Toy, Retro AND Role Play all in One

So, why is it a toy? Take a look at this beautifully done cigarette tray. It has a very handy script in it which hands out goodies. All you have to do is toss in the full perm item you want it to pass out (I put in the hair I was wearing and a landmark to Vignette). Now every time a random person clicks my tray - they get the treat!! How cool is that??

What a great retro outfit and costume. I was thrilled with the stockings - nicely done with the seam heading up the cheek. Since the dress is so short, I think the stockings adds a bit of tease to the whole look. The little pill box hat can perch on pretty much any hair in your inventory with ease (whew! gotta love that!). Little things much a big difference.

As for the skin - time to pull out a sweet vintage pin up skin - I think it brings the whole look together.

Worn:
Outfit - Reasonable Desires , Cigarette Girl (with tray, gloves and stockings)
Hair - [V] Vignette May Onyx - this one may still be found in the group delivery box. Please visit the store and join the group. It won't count against you 25 and who knows what could be sent your way:)
Skin - Curio, :GP: Sundust [Dark] Pin Up-Apple Pie 2
Location - Bogart's Jazz Club wow - I fit right in!!!

Here are a few interesting little sims to take a peek at:
Drowsy
*Rouge Forest*
Wretched Hollow
Grungeboardin A, Give it time to Rez and B, Follow instructions for a blast!
Land of Aryador - beautifully built roleplay sim - even the entry looks great (and we all know roleplays start with a platform in the sky where you find rules and tags ...and mall stuff)

Follow THIS link for some amazing machinima!!!

Well - off to explore....

A Taste of the 50's

50's Magic - it doesn't get better than that!

I've got about 4 stores on my "must have" list and Artilleri is one of them. The slightest hint of a release and I'm there. As you take a close look at the poodle skirt, notice all those amazing highlights and shadows (along with the way it moves when you walk) makes this one a "must have".

What a FUN pair of shoes from Jet Doll. Your 50's look wouldn't be complete without these.

Last but not least is the Jaime hair from Vignette. It gives the whole look a perky college girl feel. Jaime is only available at Hair Fair, so stop by and check out the demo. It wont be in the main store for 2 more weeks.

Hopefully now I can take the time to blog a few thing (since hair fair is underway).

Here's a taste of the 50's!

Hair - [V] Vignette Jaime Platinum Plus
Dress - Artilleri, Poodle Power!
Socks - :::Sn@tch Ankle Socks
Shoes - Jet Doll, Sculpted Saddle Shoe
Skin - Curio, :GP: Sundust [Light] June-Geranium 1
Eyes - Curio, Rita Eyes - Blue (Large)

Cute Curly and Retro

Taking a break from all things hair -

I had to show off this sweet reto look from Icing. What a great way to get in the mood for July 4th! All red white and blue with a perky little sailor hat on top. I love these kinds of hats, they can pretty much set on any hair without any trouble at all.

And check out the hair - oh yes, woohoo! Made it all by myself and is only at hair fair (to be moved to the store on vignette when the fair closes). Old Shirley Temple photos inspired me on this one. Drop by hair fair and try it on.

The skin is soft and sweet thanks to Romi Juliesse!

These great red pumps at Juicy work perfectly with the outfit and yes ladies, I own this fat pack.


Hair - Vignette, Kasey Umber
Outfit - *ICING* Anchors Aweigh
Skin - 2)Lexy_skin01_natural_red lip by Romi Juliesse
Shoes - Juicy Classic Pump - Apple
Eyes - Rita Eyes - Blue (Large)

Time to head back to the workshop to see what i can come up with next time:)

Retro Teal

Today's just "one of those days". I need comfort clothes and for me that means a bit of retro cosy.

Check this one out:

Capris - Artilleri - Ruby capris
Shirt - Artilleri - vicky, teal
Sunglasses - How fun is this? Artilleri - greta sunglasses *teal*
Skin - Curio - :GP: Petal [Light] Breeze-Mermaid 2, Perfect eye shadow on this one!
Shoes - Armidi Gisaci, black Sasche Flats
Hair - I went for fun and soft at [V] Vignette - Teddi, Chocolate Chip

This week is ultra busy for me in rl - but just had to get this one posted!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

This is one of the hairs I just finished making-- so of course I was gonna wear it today! I absolutely love it. Stop by and try the demo at Vignette.

This new release at Ingenue is all about retro fun. The sweater feels seductive and the pants are my favorite style (high waisted). The sweater may be worn both tucked or untucked for a whole different look. this outfit is affordable and well worth it.

I am completely stumped..is this 1940's, 50's or even early 60's? Well, shoot - unless someone gives me a better idea, I'll out it under retro.

Hair - [V] Vignette, Betty - Cake Batter
Outfit - Ingenue - Hold me, Squeeze Me
Skin - Laqroki ~ Emily 01 milky
Eyes - Laqroki ~ Reflect truegreen eyes
Shoes - Armidi - Sasche Flats (Left) [Espresso]

Now, Where to go? If you've never peeked at these sites, go do some exploring!

INSILICO - a cyber city at 3600 alt.
euphoria realm
Princeton WWS - 'Ephemeral' - I love exploring places like this. This is just a short term project.
Isle of Tarasso - give this one some time to load
Deadwood 1876 - for a little roleplay:)
DARK ISLE - mythical celtic roleplay - dare you play?
Cu Mara. A snowy haven - set to midnight and enjoy the peace and beauty
Wolf Hills @ Cariwynne Estate
MadPea Productions
Orange Island
Summersville Waterpark
Elorian Gardens
Wiler Skies
Plasma City 2 - a rezzable sims always deserve to be explored!

Autumn

In honor of this orange time of year, I couldn't resist showing this one off.

This lovely dress is incredibly feminine. What a great combination of colors. The many oranges and yellows are sure to put you in the mood for fall. I must say, the highlights in the hair and the rich darker color of the shoes make this look a keeper!

Tonight, I'm in the mood for some roleplay. I, Rachel Boram plan to dress like a man and pick up my sweetie (Kairos) who will be dressed as a woman. The object of the game is simple - He seems to always attracts a certain type of woman. Seems I was the one exception. I plan to role play him and show him how he enables that type of behavior in a woman.

So keep your fingers crossed that I don't mess this one up:)

For those of you who have not made your evening plans - check out these places:

Wein - This will go in my new people places. Yesh, like shopping at a flea market with tons of give-a-ways.
Ice Age - a nice little romantic place to dance.
Thursday's Fiction - I would love to see this project completed.
Dodge City, KS 1875 - 22 sims
The Crack Den - Mature Role Play for those who play dangerously
Raining Pleasure <3>- this is the kind of small place you go to for peace
Spacexcape Project - this project just may be smarter than me
GALONGE - explore!
Mystique Romance


Something Special to Wear for Date Night:

Hair - Artilleri, Rita *golden blonde*
Skin - Curio, :GP: Classic-Vex
Dress - AXEL - Talla Dress Orange
Shoes - Shiny Things, Speedy Pumps, tomato
Hair Flower - Artilleri, orchid hair flower *spotted orange*

Partnered..Again

I swear, I try to go back and check places about every 2 months just to make sure the landmarks are up to date.

If you are unaware, I tend to list lots of nice things to look at in SL. Sooo... make a date with your sweetie and go exploring.

psst...
I dont review them...I want them to be a surprise for you and your friends.

Places to Go and Things to Do:

Viva la Vida! - a Rezzable Sim, so you know it's gotta be good.
7Days Magic Bakery - explore!
Killsville Haunted Funeral Home
Africa
Lostaria - for a little romance
Sera Korea - Play Ground - just for fun!

Machinima:

Noobs Always Welcome at the Carnival

Hunts -

Retrology - Halloween Hunt - woohooo - I'm there!!!
STELLAR DESIGNS - 20 little pumpkins at $1L ea!
Urban Shopper - at least 15 pumpkins to find!
Tea Lane - look for candies! 1L$ each

I don't tend to keep a list of hunts on the page for long, so catch em while you can! Don't you just LOVE hunting season?

What I'm wearing:

Hair - Ingenue ~ Scarlett ~ Merlot
Skin - Fleur Vivant Buff Automne 3, It's closed this weekend so they can get ready for a new line of skins on Monday.....ok, I snuck over to the neighboring Sim to see if I could get a tiny peek at the new stuff. I am freakin excited!!
Dress - ICING - Mignouette, blue
Shoes -
Eyes - *Sin Skins* Romantic Ocean Eyes
Manicure - The Body Politik, Ivory Smoke


Ok, I had to show the bottom picture with the lovely wedding ring.

I have partnered ...4 times in SL. Each time to the same incredible man. Wow, what a roller coaster.

Kairos (Oyen) - I love you, take all the wiggle room you need in SL and RL. I'm a very patient woman and I absolutely trust you. *happy sigh*

A Theme Mall

This entry is short and sweet cuz it's Saturday night:).

Dress - Total Betty *Petits Pois* (was free the week of the 1 yr anniversary of Retrology) hurry - it's still out as a freebie as of this writing!
Hair - Curio, Gertrude
Skin - :GP: at Curio, Classic-Carbon
Shoes - TESLA - Marie Shoe, Black
Necklace - Encore, Timeless Double Strand Necklace (yup! tinted black!)

Check out this dress! Just one of many free gifts to be found this past week at the Retrology 1 yr anniversary.

This mall is such a unique place in SL simply because it tries to stick with it's theme (unlike sooo many others in game).

If a mall advertises that its theme is jazz, roman, medieval or whatever..for goodness sakes, play music to set that mood and carry only appropriate stuff in the shops .

Nothing I dislike more about exploring than landing in a Sim that has advertised as romantic, yet upon arrival, heavy metal screams in the background. Anyway, you get my drift. At Retrology, the vast majority of the vendors make every effort to keep the mood with their product and music. So, Thanks to everyone - it makes a difference to the whole shopping experience.

Happy Birthday!

What do YOU Want to Do?

So today is all about 60's retro/casual. I slipped on my favorite flats and grabbed my Cardigan on the way out the door!

Beyond Imagination - an adventure? a mystery?

New OA, Beta Quadrant - yes indeed, home base of - The Green Lantern

Gotham City - roleplay

Sietar Intercultural Learning Space - a smart place

Animal Island - explore

World Formula Racing

Vignette - an Evening of Jazz and quiet moments


...and what am I wearing?

Hair - *katat0nik* (naturals) Lolli Hair, WOW - This is an all in one kinda hair. Just ckick it and select you color (13 colors to choose from) or click the ribbon (18 colors to choose from)..and ONLY $225 for everything!

Skin - Curio, :GP: Classic-Leaf

Shirt - Laqroki, Kiwi Boatneck Tee - very stylish in the 60's! If i could i would have gotten all of them.

Cardigan Sweater - Laqroki ~ Green Short open Cardigan - ok, ok...I DID get this fat pack:)

Capri - Armidi Limited - Capri, A001 Jeans [Dusted Industrial]

Shoes - Armidi Gisaci - Sasche Flats Brown (thank goodness they have these in tons of colors)

Well, off to see what else I can find!

Feeling Sassy

Whew! This has been a long week yay for Fridays!!

This little dress from BBBM has been mentioned by lots of other bloggers, but I thought - what the heck, I'll put in my 2 cents. When you first put it on you'll think...that's a really high waist, but then you slip on the skirt...make sure it lines up...then it happens, you fall in love with it. The dress has personality. It's sassy and fun.

The texture on the skirt is amazing, and the shadows on the skirt seem to ad a certain dimension that is rarely captured in SL skirts. Oh, and the skirt layers beautifully.

For hair, I went with the Rita style. I think it added a certain playfulness.

I wanted a bold sassy look and I think this pulled it off - Yay for retro!!

Dress - BBBM Epilogue Dress
Skin - Fleur Vivant Buff Paon 2
Hair - Artilleri, rita *black*
shoes - Maitreya, Slinky Stilettos Patent Red
Jewelry - Encore - Timeless Double Strand (tint them a nice dark red) I am incredibly happy that Tracy makes them mod!! This saves tons of space in my closet. Highly Recommended for those on a budget. Tinting is your friend.

July 4th Freebie and A $1L!!

Had to make note of these goodies today!

One is a new group gift and the other is a dollarbie.....no one does it like Ivalde.

When you get to Ivalde - remember she is renovating, so the store is in the sky. A toast to Nef - for making her group the best!

As for the other items I'm wearing -

The hair was a winner for me - soft, bouncy, casual...and playful!

The shoes were a the perfect color and the perfect style..not to mention quality all the way.

As for the jewelry - A big heads up for Encore white pearls. I have to admit - my sl budget must be kept in check and if you only get 1 set of pearls for your wardrobe get the Encore white ones. They are mod.

Ladies, Tinting is a HUGE money saver and very easy to do. RT click the item, go to edit then select the textures tab - you see 2 boxes...the left is the pattern (don't touch that one!). The little box on the right is a simple color (like white), double click it and simple change to another color!

It is just that simple!!

Be sure to make a back up copy of your item, just to be safe:)

Hair - [ FB ] (Frangipani Designs) Charity - Black, by Rach Snookums - it's a beautiful hair but i couldn't find it as i went looking to ml the store this morning. more than likely things didn't fully rez when i was there:(
Dresses - Ivalde - get both dresses at the front entry. For the group dress, be shure to wear your tag.
Jewelry - Encore, White Pearls
Skin - :GP: Classic-Vex by Gala Phoenix (not in the store:(
Eyes - *Sin Skins* Romantic Ocean Eyes
Lashes - *Sin Skins* Fluff Lashes

A Retro-Futuristic Mess

Sweater - 1/4 Life Crisis - Black Belle Cardigan - Isn't it gorgeous?

Shirt - [SC] Surf Couture - Taggy Tank [white] This is a great tank! I proudly own the fat pack!! (18 colors) I am prepared for any matching crisis.

Skin - :GP: Classic-Sienna (not available in the store yet - makes me sad:(
Pants - Canimal, all that jazz capri, pinstrip (no longer available)

Shoes - Armidi - Sasche Flats, black

Hair - *TRUTH* Antonia - Sable (yay for the color changing ribbon:)

Where it counts, I'm a cardigan girl. I had dropped in over at Devotchka's store and this one jumped off the shelf at me. I just love how she describes her style on the landmark - 1/4 Life Crisis - A retro-futuristic mess. She manages to pull eye catching elements from retro and add a certain something special to it. This sweater is the cherry! There is a different sleeve style in the box but this is the one that sparkles for me:).

Such absolutely amazing detail in the sweater's embroidery.

Well, crud! You know your avi is old when some of the good stuff in your closet is discontinued. Canimal no longer carries these capris from what i can tell. They are a tad longer than most in sl which is what i needed. Capri's in the 50's and 60's were between the knee and ankle right in the middle or even a tad longer. Contemporary styles tend to fall between the shin and the knee. I know I know...what's 2 inches? (sighs)

Shesh - Armidi...went in to grab the lm for you on the flats and it was such a crawl. New releases at that sim make rezing impossible. On a positive note - love the flats!. New summer colors were put out today and be warned - they are not in the same building as these black ones are. The new colors are bright and bold and will definitely be shown in a future blog!

Off to do a bit of building - till next time!

Rachel

I think everyone should stop building for the day and go explore. I've already been out and about this morning. Check out some of these sites:

Into the Moonlight - A quiet place of complete beauty, it makes me smile. Sometimes you land on a sim and it just feels right:)

The Beauty of Nature: Waterfalls, Perfect Prefabs Lime

The Magic of Nature - Elven, Fai, Perfect Prefabs Coral

Science School - 33 Sims are a part of the SciLands Community at Second Life. I am using this link because it has an information map of all the sims at the arrival point. You won't see glitz, glam and romantic moments but you will see the wonders of science.

Rec - Creepy

Have you noticed how hard it is to find retro/vintage mix and match stuff? I did find these nifty, retro high waisted shorts. Love them! You can wear them with the wide or standard leg size. It was much harder to find a shirt that would keep the retro look - artilliary to the rescue. Unfortunately most retro stores just don't carry separates.

Last night I watched HairSpray (the newer one with John Travolta) and all the girls were wearing flats! First thing I did when I got on this morning was to search for flats. I wanted basic but very well made.

Shoes - Armidi - Sasche Flats [Espresso] I don't usually get to shop at this sim, they don't carry a lot of vintage:) - but these flats are the best!
Hair - Old Gravy , DarkChyld Brown
Skin - :GP: Classic-Perse, from Skin Fair, Gala Phoenix is the designer - sure wish these skins were in her store - maybe if you ask her nice)
Shorts - [MG fashion] Rita II - shorts (brown) (tons of colors to choose from!)
Shirt - Artilleri, Beatrix *yellow*

Any suggestions? - I am looking for a basic sculptie heel with an ankle strap AND one with a simple T strap - These styles were very popular back in the day. I know I have seen these somewhere...just don't know where.

Well I don't know about you - but I'm looking for a little excitement this weekend!

Till next time:)

Rachel

Dressing for Summer

Plans for the day?

Well, I plan to be in my workshop so i wanted something comfortable and a bit summery to wear. I just love these retro shorts. Question is - are they more of the Gidget style of the late 50's OR early 60's? I guess in my mind I see more of the late 50's Sandra Dee on the beach style, so heck let's call this retro 50's.

This very feminine vintage short set comes with 5 different colors bras in the box (olive, blue, pink, red and white)

Hair - *TRUTH* Rachel - Fire (50% off sale - go check it out!)
Shoes - Maitreya - Solace Black
Outfit - Apple May Designs, Vintage
Necklace - WB Dots Retro Necklace by Caroline (oh so easy to just tint to the exact color I wanted! This necklace is a definite keeper)
Skin - Fleur Vivant Buff Terre 3
Eyes - *Sin Skins* Shy Apple Eyes
Lashes - *Sin Skins* Fluff Lashes

Summertime!

Places to visit:

The new RELIC, being built for W, Templum ex Obscurum

The Quiet-AM Radio

Wow - A long week for me - my computer was sick..very very sick. Tonight when I tuck it in, I'll be very nervous about turning the light off:)

I came back to find this beautiful retro swimsuit posted by another blogger. Well, I just couldn't resist - you dont find that many vintage swimsuits in Second Life.

So here it is ....fresh from Rosemar. The Pinup Swimsuit has 15 stunning colors to choose from. Ok, I admit it - it is a bit cheeky - but whatcha gonna do? Retro is allowed to take risks! Each suit comes with a matching floppy hat (YAY!). If you need to tweak at your hair, be sure to make a copy first. I actually had to tuck in quite a few strands on this one - but it's the look I was going for.

Suit - Rosemar, Pinup Swimsuit
Hair - Ingenue ~ Bombshell ~ Noir black
Skin - *blowpop* Tuesday Honey, 4c
Jewelry - Encore, White Pearls - Easy to Tint!!
Shoes - Maitreya, Slinky Stilettos - Red

Till next time!

Rachel

I have a new found respect for hair designers/makers.

I was looking for a challenge so I spent the weekend building. I can build furniture and structures, so what was next on my list?

Hair – OMG – Hardest thing I have ever tried to build. No, I am NOT going to wearing it. Not until it looks like people hair!

Problems I ran into:

• Texture - Ah! I have to make them (complete photoshop newb) Well, at least need to make one color for now. That was hard (alphas and layers). Yes, there are instructions out there, but still – made me curse like a sailor).
  
• Torus’s - So THAT’S what you do with them. I bow to all the torus masters out there. This is truly a prim that causes pain.
• Hey wait – I thought my head was symmetrical!
• Isn’t there something out there that will help me mirror a prim. You know, I tuck a hair on one side, but I want the other side to match. It is not as simple as rotating a prim
• I was trying to run before I could walk. Make a simple bun or ponytail to begin with

Although I did make 2 hairs, just think. I need how many colors of hair? Wow – hair builders deserve the Linden they make!!!

This practice is gonna take forever!!

Shirt - Artilleri, Darla
Skin - Tuli - Celeste [light/1] ~ dawn (freckled) Group freebie!!!) Join the group and check notices.
Retro Shorts - 1/4 Life Crisis - High-Rise Shorts - $225L is a bit pricey for one pair of shorts, but dang! glade i gave in:) These are everyday keepers for me.
Shoes - AKEYO, chucks
Hair - BP* mitsuami hair, Pompa braid (the BP stands for Bettie Page) Love it! Wish there were more colors!!!

The retro shorts are amazing, at least stop by for a look (take a closer look at my photo up there). The little painted details are crisp and clean. The scripted prim cuffs are the best I have seen yet. They absolutely hug the leg without messy hemlines showing from underneath and to be honest - they go with tons of stuff in my wardrobe. I would like to see this one in a few more colors like brown, blue or red puleeeezze.

As for the Tuli freebie - get it get it get it. As soon as I get $3000L in my pocket the Celeste packet is mine!

The Bettie Page hair is a winner for the reto look. Dang - I would have bought a fat pack but she only had the one color.

BIG UPDATE - The retro shorts have just been released in blue, brown, red, green and purple!! A big hug to Devotchka Dagger for being so kind and having such a great sense of style.

Off to explore!

Rachel

Artilleri...

OMG - Antonia is retiring some goodies.

I dropped everything and headed over there right away this morning.

Check these sales items out:
Vicky Polka Dress
Carmen Lingerie
Kat's Meow Coats!
Wendy Pants
Hanna Skirt
Annie Tops
Sabrina Hair - WAIT - SABRINA HAIR...nooooo, where will I go when I forget to save a back (note the green hair).

The green hair was an oops on my part, seems I forgot to select "edit linked parts" from the edit menu. Lucky I was able to get it fixed. Just remember, now you have no place to run to when you mess this one up. I always tend to tinker with bands and barrettes.

The Hanna skirt has always been a favorite of mine. It was the first high waisted anything I ever wore in SL. It's an absolute keeper!

Well - off to listen to some great live music - this time LoveSongs Writer. I don't speak Spanish but i DO appreciate the beauty of it (such great artists here:)