Kitty <3's CONCRETE FLOWERS

Kitty <3's CONCRETE FLOWERS

CONCRETE FLOWERS is absolutely one of my absolute favourite places to visit in all of Second Life.   I‘ve unashamedly raved about it before but I care not a jot and I‘m going to do it again because it‘s such an amazing wee gem of a place. It’s such a warm, earthy welcoming store; eccentric, eclectic and with a touch of the esoteric thrown in for good measure it’s not so much a store, as an experience  (Ooh check out Kitty with the big words!) so much so that I just have to keep going back there to see what’s new.

How best to describe? Well, If Concrete Flowers was an item of clothing it would be your favourite sweater. You know the one I mean, the warmest winter woolly you own and have worn to death for years. It’s starting to fall apart at the seams a bit, but you don’t care because you just love it and wearing it changes the way you feel. You could be bunged up with the world’s worst cold and snot dribbling down your chin but you know that if you were wearing your special jumper you’d feel all the better for it; you get my drift? Well Concrete Flowers is that kind of store, for me anyway. And I really hope that it will be for youJ

So why does Concrete Flowers make me feel this way? Because it sells some of the loveliest, well made items on the grid, as well as some of the rudest. It’s a store of contradiction and all the stronger for it, and has a uniqueness that you won’t see repeated often across the grid.

Let’s say you have friends moving into a new virtual home. This is a great place to find a gift; you can find some corking homewares on sale here (although items are no transfer, so you’ll have to contact Lynaja Bade to arrange delivery)
So what about the pressies?. Well, you can’t go wrong with plants, and there are some beauties on sale here. I really love the imaginative ‘Succulents Selection Hanger’ which features tiny buckets suspended by string from an old coat hanger; each bucket holding a different succulent plant. It’s uber-cute and just L$99.

Look around and you’ll also discover Snowdrops and Aloe Vera in old tattered teacups which would look splendid on a kitchen window ledge. There are also a number of large planters, my particular favourite being the Dandelion Love Vase which would look great on your virtual doorstep; it’s very pretty and whimsical. Something a little more quirky is the ‘Pet Snails’ set; this is a large brandy glass acting as a home environment for, well you guessed it, a variety of snails. A great decorative item that I totally adore and it’s just L$99.

If you’re looking for textiles and sturdier items then you’ll discover a worthy selection of rugs, beds and furniture here; including a must have for any Witchy home, the ‘Broom Candle Swing’. There’s also one of the most beautiful kitchens that I have ever seen in Second Life; ‘The Country Kitchen’ which is breathtaking in detail and presentation, and would look resplendent in any home ( real life or second) Oh, and if you’re looking for a place to put your kitchen, Concrete Flowers also sell some sublime skyboxes too.

The store  also sells a fantastic selection of clothing items; everything in this store is so well made and so adorable that it’s hard not to want to buy the store up in its entirety in one trip. The majority of the clothing, with the exception of some deck shoes and tees, is aimed towards the Autumn/Winter seasons, There are also really quirky clothing items on sale here too; many of them aimed at the Autum/Winter seasons, but not that it matters seeing as this is Second Life and it can be any bloody season you wish. I challenge you to find a better selection of leggings on the grid, and if you’re a fella I’ve never seen such corking boxer shorts in-world! I’m glad to see that they still sell an old favourite of mine too; the ‘Bean’ cardigan which is quintessential Autumn wearing with it’s cosy chunky feel a tasselled fringe. It works perfectly with the Flidais flats which look cosy and sport a fetching leafy motif, and with a fatpack of five pairs costing just L$125 you’d be daft not to add these to your wardrobe. I was delighted to find a selection of toe socks on sale as well; and I must say that they’re ruddy fabulous with great detail and pattern choices.

During my visit I also spotted some lovely jewellery just right for Summer: The Shelly bracelet and necklace would look fabulous worn with your bikini and not much else on the virtual sands. I love the fact that they come in male and female versions too.

Moving onto the more comedic items and props. Well, what can I say except they have to be seen to be believed? I never thought I’d find a need to have an ass flute, and check out Granny’s Sippy Cup. You’ll never look at Granny in the same way again!

Like everything else on sale in Concrete Flowers, just because these are ‘fun’ items don’t think they’re any less well-made. There’s just as much love and attention gone into making them as anything else in the rest of the store, and I defy you to walk away from the wall without a purchase to amuse yourself and your friends.

A final note, Concrete Flowers will be taking part in the ‘Depraved Summer Love’ hunt from June 15th-July 15th but if you can’t wait that long for a pressie and it’s your Rez Day, then pop into the store and click the sign by the entrance for a wee giftie.

Concrete Flowers…what’s not to love?

(Oh, btw it’s on a sim called Pickle as well..there’s another reason that it rawks!)

Kitty’s Essential Purchases:

  • Rugs in various designs/shades L$77 each
  • Flidais Flats L$25 per pair/ L$125 fat pack
  • Toe Socks in various designs/shades L$129 per pair
  • Bean Cardigan L$25 / fatpack L$250
  • Shelly Bracelet L$111 and Shelly Necklace L$111
  • Throwable Snuggle Birds L$90
  • A Cup of Dildo (ahem!) L$20
  • Succulents Selection Hangar L$99
  • Pet Snails L$99
  • Broom Candle Swing L$119

 I really hope this post encourages you to go and visit the store, and if you enjoyed your trip please feel free to post your comments below!

This is just the first of what I imagine will be many ‘Kitty Loves’ posts; question is, who will I be lovin’ next week?

A Hunting We Will Go…..(after a kip, natch)

A Hunting We Will Go…..(after a kip, natch)

I’m completely bloody knackered, as the photo accompanying this blog post portrays so adequately. For the past few hours I’ve been in a hunt frenzy, and there are not one, but two rather good hunts on the grid at the moment and if you are unlucky enough to miss them I promise you will kick yourself in the head rather a lot. (Note, there are probably a few more hunts going on at the moment, but these are the best ones in my opinion. That and the fact that the wonderful ‘The Rumor’ has blogged at least one of them which makes my life a lot easier! I hope they blog the other one…)

First up is ‘The Season’s Hunt- Winter’, and you have until January 29th to visit all participating stores and find the Snowmen hidden in or around each one. Guys I cannot tell you how fabulous this hunt is, so you’ll just have to see for yourself. It’s not very often you get a hunt that features quality from every participating brand and I don’t mean that in a nasty way, but let’s be honest here, some hunts are better than others and often times you wonder why people have bothered to contribute at all. A hunt after all is primarily about increasing your customer base, so with that in mind the freebie you give away should be the best quality that you can afford to give away. As we all know, not every hunt applies that logic, and as a result some hunts turn into a lesson in how not to market your store in Second Life, and serve only to put potential customers off your products for life.

But not this one. This is as solid as they come, and it covers all bases. We’re talking skyboxes, furniture, animations, men’s and women’s clothing and the rest, from uber-names like Split Pea, Theosophy, Fri.day and the list goes on. See what I mean about quality designers? ALL the best ones are here, and more besides. I’ve not found every item yet but I recommend you drop on over to The Rumor blog  where they have a handy visual guide to the items available. (The Rumor is a fantastic blog; and this feature is dead useful enabling you to prioritise your hunting and weed out the ‘must haves’ from the ‘meh’ (Not that there’s really any of that kind of thing here!))

So far my fave items HAVE to be the sofa from Lisp, The Magic Nook sleeping basket (as featured in this photo-truly fabulous fun!),  the outstanding skyboxes from  Concrete Flowers and Molto Bene, AND True Love Never Dies as well as  the amazing Awesome Blossom chair, Elikatira‘s fantastic hair offering and the Art Dummy bench. In fact, while I’ve been hunting I’ve been making a list of stores that I shall be beating a retreat back to once I have some virtual spends, and this is why hunts can be good publicity if they’re done correctly. Not only have I rediscovered stores that I love and should visit more often ( Example: Concrete Flowers, I f*cking love that store!) but I’ve also seen loads of new items and visited stores that have had a revamp since I was last there. Lisp is a prime example, I haven’t been to the mainstore in a bloody age and it literally blew me away when I saw the quality and variety of goods when I was doing my hunt thing!

In fact, it’s almost scary to think how many stores there are in Second Life. At the moment I’m making a list of the best ( in my opinion) furniture stores, and so far I have twenty five on that list and it isn’t anywhere near finished yet, but each one is a ruddy corker. I’ll probably publish that list at some point but don’t hold your breath, it won’t be staying at twenty five stores!

Anyways, you have been told what you need to do, so now go away and do it, ok?  I’ll post about the other most worthy hunt on the grid tomorrow. Until then I’m gonna have a kip in my basket. Good luck and happy hunting!

Happy St Patricks Day!

Happy St Patricks Day!

I was muttering my dissent earlier this week to Amanda about St Patrick’s Day; about how it gets highjacked by all and sundry and I was bemoaning the fact that other national Saint’s days in the United Kingdom aren’t celebrated with the same fervour and how I was resolutely determined not to get swept up by it all…I confess, I was being very “Bah humbug”.Then I realised…I’ve got an Irish chuffing surname haven’t I? I mean, O’Toole is as Irish as Kerrygold butter so it would be plain wrong for me not to celebrate it! So I am doing:)This is the perfect outfit too, a lovely maxi dress from Gfield which was sent out in their subscribo (and is still available too) I’ve teamed it with my ‘Good Luck’ necklace from Concrete Flowers, which is a bottle with a darling four-leaved clover inside with a wee ladybird on top. I’ve finished the look with red hair (of course) from Analog Dog. This is the ever popular ‘Lua’ hairstyle ( which you can get a free version of at the store) I popped over to Botanical to take some pictures and soak up the atmosphere, but not before I took a trip to St Patricks Day Town which is completely bonkers…YOU MUST GO!! Green  everywhere, leprachauns, pots of gold and LOTS of avatars soaking up the festive atmosphere. I heartily recomend that you pop along and enjoy, and a very Happy St Patricks Day to you!

Arm warmers ahoy!

Arm warmers ahoy!

I’m really becoming rather keen on ‘Concrete Flowers’, which is a fabulous, somewhat eclectic wee store that sells a wonderful array of clothing and oddments. It tends toward urban/grunge styling, but is not as in your face as other outlets which means you can mix and match their wares rather well with more mainstream brands.
I took a wander down there yesterday and was delighted by these amazing armwarmers that they sell in a great range of colours. Aren’t they neat? They look so warm and chunky and I could so imagine having these in real life..in fact, I yearn for some. I love the dangly bits on them too..they’re just such a great addition to any outfit and look extremely realistic. I’m also wearing a dollarbie that’s currently available in stoire too- this wee four leaf clover in a bottle is very sweet ( look-it has a ladybird on it!) and is designed to give you lots of luck..it’s well worth a linden. I hope it works, my inventory drama is still going on with no updates thus far. My inventory is determined that it only has 13, 333 items in it, which is all well and good, but it should have LOTS more than that and it’s all my good stuff that’s gone missing:(