We are not yet quite into the middle of September and whilst the vestiges of summer might still remain here and there autumn has hit the Second Life grid with the grace of a swirling copper leaf. Perhaps spurred on by the Sounds of the Forest theme for September at Collab88 there is a distinctly rural outlook to many new products, invoking the bounty of the harvest and Keats’ season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.
I went back to the beautiful sim West of the Rain today to take some pictures for their Flickr photography challenge which runs until September 22nd 2016. On that date three winners will be selected and announced on September 22. Prizes will be $10,000L for first prize, $5,000L for second, and $2,500L for third. The exact entry requirements can be found on their web page here.
Yesterday I explored the art installation Invictus which is the work of Storm Septimus. It is based on the poem of the same name by the English poet William Ernest Henley.
A lazy afternoon for one. Black coffee and a madeleine please. Time to sit and watch the world go by.
Top: Meva Estelle Top Black Flowers from Happy Tuesday by Cosmopolitan http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/No%20Comment/131/61/33
Jeans: Alessandra Front Laced Denim Jeans available on the Marketplace https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/ALESSANDRA-Front-Laced-Denim-Jeans-7-Colors/9641924
Hair: My Day Hair “@Shopping” Hair in Browns by Tableau Vivant for The Arcade Gacha http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Arcade/112/133/34
Nails: Scandinavia Nailpolish Pack for Omega and Maitreya by DMZ for Designer Showcase http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Corrupted%20Innocence/213/48/24
Boots: L&B Angeline Boots in Black available on the Marketplace https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/LB-Footwear-Angeline-Womens-Ankle-Boots-in-9-Color-Leather-Fat-Pack-with-EZ-Fit-Plus/2787824
Belly Piercing: Pomposity Celtic Cross Belly Piercing – Square available on the Marketplace here https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/POMPOSITY-Celtic-Cross-Belly-Button-Piercing-Square/5623560
Location: Elysium City of Templemore http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Templemore/83/172/26
The chill of autumn will soon be upon us, but there is a last bloom of roses fading in the dimming warmth. Still leaving a faint scent on the breeze as I sit in my chair, rocking gently, and doze and dream.
I have had this idea for a while. It was inspired by a pair of gacha antlers I picked up for fifty lindens at Hello Tuesday a few weeks back. I won lime as the colour of the flowers. I have added the hair that is the Writer Hair (Dickens) from one of Tableau Vivant’s gachas upstairs which I won in light brown. It is bascially a bun but the actual style comes with a flat cap though it wasn’t required for this picture and I am saving that for a rainy day!
In a spare moment it is fun to look through the Destinations tab and see what sims are hot right now or what featured events. This is how I spotted The Library which is an art installation by Cica Ghost. I think most people will understand how small you feel as you wander around through the oversized piles of books.
One of the prettiest sims in Second Life I think is the Japanese Island of Tempura. There are beautiful gardens to wander, places to chill and do tai chi and stunning Japanese architecture including a wonderful golden ballroom.
Here is a selection of my artwork from just a short time before this blog was created. It includes landscapes as well as portraits of my avi before I changed to a mesh head and body.
I have a love and hate relationship with Second Life gachas. Anything I really want I would rather buy outright and get exactly what I want rather than taking a gamble and end up with something I don’t really like or have no use for. However, I do play them occasionally when it’s something I want and I don’t mind which one I come out with. Sometimes from a photography point of view spinning the gacha wheel as it were is actually a great way to trigger some creative inspiration. Having for example the colour of something or the style of hat decided for you can act as something of an artistic catalyst.