Oubliette

Oubliette_006

Found!  Gown by Evie’s Closet

Oubliette_010Found!  Baby Doll dress by Evie’s Closet

Do you like flat, square sims?  Shops all lined up straight in a row?  Non-landscaped parcels of mish-mash items for sale?  Vendors all lined up in rows and rows on uninteresting walls?  Do ya?  Well then,  DON’T come to Oubliette!  Oubliette is for dreamers, the curious, the dramatic, those who love fine quality goods, and for those who love The Hunt!  Right at this VERY moment there is a terrific hunt going on there called Pieces of You…and I mean a quality item hunt, not a freebie junk give-away.  See the dresses above?  I found those items only moments ago…gorgeous, gorgeous items by Evie’s Closet on Oubliette.  And I’m not finished!  I will NOT leave until I find Saiyge Lotus’ Strange as Angels collection.  I have one earring at the moment and as soon as I post this, I will continue until I own every prim of that collection!  I’m a huge fan of Saiyge Lotus’s shop Balderdash.  Isn’t that a fun name?  I recommend that you visit her shop here and take lots of lindens.  Every time I enter her shop I buy pretty much everything she has that is new since my last visit.  Her items are creative, unique, exquisitely detailed, and simply beautiful.  No, not simply at all.  Neither her designs nor her landscaping and terraforming of the sim are simple.  Complex is the word.  A master’s touch.  That makes this hunt all the more worthwhile…her sim is endlessly surprising and beautiful.  The fact that you get these amazing purple boxes of treasures (12 in all) is icing on the cake!

Oubliette_012Saiyge Lotus’ Strange as Angels collection

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Oubliette/180/144/26

To join in the hunt just click on the sign upon entering and rezzing on the sim.  You will need to join the hunt group at a cost of $88L and then each box is $1L for a total expense of $100L.  More than a fair deal!  The gown and dress I’ve already found is easily valued over $1000L.  Not to mention the fun of the hunt!  Take friends to make more of a game out of it…see who can get the whole collection first.  They aren’t easy to find, but wandering the sim and taking in the sights is half the fun.  If you really really can’t find a few boxes, then look in the notecard given when clicking the start board…there are clues in there for locations.

Balderdash keeps good company too.  The other shops on the sim are Winx, Evie’s Closet, and Frippery…all high quality designers and shops worth checking out and they’ve all contributed to the hunt items that you will find.

Well, I must go…got some hunting to do.  Happy hunting to you all!

Tip: There are many Hunts offered in SL.  They vary in quality, but it’s a great thing to participate in.  Join them all if you can…they will lead you to new discoveries and give you a great education on what good products vs. bad products are.  They will also lead you to wonderful and little known sims.  Some of my best discoveries were found this way!

Zaara

“Wondrous things!”

This is what Howard Carter said to Lord Carnarvon when asked what he saw as he peered into the tomb of King Tut.  And this is what I say to you as I peer into the shop, Zaara.

Zaara_001

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Zaara/201/132/27

I’ve found a new weakness.  Another amazing and irresistible store that will wring more than a few lindens out of my hands, despite the more than reasonable prices here.  Its just that it is IMPOSSIBLE to resist buying the amazingly rich and beautiful creations at Zaara Kohime’s store, and I have to confess that I ended up buying more than a few impossible-to-refuse outfits.

I was out exploring the other day and found myself at a middleastern sim and wandered into a shop with some eye-catching colors and textures.  They were saris.  I honestly have no occasions that I can think of that I would need to wear a sari…so you’d think that I’d keep walking.  But no, the beautiful satiny, rich textures of the saris proved to be irresistible and so I indulged and bought one.  I also bought a fat pack of the jewelry to accessorize for a total effect.  When I put them on I was more than pleased.  Not only was the design flattering and attractive, colors beautiful and appealing, but the craftsmanship was beyond impressive.  I knew I had to find this creator’s main store.

When I arrived and rezzed, I scanned the area with my experienced eye and immediately knew that my visit to this store would yield a few treasures.  And I wasn’t wrong!  Not only does Zaara have gorgeous saris, but she offers contemporary casual wear for both men and women, dresses, and the gorgeous traditional Indian formal wear for both men and women.  Lovely scarves, wraps and jewelry can be found here as well.

Zaara 4 outfits

A variety of looks can be found at Zaara’s

See more of Zaara’s items here:  http://zaarakohime.blogspot.com/

Barcelona Plaza Real

Barcelona Plaza Real_005

Greetings from Barcelona.  Having a great time – wish you were here!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tumotiko%20East/69/136/0

I’ve not been to the real Barcelona, so I can’t say if this sim is similar to the real deal or not, but I can tell you that it’s gorgeous, very well designed, appealing to the eye, and a great place to hang out in general and meet folks.  It’s good if you know a bit of Spanish as there are many Spanish-speaking people around.  It offers a cozy cafe to share a latte with friends or to have a dance.  There are assorted shops and art galleries.  And in addition to the city feel, the edges are beach covered and offer sights to see, boating interactive activities, and more hang out spaces.  The music is a soothing Latin station, good for chatting with friends or dancing.

Here’s a tip…do visit sims that have a majority of non-English speaking residents.  Don’t be afraid!  It’s a wonderful way to experience another culture without a passport or even leaving your home.  There are translation devices easily found in SL, many of them free.  There is a bit of a learning curve, but it’s well worth it.  Its a terrific way to learn a foreign language or practice your rusty skills in a language you are semi-literate in.  I’ve had many non-English speaking friends do this very thing in order to practice their English and I’ve seen them become remarkably proficient by the exercise and rather quickly too!  Overall, it’s a great way to expand your world and your skills while having a great time.

Tableau

Tableau_001

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tableau/166/149/133

 

When you arrive, you will find yourself in a simple blue-walled house with several vendors of interesting objects.  Do take a look.  But whatever you do, do not fail to walk outside the door.  Once you exit, turn around to admire the unique design of the store Rootbeer then, continue to explore the entire sim.  This sim is one of the most unique and fantastic sims I’ve come across in some time.  I can’t simply name shops for you to explore, there are too many whimsical and wonderful things spread throughout the sim in various stores, things so imaginative, silly, creative, and most importantly, fun!  I bought the most useless gadgets here and I love them!  In the pic above I somehow wound up at Club Luna wearing the always chic Extreme Cat Eye Shades from Paper Couture and the RACHELBREAKER SPLOOGEGUN that shoots gobs of pink goo.  Very well made items, not just frilly props…and great for laughs!  After the club, I found an interesting hair shop called Clawtooth by Clawtooth.  I bought a demo hair for Kitten with a Whip at the shop and proceeded to try it on.  But I was confused…stunned.  Something….wasn’t…quite right…

Clawtooth by Clawtooth at Tableau_002

WHY THE HELL AM I SQUATTING ON THE FLOOR???  AND WHY THE HELL AM I WEARING A MOUSTACHE???  AND WTF IS THIS LADY DOING TO ME???!!!

I cam out a bit to soak it all in…

Clawtooth by Clawtooth at Tableau_003

And I roll into a hearty laugh!  The surprise of it, the absurdity, the irreverence….I love it!!!  Check out the cow in the background wearing the tiara.  If the lady didn’t have a drawn on goatee, I’d be kinda ticked…but as it is…I get the joke.  A surprising and eclectic riff on the standard DEMO boxes on other demo hairs by creator Bubbles Clawtooth.  Pretty funny!  Well, as  you can see,  Tableau is full of surprises and silliness, not to mention one-of-a-kind items that you really should check out.  A lot of laughs with your friends can be had on this exploration.  I ended up buying the hair which inspired me to whip out my other recently purchased Carved Flower Cat Eye Glasses by Paper Couture and my Poppies dress by Icing and go totally retro!

Clawtooth by Clawtooth at Tableau_004

 

 

 

 

Rebel Hope

Rebel Hope_001

Rebel Hope’s Vegas Showgirl costume

(pic taken at the Las Vegas City region)

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Bay%20City%20-%20Argos/105/84/25

Let me start by saying that Rebel Hope creates everything with amazing style.  Casual wear, formal wear, shoes, jewelry, accessories…all reasons to check out her store.  But what I want to focus on is her costume shop.  She has a wonderful collection of well made and highly detailed outfits, great for many occasions and guaranteed to be fun!  You’ll find Bugsy, Cleopatra, Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and Spartan, just to name a few.  All come with great flexi prims and wonderfully detailed accessories.  The outfits are often complete, including shoes and accessories. Whatever the occasion, wearing Rebel Hope’s costumes will guarantee you a grand entrance!

For those who wish to conserve their lindens, you’ll also find a $50 L discount room filled with stylish designs.  You will also want to sign up with her group…Rebel Hope is very generous and I now have a great collection of themed pumps.  My favorite pair are my Pirate Pumps!  There is a touch-to-join board inside the main entrance of the store, no group slot is needed.

Rebel Hope - Moulin Rouge_032

Alsoooooo, you GOTTA hit the furniture shop on her sim called Woodshed.  Decadent, sumptuous, and rich are just a few of the adjectives I can use here.  Sounds like dessert, doesn’t it?  I suppose, to sum it up you can just call it yummy!  You’ll find amazing gothic medieval castle furniture and accessories here.  I’ll make a separate post of this shop later.  But for now, I’m just sayin’……CHECK IT OUT!

For a peek at more of Rebel Hope’s designs, look here:  http://rebelhopedesigns.blogspot.com/

Rebel Hope - Moulin Rouge_031

Rebel Hope’s Moulin Rouge Paris costume

(pic taken at The Moulin Rouge sim)

Shiny Things

Shiny Things_002

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Shiny%20Falls/173/181/37

Shiny Things shoes was one of my first “big girl” purchases in Second Life.  Before Shiny Things, I only knew freebie and discount warehouse shoes,  and let me tell you what a revelation it was to have on some really well made shoes!  Now, two years later, it is still one of my favorite shoe stores.  One of the things Fallingwater Cellardoor excels in is her boots.  As you may know already,  different occasions require different boots.  The sexy stiletto boot, the chic wear-with-a-skirt boot, the versatile ankle boot that can be worn with dresses or jeans, the cowboy boot, the the over-the-knee boot, the kitten heel boot, the chunky heel boot, the combat boot, the Ugg boot (uhm, yes…it gets its own category because it defies all others.  And I defy it.), and the very elusive “badass” boot.  Now, Redgrave does make an amazing badass boot…but it just doesn’t seem appropriate for all occasions.  Though I do love it, I was still searching for a badass boot with a different feel.  Today, I found it at Shiny Things.  Ladies and gentlemen…meet the Ving boot by Shiny Things.

Shiny Things_003

Nice, huh?  Sleek, stylish but edgy.  Comes with a bootlace changing hud.  You just gotta love it!  And while you’re shopping, don’t overlook the “reduced price” room.  Don’t think you won’t find great styles in there.  Some of my favorite SL shoes are in that room and I wear them still, but you can get them at great prices.  Guys, this is one store that you will want to shop in as well.  Some really great men’s styles there.  You can also find jewelry and a few other accessories.  So….happy shopping!

Armidi

Armidi

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Armidi/135/129/26

This dress is from Armidi’s Gisaci shop.  I have this in a couple of colors, merlot and deep blue.  Not only do the textures have a beautiful satiny shine, the flow is just lovely when walking.  Along with a wide range of clothing choices, the shops offer hair, skin, and other accessories for both men and women.

Oh dammit!  Lindens help me!  I just bought another outfit here.  Well, I’m not weak…NOBODY can resist these items!  I dare you to try ;)

Manna

Manna_003

http://slurl.com/secondlife/tribaldance/200/131/22

I’ve been wanting to post about Manna for quite some time now, but I wanted to get just the right pics to show off her exquisite work…so it took a while.  Sorry for the delay.  But now, you can see why I wanted the pics to be just right!  Stunning, right?  Everything I’m wearing in the pic, except for the hair, is by Manna Yoshikaw.  I can stare all day at the beautiful prims she’s created!  Again, I’m not a huge RP’er, but I still look for a reason to wear this outfit.  Some of you may notice that I’ve worn this outfit a few time in the pics for different posts.  When feeling a bit edgy, this is a perfect outfit.  Check out her blog here:  http://pinup.canalblog.com/

Manna_002Check out the prim work on the belt and wrist jewelry

Manna_001Amazing prims!

Blitzed

Blitzed_002

http://slurl.com/secondlife/BLITZED/97/171/71

Since I’m doing a bit of building today, I felt that I should get into the groove more, so I went to Blitzed and picked up the cool tool belt I saw there the other day.  Blitzed is a recent discovery for me, and one that deserves to be passed on to others because of their excellent products.  I’m wearing the builder’s toolbelt above.  There are others too, all well made.  I also picked up the cute tank shirt I’m wearing in the pic above.  Perhaps I don’t deserve to wear the belt yet….I’m not really a builder.  But, hey.  Who’s gonna stop me from having a little bit of fun?!  You’ll find items and clothes for both men and women here.  From clothes to accessories, Blitzed has some very cool products.

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Back view of Blitzed’s builder’s belt

Wishbox – fairy tales & steampunk

Wishbox - fairy tales & steampunk_001

http://slurl.com/secondlife/BraveHearts/190/159/41

I am absolutely thrilled to be able to tell you about a wonderful shop that I’ve just discovered.  I’m so excited!  I just love when I feel like I’ve made a major discovery, and Wishbox is one of these for me!  Last night, I received a dress through xstreet.  When I tried it on, I was so pleased!  It was gorgeous!   This morning I found that Wisp Jenn had sent me an IM and an updated version of the dress.  I sent an IM back to her thanking her and she couldn’t have been any sweeter.  I then visited her shop expecting more beautiful designs and I wasn’t disappointed.  I purchased the “Sprite” dress in sapphire and the “Tree of Life” necklace shown in the pics.  (Ok, I purchased more than these, but I’ll focus on just these for now.)  The dress shape, texture, fit, flow, and “feel” is just sooooo amazing.  Top quality!  The prim add-on details finish off the outfit perfectly instead of hanging on awkwardly as many do.  As you walk into the shop, there are more clues of Wisp Jenn’s creative talents such as well made jewelry and accessories to compliment her clothing.  Most of her outfits are themed.  You’ll find fairy, steampunk, maiden, medieval, and a few other looks here.  However, they are quite versatile and can be worn for many occasions as gowns or cocktail dresses.

Beautiful outfits and accessories are reasons enough to visit Wishbox, but in my opinion, Wisp Jenn’s care and generosity towards her customers makes it an absolute MUST SEE destination for shopping.

See more of her designs here at her blogsite:  http://wispjinn.blogspot.com/

Wishbox - fairy tales & steampunk_003

The bottle reads, “Drink me”.   Hmmmm…maybe just a little bit.