Still Shopping and Hopping

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we're back at the Holiday Shop & Hop event, this time on the Lavendar region, to check out some of the many generous gifts to be found. Between those and the discounted offers, you really don't want to miss this wonderful opportunity to get to know some of SL's top designers and see what they create for all of us. We're down to the final few days since things wrap up on the 4th of January, which is why I'd like to offer this reminder to finish your exploring if you haven't done so already :) As always I am grateful for the FabFree spreadsheet to guide us with all the direct landmarks and photos of the gifts, sortable by store name, type, region, and even a tab with the images inserted into the spreadsheet. Much love to them, and to all the brands who make this possible each round! Don't forget to use your store credits and gift cards before they expire :)

Red is one of those versatile colors that might make you think of Christmas this time of year (especially paired with green), Valentine's Day in a month or so, or just a red hot dress or outfit any other time of year. So the Jojo's Fashion - Djoe Outfit Red gift is going to be fun all year long :) This sexy bodysuit comes in sizing for Legacy, Bombshell, Lara X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies, with a HUD that offers 14 colors for the belt and 4 gems. The gems are found on the heart shaped belt buckle, and the belt colors also tint the waistband and stripes down each leg :) It says Christmas on the left above with the green, sure, but the baby blue on the right is much more timeless. 

If you're using a PBR-compatible viewer (I am with the latest Firestorm), you will be able to fully appreciate this lovely "Freda" Holiday Shop&Hop Gift Dress Blazer Pantyhose Tartan. It starts with the PBR textured dress with sequins and a satin wrap in front of the skirt, then continues with an upcycled blazer. Both of these fit Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Perky, Lara X, Petite X, and Reborn mesh bodies. Then we wrap things up with the BOM layer pantyhose, so creatively textured and playful looking! Apologies for not hiding my toenails or at least tinting them red to match, but I am forgetful lately ;)

"Peace - Joy - Love" is a perfect message for all of us, no matter what time of year, so I'm thankful for Les sucreries de Fairy and their * Carmine Outfit * gift ♥. Our new corset and matching skirt are each provided in Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh body sizes, deep cranberry red with charcoal trim. The skirt has built in panties that really do help since it's such a micro mini, and the little ruffled edges all over make me smile. This store also has a gift of seasonal decor, so they really do have something for everyone :)

Some folks live for Halloween year round, so why not Christmas? :) The {GH} Vento di Seta - Christmas Trees Gift from Gabrielle Hamelin is a stunning halter dress with wide strap and gathered on the left side of the skirt. There is a HUD with 5 choices for the strap and tie, while the dress itself is included in sizes for Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Nhumana, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. The evergreen trees and snow are delightful, and I'm not really ready to let go of Christmas just yet I guess.

For my final look of the evening, we see the charming Carol's Shop & Hop Christmas Gift. This cozy sweater has a high neck, cropped body with white knit pattern, and solid puffed sleeves that elevate the look from casual to a touch more fancy. We receive Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Momma, Nhuma, Reborn, and Waifu mesh body sizing, on an unpacker HUD that lets you select just the one/s you need. I'd certainly hang onto it for future use, as I always do with this type of HUD. You never know what body will be in your future, as I have shifted over the years from one to another to yet another :) Now that I think on it, I've gone from Slink Physique to Maitreya to Slink Hourglass to Legacy to Lara X, while still wearing 3 of the 5 almost equally.

Happy New Year 🥳!! I don't usually do New Years resolutions because they tend to always sound the same and get ignored a week later, LOL, but I do take stock of things that improved in the previous year and what I need to focus on for the incoming fresh start of a new year :) My anxiety and agoraphobia have become less debilitating in some ways, and I'll gladly celebrate any health improvement. I'm still working on positive self-talk, being as kind to myself as I would be to others, and I'd really like to find a gentle exercise program that I can do at home. It would also be good to clear some things off my poor tivo, which is groaning at an awkward 96% full. I've been hearing fireworks for the past 7 hours off and on, and it is officially the new year in my time zone now, so I am excited and curious about what 2026 will look like. I wish all of you a beautiful new year and a peaceful day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from Holiday Shop & Hop - Lavendar Region:

Photo 1:

Outfit: Jojo's Fashion - Djoe Outfit Red $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Outfit: "Freda" Holiday Shop&Hop Gift Dress Blazer Pantyhose Tartan $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Outfit: Les sucreries de Fairy * Carmine Outfit * $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Dress: Gabrielle Hamelin {GH} Vento di Seta - Christmas Trees Gift $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Top: Carol's Shop & Hop Christmas Gift $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Pants: Delizio - Jeans + Applier for Maitreya + Omega $0L Marketplace

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH VIP Blush - Essential

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

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Halcyon Shop and Hop

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we are visiting the Halcyon region which is one of 16 regions or sims that are part of the Holiday Shop & Hop this year. Each one has 20 designers so that's a total of 320 mini shops, packed with discounted offers and a free gift from each :) I eagerly anticipate these Shop & Hop events each round, and I've already seen the designer applications are out for the February one so there is always something to look forward to in SL. We have about a week left here, since they are wrapping up on the 4th of January, and I'd also like to remind you all of the FabFree spreadsheet that they worked so hard to compile. It's got direct landmarks and photos of the gifts, and with the tabs at the bottom you can sort by store name, type of gift, region, and even view the photos full sized instead of clicking a link to see each one. It has been kept up to date and was ready to go before the regions were even available to the public, so they deserve our gratitude just as much as the talented designers who make Shop & Hop so special :)

My first look tonight is the cozy smesh ~ XMAS Gift Leopard Hoodie. It is cropped and the zipper is just a tiny closure at the bottom of the deep neckline, and let's not forget the fun animal print that looks great at any time of year! We receive sizes for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies. I am wearing the black pair of Delizio jeans from their marketplace gift, which I reach for quite often here to show off tops :)

Gabrielle Hamelin is offering their beautiful {GH} Winter Sequin Dress Winter Poinsettia as a free gift that you won't want to miss. The pencil dress is provided in fitmesh standard sizes along with Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Ocacin, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, Tonic Fine, and Voluptuous mesh body versions. There is even a HUD with 2 similar textures, both of which are shown above. I have fond memories associated with poinsettia plants, as my mom received several as gifts when I was a kid and together we kept them safely growing for most of my teens. 

Next I changed into the flirty [ADD] Arisa Set - GIFT. The top in solid and lace versions, and the pleated skirt with built in panties and belt, all come in sizing for Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Peach, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. There is also a HUD for the top with 10 stripe colors and 7 metals, and the skirt's HUD has 10 colors each for the belt and panties plus 7 metals and the option to turn the panties on or off. Such a generous amount of customization is available, and you can see the lacy version of the top on the right to give an idea of how sheer it is.

I definitely got a kick out of the Freda Amaya Flap Dress Plaid Red Green gift, thanks to the unique style and bonus accessories. We start with the dress which fits Gen X Classic, Classic Dainty, Gen X Curvy, Curvy Dainty, Legacy, Perky, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Juicy mesh bodies. Then we can add the collar (same sizes) and the BOM pantyhose if we wish. They've got two different layers, upper and lower, with that fun half circle pattern :) The strapless dress looks like it's been designed by layering dozens of squares of fabric over each other, creating a fluttery look that is really accentuated by the plaid. I feel like the collar and pantyhose could go with other dresses already in my inventory too, so another YAY for versatility! I switched to my Lara X body here since there was no Lara 5.3 size, but it was very easy to do so because I have a saved outfit for my Lara X and I use the same shape, so literally just remove one body and HUD, then add new body and HUD.

My final look of the night is one of my favorite finds of this Shop & Hop round (shh don't tell the other 319 designers, LOL, and I did say "one of" so there are others I adore) which are our Dalila Aluna Short Nail Square Nail Kit gift. They are an excellent length for casual or sporty outfits, and we get to play with a HUD so that is always a plus :) There are sizes for Belleza, eBody Reborn, Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Signature Alice mesh bodies/hands, and we just hide the built in nails with the body's HUD and add these to our outfit. Then the HUD I mentioned for the nails offers 5 different designs, and can each be applied to each pair of nails so both pinkies, both thumbs, etc. You can see all 5 patterns above, with the thumbs being the least visible due to my pose but they are a lovely snowflake in white. Winter is still in its early days, so we have plenty of time to enjoy these terrific treats :)

Seeing my parents for dinner twice this week instead of just the usual Friday meal made me extra lost on what day of the week it is, and of course the farmers market being canceled for tomorrow makes things even more confused. Otherwise it was a decent day, and I got to see more of the neighborhood's holiday lights on the way to my parents' :) A few houses really go all out each year, and it is so fun to see people passing by and smiling at them. I hope you all have a beautiful weekend ahead, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from Shop & Hop - Halcyon Region:

Photo 1:

Top: smesh ~ XMAS Gift Leopard Hoodie $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Pants: Delizio - Jeans + Applier for Maitreya + Omega (shown in Black) $0L Marketplace

Photo 2:

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

Photo 3:

Outfit: [ADD] Arisa Set - GIFT $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: Freda Amaya Flap Dress Plaid Red Green $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Nails: Dalila Aluna Short Nail Square Nail Kit $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Collective - Opulent - Blonde

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. Pale ANNIE

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

Gleaming at Shop and Hop

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we're visiting the Gleaming region at SL21B Shop & Hop, one of 20 moderate regions (there are also 4 adult ones) to visit for lots of exclusive offers, discounted sales, and gifts galore. I've shared a few already, and since we have until the 21st I'm sure I will have at least one more post before it wraps up :) Free gifts, no group needed, what else could we ask for? I am grateful to all 480 designers taking part, as well as the FabFree team for organizing a spreadsheet of all the stores, gifts, photos, and locations. I refer to it when I want to make sure I didn't miss any gifts, and to verify that I've got them sorted accurately by region. 

My first look is the gorgeous Belle Epoque - Aiora - Pride dress, a corset style mini with a rainbow of hearts scattered about. There are sizes for Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, and Reborn mesh bodies included. I really like the lacing in the back, and the way skirt is gathered towards the pointed front of the bodice.

Next I changed into MOoH! Tiffany Dress, another don't-miss gift :) This strapless maxi dress has a fun full skirt and is styled wonderfully for summer. Claim your copy of this gift and you'll receive Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Lara X, Petite X, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Peach, Prima, Petite, Reborn, Waifu, and Star mesh body sizing, as well as a HUD with 10 fantastic textures. I randomly picked a floral and a tie dye to share, lots of vibrant colors and variety to enjoy. 

Maybe you need something a little more revealing, something with some added sex appeal? SENTINUS has got you covered (or uncovered, at least that left leg!) with their Milana RED gift. The top and skirt are separates in sizes for Lara X, Legacy, Perky, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. At this point I changed from Lara 5.3 to Lara X, so I am wearing both bodies in this post :) It is interesting to see who is still creating for both, and who is sticking to Lara 5.3 and who has moved onto Lara X only. I suspect that from time to time I will be wearing both in the same post like tonight. I don't mind since I use the same shape so it's just a few quick clicks, and I have an outfit saved with just each body.

Tis the season, no not that season but swimsuit time :) Our Evergreen - SL21B GIFT is a beautiful purple and silver one-piece with scale texturing, so you can feel like a mermaid even if you are on the sand instead of in the ocean. The gift comes in Belleza Classic, Belleza Curvy, Kupra, Lara X, Petite X, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Reborn, and Waifu mesh body sizes. I love the crossed straps in the back, and the way the cut is flirty yet relatively modest to be easy to wear to more locations.

My final look of the evening is another generous gift of course, this time the Gabrielle Hamelin - Paris Original Summer Mini. This beauty fits Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Lara X, Legacy, Bombshell, and Reborn mesh bodies, and includes a HUD with 3 colors for the trim. Speaking of which, how lovely is that scalloped lace at the hem? The bows are a nice match too, and the color options work so well with the fabric's print. 

I went to my podiatrist appointment this afternoon, and it went fairly well. That's not to say the anxiety wasn't an issue, but I somehow got through it anyway and convinced myself to persevere. The visit itself went smoothly since nothing was ingrown, just long, so no painful digging or anything. I've been chatting with my mom to narrow down plans for Friday's dinner, what we do instead of a BBQ for this type of holiday...turkey burgers, hot dogs, rotisserie chicken, and she will make potato salad which I always enjoy. None of these are going onto an outdoor grill, so it's really just a nod to years past when we actually did that :) I've voted for cheddar cheese for the burgers this year. I hope you're all having a pleasant day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from SL21B Shop & Hop - Gleaming Region:

Photo 1:

Dress: Belle Epoque - Aiora - Pride $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: MOoH! Tiffany Dress $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Outfit: SENTINUS - Milana RED $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Swimsuit: Evergreen - SL21B GIFT $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: Gabrielle Hamelin - Paris Original Summer Mini $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH VIP Moment - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. ALMOND LILLY EVOX SKIN

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

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)

Shop and Hop Aurelian

 Hiya everyone! Tonight is another visit to the Holiday Shop & Hop event, this time exploring gifts found on the Aurelian region. There are 16 total regions to visit, and just a few days remaining to do so :) I promise they are worth the teleport, with lots of designers (20 per region) offering sales items and gifts for us to enjoy. Every time a Shop & Hop event is organized, it makes me a very happy magpie since I can find bargains and gifts for any mood to decorate my home and freshen up my wardrobe. My inventory is groaning from all the additions this month!

First I slipped into the Ashbourne & Burleigh Winter Flakes Hers Jumper, whose unpacker HUD has buttons for His, Hers, Dinkies, or all sizes. I unpacked the ladies' sizes, which include standard mesh sizes as well as eBody, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Ocacin, Physique, and Tonic Fine mesh body sizes. The blue and white knit print is lovely, and the darker blue trim really brings it out nicely :) I am wearing the white pair of jeans from the Delizio marketplace freebie that I turn to quite often for blogging, a fatpack of hues in system/BOM layers and appliers for Maitreya and Omega.

Another generous gift can be found at the Gabrielle Hamelin display, their stunning {GH} Sequin Ruched Dress. It fits eBody Reborn, Freya, Isis, Legacy, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh bodies, and includes a HUD with 2 sparkly textures which are both shown above. The single shoulder is tied with what reminds me of tinsel, and the material is designed to reflect the lighting wherever you are so this is a real attention-grabber!

Our gift from Arcane Spellcaster will certainly turn heads too, thanks to its animation. Their festive Dress Shry Christmas BENTO gift is a strapless mini with seasonal decorations on its pattern, in sizes for Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, and Petite mesh bodies. There is also a HUD included to turn the animation on or off, and that would be the back of the skirt flipping up as though caught in a swift breeze. It is really unique and something you will need to see in person to fully appreciate, so I say go and get yourself this fun free gift and enjoy :)

The very generous AlaFolie has 5 different gifts for us, and I am delighted to show off two of them side by side in this look. On the left is their MarieNoelle Gift, a sweater and skirt that each come in Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, Tonic Fine, Prima Petite, and Prima Busty body sizing. The prints are great for this time of year, aren't they? Now if you are craving a visit to a tropical locale in SL, you might want to wear the AlaFolie BETY gift when you do. The dress is provided in standard mesh sizes and versions for Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine bodies, with short jeans layered beneath in a system/BOM layer and an Omega applier. My suggestion is to find your favorite bra top in your inventory and wear that beneath, then slip off the dress at a beach/pool to leave the top and the shorts on for sun or swim.

My final look this evening is two more of AlaFolie's generous gifts, similarly designed strapless pencil dresses. On the left I'm wearing their CITRON VERT Dress, a mouthwatering array of lemons and limes in standard mesh sizes as well as Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine bodies. The beauty on the right is the AlaFolie VALERY gift, provided in eBody Classic, eBody Curvy, Freya Perky, Hourglass, Legacy Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Prima Perky, and Prima Petite mesh body sizes. The knit texture reminds me of a Christmas sweater, yet the white dots almost resemble hearts which made me think Valentine's Day. As always, where it whenever and however makes you happy :)

Time has really been slipping away from me tonight, so I'll wrap this up with a wish for a beautiful day/evening to all of you, and many magical magpie hugs for everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from Holiday Shop & Hop - Aurelian Region:

Photo 1:

Top: Ashbourne & Burleigh Winter Flakes Hers Jumper $0L Shop & Hop Gift

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

Photo 2:

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

Photo 3:

Dress: *Arcane Spellcaster* Dress Shry Christmas BENTO $0L Shop & Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit Left: AlaFolie - MarieNoelle Gift $0L Shop & Hop Gift

Outfit Right: AlaFolie BETY $0L Shop & Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Dress Left: AlaFolie CITRON VERT Dress $0L Shop & Hop Gift

Dress Right: AlaFolie VALERY $0L Shop & Hop Gift

Mesh Nails: N.Kolour+KOSMETIK: Omega Coffin Nails - Medium // Maitreya

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 3.1

Hair: TRUTH VIP Merry - Essential

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

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

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

Shop and Hop SL19B

 Hiya everyone! Tonight it is time to head over to the SL19B Shop and Hop, a massive celebration of the 19 wonderful years that Second Life has been in existence. SL19B stands for Second Life 19th Birthday, and I highly recommend checking out the destination guide for details of the festivities. There are 20 regions filled with 400 designers' displays, all of which have a free gift waiting for us among many discounted and exclusive offers for sale. I randomly chose one of those regions to share gifts from tonight, so we are exploring the Hollyhock treats in this post :) I enjoyed every single area I visited, and will continue to share goodies from various regions of the event until it closes its doors in early July.

First we have the charming Entice - Summer Baby 2 - Aqua gift, one of the softest looking lingerie sets I've seen in SL. The bra top and delicately tied bottoms with ruffled legs are each included in Freya, Hourglass, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, and Petite body sizes, and the color calls to mind an ocean view. So romantic!

Not to be outdone, Salt & Pepper brings the romance too with their gift called S & P Elena FATPACK. The bare shouldered dress has full sleeves with the same open weave lace as our skirt, and there is an attached belt gently cinching the waist. The dress comes as an unpacker HUD with eBody Reborn, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, and Petite buttons, each of which will deliver a folder with the corresponding size and the color HUD so you don't need to unpack all the various sizes but can if you wish with the "all" button. The color HUD offers 16 choices each for the main dress and the belt/accent on different tabs, so you can mix and match as I have above. The trim is on the shoulders and the stripe down each side of the skirt.

[P.S.] has a lovely gift for us too, their Three-tiered frills mini dress. It fits Legacy and Maitreya mesh bodies, with a strapless sweetheart neckline and black lace overlay on a pale sunshine yellow fabric. The two lacy selections in a row are a coincidence but one I enjoy since I have always been drawn to the intricate details of a finely wrought lace. 

Next we visit the Gabrielle Hamelin display, where we can claim their charming {GH} Lili Flower Top SLB 19 gift. This versatile bare shouldered blouse has detached ruffle sleeves and a very loose fit to its cropped bodice, and is provided in a fitmesh M size as well as Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Ocacin, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, Tonic Fine, and Voluptuous mesh body sizes. There is also a HUD that lets us choose a transparency level (I reduced it on the right but it is subtle) and click a different tab with 72 colors to tint the floral fabric. It probably won't surprise regular readers here that I am also wearing a pair of the Delizio jeans fatpack we can find for free on the marketplace, as they are frequently seen here to provide bottoms for various tops ;)

My final look this evening is a pair of playful swimsuits from [RNK] called Frilled Bikini Watermelon. The red and yellow versions are both worn as one piece, each in sizing for Legacy and Maitreya bodies. The little seed pattern is adorable, and the green trim representing watermelon rind is a clever detail. I am very curious about yellow watermelon, as I have only encountered it in SL so far and not RL, but it sounds delicious! From what I read it is a little sweeter than red watermelon and has a honey-like flavor, yum :)

Did I just blink and the weekend flew by? LOL! I was going to do some inventory sorting and maintenance, but only got a tiny bit done so that is still an ongoing challenge. Saturday morning was sunny and hot for the farmers market, so going early was a good idea to avoid the midday heat. One of the regular vendors brought his son's dog, a cuddly chocolate lab, and she was in heaven getting so much attention. I got some tasty food, and am ready for what might be a fairly quiet week before a busy weekend. I hope you all enjoyed your weekend, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from Shop & Hop - Hollyhock:

Photo 1:

Outfit: Entice - Summer Baby 2 - Aqua $0L SL19B Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: Salt & Pepper S & P Elena FATPACK $0L SL19B Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: [P.S.] Three-tiered frills mini dress $0L SL19B Gift

Photo 4:

Top: Gabrielle Hamelin {GH} Lili Flower Top SLB 19 $0L SL19B Gift

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

Photo 5:

Bikinis: [RNK] Frilled Bikini Watermelon $0L SL19B Gift

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

Hair: TRUTH Eternity - Redhead

Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins - BRIONIE marshmellow (BOM)

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

Body/Hands/Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity  (Various Sets)

Sexy and Seventeen

Hiya everyone! Tonight I will begin to show you some of the many gifts we can find at the SL17B Shop and Hop, part of Second Life's 17th Birthday celebration. There are 10 full sims loaded with designers offering discounted items, and most have a free gift for all visitors. Some are in little suitcases, others are signs on walls or other types of gift boxes, just look around each display carefully if you do not see it immediately. With so many sims, I will do what I usually do with their larger events and share them one sim at a time, so tonight's gifts can all be found on the Frosted sim. It is the weekend and things could be crowded, but the good news is that the event is open until the 12th of July so you can certainly wait until things are less hectic there. I went two days ago and it was busy but none of the sims were full to the point of not letting me in, and I visited half of them at that time. After the weekend, I will tackle the other five and have a terrific time unpacking those generous treats! Meanwhile I also have a new-ish release from [Ari-Pari] to show you that is close to my heart, and may be meaningful for many of you too.

My first look of the evening is a gift from #AplBlossom, their Ari No. 9 outfit. It is one of two SL17B gifts at this display, and there are 2 group gifts there if you happen to be in their group :) Ari No. 9 is a one piece with the appearance of two, a tank top and high waisted panties with a skirt attached, and includes both versions shown above (patterned and solid skirts) each sized for Freya, Legacy, and Maitreya mesh bodies.

The other treat I mentioned being at this display is from the Blossom&Seeds brand, called SL17B - Italy Exclusive Pack. It is also a single piece with built in layers of dress, bra top, and belt, and comes in sizes for Freya, Legacy, and Maitreya mesh bodies. There is a HUD provided to let you pick from 5 solid colors for the top and 5 pretty patterns for the blouse-style dress. The top is rather sheer because of being lace.

This gorgeous slip dress is our gift from Faida named Blanche, and she is a delicate satiny halter style with fun floral pattern. The gift includes Legacy, Legacy Perky, and Maitreya sizing. I couldn't resist trying on the gift from Gabrielle Hamelin with it, which is the lovely Adora Fun - Shards Necklace with Resizer. It even comes in an extra tiny size, but I wore the regular one and used the resize script to make it a bit bigger. The choker part itself reminds me of rock candy and its sweet clusters, while the heart pendant looks like hammered metal for a very attractive look.

I noticed I have been favoring shades of blue lately, so I was delighted to unpack this beautiful {le fil casse} Kennedy Dress Ice gift. It includes Freya, Isis, Hourglass, Legacy, and Maitreya sizing, with detached sleeves and lots of gathers for a charming style. I'll bet that necklace from the previous photo would look just as pretty with this neckline.

Over to [Ari-Pari], where they would like to remind us that Love Is Love with this poignant tee. It is ideal for Pride month of course, but just as true any day of the year :) The shirt comes in sizes for eBody Curvy, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh bodies, with a HUD offering 12 background colors. It is just $150L and better yet, with their free group tag is discounted to $135L. I personally am not LGBT+ but I am a proud ally, with friends and family members who are, and will always have my support and love as all LGBT+ folks do ♥. There are a couple of other pride designs too, so please head to that back wall and have a peek!

Hooray for the weekend! I am a bit anxious about parts of it, but looking forward to it nonetheless. I will be taking the day off from blogging tomorrow, as the fans did arrive for my poor hardworking PC so they will be replaced by a family member who has much more experience than I ever will at that sort of thing. I do not expect any problems, but it felt logical to just plan the day without any deadlines or pressure and to not rush said family member. The computer has been making noises for several months off and on, but the past few weeks it really increased and made me even more concerned. I am doing what must be done, and will be relieved to be back Sunday with more SL17B goodies to share :) In the meantime, I hope you all have a safe and beautiful weekend, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:
All Gifts from SL17B - Frosted Sim:

Photo 1:
Outfit: #Apl.Blossom Ari No. 9 $0L SL17B Gift

Photo 2:
Outfit: Blossom&Seeds SL17B - Italy Exclusive Pack $0L SL17B Gift

Photo 3:
Dress: Faida - Blanche $0L SL17B Gift
Necklace: Gabrielle Hamelin ~ Adora Fun - Shards Necklace with Resizer $0L SL17B Gift

Photo 4:
Dress: {le fil casse} Kennedy Dress Ice $0L SL17B Gift

Photo 5:
Top: [Ari-Pari] Love Is Love Tee $150L New Release

Head: GENUS Project - Genus Head - Classic Face W001 - Mocap 
Eyeshadow: alaskametro<3 Daytime" - eyeshadow 02 !TESTER! $0L Wearable Demo
Hair: TRUTH HAIR Kitten - Redhead 

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

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

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara

All Poses: Verocity (various sets)

Shop and Hop is Gleaming

Hiya everyone! Tonight I am delighted to tell you about the Valentine's Shop and Hop event, where you will find over 80 designers in 4 romantically designed sims who are all offering discounted merchandise along with free gifts. Tonight I will be showing you some gifts found on the Gleaming sim, as I personally just find it simpler to sort them by sim and show you one at a time so you know exactly which landmark to follow. I am mostly focused on fashion, but there was a sweet companion that caught my eye too :) The event just opened yesterday and runs until the 23rd of February.

My first look is the [Aleutia] Eileen Dress (Maitreya) Special Valentine's Edition, a sweet mini with fluttery skirt and pretty hearts adorning it. As the name implies, it is sized for the Maitreya body, and will look nice with your favorite shoes, perhaps white or pink? 

Next we have a beautiful gift from Gabrielle Hamelin, their {GH} Spring Bliss Sequins Gift. It comes in sizes for Freya, Isis, Maitreya, and Hourglass, with a HUD to adjust colors for the materials. The HUD gave me an error message when I added it, but I saw mentioned in many groups (and on plurk, etc.) that SL was being weird with scripts this morning so I would guess that was the reason. I didn't necessarily need the HUD since I like the way this looks just as it is :)

Does the romance of the upcoming holiday make you feel a little bit sassy? If so, this gift from Faida should be perfect for you :) It is called It's Not Me, and comes in a Maitreya mesh body size in a soft pink shade. The front reads "It's NOT ME it's you" with the NOT ME across a darker pink ribbon, and there are a few small hearts on the design too. The cropped style with short sleeves add to the sass too, while the pastel color keeps it from being overly edgy.

United Colors has a pretty dress for us, their UC_Cupid_dress_red. It is provided in Freya, Isis, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique sizing, with a handy HUD to make this extra sexy. You can choose from 7 colors for the top and bottom sections in the middle (the main dress stays that pretty red) with options to make them sheer and to turn materials off or on. You can even hide those triangles in the middle, top or bottom or rear (the back is designed like the front with a wedge shaped panel) and turn the collar on or off. That is a lot of variety!!

For my final look of the evening, I added a friendly little companion, the gift from KittyCatS! called I LOVE YOU! Angel 2020. It flies around chasing the pink heart that says I love you, and one flank reads "I love you" as you can see above while the other has a heart and arrow on it. There are plenty of great details to appreciate here, and I think you will enjoy seeing him/her in person when you claim this thoughtful gift.

It was a pretty good day here, with a nice visit to my parents' for dinner where we looked through some old pictures and had some laughs. It was a stroll down memory lane for sure :) I have a busy Saturday planned as usual, and I am looking forward to it since I'll get to see some awesome people and pick up tasty treats. I hope you all have a beautiful weekend ahead, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:
All Gifts from Shop and Hop - Gleaming sim:

Photo 1:
Dress: [Aleutia] Eileen Dress (Maitreya) Special Valentine's Edition $0L Shop and Hop Gift

Photo 2:
Dress: Gabrielle Hamelin {GH} Spring Bliss Sequins Gift $0L Shop and Hop Gift

Photo 3:
Top: Faida - It's not me (Maitreya) $0L Shop and Hop Gift
Pants: Delizio - Jeans + Applier for Maitreya + Omega (shown in Blue) $0L Marketplace

Photo 4:
Dress: United Colors UC_Cupid_dress_red $0L Shop and Hop Gift

Photo 5:
Cat: KittyCatS! I LOVE YOU! Angel 2020 $0L Shop and Hop Gift

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

Hair: TRUTH HAIR Kare - 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

Hands: Slink Dynamic Hands Female

Feet: Slink AvEnhance Feet Female Deluxe Pack

All Poses: Verocity (various sets)