Hi guys!  Remember me?  Been a while, I know.  Sorry about that.  I would give you some line about how “I’m back”…but we all know that never seems to be the case.  It seems like I can’t stay healthy long enough to keep blogging on a regular basis.  SO…let’s just say we are gonna take it one day at a time.  And I will blog as I can.

I find it kind of odd that the last thing I blogged was a swimsuit.  And here I am blogging one again.  As I am sure I explained in that post, swimsuits are not my favorite apparel.  It just seems like they all look alike.  And although I actually did buy several this year, I ended up blogging one from the same creator as last year…Sn@tch!  I really liked this bikini.  It was a little different from the others and came with a bunch of bright colors that were REALLY beautiful.  In fact, I have really gotten to where I look for Snatch at every sale I go to.  They just seem to have really nice, different clothing that is reasonable priced and comes in a ton of color choices.  SO…what’s not to love?

I had been planning on doing a swimsuit blog, but after I saw this hair at ARGRACE, I was really motivated to get it together.  I had not seen a wet hair before and I loved it.  It comes in several different colors but I went with the browns.  They also have a short version available too, unisex.  So check them out.

To go with the wet hair, I needed some water for my Maitreya body and I remembered that I had some from Izzie’s.  The water really completed the look.  She has some for both body and face and has appliers for many types of mesh heads and mesh bodies.  Izzie has been coming out with lots of different mods for skins for our new mesh bodies and Mesh heads (and some classic avi’s too) such as:  Body and Face Beach Sand, Body and Face Sunburn, Body Freckles, Body glitter, Knee Wounds, Smeared Lipstick and Dirt, just to name a few.  Be sure to stop by her store to check out the full range of body and face appliers that she has available.  You can also take a look at her latest releases at:  https://izzies.wordpress.com/  I am also wearing her Cowrie Shell set with this bikini.  It includes Color change cowrie shells, laces, metals and beads for the necklace, choker, earrings and bracelet.  It is a really beautifully done set and looks great with casuals, summer looks or your favorite boho outfit.

The other thing I love about this look is the sandals/anklets from LIKE DESIGN .  They are only listed as Flatfeet Anklet Version 1.  But I have since then bought a different set labeled Highfeet Anklet Version 1 and Highfeet Anklet Version 2.  All of these sets are absolutely beautiful and come in a number of available colors via a HUD.  I have a feeling I will be using them quite frequently.

And that’s it for this post.  I hope you enjoyed it a little and I am TRULY hoping to see you VERY soon.  Have a wonderful end of summer.  Until next time…

STYLING NOTES

Swimsuit:  Sn@tch – Batik Halter Bikinis

*Water Drops:  Izzie’s – Body & Face Waterdrops (brighter drops on face)  Izzie’s – Waterdrops (Nose/Mouth)

Hair:  ARGRACE – CHIZURU [M]

Sandals/Anklets  .: LIKE DESIGN :.  – Flatfeet Anklet V1 Maitreya L

Eyes:  ::DS:: (Dulce Secrets) – Dappled Seafoam Eyes (L)

Lashes:  FATEwear – FATElashes v2.0

*Jewelry:  Izzie’s – Cowrie Shell Bracelet, Cowrie Shell Choker, Cowrie Shell Earrings, Cowrie Shell Necklace (long)

Body:  Maitreya Mesh Body – Feet V3.5, Maitreya Mesh Body – Hand R V3.5, Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.5

Skin:  7 Deadly Skins -Marina Caramel v2 CL

Nails:  ZOZ – Stripes White tip Polish

Beach Ball pose:  Purple Poses

Every summer season in SL I struggle with finding the PERFECT swimsuit.  It seems to me that most of them are cookie cutter cutouts of each other and I want something really different. (And of COURSE, affordable!)  So I look and look and FINALLY find one that I like and then I have to find the right pose prop, take the pic, edit it and post it here on the blog.  I will have to admit, there are some seasons that this just does NOT happen.  I remember going through this last year and not finding a single suit that I was happy with, finally deciding to use a suit that I had bought the year before, but failed to blog.  I took the pics and started to edit them and was SOOOOOO not happy with them….and so….they went into the trash bin and my “Swimsuit Edition” never made it…:/  I am glad to get one posted this year, even if it is a little late in the season.  (Better late than never, right?)

I found this suit at a past event sale (as usual) and liked it right away.  It is from Sn@tch.  And it is just the right amount of cute, sexy and different to make it to the top of my list!  It comes in 2 different color paks, dark and a bright, more neon set.  The colors are just beautiful and drew my eye to it right away.  I have always liked a nice crocheted suit and this one is no exception.  If you look hard enough you can see the faint hint of a “nip” here and there and it just made me feel SO sexy when I wore it.  I opted for this one piece crocheted suit because sometimes less IS more!  (By the way, I did come across a couple of other suits that I really liked, too.  One is a 2 piece retroset from NS.  It is mesh and has 6 texture changes and SO cute.  The other is the Hedonist bikini with separate matching hat from ValentinaE.  It comes in 4 BEAUTIFUL muted tones and has an additional Boho Beach Coverup that you can purchase separately that just makes the set!  You will want to pick these up before the season ends!)

My skin is the latest offering from Izzie’s.  It can currently be found on sale at Uber. (This round of Uber will end August 23rd, so be sure to get there if you have not already.)  This skin is called Shay and has a slightly Asian flair to her.  I used a combination of my own shape and the one that comes with the skin to try and give you a good feel for what the skin looks like.  It comes in in fair, pale, natural and caramel skintones, and you can buy extra eyeshadows, lipstick and colorful eyebrows on tattoo layers at Uber as well.  If you would like to see more pics of the makeups and eyebrows available before heading over to Uber, take a look at Izzie’s blog here.

Uber had so many amazing hairstyles that I just HAD to pick them all up!  But this one from TRUTH caught my eye and turned my head!  Ami is a BEAUTIFUL braid!  I knew I had wanted a braid for this look…and had a different one all picked out, one that would work with a big floppy hat….and then I saw this hair!  I just threw off my hat and made new plans!  I tried to get a shot from the back, so you can see how gorgeous it is!

And finally, you really need a good pose prop to show off a beautiful suit!  This is Poolside from W.Winx and Flair.  It comes with 16 poses embedded in a set of color change towels that also come with 4 color matching duo cushion sets that can be used with any furnishings you like.  You can also use them with the pool that is included with the set.  The pool is made to be used with Linden water, so you can float it off your property or I suppose you could terraform your property to fit it, if you wanted to use the pool permanently.  I just kind of sat it on top of my property for the shoot and used the texturized water that came with it for photographic purposes.  I know most of the shots are so close up that you cannot really see what the pool looks like, so stop by W. Winx and Flair to take a look at it and ALL of their offerings.  You won’t be sorry.

And that’s it for my “Swimsuit Edition”.  Thanks so much for coming along on the ride!  Until next time….

STYLE NOTES

*Skin:  Izzie’s – Shay Skin pale GB CL, Izzie’s – Shay Lipstick peach, Izzie’s – Shay Eyeshadow blue, Izzie’s – Shay Eyebrow Shape (Available at Uber until August 23rd, then should be available at Izzie’s mainstore.)

Lashes:  YS & YS Eyelash Tintable 03

SwimSuit:  Sn@tch – Ikara swimsuit, dark navy

Shoes:  Bleich – Mesh Jewels Sandals – Navy [Maitreya Flat] (I LOVED these sandals. I picked them up at a past sales event and they reminded me of some sandals that I have in RL.  Bleich does not have an inworld store that I know of, but it does have a presence on the marketplace at:  https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/157022  For some reason I cannot seem to find these sandals there.  Perhaps you will have better luck than I?)

Sunglasses:  Glam Affair – Vintage Sunglasses Black

*Rings and Bracelets:  Izzie’s – Button Ring Nautical R, Izzie’s – Stacked Gemstone Rings #2 gold L, Izzie’s – Wooden Button Bracelet blue R, Izzie’s – Wooden Button Bracelet red R, Izzie’s – Wooden Button Ring blue R, Izzie’s – Wooden Button Ring red R (I decided to mix and match many of the different jewelry sets that Izzie’s has.  Izzie is truly so talented and makes a little bit of everything.  But regardless of what she makes, it is always excellent!)

Mesh Body and Feet:  Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.4, Maitreya Mesh Body – Feet V3.4

Mesh Hands:  Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands

Hair:  TRUTH HAIR – Ami

Ear Cuffs:  ^^Swallow^^ – Ear Cuff Cross

Eyes:  Buzzeri – Lillian Eyes – Ice

Bag:  UNcommon – Jaws, Navy (I cannot remember where I got this bag from, but I thought it was SO cute and just fit in with my swimwear theme.  I cannot seem to find a LM for this store at this time…:/)

Slink Nails:  La Boheme – Whiplash1

*Pose Prop:  W.Winx and Flair – Poolside

I LOVE fantasy stuff.  I love fantasy movies, games, videos, art and especially SL clothes!  I intended to become involved in the Fantasy RP community in SL when I first joined, but shopping got a hold of me first and I never recovered!  Nonetheless, I know there is a large Fantasy RP community in SL and I found the perfect little spot to find some really nice Fantasy items.  It is at Fair Play.  Fair Play is new to me.  It is not terribly large, but it has a nice showing and happens to have one of my favorite designers, Jinx, as a sponsor.  I was thrilled to see Gweneth as her latest offering.  Gweneth comes in 4 colors and each one has matching shoes.  It was designed exclusively for Fair Play, but will be available at the Jinx Main store after it is no longer at Fair Play.  BUT you want to get it before it leaves Fair Play because it is half price!  You cannot beat Jinx prices to begin with, but half price????  It is a real bargain!!  Each outfit has these ADORABLE matching shoes!  It was actually the shoes that got me…LOL  The outfit is rather low cut and can be a problem if your skin has nipples set a little high.  So you will want to be prepared with a cover up or some long hair!  I did not see a demo available, but I can say that all of the Jinx outfits I have tried thus far have worked amazingly well with my Maitreya mesh body.  Jinx also has several other previously released items out at Fair Play at a discount.  So check them out too!  Fair Play is open from the 1st to the 27th of each month with releases changing daily.  So you want to make sure to Landmark it and check back often.  Their website is available here.

I picked up this hair at a past sales event…not sure which one it was, but I really liked the hair.  It is called Storm from MOON. Hair .  It was perfect for this outfit, kind of long and messy, yet somewhat regal.  It comes with a HUD with a TON of colors, including an entire section for glitter and another section for streaks.  It really gives you a lot of nice options.  The shop is small, but has some hair that is really different from a lot of the hair I see on the grid and they are always busy!  So it seems they have a nice following!

STYLE NOTES

Outfit and shoes:  Jinx (DD) Gweneth Dress – Royal Purple – S, Jinx (DD) Gweneth Shoes – Slink High  (Currently available only at Fair Play, but will be available at Jinx main store once it is retired from Fair Play.  Gweneth will be available at Fair play thru the 27th of this month at half price so grab it while you can!)

Hair:  MOON. Hair – Storm

Skin:  –Belleza– Mae

*Body Tattoo:  Izzie’s – Metallic Arrow Tattoo dark gold (has appliers for several mesh bodies and several color options.  REALLY nice!)

Lashes:  Izzie’s – Eyelashes v1.06

Mesh hands and body:  Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.4

Mesh feet:  Slink Avatar Enhancement Feet High

Eyes:  IKON Kaleido Eyes – Storm (L)

Nails:  ZOZ – Floral Kiss Polish (I think I picked this up at a sales event, but I am sure that ZOZ has it at their main store.  ZOZ has some REALLY beautiful nails and they have nails for Slink, Maitreya and Belleza….as well as mesh nails for the SL avie.  There are TONS to choose from.  Check it out!)

*Pose Prop:  W.Winx & Flair – Fairy Ring (This is an adorable little pose prop from W.Winx & Flair.  It is made to be used on your own property…or one on which you have rezz rights.  I just didn’t seem to have any grass with surroundings that were befitting….SOOOOO….I used an old pose prop from a store that is no longer in business to place this one inside of.  All of the mushrooms and the dragonfly come in the W.Winx & Flair pose prop, but some of the background stuff you see is from the other prop.  But ALL of the poses are from W.Winx & Flair and are just lovely!)

Hi guys!  I’ve missed you!  Is it just me, or does it seem like SL creators are working overtime to bring us some of the best stuff on the grid?  I always like it when the seasons change…it is always so nice to start wearing different colors or put on/take off more clothing….but this summer has been exceptional for me!  It seems like everywhere I turn, I see new things, new styles, even new bathing suits that I like!  I so seldom like a bathing suit!  And there are SO many REALLY GOOD sales events to go to that you can get some really great additions to your wardrobe for very little Lindens!  Always a good thing, right?

I loved this outfit from the first moment I saw it.  It is from Jinx.  For some reason, her stuff just seems to stand out to me.  I bought one of her creations a while back before I got my blog up and running and posted the pics on flickr.  You can see them here.  There are several things about her creations that I seemed to be drawn to.  First off, I love the pics on her vendors.  They always seem to be dreamy and take me places when I look at them…so I am naturally drawn to her creations.  And MANY of her items are cute, casual and sexy.  I have not been much on casual in the past, but I am really LOVING the look and feel.  Taylor has a lace top that is cut SO cute, showing us just a little bit…but not too much and the tassels hanging from the top are a nice touch.  MANY of her outfits have matching items included….for the same price!  Taylor has a HUD with three different textures for the pants.  I have featured two of them in the above pic.  The other pair is a solid beige, that would pretty much match anything.  And then look at these matching tennis shoes!  They are also included in the outfit.  When I saw them I was sold!  I picked this up at a previous round of the Color Me Project, although Taylor IS available at her mainstore.  Jinx also has some adorable items this month at the Color Me Project.  Including a pair of platform stilettos that match all her outfits at CMP perfectly.  A couple of the items are exclisive to CMP.  So they will not be available after the event ends.  This month the color was “Summer” and includes several really nice bright summery shades of orange, yellow and red-ish.  You really need to drop by there and see the colors to know what I am talking about.  But you have to hurry!  It ends July 4th!

I LOVED these dreads!  Gone are the days when dreads looked like worms on your head!  The texture on these dreads really give them a natural look and I thought they were perfect with this outfit.  They are also from No.Match, just like last week.  I am really liking many of the items I am seeing from them.  And if you are on a budget, be sure to check them out on Hello Tuesdays, a Tuesday ONLY event in which they participate.  They always have a really cute style in a limited color palette that will not leave you broke.  It is one of my favorite places to go!

Last, but not least is this beautiful skin from Izzie’s.  Izzie makes some of the nicest skins on the grid.  They are always clean and clear.  They are youthful, but don’t make me look like I’m 12.  They always come with a ton of options and I am always pleased with them.  Samatha is one of Izzie’s past skins.  You really need to stop by her main store to see all that she has to offer and sign up for her group.  There is a group joiner fee, but it is really well worth it.  Izzie is generous with her gifts and you won’t be sorry!!  Until next time….

*Top, Pants, Shoes:  Jinx (DD)  – Taylor Pants – Beige, Taylor Sneakers, Taylor Top – Beige

*Skin:  Izzie’s – Samantha Skin caramel CL, Izzie’s – Geanna Freckles caramel (body + face)

Face Tatoo:   White Widow – Cornes Black wo/eyeshadows  (I bought this some time ago, I have no idea if it is still available or not.)

Hair:  No.Match – NO.FREEDOM.  no.match_HAIRBASE milky

Bag:  –Pixicat– Tropical.Bag (rigged) (Currently available at Summerfest ’15.  It is the first rigged bag I have ever owned and I LOVE it! Summerfest will run through July 15th.)

Lashes:  Glow Studio – Innocent. eyelashes – gentle

*Necklace:  Izzie’s – Knot & Beads Necklace vintage brown

Mesh Body and Hands:  Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.4, Maitreya Mesh Body – Hand

Mesh Nails:  Pumby – Blooming Sweetpetal

Eyes:  IKON Ardent Eyes – Glass

Poses:  Bounce This Poses – Mega Pose Pack (It was available at the last round of The Dressing Room Fusion.  It comes with a TON of poses already set in an easy to use HUD.  I am not sure if it is available at his main store or not, but it would be worth a trip over there to see!)

Location:  The Instruments (This was taken outside of the actual building The Instrument is in.  They have some really nice grounds around the main building.  The Instruments is featuring Game of Thrones this round.  There is some really nice stuff there!  You have until July 9th to check it out.)

Hi Guys!  Here I am doing my second post and already at a loss for a title….SO….I decided to go with Miss Applebum, the name of this cute little dress by La Gazza Ladra. The owner and creator of La Gazza Ladra just happens to be the same owner of B!asta, a familiar name.  I am not sure why she wanted 2 stores, but I like what I am seeing thus far.  I picked this dress up at a previous sales event.  I remember it came in several colors, but I liked this one the best.  What I liked best about the dress was the sexy feel of it.  When I first saw it, I thought someone had missed something in post editing….and then I realized the skin showing in the hip area is supposed to be on purpose!  And then I loved it.  I liked the idea of an outfit that seemed to be made of several different pieces of cloth, loosely sewn together.  It was unusually hot here that day, and I thought that something like this would be SO cool and comfortable, not to mention….SEXY!

It is a mesh dress, but because of the wholes at the hips (front and back) it did not work with my Maitreya Mesh Body.  (Insert sad face here!  I am getting SO spoiled to not having to do all that tedious post editing!)  I have NO idea if it would work with another or not, but it would not work with Lara.  But I loved it enough, that I was willing to put my old SL body on and take pictures!  I will add here, that due to the nature of the dress, being made of several different pieces (so it seems) it was somewhat hard to find poses that did not make the dress look strange.  I have not found that to be a problem while wearing it around the grid and shopping, so I am sure it has something to do with static posing….but just thought I would let you guys know.)

This skin is from 7 Deadly S{k}ins.  It is amazing what a new skin, a new hair and a couple of accessories can do to change a girls look!  I have seen 7 Deadly S{k}ins at several of the sales events I go to each week and began to notice what nice skins they had a while back.  They have exceptional Group Gifts and several Gatchas, Camping chairs and always have a good sale going on right there in their store, not to mention at various sales events, including Hello Tuesday.

And speaking of Hello Tuesday, No.Match is also a participant and where I picked up this awesome hair.  It is incredible what bangs will do to change a girls looks!  ( If you are not familiar with Hello Tuesday, the stores are located outside of Cosmopolitan and they have some REALLY great sales, available on Tuesdays ONLY, of course.  To keep up with ALLLLL the sales, be sure and update your feeds with Seraphim.  I am not sure how a SL girl lives without it!)  No Match has some really nice styles and great textures.  They catch my eye every time!

STYLE NOTES

Skin:  7 Deadly S{K}ins – Irene, Cleavage

Hair:  No.Match – NO.POWER

Dress:  La Gazza Ladra (by B!asta)LGL  – Miss Applebum – Lake

Mesh Hands and Feet:  Slink –  Avatar Enhancement Hands and Feet

Lips Tatoo:  Tuli Skins [:T:] – Parted lips 7 (Tuli has a whole set of open mouth tattoos available for FREE on the Marketplace.)

Eyeliner:  MONS / Makeups – Eyeliner Lux – grass  (I bought this from a previous round of The Dressing Room Fusion.  I do not know if they are still available at MONS, but I sure hope so!  They are SO cute…you are gonna want them!)

Mesh Lashes:  Gaeline Creations – Mesh Lashes Divina (These mesh lashes were bought a long time ago…I am not sure if they will still be available.  If they are still available, I think you will really like them.  They come with a nice HUD that makes adjusting them much easier. Please check at the Mainstore for further information.)

Bracelet:  B’Leaf – Bracelet Eagle  (I THINK I found this at a recent sales event I went to a while back.  It comes with a matching ring…I did not get a pic of it…sorry…it matches the eagle perfectly…I really like it!  While shopping around, I have seen a few things recently from B’Leaf and I am impressed.  They are someone I will be watching.)

Flats:  Pure Poison – Erica Flats – Beige & White (These cute little flats came in many colors and I THINK they were available at one point in a Gatcha at the Main Store.  Pure Poison is really good about having TONS of group gifts and group gatchas.)

Necklace and Ring:  ^^Swallow^^ – Necklace HeartWings (This set comes with a texture change HUD and gives you several different metal options.  I am really liking the things I am seeing from Swallow.  Many of their sets have a Vintage or Goth feel to them….kind of setting them apart….really nice!  They are ALSO a participant in the Hello Tuesday Sales Event.)

Eyes:  IKON Spectral Eyes – Aqua

Slink Mesh Nails:  Flair – Set 144 (If you have not been to Flair Nails, you need to take a look at what they are doing.  I have several different styles of nails that I like, and Flair is great for clean lines and classic looks.)

Poses:  BellePoses – Lanna (BellePoses have really affordable, nice poses.  They usually participate in the Hello Tuesday Sale and you can get their already REALLY affordable poses, even MORE affordable.)

Location:  The Vinyard at Checkmate  (This was a quaint little site that had a nice beach area as well as the beautiful vineyards.  It had a really peaceful feel and was great for taking pictures.  Check it out!)

Hi guys!!! Did you miss me? I missed you! It has been about half a year since my last post. I kinda thought that I might not blog ever again…it just seemed like everything was hard, taking pictures was hard, finding time to blog was hard, putting the outfits together was hard, writing the post was hard, keeping up with all the blogging group requirements was hard….everything was hard. It was time for a break. During this period I have spent lots of time shopping and a little bit of time exploring. I continued to put outfits together and admire all the hard work you guys out there are doing. And then a curious thing happened. My laptop, that I loved and had bonded with for 4 years, died. Well, it didn’t actually die….I killed it. But it WAS an accident! In any case, I had to buy a new one and here we have it. My sweet partner Vanish, saw to it that I got a really good one…one that takes the most amazing pictures! And guess what???? It is not hard anymore! I can spend more time making the pics look good and putting the pics together and much less time actually taking the pics and crashing.

When I got my new laptop and began to explore its’ capabilities, the first thing I wanted to do was take pictures! And once I started taking pictures, I wanted to blog. I posted a few things on my flickr page….and that was nice, but I had so much to SAY about the items I was wearing. And so….that meant I had to get my blog up and running…and when I say *I* had to get it up and running, what I really mean was I had to nicely ask Vanish to do that for me! (Thank you, again, my love…<3) So here it is…not ALL of the posts have been restored. Most of them have the text, but there are some that do not have the pictures to go with them. I am sorry if you are searching for a certain pic and cannot find it here, but most of the pictures can be found on my flickr photostream. I am SO glad to be back. Thank you SOOOOO much to all of you who continued to support me during my absence. It will not be forgotten. It is you guys that give me hope and make me believe in humanity. Thank you again.

SOOOOoooo…..let’ talk a little bit about this look.  It is kind of a nice mix of some new creators and some old favorites.  I generally try on all the stuff I have purchased during the week and sometimes a look will just “come together”….this was one of those.  I guess we should start with the hair.  This is from a designer I stumbled across at Sneak Peek.  Unfortunately, this round is already over, but I included a SLURL to this designer, so hopefully you can find the hair there.  It seems to me that there are a lot of new hair designers sprouting up across the grid.  And I LOVE hair, so you can imagine how happy I was to find this one.  It is really different from most of the hair I have seen lately and what I loved most about it was the mixture of colors.  This is an ombre color, so it is mixed more than most, but they had some of the prettiest mixes I have seen in a while.  It is really pretty from the front with soft curls flowing on each side and equally pretty from the back with a soft wave.  One thing should be noted, I had a little trouble with the bangs cutting through my forehead when posing.  I made my own body and face shape from scratch LONG ago in the tents of Free Dove as a newbie.  So my head/face shape is quite different from most others I have seen.  Perhaps others would not have this same difficulty, and honestly, I cannot even tell you to try the demo first, as I cannot remember if there was a demo!  (I am NOTORIOUSLY bad for not trying on demos first.)  But the hair is SO cute that this would not keep me from buying it or wearing it.

This skin is from WoW Skins…one of my new fav’s.  If you have never been there, you really should stop by and see what all talk is about.  Not only do they have some incredible skins for sale, but they are really good about featuring them at the sales events that I love to go to each week.  They also have TWO Midnight Madness boards that, to my knowledge are known for locking and they include some REALLY nice skins with several different tones and appliers.  In addition to that, there are TWO walls of lucky boards and a 30 minute stint there will find you coming out with more skins than you know what to do with!  I am not sure where I got this one from, I THINK it was on the last round of MM boards, but when I tried it on, I thought it was perfect for the look that was coming together right in front of my eyes.

Speaking of eyes….these are IKON.  I have tried several others during my hiatus, but I ALWAYS end up going back to IKON.  I have really large eyes for most SL avies, and IKON has a size that is just right for me, where as most others are too small.  And that says nothing of the literally HUNDREDS of eyes to choose from.  So…hands down, IKON remains my favorite.

This tops and leggings are from Sn@tch.  I remember going to Sn@tch a LONG time ago, when I was a baby avie.  Somewhere along the way we lost touch.  But I saw this outfit….probably from a sale (Sorry guys…I will get better at keeping up with what sales have what items) and loved it.  It is simple, but sexy and elegant.  I really liked the look of sheer gauze for the top.  It is cut VERY open on the sides and the back, but not SO open that things are hanging out…:)  It really gave me an incredible feel of sexiness when I wore it and I was so happy I picked it up.  I will be looking for Sn@tch as I roam the grid for sales.  (I just realized that sounds a little different from how I really meant it…oh well…)

Jewelry for this look was fairly simple and kind of pieced together.  The necklace has been in my inventory for (literally) years.  House of Heart was a hair shop that I frequented a LONG time ago and I have no recollection of picking up this necklace there.  I looked at the creator and HoH no longer exists in world, but does have a marketplace presence.  So I included a SLURL for her shop.  I have no idea if this necklace is there or not, but she still has some really fine hair!  The bracelet was part of a set that I picked up recently from LUMINESSE.  It has a choker and ring to go with it and most of their jewelry has an old world-y feel to it.  But I had tried it on and it looked good…so it stayed…:)  The rings I picked up from ieQUED.  I recently picked up this same set in a different color from Collabora88, but I saw this one (I think) from a past round of Fifty Linden Fridays and grabbed it.  You can’t go wrong at that price!  These nails I picked up a while back from The Wicked Peach.  I have been IN LOVE with all the Slink nails that are flooding the grid and now that I am wearing a Maitreya mesh body, I am picking those up too.  I am especially loving the creators that are packing them all together and giving you several different “bodies” to choose from when wearing their nails.  I am telling ya…things just get better and better!!

Don’t you just love these shoes….and they photographed so well!  They reminded me of some shoes that I had seen once in RL and I THINK they were featured one week at one of my favorite sales…fi*Friday.  They are from Revanche.  They come with a color change HUD and can change to 12 colors!!!  They are for Slink mid feet…so they are really nice for things that need an elegant touch while still avoiding those nose bleedingly high stilettos…NOT that I mind a high stiletto….:)

I picked up a new AO.  I have not had a new one in ages and mine had some really old (but still really good) anims in it.  I probably would have rocked along with my old one for much longer but as I was looking through the latest round at Cosmopolitan, I found this new special edition AO made by Vista and on sale!  How can you pass that up?  I just HAD to have it and I must say I am glad I did.  It comes with tons of stuff that you can do with it.  I usually use the one that is built in, in Firestorm, but this one has so many really NICE accessories that I will add it to each outfit, just like I do my body and hands and feet….LOL  I would guess that it will only be at Cosmopolitan during this round, so make sure you stop by there to check it out if you are in the mood for a new AO or just a new one to add to your existing AO…:)

It seems that the last two things I always post about are poses and location.  The poses are from Marukin.  I tried to find poses that would work well with this hair and would not cost me a lot of time post editing.  These worked really well.  I bought them a year ago at a round of collabor88.  I have no idea if they are still available at Marukin and I did not have a LM for the shop.  I tried to find one by looking at the creators profile, but it seems that the shop is currently under new construction and a LM is not available at the moment.  But it gave the impression that one would be available soon.

And location.  Izzie’s has been one of my favorite stores for quite some time now.  She really has some of the very best skins on the grid and there is truly no end to her talent.  She makes SO many nice items that you just HAVE to stop by her store and check them out.  (Including some REALLY nice group gifts, so be sure to sign up.)  She has always had a really beautiful area behind her shop that I liked to go to for pictures on occasion, so you can imagine how surprised I was when I TP’d there and could not access that area.  BUT if you will walk out to the pier, you will find a teleporter that will take you to one of two small islands across the way.  They are set up really nicely…kind of an Italian villa feel.  And I thought they would be perfect for this look….they were.

Thanks so much for reading through this long post.  Not ALL of my posts will be this long….promise!  I just have a lot to say at the moment and HAVE to get it out, but once I do, I will be back to posting mostly SLURLS with a few comments.  Again…so glad to be back…you all have such pretty faces!!!….XOXOX

STYLING NOTES

Skin:  .::WoW Skins::. – Foxy Bronze 05 CL
Hair:  .:JUMO:. – Paloma Golden Blonde Ombre
Top & Leggings:  :::Sn@tch  – Pria Jersey Halter (Taupe), Pria Leggings (White):::
Necklace:  House of Heart  – Organic
Rings:  ieQED – jessi.rings.bronze
Bracelet:  LUMINESSE – Jatikka Sitra Leather Bracelet
Mesh Body:  Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.4
Shoes:  Revanche – Embellishment Heels
Mesh Hands and Feet:  Slink  – Avatar Enhancement Feet & Hands
Eyes:  IKON  – Ardent Eyes – Growth (ML)
Slink Nails: The Wicked Peach – Idunn Gold
Poses:   Marukin LIGHT (Marukin is currently under construction, no SLURL available at this time.)
Location:  Izzie’s

STYLING NOTES

*Outfit:  Ever An’ Angel – Mesh Day Dreamin’ Skirt Tie, Ever An’ Angel Mesh Day Dreamin’ Skirt Lilac, Ever An’ Angel Mesh Day Dreamin’ Top Lilac (Is this not the most romantic outfit ever?  This is from the Spring /Summer line from Ever An Angel.  All of the styles and colors from that line are heavenly!  This outfit is SO pretty, off the shoulder and lower, hanging in the back with just the tiniest bit of abdomen showing.  It is REALLY a beautiful outfit and comes in TONS of colors.  PLUS….Ever has been having tons of sales lately allowing you to get some amazing outfits at amazing prices!  The sales change regularly, so stop by their new store and ENJOY!)

Lashes:  *REDGRAVE* – Eyelashes -38- Classy

*Jewelry:  Izzie’s – Butterfly Earrings pink, Butterfly Necklace pink (short), Butterfly Ring pink (R) (I have worn this set before, but it was just SO perfect with this outfit that I had to wear the pink set with it!  The pink set was originally debuted at TDR Fusion, but Izzie usually places them for sale in her store once the sale ends.  It also comes in several other colors…you may have to have them all!)

Flower Headband:  pr!tty – Spring Dreaming – .Rainbow Headband. (I cannot remember where I picked this up…it was a sale event, I remember that much, but I never imagined it to be SO darling.  It is perfect with this outfit.  Kinda makes me think I may have to find out if it comes in more colors!)

Shoes:  Pure Poison – Gladia Sandals – Silver (I have seen Pure Poison every where I go lately!  If you become a group member there is a TON of REALLY nice jewelry you can pick up.  I have also found some cute shoes and sexy outfits there too!)

Mesh Hands & Feet:  Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands – Elegant & Elegant1, Slink Female Feet (AvEnhance)  – Flat

Slink Nails:  Ever An’ Angel – (Tone) Celtic Nails (I am LOVING Slink nails!  I have bought a jillion pair recently!  I really like this set from Ever An’ Angel.  It has a lovely Celtic symbol on each nail and comes in LOTS of colors.)

Hair:  [monso] – My Hair – Elsa/ Regular Pack 2 (head part), Elsa/ Regular Pack 2 (rigged part) (I have never worn anything from Monso before, but I picked this style up at a previous round of Collabor88 and have been waiting for the right outfit to wear it with.  I think it was perfect for this one!)

*Skin:  Izzie’s – Nomi TDR Skin pale BLB CL blue, Izzie’s – Nomi Eyebrow Shape (This special edition of “Nomi” is out at TDR Fusion along with a couple of other colors until this current round ends.  I imagine that will be soon…so you should HURRY.  Izzie has the BEST skins….so sweet and with TONS of options.  I love every single skin she does!  You will too!  After you pick these three skins up, be sure to go by her mainstore and become a group member.  There is a very reasonable group joiner fee….but you will NOT regret it!  Izzie is so talented, you never know what she is going to come out with….jewelry, skins, clothing, lashes, nails….you will love them all!)

Eyes:  Buzzeri ([Buzz]) – Faerie Eyes – Sapphire (This is another pair of eyes that I picked up at the Season’s Story.  I have no idea if that event is still going on and I could not find this set of eyes at their store, but I am REALLY looking forward to what Buzzeri will come up with next.  They also do makeup…interesting stuff….but I LOVE these eyes!)

Poses:  Eternal Dreams – Stylish 01 (This set was featured at The Pose Fair and is currently available at Eternal Dreams mainstore.)

Location: It All Starts With a Smile 

(This SIM was made by a fellow blogger, Kaelyn Alecto.  It is GORGEOUS.  It has several areas to hang out with LOTS of pose ball/props…quite relaxing.  It reminds me of some of the places I used to go to when I first came to SL and was looking for peace and solace.  I think I will go back here…NOT just to take pictures, but to relax and enjoy the beauty.  The SIM could use your donations.  There is a donation pot at the landing point.  I remember one of my FAVORITE places in SL was just suddenly one day gone.  I loved it there.  I went there often and it was always like a breath of fresh air.  I cried when it was gone.  If you enjoy It All Starts With a Smile, be sure to donate so we can keep it!)

STYLING NOTES

Lip Color & Slink Nails:  Senzafine (.:SF:.) –  “Moonglow” Lip Color & Nails: Vintage Reds – Vermilion (I found both of these items at the most recent round of Genre.  The theme this round is “Big Band” and if you like that kind of thing you will want to check this out!  Both the lipcolor and nails came in 5 matching shades of red.  You can NEVER have enough shades of red!)

*Bag:  WTG Jewellers  (+:+WTG+:+) [MESH] **Hot Heart** baggage (I have had this bag in my inventory since last Valentine’s day.  I am doubtful that WTG still has it in stock, but they have many new bags and amazing jewelry…along with amazing group gifts!  I am sure you will find something that you cannot live without at WTG!)

*Dress:  PurpleMoon  (:: PM ::) –  Maia Dress in Red 3×1 (This is a new dress from PurpleMoon featured at the Monochromatic Fair.  The dress comes with a HUD containing the 3 dress textures shown above: a pretty floral print, polka dots and a classic solid red.  The Monochromatic Fair will run until May 2….so HURRY….you won’t have long before it will be gone!)

Jewelry:  Chop Zuey – A Happy Note in Abalone Bracelet, A Happy Note in Abalone Earrings, A Happy Note in Abalone Necklace (I have had this set in my inventory for a very long time.  It is really beautifully done.  I am glad I found it!!)

*Hair:  Alli & Ali (A&A) – Ursula Hair 3 (This is one of the latest hairs from Alli & Ali.  It has color change streaks as well as color change bands along the crown of the hair.  Don’t forget that A&A has new hair each week…and at least one is FREE for group members and those who vote at the voting wall!)

Shoes:  Essenz – Cannes (Cream) (Everywhere I have looked lately I have seen Essenz Shoes…and I am so glad I did!  I have bought several pair of their shoes and are quite pleased.  I tried to get a better pic of these so you could see how lovely they are really done, but it just seemes like no matter what I was getting a shadow.  HOWEVER…if you hurry over to Designer Circle you can see them for yourself and pic up a pair for only 100L!  They come in several colors to choose from.  Pick up several pairs to go with all of your summer wardrobe!)

Mesh Hands & Feet:  Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands, Slink Female Feet (AvEnhance) M – Mid

Lashes:  Glow Studio Lashes Italia (sweet)

Skin:  7 Deadly s{K}ins – DC Romy (This was another new find for me at this round of Designer Circle.  I really liked the freckled look and felt a little like Lara Flynn Boyle wearing it!  It is really lovely.  It comes with a natural lip…so you can wear it as it is or pair another lipcolor with it as I have done here.)

Eyes:  Buzzeri ([Buzz]) Faerie Eyes – Angel (I happened upon these lovely eyes at The Seasons Story.  I could not seem to find a closing date for the event, but I would imagine that it is soon…as most of it is somewhat Easter themed.  But I bought several pairs of these eyes at the event and I just love them.  I went to their SL shop to see if they had other eyes available and there were a few, but it seems like they are a fairly new shop.  I am happy about that!  I am hoping to see much more from them in the way of eyes.  AND they have some really cute makeup too!)

*Poses:  PurplePoses – Tatiana (These poses are currently available at the Monochromatic Fair.  As mentioned earlier, it ends soon, so run to grab these!)

Background:  Tillie Pose Stand with HUD  (Tillie has just come out with her most recent Version (v.5) of her pose stand.  I LOVE this pose stand.  I use it all the time.  It comes with TOOOOOONS of stuff!  Everything you need to start taking pics….backgrounds….several different types of backround changers, lights, poses (Courtesy of Glitterati and Diesel Works), pose stands, lights, and HUDS to use with the stand or by themselves.  It is REALLY one of the best investments you can make if you are thinking of taking pictures…modeling…or the like.  You can find this at her store IN world or at her Marketplace, here.)

STYLING NOTES

*Dress:  PurpleMoon (:: PM ::) –  Thelma Dress in Zebra/Blue MESH (This is a new offering from PurpleMoon available at Gypset Gold through April 30th!)

Ring:  A&Ana Fashion Shop – My Quennie Black Eye Style Ring Gold (There is also a necklace and set of earrings available with this.)

Clutch:  House Of Fox (Color.Me.H.O.F)  – Mesh [Zanzi Clutch[Blue]

Shoes:  HOLLYHOOD – MESH TANGERINE ROSANNA HEELS

Hair:  Analog Dog – inu puff, RIGGED – puff,  puff hair base – root (This is very reminiscent of the way some of my friends wear their hair in Texas!  We LOVE big hair!  This is a nice combination of rigged mesh AND flexi…along with a hairbase.  I Like the way it gives me the things I need from Mesh hair, while still giving me the movement of flexi!)

Lashes:  Izzie’s – Eyelashes v1.06

Necklace:  Maxi Gossamer (MG) – Necklace – Summer LadyBird – Orange

Mesh Hands:  Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands

Slink Nails:  {ZOZ} – Elegant Curve II

*Skin:  Izzie’s – Nomi Skin sunkissed LB CL, Moles, Lipstick purple, Nomi Eyeshadow smokey (This is Izzie’s latest skin offering.  As usual it comes with TONS of options including the eyeshadow, lipstick and moles you see here.  AND this skin comes with a new option of tintable brow in addition to all Izzie’s regular brows.)  If you are not familiar with Izzie’s or all of the options and colors her skins come in, be sure and check out her blog here.)

Eyes:  IKON Destiny Eyes – Field (L)

Catwalk:  NanTra (I came across this Catwalk and the poses during a recent round of 60 L Weekends.  I find a lot of good sales there.  If you are not familiar with it, take a look here.)

Poses:  NanTra – Catwalk

I just love it when I am going through my inventory and put random things on and they just “come together”.  It always feel special…kinda like a Christmas present.  This is pretty much what happened with this outfit.  You can see it is a mixture of new items and some that have been in my inventory for a while.  But it just looked so “right” that I could not leave it without taking pictures.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did…:)

STYLING NOTES

*Handbag:  +:+WTG+:+ – [MESH] **Vega** bag (This is a handbag I have had for a while from WTG.  I LOVE everything that WTG does and they have been coming out with some handbags lately AND some men’s shoes.  I have yet to make me a MALT, so I don’t have a man avie to test them on, but they are TRULY beautiful shoes.  If you are looking for classic men’s shoes, be sure and stop by WTG.)

Shoes:  ::CHoOoZ:: – “Miranda”: Sunflower: (I have had these shoes in my inventory for a while and have no idea if they are still available at CHoOoz.)

*Hair:  Alli & Ali (A&A) –  Charlize Hair Copper Blonde (This is a relatively new hair released from A&A.  When I tried it on I immediately liked it and thought the Copper Blonde color was BEAUTIFUL with the summery outfit.  If you are not aware of it, all of A&A’s group members are privy to at least one…sometimes 2 new FREE hair releases each week.  They also provide a “Voting gift” AND they have a whole SLEW of hair on sale for the month of April.  If you are looking for new hair, you should run by there and check it out.  Be sure to sign up for their group gift.  You won’t regret it!)

*Jewelry:  Izzie’s – Butterfly Bracelet silver, Butterfly Earrings silver, Butterfly Necklace silver, Butterfly Ring silver  (This jewelry set is new from Izzie’s and is so cute and just has everything for girls that love butterflies!  I like sets that come with matching bracelets and rings!  AND this entire set comes in black, white, pigeon, creme and silver!  You can take a look at all the colors here!  If I am correct, you still have a couple more days to get to the Liaison Collaborative and then I am sure Izzie will move them to her mainstore.  But just to make sure you should HURRY to The Liaison Collaborative!)

Lashes:  Izzie’s – Eyelashes v1.06

Top:  Leri Miles Design (LMD) – Hahn Blouse II M Marigold

Leggings:  Leri Miles Design  (LMD) – Kallie Leggings II XS Marigold

Mesh Hands:  Slink – Avatar Enhancement Hands

Skin:  –Belleza – Lily V2 Med (cleavage) Group Gift (I have had this in my inventory for god knows how long.  From the looks of it, it was probably a group gift from last summer.  When I tried it on, the colors of the makeup were SO pretty with this outfit and I just had to leave it on.)

Eyes:  IKON – Spectral Eyes – Grass (L)

Slink nails:  Quintessencia – #52 (I meant to take a close up pic of these nails and I forgot….:/  They are SO cute…and really appropriate for spring/summer.  You can browse Quintessencia on the marketplace here.)

*Poses:  PurplePoses – Kim

Location:  The Grove Country Club Estates