Category: Metaverse

Kitty FINALLY Blogs..THE HOME SHOW 2013!!

Kitty FINALLY Blogs..THE HOME SHOW 2013!!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 1 Comment

So, The Home Show.  OK, I’m late to the blogging party for this one, profuse apologies galore, BUT better late than never!

You have until the end of the month to enjoy this event, eleven days to be precise, and enjoy it you will. Take ample Lindens, because as you stroll around the beautiful Culprit designed sim-build you are sure to find many items to tempt you to part with your lovely virtual cash.

By now there are plenty of posts listing the wares from each vendor, so I won’t do a rundown in that sense.  What I will do is share my favourites with you, why I like them, and why I think you’ll like them too.

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First up, ORGANICA.  I’ve long thought that I didn’t have enough hanging plants in my virtual home, BUT they can be a bit primmy and some of the more ‘old-skool’ designs that are to be found for sale on the grid can look pretty naff. Organica provides however, with a rather wonderful array of hanging and potted plants especially created for the Home Show.   I especially liked the ‘Hanging Ivy Planters’ and the ‘Hanging Bamboo Herb Planter’.Snapshot_013

The Bamboo Herb Planter has found a place in my home in front of my writing desk,as you can see above,  and it looks great against the window.  It also offers up a little privacy against the neighbourhood too. Incidentally, the plants that it features are rosemary and sage and it has just 1 LI, which is very tidy indeed.  (I imagine in real life it would smell amazing too!)Zinnias_001

ZINNIAS is always a huge favourite of mine, purely because of the zinging colours and patterns that Zinnia Karu deploys so effortlessly into her designs. Her work mixes  Mexican  and South American styling with modern shapes and patterns to great effect. If you’re looking for something extraordinary, check out the Quetzalcoatl wall shelf, which will really brighten up a dingy corner , it features a pot-plant and maracas, everything perfect in detail and aspect.  I am totally love with the chilli pepper tree so much that yes, it’s in my virtual home.   The fabulous ‘Sol’ Patio Sofa looks just as good indoors as it does out, and check out the Neo-Urban fire bowl. I’m also using this at home to brighten up some decking and chairs and it makes for a beautiful evening outdoor ambiance.Zinnias_006

The ‘Sydney’ sofa at MUDHONEY  is beautifully constructed and textured and is exactly the kind of sofa I would love to sink into in real life. It just looks so bloody comfy, and is textured beautifully. The animations are excellent as always too, and there are singles and couples poses to enjoy.   The Addison Chandelier complements it perfectly and is a brilliant modern take on the traditional Chandelier shape.  I loved it so much I found a home for it in my kitchen (trust me, it really works!)Zinnias_007

MICHIGAN’S SHACK has every gamer’s fantasy catered to with a fabulous retro gaming sofa, arcade cab, table and wall art.  (This is the kind of furniture I’m sure my beloved would love in real life.  In fact, he has 24 arcade machines already so I sort of wish he had those in Second Life and this furniture in his real one instead!)

My winner though has to be BAZAR. Yes, I know it seems like this blog has become the unofficial Bazar fan-club, but in all seriousness the work created by Ria Bazar Mavendorf is just astounding to me,  and that is why I keep featuring it. That’s all there is to it, I’m a fan and her work really excites me.  Ria has some new releases to be found at the home show which really are astonishing, I couldn’t love them more if I tried!

The ‘Toronto’ sets  feature natural wooden furniture coupled with modern prints and accessories to create a contemporary look for the home. Each piece is lovingly crafted and menus for texture change options (light, dark or natural wooden finishes) and animations are utilised to the full.Zinnias_002At the Home Show 2013 you’ll see the Toronto bedroom, Study and Arts and Crafts room displays are waiting for you to wander around and experience them to the full. All of the items are beautifully presented, and on the walls you’ll see a listing of the land impact for each item.  Rest assured that every single piece is bloody wonderful and unique in its own way. For example, the Arts and Crafts room features a drawing table, pots of paint, a designer’s mannequin and canvases primed and  ready for you to create upon.  If you need some ideas you’ll find prints from Leonardo Da Vinci and other resource materials on the shelving unit ready to inspire you.

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When you’ve finished your crafting for the day it’s time to retire to your  Toronto bedroom.  This is stylish and functional with  quirky elements like the bedside cabinet which features suitcases incorporated into the design, so clever and really effective!  The bed features a four poster frame and a colourful choice of bedding options.  There’s a clothing rail and vanity table to complete, with decorative pieces like artworks, vases and a stylish mirror.

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If you can’t sleep then time to hop off to the study for some late-night blogging. The Toronto Study features all the essential elements that you need, and more besides.  Desk, shelving and seating all tied in with the Toronto theme and embellished with great extras such as a working clock, plants, cabinets and PC.  All of these gorgeous sets work beautifully together of course, because they all adhere to the same theme, but elements of each one can be used anywhere in your home to great success.

It’s at this point in the proceedings that I’d like to point you in the direction of my FLICKR account, where I have a set featuring some of the home show items that I’ve mentioned, and more besides. You’ll see work from Bazar, Mudhoney, Trompe L’oil, Zinnias and more besides, and I hope you enjoy taking a look at my virtual abode. I love it, it makes me really happy I must say!

Finally, I’ve said many, many times before on these pages what really gives your virtual home that realistic touch are the knick-knacks, so keep your eyes peeled because you’ll find an epic selection dotted around The Home Show.  I really adore the DIGS ‘Ferryside Driftwood Décor ‘wall hanging and the matching tray décor too.  There are some fab gacha prizes to be won at NOBLE, and look out for the seashell bottles, lamps and other assorted oceanic goodies which are ideal for jazzing up the bathroom at home.  CULPRIT screams colour, and has some dazzling drawer units, shelves and photo frames that would be suited to a colourful, kawaii style home, or even a virtual toddler’s playroom.

There is a lot to see and enjoy at the event and it’s not too busy now because of some other events that you may have heard of are currently attracting a lot of attention in-world. (Like Food Fair for example, that’s another Culprit build too.  Oh, and let’s not forget Hair Fair and Shoe fair and ALL THE F*CKING FAIRS!! Ahem!)

If you’d like to know more, take a gander at the official blog which features lots of information about the event, including maps.  I’ll see you there, I’ll probably be asleep on the Mudhoney sofa again..hmm, so comfy! 

Kitty Eats ALL The Pies At The Food Fair 2013!

Kitty Eats ALL The Pies At The Food Fair 2013!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 3 Comments

I’m going to be super relevant by posting about an event that’s just started in world, and that is ‘Food Fair 2013’

(Yes, I know I still have shit tons to catch up on, YIKES!)Food Fair_001

See the ducks in the background? Not on the menu apparently..

I love food, in fact I’m a bit of a pig when it comes to anything edible. I eat way too much junk, not enough fruit, lots of chocolate and hence I am the size of a small planet in real life.

In Second Life of course calories don’t matter so you can eat as much as you want..and with that in mind I set off for Food Fair for shit-loads of virtual tasting!

The Food Fair build is nice and neat and easy to navigate, with a number of colourful shops and stalls centered around a large pond.  It features an array of creators offering up their finest food-related wares, but if I’m brutally honest there are some totally baffling vendors here as well, who have little if anything to do with food, but hey, let’s not start off by being too critical, but please asssure me that the breedable sharks aren’t going to be used in Shark Fin soup?!

Well a fair bit actually, and there were lots of avatars here as well. It surprised me that it was so busy,and  that is always good to see. Alas, there wasn’t much in the way of food-tasting, but lots to feast your eyes upon nonetheless.Food Fair_003CULPRIT have some extremely tasty furniture offerings; including a lovely sofa and liquorice style cushions and pillows. They also have a pear tea set that is absolutely to die for, it’s just so cute and one of those things that you see and wish you had in real life. (Well, at least I do anyway!) I’m one of those girls who prefers pears to apples , especially when it comes to cider, so this had to find a place in my virtual dwelling. Food Fair_004

CASA DEL SHAI have a lovely market theme going on with mouth-watering  baskets of fruits on display that you just want to dive into and smell and taste and oooohh..my tummy is rumbling. They have some really fabulous kitchen scales on offer too which are well worth a punt and I indulged in the red ones to decorate my kitchen. Food Fair_006

Note the watermelons above? Where’s Torley Linden at?!

Looking around I was hoping for more small items that I could decorate my kitchen with, I didn’t see as many as I had hoped, but I did note that there were some stores still setting up so I will have to take a return trip and investigate further.  Provided my ever-expanding waist band will let me of course, but back to the tasty stuff.Food Fair_002

PILOT is a brand that I have a lot of time and respect for in-world. The work that Kaz Nayar produces is always phenomenally built and textured, and it seems that he can apply those same skills to food making as well. Dear me, I could have picked up and eaten the chicken nuggets, burger and fries and ham dinner that he has on sale! Not only are his products outrageously realistic but land impact is nominal.  My only quibble are the prices, L$200 for some nuggets and dip is a bit on the steep side BUT then again..just look at them and tell me they don’t belong in your mouth?!Food Fair_007

CIRCA has supplied a gargantuan array of food items, but my favourites have to be the cocktails. They really look the part,  and you can buy various different packs to guzzle besides the pool. There’s also a number of really cool Gacha machines in store, I won a few nifty cocktails out of them and they look scrummy! Food Fair_005

Of Course BAUWERK  have some amazing items for sale ( they don’t really do anything less than awesome do they?) including lovely bistro sets, wine-cork stools and the most delicious looking muffins at just L$5 each! I bloody love muffins I do…

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And my last but not least pick is from A.E. METH have created foodie comics in five designs which just look so utterly brilliant.  It’s clear that a lot of effort has gone into creating these items, which make them all the more special if you ask me.

These are just a few things that caught my eye at this event. Also check out the brilliantly alternative  ‘Witchhazel’s Spice Rack’ at MV, ‘The Summer Barbecue Pack’from RASSASY FOODS and the fabulous fortune cookies bags from ADORE+ABHOR.  Now you must excuse me, I’ve eaten a LOT and need to relax a little, so I’m just going to float about a bit with my new duck friends….

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Check out the  full run-down on Seraphim, and click here to TP to the event itself!

LOTD – Work Boots & Romance

LOTD – Work Boots & Romance

by Lisa Millar ♥ 4 Comments

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I don’t really do enough ‘Look Of The Day’ type posts because I always have shedloads to write about other things so I very rarely have the time, but once I’d got dressed earlier I knew that I had to share this particular look with you.  It’s summery yet successfully manages to blend cute smock-top styling with grungy boots and jewellery. It has a hint of  Seattle in 1991 to it, except with less smells and more soap..ahem.

The key item in this look was sourced from Collabor88 which is back with a new round for July and of course it’s as spectacular as previous outings. It features hair, fashion, skins, builds, furniture and accessories. It’s always a challenge to get in and rightly so because the collection is always fabulous.

When I TP’ed in earlier most of the vendors were grey goo for me, even after I’d been there for fifteen minutes, BUT using my skill and judgement  (stop laughing at the back!) and by referring to the item images on the Seraphim website I was able to click on the items I wanted and zoom on out of there before I went completely mad.

So, let’s have a look at the, erm, look shall we?

It centres upon the U.F.O. Bohemian Islet (eyelet?) dress which is unbelievably girly and delicate and just perfect for wearing with shorts or leggings or on its own. It’s perfect bike-riding attire actually, and each pack includes a long version (to be worn as a dress) and a short version (to be worn as a top) which I’m wearing in this image.   As tops go it’s quite a long one, so even though I am wearing shorts underneath you can’t actually see them.

I dressed down the look with these outstanding +ILO+ boots in ‘N.W.O.’ that I won at The Arcade gacha event. I spent a hell of a lot of Lindens in that machine and although I didn’t get every pair I wanted, I did come pretty close! (I missed the cat face ones though, sob!) These have to be my favourite shoes of the moment ; whichever pair I wear they fit like a dream and just look totally bang on trend.  To finish I accessorized with my Boom ‘Friendship Bracelets’ that were also won at The Arcade, and added my ankh necklace by Yummy from a previous Collab88 round.

Last but not least the skin that I am wearing is last week’s Fifty Linden Friday offering from Belleza.  I don’t wear many freckle-faced skins in Second Life so this was a bit of a first for me, and of course being a Belleza skin  it  looks absolutely sublime.  The delicate Jade eyeshadow and muted gloss lip that adorn this enchanting skin compliment the Ikon eyes that I am wearing perfectly.

To finish I added my favourite hairstyle of recent weeks, ‘Bad Reputation’ from Exile. It has to be the most perfect shaggy bob that I’ve ever seen in world and I really love it…but then again, Hair Fair hasn’t started yet has it? (Gulp!)

Details:

  • Shape: Kitty’s Own.
  • Skin: Belleza-Jade-Skin (Medium)
  • Eyes: IKON Ascension Eyes ‘Sahara’ (M) Group Gift
  • Hair: Exile: Bad Reputation Natural Fusion 2
  • Boot:  +ILO+ Work Boot (NWO) RARE – The Arcade  *
  •  Top: U.F.O Bohemian Islet Dress – Lace (Short)
  • Necklace: Yummy ‘Ball chain Necklace’(Ankh)
  • Bracelets – Boom Friendship Bracelets (Various) – The Arcade*

*You may still find these items at yard sales and flea markets.

Cats and lemurs living together? Mass hysteria!

Cats and lemurs living together? Mass hysteria!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 2 Comments

Well, it’s not quite Ghostbusters but I needed a catchy title for this post where I’m going to have a quick natter with you about some new virtual breedable pets that are on the grid. 

Back in the mists of time, when breedable pets originally launched on the grid,  I got really into the Ozimals Bunnies and Wildwood Cats. Then I got heavily into Amaretto Horses and Kitty Cats..and then I realised I was being a little bit too crazy with my addiction and nipped it in the bud. I was spending way too much real life money on this hobby that I couldn’t actually afford to spend.  I’m more sensible now and I tend to give the breedables a wide berth because I’ve realised that for me they are just too dangerously addictive , but I still love them.

Well, I checked out a couple of new virtual breedable pets this week and they couldn’t be more different to each other. 

First up are ‘Imaginimals’ which the perceptive among you will realise at first look are re-branded Wildwoods. If you don’t remember Wildwoods they were pretty awesome, as I hope this picture from 2010 demonstrates.. (Click here for some of my old Flickr cat piccies!)

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The name change is to reflect  that the focus  is not just on cats but about future releases too which will be other animals.  I’m not going to get into the politics of what happened to Wildwoods, but I will say that I loved the product.  I adored the way that they looked and I really enjoyed owning them, so I was keen to see what the re-launch had in store.  I trotted over and had a look around.  There are a few cats out in beta that you can take a closer look at there.

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My first impressions are somewhat mixed.  I love the shape of the body and I really like the majority of the textures that are being used for fur.  But the eyes aren’t a patch on the ones that the Wildwoods had; they seem duller by comparison.  The shape of the eye itself has changed too and it’s far less effective than the previous Wildwood eye shape.  I also dislike the ear shape that I saw, it is a bit pointy whereas the previous ear was more cat-like, in my opinion. The cats I viewed were of course in beta test so they may well change..I almost hope that it does.

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But then again, check out the picture above. Doesn’t this guy look great? When the cats are rolling around on the floor or in a seated pose they look rather grand and very regal, in the way that only cats can, but the walking movement was a bit of a letdown; it is best described as a strange forward-moonwalk trot/shuffle combination. I think the product needs a little more work but that’s the blessing of beta-testing, you can iron out the quirks before launch day.   One final positive that I noted from my visit to the Imaginimals sim were the kittens.  They actually birth kitten shapes, rather than boxes. These would look great in a basket and I envision that’s how many breeders will choose to sell them, they’re not especially detailed although I do I think it’s a nice touch.

I really rate some of the animations in the cats.  The sleeping pose is really incredibly sweet as I hope the shot above demonstrates.  I watched a Siamese slumber and it looked very natural for a stylised virtual cat! (If I was being hyper critical I’d say that it was breathing a little bit too fast..but perhaps it was dreaming?)

Do I think Kittycats should be shaken by this new feline competitor?

Absolutely not. I think Kittycats are well-established and successful for a number of reasons, not just because of their excellent product. They offer the full package, the cats look sensational, and the team behind them is justly proud of their excellent customer service and have a dedicated Kittycat community which would prove hard to break. I certainly think Kittycats have the edge when it comes to animations as well. That said, a bit of competition is very good for the consumer, so I don’t begrudge Imaginimals giving it another shot at all.  This time I just hope that they have a more structured customer service in place and will be able to deal with their clientele more effectively, but I do wish them well and look forward to seeing the finished product at launch.

I sincerely hope however that a fresh start with a re-imagined product means they will be more respectful to their customers and provide a full customer support service which is keen to respond to questions when asked.

This has not always been the case, as this post from the excellent Breedables Inc. blog clearly proves.

When people pay money for a product, service is paramount, something that Kittycats CSR reps prove time and again. I hope Imaginimals can endeavour to follow that example so the past does not repeat itself.

In total contrast are the Zooby Lemurs.

Now, I love lemurs.  There is an amazing wildlife park within driving distance to me that has a  walk-through lemur enclosure, and it is outstanding. (There’s also a very good one at Blackpool Zoo of all places, my father-in-law got licked by a very affectionate Red-Ruffed Lemur while we were there!)   Being surrounded by lemurs chilling and basically enjoying themselves is a very enjoyable and humbling experience. They are truly amazing animals and to see them brought to the grid as a breedable pet is really quite exciting.  Team that with the fact that these are made by Zoobys and you have a dazzling breedable prospect. I mean, let’s face it, Zooby’s creates the best animals on the grid; they are always beautifully built and rendered and the textures that are used to coat the creatures are just bang on.

For me Zooby’s is the epitome of virtual animal creation in-world. 

But I felt a bit disappointed when I visited the sim and just saw a lot of boxes and information and a couple of gorgeous, but static lemurs…

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Don’t get me wrong, the location where the lemurs are located  is great and the builds fabulous ( I love the temple styling and the way the product is boxed and presented) but if I’m  going to spend money on these  I need to see them moving around and doing Lemur stuff..

As gorgeous as they are, and believe me they REALLY are outstanding looking things, seeing them in a static pose does not encourage me to want to buy them.

Fortunately  I bumped into a guy who was carrying his new Lemur and he told me that they were great virtual pets; they move about beautifully and follow you around at home too. He was really satisfied and excited by them.  It was great to see him so enthused, so please Carrie Tatsu and Zooby Vella, let a few of the little fellas loose on the sim so we can get a better feel for these stunning virtual critters! Because I mean, just LOOK at them..

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A tempting prospect aren’t they? Click HERE to visit Imaginimals and see the cats, and HERE to visit Zooby’s and see the Lemurs.

What do you think? Post your comments, how do you feel seeing the Imaginimals beta-cats and what do you think to the Zooby Lemurs? I’d be really interested in your thoughts, please add them below!

(A final note: I found a FANTASTIC BREEDABLE BLOG when I was mooching around the interwebz seeking links for this article. If you’re at all interested in Second Life Breedables, you must check it out.  It’s curated by a lady called Aywren Sojourner and it’s an incredibly useful resource and interesting read to boot.)