Kitty Is Tantalised And Tormented By Toronto!

Kitty Is Tantalised And Tormented By Toronto!

I promised you ANOTHER Bazar blog-post yesterday.

Unfortunately my plans took a bit of an awkward turn, meaning I didn’t get to spend any time in-world at all, so please forgive my delay.

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I promise I’ll make up for it by telling you about the latest BAZAR home release, the delightful Toronto House.

But first, some background. My home is of course the Arizona House by Bazar.  This was my introduction to the brand, and I have (somewhat obviously) been a firm fan ever since, because the house is BEAUTIFUL. It’s spacious and has all the features a girl-about-town like this little Kitty could possibly need. It would take something really special for me to consider changing it. (Perhaps an update to the existing structure with a few extra rooms could be just what I need.. An Arizona #2 perhaps?  Oh if wishing made it so!) 

On Friday I spent most of the day in a sandbox taking pictures of the Floria furniture set that I blogged previously.  As I was doing so, and having a kittygasm at it,  Ria Bazar dropped a review package on me and I almost wet myself.  It’s a good job that I wasn’t on voice at the time, because I made quite an excited ruckus! (Think the sound of a goose farting in the fog, yup, that’s me!)

Now, cast your minds back to The Home Show 2013. If you recall the Toronto furniture sets that Ria revealed there, then you’ll have an idea of what to expect from this build. The individual Toronto items proved extremely popular with their  simple styling and texture changing options. Not only that but they have true universal appeal, being adaptable to both feminine and masculine home environments. Well Bazar now have the house to match the furniture, and my word it’s GOOD.

It’s NOT a huge build, but it’s beautifully structured, delightfully textured and boasts great structural features. It’s nothing less than a virtual architect’s dream abode.

(Now I tried to take some pictures but I was in a sandbox,  and it was difficult to find just the right  angle that would present this house in the glory that it rightfully deserves, so I defer to the marketplace snaps that Ria has uploaded to illustrate this post, with the exception of a quick interior shot further down the page.)

First things first, I REALLY love that this home takes on the industrial flourishes that are hinted at by the Toronto furniture range. The emphasis is on clean lines, brick, concrete and metal. It’s back to basics but done so beautifully that it exudes a warmth that you would normally expect from a much grander build. The exterior is a delicious combination of wooden windows, bare brick and grey, weather worn concrete.. There’s a spacious patio area and a smaller deck to the rear.  To the side is a metal exterior staircase leading to an open roof space perfect for after hours partying with friends. A nice touch is the tree that rises up the brickwork to the rear of the build with a flourish. An even nicer touch are the extra trees (including bare and leafy) and the grass texture  that the house package includes, enabling sympathetic landscaping around the house.  A thoughtful bonus.

Inside the property the focus is on crisp lines and structure.  Open plan is the theme, with wooden beams and stunning brick archways. It’s a home that requires you to be conscious of the space that surrounds you and envelopes you in a surprisingly welcoming embrace.  Despite the industrial elements in the design this is not a space that feels clinical, instead it exudes designer comfort.

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Walk around the interior and when you look above you will find yourself in a space that suggests a warehouse heritage.  It’s no surprise that there was a Toronto Arts and Crafts furniture set that would be perfect for this setting, because this home would be an artist’s dream with the large windows allowing for the home to be flooded with light. It’s clean, crisp and ripe for decoration; which I did a wee bit of, as you can see below:

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To access the first floor you need to climb upstairs via the open wooden staircase into a large bedroom space with an adjoining bathroom. There’s a nice glass balcony that you can see above  which denotes the first floor, and would make a great relaxation area with a sofa and a few potted plants to decorate, or even a spa-massage table.

Toronto’s small size makes it a great choice for smaller land plots. As I was enjoying it I considered it a perfect choice for landowners; a few of these houses neatly arrange would certainly make a really lovely home rental prospect. I must admit I started fantasising about having a number of these in a block and decorating them..such FUN!

This really is a great choice for a virtual home.  With a 23×23 footprint, and a prim count of 219 ( the structure is 100% mesh) it’s going to leave you with ample prims to furnish on a small plot. Even better is the price; a structure of this quality should by rights cost an absolute arm and a leg, but it’s a very worthwhile investment at just L$1980.

It’s practically a steal at the price, and offers so much potential. Go and experience it in-world and consider making Toronto your virtual abode, I am absolutely sure that you won’t regret it. 

Even More Fabulously Floria By Bazar!

Even More Fabulously Floria By Bazar!

I’ve had a very pleasant day today, even though it’s been throwing it down with rain outside. I’ve been sat at my desk drinking mugs of hot steaming tea and catching up with e-mails, all the while feeling snug-as-a-bug in my Kigu.  Eventually,I found time to log on so that I could catch up with my blogging and take the photos that I needed  to accompany this post. I released a short while ago that  I’ve been sat here for hours, and you know what? I have loved EVERY minute.  

Blogging is my happy time and Second Life is my happy place Taking photos and writing about the things that make my virtual existence so worthwhile fills me with joy. I consider myself very blessed indeed.

And my blessings are many  today, because I’m blogging one of my favourite stores again today, and that store is of course BAZAR.  Regular readers are well aware by now that I’ve blogged Bazar many, many times, and I will continue to do so whilst Ria Bazar-Mavendorf keeps making such beautiful furnishings and homes.  Today I’m going to be featuring some new additions to the Floria range.  I have already raved about the Floria Bedroom, which is the style that I have adopted for my bedroom at home and I truly adore it.  I’ve also blogged the Floria Dining Room, an elegant dining solution that is perfect for evening soirees with Second Life chums.

Today I’m going to be featuring the Floria Living Room and Floria Kitchen.

Floria Style

It was with some joy that I learned Ria had created a Floria Living Room and  Kitchen in the same classical stying  that I had enthused about before. Of course I couldn’t wait to open the boxes and discover what was inside.  As I’ve said before, that apprehension you experience when you’re opening a review box is pretty special indeed; it’s like opening a surprise at Christmas or  paying a Gacha machine and waiting those few tantalising milliseconds before you see your prize. Of course, I wasn’t disappointed by what I discovered at all.

The Floria range, as we’ve established before, is a complete furniture solution for the more classically styled Second Life home. The design features elegant lines and shapes that evoke a bygone era, but are finished with a modern flourish that brings the range bang up to date.  The pieces in the collection are so well made that you will find that both traditional and ultramodern accessories work extremely well with the entire range, helping you to create a sumptuous abode.  Floria is indulgent and expensive (in appearance at least) Second Life styling, make no mistake about that.

What makes this range stand out are the options that come with each package. You can colour change the wood in all the Floria ensembles, and some of the soft furnishings too.  This is taken to yet another level with the Floria Living Room which includes a number of exquisite components such as coffee and console tables, lamp, curtains and cabinet, but the piece that brings them all together is the sumptuous sofa with both the cushions and fabric holding texture-change options.  This flexibility inherent in the range means that you can change your environment on a whim to suit your tastes at that moment.

A sensual atmosphere can be created by choosing dark, or even black wood options on the furniture and selecting a corresponding fabric, curtains and cushion pattern to suit. Not only that, but the sofa incorporates a fantastic array of poses for both male and female avatars. Like previous Bazar release there is the option to rez props to enable your avatar to read a book, surf the internet and a number of other actions too, but I don’t like telling you about all of the menu options, because it’s so much fun finding them out for yourself!

Something I wasn’t expecting in the sofa was the ‘Lovescene’ option. This is something I’ve only ever encountered once before, and it doesn’t take much imagination to work out what it’s all about. Instead of an Adult menu with poses for one action requiring intervention at frankly inappropriate moments, ‘lovescenes;’ allow for a fusion of  different actions allowing for a very natural, intimate experience.  For the sake of the blog I can confirm that I have fully-tested these (fabulous!) actions (Poor Jez!) and must  advise that these animations are not for the faint of heart. If I dabbled in such behaviour on a regular basis I’d fear for my eyesight!

One of the joys of Bazar furniture has always been the functionality, and Ria has really spoiled us with  the elements in the Floria Living Room. Not only are there all the texture change and animation options, but you can also click on the coffee table to rez props such as wine, and cake. Perfect for high tea with friends or a loved one before you push the coffee table out of the way and embark on an epic rumpo session on the sofa…ahem.

There’s nothing that I dislike about this living room. The tall dresser has a built-in display case featuring decorated plates and books, and there’s even space for a few of your own items in there too. I love the curtains and their vast array of fabric textures, complimented with an elegant railing and luxurious golden cord and tassel which coordinates perfectly with the opulent chandelier.

For my pictures I’ve added a few Arcade winnings to show you how beautifully the collection works with other quality items that can be found upon the grid, and I’ve also included a few of the texture combinations that you can make. Fabulous isn’t it?

Floria Living Room

Of course, once you’ve exhausted yourself in the Living Room, then it’s a good time to pop into the kitchen and replenish lost energy with a tasty snack. The Floria Kitchen complements the Living room, Dining Room and Bedroom outfits perfectly, with a traditional kitchen appearance, simple fixtures and metal fittings in the same gold tone that is carried throughout the range.  It’s quite beautiful.

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The kitchen also has a simpler light fitting that’s more in common with the kitchen theme, but it works just as well as all the grandiose living room chandelier.The centrepiece of the room is the large kitchen island.

Floria Kitchen

Like the other pieces throughout the range, clicking  on the furniture will enable for texture change as well as a menu of poses and movements.  The menu in the kitchen features quality animations ut with a twist;  this time you can embark on a number of kitchen-related tasks such as washing the dishes and preparing food.

It’s always nice to be surprised in a metaverse where you think you’ve seen it all, and it’s the first time in Second Life that I’ve ever  come across the option to descale a fish!  

Kitchen Kitty

You can also enjoy a drink of wine with your partner or friends, and there are some more adult-themed animations too, for those who like to use their kitchen for making whoopee as much as jam. (Or cake…I do like the fact that a cake is always a feature in Bazar menus!)  I genuinely adore Floria. Everytime that Ria has released a new addition to this range it has excited me and entranced me which I must confess is unexpected, because my tastes are more modern when it comes to home furnishings, hence my adoration of the  Arizona and Toronto Bazar sets.  But the fact that Floria has me well and truly under its spell is down to the fact that it is quite simply some of the most beautiful and functional furniture I’ve seen in-world yet, and I admit it leaves me longing, yearning even for more.  In fact, I feel greedy for even saying it, but there has to be a Floria Bathroom as well, surely?

And don’t even get me started on the prospect of a Floria House..that’s too much to wish for! Or is it….??

Check out the entirety of the Floria Range by clicking HERE to visit Ria on the marketplace.

Click HERE if you’d like to go in-world to see the furniture in the flesh, and come back tomorrow when I’ll be featuring even more BAZAR! 

Friday Frocks And Frolics Galore!

Friday Frocks And Frolics Galore!

No, I’m NOT going to post about The Arcade again today.

But I AM going to post about some fabulous threads; in this case two dresses and a jacket.
First up is ONE BAD PIXEL’s beautiful new mesh dress release called simply ‘Jersey Tank Dress’. A bit of an understated title for a not-so understated frock. It’s available in a number of colours from the main store. I really like the way I look in this little number, and especially rate the fact that there’s a main colour contrasted by an offset complementary shade which makes for a very on trend style. Dressed up with heels and a smart jacket, or with a scarf, or under a coat or however you want to wear it the effect is the same. It’s simple and stylish and a very worthy addition to your wardrobe, especially in this ‘Biscuit’ combination. (Rest assured dear reader that your intrepid blogger licked it, expecting a digestive flavour, but I was sadly disappointed.)

Oh and while we’re on the subject of ONE BAD PIXEL I actually have cause for complaint. That name is a TOTAL misnomer, there isn’t a bad pixel for sale in that store at all, they’re all rather grand if you ask me.

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My second Friday Frock is this lovely Plum number from MICHAMI.

I tend very much towards plain items and I’m NOT that adventurous when it comes to prints, preferring my outfit details (such as pattern and texture)  to predominantly come from the accessories  that I wear, so plain colours are always win for me. This MICHAMI ‘Kiia’ dress was therefore a must purchase because it’s my favourite plummy shade, but buyer beware, just because it’s a plain does NOT mean it’s boring.  For one thing there is excellent creasing around the body of this dress.  It gives this frock a great ‘worn’ feel.  It also has stitched detailing to the waist that I can’t really describe effectively here, and you can’t see because I’m wearing a jacket, so you’ll need to go and see it in store.

BUT HURRY! The reason I discovered this glorious wee number is because MichaMi is closing, so there’s a 50% sale at the main store.

Like the One Bad Pixel number in my first pic, this will lend itself well to wearing in a multitude of styles. I think this one will get a lot of wear with leggings and boots actually, so I may have to invest in some other colours <Gulp>

I teamed both these dresses with this essential denim jacket from EMERY. For some mad bonkers Kitty-reason I missed this when it was available at Fameshed, but no matter because I soon located it in store and eagerly tried the demo on before purchase, making sure I was wearing blinkers so I didn’t look at anything else because that would be bad.  (I’m trying to save all my lindens for that event I’m not talking about, remember?)This is a ruddy marvellous jacket and I’m really pleased with it. It just looks so realistic, proudly bearing authentic button and stitching patterns on the body that make it look like the quintessential classic denim jacket that everyone  owns . And so should you.

So I suggest you zoom over to EMERY and get yourself one, and take a trip to MICHAMI and ONE BAD PIXEL on your way back. And take Lindens, you’ll need them, I promise!

Afterthought: Perhaps ‘Friday Frocks’ or ‘Frocking hell it’s Friday!’ should be a Kittywitchin’ thing? What do you think?

Kitty Wears:

Skin – Izzies’s Kaelyn 20′s Skin Dark Red Lips/ Kaelyn Eyeliner – C88

Ears – ‘Steking’ Ears – MANDALA

Eyes – ‘Ascension’ Eyes in Sahara M –IKON

Jacket – Mesh Denim Jacket Hollywood (Dark) – EMERY

 Picture 1:

Dress -Jersey Tank Dress Biscuit – ONE BAD PIXEL

Hair – Boys&girls44 – (Sienna with H/B) – DURA

Bracelet –Owl Bracelet (Rose Gold) –ERRATIC

Windlight setting: Strawberry Singh  Close-Up

Location: Kitty’s Kitchen. Fancy a brew?

 Picture 2:  

Dress –Kiaa in Berry –MICHAMI

Hair -Bad Reputation (Natural Fusion 2) – EXILE

Necklace –  Ball Chain Necklace – YUMMY

Sunglasses -Glam Affair – Vintage Sunglasses – C88

Windlight Setting –Avatar Opt

Location – Kitty’s Dining Room, having a dance to some records. Which was nice.

Look Of The Day: Young And Beautiful

Look Of The Day: Young And Beautiful

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Second Life has been a bit of a bellyache for me recently, and that’s putting it mildly.

Rezzing has been problematic with even simple surface textures taking near impossible lengths of time to load. I can’t bear it when it doesn’t play nice; is anyone else experiencing issues at the moment or is it just me? Quite frankly it’s put me into a funk of gargantuan proportions, hence my lack of updates recently. I can’t blog without pictures, so I need Second Life to be good to me.

I was also struggling to get into events too, especially Collabor88, and I *needed* to get into that one because rumour had it that it was exceptionally good.  Fortunately Second Life decided to be much more responsive earlier and allowed me to go in-world, and I managed to TP into the event.

I’m happy to confirm that it is indeed an incredibly good round (with just a few exceptions that I thought looked out of place) and with the theme being ‘Razzle Dazzle’ we were pretty much guaranteed something very special indeed. There’s a great range of clothing, but also exceptional hair, furniture and buildings too. I was especially impressed by how many designers had included ornate, decorative touches into their work and really gone the extra mile when it came to colour and finish. It’s incredibly satisfying to see and to shop at!

I have a number of fabulous items from the event to share with you.  It’s impossible to pick just one item so I won’t include them all in one post, but feature a few different looks over the next few blog entries.  I’ll be mixing C88 items with other bits and bobs found in my inventory.

First of all, IZZIE BUTTON continues to go from strength to strength where her skin-work is concerned, because her entries for this round are just utterly sublime. 2013 really has been a year of discovery in Second Life for me, and she is definitely one of the designers that I have fallen in love with this year. Her offering for Collabor88 is the ‘Kaelyn 20’s skin, which is available in 4 different make-up options. It’s the whole package, courteously including appliers for slink hands and feet, as well as a choice of light or dark brow options and even eyeliner too. I tend to wear a light tan/medium skin tone but was more than happy to swap for this divinely pale number, and I soon snapped up the entire range. (At L$188 per skin, it would be rude not to!)

My second choice from C88 is the glorious drop-waist frock from TRES BLAH.  It’s in almost my absolute favourite colour; which is a sort of plum/burgundy shade.  (I adore it, and I’d say that about 75% of my real life wardrobe features variations on this colour, the rest is of course black!) so I was thrilled to see so many items at the event sporting this hue. Anyway, back to the dress, which is of course mesh (to be brutally honest reader I would struggle to purchase anything that wasn’t these days) and features a drop waist, a short double-tier lace skirt as well as a delicate pattern to the main body. It’s a modern take on the quintessential flapper style and is available in six colours at L$188 a pop.  I did wonder if it would be a little too girly for me, but nope, it worked perfectly for me with a pair of much-loved patterned lace cut-out leggings  from LARK and my ever-present ILO boots.  I don’t think I’ve stopped wearing ILO boots since the last round of The Arcade finished. I didn’t even win them all, but by gum the ones I did win I am wearing to bloody death!)

To finish my look, and what really makes it for me, has to be this style fromMONSO. It’s called ‘Yong’ and is a unisex style.   I’ve never worn MONSO hair before, but I now consider myself a convert, having snapped up both of the styles that were available from this brand at C88. I made sure I purchased both styles in the custom packs so that I could have lots of wear out of the shades that were included.  I didn’t mind forking out L$288 for each pack either because they contain a great selection of shades and come with a great hud that makes colour and size change an absolute doddle. I did note that the style is materials ready, but alas I fear that makes little difference on my screen due to a graphics card that has sadly seen better days. No matter, materials or not the hair looks stunning and really helped to bring this look together.

To finish I dusted down my trusty Tegryn Scarf in Olive from THEOSOPHY that was gathering dust in  corner and there you have it, a casual, yet very tidy take on the Razzle Dazzle theme courtesy of this fantastic Collabor88 round!

What have you enjoyed about this round of C88? Care to share? Feel free to divulge all in the comments below!

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Kitty wears:

Shape – Kitty’s Own.

Skin – Kaelyn 20’s Skin by Izzies (C88)

Hair – Yong by Monso (C88)

Eyes –         by Ikon

Lashes –      by Hush

Dress – Drop Waist Dress by Tres Blah (C88)

Leggings –    by Lark

Boots –        By Ilo

Scarf – Tegryn Scarf in Olive by Theosophy