Frosted Shop and Hop

 Hiya everyone! Tonight it's time to visit the Frosted region of SL23B Shop & Hop, one of 16 moderate (and 6 adult) areas in this shopping extravaganza to celebrate Second Life turning 23. We've just a few days left now, until the 19th, to visit all these regions and scoop up hundreds of gifts :) Every designer has discounted offers for us too, so we can save money while checking out old favorite designers or meeting new ones. These rounds always make me happy, and the Golden Age of Hollywood theme has made for some amazing creativity both in the merchandise they sell and the booths they have designed for us to visit.

My first look this evening is our Luova // Mary // Dress // Fatpack gift, with strong Marilyn vibes that I am loving. We receive sizes for Lara X, Petite X, Legacy, Perky, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies, along with a HUD to tint and color to our heart's content. The default color is shown on the left above, as I tried to tint it white several times but came up with this intriguing gray-green hue. I chose the baby blue button for the right and got a deep almost navy color, very elegant just like our halter style and full tea length skirt.

I switched gears to a casual and cozy look here, thanks to the ALANTORI - Luna Outfit FATPACK gift. The one-piece mesh ensemble is a slightly cropped hoodie, sleek pants, and matching mid-height boots with cute kitten heel. We receive plenty of color versions like the Bucci I'm wearing on the left and Flower on the right (others are black, brown, champagne, olive, pink, purple, and white) that are each packaged individually. They fit Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Peach, and Reborn mesh bodies with ease. I appreciate being able to get dressed in a jiffy, as sometimes I am in a hurry to get somewhere fun  and just don't have time to sift through all this inventory ;)

This gorgeous gown is our HizNherz Passion Gown and Heels gift, and you can tell from the name that this store caters to both guys and gals so there is in fact a male gift also. This texture is incredible, with animated shine that spirals its way around us and just looks magical. Our gown comes in Lara X, Petite X, Legacy, Perky, and Reborn sizes, with compatible sizing for the heels. That sash wrapped around the hips and draped down the left side is an impressive detail, and I can't wait to wear it somewhere worthy :)

Next I changed into the POISON ROUGE Lala Top Magenta gift, because we always need pretty tops :) The color is dreamy, and I adore halter styles that tie at the nape of the neck like this. Our gift includes sizing for Lara X, Legacy, and Reborn mesh bodies, and I'm wearing it with the white Delizio jeans from their fatpack that is free on the marketplace. It'll go wonderfully with your favorite skirts, pants, or shorts too I'm sure. 

Occasionally I wind up ending my evening topless I guess, LOL, but it is the best way to share T H E  C R O W - GIFT Wings Tattoo BOM you see above. There are dark and soft versions included, and it is a subtle distinction as I am wearing dark on the left and soft to the right. What's your first thought when seeing these wings? I couldn't decide if mine was angel or bird, but other possibilities like butterflies, fairies, and dragons came to mind as well. I really like having the same image on the front and the back like this, as it flows wonderfully with the body's natural lines and curves. 

My day was busy from a gaming standpoint, since Paleo Pines had a huge update with 20 new colors for the dinosaurs among many new or improved features. That's 3 games that I routinely play each day now (not counting SL as a game) and it can get time consuming. Still extremely fun, but sometimes it is hard to find time for everything I want to do. Otherwise I am still waiting for my glasses to be ready to pick up, with a sense of dread because that means I can schedule the consult for the cataract surgeries. If I miss a day posting, that means I was at Target optical instead, LOL, and didn't have time to take pics and notes for a blog post ;) I hope you're all having a terrific day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from SL23B Shop & Hop - Frosted Region:

Photo 1:

Dress: Luova // Mary // Dress // Fatpack $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Outfit: ALANTORI - Luna Outfit FATPACK $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: HizNherz Passion Gown and Heels $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Top: POISON ROUGE Lala Top Magenta $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Tattoo: T H E  C R O W - GIFT Wings Tattoo BOM $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Pants Photos 4&5: Delizio - Jeans + Applier for Maitreya + Omega $0L Marketplace

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Verse - Essential

Skin: enLight RUE 5-Satin

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: [LEGACY] Meshbody (f) Special Edition (1.7.1)

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

More SL23B Treats

 Hiya everyone! Tonight's post is another mini tour of a region from SL23B Shop & Hop, the 23rd birthday of Second Life and its shopping areas. All of these free gifts are from the Buttercup region which is one of the 6 Adult areas, so please keep that in mind as you may see some mature themed items for sale. I mention it not as a judgment call but as a heads-up to anyone who either is not set up in SL to visit adult regions or simply prefers to avoid that type of content. It's an integral part of SL for many people to have the ability to explore things that are not as simple in RL, and that does include some mature topics. That said, these gifts are not particularly naughty, and I'm even wearing the nipple covers included with my skin so they stay safely covered :) Remember, an excellent way to keep track of all the SL23B gifts is with the FabFree spreadsheet that you can sort by type, region, and more by the tabs on the bottom left.

My first look of the evening does have me thinking about the Golden Age of Hollywood theme for SL23B, which I am absolutely enjoying. This is our EF - Emilija Dress - Gold gift from Effervescence, and it looks gorgeous in either traditional (shown) or PBR textures. Each of these is provided in sizing for Lara X, Legacy, Perky, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. I was having trouble with the PBR on the lace sides with my lighting, and I don't know if my rented skybox has reflection probes that would help with that so I just stuck to the traditional texturing :) 

This is where my skin's nipple covers really came in handy, LOL, as the [C.YFashion]*NAYA*Set Gift has a sheer lace tube top that will show that darker color fairly easily. This lingerie is actually all one piece, and will fit Legacy, Lara X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. We also receive a HUD with 6 colors each for the top and thong bottom, so we can get playful with the mixing and matching.

I noticed a lot of tattoos among the adult regions' gifts, maybe because that allows them to show images of the body art without blurring any of the body? The DO INK TATTOO ENTRELACS FLORALS is a beautiful design of flowers and vines down both front and back of each leg, with several BOM layers to choose from. We've got fade, fresh (shown) and medium opacities, with the left leg, the right leg, or both legs as I'm wearing above. I usually go with the darkest option for photographs to make them more visible, but usually choose a medium one for routine wear :)

Next I swapped to the Echo & Aura - In The Stars BOM Tattoo which is one of 2 gifts I picked up at their display. We've still got a flower in the center here, with lots of stars and ribbons. I love the touches of blue! We receive upper and lower layers, in faded and fresh versions. If you look closely you can tell that some of the upper tattoo is hiding beneath the clothing, trailing up that right ribcage to the front of the underarm area. All of our artwork appears on the right side of the body, so you can mix it with other tattoos on the left side if you wish.

My final look of the night is this brand's other generous gift, the Echo & Aura - Art Deco Nails - Stiletto. We know that I'm a huge fan of nail art, so it isn't surprising that I couldn't wait to show this off :) These fantastic mesh nails are designed for Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn mesh hands, and all you need to do is hide the body's built in nails and add these to your outfit. The gold striping creates a lovely Art Deco look that really suits the theme of the event, but also just looks incredible with just about any outfit.

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was warm and busy but decent :) The farmers market was nice, even if there weren't many vendors, and the nap afterwards was so good. Is that how tell you're getting old, when you enjoy napping so much? LOL! I've got lots to consider after my therapy session this evening, but that isn't a bad thing by any means. I hope you're all having a nice day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from SL23B Shop & Hop - Buttercup Region:

Photo 1:

Dress: Effervescence EF - Emilija Dress - Gold $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Lingerie: [C.YFashion]*NAYA*Set Gift $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Tattoo: DO INK TATTOO ENTRELACS FLORALS $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Tattoo: Echo & Aura - In The Stars BOM Tattoo $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Nails: Echo & Aura - Art Deco Nails - Stiletto $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Verse - Essential

Skin: enLight RUE 5-Satin

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: [LEGACY] Meshbody (f) Special Edition (1.7.1)

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

I Love Shop and Hop

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we are diving into the gifts from the Hollyhock region of SL23B Shop & Hop. As you probably know by now, this is a celebration of Second Life's 23rd birthday which features a round of Shop & Hop among many events and things to do :) We have a total of 480 stores on 24 regions (18 mature, 6 adult) where we can find discounted offers as well as generous gifts. I love these opportunities to become familiar with new designers, see what's happening with ones I already know, and of course find some amazing bargains! Xan and I are also peeking at the exhibitor regions and are endlessly impressed by the passion and creativity that goes into those. We have about a week and half left to enjoy, so don't dawdle :) Oh and remember to use the FabFree spreadsheet to make sure you aren't missing any of these thoughtful gifts, as their team has worked hard to organize that info and keep it updated for everyone. 

Life is better on the beach, at least that's the message you will see on our Chakra - Life at Beach - Female - Blue gift :) This brightly colored tee comes in Lara X, Legacy, and Reborn mesh body sizes, and includes an alpha layer that I did find helpful for my Legacy body here. The waist is nipped in slightly beneath those gently baggy sleeves, while the lower hem is flared out to accommodate lots of types of pants and skirts. I'm wearing the white Delizio jeans from their marketplace fatpack freebie, as my instinct is usually to try BOM pants for ease of layering.

This beauty is our ANNA - Bella Mini Dress-Lace Blue gift, which is one of two you'll find in this store's display. The style makes me think ballerina, with that full lacy skirt and formfitting bodice, and the color is like a clear sky. There are Lara X, Legacy, and Reborn sizes included in this gift.

Their other gift for us is the lovely ANNA-Vanessa Dress Fatpack 1. It consists of the dress and pants (panties) each in Gen X, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn mesh body sizes, and HUDs for each. The dress HUD offers 17 choices, a mix of solids and patterns, while the pants HUD has 8 colors to choose from. The bust has sheer lace trim that does show some nippleage, so that is why I chose a pose with the arms up to block that from view ;) Actually I've just remembered a bit too late that I have pasties that came with my skin and would cover that up, but it was still worth mentioning. 

Clearly I need more excuses to get formally dressed up in SL, because our UNA. Rita slb Gift deserves to be shown off! There is something so stunning about this strapless gown with wrapped sash around the hips, bustled on the left side and slightly reflective in my ambient lighting. It fits Lara X, Legacy, Perky, and Reborn mesh bodies. I'm undecided on what type of jewelry would suit it best, as I can envision something simple or a more bold necklace and earrings for example.

I feel like my final look of the evening is a nod to the Golden Age of Hollywood theme of SL23B. :ALTER: Tokio Mini Dress @Gold is a beautiful single shouldered minidress, shimmering in satin to make the golden color even more of a shiny metallic treat. The gift includes sizing for Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Lara X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. 

I'm losing track of time, the day of the week, LOL, all of it is just blending together right now ;) At least I had a good time gaming with friends earlier, although my friend's husband had emergency dental work (2 teeth pulled, ouch) so he was understandably on the quiet side. I felt so bad for him, and was glad to hear him sounding fairly cheerful. The weather is clearing up from a rain standpoint here, but the temps are staying high and steamy so I am grateful for AC and fans when I'm able to stay indoors. I hope you're all having a pleasant day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from SL23B Shop & Hop - Hollyhock Region:

Photo 1:

Top: Chakra - Life at Beach - Female - Blue $0L Shop&Hop Gift

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

Photo 2:

Dress: ANNA - Bella Mini Dress-Lace Blue $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: ANNA-Vanessa Dress Fatpack 1 $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Dress: UNA. Rita slb Gift $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: :ALTER: Tokio Mini Dress @Gold $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Collective Audacious - Essential

Skin: enLight RUE 5-Satin

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: [LEGACY] Meshbody (f) Special Edition (1.7.1)

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

SL23B Is Still Hopping

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we're visiting the Delphinium region of the SL23B Shop & Hop event, one of 24 (18 moderate, 6 adult) regions packed with top designers who have carefully chosen discounted offers and free gifts for us. As always I suggest checking out the FabFree spreadsheet of gifts which you can sort with the tabs on the bottom by type, store name (alphabetical), region and more. They work so hard each round and deserve all of our gratitude, much like the wonderful designers :)

For my first look of the evening, I chose the playful !PCP:: Debbie [SummerVibes] outfit from Pink Cream Pie. This gift includes the top and skirt in sizing for Lara X, Petite X, Legacy. and Reborn mesh bodies, along with a HUD to choose from 24 colors for the built in panties and 5 metals for our zipper. It has an option to toggle the panties off/on too, so the skirt is really versatile :) I love the summer vibes image on the cropped tee, with popular nods to that theme like the sunshine, watermelon, tropical flowers, sunglasses, and a gorgeous sunset beach scene.

I'm feeling particularly alluring in our Stiff - Minori Bodysuit - Solena gift, and really enjoying that deep olive color! There are sizes for Lara X, Legacy, Bombshell, Reborn, and Waifu bodies included. The bare shoulders go so well with the plunging neckline, and the high cut legs lead to a narrow thong in the rear which is why you aren't seeing a second view ;)

Next I had some fun trying on the purplemoon treat called :: pm :: Mabel Dress SL23B Gift. There is something so lovely about the purple and white blossoms on a pale background, yet trimmed in dark edging to really show off the low cut bodice and flared skirt. We get to look fantastic in Lara X, Petite X, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, and Reborn mesh body sizes :)

It always amuses me to try on a black dress while thinking about the concept of a Little Black Dress. I expect those to be simple and rather ordinary, but our fashions in SL are anything but! Our {S&C} Lana T Dress gift from Spells & Charms is probably named for Lana Turner (Golden Age of Hollywood is the general theme of the event) and the dress is every bit as stunningly glamorous as she was :) It fits Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies, with playful insets of lace at the bust and the left thigh where the skirt has been slit. 

My final look of the evening is a closeup view of our gift from VENGE, their Stiletto Nail LITE - 'Balance'. Who couldn't use a little more balance in their lives these days? :) These mesh nails come in sizes for Legacy, Maitreya, Reborn, and Signature Alice mesh bodies, just use the body's HUD to hide its built in nails and add the correct size to your outfit. The enclosed HUD for our nails offers 5 designs that can be applied to thumb, index, middle, ring, and pinky, via the initials alongside each design. I've got one design on each pair of fingers, and the traditional yin yang designs on the pinky and thumb are reverse images of one another. The index and ring fingers show koi designs, which I also adore and will gladly wear. 

Whew, what a weekend! The heat was brutal, but I did make it to the farmers market on Saturday morning (much to the surprise of one of the vendors, LOL) although it was pretty uncomfortable. They had free hot dogs for the holiday, but I can't eat beef or soy and those were the two options. I passed on those but bought a few treats to enjoy during the week :) Tonight has been stormy and nerve-wracking, like a little while ago when the lights blinked off and my PC shut but the TV and fan stayed on. We have flood warnings too, which is common whenever we have lots of rain and doesn't usually affect my neighborhood too much. My anxiety support group has a meeting tomorrow evening, so I am looking forward to that as I'd missed the last one due to tornadoes in the next town over. No repeats of that mess please! I'm starting to wonder what I will do for a quick dinner beforehand since I finished the BBQ leftovers earlier, so I'll figure that out later. I hope you're all having a peaceful day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from SL23B Shop & Hop - Delphinium Region:

Photo 1:

Outfit: Pink Cream Pie !PCP:: Debbie [SummerVibes] $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Bodysuit: Stiff - Minori Bodysuit - Solena $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: purplemoon :: pm :: Mabel Dress SL23B Gift $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Dress: Spells & Charms {S&C} Lana T Dress $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Nails: VENGE - Stiletto Nail LITE - 'Balance' $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Collective Audacious - Essential

Skin: enLight RUE 5-Satin

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Shop and Hop Giving Credit

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I hope to provide a public service via SL23B Shop & Hop, as there are dozens of stores offering store credit or gift cards as their free gift. Now I don't know about you, but I have forgotten to redeem more of those than I can count, LOL, and do not want to see that happen to any of you :) Some of the credits don't expire, but there are some that will expire around the time of SL23B closing on the 19th or shortly thereafter. Some can be used only at the mainstores, but I was fortunate enough to find a few spots that we can purchase discounted offers here at S&H with these credits. Those are what I'm sharing tonight, but I urge you to use the FabFree spreadsheet with the tab for "Type Sorted" at the bottom and scroll to the purple store credit. Also helpful to note that the adult regions are separate below, so two sections of each color/type to look through. I'm so grateful to FabFree for their spreadsheets, and send virtual hugs to their hardworking team as I show you some possibilities of what you might choose to spend those credits on. All of tonight's looks are from moderate regions at S&H, although I will probably blog some adult region items (not adult items, but found in those regions) before the event ends but will let you know if that is the case.

The cococat. Morning dress - Mint is one of several colors of this sweet and feminine dress that you can pick up for $130L per color. The gift here is $500L store credit, so making selections from their discounted merch here at S&H is a fantastic way to stretch those linden dollars even further :) This beauty comes in sizes for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, and Reborn mesh bodies, and includes a HUD with 20 colors each for the top ruffle, bottom ruffle, top bow, and skirt bows. It is such a delicate shade of pale green that all of these hues will look lovely :) 

I still had plenty of store credit left, so I continued shopping here and chose the gorgeous cococat. Fluffy dress - Lilac for $155L. I feel like Cinderella, just so luxurious and glamorous! The gown with gathered top and layered full skirt is provided in Legacy, Perky, and Reborn mesh body sizes. Its HUD lets us choose from 20 colors apiece for the top, belly, base skirt, and flared part (the lowest tier that touches the ground). The ombre on the upper skirt layers is phenomenal, and I feel like a paler color would make an amazing wedding gown if you were so inclined.

I also spent some credits at the GGVG display at S&H, which are on a $500L gift card that you can claim here. This stunning gown is the LOVE YOU GOWN SHINNY HEARTS COLORFUL which is one of several versions you might select for $224L each. While the style of the gown itself is already a head-turner with the bare back draped with slender chains, the real magic happens when light hits the fabric :) Those multicolored sequins you see are going to reflect any ambient lighting, plus we receive a special enhancer light to wear that has a control HUD with colors and other options. I changed it to yellow on the right which is why the wall behind me looks warmer. Our gown is designed for Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Lara X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies.

Next I wasn't quite finished spending those gift card credits, lol, so I also selected the beautiful GGVG CRYSTAL DRESS CUBE SPARKLE GOLDY from their sales items. The wrapped style creates a cleavage baring neckline and tulip skirt, making this a go-to look for wherever you want to feel alluring. The dress comes in sizing for Kupra, Lara X, Petite X, Legacy, Perky, Pinup, Reborn, and Waifu bodies, with a special enhancer lights attachment and control HUD just like the previous dress above. These golden sequins do catch that light wonderfully, elevating the look no matter which color you choose. This was also $224L of the credit gift, so I was easily able to pick out two fantastic treats and have a little leftover.

My final look this evening can be found at the [Ari-Pari] display, where you can pick up a generous $500L credit via Allomancy. Remember this means that you have to click the link in local chat then click the "redeem" button on the website to confirm it :) This lovely set is the Dogwood Outfit, which is discounted to $125L for the event. Just think, that means you could grab 4 outfits for free with that credit! Now you see why I'm so eager to remind and persuade you to use these free credits. This fun pairing of bare shouldered long sleeve blouse and maxi skirt are provided in Lara X, Legacy, Perky, Reborn, and Waifu mesh body sizes, along with a HUD that offers 18 colors apiece in floral print for the top and sleek solid hues for the skirt. My childhood home had a dogwood tree in the middle of the front yard, and I've had a soft spot for these beautiful blooms ever since :) Note - I am an official blogger for this brand, but claimed the gift credits and redeemed them just as you would in this instance. 

Heat waves are certainly challenging to cope with, and the AC unit could not get it lower then 80 degrees in here during the day. In the few hours since I've been in this room, it has dropped to 75.5 currently so I am doing okay :) We still have an extreme heat warning for tomorrow and Saturday, with a high of 101 for Friday and heat index values up to 115, so it is important to stay indoors as much as possible. I'm going to my parents' for dinner since they'd already planned things, but not until 7 PM so it might cool slightly by then. If the time comes and I feel it would be unwise, I will politely back out if necessary (they won't mind) because health comes first. We can always try again Saturday I guess. Otherwise I am eager to get back into SL and explore some July hunts and events, and just generally relax with Xan. I hope you're all having a safe and pleasant day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Sales Items from SL23B Shop & Hop:

Photo 1:

Dress: cococat. Morning dress - Mint $130L/Free w/Credit

Photo 2:

Dress: cococat. Fluffy dress - Lilac $155L/Free w/Credit

Photo 3:

Dress: GGVG LOVE YOU GOWN SHINNY HEARTS COLORFUL $224L/Free w/Credit

Photo 4:

Dress: GGVG CRYSTAL DRESS CUBE SPARKLE GOLDY $224L/Free w/Credit

Photo 5:

Outfit: [Ari-Pari] Dogwood Outfit $125L/Free w/Credit

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Collective Enigmatic - Essential

Skin: enLight RUE 5-Satin

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: [LEGACY] Meshbody (f) Special Edition (1.7.1)

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Shop and Hop Sweets

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I'd like to share some gifts found on the Halcyon region, one of 24 (18 moderate, 6 adult) regions that are part of the SL23B Shop & Hop extravaganza. This is such a special celebration of SL's 23rd birthday, and I love checking out the designers' hard work to see what they're offering for sale and as free gifts :) My favorite of the Shop & Hop events tends to be the birthday ones since I know not everyone is into the other themes (Valentine, Christmas, Halloween) and the birthday themes are varied. This round's theme by the way is the Golden Age of Hollywood, and some of these displays are too impressive for words! We have until the 19th of July to visit and snap up some bargains and of course the freebies ♥. My best tip is to make use of the FabFree spreadsheet to make sure you don't miss a single gift.

My first look this evening is the Les Sucreries de Fairy *SL Bday Gift* outfit, which comes in 5 different color versions. Each of these has its own delivery HUD with Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn buttons to deliver the bra, panty, armband, collar, and garters. All of those are in PBR or traditional versions, so there are lots of possibilities here! I'm wearing grape on the left above and jade on the right (all PBR pieces), but you can also choose from carmin (deep red), forest, or navy. 

Our [Good Fairy] - Audie {Dress} gift is absolutely giving Hepburn vibes, and I couldn't be more delighted! Our top, skirt, and hat will be delivered in separate folders from the unpacking HUD, so I'll start with the hat which comes in solid and lace versions, each with or without hair built in. I'm wearing lace without hair, and you can see the lovely texture :) The top and skirt each include original and lace versions, all in a fitmesh M size as well as Freya, Isis, Venus, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, Ocacin, Reborn, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, Tonic Fine, and Voluptuous mesh body sizing. I am wearing the lace top and skirt pieces, and the skirt without the lace simply ends where the white satin does. There are so many ways to wear this elegant outfit, and there are 2 other gifts waiting for us there as well.

Maybe you need to unwind in something more casual, in which case I'd like to direct you to the ::Sweet Intoxication:: Kathy Top (BOM) - Purple set :) There are 3 versions of this lacy bra top included - vanity (left above), lavender (right), and purple, so you can choose your hue and wear on any BOM-compatible body. BOM is handy because it can be layered under mesh clothing easily, and on top of other BOM pieces if you wish. That's why I'm wearing my favorite marketplace gift with them, the Delizio jeans in white which is one of several colors in this free fatpack. They are BOM layers but we also receive appliers for Omega and Maitreya.

The Delizio jeans stayed on so I could safely share the Faida - Campus gift :) We can make it known that we are a baddie, both coming and going with this sporty and sassy top. I wasn't expecting the number 67, lol, although I am a hockey fan so lower numbers tend to be more common there. This cropped shirt is provided in sizing for Lara X, Legacy, Nhuma, Nhuma Momma, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. This is going to look fantastic no matter what you pair it with!

My final look will turn your nails into a stunning homage to the Golden Age of Hollywood. The Eventyra [Gift Pack] Nail Appliers - Vintage Film treat contains HUDs for Legacy, Maitreya, Omega, and Reborn, each with 3 designs to apply to your nails. Two can be seen here :) Naturally I am curious how one might replicate this type of look in RL, and I'm a bit stymied...gradient for the base by dabbing colors on with a makeup sponge, then a stamping set that has the ribbon of film on it? Whatever the answer is, I'm here for it in SL and RL! They would look amazing with the Audie dress I shared earlier too. 

My knee won't stop bouncing, thanks to feeling nervous about tomorrow's plans to get my eyeglasses so I can start preparing for cataract surgery. Picking out glasses isn't scary and neither is where I am going (much closer than initially planned) but it's step one of several that lead to a big scary thing. So that's where my head is at, and why I won't be blogging tomorrow night. That means I'll be back in July, doesn't it? LOL, time is flying and we cannot stop it. I hope you're all having a nice day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from SL23B Shop & Hop - Halcyon Region:

Photo 1:

Outfit: *SL Bday Gift* Les Sucreries de Fairy $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Outfit: [Good Fairy] - Audie {Dress} $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Top: ::Sweet Intoxication:: Kathy Top (BOM) - Purple $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Top: Faida - Campus $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Nails: Eventyra [Gift Pack] Nail Appliers - Vintage Film $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Pants Photos 3&4: Delizio - Jeans + Applier for Maitreya + Omega $0L Marketplace

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Collective Enigmatic - Essential

Skin: enLight RUE 5-Satin

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: [LEGACY] Meshbody (f) Special Edition (1.7.1)

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Shopping and Hopping

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I hope to influence your weekend plans with some more Shop & Hop SL23B gifts :) If you haven't started exploring the 24 regions yet, I think this would be a great time to enjoy the festivities. Every region has 20 stores represented, so there are 480 brands represented with discounted offers and free gifts. I keep them sorted by region, so tonight the gifts you'll see here are all from Poppy. The best way to ensure that you don't miss any free goodies is the FabFree spreadsheet that they have worked so hard to create and maintain :) The team keeps it up to date and just do an impressive job of collecting the info in the first place that I'm eternally grateful to them for it. We have some hot and rainy RL weather so if yours is similar, all the more reason to spend time in SL instead of outdoors.

First I'm enjoying the beautiful RosenRot - Leo Dress gift. I'm a huge fan of florals, and the flirty style has a cleavage cutout to match the ones in the back and the midriff. We receive sizes for Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Khara, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, and Reborn mesh bodies. 

Leave it to FTCOR to dazzle me with denim :) The :::FTCOR::DONNA_JEANS_ROMPER::: FATPACK gift will fit Lara X, Legacy, and Reborn mesh bodies. It also includes a HUD with 20 wonderful textures, some of which are shades of basic denim and many are patterned and tinted denim options. The variety makes me as happy as the denim itself, but let's not forget the crossed straps above that deep plunging back opening. 

If you've ever found a gift that was simply too cute not to share, I feel you! That was me when I tried out the Crowded Room - Chicken Plushie, which you can just add to automatically hold with both hands and give it a snuggle. Click and you'll see it squish a little, and it makes a squeak like a dog toy :) Fun fact - there are two sizes and I'm actually showing off the small here, LOL, so the large is even bigger! That's a lot of feathery fun to cuddle up with, and I'm going to make sure Xan picks up a copy for himself too. We both love the cuter side of SL like this :)

Sometimes in SL we want to turn up the heat even more, like the KiraStyle // 371 // gift of a full outfit. The dress, slip (C-string), and socks are each provided in Belleza Classic, Legacy, Pinup, Lara X, and Reborn body sizing, and there is a HUD with 5 colors apiece for the dress, slip, socks, and belt. It's impressive to me that as revealing as this outfit is, all the essentials are covered :) While I usually associate bold looks with the weekend, I also recognize that every day in SL can be weekend-like if we wish. We are creating our own realities after all, so you can be a genderless cat creature on Mars or visit the 17th century in an alternate universe. 

My final look of the night is a fantastic formal gift, the .:FlowerDreams:. Hanne gown. Isn't it stunning? The mesh gown comes in a fitmesh M size along with Freya, Isis, Venus, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies. The flexies for left and right (attached at each shoulder in the back) and flowers for left and right sides are each separate attachments, therefore optional if you feel like wearing the gown without them. I'm wearing both flexies on the left above but not on the right, although I am wearing the flowers in both even if they are only visible from behind :) Oh, one important option is that I also added the lights that give the fabric extra sparkle and reflectivity. You can try it on without the light and then with, see what you like better for where you are headed. 

It was a warm day, but nothing compared to tomorrow so I am not complaining (yet). Dinner at my parents' was nice, and we discussed barbecue-type plans for next week. Nothing unusual, just indoor grilling and the usual sides. The weather doesn't matter if you aren't cooking outside :) I hope you all have a wonderful weekend ahead, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from SL23B Shop & Hop - Poppy Region:

Photo 1:

Dress: RosenRot - Leo Dress $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Outfit: :::FTCOR::DONNA_JEANS_ROMPER::: FATPACK $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Plushie: Crowded Room - Chicken Plushie $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: KiraStyle // 371 // $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: .:FlowerDreams:. Hanne gown - SL23B Gift $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Collective Daydream - Blonde

Skin: enLight RUE 5-Satin

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: [LEGACY] Meshbody (f) Special Edition (1.7.1)

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

SL23B Is Golden

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I'm sharing some SL23B gifts from the Golden region of Shop & Hop, one of my favorite events for finding new stores, longtime favored brands, and lots of discounts to make things budget-friendly. There are 24 regions (18 moderate and 6 adult) in our shopping area, with 20 stores apiece, for a total of 480 to explore and enjoy. That's why we have until the 19th of July, lol, as it is a lot to take in :) My advice is to bring friends to add to the fun, and use the FabFree spreadsheet that they've so kindly worked hard to create so you can ensure that you don't miss anything. I usually stick to the right, keep the gifts in folders by region, and make sure I grab landmarks for mainstores where possible if there is store credit as a gift that must be used at said mainstore.

My first look this evening is the lovely AlaFolie VERO Gift. This saucy dress has a lace inset and a diagonal ruffled hemline. There are Lara X, Petite X, Legacy, Perky, Prima Busty, Prima Petite, and Senra Jamie mesh body sizes included, as well as a HUD with 3 colors. You can apply the color of your choice to the entire dress first (as I did on the left) and then choose a different one for the trim/lace if you wish (right). I definitely appreciate the versatility :)

Another gift with several options is the Blue Blood - Lara Outfit I'm enjoying here. It consists of the top and skirt, each in black, blue, gray, green, purple, and red, all in Legacy, Perky, Petite, and Reborn mesh body sizing. We even receive a HUD with 4 metals for the buttons. I'm wearing the red top and skirt on the left, but went with the blue top and green skirt on the right for fun :) The black lace trim is consistent on all pieces, and I love the bows where the straps connect to the top. 

Summer is certainly upon us, and the Jack Spoon: Sel Bikini set - white gift is a fantastic way to enjoy the warm weather. Our bikini top has bold 3D flowers on each cup, and the bikini bottom is wrapped in a snowy white sarong that is linked to it as one mesh piece. Both of these will fit Legacy, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies just right. The lace trim on the right side where the sarong is tied in place may be a subtle detail, but it certainly caught my eye in the best way.

So you've got plans that involve a beach or pool, but you want to crank up the sensuality even higher? Our [F.C.O.] Dreza Bikini Black & Red gift is here to fulfill that wish :) It includes the top, bottom, and chains, all in sizes to fit Lara X, Legacy, and Reborn bodies. Since the chains are separate they are optional, so we can wear this look a couple different ways which is always a plus. Red and black is a smoking hot color combo for any time of year too, even if it is a minimal amount of fabric ;)

One last look of the evening, we have the gorgeous Ghee - SL23B GIFT dress to tempt us. They have a gold sequined column dress for us, in Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Prima, Prima Petite, Reborn, Waifu, and Star body sizing. The black edging up top really shows off the gold even more, and what an appropriate region to find this gift in :) I feel like an award statue, LOL! Okay upon reflection (pun intended) I've decided that we all look even prettier than an award statue in this treat. Oscars don't have particularly stylish hair for one thing, and we get to play with makeup that they could only dream of.

Whew, have you ever found yourself arguing with AI? Sadly I can say that I have, as I share my blog posts on the Book of Faces and they have taken to notifying me that they can no longer recommend my page to new audiences. No reason given other than not conforming to community standards, and I do not think that any of my content is violent or highly sexual or anything that should be an issue. Eventually I realized that it's probably my #slfreebie and #slfreebies tags, as they mention content that people don't like such as scam giveaways. I promise these are not false advertising! Their technology (AI) keeps flagging me, and then that same tech keeps rejecting my appeals. I tried reasoning with their AI in the chat thingy on their support page, but I think you can guess how that went. I stopped using those hashtags but I think the damage is done, so I'll still post there but I would suggest checking my Social Media tag above and following me elsewhere too if you'd like :) Eventually they will probably decide to just close my FB page altogether, and if you're following me there I apologize in advance if you no longer see my content there. Otherwise I'm planning an outing tomorrow that has me stressed to the gills, so I am taking the evening off from blogging. I know it'll be okay, I just get very worked up ahead of time. I hope you're all having a wonderful day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from SL23B Shop & Hop - Golden Region:

Photo 1:

Dress: AlaFolie VERO Gift $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Outfit: Blue Blood - Lara Outfit $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Outfit: Jack Spoon: Sel Bikini set - white $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Bikini: [F.C.O.] Dreza Bikini Black & Red $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: Ghee - SL23B GIFT $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Collective Daydream - Blonde

Skin: enLight RUE 5-Satin

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

Body/Hands/Feet: [LEGACY] Meshbody (f) Special Edition (1.7.1)

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

SL23B Is Here!

 Hiya everyone! Tonight it's time for the delightful SL23B which is a celebration of Second Life's 23rd birthday, and more specifically the Shop & Hop connected to it. There are 24 regions (18 moderate, 6 adult) with 20 designers apiece, so a total of 480 brands represented. That means 480 mini shops with discounted offers, and a free gift in every one as well :) I've been pondering the impressive longevity of Second Life, and how rare it is for a hobby or interest to be such a constant in our lives. I'm so grateful for it, and all these Shop & Hop events that bring together hundreds of talented creators really bring home what we all get to appreciate about our virtual world. I'm also very thankful to the FabFree team for their speed and dedication in getting their spreadsheet ready to guide us through the gifts! The doors just opened today to the public, and we have until the 19th of July to visit :) All of tonight's gifts are from the Dahlia region, as I find it simpler to organize them by region and share one at a time.

My first look of the evening is our MONOMANIA - Cocada gift, which is a lovely minidress with nearly bare back other than the playful straps draped about. There are 5 standard mesh sizes as well as Freya, Isis, Venus, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Reborn, Mounds, Hourglass, and Physique mesh body sizes. There's even a HUD with 10 patterns for us to choose from. Also included but not shown is a floppy straw hat, only omitted because my current hairstyle doesn't play well with hats ;) I tried and got aggravated, lol, sorry about that. 

For a more formal look, the gorgeous Yuni - Olly Dress just might be the right gift to pick up. This deep teal and black gown cinches in at the waist with a corset style belt, so there is an alpha layer for our bodies from the waist down to give us that wasp waist :) The dress comes in sizing for Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Lara X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. 

We also get to beat the heat for free with the GoodVibes Oyogu Swim Set, an outfit that also has a coordinated men's gift next to it :) This lovely treat contains the sexy swimsuit in Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, Waifu, and Star mesh body sizes, with matching tiptoe sandals to fit the same mesh bodies' feet (plus a very cute straw hat, not shown). The straps on the back of the suit are so flirty, a mix of the blue fabric and some gold chains, coordinating beautifully with the colors chosen for the sandals. 

I feel like I'm celebrating the roaring 20s, not current time but the 1920s of course, which is appropriate since the theme of SL23B is the Golden Age of Hollywood :) ARKONA is in that spirit with their Adelaide set black gift, starting with a flapper dress and heels in Maitreya sizes. There is also a separate gold rose brooch for the drop waist, and a headpiece with similar gold rose and a festive feather. The handkerchief hem and plush texture of the fabric are just fantastic, and I've always been intrigued by this particular era in fashion. Because of the theme, I'm thinking silent movie stars but I'm not sure which one this would represent most. 

One last look of the night, we have the stunning Just Imagine - Cherry outfit which is one of 5 gifts scattered around their amazing display. This one includes the top and shorts each in Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Nhumana, and Nhumana L mesh body sizes, plus the cherry earrings and sunglasses. If you look closely at the lenses of those shades, you'll see that there is a reflected image - clouds, sun, and palm trees :) We are absolutely ready for summer in this treat!

The last couple of days have been so hectic here, starting with yesterday's errands which went fairly well. Then I decided that a week of toe pain was enough to need a checkup, so today I went to the podiatrist and got it looked at. They x-rayed, 3 views, and there is no break or fracture, so we're treating it as a bad sprain. I get to continue icing it and buddy taping, and need to start wearing slippers around the house. I'm usually barefoot or in slipper socks, but I need something to provide stability and limit flexing of the toes. Oh well, at least I got to chat with my gaming friend tonight for the first time in several weeks :) She'd been sick and lost her voice, had a cough, and lost her hearing from inflammation in her ear, so it was important to let her heal. Tomorrow is dinner with the parents, which I always enjoy, and I still have 10 regions of SL23B to visit this weekend. I hope you're all having a fantastic day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from SL23B Shop & Hop - Dahlia Region:

Photo 1:

Dress: MONOMANIA - Cocada $0L SL23B Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: Yuni - Olly Dress $0L SL23B Gift

Photo 3:

Outfit: GoodVibes Oyogu Swim Set $0L SL23B Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: ARKONA Adelaide set black $0L SL23B Gift

Photo 5:

Outfit: Just Imagine - Cherry outfit $0L SL23B Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH VIP - Taffy - Essential

Skin: enLight RUE 5-Satin

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity