The Shopping District

 Hiya everyone! Tonight my mood was calling for variety, so I am sharing several different gifts for The Shopping District group. It is free to join, and there are many designers who take part by notifying the group about their special offers and sales. Most also offer a gift at their stores for anyone wearing the TSD group tag, so those are what I picked up to show you in this post :) I feel like shopping is one of those essential aspects of SL just like in RL, whether you think of it as a necessity from time to time or it is a hobby to which you are quite devoted, so information on where to shop for the best merch and at the best times (sales!) is always helpful. Some of us are looking to buy fashions, others home decor because the urge to redecorate one's living space can hit frequently, and some are trying to find the right look for our avatar so things like skins, shapes, makeup, and eyes are going to be the most tempting. Whatever it is that you dream of, I hope The Shopping District guides you to find it :)

For my first look, I visited {Le'La}, who always manage to tempt me with their versatile fashions. This is their Laury Dress Gift for TSD group, with a daring high-low hem whose peak in the front goes aaaaalll the way up ;) Then the back trails off into a small train, so this is as much drama coming as it is going! There are sizes for Freya, Isis, Venus, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh bodies, as well as a HUD with 5 colors to choose from. Each hue is a light color of the floral pattern that is etched on a very dark background, reminding me of a chalkboard only much more elegant :) I know there's a type of art that looks like this, but its name and details are escaping me. 

For a distinct change of pace, we can also claim the charming CF*Malawi 0520 gift from ~CAROLA~. They used to be called Caramelo de Fresa, which explains the CF part of this sweet outfit's name :) Our dress fits Altamura, Freya, Isis, Venus, eBody Classic, eBody Curvy, Legacy, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine mesh bodies, while the shoes are designed for Belleza, Maitreya, and Slink High feet. We receive a HUD for each as well, with 12 colors for the dress and 17 for the shoes so we can do lots of mixing and matching. The bow and lacy trim really give this look an ultra feminine feel, which often suits my mood perfectly.

Next we have a sexy little black dress, courtesy of Fatal Fashion. Their ::FF:: Dress Ema Black gift includes sizing for Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh bodies. The strapless style has triangular darts on the sides to reveal just enough without being too much, if you catch my drift :) We definitely need a C-string (strapless panties) beneath this shorty of a dress, and I think the accessories we choose can really make a huge difference between dressy or more casual.

I've had enough of the cold weather and need a tropical vacation, so who's with me? :) First you'll need to grab this Graffitiwear April Dress gift of course, because vacations deserve new clothing and the price can't be beat. This dress wears as one piece with the appearance of two very tiny ones, in 4 classic fitmesh sizes as well as Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine mesh body sizes. The colorful fabric puts me in mind of the beach as much as the style does, anywhere warm and breezy. 

For my final look of the evening, I shimmied into the flirtatious *Gloss* Sharon Dress - GIFT. This mini dress with halter neck is a very pretty beige that is basically nude skintone for me, and will be quite flattering on darker skin hues as well I'm sure :) Because of that similarity though, I cannot tell if the sides are sheer or just the center panel. There are sizes for Belleza Gen X Classic, Belleza Gen X Curvy, Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn mesh bodies provided in this generous gift.

Whew, what a day! I wasn't expecting us to do the pizza making that we couldn't on Christmas Day, yet my parents randomly decided we should. However, they ran out of time to make the dough themselves when my dad got a phone call from his barber to come in one last time before the barber retires today. That's the third sudden retirement or business ending I've heard of around here recently, so it's starting to freak me out a bit. We wound up using 2 different types of pizza crusts, one cauliflower and I have no idea what the other was (frozen), but the cauliflower one burned pretty badly despite following the package's instructions. The other one seemed to not agree with me, and I'm unfortunately not the only one, so my stomach is not very happy with me at the moment. My hair smells like tomato and smoke, LOL, like when my mom opened the oven and all that smoke poured out it smelled like someone blew out 100 birthday cake candles. The kitchen had a smoky haze that didn't go away yet by the time I left either, so it was an unexpected adventure. Is it bedtime yet? *yawn* I have another 7 or 8 hours before that happens, so I'd better wrap this up ;) I hope you all have a fantastic weekend, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

Photo 1:

Dress: {Le'La} Laury Dress Gift $0L TSD Group Gift

Photo 2:

Outfit: ~CAROLA~ CF*Malawi 0520 $0L TSD Group Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: Fatal Fashion ::FF:: Dress Ema Black $0L TSD Group Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: Graffitiwear April Dress $0L TSD Group Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: *Gloss* Sharon Dress - GIFT $0L TSD Group Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 3.1

Hair: TRUTH Levitate - Redhead

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - PAOLA cotton candy (BOM)

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

Cosmopolitan Treats

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I am excited to share that the Cosmopolitan Event has their Advent tree out for this entire round, which started on the 25th and is open until the 6th of January. This means that with their free group tag active, you can click all the balls or baubles on the Christmas tree and receive dozens of generous gifts from their designers :) The landing spot is directly above the tree, which you can see beneath you through the glass floor, so you can either cam down to it or walk around to one of the ramps that brings you to the lower floor and approach it from ground level. I believe there are over 60 treats waiting, and I promise they aren't all Christmas themed so you don't have to hesitate if you're just over the holiday season ;) There were a few of course, which were lovely but you won't be seeing them here this evening. I am grateful for them, don't get me wrong, it's really just being ready to focus on other things I guess. 

My first look is the sexy Blackstone - Giovana Dress - Red gift. This daringly cut mini dress has a navel-baring neckline and diagonal cut hem, showing off extra thigh on the left side. We receive sizes for Khara, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn mesh bodies, with a HUD to turn the shine on or off. I have it on in both views above, and I think it might be more noticeable on the right side of my photo. 

Our [Din] Bonnie Fatpack gift also seems to want to help us wrap up the year with extra sex appeal :) The dress and panties (which are basically a slender string) each fit Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Reborn, and Juicy bodies. There is also a HUD, with 8 colors apiece for the top, center, bottom, and panties, plus controls for shine and materials. I felt like mixing things up a bit rather than a monochromatic look, which also gives you ideas of a few of the hues we can select from.

Denim is a timeless essential in my book, so I am delighted with our Yadia Jean Dress - Blue Jeans gift from #UNIVERSA. There are sizes for Gen X Classic, Gen X Squishy, Khara, Kupra, Kupra Mounds, Legacy, Maitreya, Peach, Reborn, Reborn Mounds, and Reborn Waifu mesh bodies provided. I really like the styling, with plunging neckline, pretty collar, and daring side slit for a playful feeling. 

Next we see the beautiful .:{Sofia}:. Cheer Star Gown Dress - Purple dress, whose details immediately made me smile. It is provided in sizing for Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn bodies, and has a ruffled layer built in with one frill across the bodice and one on each side of the skirt. The ruffles reveal the gold inner fabric, a shiny satin that matches the belt and the floral decorations on the underskirt. That leg slit is an eye-catching detail too, don't you think? I've always thought of purple and gold as a very regal color combination, so this could bring out our inner beauty queen.

My final look of the evening features the [hh] Jada Dress gift from Hilly Haalan. There are two different lengths of the dress included, each in Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Kups, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, and Reborn mesh body sizes. There's also a HUD as you can tell, which offers an impressive 40 colors each for the top, upper skirt, mid skirt, and lower skirt for the longer style dress. I was apparently in an ombre mood when taking these photos :) There are also 4 metal options for the clips on our straps, so this dress is wonderfully customizable.

It was another chaotic day here, as my therapy session turned into an outing to the dentist's office parking lot. It was a little better than yesterday's excursion, but still far too much anxiety for my liking. The weather is still rainy but I think it's supposed to clear up for the weekend :) Dinner at my parents' tomorrow, which I am looking forward to as usual. I hope you're all having a lovely day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Advent Group Gifts from Cosmopolitan Event:

Photo 1:

Dress: Blackstone - Giovana Dress - Red $0L Cosmo Group Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: [Din] Bonnie Fatpack $0L Cosmo Group Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: #UNIVERSA - Yadia Jean Dress - Blue Jeans $0L Cosmo Group Gift

Photo 4:

Dress: .:{Sofia}:. Cheer Star Gown Dress - Purple $0L Cosmo Group Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: Hilly Haalan [hh] Jada Dress $0L Cosmo Group Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 3.1

Hair: TRUTH Levitate - Redhead

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - PAOLA cotton candy (BOM)

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

Hunting At Poet's Heart

 Hiya everyone! Tonight's post features a selection of free hunt prizes from the Holiday Hunt taking place at a small shopping center with 3 stores who are all participating. Please click the sign when you land for a notecard with all your information, like hints and photos of the prizes. Poet's Heart is the one whose tempting treats appear here tonight, with the other stores being Pink Moon (poses) and Lily of the Sea (mermaid wear). All the prizes are inside fairy hats crafted from a dark green felt, and fairies must have relatively small heads because they aren't very big hats ;) I admit this was a tricky hunt even with the hints, but I also was going it alone (usually Xan assists me with hunts but he was already signed out for the night) and I was feeling frazzled due to RL so probably not at my sharpest. One bit of advice I'll offer is to be sure to look high and low in the area that each hint leads you to, as my failure to initially do so caused me to miss a few on my first exploration. Truthfully I never did find all of them, lol, but I am absolutely delighted with the generous goodies I did locate :) The hunt is open until the 3rd of January, so please visit soon.

My first look of the evening is the PH - Maya - Holiday Edition prize from Poet's Heart. This lovely dress comes in sizes for eBody, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Kups, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, and Petite mesh bodies, with a HUD that offers 8 vibrant color choices. All the textures have the same gorgeous floral designs on front and back, bodice and skirt, so just the right little touches :) The colors are on the darker, bold side, which look wonderful with the style.

Next we see one of their more fantasy or roleplay themed creations, the PH - Noor - Holiday Edition. This outfit consists of the top, sleeves, and pants which are separates in sizing for eBody, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Kups, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, and Petite mesh bodies. You'll also find a HUD inside the gift with 6 colors for the main fabric and 9 for the trim, so you can mix and match as I've done here. The black trim on the left above really shows off the gold embossing, yet there is something clean and elegant about the uniform look I chose on the right :) I look like I'm ready to grant a wish, don't you think?

The PH - Grace - Holiday Edition prize is a striking halter gown with full flowing skirt, in sizes for eBody, Kupra, Kups, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, and Petite mesh bodies. The HUD offers 4 shades of blue each for the top skirt portions, so we can have a solid colored dress like on the right above, or tease out a little variety as I've done on the left above.

This fascinating outfit is yet another Poet's Heart prize, called PH - Raya - Holiday Edition. Its bodysuit, collar A, collar B, and skirt components each fit eBody, Kupra, Kups, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, and Petite bodies, with the collar A being the metallic portion and the collar B is the two sashes that flow from it. The included HUD lets us select from 8 colors for each piece, as well as 8 metals for those areas for a very customizable appearance. The designer went with soft pastels for this edition, and I am definitely a fan :)

My final look of the night is the PH - Amaya - Holiday Edition prize, and all I can say is wow!! Well okay, I will say more though...like I must tell you that the full skirted gown has a sweetheart neckline and separate sleeves, each in eBody, Kupra, Kups, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, and Petite sizes. It's also helpful to share that there is a HUD provided too, with 3 beautiful texture choices for the gown (ombres!!!) and 6 for the ribbons, which are the 3 to match the gowns and 3 neutrals like black and white. The holiday editions of their creations are fantastic, aren't they? That should tell you why I enjoy all their offerings so much, and yes I did pick up some demos for when I have time to return and shop :)

It was a whirlwind of a day, thanks to having to go to the podiatrist despite my anxiety telling me I should not leave the house. The entire way there was sheer terror (quick trip, not ridiculous traffic, nothing that would bother most people) and then a longer than usual wait to see the doctor which just made the panic attacks worse. He was very kind though, asked how things had been and I said the feet are doing fine, so he added "and the other issues?" so I knew he meant the agoraphobia. I answered and he said when he saw my name on the schedule he was excited for me to be able to be there, so it really meant a lot that he cared. Last time he'd mentioned that his mom also suffers from agoraphobia, so I think that makes him more compassionate about it :) The ride home was slightly easier but still not great, and then all the anxiety meds I took finally kicked in LOL so it was naptime. That made dinner late, but not a big deal. Tomorrow I'll have lots to discuss in therapy, that's for dang sure. I hope you're all having a pleasant day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Hunt Prizes from Poet's Heart:

Photo 1:

Dress: Poet's Heart PH - Maya - Holiday Edition $0L Holiday Hunt

Photo 2:

Outfit: PH - Noor - Holiday Edition $0L Holiday Hunt

Photo 3:

Dress: PH - Grace - Holiday Edition $0L Holiday Hunt

Photo 4:

Outfit: PH - Raya - Holiday Edition $0L Holiday Hunt

Photo 5:

Dress: PH - Amaya - Holiday Edition $0L Holiday Hunt

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 3.1

Hair: TRUTH Levitate - Redhead

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - PAOLA cotton candy (BOM)

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

More MGSN Gift Train

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I've got some more MGSN Gift Train goodies to show you, but I was very careful to select gifts that are suitable for winter or year round but not specific to Christmas. Even those who celebrate the holiday could be fatigued from seeing the decorations so much, LOL, so I'm trying to be wintry rather than festive. MGSN is the Maitreya Sales, Gifts and News group, which is free to join and has tons of participating designers who offer gifts all year long. These particular selections however are for the holiday gift train and only available for a few more days, so I'm eager to share before it's too late. The gift train runs until the 31st, and it's up to each designer what they do with these gifts after that date...some might still offer them for a bit, others might set them aside for next year, and still others could choose to retire them altogether. I'm grateful to every single designer, whether I featured their store's offering this year or not ♥.

First up, we have the charming *Lurve* Sweet Sleeper in Red gift, and I must say I do lurve love it! The cropped hoodie and pants are each provided in standard mesh sizes along with Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, and TMP mesh body sizing, with slippers that are unrigged to be able to fit (with some adjusting if needed) most flat feet. As a snuggly bonus, there are two adorable teddy bears with different holding poses, both of which can be seen above. I've always had a fondness for plushies, and collected teddy bears for much of my life (anyone remember Cherished Teddies figurines?) so this gift brought extra much-needed smiles.

I also stopped by :::FurtaCor:::, whose Zuky Xmas Shirt & pants gift are quite versatile for all winter long (and probably fall and spring!). The shirt is mesh and fits Freya, Isis, Hourglass, Legacy, and Maitreya mesh bodies, with a HUD that offers 15 textures and two choices for the belt (black or white). The pants are system/BOM layers and come in black, blue, brown, gold, mint, red 2, red 3, white, green, and a color tint version so you can pretty much have any color pants you wish :) That makes for endless combinations, and we can dress this up or down with the accessories and footwear we decide to pair it with.

There is something special about the color green, so much so that I couldn't resist our Carol's Store-Penny Dress Green gift :) Wear it for Christmas, bring it back out for St. Patrick's Day, or any random cool spring day or evening, you'll look amazing! Its unpacking HUD includes Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Khara, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, Momma, and Reborn mesh body sizes. That square neckline will frame your favorite necklace beautifully, and the knit textures give such a comfy vibe.

Pink Cream Pie has a special treat for the gift train, their lovely !PCP : Lena Dress [Royal Christmas]. There are two versions included, one with shorter sleeves (right above) that don't hide our hands the way the original (left) does, each in Legacy, Maitreya, Petite, and Reborn sizes. There are built in panties, so we also get a handy HUD with 24 colors for those as well as a button to toggle them on/off. Also on the HUD are 5 metals for the belt buckle, although I am enjoying the gold to match the yellowy gold snowflakes :) I think if the flakes were red and green, I might have skipped sharing this one as too Christmassy, but the colors they used instead put it firmly into winter instead for me.

My final look of the evening comes from Entice, and is called Sweet Victory - Violet. This elegant outfit consists of the short sleeved top and pants, each in sizes for Freya, Hourglass, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Petite mesh bodies. The notched neckline certainly caught my eye, and the color is simply fantastic :) Definitely not restricted to Christmas, and I think it will be fun to wear right on into the spring or beyond.

Yesterday did not go as planned, including the tradition of making pizza with my parents...they need gluten free dough, and couldn't find a recipe that worked with the flour they got online (they had no way to weigh it into grams) so we had stuffed shells instead. The important part was being together though, and we still got to enjoy the holiday as a family. I'm supposed to go to the podiatrist tomorrow, but with the anxiety and panic attacks kicking up I am not certain that I'll be able to get there. 2023 is wrapping up rather roughly for me, but I am trying to remain optimistic for 2024. I hope you're all having a lovely day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

Photo 1:

Outfit: *Lurve* Sweet Sleeper in Red $0L MGSN Gift Train

Photo 2:

Outfit: :::FurtaCor::: Zuky Xmas Shirt & pants $0L MGSN Gift Train

Photo 3:

Dress: Carol's Store-Penny Dress Green $0L MGSN Gift Train

Photo 4:

Dress: Pink Cream Pie !PCP : Lena Dress [Royal Christmas] $0L MGSN Gift Train

Photo 5:

Outfit: Entice - Sweet Victory - Violet $0L MGSN Gift Train

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 3.1

Hair: TRUTH Levitate - Redhead

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - PAOLA cotton candy (BOM)

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

Frost-E-Fest Treats

 Hiya everyone! Tonight on this quiet holiday eve, I am happy to be here sharing some gifts with all of you :) The Frost-E-Fest shopping event is running until the end of the month I believe, and there are lots of booths with presents wrapped in blue and red paper with red ribbons which contain free gifts for all visitors. The majority were in the outer ring of the event, so be sure to check the inner portion then walk through any of the 4 openings (one on each side of the square) to head out to the larger outside ring of displays. Everything is decorated beautifully, and the offerings are generally winter themed but not restricted to it so you never know what you'll find in your explorations. Isn't that generally true anywhere in SL though? The mysteries keep us hopping :)

My first look is the lovely La Feminique - Cozy outfit, consisting of the sweater, scarf, and panty liners in black and white versions. Each piece fits Freya, Isis, Venus, Legacy, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh bodies, and we can easily wear as few or as many of the separates as we wish for a variety of combos. I think in the chilliest weather, I'm slipping on some jeans instead of just the little panty provided ;) How cute is that image on the front of the sweater? I never made many snowmen myself, but have fond memories of seeing other people's creations each winter and occasionally spotting the artists at work.

I really appreciate the year-round appeal of the ::HAUS OF FAUXBERRY:: Sophia Sweater [GIFT], with bare shoulders and midriff but long full sleeves for a range of suitable seasons. There are sizes for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Khara, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, Reborn, Juicy Boobs, and Waifu mesh bodies included in this thoughtful gift. 

Another wonderful top I found among the event gifts would be this layered ...:::Beautiful Dirty Rich:::... Nicki - Sweater & Tank Top treat. The off-shoulder sweater and knit tank top are each provided in Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn mesh body sizes, both cropped and flirty :) There is also a HUD inside, with 20 colors for each piece, as well as 3 texture options for the tank top that adjust the transparency - sheer, sharp, or solid. You could wear this with just about any pants or skirt imaginable, but as I'm in a casual mood I went with the white pair of jeans from the Delizio marketplace fatpack, an amazing free gift I found there years ago and have gotten tons of mileage from ever since.

It is such fun to wear clothing in SL that has a knit sweater texture but is much more playful and revealing than a heavy sweater would be, like the 1 Hundred. Warmth Mini. Strawberry gift seen here :) The pattern says winter, while the strapless styling says we don't need to be bundled up to generate heat! It comes in sizes for Freya, Hourglass, Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, and Reborn mesh bodies. 

My final look of the evening has just the right amount of shimmer for New Year's Eve, if you ask me :) It's our Syntilla Dress gift from Witch In A Box, which caught my eye immediately with the starry pattern and flirty neckline. We receive Freya, Hourglass, Legacy, and Maitreya mesh body sizes, along with a HUD that lets us choose from 4 similarly lovely patterns like the two seen above. I think the golden look on the right made me think of next week, just right for champagne and fireworks, yet there is something timeless about the overall look :) 

It is past midnight here so I can officially wish all of you a very Merry Christmas :) I know it's not quite Monday in SL yet, but I expect it will be by the time many of you read this. I also acknowledge that not everyone chooses to celebrate this particular holiday, either for religious reasons or complicated family stuff, and to any of you in that boat I apologize if my holiday wishes touch a nerve and reassure that I still wish you a wonderful day as always ♥. My celebration is secular and about time with family, so while I was unable to attend the Christmas Eve gathering at my grandma's (dang panic attacks) I did a quick video call with my grandma and my cousins. Both cousins and both of their wives were there, and the younger brother said they all missed me very much, which almost made me cry. I'm okay, and I am ready to make pizza at my parents' in the afternoon for my family's weird but fun Christmas Day tradition. I haven't decided yet if I will be blogging tomorrow evening or not, as it mostly depends on how long I'm at my parents' and how much sleep I get beforehand, so it will be a surprise to all of us I guess ;) Many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from Frost-E-Fest Event:

Photo 1:

Outfit: La Feminique - Cozy $0L Event Gift

Photo 2:

Top: ::HAUS OF FAUXBERRY:: Sophia Sweater [GIFT] $0L Event Gift

Photo 3:

Top: ...:::Beautiful Dirty Rich:::... Nicki - Sweater & Tank Top $0L Event Gift

Photo 4:

Dress: 1 Hundred. Warmth Mini. Strawberry $0L Event Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: Witch In A Box - Syntilla Dress $0L Event Gift

Pants Photos 2&3: Delizio - Jeans + Applier for Maitreya + Omega (shown in White) $0L Marketplace

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 3.1

Hair: TRUTH Levitate - Redhead

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - PAOLA cotton candy (BOM)

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

Winter Wonderland

 Hiya everyone! Tonight it's time to welcome you to Malus Park for their Winter Wonderland shopping event. There are 28 designers this round who have created exclusive items for us, and most have gifts for $25L or less available too :) The area looks gorgeous as usual, so I do suggest taking a walk around and exploring the sights to really make a day or evening of it. This is the 4th annual round of the Winter Wonderland event, and I am wishing them many more years of bringing joy to the grid this time of year.

My first look of the evening is filled with exclusives from Designs by Danielle, like the cozy DbD Winter sweaterdress blue/white that can be yours for just $199L. There are sizes for Khara, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Petite, and Reborn mesh bodies, with a pair of BOM knit tights included to help keep your legs warm too. Then the DbD Winter Boots for $199L are a great choice for walking safely in a winter wonderland with well coordinated feet :) These fit Belleza Classic, Hourglass, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn mid-height feet, and are really nicely detailed with zippers, plaid bows, and a hint of trim that matches the pattern on our sweaterdress. For another $99L you can add the charming DbD Winter Beret blue/white, unrigged so it is fully adjustable and adds a jaunty touch to any outfit. My bag is yet another exclusive, the DbD Winter Purse with Scarf, Keys and animation which can be yours for just $149L. The plaid bow is a perfect match for the ones on the boots, and I love the idea of having keys handy since I don't always think about keys in SL but they do make sense :) We do have doors so why not, right? All of these selections plus the one in my next image can be purchased as a fatpack to save some lindens if you prefer, for $599L which is a nice bargain for sure.

I look so happy with my new DbD Winter Smoothie with animation, since of course I got a little hungry and thirsty doing all that exploring at Malus Park :) You can see the lovely holding pose here, and I didn't need to adjust it at all to keep my fingers from poking into the mystery beverage...I'm still undecided on just what I want there to be in there, maybe a frosty berry smoothie? Ohh or if you've ever had a blended iced chai smoothie with vanilla, that is a fun treat that I highly recommend. Maybe it's coffee, or even an adult beverage of some sort ;) For $199L you can grab your own and decide what you feel like sipping on this weekend.

The Applique Chic display has a special free gift awaiting for all, no group tag required, called AC: Christmas Ruffles Merry. Isn't it pretty? The frilly skirt says Merry Christmas in a fun handwriting font, and the neckline ruffles and sleeve cuffs provide a fun contrast no matter which of the 6 colors you choose from the provided HUD. There are sizes for Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Ocacin, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, Tonic Fine, and Voluptuous mesh bodies in this generous gift.

Some of our wintry expeditions might call for more casual looks, so the ~TL~ Christmas Dove Tank Set from Tea Lane seems perfect, with an equally awesome price - free! That's right, this is a complimentary treat from their giftbox, and its minty green top comes in a few male sizes as well as Altamura, eBody Reborn, Waifu, Freya, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Flat, Petite, Lara X, Lara X Petite, Rebirth Female, Rebirth Petite, and Slink Hourglass mesh body sizes. The jeans and leggings (leggings on the left above, jeans with pockets on the right) are each provided in BOM layers which makes them quite versatile.

My final look of the evening helps show the Tea Lane's pants' versatility, as it worked out well to wear beneath another free gift :) That would be our Grumble-Naughty Feels Nice T-Shirt, a short sleeved white tee with "Sorry Santa! Naughty feels Nice!" written on the front in a few festive colors. For legal purposes I can neither confirm nor deny the truth of this statement...LOL okay yes, sometimes being naughty can feel pretty nice, as long as nobody gets hurt :) We receive sizes for eBody, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine mesh bodies in this thoughtful little wonderland present. 

I had a nice dinner at my parents' tonight, and will be there again tomorrow for some holiday cooking. We watched the first half of a hockey game there, my team was down 5-1 when I left...got home a few minutes later, it was 5-3, so a comeback attempt was clearly happening. Next thing I knew it was tied at 5, then we were winning *gasp*, then it was tied again at 6. End result? We lost in the shootout after the overtime 3 on 3 for five minutes. It was the wildest game I've seen in a while, so despite the loss I am glad I watched :) I'm taking tomorrow off from blogging as I usually do on Saturday nights, and will be back Sunday but am undecided about Monday yet, leaning towards a holiday again. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend ahead, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Offers and Gifts from Winter Wonderland:

Photo 1:

Dress: Designs by Danielle DbD Winter sweaterdress blue/white $199L Winter Wonderland

Boots: DbD Winter Boots $199L Winter Wonderland

Hat: DbD Winter Beret blue/white $99L Winter Wonderland

Purse: DbD Winter Purse with Scarf, Keys and animation $149L Winter Wonderland

Photo 2:

Cup: DbD Winter Smoothie with animation $99L Winter Wonderland

Photo 3:

Dress: Applique Chic AC: Christmas Ruffles Merry $0L Winter Wonderland Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: Tea Lane ~TL~ Christmas Dove Tank Set $0L Winter Wonderland Gift

Photo 5:

Top: Grumble-Naughty Feels Nice T-Shirt $0L Winter Wonderland Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 3.1

Hair: TRUTH VIP Smitten - Essential

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - PAOLA cotton candy (BOM)

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

MGSN Gift Train

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I'd like to tell you about the fun and generous MGSN Gift Train, which is a tour of participating stores of the MGSN or Maitreya Gifts, Sales and News group. It is free to join, and this seems to be a recurring celebration this time of year :) I do recall sharing some of last year's gifts, and now we've got a whole new batch of limited time treats to help you celebrate the season. There is a Christmas theme among some of the gifts, but not exclusively, so even if you do not celebrate or already have you fill of holiday fashions, you can still find plenty that will suit simply winter or any season. We have the rest of the month to claim these particular goodies, so we'd better hurry! Most of these designers have other gifts out for the MGSN group, so might as well have a peek while you're aboard the gift train.

Composer Girls Fashion is embracing the holiday season with their gift train gift, called !CGF-*Playful Christmas* Outfit. It consists of the halter top, jacket, and two pairs of shorts (high-cut on the left above or the original style on the right) in sizing for Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique bodies, with a matching thigh socks/sneakers combo in Belleza Venus, Maitreya, Ocacin, and Physique sizing. The candy cane mouthie can be adjusted, and the festive hat can too especially with the built in resize script. We can mix up the way we wear this by adding all the parts or just some, customizing the look for our personal style.

For a touch of snowflakes on a dark backdrop of poinsettias, we have the lovely .:AlmaMiranda:. Christmas Train Dress. This made me think of a little black dress but elevated for the season :) There are sizes for Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Reborn, and Reborn Juicy mesh bodies provided for this beauty.

One of the non-seasonal gifts I mentioned earlier would be our ::BE BOLD:: Strawberry Show outfit. This adorable top and shorts set are both trimmed in red (slightly festive?) with a print of strawberries and their pretty white blossoms on a blue background. Each piece comes in Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn mesh body sizes. Our friends in the southern hemisphere can enjoy this summery treat right now, and those of us in colder climates can simply visit warm locales in SL if we need a break from the snow or chill!

Next I changed into the [DIESEL Deluxe] Carly Outfit Pink + White Boots gift, the combination of which gives me retro 60s vibes with a modern twist. They are both provided in eBody Reborn, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Petite sizes, and the dress has a terrific amount of shine that makes me think latex. I love how the lacing on the boots is the same color as the dress :)

My final look of the evening is courtesy of [WellMade], their Dany Set GIFT which is just one of many treats they have for various groups including their own :) The strapless dress and cropped jacket each fit eBody Reborn, Juicy Boobs, Erika, Erika Bubble, Freya, Kupra (Bimbo, Low, Original), Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, and Petite mesh bodies. We also receive a HUD with 2 colors each for dress and jacket, all of which are shown above. There is something so playful about having a traditional knit sweater pattern on the bodice of a formfitting mini dress, don't ya think?

Well it was certainly a busy day here, but that is just typical of the time of year so it wasn't bad or unexpected. I hope you're all having a wonderful day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from the MGSN Gift Train:

Photo 1:

Outfit: Composer Girls Fashion !CGF-*Playful Christmas* Outfit $0L MGSN Gift Train

Photo 2:

Dress: .:AlmaMiranda:. Christmas Train Dress $0L MGSN Gift Train

Photo 3:

Outfit: ::BE BOLD:: Strawberry Show $0L MGSN Gift Train

Photo 4:

Outfit: [DIESEL Deluxe] Carly Outfit Pink + White Boots $0L MGSN Gift Train

Photo 5:

Outfit: [WellMade] Dany Set GIFT $0L MGSN Gift Train

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 3.1

Hair: TRUTH VIP Smitten - Essential

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - PAOLA cotton candy (BOM)

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

Shop and Hop Delphinium

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we dive back into the many gifts available at the Holiday Shop & Hop 2023 event, which consists of 16 regions filled with 320 wonderful designers who are all offering their best merchandise at discounted prices to make your shopping a little easier. There are also loads of gifts, and all of tonight's are from the Delphinium region to help you locate them a bit easier :) I hope you've had some time to start your explorations of this massive event, which is open until the first of January. Two of tonight's gifts have Lara X sizes, exciting news for those of us who are trying to build a wardrobe for that gorgeous new body.

My first look of the evening is the charming Blackstone - Crissy Dress gift. This versatile short sleeved knit dress can be worn as a seasonal look with your choice of 5 festive patterns, or the 5 solids on the HUD can bring it back to year-round, although the belt has Santa vibes ;) We get 4 metal choices for that belt buckle too, so even that can be customized. The dress itself fits Kupra, Legacy, and Maitreya mesh bodies. 

If you need a knockout of a dress for the holidays (or whenever!), be sure to claim our free gift at the [ZEX] display, which is their Missy sexy dress Snow. It might not be easy to tell from a still image, but this dress has a sparkly lighting effect, probably from the beautiful beads. It comes in a generous amount of sizes too - Belleza Gen X Classic, Belleza Gen X Curvy, eBody Reborn, Waifu, Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Maitreya Lara X, and Lara X Petite. That's right, a free Lara X goodie and a petite version to boot! How cool is this style, too, with the long sleeve, bare shoulder, single glove, and daring left thigh slit?

Blueberry has a fantastic gift for us too, that is labeled Blessed - Gift Tops but actually contains so much more :) The long sleeved turtleneck top comes in sizing for eBody Reborn, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Lara X, Lara X Petite, Maitreya, and Maitreya Petite bodies, with a HUD that offers 6 textures which are 4 images on winter white and 2 on black. I chose "Winter is Coming" and "Hello Winter" with a tasty looking mug of cocoa, but they are all excellent seasonal picks. The gift also includes the pleated skirt in the same color as some of the tops' HUD options, and it will fit eBody Reborn, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Lara X, and Maitreya mesh bodies. I love the way the waistline dips a little in the front, and the attached belt hangs down a bit lower than the hem.

Next I randomly chose the striking {GH} Winter Sequin Corset Dress gift from Gabrielle Hamelin to share :) The pencil dress is such a flattering shape, in fitmesh standard sizes along with Belleza Venus, eBody Reborn, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, Tonic Fine, and Voluptuous mesh body versions, with a 2 texture HUD which is a slight enough difference that I am wearing one on the left above and the other on the right, if you can tell? There's also a heart light included, which I am wearing and is a very subtle light to help bring out the best of the materials.

For my final look of the night, I slipped into the sexy May24 - Lyon Dress - Shop&Hop Xmas Gift :) The dress is provided in Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, and Reborn mesh body sizes, all with a handy HUD offering 8 textures each for the main dress and the sleeves. Those choices are 4 colors in solid or snowy, so we can mix and match to personalize the appearance. The color not shown here is red, so maybe you'd like to go with a red and green mix for this weekend? Of course then you'd need to decide with or without snowflakes for each color...spoiler alert, they're all going to look marvelous!

Hair note of the night: Truth Hair released a new gift for their VIP group ($350L to join) called Smitten, and I am in fact smitten with the style :) I didn't see it in the group notices so we do need to go to the store in person to pick it up I believe, and it has the usual fatpack of colors with each color HUD offering a stylist tab to change the look a bit, and there is an accessories HUD because there are loose bows on each side above the ears that I am hiding here tonight but we can hide/show or tint them as we prefer. I'd have had to recolor them several different times tonight and just decided it was easier to turn them off, even if they are adorable. 

It was a productive day, as a quick chat with my mom cemented a time for helping her cook and working on those crab cakes I'm so eager to provide for Christmas Eve, even if I cannot be there in person. She hasn't heard back from the younger of my 2 cousins, so we are planning as though he and his wife (who was ill and missed Thanksgiving as I did) will be there so there will be enough food regardless. If he shows without his lovely wife, he can bring her lots of leftovers and our love ♥. If neither can make it, maybe his brother will be kind enough to drop off some food for them as a Christmas treat. The crab cake recipe was my grandfather's creation and something I do to honor his memory, and I feel like it brings his spirit to the celebrations even if he is no longer physically present. A voice chat will bring me there in person, lol, per my dad's insistence which I found surprising. I'm still working on little details for the upcoming holidays both RL and SL, oh and I did hear back from the support ticket I submitted for my login failures so that was a pleasant and helpful surprise :) It was your basic script of telling me to reboot the router, send a speedtest screenshot, try their viewer (I did, same issues) and I let them know that my alt can still login so it doesn't make sense to be my PC or ISP. Still, I am reassured that someone is working on it and I know they are required to follow that script. I hope you're all having a beautiful day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from Holiday Shop & Hop - Delphinium Region:

Photo 1:

Dress: Blackstone - Crissy Dress $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: [ZEX] Missy sexy dress Snow $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Outfit: Blueberry - Blessed - Gift Tops $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Dress: Gabrielle Hamelin {GH} Winter Sequin Corset Dress $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: May24 - Lyon Dress - Shop&Hop Xmas Gift $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 3.1

Hair: TRUTH VIP Smitten - Essential

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - PAOLA cotton candy (BOM)

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

More Peace on Earth

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I have several more Peace On Earth Hunt prizes to share, all of which are free for everyone who tracks down the globes (the 'earth' in peace on earth) in each participating store. There are 42 stores on the hunt path for their 14th year, and I am grateful to the newest director who has resurrected a classic seasonal hunt that brings back fondest memories for me. Their website will guide you if you can have it available while you hunt, but most stores have their hint on the hunt sign (either hovertext or by clicking that globe) and they all have the landmark to the next store inside the folder that the prize globe delivers. 

My first look this evening is the intriguing AlaFolie - EMMY PoisFleur hunt prize. This long gown comes in sizes for Legacy, Maitreya, Petite, Hourglass, Physique, Slink Petite, Tonic Curvy, Tonic Fine, and Tonic Mini mesh bodies. The black corseted midriff matches the trim and the ribbons wound around the mermaid skirt, while contrasting the floral pattern just right :) You certainly won't feel like a wallflower in this beauty!

Next I found the globe at [Park Place Casuals] so I could claim their cozy Bekah Jersey Dress - Aubergine. The high necked knit dress is included in standard mesh sizes along with eBody, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, TMP, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine versions. The deep purple shade is beautiful, and handy if you are tired of red and green this time of year ;) Surprisingly I am not at that point yet, and am happily listening to Christmas music while blogging.

I hadn't seen Prism Designs in any hunts lately, so it was a pleasant surprise to visit to seek out their globe :) It rewarded me with the Jezzixa Cazalet for Prism Designs - Nia Skirt Set seen here, a blouse and skirt that each fit Freya, Isis, Hourglass, Hourglass Petite, Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, and Petite mesh bodies, and there is a standard fitted size for each that should work with classic avatars. We even receive a HUD with the two colors shown for our skirt, green or red, both of which match the festive trim on the bodice of our square necked blouse. 

Ink Blots usually does provided two gifts inside each hunt prize, male and female fashions, so I wasn't surprised but still very grateful for their POE14 Female Gift (and the male for Xan since he hunted with me). The ruffled blouse and asymmetrical hemmed skirt each come in classic M and fitmesh M for classic avatars, plus sizing for Freya, Isis, Venus, Legacy, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, Tonic Fine, and Voluptuous mesh bodies. The plaid almost made me think kilt, but not with that diagonal hemline ;) I like that they are separates, so if you ever want to pair either piece with anything else in your inventory, you have that option.

My final look of the evening is the ~MystRie~ First Snow Gown/Cloak prize. The gown can be worn alone or with the fur trimmed cloak, each of which are provided in a fitmesh M size as well as eBody Reborn, Freya, Isis, Legacy, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine mesh body sizing. The white-on-white gives the snowflakes a gorgeous embossed feeling, and if your hands are still a bit chilly you can also add the fur handwarmer with a built in pose as shown. I felt like either Cinderella or a winter bride in this amazing prize :)

Wow, I keep marveling at how fast the time is flying towards the holidays! It felt like the month just started a few days ago, yet here we are less than a week from Christmas. Next thing we know, we'll be having to remember to put 24 instead of 23 for the year, and I'm giggling because I know that one takes me a while to adjust to. It was a quiet day here and I am not sure what tomorrow holds, perhaps a small outing, but the weather has been crappy so I'm not much looking forward to being out in the cold. I've been dealing with SL login issues on my main account, but my alt can still get in, so it isn't a computer or internet problem. It's been at least a week, off and on, but this morning I figured out I can login at locations other than my 'home' (rented skybox and yes the rent is paid up) without trouble, so I've filed a support ticket but don't expect a speedy reply due to the holidays. Honestly don't know what their usual turnaround time is for those, and I'm afraid to ask anyone :P  Well at least I've got alternatives, even if it's a pain in the bum. I hope you're all having a lovely day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Hunt Prizes from Peace On Earth 14:

Photo 1:

Dress: AlaFolie - EMMY PoisFleur $0L POE Hunt Prize

Photo 2:

Dress: [Park Place Casuals] Bekah Jersey Dress - Aubergine $0L POE Hunt Prize

Photo 3:

Outfit: Jezzixa Cazalet for Prism Designs - Nia Skirt Set $0L POE Hunt Prize

Photo 4:

Outfit: Ink Blots - POE14 Female Gift $0L POE Hunt Prize

Photo 5:

Outfit: ~MystRie~ First Snow Gown/Cloak $0L POE Hunt Prize

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 3.1

Hair: TRUTH Friday - Essential

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - PAOLA cotton candy (BOM)

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)