~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.

~Catching fireflies in Wisteria Starlite~

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. ***

~Whiteout in Candy Land~

Do you remember playing that fun board game Candy Land, where you follow the winding track through the Candy Cane Forrest and Gum Drop mountain in search of King Kandy?  I remember playing it with my niece and nephew and the little buggers tried to cheat!  Despite the cheating, we still had a blast and it whiled away the endless hours of being stuck inside on a school snow day.

Yesterday I mentioned the Month of Games event, hosted by Siren Productions, was in full swing.; with tons of fabulous designs geared toward three game themes.  One of the themes is Candy Land and the amazingly talented creator behind Lyrical B!zarre Templates came up with this oh-so-sweet candy dress named Whiteout. This dress is loads of fun and perfect for a costume party, a day exploring or just because you LOVE candy!

~Whiteout in Candy Land~

You can really get creative with the different components of this dress…I used a copy of the bodice candy piece as a wreath for my hair and I wore it on my *DOLLCOCO* avatar!  I accessorized the dress with the Fairytail Hair and Spring Fairy Parasol from Boudoir and my lovely little snow colored French Bulldog; a past The Chapter Four gacha from Alchemy.  The fabulous Wonderland Teacup Party is the latest VIP group gift from Boudoir and ONLY AVAILABLE FOR 48 HOURS…so HURRY!

I shot this on location at a really adorable little parcel named A&R haven & relax place.  This enchanting little place is full of wonderful spots to relax, take photos or enjoy the dances created by the owner Ryeeee.  A fantastic little hidden secret garden that is well worth the visit and don’t forget to check out her lucky boards, filled with her unique dances, that turn over quickly!

Now I’m off to gather clues for the next game theme!

Life is fleeting…stay captivated!

❤ ❤

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Xiu is also wearing:

Ballet Shoes:  Slink – Ashia Ballet Pointe Pewter

Pose:  Diesel Works Poses & Animations

***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. ***

 

She’s a CHOP ZUEY Fascinator in her *Bliss Couture*…

She's a CHOP ZUEY Fascinator in her *Bliss Couture*

Ok…so Halloween is now only a few short days away and you’ve seen just about every type of costume there is in SL.  What if you’re looking for a costume that isn’t really a costume…something with a little bit of that dark All Hallows Eve edge but with elegance.  Then you are in luck!  This fabulous Halloween Dress from *Bliss Couture* is dark and edgy, airy and elegant, and sleek and sexy.  It is also FREE when you become a *Bliss Doll* (member group/free to join).  The detailing on this wonderful dress is a gauzy netting with bats in flight…I love that the edging on the top and skirt is formed by the bat silhouette.  Perfect for dancing the night away with your immortal beloved.
She's a CHOP ZUEY Fascinator in her *Bliss Couture*...

I couldn’t resist pairing the dress with the equally edgy yet elegant Itsy Bitsy Spider Fascinator (group gift/350L to join and worth EVERY linden!) from CHOP ZUEY COUTURE JEWELLRY.  The detailing in this amazing hat contrasts and yet compliments the dress.  The Bat necklace is a 2009 group gift from Alienbear Design….which is free to join, however, you won’t need to join the group to score this amazing piece of jewelry…just follow the embedded link to the Marketplace and it is yours for FREE!  I also picked up the Jewel Bat Earrings *PROMO* (15L) on the Marketplace from Xia’s Boutique…these earrings are loaded with color/texture and size change options!
She's a CHOP ZUEY Fascinator in her *Bliss Couture*

So what are you waiting for…grab your favorite undead dance partner and haunt the night away in style.

The Details

Free!!!

Dress:  *Bliss Couture* 2012 Halloween Gown Gift Bag (group gift/free to join) http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Gown/74/209/354

Necklace:  Alienbear design (2009 halloween gift Bat Necklace (black)) https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Alienbear-design-2009-halloween-gift-Bat-Necklace-black/98092

Prim Eyeliner:  Group Gift (free to join) *LpD* Skins Mainstore http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/GoldenSand%20Island%20008/173/81/606

Almost Free!!

Earrings:  Jewel Bat Earrings *PROMO* (15L)  from Xia’s Boutique  https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Jewel-Bat-Earrings-PROMO/4109505

Color Change Claws:   (5L) available from Mini-me Productions https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Color-Change-Claws/2778198

Group Gift/with join fee

Hat:  Itsy bitsy Spider Fascinator (group gift/350L to join and well worth it!)  from CHOP ZUEY COUTURE JEWELLRY http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Chop%20Zuey/39/138/27

NOT Free

Shoes:  Venezia (black)  from Similar Quality Italian Ladies Footwear http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sleeping%20Beauty/173/189/26

Hair:  booN des423hair attachment and booN matching hairbase (sold separately) from SAIKIN and booN http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SAIKIN/128/125/698

Skin:  –Jadis- Natural- 9 (a) (not free) from Glam Affair 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

Pose:  Diva  and Mode Dork Packs (not free) from aDORKable Poses http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Deck/77/192/21

Shot on location at:  The Glass Pavillion http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/BAY%20OF%20BALFALAS/69/56/24