Golden Shop & Hop

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I am sharing gifts found at the Golden region at the Holiday Shop & Hop, one of 18 regions where 360 amazing designers have stores set up with special discounted sales and a gift for everyone. As usual, the FabFree crew has worked very hard to create and maintain a spreadsheet of the gifts, which can be sorted by the tabs on the bottom. I'm deeply grateful and impressed by their dedication, and it's so useful if (like Xan) you are only looking for male gifts or want to find out where a certain brand is and what their gift is, for example. The creators work so hard too, decorating their booths for the holidays and picking out special items to put there for sale :) Remember, I do what I do because I'm so in awe of the designers and their generosity, and enjoy being able to share with others. We've got plenty of time left to visit S&H before it closes on the 4th of January, but then again is there ever enough time with the holidays looming to do all the things we wish? ;)

For my first look I am feeling cozy yet flirty in our L+B PBR Cranberry Yoga Set from Lapointe + Bastchild. The tank top and leggings are each provided in sizes for Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies. That knit pattern really caught my eye, and the back of the tank top is nicely vented for a steamy session of hot yoga :) There is a notecard enclosed reminding us that a viewer with PBR ability is required to see the texture, so I figured it was worth mentioning even before you claim your gift, just in case. I use the most recent Firestorm release, which is why I am able to see and share it :)

The May24 - Eva Dress is a lovely gift with plunging neckline, peaked shoulders, and pinstripes to flatter our every curve. There are Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Perky, Lara X, and Reborn mesh body sizes provided, as well as a HUD with 5 colors for us to choose from. They're all terrific, so deciding on your favorite might be the most challenging part here ;)

This is certainly the time of year where we see lots of great shades of red, like on this gorgeous On A Lark gift called *OAL* Sheryl ~ Berry. We've got a flattering draped bodice that highlights the cleavage, and a halter neckline that is one of my classic favorites. The dress fits Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies, and includes a HUD with both textures shown above. The solid might be a shade darker than the patterned version, or it could be an optical illusion because of the contrast of the deeper design, but either way I am a big fan of both options. 

I've combined two gifts here for one playful and festive look :) The Bold Llama T-Shirt Co. LLALLALLAMA Tee made me giggle, which is not unusual for their consistently clever and amusing designs, and what better way to honor their animal symbol? I'm very fond of llamas and alpacas, although I've only ever had the pleasure of meeting an alpaca so far. The top comes in standard mesh sizes as well as eBody Classic, eBody Reborn, Waifu, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Hourglass, Physique, and TMP mesh bodies, all on an unpacker HUD so just deliver the one you need. Then I added our ::FTCOR:::THAIS_XMAS_LEGGINS::: FATPACK gift, immediately playing with their texture HUD which has 20 seasonal patterns for us. The leggings fit Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn mesh bodies, and I am wearing Lara X so I just had to alpha a bit of the bum and thigh areas to make the Maitreya size fit like a glove. 

My final look this evening also made me laugh, so naturally I had to share the MALified & ZED - Santa BackPack gift :) Santa is resembling a muppet to me here, and that is not a bad thing by any means. The bright red backpack comes in Legacy Male and Lara X sizes each for strapless tops or strapped, as well as a resize male version and resize female version. The clear window on Santa's belly shows some candy bars, so I guess we're toting around some sweet treats in our new knapsack. I did play with the HUD for those leggings again to show off a couple more texture too, like I was not kidding when I've said before that I cannot seem to resist touching ALL the buttons.

It's been a decent day, particularly with the good news that we found someone to excavate our driveway from all the snow ;) The housemate contacted a few people from Nextdoor and one of them was here two hours later, plowing and shoveling at a decent price. Whew! So we're not snowed in anymore, and I tried to find the official snowfall but the best guess I found was 7.5 - 8.8" which is a fair bit. I'll be going out on Wednesday instead of Tuesday because it'll be about 10 degrees warmer, and I'm hoping Trader Joe's has a nice cocoa mix I can pick up. Otherwise I am still up to my eyebrows in SL holiday stuff, lol, enjoying every bit of it even while feeling a tad bit overwhelmed at times. I want to show all of you everything all at once, which is simply not practical. I hope you're all having a wonderful day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from Holiday Shop & Hop - Golden Region:

Photo 1:

Outfit: Lapointe + Bastchild L+B PBR Cranberry Yoga Set $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: May24 - Eva Dress $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: On A Lark *OAL* Sheryl ~ Berry $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Top: The Bold Llama T-Shirt Co. LLALLALLAMA Tee $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Pants: ::FTCOR:::THAIS_XMAS_LEGGINS::: FATPACK $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Backpack: MALified & ZED - Santa BackPack $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH VIP Lyrical - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. ALMOND Cleo

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara X

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

The Loving Kind Hunt

Hiya everyone! With a new month comes new rounds of gridwide hunts, and tonight I'd like to share some prizes from The Loving Kind Hunt 2. It is a free gridwide hunt running for the entire month of February, and there are hearts to look for in 3 colors to indicate if the prizes are female (red), male (blue), or unisex (yellow) which could be neutral or containing a male and female version in one prize. The hints and SLurls are on their blog, rather than in each prize folder, as a matter of fact the hunt objects distribute a loose object rather than a folder so you do need that link to follow along :) 

This first look features the long and short versions of one of two prizes from Bella Moda, their Abito Organza Red Gowns. Each length comes in 5 standard sizes plus fitted versions for classic, Maitreya, and Slink, and there are breast physics included that will work with the fitted sizes. The coloring and the texture are delightful, and I greatly appreciate the versatility of being able to choose between two lengths.

Find the other red heart at Bella Moda and you will be able to claim this sexy Prestigio Crimson Gown and Shoes Outfit for free too. The gown is provided in standard sizes along with Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, and TMP versions. The matching shoes have sizes for Slink, Maitreya, and Belleza. Like their first gift, this also includes breast physics in case you feel like jiggling a bit ;) I usually wear the ones included with the Slink Physique body and noticed that they are most compatible with fitmesh rather than rigged, the difference between moving with your clothing or moving through it.

Don't teleport away from the sim with Bella Moda just yet, since the next store Zed is right there and you can find this terrific female gift along with 2 for the guys. This is the Zed Leather & Stud Dress v2, and the shoulder straps/harness are a separate piece from the dress so you can wear it with or without. Each piece comes in 6 standard sizes (XXS to XL) and versions for Maitreya, Slink Hourglass, and Slink Physique. The style is so flattering!

One last look for the evening, this is our prize from Sparrow by Design for the ladies (don't worry gents, there is a heart there for you as well) called I Love You With Flowers Dress. It comes in standard mesh sizes with the coordinating alpha, and there is an alluring slit on the right thigh to add visual interest. I am a fan of flowers, and this soft watercolor look is just right when you want something romantic but not overwhelming.

Thursdays are my last relaxing days before the chaos of the weekend begins, and this one will have an extra busy Saturday for which I am quite grateful actually since it will be especially fun :) *fingers crossed* My plans a few weeks ago that were thwarted by snow have been rescheduled, and I am ready to burst with excitement! I hope all of you are having a terrific day/evening, magical magpie hugs to each of you!!

Credits:
All Prizes from The Loving Kind Hunt 2:

Photo 1:
Dresses: Bella Moda: Abito Organza Red Gowns $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 2:
Dress: Bella Moda: Prestigio Crimson Gown & Shoes Outfit $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 3:
Dress: ::ZED:: Leather & Stud Dress, Red v2 $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 4:
Dress: Sparrow by Design ~SbD~ I love you with flowers dress $0L Hunt Prize

Hair: Elikatira [e] Karee - Redheads
Eyes: * Inkheart * - Loving Eyes - Sincerity (Size M) $0L The Loving Kind Hunt Prize
Skin: .::WoW Skins::. Melodia Tan 02 B (V2)
Nails: Slink Utilities HUD
Body: Slink Physique Mesh Body

Hands: Slink AvEnhance Hands Female-Casual/Elegant 1

Feet: Slink AvEnhance Feet Female Deluxe Pack

Advent Gifts and Hunt Prizes

Hiya everyone! It is a brisk morning and I am in the holiday spirit for sure, with all the wonderful stores I have been visiting for Advent calendars and hunts which have been decorated for Christmas or at least wintry beauty. Today I will be sharing some more prizes from The Advent Chase Hunt, as well as a few advent gifts that either need no group or need a group tag that is free to join. If a gift you receive (hunt, advent, group gift, marketplace, etc. etc.) makes you happy, I'd like to suggest that in this season of giving, please consider giving the creator some positive feedback :) Drop a notecard thanking them and telling you why you appreciate it, leave a 5 star review on the marketplace, take a friend to shop there with you. I plan on doing it at least once a day, random acts of kindness that can mean a lot to these talented and hardworking people.

This snowflake-covered beauty is our Advent Chase Hunt prize from Sparrow by Design, who also have an Advent calendar you can click while you're there searching for the candles. This is Women's Midnight Snow Gown, which comes in standard mesh sizes and features a sexy shape and a fun bow on the back with long trailing ribbons. My biggest challenge now is deciding where to wear it first.

If you need something pretty for more private moments, I suggest heading to Zed Designz who have 4 hidden candles, 2 for men and 2 for women. They are on the same sim as Bella Moda whose gifts I blogged yesterday. Their ::ZED:: Bra and Panty Set, Satin Polka Dot Set comes with a great HUD to change textures among 6 pastel choices, bra and panties separately so you can mix and match if you wish. The bra and panties each come in plenty of mesh sizes: standard, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Slink Hourglass, and Slink Physique. I half expected to see a thong when I turned around, but it has just the right amount of coverage and both pieces look so well crafted.

Over to some Advent calendars, I visited Entice with my free group tag on and grabbed this terrific My Girl Dress in Solid by paying today's bauble a linden and having it immediately refunded. The dress itself comes in an impressive array of sizes (5 standard, 5 fitmesh, 5 busty, Belleza, Maitreya, and Slink) plus there is the added bonus of a texture HUD with 3 color choices. Two are shown, the third is solid black that gives a classic look.

Ho-ho-ho! If you have an event to attend this season or just want to make time with a special someone more festive, please visit Moonstar and click today's date on their Advent calendar, no group needed. Their prize today is this Pink Mixie Dress and Hat, and starts with the upper and lower parts as system layers or appliers for Slink, Lola, Omega, and Maitreya. Next we have the accessories, the hat and sleeves and even the skirt have built in resize scripts so you can adjust this however you may need. This made me a bit nostalgic as I had a few similar outfits in SL about 8-9 years ago, of course this is a modernized interpretation with the mesh body compatibility that is so vital in SL these days. Love that built in bow on the back of the skirt, by the way. You can also see that a closer view of my eye is looking back at ya ;) That is today's Inkheart advent calendar gift for group members (free to join, many benefits) called April Eyes - Fantasy. The purplish hue looked quite striking with this outfit.

One last look of the day, how about some gorgeous nails? The KittyCatS! Advent calendar offers gifts from many popular designers across the grid, and today features La Boheme whose shop I had been visiting for the calendar itself (found at many locations). These are their cheery LB Santa Baby nails, in Gold on the left and Silver on the right if you look closely at the buckles, and each offers 10 nude nail base colors draped in a wonderful Santa suit. The gift includes HUDs for Maitreya Manicures, Slink/Omega Manicures, and Slink/Omega Pedicures for each silver and gold. 

In keeping with my attitude of gratitude, I would like to sincerely thank each of you who take the time to read this blog, since without readers I would have no reason to do this thing that I love. I hope you find it helpful, amusing, and think of me as a friend sitting down to chat with you about the great things about SL and tidbits of life in general. Magical magpie hugs to every one of you!!!

Credits:

Photo 1:

Dress: Sparrow by Design ~SbD~ Women's Midnight Snow Gown $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 2:

Lingerie: ::ZED:: Bra & Panty Set, Satin Polka Dot Set $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 3:

Dress: Entice - My Girl Dress - Solid $0L Advent Gift (Free Group Tag Needed)

Photo 4:

Outfit: Moonstar Pink Mixie Dress and Hat $0L Advent Gift
Eyes: *Inkheart* - April Eyes - Fantasy $0L Advent Gift (Free Group Tag Needed)

Photo 5:

Nails: La Boheme [LB Santa Baby] KittyCatS Advent Calendar 2016 $0L Advent Gift

Hair: TRUTH HAIR Loni - gingers
Skin: .::WoW Skins::. Kassie Tan
Body: Slink Physique Mesh Body

Hands: Slink AvEnhance Hands Female-Casual/Elegant 1

Feet: Slink AvEnhance Feet Female Deluxe Pack