The Empress of Hearts

Anyone who knows me well knows that there is one holiday that I love above all other, it isn't religious, or historical, and it isn't about materialism or consumerism, at least not to me it's not. Valentine's Day is the day when we can freely tell other people that we value their presence in our lives and our hearts, and it doesn't have to have anything to do with romance. I send valentines to my parents, my siblings, my nieces and nephews, and to my friends in SL. I wear red on valentines day, because it is the colour of passion for me, and it is the colour of the crayons I used as a child to draw lop-sided hearts on white paper doilies to gift to my parents and my dearly missed grand-parents.

When I was trying to decide what to wear for this months submission for my column in "Vain Inc. Magazine", I spotted this gown and fell in love. But it wasn't right for the look I was going for, so it went on my wish-list and I moved on. For weeks now, I have thought of this gown, it is perhaps the most stunning work of art I have seen in SL, and I knew that it was going to be my "Look Of The Day" for February the 14th and Tonight's "Sweet Hearts Ball" at PIN UPS. I knew I wanted it and I was willing to pay full price for it, because work like this should be rewarded, and I was going to save my lindens if I had to camp on Zombie Island for weeks on end. And yesterday was the day, off I went to "Nicky Ree" and I parted with $980L and was positively elated that I could finally call this treasure mine.



I went home immediately to try it on and grab some pictures for my Blog, but was having some issues attaching prims and so decided to re-log and give it another go. I have never dealt with inventory loss before, so imagine my Shock and Horror when I logged to find it GONE. Not in inventory, not in my trash folder, not in a box on the floor of my loft, yet the textures of the shirt and pants were still baked onto my body. I checked my Edit --> Clothing bar and it said I was naked but for shoes. I immediately panicked, drafted up a note with the transaction record and sent it off to Nicky Ree in the hopes she would understand and replace the Gown for me (being no transfer, I could not have given it away). I think I sobbed for at least an hour, it was ridiculous in retrospect, but it was in correlation to how dearly I loved this work of art.

When I logged this morning, Nicky had indeed sent me a replacement, and I am certain she thinks I am a total nut-bar for telling her I was distraught in my note to her, but it was the truth. So here it is, my Pride and Joy, my outward expression of the way my heart feels on Valentine's Day; Grand, Extravagant, Swollen with Emotion. I felt so good I went for the complete look as created by Nicky, with the Hair from "Zero Style" and the Jewelry and Ornaments from "BijouxOr Design", so amazingly crafted, the Hair Ornaments over 220 Prims on their own, and yes, I bought some lindens to be able to afford them at $2200L for the necklace/earrings and headdress together. I was lucky enough to be given these "Stiletto Moody" shoes from Stiletto herself, a review copy, that are perhaps the only shoes that could truly match the grandeur of the gown, and they are perfection in the form of footwear. No one will see them under the full gown tonight, but I will know they are there, and that makes me happy.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone... whether you admit you like it or not, I send you my warmest wishes.







Gown – Designing Nicky Ree, Tang Empress Gown (Red)
Necklace & Earrings – BijouxOr Design , Gold Oriental Tang – Mui Fei Set (Red)
Headdress - BijouxOr Design , Gold Oriental Tang – Mui Fei Hair Pieces (Red)
Lashes – Celestial Studios, Prim Lashes (Club 13)
Eyes – Freak Fantasia, Glassy Mustard Green
Hair - *0 Style* - Zero Style, Nicky (Black)
Skin – Celestial Studios, Charmed Skin (Tone 20, Gloss – Red)
Ring – Caroline’s Jewelry, Gimcrack Diamond Solitaire
Shoes - Stiletto Moody Shoes, Elegant Slingback (Ruby Red)