A Certain Shade of Green

It's no secret that green is my favorite colour, it is my mother's favorite too. I was visiting my parents yesterday and went out into their amazing backyard, complete with Koi Pond and Waterfall, Fairy Garden, fruit trees, and an amazing array of wildlife. While there, I saw some colourful birds working away at the feeders, a groundhog scuttling across the lawn, and several fat green frogs sitting on the rocks beside the Koi Pond, catching all those annoying mosquitoes. The frogs are pretty spectacular, brilliant green and it gives me hope that we haven't entirely destroyed the environment as of yet. My parents live just north of Toronto, still in a busy Suburb full of the urban sprawl that is taking over and leaving less green space and more animals homeless. They live in close proximity to a creek, and I think that is where their many visitors are coming from, this includes a pesky mink that ate more the half my fathers expensive huge Koi fish last year, and wild rabbits that have made a home under the deck. Not to mention a pair of Racoons that regularly visit in the night. Green is the colour of that backyard right now, and it is so nice to see after the long Canadian winter. Green makes me feel like that new grass, the leaves on the trees, reborn in a sense. When I wear it, I am happy.



I loved this DP*yumyum Candy Pop top in Green the minute I saw it, it comes with three options for the prim attachment part, this is the longest, and can be a perfectly sweet mini-dress, but I decided to pair it with some spectacular Zaara: Jewelled Jeans in Indigo. Speaking of which, Zaara: is having a sale as we speak, it lasts till June 1st, so get shopping! The shoes are the adorable ETD Heel-Strap Platforms in Emerald, I picked them up for s song at the last ETD sale, the Leather Bag is from Pampered Princess, in this great golden Honey colour.



I was waiting for a chance to wear this amazing Pansy Stained Glass Windows Necklace from *Wallflowers*, I picked it up at the last Jewelry Expo, organized by Miriel Enfield. The bracelets are by ~*Fresh Baked Goods*~, absolute favorite for their customizable gems, the Sculpted Sugar Gem Bangle Set in Gold. I am also wearing a ring by the darling Kesseret Steeplechase from *KessKreations*, the Antonia Ring is also scripted so that you can select the metal and gem colours.

On to essentials, and this essentially brilliant Felicity style from ETD, a soft and beautifully romantic wig, with a really lovely single shoulder sweep. The skin, complete with lovely green eye shadow is another -AnaLu- *InRainbows* skin mod, I am simply in love with them, in case it has escaped notice. Hazel eyes are from Miriel, and lashes are the Thora set from MMS (now LeLutka).

Here's hoping I see many more green things, especially those frogs in that certain shade of green, all summer long and for many many years to come. I hope you see many things of green in your summers too, and find the happiness that nature can bring, It really is such a centering thing, to be out in the grass and hear the water splash over the rocks, and hear the birds sing, and know that there is something beyond the computer screen that is worth seeing and saving.

Shopping Details:
Dress - DP*yumyum, Candy Pop (Green)
Jeans - Zaara:, Jeans {jewelled}, Indigo (Straight Leg Version)
Bag - [PP], Leather Purse (Honey)
Shoes - ETD Shoes, Heel-Strap Platforms {Emerald}
Bracelets - ~*Fresh Baked Goods*~, Sculpted Sugar Gem Bangle Set - Gold
Necklace - *Wallflowers*, Stained Glass Windows Necklace & Earring Set (Pan)
Ring - *KessKreations*, Antonia RH Ring
Hair - ETD, Felicity - Blacks Pack (Smoke)
Skin - -AnaLu-, *InRainbows* NAT06 .Bgreen.
Lashes - MMS (now LeLutka), Thora Lashes
Eyes - Miriel, Hazel Eyes (Big)

Pansies Are For Memories

Pansies, are a flower that symbolized memories. I have been running through my memories lately, the good and the not so good. Sometimes memories haunt you, and other times they bring comfort. When I think of pansies, I think of my grandmother. She was the most loving individual I have ever known, she had this energy of love about her, she accepted everyone for who they were, and she never ever complained, no matter how hard her life got. She will be gone 12 years in August, and I can hardly believe it. She died from complications of Cancer of the Liver. She was ready to go, she missed my grandfather who had died when I was just a child, and she was at peace with herself. I was not so ready to let her go, but that is true of loss in general, we are never ready, we never want to see it coming. I was there when she passed, at her side, in her home, caring for her mid-way through my nursing school training. I had never seen anyone die, though I had seen someone already gone in my travels as a nursing student, and it was not a frightening thing. But I blamed myself for a long time, since I had given her a dose of morphine to treat her pain minutes before she passed. I felt it was my fault, now I know I could not have stopped it, she was in a coma at the time. I miss her every day of my life, she was my best friend. She loved pretty things, and I know she would have loved this dress.



This Floratta Long Dress in a Pansy print by *Reale* is so lovely, so elegant, yet casual and comfortable at the same time. I think it incredibly well textured, with lovely lace edged skirts and flexing ties at the neck. It comes in several prints, but the moment I saw pansies, I saw a favorite flower of my grandmother's and knew I had to have this version.



How do you accessorize a dress so lovely, how do you add interest without taking anything away? I was thrilled to come upon the lovely and appropriately named Melancholy Set in White from {Violet Voltaire}, something I picked up at the amazing Armoire Jewelry Showcase. The floral theme and colour fit so well, and the delicate nature of the prim work is so very feminine. I added a simple Pearl Ring from Caroline's Jewelry, and The Blossom Bag in Blanche from Paper Couture to finish the look. The perfect simple yet elegant shoe is the Stiletto Moody Pinup Pump in Patent, this is the colour change version, the one I would recommend, as the colour options are amazing.



Another lovely up-do style from TRUTH, the Victoria style is perfection for a summer night out in a fresh dress. You can see the casual curls, and it is easy to wear with long earring or an up-turned collar. This skin is another lovely colorful mod by -AnaLu-, the *InRainbows* line is really great for all those fans of natural lipped skins with a more dramatic eye. My eyes are by Miriel, and lashes are from MMS (now LeLutka).

I hold on to my memories tight, sometimes too tight where it concerns the sad ones. But I do have something in my possession that is now more precious then the pressed pansies from my grandmother's 85th birthday party. Before she died, I found a book called "To Our Children's Children". In it are lists of questions to ask your grandparents or parents, asking them to recall moments of their lives. You can use it to document your own life for your children, or use it to interview someone else. The questions are wonderful, and before she died, I managed to tape-record my grandmother answering a great many of them. I haven't been able to listen to them yet, not sure why, but I am ready to sit and listen to the memories, and remember her, and her voice, and most importantly her brilliant deep belly laugh.

Shopping Details:
Dress - *Reale*, Floratta Long Dress (Pansies)
Bag - Paper Couture, The Blossom Bag (Blanche)
Shoes - Stiletto Moody, Pinup Pump Patent Color Set (White)
Earrings - {Violet Voltaire}, Melancholy Earrings (White)
Necklace - {Violet Voltaire}, Melancholy Necklace (White)
Bracelet - {Violet Voltaire}, Melancholy Bracelet (White)
Ring - Caroline's Jewelry, Pearl Ring
Hair - TRUTH, Victoria (Blacks)
Skin - -AnaLu-, *InRainbows NAT05 .rosepurple.
Lashes - MMS (now LeLutka), Thora Lashes
Eyes - Miriel, Hazel Eyes (Big)

Cargo Cult

Sometimes, I just have to get out of the fancy dresses and go with a little bit of funky grunge. It's hard to believe that these amazing Bare@Rose Black Lowrise Heavy Cargos, which come in a pack with at least four colour versions, are only possible since the introduction of sculpted prims in-world. I could not have imagined it two and a half years ago when I first rezzed into my Second Life, but sculpted prims are now the norm, and content creators are using them in some of the most ingenious ways. These pants have seven, yes seven, sculpted prim attachments to make them look so incredibly real, flexi ties,pockets, and a belt with a pouch on it are all part of the wow factor. With such a great lowrise pant, I opted for a simple tummy baring Camo Crop T-Shirt from Little Rebel, which is unfortunately now no longer available since it's recent closing. A huge loss in my mind, it was one of the first stores I discovered, with the help of a list of favorites from Antie (Antonia Marat).



I dug into my large folder of review copies, and re-discovered this great Chicago Bag from House of Heart. I love this bag for a few reasons, one, because it sits to the left side, which is for some reason less common, and also because it fit so well even with my large, well, boobs. It is a great looking bag, and I didn't even realize that House of Heart did more then hair, shows you how out of the loop I am. I wore a great Natural Gold Bead Ring from Caroline's, and one of the fabulous wrist bands from Emery. The shoes are the a brilliant pair of AKEYO LowTop Chucks, the scripting and colour options are amazing, the texturing is perfection, and they are great for guys and gals alike.



Today I made my last trip, I am afraid, to the amazing Miriel. As I mentioned in my last post, Miriel Enfield is planning on closing up shop soon, and taking her amazing jewelry, eyes, and other creations off the market. It is incredibly sad for me to see such an icon among SL content creators choose to close her doors, depriving us all of her amazing work. I stopped in today to buy a few more of Miriel's brilliant eyes, and her lovely Gibson Girl wig. Please don't miss out on visiting her shop and island, even if it is just to look around. I am wearing a pair of her Hazel Eyes here, and she has dozens of lovely eyes, which can be purchased individually for only $50LaLas, or available in great 4-packs for just $125LaLas.

The Hat and Hair combo is a favorite from Mirai, the .+*Lack*+. style comes with this great texture and colour changing hat, and I love the long wavy dark locks. Skin is an -AnaLu- mod, this is the *inRainbows* Natural tone skin with the .brownish. make-up. I love the way the MMS (now LeLutka) Thora Lashes look with the -AnaLu- skins.

Shopping Details:
Top - Little Rebel, Camo Top Pack (Camo Crop T Shirt)[No Longer Available]
Pants - :::B@R:::, Lowrise Heavy Cargos (Black)
Bag - House Of Heart, Chicago Bag (black, Ver.1) [Review Copy]
Shoes - AKEYO Shoes, Chucks LoTop
Wrist Band - Emery, Old School Wristband Pack
Ring - Caroline's, Natural Gold Bead Ring
Hair/Hat - Mirai, .+*Lack*+. (Black)
Skin - -AnaLu-, *InRainbows* NAT13 .brownish.
Lashes - MMS (now LeLutka), Thora Lashes
Eyes - Miriel, Hazel Eyes (Big)

Going Back To caLLie!

I can remember quite clearly the first time I discovered caLLie cLine, the store. I remember being struck by how pretty and girly and fresh the store looked. How welcoming, and I remember thinking this is a sorority girls dream store. It's kind of my impression of the woman that is Callie Cline. She likes to have fun, and party, and she fits in wherever she goes. She makes everyone feel welcome, and she is generous and fun. Today, bloggers from all over the grid are saying thank-you to Callie, thanks for organizing a week of celebrating what we do, thanks for being your fabulous self, and thanks for making everyone around you smile. This outfit is just one of my caLLie favorites, the incredibly fun wiLd cat dress in purpLe, and one of Callie's system layer fat beLts in bLood red. I want to thank Callie, simply for being the wonderful woman she is.



The fun accessories I chose to pair with this look are my always handy Decollage, Bubblegum Pearls, tinted to match the belt. I also pulled on a couple of great and girly bracelets from ::MEZZO::. The sweet Cosmetics Chain Bracelet has some adorably detailed cosmetic bottles dangling from a chain, the set comes with gold, silver, or black metal versions. The Dots Bangle 2Set from ::MEZZO:: is another cute detailed bracelet, it comes in two different coloured versions. The boots are a perfect match, Melanie Zhao's "XINFUL" Boots in Ox Blood Leather from ZHAO Shoes.



The hair is my new favorite from TRUTH Hair, the Linda wig is as close to the shape and texture of my actual hair style as I have found in-world. A combination of sculpted prims and alpha textured whisps, simply amazing. I want to mention my choice of eyes particularly, the Miriel Hazel Eyes. I was saddened to see Miriel's announcement that she plans to close her shop and give up her island in the near future. I urge you to go see her beautiful island and shop for some of her absolutely exceptional creations before they disappear, as too many of our iconic designers seem to be doing lately. Skin is from -AnaLu-, lashes are from MMS (now LeLutka).

Shopping Details:
Dress - caLLie cLine, wiLd cat - purpLe
Belt - caLLie cLine, fat beLt - bLood red
Boots - ~*ZHAO*~, "XINFUL" Boots (Ox Blood Leather)
Necklace - Decollage, Bubblegum Pearls Necklace
Bracelet - ::MEZZO::, Cosmetics Chain Bracelet (Left)
Bracelet - ::MEZZO::, Dots Bangle 2Set (Right)
Hair - TRUTH, TRUTH Hair, Linda, Black & Whites (Night)
Skin - -AnaLu-, *InRainbows* NAT 09 .purplish.
Eyes - Miriel, Hazel Eyes (Big)
Lashes - MMS (now LeLutka), Thora Lashes

Tiptoe Through The Tulips

This time of year is a favorite, second only to Autumn. Spring brings sunshine, but cool breezes and longer evening before it gets dark. I feel like I can get more done, whether I can or not, it is a nice feeling. I love watching tulips push up through the earth in my mother's amazing gardens. I used to order bulbs and deliver them to her in unmarked paper bags, so that their colourful flowers would be a surprise. Although many are eaten by squirrels, rabbits, and as of late, groundhogs, that run around my parents backyard, the ones that survive the winter make for a magical burst of fresh colour. Sometimes, a fresh spring day calls for an equally fresh coloured dress. This adorable Polka Love dress by Betty Doyle of Ingenue is just such a frock. I really love the crisp turned up shoulder detail, and the skirt is a whirl of perfectly textured panels. It reminds me of the lovely tulips currently making their show-stopping display.



I went light on the accessories, taking into account the details on the shoulder and the hair accessory. Starting with a lovely basic pearl strand with an interesting front clasp detail, the Vixie White Pearl Necklace by *KessKreations* is really spectacular as a basic pearl strand. Kesseret Steeplechase always gives me the quality I look for in her work, it is flawless. I found the perfect match for the dress in the colour variations of the Stiletto Moody Pinup Patent Pump. I really love the shape of this shoe, and the colour change version is so very versatile. An adorable Ari Handbag from {Cherry} in a great graphic print means that you can pair it up with so many more outfits. The fresh white accents make it perfect for spring.



This lovely Portia hair from Philotic Energy is a really lovely and fresh up-do, and the floral accent is perfection. The red Hibiscus flower is perfectly sculpted. This style is perfect for a formal or summer fresh look. Another lovely fresh faced skin from -AnaLu-'s *InRainbows* line of modified skins, I am almost wearing them exclusively lately, I think it is mostly the shape of the lips that has my heart. MMS (now LeLutka) Thora Lashes and Big Hazel Eyes are from Miriel.

Shopping Details:
Dress - Ingenue, Polka Love (Melon)
Shoes - Stiletto Moody, Pinup (Patent Color Set)
Bag - {Cherry}, The Ari Handbag (Candy Florals, Snowball)
Necklace - *KessKreations*, Vixie White Pearl Necklace
Hair - PE, Portia (Charcoal)
Skin - -AnaLu-, *InRainbows* NAT 13 .brownish.
Eyes - Miriel, Hazel Eyes (Big)
Lashes - MMS now LeLutka, Thora Lashes

Kind & Generous

I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to Callie Cline for spear-heading the "Blogger Appreciation Week" of the past week. I also wanted to thank those who helped to organize the events, and gift distribution within the Fashion Bloggers group, you know who you are and you are all angels.



The designers that sent gifts, or even expressed their gratitude to those of us who blog with their kind words, your creativity is what drives my passion, and that's why I say, "I would be naked without you". This includes the often uncredited pose and animation designers as well, for you are just as vital. Fashion is one of my many loves in-world, and blogging is always something I have done primarily for my own amusement. It is my pleasure to display your creations and discuss the details that I appreciate in your work. So once again, thank you for giving me the access to materials that make my hobby possible. I love to shop, and I love to share, and blogging is a way for me to do both, capture my evolving style, and the evolving face of fashion in Second Life.

To my fellow bloggers, I also have thanks. You make me want to be a better, more consistent, and more professional blogger. Together, we are a community, perhaps codependent and dysfunctional at times, but we are like a family in that way. We all do it our own way, and have our own stamp that makes our work unique, yet we share a common love when you strip away all the rest of the politics and drama. So thank you for making what I do part of something bigger and more sustaining.

~ Ketsy