Monday, March 30, 2009

Caledon long cool women in black dresses.

I was just playing around with the taksi video capture software one day. I then edited my video using avidemux on Linux on my PS3. Since taksi doesn't capture audio, I just added the song via ffmpeg to the final avi. Thats Her DJness Gabrielle Riel and me. And yes, that's the old Dazzle Paradoxe, and no, you can't have it.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

L'Abel Lanikai from Neferia Abel of Ivalde

Neferia Able of Ivalde has created a new line of modern styled clothing to complement her wonderful retro-wear. She has named the line, L'Abel. I popped over to her store to take a quick look and found this dress that I HAD to have, Lanikai

It's a deceptively simple sheath with a square neckline, and I do so love a square neckline. There's a slight dip at the neckline for added interest. The sleeves are fluttery and sculpty, the remind me of little wings. The skirt is straight, as it should be. It's not plain, which would be a bit ordinary, but with a subtle pattern in the cloth texture. It's really quite pretty.



It really is quite flattering on my new plus size shape. I have already received several compliments on it.



Here's a closer look at that floral pattern and neckline. You can also see the solid unpatterned insets at just below the bustline and extending around to the back. In RL that would be VERY flattering.



It comes in a blue and burgundy as well, which I want. I also want the sweater dresses, and the cocktail dresses and....well it's Neferia stuff, and I want it all.

Consume, buy, from the Ivalde Main Store

I forgot to mention the other stuffage: Hair is Mia in Brown Sugar from Analog Dog, Shoes are the Party Pumps from Shiny things, and it's a Fleur Allure skin, Lounge 3.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Lady Darcy earns £10000 a year, thanks to Nicky Ree.

Mrs. Bennet from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice:

Good gracious! Lord bless me! only think! dear me! Mr. Darcy! Who would have thought it! And is it really true? Oh! my sweetest Lizzy! how rich and how great you will be! What pin-money, what jewels, what carriages you will have! Jane's is nothing to it -- nothing at all. I am so pleased -- so happy. Such a charming man! -- so handsome! so tall! -- Oh, my dear Lizzy! pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before. I hope he will overlook it. Dear, dear Lizzy. A house in town! Every thing that is charming! Three daughters married! Ten thousand a year! Oh, Lord! What will become of me. I shall go distracted.... My dearest child.... I can think of nothing else! Ten thousand a year, and very likely more! 'Tis as good as a Lord! And a special licence. You must and shall be married by a special licence. But my dearest love, tell me what dish Mr. Darcy is particularly fond of, that I may have it tomorrow.



I love Colin Firth, well not exactly love, but he's my favourite UK romantic actor. One of his quintessential roles was as Mr. Darcy in the A&E/BBC coproduction of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. In the film Bridget Jones Diary, he essentially repeated the characterization as Mark Darcy, since the character in the original book was written with his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in mind. And here is Mr. Firth as the proud Mr. Darcy himself in his most quintessential ensemble from the miniseries:



I saw this Lady Darcy ensemble in Nicky Ree and I just had to have it...Swoon!





I know I know, I should have taken a few pics glowering in a corner, that's what he does. But isn't it such a handsome ensemble. I love that style of jacket and wish they were still in style. And the ruffle collar shirt, and lovely waiscoat. I paired it with Riding boots from Adam n Eve, since they have a nice pretty heel but not too high. Hair is ETD Carolyn in the 2007 version of Mahogany and the skin is a Fleur Allure, Lounge 3.

It comes in multiple colors, but the other colors suck from my perspective because EVERYTHING comes in the color. Which means the jacket is red, the waistcoat is red, the trousers are red, the shirt is red and there's not enough contrast between the various pieces. That means this black and white version is the ONE to get. Now if the other versions came with contrasting shirts/trousers/etc, that would be most excellent. My suggestion is to buy the Black and white one and then if you want, get the other versions for the jackets and wear those jackets with the white shirt and trousers. There's also a men's version called Lord Darcy.

Apparently there's a Pemberley sim in SL so I should go there...and find a pond. Heh heh heh, pond scene.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Kanomi Pikajuna

Kanomi is important. Kanomi is special. Kanomi matters. She is the friend to all. Everybody likes her. Everybody likes the nice girl who is the friend to all. She is nice and important and special and important and she is the nice special important friend to all! Kanomi is important. Kanomi matters.

She's covering the SL gaming scene for Hamlet Au over at New World Notes, replacing Miss Vidal Tripsa. She's Caledonian too.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Second Chick feature

Some may not know that I'm open to doing an occasional feature/commentary/post for practically any blog that likes what I write. I had heard that the Second Chick blog was looking for writers. Second Chick is: "for and about the women of the Second Life® virtual world" Whether you’re a woman in your first life, in Second Life, both or neither doesn’t really matter. If you’re interested in the the things that appeal to women in the Second Life virtual world, then Second Chick may be just the thing for you. So I contacted the owner, Willow DejaVu and sent in a submission.

My little post is The Holes in My Heart

I hope my readers enjoy reading it, and the other posts on Second Chick.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Are you on the list?

ArminasX Saiman of the Second Effects blog, has compiled a list, using various geeky Technorati methods, of the Biggest Blogs about SL.

I'm on the list, at #155, which seems a bit too well ranked, but I think the list is close to the mark. The list is also a list of some of the "movers and shakers of SL", at least in the blogging community. Vint Falken is there, and Hamlet Au, Mr. Neva, Gwyneth LLewelyn, Zoe Connolly. Ana Lutetia, Celebrity, Iris Seale, Tenshi. Codie, Botgirl, Crap Mariner, Colonel Otoole, etc etc, Kota, Myg, Callie, Ordinal, Iris Ophelia, Cani, Anti, Zealot Benmergui. I could probably address about half of the first hundred or so by their first names and they would respond with my nick name , "Hi CC" and I've met a heck of a lot of the rest on the grid. And yeah, friends list and groups. It's like an extended family, six degrees of separation and all.

Personally I really don't care how I'm ranked, though I'm always amazed people read my deranged rantings and stuff. I'm not entirely a tame fashionista you know.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Salome Says

Salome Strangelove, one of my former bosses at Linden Lifestyles has a new blog where she posta about all sorts of things. (who knew she had played AD&D first edition, she never told me!) Including SL fashion. Yes, that's right, the Patootie Haired one is writing about SL fashion again. Squee! I'm getting my fix back.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Plus (real) size CC

I'm friends with the lovely bear eared fashionista and Fleur CSA Rosie Barthelmess, and every time I'm near her, I kind of feel shame for having an unrealistically slender avatar. Sure my avatar is not as super skinny and amazon tall as some, and not as much as I was, but still, I always have admired Rosie. So while hanging with her today at Fleur, I decided to do a "Real size" CC, with her help and this was the result. I used my standard shape and modded it to something more like my RL shape, but still pretty and pleasing.



Layniewear Audrey Dress, Fleur Truffle Biba 1 skin, Shiny Things classic pumps, Stockings from Adam n Eve, Analog Dog Mia hair in Brown Sugar, and Oval glasses from First Impressions

Yes, I know, my hair doesn't look like this. I wish it did.



And a shot in lingerie from the Adam N Eve Carrie gown



And as a comparison, RL femme mode me, not so young and pretty as even Real Size CC, but similar in style. I'm even wearing faux lashes and I tried to wing my eyeliner, like how avatar me sometimes wears prim lashes and wears Fleur skins with winged eyeliner.



L'Oreal Infallible foundation
L'Oreal Wear Infinite eyeshadow quad in Subtle Sable
L'Oreal Lineur Intense felt tip liner in Carbon black
Andrea Modlash #33 lashes applied using the "put the glue on the lid instead of the lashes" trick
MAC Angel blush
MAC Viva Glam IV lipstick


I haven't decided if Real Size CC will become the Standard Avatar Me or not. I know the shape will make prim skirts more difficult, but I think it's a good thing I made the shape.

Space Pirates of the Caledonian, Team Caledon's Second Life Relay for Life kick off.

Most readers have probably heard of the Second Life Relay for Life, a large grid wide event to raise money for the American Cancer Society, that parallels the events held in RL. The fundraising kicked off on Saturday, and the gridwide total is already close to 3 million L$. Team Caledon's kick off event was last Sunday and according to something of a tradition, was a pirate themed event. This year, it was steampunky space pirates. I didn't get any pictures, but I did get some video snippets via the free version of the fraps video capture software. Sorry about the interface elements, I wasn't really prepared to do it.

My video page on Youtube

Embedded here for your perusal:









The last video "stars" Her Grace, Her DJness, Prim Minister, "Cousin" Gabrielle Riel

When I joined SL back in 2006 I arrived just before the final Relay event, the one on the BIG 34 sim relay track. I didn't hear about it till after, so didn't take part in many things, but I swore I would take part as much as I could in 2007. You see, my father is a prostate cancer survivor and I have lost two aunts to cancer. But I missed taking part in the Pirate event immortalized by Oolon Sputnik in this video.



So, if you see a Relay kiosk, put a few L$ in every now and then. It adds up...quickly, and every little bit, even 1L$ helps.

The beautiful Rooby Begonia

There are Second Life fashion websites out there who chronicle the fashion challenged in a humorous way. Today I decided to do something similar, but to show someone who, in my personal opinion, had a stylish and interesting look, with a couple of images from my SL folder.

One day, last December I was pointed to a store by a friend, and as I was looking around, I saw an avatar, a rather beautiful one. Now there are those that say everyone's avatar can be beautiful in SL, but I don't think that's exactly true, above average in attractiveness perhaps, but truly beautiful, no. I see lots of attractive avatars, and interesting avatars, but ones that that I consider beautiful are a bit more rare.

I saw her:



Redheads tend to get my attention, and the way she was dressed, and the way she moved and her hair, it all just added up to "Breathtaking."

Many things ran through my head:


  • Who is she? Her name is Rooby Begonia. Rooby Begonia, what a great name.
  • Where does she shop?
  • Is she an SL model, she has to be.
  • If I had my own agency I'd hire her right now.
  • Ooooh, her AO is awesome.
  • I wonder if she will speak to me.
  • I want to have her prim babies.
  • She is carrying a PURSE!
  • She looks like she just popped out of some fashion magazine
  • I want her hair...ah, Analog Dog.
  • Should I talk to her?
  • She is truly beautiful, in a rather classic Ralph Lauren-ish way.
  • She isn't answering, maybe she doesn't speak English....oh no. I want to tell her how beautiful she is. Whatever you do, don't go away!
  • Oh! She was only AFK! She's talking to me. Yay!


Just look at her...sigh. Redheaded Fashion goddess. What? I didn't have an immediate crush, honest. Sure, she's a Stephanie Misfit class beauty, but I didn't check her profile to see if she was partnered...honest. Yeah, that's the ticket.



Rooby's skin is a Chai, the hair being Analog Dog Mia. I'm wearing ETD Maaliyah and a Fleur skin. Can't remember my outfit, but that's the denim skirt out of the Hazel outfit from Shine. Pinson boots from Enkythings. She makes me look like chopped liver.

And she's NOT a model! I know! She said someone told her that her nose is too big, and she said she wouldn't have the patience for it. What a loss to somebody's stable of models.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Farewell to Calla, my home.

My home, such as it was, was in the Calla sim. I had build rights in a 512 area above the golf course, provided gratis by my (currently former) Boss Sabrina Doolittle. You see, as a fashionista, I'm rarely there, and only needed a spot to put up the pose stand and background thingy plus other tchotchkes, like my pancakes. I could do what I wanted, as long as I kept it up in the sky.

Sabrina basically left SL and over time began reducing her SL involvement, which included the sim, just recently. A few days ago I logged in to find Calla gone. At first I thought it was temporary, but after a couple of days I figured it was going to be gone for good. So I asked around on what to do since I had some items rezzed, including my pose stuff. Some said, that in the old days, when sims were deleted your stuffage got returned to you, but mine wasn't. So it was suggested I contact the Lindens and they'd probably temporarily bring back the sim so I could grab my stuff, which they did. I didn't even have to beg or anything, just telling them about my stuff left on the sim was enough.

So, I received notice of the temp return of the sim, and went back to get my stuff and take some last pictures.

This is the Picture Perfect Pro



What's the Picture Perfect Pro, you ask? The enhanced super deluxe version of Sabrina's Picture Perfect Studio (pose stand and background thingy). What's that you ask? You never saw it in Sabrina's store? Of course you didn't, it wasn't 100% finished when Sabrina took her hiatus, which eventually became permanent, from SL. She and I worked on it together, which is why I know about it...but I don't have a copy of the almost ready for release device. We were talking, which led to discussion of the picture perfect and other photo thingies and talk turned to doing an enhanced version with built in lighting, but still low prim and cheap. I think we were planning between 500 and 1000L$. Anyway, I did the lighting scripts, based on those for the Picture Perfect Studio Light Effects, but it's up to version 1.4 or was it 1.5. Anyway all 4 lamps are individually controlled by chat. The rings they're on spin around, top and bottom individually, but the standard placement was designed to reduce shadows in the pre-windlight client to zero. Took 4 lamps to do it, we tried 2 and it almost worked with 3, but we couldn't get the placement perfect, so we settled on 4.

The background thingy is a cylinder so it will fit inside residences, sphere's big enough for avatars with a big enough opening were a bit too big, also getting textures to look good inside of sphere's was a bit annoying, using a cylinder was easier. Sabrina did the script for that, she's much better at texture manipulating stuff. She also did the physical build of the thing, she's so much better with prims and textures than I am.

The pose stand itself contained one of our secret weapons, a simplified version of my pose stand rotation script. You see, I was once taking pictures of an outfit and wanted to take a picture of the back with a certain pose that faced me. So I rotated the stand in edit mode and I got to thinking, hey wouldn't it be cool to be able to turn this thing with a chat command, without having to go into edit mode and then cam back in. So I figured out how to do it, and built the script. Now I wanted to test it in my Picture Perfect but I figured that since the scripts were no-mod that I couldn't put my own script in it. so I searched through my inventory and found a full mod pose stand with pose changer buttons and an invis button. I altered it, improved it. rebuilt it...I had the technology....better...stronger...faster, and then I put my script in it. And it kicked ass. I handed it out to a few people, who liked it, but I wasn't going to sell it, because it just did what the picture perfect did, only better because I could rotate it along x, y or z axis with chat commands without camming out or changing cam position. So I told sabrina about the script and she told me that even if the PP scripts were no-mod I could still put other scripts in it, just like poses. So we did, and it worked great, but the controls were a bit complicated. Sabrina said she got so many help requests for her easy to use Picture Perfect stuff as it was so she asked if I could simplify the rotation script, Z-axis only and say a dozen set positions like a clock. I could and did, and that was the version of the pose stand going into the Picture Perfect Pro. My original PP pose stand got the fully geeky version of the script though.

So now that Calla is gone, no more chance for the PP pro to be released and if I am correct the original PP can't be bought anymore. I don't think it's sold anywhere else. And the Studio Light Effects I designed and built was also sold there so it can't be bought anymore either, though I'm willing to sell them directly out of inventory.

I could duplicate the function of the PP Pro pose stand with one of my own, easy enough, and in fact I have such a stand in inventory, which I may release now that the PP is unavailable. But I don't have a replacement for either of the background things, though I could do a version of the original PP's one, given time. The problem would be the textures, I can't do em. The Pro, there's no way I could build that. I could come close in basic shape, but it would be ugly, and I don't have Sabrina's texture changing script for the cylinder.

And how many prims on the PP Pro? I think we got it down to 16...total for everything, stand, cylinder, and lights, but I think there were plans to get it to 12 or was it 10. See those lamps were "bulbs"...inside of a faux reflector, using a single cylinder and faking with textures would have removed 4 prims. Either way we got it down to lower prim than practically anything else out there. It was great, even in unfinished form.

Here's the original Picture Perfect Studio, low prim, 250L$ One of the best purchases I ever made.



My light was sold next to it, Sabrina and I shared income on that. For a while, that thing sold like crazy.

Here's the exterior of the store where Sabrina sold the PP and other picture related stuff, albums, frames, etc.



Ahhh Linden Lifestyles HQ. Where the famed LL male and female freebie packs were available. I have them too and can drop them on newbies as I see them. Oh how I miss the Linden Lifestyles blog. Sabrina and Salome wrote so well.







Calla Country club, there were games inside, pool and a couple of others, and there were a few casino machines, but they went out when gambling in SL did. If memory serves me correctly Sabrina threw a few parties there. It had a small stage and dance floor, IIRC. It was a nice cozy venue for small parties. I have a golf cart given to me by Sabrina that has my name and Calla Country Club enscribed on it. The golf course, which no one ever used, that I know of, is nearby.



Chez Petite, Sabrina's low prim furniture store.



My skybox, in the skies of Calla. That's my bed, used only for a few pictures, a Caledon dance pole, and you can see a bit of my en garde piste



There's the rest of the piste, my Picture Perfect setup, my vanity table with the Tete a Pied makeup box on it, my magazine style homage to the Hussy and the Patootie head, and my pancakes.



Calla Marina, where Sabrina sold that great little housebout, that I always wanted, even if it's too small to put a picture perfect in. She'd customize it for you too. It really is a nice little place to live in.



The bridge, leading from the commercial side of calla to the residential. The golf course was on both sides of the river/inlet



Now I'm going to have to find another spot to "live" or at least put my "studio" setup in. I don't have the L$ to spend on both a 512 and shopping. I have a L$ budget (especially these days with medical expenses). I'd like to find a semi-regular writing gig with one of the "big blogs" to earn a little L$ besides writing Elsa Klensch style reading scripts for fashion shows. Will serve as lackey/minion/weapons testing target in exchange for a 512! Back to sandboxes for SL picture taking for me, give the geeks a thrill to see me skin testing sometimes.