Monday, March 31, 2014

Spring blooms...

1a
As sunlight with more than the warmth of winter reached through bare branches to stroke across the sodden land, Mae had awoken.  Under bark and beneath the leaf litter her presence was felt. A slow warm breath caressed sleeping seeds, bulbs buried deep in their earthen beds. Each night she slept a little less, frosts no longer banishing her to slumber. Movement in the woods, slowly at first, more and more as each day passed.
3a
Green shoots unfurled, breaking through the chill of earth to broaden and grow in the sunlight. Sap rose, leaves blossoming, the great trees taking in and giving out the first breath of the new season as Mae took her first steps. Each year though born anew she was as old as time and life itself. Even in the heart of a city, her influence was felt, paving stones cracked and crumbled under the tendrils of moss, the searching roots of clover. Here in the woods she emerged, gathering strength against the creeping grey misunderstanding of civilisation. Mae would never be tamed, never caged. This freedom was the hope of the world, free to all should they choose to follow. All it ever took, was a walk in the woods.
2a

Ok, so I'll let you all into a little secret. Of all the shopping I manage to do, I never buy skins. All right, not never, but rarely enough to make it something of note. I have been fortunate enough to blog some amazing skins, and this one is no exception.

I went to the Skin Fair (which closed yesterday - my timing is EPIC) and wandered around the stores, finding things I liked here and there... then pow!  [theSkinnery] blew me away with this skin. As I mentioned, skins tend to be big purchases for me, something I would only think about buying if I fell in love with it, or if I had a specific look I was going for in a post destined for this blog, and couldn't get the damn imagined image out of my mind. Like this...  Still, as with life in general, I find that if I go back to a store to look at something three times, it's something I want enough to buy. So, after the three visits to see the Quiana skin, here we are!
The skin itself is beautiful, very natural, with the kind of 'flaws' like freckles and moles that make it real. 

L$990 for [the Skinnery] Quiana  - Bare Face - in Toffee as shown here - gets you nine skin versions, with differing brow and cleavage options. Three 'system' eyebrows, and an alpha mask to get rid of those pesky system eyelashes. Two 'tattoo' options for blush and glow. There's also a 'Lip Intensity System' enabling you to choose from eight different 'intensities' of lipstick, and two glosses - the colour possibilities of which are endless. There's also a handy notecard which explains this a lot better than I do.

I also bought separately the Slink appliers for MESH hands and feet.

Skin : [the Skinnery] Quiana - Bare face(toffee).  L$990
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Camomile/24/95/23
Slink Applier for hands : [theSkinnery] Slink Skin Appliers-Hands-toffee. L$175
Slink Applier for feet : [theSkinnery] Slink Skin Appliers-Feet-toffee. L$175
Hair : Truth Hair - Harley (Browns) L$250
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Truth/128/128/2
Dress : LUAS Tarna Ivory gown with Lola's Appliers L$150
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/88795