Nostalgia" (fabulous rigged mesh with materials amazeballs!)
Leggings: Lassitude and Ennui "Hisa Pants" (appliers only, NEW at We Love Roleplay)
Hat: Tentacio "Admiral Lenore Hat Green" (previous round of the Arcade Gacha)
Corset Dress: Tentacio "Admiral Lenore Dress Green" (previous round of the Arcade Gacha)
Cuffs: Tentacio "Admiral Lenore Cuffs Black" (these were unrigged so I could move them)
(I sure was disappointed that I didn't win the Admiral's matching prosthetic leg!! LOL)
Ears: Mandala "Steking Ears" (change-everything HUD)
Eyelashes: Mon Cheri "Falsies" (texture-change HUD)
Skin: Essences "Galadriel"
Blush: Izzie's "Winter Blush" (gift)
Body and Hands: by SLink
Eyes: by Ikon

Love,
Serene

ALICE

A sweet little outfit today mostly made up of gacha goodies. The Pixicat dress impresses me; although the lacy overlayer is separate, the rigging is very good and did not cut into the dress underneath no matter what standing poses I played with. Dressed up with some lacy accessories from Lassitude and Ennui and GField.



Dress: Pixicat "Wonderland Dress nr.1 - Mint" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Leggings: GField "Rose Lace Leggings" (vintage system layer w/attachments)
Shoes: Lassitude and Ennui "Lucy" (for SLink high feet)
Bunny: Birdy "Bunny - Chibi" (gacha at the Chapter Four)
Hair: Blues "Minky" (gacha)
Skin: Essences "Bijoux" (new)
Eyes: Ikon "Ascension"
Lipstick: Essences "Bijoux Lipstick01" (new)
Lashes: Mon Cheri "Falsies" (w/ texture-change HUD)
Hands and Feet: by SLink
Pose: by Long Awkward Pose (unavailable)

Love,
Serene

HO HO HO

I hope your Holiday was lovely and peaceful! I enjoyed it so much. I loved watching my daughter opening all her gifts but the best was how excited she was too see the new bike from Grampa. We kept it simpler this year; it was more relaxing. In Second Life, so many designers sent sweet little gifts. My favorite was the hunt over at the Inspiration Point sim. If you haven't gone yet, hurry!



I'll take a little time for happy introspection, to sip some hot cocoa, and put on some fuzzy slippers. I thought Christmas might be brown this year, but we finally got some snow late Christmas Eve.



( I love these new ears. Available at a discount for just a few more days at the Men's Department, the HUD changes them to three shapes, earrings, painted tips, or you can turn off the paint and jewelry. It comes with a very nice selection of skin tone presets and a hand tinting tool.)

Ears: Mandala "Steking Ears Season 5" (discounted at the Men's Department a few more days)
Doggy: Aisling "Zak - Cute" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Scarf: Tee*fy "Collar Snood Nordic" (at the Inspiration Point Hunt)
Sweater: Tee*fy "Noel Sweater Dress" (at the Inspiration Point Hunt)
Leggings: Tee*fy "Soft Wool Jersey Leggings Plaid" (at the Inspiration Point Hunt)
Slippers: Mango Cheeks "Teddy Slippers Polar Bear"
Hair: D!va "Daisy" (last year's holiday Gacha)
Skin: Essences "Ingrid" (this makeup was at the last Candy Fair)
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Hands and Feet: by SLink

Love,
Serene

ELFIE SELFIE

Just a quick post to show you a few of my favorite things from this month's Arcade! Well most of it is from the Arcade. The adorable pug is over at the Chapter Four. But seriously what I love the most are VCO's Elf Heads gacha. I am still hoping to trade for the Sad Elf or Bad Elf heads. :D



Sweater: Shai "Crazy Christmas Sweater" (the Arcade Gacha)
Socks: Erratic "Eva Holiday Socks" (the Arcade Gacha)
Shorts: Drift "Solstice" (vintage from the Dressing Room)
Tights: The Secret Store "Christmas Tights"
Shoes: Ingenue "Aren Flats"
Head: VCO "Elf Head 11" (the Arcade Gacha)
Hair: Spellbound "Sweet Dreams 2" (the Arcade Gacha)
Dog: Birdy "A Pug Xmas" (the Chapter Four)

Love,
Serene

IT WAS KISMET

I went to the Creation.jp event and saw this sweatshirt and wham! It was kismet. I had to buy it. Why?



Because it looks like my precious NINO!! I swear I don't overfeed him. He must be out hunting possum when he's outdoors.



Sweatshirt: Eaters Coma "Sweatshirt / odd-eyed cat"
Pants: Maitreya "Zipper Skinny Jeans"
Shoes: Dysfunctional Designs "Kitty Wedgies"
Hair: Spellbound "Suspiria" (gacha)
Glasses: Deadwool "San Diego Glasses" (gacha)(previous Arcade)
Skin: Essences "Galadriel"
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"
Lashes: Lelutka "Photoshoot II"
Lipgloss: Sugar Heart "Lip Shine" (unavailable?)
Rouge: the Skinnery "Blusher - In Love"
Hands and Feet: by SLink
Nail Polish: Flair "Watermelon" (I think it was a gift)
Kitty: Aisling "Nino" (at the Arcade Gacha)

Love,
Serene

THE INTERGALACTIC PIZZA PRINCESS

I was looking around in my blogging folder and there is a lot of bits and pieces of random things I like in there. This time I noticed that there were two different pizza-themed things in there; and voila, an Idea was born! An intergalactic Pizza Princess! You know, like Princess Leia, only with pizza instead of Cinnabon hair.



Into the chute, flyboy!!!

Pizza Gun: Teefy "Pizza Gun" (former Arcade Gacha)
Armwarmers: Silentsparrow "Pizza Snugglewarmer" (former Arcade Gacha)
Goggles: Krieger "Tactical Goggles"
Jacket: Ison "Nova Tribe Jacket"
Pants: Maitreya "Couture Leggings"
Hair: Exile "L.A." (former Arcade Gacha)
Skin: Essences "Alex08" (gacha at Kustom9)
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"

Love,
Serene

THAT'S MORE LIKE IT

Okay I still didn't get changed into my new swimsuit but I wanted to wear this dress first. It's from Bare Rose also includes a hat and an optional shoulder drape that I didn't wear cause, well it's the beach. I liked it with this up-do from Exile that you can still get at the Arcade Gacha for a couple more days. The package comes with two hairs and two pairs of glasses, all cute, what a great deal!



Dress: Bare Rose "Monica C2" (also includes purple and orange dresses)
Shoes: Essenz "Laguna"
Hair/Glasses: Exile "L.A." (at the Arcade Gacha)
Skin: Essences "Tila" (at the Dressing Room)
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Hands and Feet: by SLink
Poses: by Marukin (at Collabor88)

Love,
Serene

DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY

Just at the moment it's quiet in the middle of the night and I am enjoying a serene moment.  Or is it the Oxycodone? I'm not sure but whatever it is, I'll take it.



I guess it's mostly in your outlook.



Glasses: Glow Studio "Birdy Glasses (gold2)"
Shirt: The Secret Store "Mary Pleated Shirt"
Skirt: The Secret Store "Annie Pencil Skirt"
Shoes: The Secret Store "Oxford Heels" (at Collabor88)
Purse: TuTys "Mesh Pet Carrier" (gift on SL Marketplace)
Hair: Exile "Shine" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Skin: Essences "Paris"
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Hands and Feet: by SLink

Love,
Serene

QUEEN OF THE VAMPIRE DISCO PUNKS

It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes
You're paralyzed



You hear the door slam and realize there's nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand and wonder if you'll ever see the sun
You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination, girl
But all the while you hear the creature creepin' up behind
You're out of time



They're out to get you there's demons closing in on every side
They will possess you unless you change the number on your dial
Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together yeah
All through the night I'll save you from the terror on the screen
I'll make you see



Jacket: LIV-Glam "Say You'll Be There" (part of Outfit)
Leggings: Maitreya "Leggings"
Shoes: Auxiliary "Heartbreaker" (at Collabor88)
Crown: Schadenfreude "Storybook Royalty Pumpkin" (last Arcade Gacha)
Necklace: Lassitude and Ennui "Batty"
Bow Tie: Swallow "Papillon Black Spike" (at The Dressing Room)
Hair: Wasabi Pills "Kira" (last Arcade Gacha)
Skin: Essences "Qopi"
Eyes: Song "Ghost Pink Pearl"
Hands and Feet: by SLink
Lashes: Lelutka "Photoshoot II"
Shirt: Sur "Lace Shirt" (vintage vintage)
Corset: PixelDolls "Bella Corset" (vintage vintage)
Belt: Ducknipple "Meurdog" (vintage vintage)
Bloody Teeth: by Glam Affair (vintage vintage)
Poses: by Olive Juice (vintage vintage Thriller poses)

Love,
Serene

STARRY DAYS

Aw don't you love my new baby? The stork delivered me an Abominable Snow Baby! She is a gift ... and includes both an attachment and an Avatar. Cute cute!! Now I just need to figure out what she eats.



The Arcade, We Love Roleplay and Collabor88 are all drawing to a close, but I'm sure all these lovelies will be heading back to their Main Stores. If you want to go to the Secret Store for the Coat, you should wear an invisible avatar cause they are having a FABULOUS hunt over there and it's a bit laggy. You shouldn't miss that either!



Abominable Snow Baby: by Alchemy (gift)
Coat: The Secret Store "Sarah Dress Coat" (at Collabor88)
Shoes: Lassitude and Ennui "Versailles" (at Genre oops, We Love Roleplay)
Earrings: Bliensen and Maitai "Ison" (Peace on Earth Hunt prize)
Ring: Malt "Pearl of Peace" (Peace on Earth Hunt Prize)
Leggings: Auxiliary "Snowflake Leggings" (from 2012 sorry)
Hair: D!va "Daisy" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Skin: Essences "Luaflor" (preview was at Fifty Linden Friday wow!)
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Hands: by SLink
Poses: by Label Motion (and in the Snow Baby)

Love,
Serene

INADVERTENT SNOW ANGEL

It's snowing as I speak and my daughter was twenty minutes late for school this morning because the traffic was crawling along at about five miles per hour the whole way. I'm listening to the news talking about the power lines that are down around town. I'm so grateful that her vacation starts tomorrow. In keeping with the lovely but inhospitable weather, a winter white post. I do enjoy ice skating while I am inside wearing pajamas. :D



Whee!



If these pictures load slowly, I apologize on behalf of Flickr which is messing about with their freaking display settings again. I really really wish they would stop trying to "improve" their interface, I preferred it THE WAY IT WAS! (*rant over*)

Coat: Maitreya "Oversized Coat" (at Collabor88)
Leggings: Maitreya "Tights"
Skates: The Secret Store "Ice Skates - Pegasus" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Hair: D!va "Daisy" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Skin: Essences "Dyana" (at the Dressing Room)
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent "
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Poses: Nantra "Roller Derby"

Love,
Serene

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

It's so cold outside that even online all I want to do is stay in with some cocoa. With things so busy right now, the week has sped by and today is already the last day of Relay for Life's Christmas Expo, and here I am to blog the last bits and bobs I have, and to encourage you to go before time runs out. Go now! This fun jacket is really for men but it's transferrable so you can give it to your man if you want to take him to a party all spiffed up.

Jacket/Shirt/Tie: Citrus "Men's Leather Xmas Jacket" (at Christmas Expo)



How about this cute jacket and sweater set? It came with a pair of black pants too but they didn't fit well with the shoes.

Jacket/Shirt: LIV-Glam "Funny Honey" (at Christmas Expo)



Or just something cuddly for a quiet night in?

Pajamas: Ever An' Angel "Not So Prim Candy Cane PJs" (at Christmas Expo)
Holly: Evie's Closet "Holly Headpiece" (at Christmas Expo)

also shown:
Hat: Remarkable Oblivion "Festivat - Little Drummer Boy" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Leggings: Teefy "Black Shine Leggings"
Boots: J's "Ankle Boots Square"
Hair: D!va "Daisy" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Hair: Clawtooth "Temptation - Valentine" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Skin: Essences ""Olyvia" (at the Dressing Room)
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Sofa: Lisp "Winter Sofa Red"
Cute Doggy: Zooby "Tan Pug"

Love,
Serene

ON THE SIDEBOARD

Did you have an old sideboard in your home when you were growing up? You know, the one that did double duty as a buffet when your parents had a party. The one that held the neighbor gifts and that fruitcake. So here is my sideboard with some of my holiday treats. I love pixel food!



A shop called Myrrine (new or new-to-me?) has a cute spot at the Christmas Expo, that's where I picked up the Gingerbread cookie displays and the strings of stars. One string is just wooden stars, but the others are lights that cycle through the color spectrum. I'm also loving these neutral snowflake chairs that are Art Dummy's entry in the Four Walls hunt, and all four are L$20. Can't beat that!

Snowflake: by Atelier Visconti (at Christmas Expo)
Light Marquee: Apple Fall "Sweet Dreams"
Angel Chimes: by LAQ Décor (gift available in store or on Marketplace)
Bundt Cake: Bauwerk "Ring Cake"
Cherry Yummies: Apple Fall "Cherry Voulevants" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Pudding: Apple Fall "Christmas Pudding" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Cabinet: Zigana "Apothecary Cabinet"
Gingerbread Branches: by Myrrine (at Christmas Expo)
Christmas Star Lights: by Myrrine (at Christmas Expo)
Chairs: Art Dummy! "Wintertide. (chairs)" (at the Four Walls Hunt)

Love,
Serene

HORNY

Another quick post and off I run! Along with my squee-worthy 8f8 Hat and Mittens I am wearing a Sweater and Jacket set by Liv-Glam that is available at the FineSmith Murder Mystery Hunt, which runs through December 8. Each participant in the Hunt provides one 'gift' for L$10 and eliminates a murder suspect. All in good fun!

Hat and Mittens: 8f8 "Deer Hat and Mittens Rudolf Secret" (at the Arcade Gacha) :D
Jacket/Sweater: LIV-Glam "Crazy He Calls Me" (gift includes shorts, but it's too cold for that!)
Leggings: Maitreya "Mesh Leggings Suede Redwood"
Shoes: Ingenue "Aren Flats" (for SLink feet)
Hair: LeLutka "Vent"
Skin: Essences "Amaterasu"
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Feet: by SLink
Chair: what next "Winter Cubby Armchair" (20L in the Four Walls Hunt)

Love,
Serene

HELLO KITTY

I'm still trying on Halloween costumes!! (My favorite.) These kitty-print pieces are from separate outfits and it took some work to make the Small jacket and XXS skirt play nice together, but I like the result. This print of the jacket was formerly at the Fashion Story event, but it's also at LIV-Glam on SL Marketplace. The LIV-Glam store is so large these days, I am sometimes finding it easier to find things online!



I have tattoo whiskers too, but there is a limit to how many tattoo layers you can wear, and I've already reached it. Hmm, maybe someone is making mesh whiskers. I should look into that.



Wearing the smallest size of the skirt meant that my kneecaps popped out in some poses, but it wasn't too obvious after I added the black stockings. I have this problem with lots of mesh skirts that are narrow at the bottom, partly because the alphas that hide our legs are often not quite long enough. I often wish mesh makers would be a bit more careful making the alphas.

Jacket: LIV-Glam "Butterfly Jacket"
Skirt: LIV-Glam "Serenity Skirt"
Shoes: Peqe "High Keira Leopard" (vintage)
Headband: Auxiliary "Purrfect Headband" (last Arcade Gacha)
Tattoo: Sugar Heart "Heart Nose"
Tattoo: Sugar Heart "Big Spot"
Lipgloss: Sugar Heart "Lip Shine"
Hair and Hairbase: D!va "Giz" (last Arcade Gacha)
Skin:  Essences "Lily Light Rose"
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"
Lashes: LeLutka "Photoshoot II"
Lashes: Essences "Eyelashes 01"
Poses: by Del May

Love,
Serene

EARLY DUSK IN HARROWDALE

I went to take a quick peek over at the lovely Harrowdale roleplaying sim. The build is beautiful! The village has a quiet, well integrated feel, rather than the kind of patchwork of mismatched builds I have seen at many other sims. I am tickled that their roleplay is modeled on a Dungeons and Dragons milieu. Wow, that really takes me back ...

If you want to visit Harrowdale, wear medieval dress, read the rules notecard, and wear the embedded visitors' tag. Oh and wave hello to Katerina Bukowski a.k.a. Ulrika, a citizen of the village who was out and about photo-bombing bloggers. (just kidding!)



Oh yes I dressed up this old shredded gown with some nose-chains and a lovely staff from the Fantasy Gacha Festival. Do go see what's over there while you can!



Nose Ring and Chain: Aisling "Xanthe N2 Gold" (Fantasy Gacha Festival)
Staff: The Forge "Aura Staff Common (Worn Bronze)" (Fantasy Gacha Festival)
Necklace: Dead Apples "Antlers Chain Necklace" (last Arcade Gacha)
Dress: Evie's Closet "Tiny Ren Dirty" (less cleavage version)
Shoes: Lassitude and Ennui "Estampies" (oops they're cropped out, but they really are perfect with RP outfits!)
Gloves: Celoe "Mery"
Hair: Wasabi Pills "Sarah"
Skin: Plastik "Astrali Skin Ganymede"
Tattoo: Plastik "Soul Ink Reloaded - Cule"
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"

Love,
Serene

IN MY SKIVVIES AT THE BEACH

So I sneaked off one last time to the beach before it gets cold. I was trying on pieces from Finesmith's flowery new September gift set, while doing a pinup pose lying on an old rowboat. 

And I was thinking Deep Thoughts about my latest skin obsession, Inka Mexicola's "Essences" skins. I read a skin review the other day by Arica Storaro over at one of my fave newer blogs, The Blogging Elf. Overall she gave a very positive review of Ms. Mexicola's "Cho" skins, but she pointed out the skin's imperfections honestly.

Reading her article made me think about what I expect from these skins. On the plus side, they suit my taste: they have these adorable tip-tilted noses that go just right with my eccentric little shape. The bodies are softer and don't make me look like a weightlifter. I think they hit just the right balance between hand drawn and photo real, neither too smoothly stylized nor too photographic in details. But some of my needs are probably different from some of yours ... As a blogger I like to show lots of skin options, but I rarely ask for review packs. So I look for bargains from the best skin makers. I go to the Dressing Room, the Arcade, the Chapter Four, etc. When I am paying between zero and a couple hundred lindens, I expect I am getting the equivalent of a Beta skin, which may have a couple of very small imperfections. But when I buy full-price skins (L$1000 or more), I expect higher quality: I think a body without visible seams is a perfectly reasonable expectation.

What can I say but ALWAYS TRY ON THE DEMO? Take a close look before you buy. The skin in the picture above came out of the L$100 gacha machine at the Chapter Four. At a moderate distance, I don't see anything wrong with it. But if you click on the photo to go look at the skin close up, there are a couple of artifacts along the seam line running horizontally a couple inches below the bellybutton. A couple more along the sides of the hips. But do I feel cheated? NO! Normally I am fully dressed, in front of a photo studio taking pictures, or teleporting around the grid. Maybe when she has had more time to work on her body template, I will buy some full-price skins :D  ... Love your work Inka!

Flower Accessories: Finesmith "September" (this month's group gift)
Undies: Plastik "Valerian"
Hair: Exile "Just A Reason 10 - Wildcards" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Skin: Essences "Amaterasu 05" (Gacha at the Chapter Four)
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"

Love,
Serene