When Annyka Bekkers passed over a preview of this sweet, Daisy face-painted version of her Tuesday skin I came to a realization that at first surprised me: there is a serious lack of anything granola-crunching-hippy in my inventory, same goes for El. I had a RL friend over at the time and voiced my surprise out loud and he said “Well, hippies are one thing you are surrounded by every day, I’m not surprised you ignore that style in SL.” You see, in RL, I live in Woodstock, NY, home to (not my photos) guys like grandpa woodstock and shops like Woostock Earth and Modern Mythology (note the boycott CVS sign, it wouldn’t be Woodstock if people weren’t boycotting something). There are drum circles at the Magic Meadow on the full moon and actual moved-here-in-the-60s protesters on the village green holding signs that say “Give Peace a Chance” on the weekends. I am not kidding…for real.
I messaged shopping aficionado Halfpint Pennell and asked for some suggestions. For hair she sent me to Mirai Style, where both El and I picked up wigs that were perfect for this shoot…but not so crunchy to be lost in inventory forever never to be worn again.
Clothing was also an issue as most of my flowy stuff is black or deep red and I needed something more natural. HP sent me to Kurotsubaki and I fell in love with this cropped cardigan. I was oh so tempted to get it in red but brown seemed more appropriate for the laid back hippy chick I was pretending to be. El had been looking for an excuse to pick up some of the separates from Zaara and the Maitri top in copper was just the thing. When hippies aren’t wearing long flowing skirts made of hemp, denim is the standard. The denim skirt from BP and the Promise jeans from Decoy completed our outfits nicely.
…and then, like a 5 year old, El yells, “Look how cool this shirt is when I am upside down, take a pic take a pic!” and it’s a great shot to show off our free sandals from Lassitude & Ennui.
The Daisy skin is going to be a group gift…survey reward….some kinda gift for the blowpop group. Thanks for the preview Annyka…one item like this in our inventory can inspire a whole shoot…and a shopping spree!
El
*blowpop* Tuesday Honey [1d. Daisy 1] brun, frkl
Zaara : Maitri *copper*
[Decoy] Promise Jeans - Dark Denim
+*Miho NoHAT*+.Gold_MiraiStyle
(Miriel Everyday) Find Your Way Necklace - Gold/Yellow
Lassitude & Ennui Signature sandals - brown
me:
*blowpop* Tuesday Honey [1d. Daisy] brun, frkl
*KUROTSUBAKI* short knit cardigan brown
BP*DNM PANTS SKIRT /light
MIRAI STYLE hair .+*Dafy*+.Brown [MS]
Yummy Jewlery Momento Locket
Lassitude & Ennui Signature sandals - brown
We started out with a simple idea: the Bitches of Second Look Studio. I set us up for a shot against a brick wall, and then Feles had to say, “…Poker Table?” and link me to the famous painting by Cassius Coolidge, Dogs Playing Poker. Everyone knew what had to happen.
Let me say here publicly…..Feles has this ability to take an idea and bust out a set faster than I can even locate the appropriate items in my inventory. It really helps that this is a pretty sleazy set….Feles’s specialty 
That bitch (above center, see large) is fan-fucking-tastic. She found a poker table on onrez or something, whipped up the playing cards and drinks, made the overhead lamp from scratch….and even picked the best sleazy wallpaper. Feles, you really brought this fun, spontaneous idea to life.
Seen here with Kay Fairey, you can tell that Feles is the head bitch. Kay won’t even look her in the face for fear that Feles will be able to read her like an open book.
Also joining us was Vitality Lollipop, and I must say, Vi, I LOVE seeing you like this! Vitality, usually, is a picture of class, style and sophistication. It was a pleasure to capture her here just bein’ a sexy bitch!
In our last shot, Kaitlin Peccable tries to steal a peek at my cards… don’t forget Kait….I’m the one processing your photos…..good dogs dont sh!t where they eat 
Many, many, many thanks to all the ladies involved in this shoot. Your patience and trust allows us to do some really cool stuff…. and that means the world to me.
Skins are Dalmation Dame 2 and 3 from MiaSnow. Dalmation ears also from MiaSnow, ears on Feles and me from Atomic Kitty. I didn’t collect styling info from everyone, but if you see something you just have to have get in touch, we’ll help you find it.
WARNING: if excessive cuteness offends you, coughThaliacough, please look away, I don’t want you to hurt yourself.
When I saw Sumomo Kawashima’s CutieSuit pop up on my flickr contact page I pretty much jumped up and yelled to El in the other room “OMG El!!! go to ~momo~ now and get that, I’m gettin’ the camera ready!”
This too-cute-for-words body suit comes in an inexpensive pack of 5 colors on all layers. You really should click through and see the larger version of this; the lace frill on the top is super sweet.
Cute as it is, some people like a little more coverage while roaming the grid, and the CutieSuit works really well tucked into a pair of shorts. We spent some time rummaging through inventory for a skirt to tuck this into but nothing was quite right. I don’t usually express myself in lolspeak but….we can has a prim skirt for teh CutieSuit?
While at ~momo~ El also picked up the Melting Candy top and Polkadots socks. Melting Candy comes in two parts, the melted upper portion over a polka dotted tube top. Mix and match heaven and El is going to profess her undying love to Sumomo for all the possible combinations of this.
Besides allowing for many different color combos, the two parts also work alone. But what to pair with the pieces? ~momo~ panda panties of course!
If you have never seen Sumomo’s flickr stream, it’s about the cutest thing out there. She is often seen wearing a precious blue skin and matching blue or pink hair, so Sumomo, …we don’t have blue skin but this pic is for you 
If you like cute and sweet….and it doesn’t get much cuter and sweeter than this, head on over to ~momo~ . There’s a white and red nurse version of the CutieSuit set out as a freebie, but the prices are so reasonable, you may find yourself clicking that buy button faster than you have time to think.
product details after the cut
Read more »
lyrics
Sometimes you are doing a shoot and the model puts together an outfit that just screams to be tied to a story. When I first saw the bottom of the pants, I thought something from the circus…and then Chalice brought out the whip and said “freakshow” and this is what happened:
Chalice Carling is wearing:
Hair: Curio Pigtail Braids - Blonde.
Skin: Redgrave Venus in Gold.
Outfit: Pieces selected from LeeZu Baxter’s Revolution.
Veil: Baiastice Persian Dream wedding veil (tinted black).
Hat: From Baiastice Alinee outfit.
Earrings: DeLa Antonia in Brown.
Shoes: Stiletto Moody Elegant Slingbacks in BlackTwinkle.
Whip: Matriarch Bullwhip by Lillani Lowell from Dictatorshop.
please note: the bottoms of the pants are in world prim attachments. That is not a photoshop effect, though I did enhance the contrast some.
Just one more Decoy shoot…I can’t resist….
The day after the Second Look Studio show featuring Decoy, Tuli and Dernier Cri, El met up with Halfpint at the set to check out some gifts Annette had bestowed on them in appreciation for the show. I will be the first to say that Annette hooks El and I up, a lot….but I photograph this stuff because I think it’s amazing, not because I love the person behind the work. *waves to Annette*
As El and HP started to try on their new goodies I had to start snapping shots and it turned into a shoot that lasted for several hours and had them dying new Dernier Cri hair to complement clothing and skin. The following images show all Decoy clothing and shoes, Tuli skins (including her new ones) and Dernier Cri hair.
If you haven’t heard about the coloring method used by Dernier Cri I’ll explain: you purchase a hairstyle, not a color. The first time you wear the hair you also wear a hud that lets you select the color you want for that hair. What I LOVE about this, is that you can buy a multi-pack of hair and dye them any colors you want. You aren’t stuck with a “blonds” pack or a “reds” pack. I also love that you don’t need to decide what colors you want the hair in until you are ready to wear it! Imagine having a favorite hairstyle in inventory just waiting for you to tell it what color to be to match that outfit or skin you just bought.
If you have not stepped over to Decoy since this release you really must go now. Clothing from Decoy is so well made, she obsesses over seams and her skill with light and shadow and draping fabric is pretty mind blowing.
Seems El and HP neglected to hand over a their clothing and accessories list. All of the Decoy clothing goodness can be found at the redesigned shop, go on in and head to the room on the right for clothing, shoes are on the left. Skins are at Tuli’s shop and hair can be found at Asuka Martin’s shop, Dernier Cri.
So you ever walk into a shop and see something and without even thinking about it twice you buy it and run home to put it on and then you look at yourself slack-jawed like OMFG I can not even believe someone designed this? (…and I thought I’d never have a reason to use this pose from the Pornstar Wannabe set from [lap]… silly me!)
Yesterday was my RL birthday; that makes me a cancer. I was in Bare Rose looking for the Pisces costume for a project I have in the works and there it was: Cancer Lady. Earlier in the day I was trying to think…what in my inventory captures my personality that I can shoot today to celebrate myself? I was completely uninspired until my eyes fell upon this amazing creation.
The sculpties on this are brilliant, the textures are divine…gahhh I don’t even know how to tell you how amazing this is. Good thing I took some pics for ya!
Cancers are notorious for keeping people at a distance…we have trust issues. We like to hide in our shells and are very reluctant to let anyone else in…so this pose from Imperial Elegance’s Paparazzi set was just perfect!
The layers underneath the skirt are just as impressive as all the sculptie and flexi goodness…
The costume comes with all the attachments shown, including the shoes, as well as several skirts in various colors….and might be the best 150L$ I ever spent. All you cancerians out there go now….what are you waiting for?
::: B@R ::: Cancer Lady
Magika Hair - Tied up - Dark Brown
[]::Tuli::[] S4F olive ~ intrigue 3
I’m going a little “Out of My Mind*” right now. I should be standing a few rows back from the stage, jumping and singing and feelin’ the music move right through me. But, alas, no… as most of my friends have grown up and had families and, well, I guess “family” conflicts with staying out till 7am driving home from a concert. A change in my BFF’s hubby’s RL plans meant I was gonna have to do this Pearl Jam show solo and in the east coast rain today, 6 hours in the car each way, it was just not happening. (oh sh!t, I think that means I am getting old)
So instead I mope and wait for the text message of the set list and cry when they play something I’m mad I missed. It’s a really good thing I bought the “Emo Brat” pose set at the [LAP] sale this weekend.
The soon to be released Genesis jeans from [Decoy] in dark rust have this color that, well, its like you’ve been wearing them for years, but always make sure to throw them in the wash. Dirt and age has discolored them, but they aren’t dirty. I’ve paired them with my often forgot 83 Combat top and fishnet tank from Dutch Touch. Another item in inventory that I always forget about are my Desert Boots from Maitreya and they were perfect here. Taking this shot reminded me how expertly crafted these are; the tied laces are terrific.
…but no amount of SL photography, as much as I love it, can come close to the exhilaration of the show I am missing…so here I live vicariously though my AV and fantasize that I am standing there, leaning up against the speaker, feeling the beat of the drums and the sounds of the strings pass through me.
[Decoy] Genesis 10 - Dark Rust (available early July)
83 COMBat :: DUTCH TOUCH ::
Cake - Berlin - Cocoa - Flexi Hair
[]::Tuli::[] S5 tan ~ tears 2
Maitreya Female Desert Boots - Brown
and I would love to give you a SLurl to [LAP] Long Awkward Pose, however, SL just broke; I know this because I am stuck in demo hair.
*that is not an actual Pearl Jam video, just someone’s fun little edit for youtube. The song/improv was a b-side to Not for You from their Vitalogy album.
excerpt:
I ain’t got nowhere to go from here.
I’m just about this far
From drowning in my very own tears.
Out of my mind…out of my mind…
Once inside, I’m out of my mind…
Out of my mind…out of my mind…
Where do I go? Where do I stay?
I got no place to lay in the hay.
Where do I go to soothe my head?
Guess I’ll turn on music instead…
Pearl Jam is touring the Northeastern United States, and so am I! I’ll be seeing 8 shows over 12 days, and I am just about jumping out of my skin! The waiting drove me mad!
The only time the music is ever loud enough is at a show when I can feel every bang on the drums and every note of the strings and all the vibration of voices move through me. Once I stuck my head in the speaker and heard ringing for a week, but I tell you it was worth it to be enveloped in the haunting guitar of Immortality and I’d do it again. I’ve seen 60ish PJ shows and every one of them has blown my mind.
For the last post before my little hiatus we’ve put on my standard concert wear: jeans and a tank top. These tanks from Wrong come 2 in a pack (black and white) and you can get them as transfer items for sharing. Also required concert styling: the 2 braids. I have found this to be the only solution to keep my hair from flying around and hitting the people next to me.
As we were getting dressed for the shoot, Annyka Bekkers of Blowpop dropped on El (good timing!) the new makeup packs (available soon) for her Tuesday skin. It’s going to be hard to get El to change to anything else for at least a few days; good thing I won’t be around to ask her to change for photos! Look at those cheeks!!!
Tattoos were required to complete this look for me. My RL tattoos tend to be a conversation peice, and also a way for people to find me at shows! “Oh, so and so told me to look for the girl with the fire and water tattoos.” The tattoo from Alexitimia Tattoo, thought completely different from what I have in RL, captures the spirit of my work perfectly.
I better get some sleep, first show is 14 hours away!
Anyone needing to contact me for business purposes while I am away, please drop a notecard in world. I will get in touch with you as soon as I return.
See you in July!
me:
[Decoy] Promise Jeans - Dark Denim
WRONG - Cherries Tank (black)
::Alexitimia Tattoo::Falling Stars FADED 2
*Hexed* - Gothica Boots
Magika Hair - Haor Back - Black
~ MAGIKA ~ WTF earrings
[]::Tuli::[] S5 tan ~ natural 1
[]::Tuli::[] messy choker and bracelet
on El
WRONG - Splattered Jeans (black) (T)
*blowpop* Tuesday Honey [6a. Pink Portia] blk, frkl
Mellogs Boots
{Violet Voltaire} Gank Set - Blue
Magika Hair - Play - Light Pink
WRONG - Skull Tank (white)
top photo animation from hiko Nino, other poses from Reel Expression and Tuli.
posting at 5am again…get yer own slurs!
This weekend, I fell in love with a dress. Thalia Jie posted an image of Mina, from LeeZu Baxter’s just released Noir Collection, and it was love at first sight. When it came time to photograph this new love of mine, I knew Thalia was the one to call…you see, she had admitted to me earlier this weekend that she purchased the entire collection.
The Mina jacket, which comes with amazing fur trim and a collar that just knocked my socks off, posed some issues with the (lack of) bewb coverage, so I have replaced it with a corset from Pixeldolls until I find a way to make it work. I won’t call this a compromise though, I am in love with it this way as well.
Conversation fragments are floating around in my mind, my sleep deprived brain trying to churn out text here…the idea that a picture is worth a thousands words…should need no explanation…should tell a story. I like the idea of an implication of story, leaving enough room for the viewer to imagine their own.
There is a story here I am sure; time to rest my eyes and dream it.
on me:
[]::Tuli::[] S5 tan ~ glam 3
*LeeZu Baxter* NOIR Mina Flexi Dress minus the jacket
(PixelDolls) Stephanie Corset: Ashes
(Shiny Things) Savage black and moonstone necklace and earrings
ETD Xaria - Ebony
TESLA bag - ‘Ziggy’ Heels *Birth*
on Thalia:
Hair: Maitrey - Loose Bun in Beach Blonde
Skin: MMS Pale NF (no longer available)
Gown: LeeZu Baxter Noir Sin Sin (includes hat and gloves)
Earrings: Paper Couture - Vintage Black Earrings
Shoes: Armidi Gisaci - Vadalia Pump in Noir Croc
no SLurls, 5am, haven’t slept yet, use search, ty and good night.
Take *THAT* system skirts! Be gone little crotch covering miniskirt prims that never ever look perfect!!!
omg what M*A*ii*K*I have done with this sculptie skirt, LL can learn a thing or two I tell ya.
The Striped dress comes with the gloves and leggings as well an an attachment on the chest that almost looked right on El, but it called more attention to her chest which she really doesn’t need. A pair of poufy black bloomer shorts are also included, but we were so excited about the possibility of making this prim skirt fit as closely as possible that we left them out for this shoot.
click photos for better detail
M * A * ii * K * I Striped Strapless Black/SteelBlue
BP lace legwarmers
Magika Hair - Rose - Black
(Miriel Everyday) Bauble Necklace - Black
Material Squirrel Storm Wings
*Hexed* Alt - Demonia Boots
*blowpop* Mellie3_Honey [curacao] black, freckles
