Helping Haven Gateway

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I'd like to tell you about a fantastic place I've just learned about, the Helping Haven Gateway. It is such a valuable resource for new residents or perhaps those who've been away from SL for a while and are returning to a vastly different world, as they have a tutorial area as well as a rez area, sailing, parties with DJs, and a freebie center. Now as you can guess, I'm focusing on sharing some of the many gifts from the freebie area from the Ladies Fashion building. It has multiple floors with treats to appeal to a wide range of tastes, some in standard mesh sizes for classic avatars but also plenty with sizing for mesh bodies. I am wearing my Maitreya body (Lara 5.3, not X) and I found plenty to fit just on the first floor I explored and on the left side. Yes I will be back very soon, LOL, as there is so much more I want to show you from here! The men have their own building further down the path with clothing and accessories, and the landing zone has teleporter pads or you can just follow the path and signs to the freebies. It was a long scenic walk that I really enjoyed, even passing through a stained glass archway that leads to a beach barbecue area :) Did I mention that the gifts do not require any particular group tag? Just click and buy each for $0L, easy peasy!

First I randomly picked the lovely S/D Mesh Spaghetti Minidress in Checkerboard gift by Sweet Distractions. There is something so timeless about slip dresses, and the dainty pattern on this one definitely caught my eye. We receive this in a Maitreya mesh body size, with a HUD offering 13 different colors of that pretty texture. I can easily imagine dressing this up or down with various shoes and jewelry, depending on where I'm planning on wearing it.

Lately it probably looks like I purposely seek out denim, LOL, but it's just been a very happy coincidence that I've run across so much of it lately :) This is the ::BG:: Denim Dress gift from Boutique Gglam, who are currently a marketplace-only store (I'd blogged them before when they were inworld so I was familiar) with a very generous designer. The dress comes in sizing for Alice, Altamura, eBody Curvy, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Star, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine mesh bodies. There's also a HUD in the gift with 2 texture choices, both seen above. The black on the right does not have the floral applique on the front like the blue does, but they both have that gorgeous white lace inset on the front and a matching one on the back. 

AmAzInG CrEaTiOnS has many thoughtful gifts awaiting all visitors, like this charming Spring dress. There is a fitted standard size as well as versions for Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh bodies, and we also receive 4 different HUDs. The first is for the textures, 2 for the top and belt with 3 for the skirt. Then the others are tinting HUDs, for each section I just mentioned. On the right I tinted the belt a tan shade from solid white, and then set the skirt to solid white and tinted it a softer yellow like some of the flower petals in the top's print. It is a fun opportunity to be creative :)

Next I slipped into the MissTic Amelina dress+jewelry gift, which is not their only generous treat for us :) The cold shoulder dress is provided in sizes for Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh bodies, with a HUD that has 16 wonderful textures on two different pages. The jewelry mentioned in the name is the silver earrings, necklace, and bracelet I'm enjoying here, all adjustable and a perfect way to accessorize no matter which texture catches your eye. 

My final look of the evening is the cozy :.C!L.: Rainbow Kasha Turtleneck & Legwarmers Set. This gift tickled my 80s-loving heart, especially the bold colors and of course the legwarmers :) Yes I had a few pairs back in the day, which came in handy standing at a bus stop in the snow while wearing a school uniform dress. This turtleneck dress and the legwarmers each fit eBody, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, TMP, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine bodies, with additional 5 standard turtleneck sizes as well as an Ocacin version of it. I love the way the sleeves hook around the base of the thumb, keeping us snug and warm if we explore somewhere chilly in SL. 

Whew, I feel like it's Friday already! My sense of timing is all wonky, as my weekend houseguest has just arrived and that usually happens on Friday evenings instead. It is a positive thing of course, and I am very much looking forward to tomorrow's dinner and the rest of the weekend :) I hope you're all having a pleasant day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from Helping Haven Gateway:

Photo 1:

Dress: Sweet Distractions S/D Mesh Spaghetti Minidress in Checkerboard $0L Free Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: Boutique Gglam ::BG:: Denim Dress $0L Free Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: AmAzInG CrEaTiOnS Spring dress $0L Free Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: MissTic Amelina dress+jewelry $0L Free Gift

Photo 5:

Outfit: :.C!L.: Rainbow Kasha Turtleneck & Legwarmers Set $0L Free Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 3.1

Hair: TRUTH Blush - Redhead

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. MANON EVOX SKIN - VELOUR PORCELAIN

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara 5.3

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

Gifts from Boutique Gglam

 Hiya everyone! Tonight's post has many group gifts from Boutique Gglam for you to see, and the good news is that their group is free to join. Also good news is that there are nearly a dozen gifts that we can claim with that group tag, so you can treat yourself to plenty of new wardrobe items. When you land in the store, you will want to head to the back right section to find the wall labeled Group Gifts, easy peasy :) I also did a bit of shopping for new hair, as I find myself craving new styles more lately. 

First I slipped into the ::BG:: Sweater Dress - November - Group Gift, which I could immediately tell would become a fast favorite. It is provided in Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, and TMP mesh body sizes. There is also a HUD included with 6 texture choices, 3 solid colors and 3 of the same colors but with those pretty pink flowers on the lower part as you see above on the right. This is just short enough to wear as a tunic if you prefer, by layering your favorite pants/jeans/leggings beneath. 

This fun pairing is the ::BG:: Carmina Outfit - Group Gift, a top and skirt that leave little to the imagination but are full of possibilities. Each piece comes in sizes for Alice, Altamura, eBody Curvy, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh bodies. The included HUD lets you choose from 6 colors for the top, and the same hues with or without floral decor (above left) so 12 options. Lace trim appears on the hem of the top and between ruffles of the skirt, one of many pretty details I admire. 

::BG:: Deep cut jumpsuit - Group Gift - August lives up to its name with that daring neckline, and the pants have a denim-like texture that add to its flattering nature. The gift includes sizes for Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, and TMP bodies, with a 6 color HUD. For cooler weather, I am thinking of layering a long sleeved shirt underneath. 

Another terrific group gift is this ::BG:: Tartan Minidress which was the gift from April. It is a flirty strapless dress with flared short skirt and a lace cutout in the front, in sizes for Alice, Altamura, eBody Curvy, Freya, Isis, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, StarBody, and Tonic Curvy bodies. There is also a HUD included with 4 colors to choose from, all dark hues that make the sheer lace stand out very nicely. 

I feel like the looks this evening are getting more and more sexy as we go along ;) This final look is the ::BG:: Happy Valentine's Day - Gift and includes the Love My top and skirt, each in Altamura, eBody Classic, eBody Curvy, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine sizing. There is also a HUD as you can probably guess, with 8 colors each so you can change them to the same shade or mix them up a bit. These are somewhat sheer and the lighter colors more so, as you can tell from the lavender on the left ;) The top is revealing in those paler hues, so please be aware of that when selecting your color and where you wear it. Of course, with the skirt turning into a bum-baring sash in the rear, perhaps we need to only wear this to places where revealing clothing is approved. 

I am a little bit slow tonight, mostly because my stomach is a bit unsettled, so I am trying to relax and stay calm. I have been listening to Christmas music off and on, and the channel I have on runs the gamut from way before my time (1940's or even before?) to current artists and new songs. The variety keeps it interesting, and some are genres I am not as familiar with so I am learning more about their artists. I hope you are all having a nice day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from Boutique Gglam:

Photo 1:

Dress: ::BG:: Sweater Dress - November - Group Gift $0L Group Gift

Photo 2:

Outfit: ::BG:: Carmina Outfit - Group Gift $0L Group Gift

Photo 3:

Outfit: ::BG:: Deep cut jumpsuit - Group Gift - August $0L Group Gift

Photo 4:

Dress: ::BG:: Tartan Minidress $0L Group Gift

Photo 5:

Outfit: ::BG:: Happy Valentine's Day - Gift $0L Group Gift

Head: GENUS Project - Genus Head - Classic Face W001 - Mocap 

Hair: Magika - Gemma

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - KENDAL marshmellow (system layer for BOM)

Ring: (BENTO)~~Ysoral~~ .:Luxe Ring Lyanna 4:. (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

Stay at Home Goodies

Hiya everyone! Tonight I selected some more Stay at Home Club gifts to share, as the list continues to grow and they are such impressive quality offerings. Some people may hear "freebie" and feel negatively, like a gift is automatically lesser quality (the mentality of you get what you pay for I suppose) but I would say these are genuinely being offered with the very best of intentions and are very worthwhile to claim :) There is probably something to suit just about any taste or general style among the many gifts, and fortunately for me I do enjoy changing my look often and dabbling in various fashion genres from Boho to extra casual to Goth to formal and more. Dress me up, dress me down, classy or sassy, I'm a happy magpie!

My first visit was Ghee, where I claimed their charming Crystal Bustier & Skirt DAISY set. The yellow background is so cheerful, and looks great with the orange centers of the blossoms. In addition to our top and skirt, there is a panty to wear beneath (more of a C-string, no sides) and each come in Legacy and Maitreya sizing. The bustier has a zipper in the back, and I love all the seams that give the outfit its shape and support the style.

Another reason to smile can be found at MG Designs, well actually two...the first being this playful Happiness dress. It is provided in sizes for Altamura, eBody Curvy, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, and TMP mesh bodies, with a HUD offering 3 texture choices. Along with the two shown above, there is another with a white background and multicolored dots, very pretty!

Our other Stay at Home Club gift from MG Designs is called Slither - Pink, and it is provided in 4 standard mesh sizes (XXS, XS, S, L). I'm actually wearing the S size with the included alpha layer, and it fits fairly well on my Maitreya body. The pink and gold look great together, and the black trim really makes the colors pop.

I also visited BoutiqueGglam, who I believe changed their gift (I blogged a different one a few weeks ago which I no longer see available) to this fetching ::BG:: Romper - The Stay at Home. It comes in sizes for Freya, Isis, Hourglass, and Maitreya bodies, with a HUD that lets you pick from 15 texture choices. There are 5 solid colors as well as 5 each of the textures shown above, so lots of variety for this sweet outfit. 

If you like my final look of the evening, you will need to head over to Simply Chic Boutique where you too can claim their SCB_Nautical Blue Party Dress. The gift includes sizes for Freya, Isis, Hourglass, and Maitreya bodies, all with a delightful pattern of waves in different shades of blue decorated with ropes, anchors, and lifesavers. This gift creates a seaworthy look, terrific whether you enjoy boating in SL or not :) I just love summer!

I tried to do several things at once today, and it mostly just got confusing...I guess my leisure time was not very leisurely after all. Things are calming down now though, and I am already planning the next few days' blog posts :) My villagers in Animal Crossing seemed cranky tonight, like they did not appreciate me talking to them more than once a day, and only one is actually a "cranky" personality. My normal personality villager (an octopus named Marina) is usually pleasant but really shy and awkward, so I kinda relate to her the most. Oh well, I hope you're all having a nice day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:
All Gifts for the Stay at Home Club:

Photo 1:
Outfit: Ghee Crystal Bustier & Skirt DAISY $0L Stay at Home Club Gift

Photo 2:
Dress: MG Designs - Happiness $0L Stay at Home Club Gift

Photo 3:
Dress: MG Designs - Slither - Pink $0L Stay at Home Club Gift

Photo 4:
Outfit: BoutiqueGglam ::BG:: Romper - The Stay at Home $0L Stay at Home Club Gift

Photo 5:
Dress: Simply Chic Boutique SCB_Nautical Blue Party Dress $0L Stay at Home Club Gift

Head: GENUS Project - Genus Head - Classic Face W001 - Mocap 
Hair: TRUTH HAIR Ciara - Redhead 

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - ELINE cotton candy (system layer for BOM)

Ring: (BENTO)~~Ysoral ~~ .:Luxe Ring Lyanna 4:. (Marketplace)

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity (various sets)

Start Your Weekend at Home

Hiya everyone! Tonight I chose some more Stay at Home Club gifts to show you, as the number of generous designers continues to grow :) The idea of the gifts is to lighten our moods as we stay home for safety, and personally I am glad we have Second Life as an escape. It provides the ability to interact with people across the world, without social distancing or masks (unless wearing masks is your thing, then go for it!) and enjoying new clothing (or home decor or anything from the other categories on their site) is a real day brightener. 

[WellMade] is offering their Iris Dress GIFT to all visitors as their Stay at Home Club gift. No group tag is necessary for any of these, just as a reminder, and I thought this would be a nice look for a breezy spring day or evening. It comes in Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine sizes, with a HUD so you can choose between 2 colors for the shirt layer and 2 coordinating textures for the dress part. 

Another fun look can be found at Boutique Gglam, their ::BG:: Lolipop Dress. It is provided in sizes for Alice, Altamura, eBody Curvy, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Star Body, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine mesh bodies. There is also a HUD so you can choose from 2 textures, with or without the artwork on the front, and the semi-sheer texture on the top is found on a plunging back as well. The hemline is daringly short, and it almost looks like the zipper in the back pulls it up a bit. So flirty!

You can let the world know how special you are by wearing the gift from Deadly Deed Design, their {DDD} One in a Melon Top which comes in male and female versions. The ladies' style is a cropped sleeveless hoodie in sizes for Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh bodies. From the front it appears to be solid black, but when you turn around you can see the clever design with a sweet fruity pun. I associate watermelons with summer, and we aren't quite there yet in RL but you can find SL sims with warm climates year-round. This will look cute with just about anything you wish to wear it with, like the blue Delizio jeans from their marketplace gift that I am wearing here. They include several colors as system/BOM layers as well as appliers for Maitreya and Omega, and are so handy that they appear here on my blog quite often.

From casual to formal...we switch gears with the gift from Changed Seasons, their Skylar gown in dramatic black with a mauve corset type belt. It is included in Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique sizing. I love the tiny train, how it is just a touch longer in the back so when you walk it ever so slightly trails behind you.

For my final look of the evening, I am enjoying the Stay at Home Club gift from GeMyles called Adira Chainmail Dress & Heels. The dress comes in Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique sizes, with matching heels in a Slink High size (so I had to change my feet, LOL) and a HUD with 32 color choices for both at once. All the metallic accents definitely catch the eye, and what a generous amount of hues to have fun with!

Dinner with my parents was nice, and we are all set with our handmade masks so we can go out safely tomorrow and pick up lots of tasty food. It's funny, for once I think it is a good thing that my family is not touchy-feely (we never hug or anything) so even being in the same house we are not really risking anything if one of us were not healthy. I hug my friends a lot when I see them though, which will not be safe for quite some time yet, so I will make do with virtual hugs for now. I am a little nervous about going out after last week's anxiety and carsickness issue, but I will be practicing deep breathing and trying to listen to soothing music in the car. That is SO typical of chronic anxiety, being worried about feeling anxious again, it's almost amusing in a twisted kind of way. I hope you all have a relaxing and safe weekend ahead, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:
All Gifts for the Stay at Home Club:

Photo 1:
Dress: [WellMade] Iris Dress GIFT $0L Stay at Home Club

Photo 2:
Dress: Boutique Gglam ::BG:: Lolipop Dress $0L Stay at Home Club

Photo 3:
Top: Deadly Deed Design {DDD} One in a Melon Top (F) $0L Stay at Home Club

Photo 4:
Dress: CHANGED SEASONS ~ SKYLAR $0L Stay at Home Club

Photo 5:
Outfit: GeMyles Adira Chainmail Dress & Heels (Stay@Home) $0L Stay at Home Club

Head: GENUS Project - Genus Head - Classic Face W001 - Mocap 
Eyeshadow: alaskametro<3 "Noelle" - eyeshadow 04 !TESTER! $0L Wearable Demo

Hair: TRUTH HAIR Shadow - Redhead 

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - KARMIN dew (system layer for BOM)

Ring: (BENTO)~~Ysoral ~~ .:Luxe Ring Lyanna 4:. (Marketplace)

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity (various sets)