PXL Creations

The Spring Season Challenge: Butterfly Effect

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1 Spring Challenge Blur 1024

Once again, I find myself doing an nonseasonal challenge. While I was feeling springy/summery at the beginning of the antipodean autumn, I am still feeling that way now. Perhaps it is because it has been rather warm so far this autumn with quite a lot of rain. Whatever the reason, I am not in the mood to revolt this time around and start up an opposite-season challenge of my own 😉 Instead, I will just play along happily with Miss Berry.

Here is what she has asked us to do for this challenge:

Meme Instructions: Share a spring-themed picture and/or answer the following questions about the season. Don’t forget to leave a link to your post in the comments (of this post) and share your picture in the Blog Memes Flickr Group.

1. What is the spring season like where you live? – Living on the east coast of Australia, we don’t have harsh winters. So spring really kind of creeps up on us. It gradually warms throughout the day and begins to be a bit warmer at night. We have rain, but then we do during all seasons (not so much summer, except for thunderstorms). Since we don’t have deciduous trees and we have native plants that bloom all year around the biggest difference is the type of flowers that blossom.

2. What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think of spring? – Butterflies, tulips, daffodils – in short, colour! I grew up in the U.S. midwest, so when I think of spring, I think of that transformation from brown grass, bare trees and snow to a green lawn, budding branches and flowers bursting with colour. A close second to the bright colours, though, is the warmth of the sun on my face.

3. Which spring-themed sim in Second Life is your favorite at the moment? – There are so many sims now that change with every season that I love, but the one that stays springy all year around is Wanderstill, Ode, where I shot this picture. It not only doesn’t change for the seasons, it has remained very much as it is now for several years. That is what makes it such a familiar favourite of mine.

While I am not a fantasy-type girl, the butterflies of spring were the inspiration for my photo. I’m not a wings person, either (not counting my Red Wings 😉 ) but these from VERO MODERO are just stunning. They may be meant to be angel wings, but for me, they completed my butterfly effect.

Pretty stuff I’m showing off:

Corset, Wings & Crown: [VM] VERO MODERO / Rainbow Angel Green Red by Bouquet Babii
Panties: Carrie’s Lingerie – CB~wrath collection panties red by Carrie Bridger
Necklace: Pure Poison – PP- Red & Gold Wilda Necklace by Shaleene Kenin
Earrings: [MANDALA] Osenbei earrings/Gold by Kikunosuke Eel
Shoes: Slink Siren Stilettos Gold by Siddean Munro (for Slink High Feet)
Hair: Analog Dog – AD – tootsie – dark reds by Queue Marlowe (NEW!)
Skin: [PXL] Creations [PXL] JADE NAT Terre MEB C2 by Hart Larsson
Hands: Slink Mesh Hands (av) Casual by Siddean Munro
Feet: Slink Mesh Feet (Av) High by Siddean Munro
Hand & Feet appliers:[PXL] Creations – [ PXL ] Slink Hand & Feet Appliers NAT by Hart Larsson
Eyes: Amacci Gaze Eyes – Ocean Blue by Carina Larsen
Lashes: Mon Cheri *MC* “Falsies” Eyelash by Freya Oliveri

Pose: ..::Vibe::.. – Free Spirit 05_ by Journey Lorakeet (available at Limited Bazaar)

Location: Wanderstill, Ode

Photo taken with the LumiPro HUD

Ramblings Of A Smiling Blogger

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1 It all starts with a smile

I took a day off of my world travels to visit a familiar location, It all starts with a smile. I have loved this sim since I first saw it about a year ago. Owners Kaelyn Alecto and Maxxster Resident have generously opened it to the public and it is refreshed seasonally. It is a lovely, whimsical place with rolling hills, paths to wander and all sorts of adorable and surprising vignettes around every corner. I thought about doing a full photo shoot of the sim, but to be honest, I was tired and that just taxes my little brain too much. I do love taking landscape photos, but it is not an easy task for me. Too much thought has to go into camera angles and lighting for it to be relaxing. So in order to just kick back and enjoy myself, I just shot a couple of selfies 😉

Before I started shooting I had sent an IM to my blogger mate, Cougar Sangria, who had mentioned she had been trying desperately to get the black hair pack from Exile in this round of The Arcade. Being a redhead, I naturally had it tucked in my inventory, gathering dust and in need of a good brushing. I offered it to her and we ended up trading – she got her coveted black hair and I ended up with the dark reds. We chatted a bit, discussed the need for a Gacha Anonymous group in world and then parted our ways, both intent on finishing work on our blog posts.

That got me to thinking. I have become friendly with several bloggers in Second Life, but with very few exceptions I have only met a few in person, and then only when bumping into them while shopping or when doing a blog-related photo. While I continue to have conversations with many of these amazing people via blog comments, I haven’t yet really gotten to know them well in the world we all call home and report on pretty much daily.

I admit that I have become more solitary while I am in Second Life since I started blogging. Or perhaps I started blogging in part because I had begun to spend more time alone. While I used to be at home pretty much just to change clothes before hanging out at a club or going shopping, it is now where you will find me most of the time. I do visit other places more frequently now, but I am almost always on my own and there for the express purpose of taking photographs.

Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily. I DJ two sets a week which forces me to be social and I almost always have fun. The times I enjoy it less are when the crowd is quiet, more content to keep their conversations in private. I like to entertain – to get the group involved in local chat, laughing and teasing, picking up on a song that they might like to keep them involved. So I can’t say that I am an isolationist. But my days of just hanging around with a lot of people for the sake of being around others has passed.

Last night was one of those nights when I had a really fun time DJing. The crowd wasn’t big, but they were engaged and I laughed and chatted all night. There was rarely a pause in the chatter, which was quickly filled by someone making a joke or comment which started the group talking again and I found myself grinning all evening.

I have rambled a lot in my post today. I didn’t have a clue what I would write when I sat down to blog. But like so many others I publish, it all started with a smile.

Pretty stuff I’m wearing:

Top: Tee*fy Basic Tucked Tank Sand by Azure Electricteeth
Jeans: Maitreya Zipper-Skinny Jeans * S #3 by Onyx LeShelle
Boots: {Sleepy Eddy} Engineer Boots (Brown) by Metro Moonwall (gacha prize)
Necklace: Cae :: Promise :: Necklace by Caelan Hancroft
Earrings & Ring: Cae :: Promise :: Earrings & Ring by Caelan Hancroft
Holster bag: ANE Holster Bag Brown 01 Leather by Anemysk Karu (available at The Chapter Four)
Headband: *LODE* Headwear – Boohoo [dry grass] by Chirzaka Vlodovic (gacha prize at The Chapter Four)
Hair: *ARGRACE* MIZUKI – True Red by rika Oyen (New release)
Skin: [PXL] Creations – [PXL] JADE SK Peach Lips MEB C2 by Hart Larsson
Eye Makeup: [PXL] Creations – [PXL] JADE SK Smokey Eyes by Hart Larsson
Hands: Slink Mesh Hands (av) Casual by Siddean Munro
Hand applier:[PXL] Creations – [ PXL ] Slink HandApplier SK by Hart Larsson
Eyes: Amacci Gaze Eyes – Ocean Blue by Carina Larsen
Lashes: Mon Cheri *MC* “Falsies” Eyelash by Freya Oliveri

Pose: Eternal Dream Poses – *ED* Runway Love 09 by Fata Boa

Location: It all starts with a smile