Month: June 2014

Gearing up for SLink Physique..

Gearing up for SLink Physique..

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Get ready for an uber grid meltdown of gargantuan proportions on Wednesday peeps. In fact,  I think Plurk and the entire blogosphere will explode too, and there’s a very exciting reason behind it.

On Wednesday we finally get to see the long-awaited SLINK mesh body, and quite frankly I’m REALLY buzzing about the prospect!

 My Second Life, and I’m sure this applies to many others, has become infinitely better as a result of the amazing mesh hands and feet created by Siddean Munro. If you’ve been reading this blog for a long time you’ll know I’ve always had issues with my wrists in Second Life; I’ve always hated them and they’ve been a particular bug-bear of mine.  They look so unpleasant in photographs, but the introduction of the Slink hands has made all the difference. No more do I despair at ugly, angry wrist bones jutting out at unfortunate angles when I’m posing for shots for the blog.  The hands in fact are  really beautiful wee things and have created a cottage industry for enthusiastic manicure and pedicure creators across the grid. Not only that, but the detailing on them, and the positioning of the fingers upon the  hands has always really struck me as incredibly well thought out; whatever pose you choose they add a realism to your look that you just don’t get from the regular avatar.

 Of course, the fact that skin makers could release appliers for the hands and feet made them even more essential purchases, and  consequently I think I have appliers now for the majority of the skins in my inventory.  Depending on where you shop appliers can cost a small fortune, but they are so worth it. Wearing your exact skin tone across your entire frame courtesy of those magical appliers is such a simple, yet essential pleasure.  In recent months we’ve seen tattoo layers become available for hands and feet too, again enhancing our individual looks even further.  In fact, when you stand back and think about it the revenue generated by these add-ons must be outrageous!  It’s made of win for everyone concerned;  for SLink for providing the technology, in the first place, and for the  and the skin makers, manicurists and pedicurists  who have been canny enough to include appliers in their range.  And don’t forget the shoe-makers and the jewellery creators and..and…GAH! The whole industry that has sprung up around these virtual appendages is absolutely immense,  I don’t begrudge any of them single Linden either.  The work that must have gone on behind the scenes to make all this achievable must have been terrific. And  let’s not forget that there are now  dedicated shopping areas where you can purchase every kind of add-on that your heart desires too.

 Seems to me so far it’s all been a roaring success, and when Wednesday comes I can see no reason at all for Siddean not to have applied her same high standards of creativity to the mesh body, or should that be bodies (ooh, the very thought!)  that she’ll be releasing.  Let’s face it her work has always been bob-on, and this is why I am so eager to see what she has been busily engaged upon for the past few months.  I’m sure if you’re reading this then you are too.  So what benefit will a mesh body bring?

 Truth be told, and don’t laugh, I don’t really know! As it stands I love the shape that I wear,  so why will I want to change to anything else? I guess it’s curiosity that’s got the better of this Kitty.  I want to see the way that the body blends in to the existing Slink Add-ons. I’m interested in the bewbs too, isn’t everyone? One of the reasons that I haven’t worn my Lola’s so much recently is because I just can’t size them to the scale that I want. I don’t necessarily want a huge, heaving bosom in Second Life, but I do want definition and shape beyond that which is already built in to the shape of the avatar.  I’m hopeful that we’ll see some of that.

 Speaking of shape, I’m keen to see if curves will be catered for.  I’m hopeful that they will, in fact they have to be a selling point.  I  want to see beautiful, shapely bums and hearty, wholesome thighs.  I want to see clothes fit even better too and I admit I have no clue at all how the existing mesh marvels that I have in my wardrobe will fit, but I’m confident that this will be something that has been addressed.  Also, how will they be sold? Will we get torsos to which you add whichever feet and hand style that you like, or will there be all-in-one versions too? There are huge benefits to both. 

 Most importantly though we need the skin makers to get behind this release and create appliers that will work across the entire body.  Think of the possibilities for tattoos and decoration and relish the prospect of seeing some truly innovative and stylish avatars on the grid in the coming months.

 Wednesday can’t come soon enough for me, and I’m sure that Siddean won’t let us down.  As soon as I get my hands on anything resembling one of her releases, I’ll let you know what I think! GAH, I can’t wait!

Image

Picture above from Siddean’s blog, SLinkstyle. OMFG HOW AWESOME IS THIS?!

 Are you excited about the new mesh bodies that are starting to appear on the grid? What are your thoughts on this new mesh venture; do you think you’ll invest in one, or more? Let us know in the comments below!

WITCHY WEDNESDAY- ‘The Maiden’ By Ellabella

WITCHY WEDNESDAY- ‘The Maiden’ By Ellabella

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

witchy wednesday_001I haven’t written a ‘Witchy Wednesday’ post in an age, which is a poor show when you consider that the blog is called ‘Kittywitchin’..ahem!

Anyway, fortunately this week I do have something rather lovely to share with you all, and it costs next to nothing!  This gorgeous ‘Maiden’ pentacle necklace is from ELLABELLA and costs a mere L$100.

It’s available at this month’s THE MENS DEPT (as you walk in, on the wall to your right) and is perfect if you want a pentacle that’s a little more fancy than usual. On closer inspection you’ll find that the pentagram is surrounded by five Rubies, separated by purple squiggles (evocative of Theban Script) against a black base. There are crescent moons for the Goddess to either side, and the piece is finished with three violet pendants.

witchy wednesday_002

 

I think it’s a great piece of jewellery and it’s very eye-catching too.  Here’s your taxi to THE MENS DEPT where you’ll find this piece, and other fabulous items too! 

Kitty Writes: Some random thoughts on blogging…

Kitty Writes: Some random thoughts on blogging…

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Keeping a blog is a commitment, especially if your blog is sponsored. It takes time and work to maintain and requires updating regularly to retain its audience.

A couple of weeks ago I started a new RL job, so I haven’t been updating as much as I would like. This made me feel pretty miserable. But then I realised something; I felt so obligated to my own blogging regime that I was making myself feel like a failure because I couldn’t update as regularly as I wanted to.   Beyond everything this blog has always been an outlet for my writing and founded on enjoyment, rather than necessity. So I had a word with myself, relieved the pressure and felt much better for it.

I don’t owe it to anyone other than myself to keep this blog updated, which is a freedom many bloggers don’t enjoy.  That’s the problem with being a mega-successful blogger, content has to be fresh and new to bring readers in and keep page sponsors happy.  But the fact remains that updating a blog every day is just impossible for me these days.
The reasons for this are many, but in my case it’s primarily because of how long it takes me to write a post and create the photographs that go with it. To illustrate what I mean, let’s break down a typical blog post:

  • For a start I have to source something to write a post about. This means purchasing item(s), styling my avatar and creating a look that’s interesting.
  • I then have to choose my location for photographs.  More often than not I’ll shoot against a white background because I love the way it looks, but I still have to erect a photo studio and choose a pose.
  • Take photographs. Often this will take time because the shot that I imagined initially proves not to work, or I get carried away and take way too many pictures making it hard for me to choose!
  • Post-processing photographs (If required; now that my graphics card is more sprightly I’m finding that I don’t need to do much work on my pictures unless I actually want to)
  • Writing the actual post and publishing.
  • Promoting the post via news outlets like Facebook.

Of course, writing the post is what takes the longest, for me at least!
I have NEVER been the kind of blogger who writes a few brief sentences about the item I am featuring. There are plenty that do that and if that works for them that’s excellent, but it’s not really Kittywitchin’s style. I like to talk about creators, textures and items in-depth. I often like to write about how they make me feel, and my emotions too. In short, I like to waffle a bit, but that’s what makes this blog unique in a number of ways.  I’ve had a lot of feedback from creators telling me that they like that too, because they feel that their products are valued and appraised properly, and ‘sold’ to the audience more effectively.

Something new that I do now is publicise my posts via my FB page, and a number of FB groups that I am a member of.  I’ve found this to be a really effective way of generating traffic for the blog, and I’ve noted my blog-followers increase too, so it is well worth the effort.

The truth is a blog-post is not something that can be accomplished in a matter of minutes, not an effective one anyway, It can take me a couple of hours to write, edit and then publish. Add to that the length of time it takes to create the picture, and then list the items featured and yup, you’re looking at an afternoon of work at least. Are you surprised by that?
This is why my intention is to keep to my blogging regimen of two-three times a week. I would LOVE to write more, but I don’t have the time (or the money) to be able to do that. (Bear in mind I don’t get that many blogger packs sent my way so I have to self-fund. No that isn’t a whine; I don’t mind at all!)
In short,  I love keeping a blog, and that’s why Kittywitchin’ has been around for as long as it has; it stems purely from my love of Second Life.
A love that grows constantly, and long may that continue.

JUST JEZ – The Mens Dept Has It All!

JUST JEZ – The Mens Dept Has It All!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Image

 

I don’t know what Jez would do without THE MENS DEPT; it’s just such a boon to Second Life men’s fashion. It constantly  features excellent designers to fall in love with* and offers fabulous on-trend items and home-wares.  This month is no exception either; a range of absolutely sensational gear that is very easy to wear and is guaranteed to turn your fella from Ebbe Linden stylin’ to street chic in less than the time it takes you to read this post!

My particular favourites this month include this fabulous style from INK HAIR, this gorgeous tee and tied shirt combo by HOWL and these epic pants from APPLE MAY DESIGNS. 

INK HAIR is definitely Jez’s brand of choice and it always looks fabulous on him. Their colour range is particularly good, with the brown shade suiting his over-all look perfectly.  I find that their hair-bases always wear well too; they don’t look as though someone has gone crazy with the boot-polish on his scalp.  This style, ‘Flow’, is really substantial and frames his face beautifully at the front. It blends into the hair-base well and doesn’t look ‘stuck-on’, as can often be the case with such styles.

The HOWL tee is a real find.  It’s mesh, and I did notice that to get a good fit on the sleeves he had to adjust his pecs ever-so-slightly, but no matter, such sacrifices must be made in the name of fashion.  If you’re willing to shell out some extra Lindens then you can boost your package (ooer missus!) with a HUD that features a number of tee patterns and shirt colours, so this piece will definitely see Jez through Summer 2014 in style.

I have to confess that I usually despair at baggy-crotch pants, but these ‘After Shorts’ were too good to pass on, although I really do find myself wanting to give Jez the most epic of wedgies every time that he passes me, hence his voice being a little squeaky at the moment! (I may have pulled a little too tightly last time! Oopsy!) The style of these is actually pretty nice, and they’re textured really well, something you would expect from APPLE MAY DESIGNS. Plus if he wasn’t wearing the tied-shirt, you’d be able to see that he’s wearing pants too. Rather than going commando, you get the briefest glimpse of boxer shorts in these bad boys. Yum!

To finish he put on his old fave EUDORA trainers, which were a group gift (although there are some spangly new space-age ones in THE MENS DEPT this month) and added some jewellery from a previous TMD round from MANDALA  (another brand with some epic new releases at the event)  (The bracelets are old group gifts from RONSEM).

I really love this look on Jez; he looks cool and stylish with a polished, urban edge, and it wasn’t a painful experience getting him to go shopping at THE MENS DEPT at all, in fact, truth be told, I think he enjoyed it!

And so will you, I guarantee it! Here’s your TAXI! 

Jez wears:

  • Shape – Jez’s Own
  • Skin – ‘David’ by REDGRAVE
  • Tattoo – ‘Japanese Sleeves’ by AITUI
  • Eyes – ‘Ascension’ Eyes in Pewter by IKON
  • Hair – ‘Flow’ by INK
  • Necklace – ‘Kotowari (Full) by MANDALA
  • Shoes – ‘Blaze’ Hi-Tops by EUDORA 3D (Group gift)
  • Tee/Shirt – ‘Rui’ Summer Outfit by HOWL (I wonder if he has a moving castle?! Sorry..)
  • Shorts – ‘After’ Shorts in Dark Denim by APPLE MAY DESIGNS
  • Bracelets on both wrists were group gifts from RONSEM

*The majority of items on this list, with a few exceptions, were from designers Jez discovered because of THE MENS DEPT; which just shows how effective these kinds of events are. Whenever Jez goes shopping now, these are the designers he tends to check out first…just sayin’ ;P