~Noa at Enchanted Photopia~

While checking in on Facebook today, I saw this great youtube video posted for Enchanted Photopia.  I watched the entire video and was so inspired by it, I knew I had to go explore the place further.  What an incredibly magical place, full of vignettes featuring familiar animated movie characters and scenes.  Trust me, that description does not do this wonderful place justice.  At the very least watch the video…but it is very much worth the visit!

Enchanted Photopia was the perfect backdrop to try to capture my fun outfit; featuring the Noa dress from Sascha’s Designs.  The Noa dress is the latest release form Sascha’s…you have the choice of purchasing three separate HUDs and each has a choice of six different dress textures. I will show all three HUDs below.  The dress texture I am wearing in the first photo is from the Noa No.2 HUD…I really love the Sugar Skull feel of the graphic.

The Noa No.1 HUD has stripes, plaids, florals and paisleys…a great mixture with choices suitable for any occasion.

The Noa No. 2 HUD features Candy Skull designs that would be great for creating a very Retro Rocker or Kawaii look.

The Noa No. 3 HUD has a mixture of florals, plaid, a plain white and a celestial looking black pattern; a great mix to suit any style mood.

I styled my look a little more on the Kawaii side and chose the Sunday Hair (Rainbows) from+Spellbound+,  MARYJANE Wedges (Romance) from Reign, the {Turquoise} necklace and bangles from Ariskea (previously available for purchase at the 21 event), the Tiger lily ring from MG-Maxis Gossamer, and my fabulous nail appliers are from the new Romantic Sparks polish collection by ZOZ!  My incredible Immortal Eyes are the latest mesh eye release from Ikon…these eyes are just amazing!

Check out Enchanted Photopia or stop by the fabulous stores featured here and shop til you drop!
http://youtu.be/k3eTaG4Wbs4

Life and fashion are fleeting…buy now and stay captivated!

~X~

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Xiu is also wearing:

Fawn:  Alchemy  – Dreams-Spirit Fawn Familiar-RARE (past event gacha/gift from a cherished friend))

Dog:   Alchemy – Doge-French Bull Dog-Snow (past gacha item from The Chapter Four Event)

Socks:  Mimikri– -Maxine-Overknee Socks

Hair:  [elikatira] – Looking (retired style)

Skin:  Glam Affair  – Aria

Hands:  Slink – AVEnhance – Elegant1

Wedding Ring Set:  CHOP ZUEY COUTURE JEWELLRY– Kismet

Pose: {Sugar Heart} -Cotton Candy~5 Static Model Poses (available on the Market Place) *includes cotton candy prop shown.  Pose edited using Animare

Shot on location at  Enchanted Photopia 

***PLEASE NOTE that I am not a mainstream fashion blogger.  My focus is telling a story through a photo…so I DO manipulate my photos.  TRY before you buy. ***

~Catching fireflies in Wisteria Starlite~

One of my few cherished childhood memories is catching fireflies, at twilight, in the field across from my grandparents farm in Maine.  I recall using a mason jar, that we’d poked holes in the lid, and leaping through the tall grass trying to capture what we called lightning bugs and  tinkerbells.  It was heartbreaking to see them die so we always made sure to release them shortly after capture; ensuring they’d grant our wishes and return another night.

I had not thought about the magic of catching firelfies in many years…then I saw the Moonlite and Starlite gowns from ~ghee~…and those enchanting evenings came flooding back.  The ~ghee~ Moonlite and Starlite gowns are actually a two piece ensemble…the Moonlite gowns come in deep rich jewel tones with an off-the-shoulder top and the Starlite gowns feature a racer back top and muted tones.  The moment I slipped into the Starlite Wisteria gown, I knew I had to capture its shimmering beauty surrounded by the quiet elegance of  the Angel Manor Gardens; while chasing firelflies at dusk.  I spent several wonderful hours in the Angel Manor Gardens…shooting the photos for this piece…and reveling in the childhood memories of evenings filled with moonlite, starlite and fireflies.

It’s a great big crazy world out there and life is fleeting…stay captivated! ❤

~X~

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Xiu is also wearing:

Hair:  Analog Dog – b – honey (Coral)

Skin:  Glam Affair  Aria – Asia (previous gacha item)

Hands:  Slink – AVEnhance – Elegant1

Ring:  Lazuri – Celseste Heirloom

Poses:  I used a Manifeste the Art of Posing (on hiatus) pose as my base and altered it using my Animare Hud…so that I could “hold” the firefly jar, from Outdoor Store & Osmosis; which is meant as a table top decor item.

Shot on location at Angel Manor Gardens  

**I used DOF and Phototools Hospital Light windlight….using the sun position slider I was able to capture the shimmer of the materials “satin” feel of the skirt and to pick up the highlights in the hair.  I also used a wearable projector and three point light from the LUMIPro system and adjusted them to create a soft key and fill lighting on the avatar…to prevent loss of detail from uneven windlight shadowing.

***PLEASE NOTE that I am not a mainstream fashion blogger.  My focus is telling a story through a photo…so I DO manipulate my photos.  TRY before you buy. ***

~Exclusive Blue~

As promised…I have a sneak peek, for the Sascha’s Designs Hunger Gown, that will be sold exclusively at the Opium Evolution Hunger Games Event from August 1-10!

This exquisite Cobalt Blue Hunger Gown is as breathtaking in person as it is in the photo.  All of the Sascha’s Designs Hunger gowns will come with the wings, a mask and several different skirt options.

Enjoy this sneak preview and get ready for the Hunger Games!

Stay captivated! ❤ ❤

~X~

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Hair:  .:EMO-tions:.  – *PRIA* (intensivered)

Jewelry:  LAZURI Jewelry – Celeste Heirloom – Color Change- Dark Gems

Shot on location at*StoryBrooke Gardens*…This gorgeous destination is one of three amazing builds from the creator of Baja Norte…thank you for such a beautiful and inspiring place Lauren Bentham ❤ ❤

***NOTE that I am not a mainstream fashion blogger.  My focus is telling a story through a photo…so I DO manipulate my photos.  TRY before you buy. ***

~Sascha’s Red Hunger~

Let the games begin!

The Opium Evolution Hunger Games that is!

The games and shows will take place from August 1-10…but that won’t stop me from showing you an exclusive sneak peek at this stunning Red Hunger dress from Sascha’s Designs.  Sascha will be featuring the Hunger Gowns in Red, Gold, Silver and Black at the Opium Evolution Hunger Games Event…there will also be an exclusive color that will only be available at the games, but I am not going to tell you what it is yet…you’ll just have to watch this blog to find out in a few more days.

Enjoy this sneak preview and get ready for the Hunger Games!

Stay captivated! ❤ ❤

~X~

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Hair:  Analog Dog – b – honey (Coral)

Jewelry:  LAZURI Jewelry – Celeste Heirloom – Color Change- Dark Gems

Pose:  Del May – Tilt

Shot on location at Baja Norte…thank you for such a beautiful and inspiring place Lauren Bentham ❤ ❤

***NOTE that I am not a mainstream fashion blogger.  My focus is telling a story through a photo…so I DO manipulate my photos.  TRY before you buy. ***

~Change~

It is always around this time of year that I become more reflective.  I start shifting things around the homestead, organizing my desktop, and assessing my avatar for updates.  Usually these updates are minor, but I will admit I look drastically different from my rez day on October 5, 2008.

Yes..this is me…fresh off Welcome Island.  Well, actually, it is about a week out…by this time I had switched out my eyes to these neon aqua ones and attempted my first “editing” project by lengthening the back of my hair. Of course, I thought I looked pretty good, but it didn’t take long to notice that there were better options to change my look.  There have obviously been a multitude of changes in skin and tweaking my shape over the years…but I have always wanted to keep a “Eurasian” look for her.  It hasn’t been easy, and there have definitely been some mis-steps with skins, but I think I’ve finally found a skin that compliments the look I have been working toward.  The Belleza Aiko (Pale) skin looks just stunning on me!

I have absolutely adored Belleza skin for ages…but kinda gave up on it as an option because it never really fit the look I was trying to achieve.  Having said this, the ONLY place I took my husband for skin was Belleza; it is simply flawless on him.

I know Aiko was released a while ago, but, as I said, I had given up on Belleza as a skin option; I don’t think Aiko was around when I stopped trying on the Belleza demos. I am so thrilled that I decided to take a random trip back to see what Tricky Boucher had created lately!  The moment I tried the Aiko demo on…I knew I had finally found THE skin for me…THE skin that took over four years to find!  It is simply the perfect Asian skin…rendered with a deft and talented hand; crafted with an eye for the true nuances that mark the subtle beauty of ethnic skin.  Thank you Mr. Boucher…my husband and I both adore our Belleza skins! <3<3

My outfit today starts with the Amy top and Zoey pants from /erratic/.  I can’t effuse enough about how fabulous this shirt and these pants are!  The shirt has gorgeous draping…with the front loosely tucked in…the back is untucked but lies wonderfully against the pant. It isn’t easy to wear separate mesh pieces and have them “layer” over each other without issues….but this shirt works!  The pants fit like a glove and have a buttery soft texture to them…with attention to even the smallest detail; such as the pull tab and slider on the zippers.

I finished off my look with the gorgeous Sound hair from [e].  Elikatira is having a HUGE retirement sale (HURRY back with your gorgeous newness soon!!).  It isn’t easy trying to get into the store right now…but WELL worth it…so RUN!!!  My necklace is part of the latest release set, **Attar**, from +:+WTG+:+; found at the new round of Limited Bazaar.  My Bracelet is part of the Harvest set from CHOP ZUEY COUTURE JEWELLRY, the Agam ring (no longer available), on my right hand, is from *TWISHEE*, and my adorable Beagle, named Bagel, is part of the Z Bag from ZOOBY’S.

Other Ephemera

Eyes:      Ikon

Eyeliner:     LpD

Prim Eyelashes:  *REDGRAVE* 

Mesh Eyelashes:  ::BB::

Beauty Marks:  [:T:]

Curved Wedges (Black):     [RA] RunAway

Hands:     Slink

Poses:     aDORKable Poses

Shot at my private studio using Scarlet Creative For William Weaver Art Gallery build using Lumipro lighting.

*Please also note that I am NOT a mainstream fashion blogger and I DO edit my pictures…please try demos before purchasing items.

Happy Birthday/Rez Day Sascha Frangilli!!!

The first week of December marks the Birthday AND Rez day of the inimitable Ms. Sascha Frangilli, designer and owner of Sascha’s Designs; or, as most people know her, the self appointed Queen of Farts.  To celebrate Sascha has designed this stunning Rachel dress in Blush (part mesh) and, true to her amazing generous spirit, she is making it FREE for everyone in her group!  BUT, you must wait until November 24 for it.

I feel truly blessed to call Sas a friend; unfortunately, we’re both so hellaciously busy that we don’t get to connect very often.  She keeps me laughing my fanny off and she can always count on my candor. So the other day I messaged her and, while we were chatting, she passed this gorgeous creation to me.

When I put this gown on, I practically fell through the floor of my studio!  The soft blush colored, curve hugging, ruched mesh sheath is delicately adorned with sakura petals. I immediately knew I had to blog it….and I knew the perfect place to photograph it; The Beguiled: Art Gallery and Studio.  I paired the dress with the equally stunning Steph II hair, a Where is the Concert Hunt 2 item, from *Alice Project*, and the gorgeous Romance set, a previous group gift, from Virtual Impressions.

Mark November 24 on your calendars ladies, because you will want to be at Sascha’s when she releases this dress to celebrate her special day(s).

Happy Birthday Queen of Farts!! <3<3

The Other Details

Wedding Rings:  CHOP ZUEY COUTURE JEWELLRY Kismet Engagement ring and inset & women’s wedding band set.

Skin:  – Glam Affair – Jadis – Natural Clean(a)

Eyes:  [Curio] Tragic Eyes – Fatpack (Purples and Blues) Watercolor Shine Large (Prim eyes) Not currently available.

Prim Eyelashes:  *REDGRAVE* Eyelashes- 11-Showgirl

Mesh Eyelashes:  ::BB:: (Beetlebones) Mesh Lashes V.01 (SLEB Black)

Beauty Marks:  [:T:] Beauty Marks tattoo layers (layer option 2) [:Tuli:]

Hands:     Slink Mesh rigged hands Elegant.

Poses & Props:    aDORKable Poses Sleek Dork Pack

Shot on location at The Beguiled:  Art Gallery and Studio.  A truly stunning sim, landscaped like a Monet painting, by the artist/owner Jilla Lamar.

She’s an aDORKable D!va in her Sascha’s…

Shhhhhhh don’t tell Sascha…but I am previewing her November Member Group Gift…it is 50L to join her group, Sascha’s Designs…but she does that to keep the spammers out AND she makes it worth your lindens to join!!  Once you become a member you have access to an amazing array of previous monthly group gifts.  Sascha is also very generous with her members…with impromptu sales and 60L weekends…not to mention you usually get several skirt & top options in each dress you buy along with whatever accessories she has created for that gown/outfit (yes she does create more than just those gorgeous gowns). This monthly gown comes with the FrubbelDubbel (hey I didn’t name it!) skirt you see and you will also have the options to purchase the extra skirt styles.  Trust me…they are worth it!

I scored more fabulously free items with two more group gifts!!  The adorable Norma hair in Ruby is from D!va and it comes with a Bat Wing option…just in time for that haunting holiday coming just around the corner.  Norma is a group member gift but the group is free to join AND membership gives you access to lots of more pretty previous member group gifts….that is just all kinds of awesome.  The gorgeous peach and white diamond necklace is part of the Romance Set from Virtual Impressions (previous group gift/free to join)…Chrissy designs wonderful jewelry and she generously puts one of her designs out for her members to grab every month.  In addition to the monthly group gift…Virtual Impressions features other items at fabulous sale prices throughout the month.

My oh-so-enchanting pose is from aDORKable Poses.  It isn’t free (200L)…BUT you get four beautiful poses and the petals to wear for taking equally enchanting pictures of yourself in your Sascha’s gowns.   When you purchase your aDORKable poses at the inworld store you automatically bank 10% of the purchase price, as store credit, to put toward future store purchases….group membership NOT required!  I purchased some of my poses at her Marketplace store and had a few minor issues that ADORKable graciously and promptly rectified.

My shoes, skin, eyes and eyelashes were also not free but I shall list the details below.

The pics were shot on location at the Virtual Impressions landing point.

So what are you waiting for…go grab these fantastic freebies and get all gussied up…you deserve it <3<3

The Details

Free!!!

Norma Hair (Ruby with Bat Wing attachment option):  D!va (member gift/free to join) *Be sure to read he group notices for where to pick up the Norma Hair…it isn’t at her Main Store  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/CalanDiva/148/157/25

Romance Jewelry:  Virtual Impressions (previous member gift/free to join)  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ekho/138/127/24

Almost Free!!

November 2012 Group Gift Dress:  Sascha’s Designs  (member gift/50L to join) http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Coco%20Beach%20Kelina/220/113/25

Not Free

Petals in the Wind Pose/Prop Pack:  aDORKable Poses (200L) http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Deck/134/191/22

Skin:  – Glam Affair – Jadis – Natural 09(a) http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Beauty%20Avatar%20couture/164/134/25

Eyes:  [Curio] Tragic Eyes – Fatpack (Purples and Blues) Watercolor Shine Large (Prim eyes) Not currently available.

Prim Eyelashes:  *REDGRAVE* Eyelashes- 11-Showgirl  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/REDGRAVE%20Skins%20Fashion/97/162/23

Mesh Eyelashes:  ::BB:: (Beetlebones) Mesh Lashes V.01 (SLEB Black) http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Beetlebones/48/39/2098

Beauty Marks:  [:T:] Beauty Marks tattoo layers (layer option 2) [:Tuli:] https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/T-Beauty-marks-tattoo-layers/1829557

Shoes:  Venezia  (Silver/Gold RGB) Similar Italian Footwear http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sleeping%20Beauty/176/189/25