Of Flora and Fauna

I wasn't expecting this...

2010-08-28T12:43:00.000+01:00

What I am about to tell you is something that I really wish I didn't have to say, but it is something that is, unfortunately, inevitable. I didn't realise until just yesterday, when my internet connection at my new home went live, that my broadband speeds are in one word - Useless. I am getting an average of 100kbps download speeds TOPS which is bearable when casually browsing the internet, but for Second Life I have learned after these past couple of days that it is just terrible. I can't move, my groups won't load, all that WILL load is my surroundings, and that is all. This is on low, at a draw distance of 24. After coming to terms with this it has been a massive shock for me to realise that as long as I live where I am now, Second Life is just not an option any more. What was once a dream for me and a land of possibility is now completely out of reach, and it's probably quite obvious that I'm absolutely gutted. I had plans and I was so keen to learn as much as I could, blog frequently, open up a store eventually, but where I live in RL now it is just not possible.

In the end, I think it is not just me that finds that RL will naturally always come first over SL, sometimes when you want it to, sometimes when you don't. I have a lot in RL that I can replace SL with... In fact, some things that I should have been doing in RL originally I actually put aside so that I could spend time on SL, but there will be no more procrastinating now.
I am devastated that my time blogging was so, so short lived. I could carry on the blog with the slow broadband speeds, but I wouldn't be able to log in to SL, so what use would it be? Thankfully there are plenty of fantastic SL bloggers out there who will continue to showcase the fabulous creations of SL's residents for the public to see and therefore I wish them all the best. I never was the competitive kind anyway, my intention for blogging was as a fun hobby and it would have continued that way if the circumstances were different.

SL will always be special to me and I am sure one day I will be back if the UK's broadband coverage gets better or if I move again. I know there are some things I can do to improve my current connection, but I have been through a lot of potential solutions of which all have been unsuitable for my individual situation.

I am so sorry my little blog with so much potential and promise had to die a premature death.
I don't know what else I can say now, other than thank you SO MUCH for reading my past posts... I hope they provided some inspiration/entertainment for you, and I wish everybody who visited, faved my flickr pics, etc etc the very very best.

Thank you.

Fauna Florian <3

An update

2010-08-18T19:40:00.001+01:00

Hello readers!

BAH. This move is taking ages! It's ridiculous how many trips it's taking back and forth from old house to new, to get things sorted and organised before the removal men arrive. In fact,my partner and I have just arrived back at "old home" from a lovely nights sleep at our new one along with a tiresome organisation session so we're pretty pooped. Bed in a couple of hours methinks - I think I'm way too shattered to do anything!
I'm extremely keen to blog about some events running around now so as soon as I have a spare half-hour I'll roll out those posts for you guys. So many lovely finds at these great events, and so little time to log in to SL and wear them! Ah well, blogging routinely will resume once my RL is settled.

Thank you so much for your patience <3

I'm not a foe to a fringe...

2010-08-06T01:25:00.000+01:00

Highlights:
Today I am blogging a look that I've been keen on showing you for some time. I've worn it for days in a row (Thank goodness this isn't RL otherwise I'd have to be handing out nose pegs!) just because I feel so comfortable in it... In a metaphorical sense. It's not too fancy, but very feminine, smart and extremely sophisticated. Clean lines are accented with soft laces that tame the harsh, angular look that seems to be a strong note in this outfit. Cute is not a crime here, however, as LeLutka's Pow Pumps deliver just that - Suiting perfectly with the femininity of the lace and making my legs look skyscraper tall! And this is an SL shorty talking! Have I died and gone to heaven? And, for the first time on my blog, I am wearing a fringed 'do ^_^ Somehow I just felt it fit perfectly with the whole look and adds an extra touch of cute.

This outfit looks just as good without the tights, if you'd prefer!

Grab it:
Hair: Maitreya Nimue - Cacao

Skin: Elise Bare Tan

Eyes: !tb- Blue Eyes

Eyelashes: [ glow ] Hollywood lashes - Brigitte Bardot

Top: BP* leaf lace Smock/natural/

Skirt: AOHARU_LaceRuffleSkirt_Black

Tights: {SMS} Shiny Tights Black

Shoes: [LeLutka]-Pow Pumps (Neutral Black)

Poses: 1st & 2nd pic: My own. 3rd pic: [ImpEle] Allure - 05

Free spirit

2010-08-01T21:02:00.000+01:00

My apologies for the poor quality photos of this and the previous posts, I was oblivious until I went on SL on my new PC and realised how different things looked! So yeah er.. Slightly embarassing xD...*SNORT*

Highlights
Today I came across the fab new mens hair store from the creators of the popular womens hair label - Sixty Nine. The new department is called Ego, and as soon as I TP'd in I could see why. The textures are so detailed, the prim positioning so precise on each curl and flick that you're left staring in awe at something that is not just a cut and a colour, but a work of art on your head. What man wouldn't feel good sporting such exquisite hairstyles? I liked them so much that I bought a couple to wear myself, one of which inspired me to create the look above.

I've never worn dreads in SL, but I actually think they quite suit me! When I saw them I couldn't help think of my sister in real life. Ever since a teenager she's had dreadlocks and with them always dressed in a laid-back, earthy style that I was really fond of. She travelled to so many continents I couldn't keep up, exploring all sorts of places and moulding into each culture like a duck to water. This outfit reminds me of her, and although she has now settled down in her favourite country, India, I enjoyed replicating the essence of the free-spirited days that she for so long enjoyed!

Grab it:
Hair: [ EGO ] MAR - Chestnut

Skin: Elise Bare Blush Tan

Eyes: ID 2043-3_EYES [Pine]

Eyelashes: [ glow ] Hollywood lashes - Brigitte Bardot

Top: FAB.PONY "Twizzler" Top (Steel)

Shorts: (5th&Oxford) Seaside Sweetie Shorts - *olive*

Tights: {SMS} Shiny Tights Brown

Necklace: ~Scribble~ Hemp & Glass Beads/Red {! Previous Fifty Linden Friday item !}

Bracelet: ZC : Kaya Turquoise bracelet gold L

Belt/Bag: Meriken Co. scissors bag KIWI traveler B

Sign: Duck Soup Protest Sign (Pie)

Shoes: {theosophy} Dowlais Sandal (Tan)

Poses: Photo 1-3: My own. Photo 4: Self-configured AO

Region: Garden Of Dreams

I may be a little while...

2010-07-28T18:05:00.000+01:00

I'm doing a quick post, just to notify my readers that I am in the process of moving house IRL! It's really exiting, but it means I will not be blogging much within the next week or so. I'd like to unpack and get settled before I sit down at my computer. Gotta beat that procrastination! :D GAH.

It Was A Blur and the Summer of Love Fair 2010

2010-07-18T15:31:00.000+01:00

Two unmissable events are going on right now!

Yaaaayyyy

It Was A Blur - An inspiring art installation with themed items on sale by various designers (There are some freebies dotted about too!)

Some snippets from the welcome notecard when you arrive at It Was A Blur, Mirror:

"I encourage you to explore, imagine, read, blend in, and blur. To be a native in this strange land, to take photographs and create derivative works out of the art available for your blogs and walls."

"As a viewer of the art you are a participant of the art. You are the art itself. There are also poses, animations, sounds, and machinima to aid in your participation and full realization of the works. This is not a static artwork but rather a 4 week experience, after which it will only have been a blur."

It Was A Blur runs from July 16th - August 16th.

Affected

the Summer of Love Fair - An event that was organised to raise awareness for mental health issues. This event is on a subject that is very familiar to me indeed, having suffered from panic attacks and depression in RL since my early teens. I feel overjoyed to know that there is an event in Second Life that brings these sides of mental illness to the pubic eye, creating a greater understanding of them, and the fair isn't just limited to those! Within interactive blue question marks dotted about the place, you will find information on all sides of mental illness, from bullying to addiction! Not only when you click will you receive an informative notecard, but also a freebie from one of the 200+ designers who are contributing to this wonderful event.

The fair is top-to-bottom filled with exclusive items available only at this event right now, so grab 'em while you can!

The Summer of Love Fair runs from July 18th to August 8th.

Newbie Style Challenge! Woop

2010-07-07T23:41:00.000+01:00

Browsing the web yesterday, I came across Gogo's Newbie Style Challenge and decided to join in. This is the first interactive thing I have done with my blog in terms of challenges and the like, so it was a little daunting at first!

I managed to come up with four looks. With the first look, I ended up with a sexy and girly ensemble. I then threw myself into the deep end with my second look - An outfit to wear underwater! And the third, well it's a little more sophisticated but no less sunny! Then with the fourth... Well I think it's self-explanatory really! As you can probably tell, once I started creating looks it was hard to stop myself from noticing a couple of items and thinking to myself "Ooh, they go well together... I think I know an item of clothing that could compliment that nicely..." And so the ball started rolling again.
The fantastic thing about assembling outfits that are completely free or incredibly cheap is that there are far less items you can work with, therefore the job of putting a whole look together is a lot more challenging. However, it's rewarding too, knowing that you've just made your avvie look fantastic without spending much at all! If you have a blog or a Flickr, I really suggest you join in, and give yourself a pat on the back for not denting your linden balance! :P

PLEASE let me know if I've missed anything out/got an item wrong, etc etc. I've triple checked but I can never be 100% sure :P Thank youuu!

Look 1:
Grab it:
Hair: Side Parted Bob with Flip (Black) {! Under Library > Accessories > Hair Design Options > Side Parted Bob with Flip In your inventory!} FREE

Skin: (V9) Joy LIGHT Pure B Skin FREE

Eyes: Eyes (Baby Blue) {! Under Library > Accessories > Eye Design Options In your inventory!} FREE

Dress: [CoL] - GNUbie - The LBD 1L$

Nails: [ Love Soul ] Nail*Modern girl (Gray) FREE

Scarf: ::[ Mr.Poet ]::Wide Scarf (Free Gift) FREE

Belt: fri. - Wide Waist.Belt (Fruit.Punch) - Med FREE

Bag: *COCO*_Gift_ClearToteBag-Black(L-shoulder) {!Group gift!} FREE

Shoes: TRUTH Bootielicious [coral] FREE

Pose: dfo! [faces] it was a bad thing NOT FREE

Look 2:
Grab it:
Hair: booN IRK178 hair blonde {!Group gift!} FREE

Skin: .::Mother Goose's::. Ellen Skin LB {!Lucky board prize!} FREE

Eyes: GSH- #010 - Poetic Colors FREE

Bikini: /artilleri/ strawberry delight bikini 1L$

Goggles: GSH - #002 - Reek FREE

Flippers: GSH - #002 - Reek FREE

Pose: estetica: Pixie Dust NOT FREE

Look 3:
Grab it:
Hair: On the skin

Skin: [LeLutka]-LOLA_lgt-ORTA(D Brows)hairbase {!Subscriber gift!} FREE

Top: fri. - free.kini Coverup Tee (White) FREE

Bikini: *SI Freebie* biquine FREE

Hat: *SI Freebie* chapeu de praia FREE

Sunglasses: Decollage - Summer Fun Shades (White) 1L$

Bag: *SI Freebie* Bolsa de praia FREE

Flip-flops: NL-FLIP FLOP -BROW FLOWER FREE

Pose: Built into *SI Freebie* Bolsa de praia FREE

Look 4:
Grab it:
Hair: Long and Layered (Black 2) {!Under Library > Accessories > Hair Design Options > Long and Layered In your inventory!} FREE

Skin: (vive9) Grace v2 [light] Pure *brown brows* Skin FREE

Eyes: =TEKUTEKU=Eko-eye(Wine Pink) FREE

Eyelashes: F*S Foxy Lashes (tintable) FREE

Lingerie set: ~Blacklace~ Laced Obsession: White Satin & Lace {!Subscribo gift!} FREE

Shoes: Maitreya Group Gift Pumps - Black {!Subscribo gift!}

Pose: [LAP] - DG-Strip Tease PR4 NOT FREE

Have YOU made yourself beach-beautiful yet?

2010-07-04T02:03:00.000+01:00

(Click to enlarge for a better view)

Highlights:
We've been having the hottest days lately over here in the UK, and although I haven't seen any weather warnings plastered over any newspapers yet, I have to say that I've been feeling the heat. Immensely. Beach-beautiful wouldn't be the term I'd use when describing my RL self at the moment, although after stumbling over a few free finds in my second world I can now happily say that my avatar is just that! Thanks to LeeZu releasing their new bikini sets WITH sarongs, I can no longer blame all bikini's on being shapeless! I LOVE the petal-like decorations below the bust, and the energetic, joyful colours used in the patterns. I am so in love!
Mirai Style's "Ofif" hair has had me hooked lately - I've whipped it on so many times because it just seems to fit with so many styles, be it casual, vintage, hippie or beachy as worn in the photo above. It's multi-use! Additionally, the huge "mane" of hair (As I like to call it!) draws full attention to the face of whatever avatar that is wearing it, which can't be a bad thing right? ;)
I bought the wedge-sandals because for shoes with pretty prim toes, I thought they were good value! I wore the wedge sandals only to find out that they are SUPER CUSTOMIZABLE too! You can colour the base, the straps, the skin, the nails... Yes, as you can tell, I was one happy customer! However, I must quickly crack on and mention the absolutely awesome freebies included in this look. Do you hunt? If you don't, you better! Or you'll miss out on the stunning skin I am wearing from Bodyline. I read the hype about Bodyline, but seeing to believe was what really blew me away - These skins are exquisite, I am not going to lie. With teeth option too, for a lovely zero linden, I felt like I'd hit the jackpot :D Likewise when I stumbled across the bag worn in the picture too, by Atomic for Project Themeory. I adore all the little objects inside, and the pretty little flower decorations.
Tropical, flirty and fun... You can't go wrong!

Grab it:
Hair: .+*Ofif*+.Lightbrown [MS]

Skin: GSH 33 - (bodyline) SARA _ goodshitHUNT (teeth) {!Part of the Good Shit Hunt!}

Eyes: :: Exodi ::Zbilja v2.0 - Deep (Green)(Sm/V)

Eyelashes: [ glow ] Innocent lashes - Gentle

Bikini: [LeeZu!] Boho Bikini /pink

Bracelet: ZC : Kaya Turquoise bracelet silver L {!Part of Zaara : Kaya Turquoise !}

Bag: [ATOMIC] Vacation Time! FREE

Shoes: *Envy Designs* Madison Avenue Shoes v1.1

Pose: [LAP] - Shoe1-Pinup Shuuz PR4 {!Packs on sale for 50L$ for a limited time!}

An English Rose

2010-06-05T05:27:00.000+01:00

(Click to enlarge for a better view)

Highlights:
As soon as I put this outfit together, I couldn't help but think of the English countryside, and the sights, the sounds and the scents that go with it. This gorgeous dress by So Many Styles really creates an enticing centrepiece, the main attraction, hugged by LeLutka's Simple yet sophisticated belt that, resting upon the voluptuous plume of the tulip skirt, really eccentuates a girls best bits! ;)
booN have come up with this truly beautiful new hairstyle. A rose made out of hair? I can't say I'll be achieving that in a hurry in RL, although arm me with a tonne of hairspray and I'll sure give it a go! But why bother, when you can look effortlessly pretty thanks to booN :)
I am absolutely in love with the Madrid bag, from Creamshop, and that isn't an exaggeration! Oh my, I just seem to be whipping it out all over the grid! Wherever I am, whatever I am wearing, I don't care - IT'S there! Aside from the high quality, my favourite feature is the poses built in, that can combine with your AO, so no more losing your bag in your torso and all that bad stuff. I'm sure there are others out there, but this is the first bag I have personally come across with such great features, being traditionally quite avoidant of bags. I don't think I will be now somehow!

Grab it:
Hair: booN XFE275 hair brown

Skin: :[P]:-LionHeart-Fable-Bare:Bare

Eyes: eyes by LL - sunny glade - small

Eyelashes: &Bean - Awesome lashes basic (recolorable) {!Included when buying a skin!}

Dress: {SMS} Floral Tulip Dress Pink

Belt: [LeLutka]-TORY belt/goldenrod

Bracelet: Golden Bracelet (wear on RH) {!Part of =Zenith=elin(DeepBlue)!}

Bag: {creamshop} Madrid - Leather weave bag(Lightbrown)

Socks: {SMS} Knit Socks Orange

Shoes: [LeLutka]-Saffron Pumps

Pose: F*S Clutching at Nicole FREE {!Combined with "Front" pose built in to {creamshop} Madrid - Leather weave bag(Lightbrown)!}

A warm welcome :) And a little history on me...

2010-06-05T04:55:00.000+01:00

Hello! Well, I'm just as new as you are to this blog, so please bear with me if I start with a bit of a stumble :P First of all I'd like to thank you for reading, as you are already contributing to my little dream I've had for a while now :)

I suppose you're wondering what dream exactly? Well, you're reading it. You're even a part of it! I have wanted for a long while to start a Second Life fashion blog, and I have. Eeep! It's a little scary!
Before I start blogging properly, I have something to clarify. My rez day is 5/25/2010. SUPPOSEDLY. :P Actually I decided I couldn't "click" with my old main av, so this the new me. I have been IN SL for nearly a year, and I have known about SL for a few years.

I thought I could bring you behind the scenes a little, and show you where I will be snapping from. I plan to get a lot of use out of this space...

I had no idea what I was doing when I found myself on Xstreet looking for photo studios - I didnt know what make to get, how much to spend.. I was baffled, so after a long session of scrolling through pages and pages of them I decided to throw in the towel, and make my own. I have little building experience, so again, I was jumping into the deep end a little bit. However, it does the job. It's full-bright white, that's the main thing! :P

Anyway! I'm keen to start so I will follow this post immediately with another, displaying my first look.

Enjoy. :D