The comfort of a knowledge of a rise above the sky
But could never parallel the challenge of an acquisition in the
Here and now, here and now
Letters To Cleo, ♫Here And Now♫
One of the things I’ve always enjoyed about blogging is the challenges you can bring about to your creativity. Using both male and female items for my photos and virtual photography is something I enjoy because I can think outside of the box as some people say. Being a gamer who has had eons of experience with so when I saw the releases from Lush Poses at Pose Fair, I decided to see what I could pull together and do it with a twist. It would be so easy for me to do it with my normal every day look but to pull off a female look…now that is a challenge.
“Naughty Gamer Girl” is a pose set that comes with a controller prop and a bean bag prop filled with 8 different poses. I thought they were rather tasteful and they could also be used for seductive type photos if someone wanted to go that direction. There’s a lot of ways that it could be looked at but each pose is professionally made. Lush has been one of my favorites to utilize through Pose Fair over my years involved with the event and I definitely encourage anyone to give their sets at the event a look and then also go take a look around their store in-world.
With that said I believe I’ve inspired myself to go pick up my controller and do some gaming myself. Life imitates art in a sense!
I’m throwing caution
What’s it gonna be?
Tonight the winds of change are coming over me
If I don’t get out
Out of this town
I just might be the one
Who finally burns it down
The Killers, ♫Caution♫
Pose Fair begins in just over a day and I’m looking really forward to getting into a lot of the great items that this round has to offer. Not only am I featuring the “Breathing Pack Orion” by Beras from the event that begins on the 7th, but I’m also wearing the brand new “Alessio Suit Blazer” by Cold-Ash which has just dropped at the Anthem event that began just a few short days ago. If you already have the trousers of the same name then all you have to do is pick up either the open shirt style or the button up with tie style. If you feel ambitious then go with both because both of them are really sick. I felt like using the open version would go along with what’s going on in the background. Turning up the heat if you will.
Lock&Tuft also shows up in this entry with the new “CHAMPION” hair which can be found right now at The Warehouse event. For anyone that ever wanted a mullet style on the grid now you can get it. Business in the front and party in the back as they say! The style I pulled off for this pic was immensely satisfying. Keep an eye out for more featured items from the September round of Pose Fair.
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around
If wishes were trees, the trees would be falling
Listen to reason, season is calling
R.E.M., ♫Stand♫
The September Round of Pose Fair is fast approaching and one of the things that they’ve encouraged us to do is a challenge where we take a photo without the use of a pose and relied on just background and clothing. I can already tell you that without the use of poses or animation overriders, the grid would be an awfully boring place with everyone wandering around aimlessly like robots. So my advice to you is if you happen to run into a pose creator take the time to offer them some kind words and possibly even thank them for what they do.
Without them we’d all just kind of look like goofs. As you can see with my secondary shot below, there’s a lot more going on then because of the appearance of movement. So here’s to you pose creators and animators, you sincerely have my adoration!
In a world full of hate, be a light
When you do somebody wrong, make it right
Don’t hide in the dark, you were born to shine
In a world full of hate, be a light
Thomas Rhett, ♫Be A Light♫
The past 6 months have been pretty crazy to say the least. The world has been going through a lot and I’m fairly certain that no one needs a recap. I haven’t been as creative as I once was and that’s just kind of the road that I’m on right now when it comes to blogging and creating art in Second Life. Now and again I’ll hear a song that I want to share and create a picture with and this post is a great example of that. Thomas Rhett’s “Be A Light” is a prime example of something good in this world that we all need right now. As always I embed the video for the songs I choose in my posts so if you’d kindly check it out when you get to that part of the blog or even skip to it right way, that would be something I sincerely appreciate.
The way I lay out my blogs now is a lot different then how I used to do them. I think for time and just wanting to get things out quicker that the way I have been doing them suits me just fine. I am still happy to be a part of some great blogger teams and I try to do them proud as I work to get back to a better routine where my head sparks more creativity. They’ve been awesome to me and I thank them for that more than words can even express.
One of the latest releases from lock&tuft is the “Rhett” hair and the name alone is what inspired me to use the song that I chose as the theme for this blog entry. Not just because it is a good song (which it is in my estimation). The hair has 32 colors to choose from and also includes a Bakes On Mesh hairbase to go along with it. It has been created with LeLUTKA Evo head owners in mind but I managed to make it work with the CATWA Stanley head so it should work with most heads with some slight adjustments.
Session Skins latest male release “Cooper” is in their brand new store for all of you guys to try. Intended for use with the CATWA Stanley head (may work well with other CATWA heads but that would be require some experimentation). The package comes with appliers for the skin as well as Bakes On Mesh head layers in several options. The options are Brow, Hair, Hair No Brow and No Brow. I’m wearing Tone 02 but it is also available in Tone 03 as well if you prefer a little darker (tanned) skin.
In a race that you can’t win, slow it down
Yeah, you only get one go around
‘Cause the finish line is six feet in the ground
In a race you can’t win, just slow it down
California girls
We’re undeniable
Fine, fresh, fierce
We got it on lock
West Coast represent
Now put your hands up
Katy Perry, ♫California Gurls♫
It’s been quite a while from the last entry I posted but to be honest I haven’t really felt all that creative even with the time in isolation that I’ve had. Though I sparked enough to motivate me with one of the recent Session Skins releases named Ciara. I paired it with a new hairbase release by EMO-Tions that came out for the newest round of Cosmopolitan (an anniversary round at that!)
What better way put a smile on faces then a barely dressed woman in a pool in warm weather? It hasn’t quite reached where I am yet but we’ve had some pretty wonderful days over the last week or so; I’m crossing my fingers that there are more of those and less of the rainy ones that have been showing up. With that I feel more of the designers are going to be creating and releasing shorts and tank tops for the guys and more bathing suits/bikinis for the women and that will be great fun to take pictures of. Seeing a new release of a sweater or long coat around this time always bums me out because I’m longing for the warm weather and know that in reality that type of clothing would be just way too hot.
You could travel the world
But nothing comes close
To the golden coast
Once you party with us
You’ll be falling in love
Down the black hole
Hope is shallow
Tell me where were you?
Time can be so
Cold and hollow
Tell me where were you?
Flight Paths, ♫Shallow♫
Greetings! It’s been a while since my last entry and I hope everyone out there is doing well and staying safe in whatever part of the world they are at. I’ve finally found some inspiration with the newest release from Cold-Ash. The BLAISE Tee is at this current round of The Men’s Department. Be sure to also check its companion release, the LARKHAM Jeans.
I’ve also included a fun prop from lock&tuft: a nifty walkie talkie that has several hand/arm positions to choose from. I really like things like this (always have) because it helps makes scenes come together.
Another day fades out of time
Into nothing, pay you no mind
In outer space so paralyzed
It’s not too late
Open your eye
Chloe does the tables in the French Quarter
She’s always been given
So I can’t always make her laugh
But I’m proud to say
And I won’t forget
Chloe Dancer / Crown Of Thorns, ♫Mother Love Bone♫
The official opening of the 10th Anniversary of Pose Fair is upon us. I cannot wait to see what comes in terms of creativity from the poses that I have at my disposal from this event but I’m excited. Given the fact that I have more to work with since I’ve been blogging female items as well, I feel that it gives me just that much more freedom. Less constriction based on how very little there is sometimes for men (though it is slowly changing but not quick enough for my liking).
I will start with my choice for the pose set I am using which comes from Diversion. This store/brand has been around for a few months from what I know and from what I have seen, it is a store that I want to use items from and now is the time to start. I picked the “Springtime Sadness” pack because it works for the shot I had in mind. Not only am I able to get the full seated pose in the frame but also have it be close enough to show off the skin I’ve chosen to wear.
“Springtime Sadness” has 6 different poses (including mirrors) and is available starting today.
Session Skins latest face that is out for ladies is named “Pearl” and as with most of the new skins, it is full-body Bakes On Mesh. It comes in tones 00b, 01, and 02 with skinny and chubby body types for variety and versatility. It also comes with a mole option via a tattoo layer and includes a brow and body shape. I like lighter tones as I feel they suit me best (probably in another life I was goth maybe?) I find that Session Skins put out some amazing and gorgeous faces for women so for anyone who hasn’t found them then it is high time you get to know them and love them. You’ll be glad you did.
Also, I’m using the “Joker Stairs” backdrop from Minimal which is a depiction of one of the locations in New York from the movie. I tentatively had other plans for using this but I’m not sad that I did this photo session before those. I feel it turned out awesome and gives me more reason to use it and not have it be a one-off and sit in my inventory for ages because that would be a shame with how detailed it is.
Remember: the time you feel lonely is the time you most need to be by yourself. Life’s cruelest irony.
Douglas Coupland
I’m writing again these letters to you aren’t much, I know
But I’m not sleeping and you’re not here
The thought stops my heart
Letters To You, ♫Finch♫
Session Skins recently released a new skin just for Catwa called Rocco in Tone 02. It’s designed specifically for the Stanley head which is what I’m using but it’s entirely possible that it would look just as good with other heads from the same brand. Rocco comes packaged with a Catwa applier HUD that offers a clean face, beard and no brow versions; there is also Bakes On Mesh for those who have been bitten by that bug. There are quite a few pros and cons about it that I haven’t completely bought in but as I keep saying, I’m not ruling out using it.
Hopefully creators don’t stop using HUD based appliers in the future in favor of completely adopting to this revamped feature.
The Men’s Department is in full swing with their February round and the latest clothing merchandise from Cold-Ash will be sure to make the girls swoon and break some hearts. The Finch V-neck Sweater is multi-functional in that you can wear it as it is (as you can see in my photo) or make use of the shirt and tie add-on. If you want formal or casual it truly is the best of both worlds.
For potential owners of the Fatpack this is what you will get: The standalone version and also the shirt with tie version as well as a HUD that contains 12 sweater colors, 18 shirt options and 12 tie options. Finch is compatible with Belleza (Jake) and Signature (Gianni) mesh bodies.
Your flaws are perfect for the heart that’s meant to love you.
Trent Shelton
And when the music plays
And when the words are
Touched with sorrow
When the music plays
I hear the sound
I had to follow
Once upon a time
Your Wildest Dreams, ♫The Moody Blues♫
Quite a bit of time has past since my last entry (at least close to a month by my count). The holidays came and went and as many I know tend to say I “survived” them but one of the things that I thought I would end up getting back to after the new year was creating more posts. I think though the best way to go about it is to post when I feel like I have something valuable to take a photo of. Though sometimes it will be just to make sure that I am able to keep up with deadlines (not the end of the world for me personally as I am usually good about it even at last minute). What I’m also finding out is that pushing myself to reach a certain amount of posts in such a time frame really throws me in a space in my head that tends to trail off where I don’t have the desire to take photos.
2020 is going to be a year full of taking photos that are not just posting for deadlines though. They are going to be taken when I want to take them and that gives me the best chance to really enjoy doing it. Also I have to tell myself too that it is okay for me to have other interests and things that I like to do that aren’t necessarily in-world. Happiness is all that you make it, right?
On the topic of Bakes On Mesh (BOM), I will have to say that I’m still getting used to it. Most of the stores I favor haven’t explored it much yet other than Session Skins. The appliers that have been released have only been for female avatars but since I am able to blog both genders (still surprised at how much I’ve grown to like the challenge), I am putting it to as good of use as I can.
Sage is the skin that I’m currently wearing in Tone 00b. One of the things I also like with the new releases from Session is that they offer two different body types to their body skins. Adding the full figured option is something that’s been desired by ladies for a long time and allows for curvier shapes to look great too. Mole options are also provided by way of tattoo layers and that helps for everyone to think less about how to get their favorite makeups on without sacrificing something because they apply to the same layers (it’s a thing of the past now).
Lapointe & Bastchild’s most recent women’s in-store release is the Bianca Sweater. This bare shoulder look comes with lots of options via an affordable Fatpack and like all of those released by the store, they have extra options you cannot get by purchasing single colors; it’s an incentive that is practical. There are 36 regular colors along with 8 special winter themed colors. This would definitely be one of my picks for essential cold weather apparel.
The sweater is compatible with Belleza (Freya and Isis), Maitreya (Lara) and SLink Hourglass mesh bodies (all version have built in alpha hiding).
Honorable mention for this post includes the Papparazi “Opinion” backdrop as well as Truth’s “Eternity” Hair Fatpack that is currently available to VIP group members. I am not entirely sure for how long it will be there for but I would certainly check it out for any member of the group. That’s what members paid to be a part of so why not take advantage? Every color you could think of and two different styles with mirrored versions is great and would love to see other stores do something similar (especially male ones so us guys have more options as well).
I certainly hope everyone had an excellent finish to 2019 and I’ll certainly be back again soon to share more of the things I love from my favorite stores. Be well until then!
Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.
Oscar Wilde
These Conversations Kill 