12 Years of SWANK

 Hiya everyone! Tonight's post is a celebration of the SWANK Event and their 12th anniversary. With their free group tag active, you can claim gifts from over 200 booths by clicking the gold and glass globes. I'm so grateful for all of these generous treats, and excited that they've been bringing us the best of these designers for a dozen years! This is a part one, as throughout the month I will be sprinkling some more of these goodies into my posts to continue to tempt you into visiting. 

For my first look of the evening, I selected one of 3 gifts I found from V8 Underground. The **ABYZOU X DEMON CONCEPT COSTUME COMPLETE OUTFIT** is ideal for Halloween (which will be here before we know it) as classic demon or devil attire. The dress, collar, and boots are all provided in Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn body sizes. Then we can add the horns, tail, fork, and animated wings, which include an on/off HUD for their flapping motions. There are BOM layers included of the Lelutka EVOX makeup and gloves/panties/pantyhose that I'm wearing here. The accessories are adjustable, and the fingerless lace gloves look great with the fishnet stockings :) I hope I find some costume events to attend since their other gifts (stay tuned for future posts) are similarly seasonal.

I wound up with 2 gifts from purplemoon, and they do seem to be intended to be worn together :) The :: pm :: Phoebe Top -blue- includes the sleeves separate from the top, both in sizes for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, and Reborn bodies. Isn't the intricate design on the top and the upper part of the sleeves stunning? It reminds me of a mandala, and looks so pretty against the full lace sleeves. We can wear it either way with the lovely :: pm :: Phoebe Skirt -blue- which wraps around and is held in place by a wide belt. There are Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh body sizes included, along with a metals HUD offering 6 options to adjust the color. Since the top and skirt are separates, I will happily pair them with other staples of my wardrobe from time to time, because why not? :)

If you have a pool or want to visit the beach, be sure to claim our Sassima: GIFT BAE BIKINI - PINK group gift to help you look your best :) The bra and panties will each fit Lara X, Legacy, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies, and have an eye-catching floral pattern with matching hot pink trim. I must admit that I feel like a rock star in this sexy little number!

Next I've slipped into the Ruxy-Criss V2 Dress Lara X gift. We all deserve a new little black dress from time to time, and this one is a flirty strapless style with extra short gathered skirt tied on the left thigh. It has been designed for just one specific body as per the name, but there is a chance that you could get it to fit a similarly proportioned one with some alpha adjustments or even tweaking your shape.

My final look tonight is the fantastic [Witch In A Box] Doe Lunar Outfit. This gift looks like separates at first glance but they're linked to wear as one piece. There are sizes for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Lara X, Petite X, Legacy, Bombshell, Reborn, and Waifu bodies included. The images of the various moon phases across the front are lovely, and the bold black bow adds a really fun touch that I appreciate :) I'm also impressed by the bubble style of both top and skirt, which I definitely don't see in combination like this very often. 

Is it naptime yet? LOL, sorry - no idea why I am feeling drowsy tonight but I'm sure I will perk up while I'm in SL later. Chatting with Xan always helps too, and he is very forgiving if I find myself yawning because he knows it's not from the company :) I didn't do anything unusual or tiring. There are so many things happening in SL this month, and I am up to my eyeballs in Twisted cubes lately so you can expect to see those hunt prizes shortly. Meanwhile I hope you're all having a beautiful day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from SWANK Event:

Photo 1:

Outfit: V8 Underground **ABYZOU X DEMON CONCEPT COSTUME COMPLETE OUTFIT** $0L SWANK Group

Photo 2:

Top: purplemoon :: pm :: Phoebe Top -blue- $0L SWANK Group

Skirt: :: pm :: Phoebe Skirt -blue- $0L SWANK Group

Photo 3:

Bikini: Sassima: GIFT BAE BIKINI - PINK $0L SWANK Group

Photo 4:

Dress: Ruxy-Criss V2 Dress Lara X $0L SWANK Group

Photo 5:

Outfit: [Witch In A Box] Doe Lunar Outfit $0L SWANK Group

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Collective Doremi - Essential

Skin: enLight RUE 5-Satin, Xtreme Model Skin 5-Satin & nipple covers

Ring: ~~ Ysoral ~~  .:  Luxe Wedding Ring Lore:. 

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Simply the Best

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we get to see some wonderful gifts for the Best stores and designers group, which is free to join. The notices are full of helpful info about new releases and special sales, while all the participating designers have the option to put a gift out in their main store for the group. It's always exciting to explore and see what's new in all of these locations, whether they are new to me or old favorites.

For my first look I've visited ~Rany~ and happily claimed their Wella Outfit FATPACK gift. Its corset and pants are all packed by color (black, blue, nude, peach, violet, and yellow for each) in sizing for Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn bodies. I'm wearing the blue corset and peach pants on the left, with the black corset and violet pants making an appearance on the right :) You can easily wear either piece with other items in your inventory too, so they are quite versatile as well as stylish.

As a matter of fact I'm wearing the black pants from the Rany gift here with our *Arcane Spellcaster* Top Katyna bright Red gift. It is truly lovely with that halter style and ruffled lace band to match the pretty little collar. There are sizes for Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies included. Please note that there are many other colors of this cutie for various other groups, so if red isn't your favorite color or you just want to collect them all (I wouldn't blame you!) see if you are a member of any of the other groups.

If you stop by [Diesel Deluxe] you can pop into their gift room for the Melani Outfit Top + Skirt 10. This fun look is actually worn as one piece with different textures on the top and skirt sections, each adorned with white bows that add a little something special. We receive Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Waifu sizes in this thoughtful gift. Again there are many gifts available here for various groups, so have fun checking them all out!

I absolutely could not resist sharing the ART & FASHION - DEMONS MINI DRESS gift once I read the front! It reads "I have the power to conquer all my demons." and believe me, I can only hope that I personally do. The calming shades of blue are making me think of the sky, freeing and wide open to possibilities :) Our dress has crisp rectangular cutouts and comes in sizing for Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, TMP, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine bodies. 

My final look of the night can be all yours for visiting V8 Underground with the group tag active. It's called **DINA HABISHI SALMON RISQUE STYLE COMPLET OUTFIT** and can help us hold onto summer a little longer with a fun tropical feel. The bra, panties, skirt, and heels are all provided in Freya, Hourglass, Kupra, Legacy, and Maitreya mesh bodies, and we also receive a HUD with solid and pattern options for each piece. I love the salmon color, both as the solid hue and as the background color for our gorgeous floral pattern. The fans in the design make me think it's an Asian nod, and they just generally add to the beauty. 

Are we all ready for the weekend? I think I am, and the farmers market tomorrow will be relatively quiet (no food truck) but one of my favorite vendors will be back after her Alaskan cruise. I can't wait to hear all about it :) Dinner with my parents was nice, and I'll have to wait and see if they decide to go to the farmers market when I do since they might skip it this week. I hope you all have an amazing weekend ahead, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

Photo 1:

Outfit: ~Rany~ Wella Outfit FATPACK $0L Group Gift

Photo 2:

Top: *Arcane Spellcaster* Top Katyna bright Red $0L Group Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: [Diesel Deluxe] Melani Outfit Top + Skirt 10 $0L Group Gift

Photo 4:

Dress: ART & FASHION - DEMONS MINI DRESS $0L Group Gift

Photo 5:

Outfit: V8 Underground **DINA HABISHI SALMON RISQUE STYLE COMPLET OUTFIT** $0L Group Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Collective Forgiven - Essential

Skin: enLight RUE 5-Satin, Xtreme Model Skin 5-Satin & nipple covers

Ring: ~~ Ysoral ~~  .:  Luxe Wedding Ring Lore:. 

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Swank Celebrations

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we're back to the SWANK event's Celebration of Colors round for June, which includes a Pride hunt to look for rainbow striped flames that look like wooden plaques, very pretty. This might be the easiest hunt you ever do, since most aren't really hidden and the ones that are might just be tucked behind a sign or along side a shelf but still visible. The bright colors do help them stand out :) Join the free VIP group and you'll be able to pick these all up for free, which is a perfect way to add some fresh color to your summer wardrobe while saving those lindens for some shopping at the event if you wish. There are plenty of terrific offers for sale here of course, and I usually pick out a couple each round to treat myself with. With this bevy of talented designers, how could I resist? :)

My first look of the evening is the playful Ahlure - Francy Outfit gift. Its dress (technically shorts romper), jacket, and boots are all included in Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh body sizes. There's an outfit HUD with 9 colors each for jacket 01, jacket 02, dress upper, dress lower, and belt, plus 4 metals. There's a HUD for the boots as well, with matching 9 colors for upper and lower sections and 4 metals. Just use the tabs on the top of each HUD to change what area is being tinted. I purposely chose different colors for parts 1 and 2 of the dress and of the boots to distinguish, but it looks fantastic with everything all the same or even without the jacket for those hotter days.

Next I had some fun celebrating the season with our **SIMONE DREW PRIDE STYLE COMPLETE OUTFIT** gift from V8 Underground. The bright red tank top, rainbow striped leggings, and red sneakers will yellow trim each come in sizes for Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies. V8 Underground loves their accessories too, so we also receive the headband, necklace, and earrings with fun rainbow flags on each :) They are all adjustable so we can fit just about any size or shape body. 

I feel like sequins are essential for Pride month too, so I couldn't resist sharing the .:FlowerDreams:. Aisha gown - shiny gift! This full length dress has a crossed halter top and open midriff with wrapped skirt tied on the hip, showing off a lot of leg. There are 18 gorgeous textures on the enclosed HUD, and the gown is included in eBody, Freya, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine mesh body sizing. That's a nice range of older and newer brands and styles, since I know that some folks prefer to stick with the body they've been enjoying for several years and others crave the newest ones :) 

Our Ruxy-Aaminah Single Color lavander gift is absolutely ready to bring the flirt factor. Its top and bottom each fit Legacy, Perky, Perky Nerido, Maitreya, and Maitreya Domina mesh bodies. There's also a HUD included with 6 metals each for the beads (trimming the bra), leaf, and rose. I appreciate the ability to customize the decorations on this lovely outfit, and I must say that this color is dreamy too. I feel like every time I see its name in SL it's spelled differently, lol, like the region Lavendar that will probably be a part of SL23B in just over a week. Spellcheck here says lavender is correct for American English, but it's a stunning hue no matter how it's spelled.

My final look tonight is actually two of the 4 goodies I found from the same brand, as they (like many of these designers) have multiple booths at the event. The Swank & Co. Sassy Sailor Dress - Scuba is the beauty to the left above, with their Sassy Sailor Dress - Pin Up from behind on the right. Each of these include 5 fitmesh standard sizes along with Belleza, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, and TMP mesh body sizing. There are so many great details here worth mentioning, like the bow in the front/back and the double breasted style of buttons on the midriff. These dresses whisper summer, as they are classically retro and therefore too ladylike to scream in my headcanon ;) I associate dark blue and white with nautical designs, and the polka dots are such a cute touch on the Pin Up version.

It was a productive day yesterday, and I got some really tasty pizza while I was out. I got my new contact lenses yesterday, so I put them in today (after sleeping with no lenses at all to let my eyes breathe) and they are working out well so far. The left eye is only 0.50 stronger, and I totally derped by putting it inside out so I had some discomfort at first that freaked me out. You'd think after 40 years of wearing contacts, I'd know better? LOL! But the other eye is a -2.00 increase so you'd expect a drastic difference, however the cataract seems worse in that eye so very little improvement. Shrug, I'm guessing they will do the right eye first since it's worse. My gaming friend is still sick (bronchitis, ear infection, bad cough and hoarse voice) so we aren't doing our usual gaming night this week either, but with some luck the new meds will do their jobs and get her better soon. I'm still playing the usual games regularly, just having slightly less fun without random hilarious chats with her. I hope you're all having a beautiful day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from Swank Event:

Photo 1:

Outfit: Ahlure - Francy Outfit $0L Swank Group Gift

Photo 2:

Outfit: V8 Underground **SIMONE DREW PRIDE STYLE COMPLETE OUTFIT** $0L Swank Group Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: .:FlowerDreams:. Aisha gown - shiny $0L Swank Group Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: Ruxy-Aaminah Single Color lavander $0L Swank Group Gift

Photo 5:

Dress Left: Swank & Co. Sassy Sailor Dress - Scuba $0L Swank Group Gift

Dress Right: Swank & Co. Sassy Sailor Dress - Pin Up $0L Swank Group Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH VIP Collective / Delicate - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. ALMOND CLEO

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Gifts for Mesh Body Friends

 Hiya everyone! Tonight's post is loaded with generous group gifts from various designers, all for the Mesh Body Friends group. That is currently free to join, and there are so many helpful group notices to tell us about sales, new releases, and more :) I love this type of multi-designer group since you get so much info in one spot, and there are usually plenty of treats for everyone who wears the group tag to the stores. I thought it would be a fun way to start the weekend, and hope you feel the same.

We start with a pop of vibrant color, thanks to our SYLVIA SET by BA Store. This gift from Black Angel has a separate top and skirt that blend seamlessly together, each in sizing for Belleza Classic, Belleza Curvy, Erika, Erika Bubble Boobs, Kupra, Kups, Legacy, Nerido, Perky, Maitreya, Reborn, and Juicy mesh bodies. The low neckline and bare shoulders seem like they will draw attention to any necklace you decide to add, just as it flatters the cleavage too :)

I'm also inviting you to walk across the courtyard to the neighboring store, where you can find another gift called Airlia Dress by Blackbird Lace. It has a subtle open weave texture, which can be your choice of 12 different colors by using the enclosed HUD. I barely even have a favorite because they're all so pretty :) There are Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, and Reborn mesh body sizes provided.

Do you need (another) hot Little Black Dress for the weekend? Apparently the next store I visited decided I need one, thanks to the .::PiNK CHERRY::. "Carol" Outfit - Black GG. There are gold and silver trimmed versions (G and S added to the name) in the folder, each of which come in sizes for Freya, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Reborn, and Slink Hourglass mesh bodies. The top is wonderfully constructed with cutouts and straps that cross along the back. 

The Nala Design - Randa Dress {Pink 2} gift is a real head-turner, making me think both flirty and springy. It's simply gorgeous with that pastel pink color decorated with white daisies, and the design baring one shoulder/arm, the other midriff side, and considerable thigh :) We receive this beauty in sizing for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, Waifu, and Star mesh bodies.

My final look of the evening comes from V8 Underground, who are known for both their generosity to these groups and for their habit of providing footwear and sometimes even accessories with their outfits :) The **NICOLE FISCE URBAN STYLE COMPLET OUTFIT** is playfully casual, hopefully well suited for some of your plans this weekend. The top, skirt, and sandals will all fit Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, and Reborn mesh bodies with ease. I like the dark denim of the miniskirt and the way it matches the chunky heeled shoes! Naturally I can't resist the cinched top with nearly detached looking sleeves. It's easy to look well put together in a jiffy with a thoughtful gifts like this :)

It's genuinely fascinating to me to reflect and see how my perceptions have shifted over time with my anxiety battles. Right now I am very excited to go to the farmers market in the morning, with some underlying anxiety of 'oh no, I have to be in the car, and deal with people' just under the surface. Several months ago, the fears would be #1 and the excitement would be the barely noticeable impetus making me still want to try. This doesn't mean I am fixed or cured, as I don't think either term is possible for anxiety, but it shows improvement and a healthier outlook that I am grateful for :) The main reason I am so open on here about this stuff is that anyone who reads this could be dealing with something similar, or know someone else who is, and my honesty might encourage others. If that's you, I see you, I care, and I know you can find inner strength too :) It will be a rainy weekend here, starting less than an hour after the market opens, so guess who has to get there early to stay dry? I hope you all have a fantastic weekend ahead, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

Photo 1:

Outfit: Black Angel SYLVIA SET by BA Store $0L MBF Group Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: Airlia Dress by Blackbird Lace $0L MBF Group Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: .::PiNK CHERRY::. "Carol" Outfit - Black GG $0L MBF Group Gift

Photo 4:

Dress: Nala Design - Randa Dress {Pink 2} $0L MBF Group Gift

Photo 5:

Outfit: V8 Underground **NICOLE FISCE URBAN STYLE COMPLET OUTFIT** $0L MBF Group Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Collective / Divine - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. ALMOND MEL

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Inside Your Inventory

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I'm sharing gifts for the Inside Your Inventory group, which has a small $10L fee to join. This keeps the group safe from scammers and spammers, so I don't mind it in the least :) There are lots of participating designers who send notices to tell us about their latest releases and sales, plus they can offer a group gift in their store if they wish. Those are what we'll be taking a look at here, at least a small sampling of them that I found earlier. Always fun to explore and see what's new, at stores I'm familiar with or sometimes a first introduction.

The [Enchantress] Andi Dress Gift is such a playful treat, with notched miniskirt and wide open top that has a tie draped down into the cleavage. It is all one piece, in sizes for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Peach, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. THe included HUD offers 2 colors for the top, both shown, and 3 for the skirt & tie which are both above plus black in the same damask pattern. 

We also have a duo of goodies waiting at BlondeQueen, called BQ::Shyanne Jumpsuit:: Black & Gray. These flirty jumpsuits are created with a bra top and high waisted pants that hook to the bra in the front, leaving much of the back and sides bare. The gray is labeled anthracite, which I vaguely recognize as coal (found in a different region of my state) so it suits the deep charcoal color wonderfully :) Both colors are provided in Freya, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh body sizes. I really like the subtle plaid print, adding an extra touch of elegance. 

I also dropped by Mu-Shi Doll and found their lovely MD "Peggy" Outfit - Red GG as our gift for this group. Isn't it stunning? The sleek satin tank top has a lace back, and full length gown is daringly open on one side with 2 versions, one with silver chains and the other golden ones. Each piece fits Legacy, Perky, Lara X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. The shade of red has a softness to it, not lightened to pink but more of a pretty salmon hue.

I've mentioned here plenty of times how much I enjoy denim, which I attribute to growing up in the 80s :) So the **SOFIA VERGA URBAN STYLE COMPLET OUTFIT** gift from V8 Underground makes me both delighted and sentimental. The jumpsuit and coordinated sandals are each provided in sizing for Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn mesh bodies, so I changed over from my Maitreya Lara X into the 5.3 body for the remainder. It's intriguing that I wound up with two jumpsuit gifts for this post, but with really different styles :)

My final look this evening reminds me of the movie 13 Going On 30, even if it's not the same colors as the outfit where she does the Thriller dance. The style is certainly similar :) This is our Kamila Gift by Blackbird Lace, and it includes both the dress and strappy heels you see above. Each come in Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Reborn, and Juicy mesh body sizes. The purple of the shoes is just one of the gorgeous hues you can find in the dress, interestingly reminiscent of eye shadow palettes I would have worn in the 80s with that denim jumpsuit earlier ;) At least I have a sense of humor about it and realize that I was following what was in fashion at the time. 

The past several haircuts I've had or heard about had one thing in common - they all wound up shorter than requested. Why is that a thing lately? To be fair, I really like my haircut overall, but I had said about 3 inches and she wound up taking closer to 6 inches off. It's a little past my shoulders, but was touching my bra strap in the back before the cut. My natural curls/waves are bouncy though, and I won't need to go back for quite a while. More layers are helping the texture, and I am trying a smoothing cream to try to control the frizz. I have a fairly quiet weekend ahead, but I've got things to do around the house so that is not the worst thing :) I hope you all enjoy your weekends, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts for Inside Your Inventory:

Photo 1:

Dress: [Enchantress] Andi Dress Gift $0L Group Gift

Photo 2:

Jumpsuit: BlondeQueen BQ::Shyanne Jumpsuit:: Black & Gray $0L Group Gift

Photo 3:

Outfit: Mu-Shi Doll MD "Peggy" Outfit - Red GG $0L Group Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: V8 Underground **SOFIA VERGA URBAN STYLE COMPLET OUTFIT** $0L Group Gift

Photo 5:

Outfit: Kamila Gift by Blackbird Lace $0L Group Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Mood - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. ALMOND MEL

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Swank Winter Wonderland

 Hiya everyone! Tonight's post comes to us from the Swank Winter Wonderland event round, where we get to claim tons of group gifts from prettily wrapped presents in boxes with big red bows on top. This is such a large event that whenever they offer gifts like this (see Halloween, their anniversary, etc.) I spend ages unpacking and ooh-ing and aah-ing :) There were a handful of treats for the guys, lots for women, and a mix of clothing, accessories, home decor, and much more. Some designers even offered multiple gifts for us to find, and I am grateful for the generosity of every single one of them as always.

My first look is a fun way to show off all 4 gifts from PurpleMoon. The top on the left is our ::pm:: Marina Top, a silvery gray corset top in sizes for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. Then on the right I slipped into the ::pm:: Allegra Blouse, which is a flirty and flowy tank top that fits Gen X Classic, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. It also includes a HUD with 3 transparency settings each for the lower portion of the top and the ruffled trim. They both look so cute with their ::pm:: Phoebe Skirt gift, a wrap skirt with bold belt slung low around the hips. There are sizes for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies, along with a HUD offering 6 metallic hues. I'm sure you noticed my new socks too, which are also a gift called ::pm:: Kitty Xmas Socks. These cozy above-the-knee socks have a sweet kitty face and ears on each band to go with the seasonal cat pattern of the socks themselves, in sizing for Gen X Classic, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn bodies.

V8 Underground has several full outfits as gifts for us, including one for the guys, so I randomly picked out the **CLAIRE PIERCE X CHRISTMAS STYLE COMPLETE OUTFIT** to show you here :) It's perfect for this time of year, and who could resist that sweet reindeer toy we get to hold? It even has the built in pose you see, so you will be holding it properly. The dress and boots each come in sizes for Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies, while our matching hat can be adjusted and resized as needed. 

'Tis the season for the :::WILD:::Fashion SWANK Gift Gown to help you look extra chic! It is a festive red with silver stripes, hugging our curves and skimming down to a mermaid hem. This gift includes Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, Juicy, and Waifu mesh body sizes. 

Sometimes we need a great casual look for any time of year, like this Ahlure - Aurora Outfit. The shirt, pants, belly chain, and sneakers are all included, each in sizes for Lara X, Legacy, and Reborn mesh bodies. Our HUD has 12 color choices for the top, 12 denim hues for the jeans upper, 6 for the lower portion (about mid-thigh down), 4 metals for the belt, 12 colors for the shoes, 4 shoe metals, and 12 colors for their soles. Just click the tabs on the top and see what wonderful options appear :) 

For my final look of the night, I am feeling seductive in our GGVG GROUP GIFT JIANNA DRESS 40 COLORS treat! Its dress and separate sleeves each come in Lara X, Legacy, Bombshell, Reborn, and Waifu mesh body sizing. There is also a HUD as I'm sure you can tell, which lets us tint the dress and sleeves in 40 different colors apiece. Our fabric has a lovely animated golden glitter texture, slightly more noticeable on the dress than the sleeves, which matches the gold chains holding the front slits of the skirt loosely in place. I hid my hands and the nails to keep them from poking through (with my Lara X HUD) which tends to be necessary with gloves because of the fingers being a bit wiggly. 

It's been a frazzled kind of day, thanks to a mouse invasion in my living room. We live on the edge of some woods that means the mice get chilly or hungry and head for the nearest homes, like this one. Worse, we still have holes in the wall from a storm over the summer (huge tree branches broke through) that my housemate has really been dropping the ball on getting repaired. The insurance is in his name so there is nothing I can do, other than remind him frequently and less politely each time ;) So far we've caught and released 4, and I'm sure that number is just the tip of the iceberg. This makes me deeply regret being so allergic to cats, even more than I already did, since their presence might deter the mice from deciding we are their new winter hideout. Turns out I'm allergic to mice too, isn't that fun? Otherwise I'm keeping very busy in SL which is a nice distraction. I hope you're all having a pleasant day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from Swank Winter Wonderland:

Photo 1:

Top Left: PurpleMoon ::pm:: Marina Top $0L Swank Gift

Top Right: ::pm:: Allegra Blouse $0L Swank Gift

Skirt: ::pm:: Phoebe Skirt $0L Swank Gift

Socks: ::pm:: Kitty Xmas Socks $0L Swank Gift

Photo 2:

Outfit: V8 Underground **CLAIRE PIERCE X CHRISTMAS STYLE COMPLETE OUTFIT** $0L Swank Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: :::WILD:::Fashion SWANK Gift Gown $0L Swank Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: Ahlure - Aurora Outfit $0L Swank Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: GGVG GROUP GIFT JIANNA DRESS 40 COLORS $0L Swank Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Mellow - Essential

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

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Gifts for SLMB

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I've got a few group gifts to share for the SLMB or ^^ SL MESH BODY group, which has a small $9L fee to join. There are lots of wonderful designers who are able to send group notices to tell us about their sales, new releases, and special offers, so we can stay up to date on multiple stores at once. Many of them are kind enough to offer gifts for the group members as well, and that is what I am showing you tonight :) I never know what I'll find, so these are lots of fun for me to compile and tell you all about.

My first stop was Carol's Store, where I gratefully grabbed their Jennifer Dress Pink gift for us. I love the spaghetti straps, the hot pink hue, and the flirty skirt, among all the fantastic details :) It is provided in sizes for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Khara, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Momma, and Reborn mesh bodies. This beauty is what inspired this entire post actually, as I was visiting the store and wound up mesmerized by this generous gift.

Over at TRS Designs, there are several varieties of this playful tunic dress for various groups. Ours is the Carter Dress Teal, and while the SLMB sign seems to have vanished (maybe SL didn't feel like rezzing it for me, lol) I could claim it by clicking :) I did the trick of right click - edit then see what group it's listed as, which turned out to be the tag I was wearing. Whew! There are Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Khara, Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Prima, Prima Petite, Reborn, Waifu, and Star mesh body sizes enclosed. The bold stripes in the same color family as the backdrop give it a great look, and I think it will work just as nicely as a long shirt over some jeans or leggings as it does as a dress.

Time to turn up the heat with our ~Rany~ Night Break Dress gift! Our dress, bow, and underpants are each separate pieces, in sizing for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra (Bimbo, Low, Original), Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, and Reborn bodies. The fabric of the dress has tiny animated sparkles, twinkling subtly against the dark material, and the underpants are sheer lace that show through the cutout on the booty. I'm really liking the style of this one, and if modesty is a concern I'm sure it would look great with high waisted BOM panties beneath :) I try to think of alternatives for my more revealing looks, not that I'm offended but intending to be helpful so people don't automatically dismiss them as unwearable if they don't fit the dress code of your favorite hangouts as is.

Next we see the striking Lara AC Dress Zara RED gift for SLMB. The best way to find this is to use their teleport pad to zip over to the Group Gifts area, where you'll find treats for many groups you are probably already familiar with. This lovely dress comes in Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh body sizes. I'm a really big fan of single shoulder looks, and the attached belt kicks things up a notch, much like the notches on the hem ;) 

For my final look of the evening, I visited V8 Underground where I found their **EMILY MARTY BLACK URBAN STYLE COMPLET OUTFIT** waiting for us. While it says 'black' in the name though, it actually includes a HUD with 20 colors each for the dress and boots, plus 2 metals. Both of those pieces of the outfit are provided in sizes for Belleza Classic, Belleza Curvy, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn mesh bodies.

It was a busy but good weekend here, and I got some especially tasty food from the farmers market that'll last for a couple more days. There was a BBQ place set up with smokers going, and even their mac & cheese wound up with a yummy smoky flavor so my tastebuds are happy. This week is going to be a bit busier than usual because of a guest coming Wednesday night until the following Monday, who will be helping with some of the cooking my mom and I will be freezing for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. All good, positive things, but it might affect my blogging schedule a tiny bit so I'm mentioning it now as a heads up :) I hope you're all having a wonderful day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

Photo 1:

Dress: Carol's Store-Jennifer Dress Pink $0L SLMB Group Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: TRS Designs Carter Dress Teal $0L SLMB Group Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: ~Rany~ Night Break Dress $0L SLMB Group Gift

Photo 4:

Dress: Lara AC Dress Zara RED $0L SLMB Group Gift

Photo 5:

Outfit: V8 Underground **EMILY MARTY BLACK URBAN STYLE COMPLET OUTFIT** $0L SLMB Group Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Mood - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. ALMOND SILVY

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Weekend Swank

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we return to the SWANK Event for their Goth theme round with pumpkin hunt. These prizes are all completely free for everyone who finds the carved pumpkins with a golden Swank logo in the opening. You just need their group tag active, and that is free to join too, so that just leaves the tempting sales offers if you wish to make some purchases while there ;) I am not trying to be a bad influence if you're being cautious with your spending habits, which is why I usually focus on discounts and freebies. By the same token, I understand that without some shopping to support these designers, they wouldn't be able to provide gifts and hunt prizes. So they go hand in hand, grab the gifts and thank them by checking out their sales offers :)

My first look of the evening is the playful ANNA 'Softline' Outfit'FATPACK. It consists of the lacy bra, skirt, and panties, each in sizes for Lara X, Legacy, and Reborn mesh bodies. There is also a HUD enclosed with 8 color choices for each piece, so we can mix and match with ease. This is such a pretty set, and the lace has me thinking lingerie :)

What better way to head into your weekend than decked out in leopard print? The {Le'La} Evora Dress Gift is a stunning long sleeved mini dress with black trim to really bring out the animal print's rosettes nicely, and that zipper in the front just begs to be played with ;) There are sizes for Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, and Reborn mesh bodies included.

These two gifts are variants of the same beautiful dress, so I'm showing them together as a way to appreciate both lovely colors. The AXE-DRESS IDA /07 is the turquoise beauty on the left, and AXE-DRESS IDA /09 is the golden hued one on the right. They both have silver chains for the shoulder straps, and a velvety texture that makes both colors even more appealing. Each gift holds sizing for Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, and Reborn mesh bodies.

In a prior post of Swank gifts, I shared a V8 Underground treat and mentioned there was another for the ladies (and one for the gents), well here it is! Their **ABADDON X DEMON CONCEPT COSTUME COMPLETE OUTFIT** is fully loaded from head to toe, starting with the pauldron (top/shoulders), panties, and boots that fit Legacy, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies. The makeup you see is a BOM layer for EvoX, and there are BOM layers for sheer transparence that is the shiny latex appearance on my midriff and thighs. We also receive two bracelets, a choker, horns, headpiece, tail, wings, and a fork that is held in my right hand with its built in pose. All of these items are adjustable, so you can get the devilishly good fit you deserve :) Personally I think they excel at creating costumes which makes this a special time of year to check their sales.

My final look tonight is our #SHOOSH - Elvi Gown [FATPACK] which is simply fantastic for this time of year :) It did make me think of Elvira when I spotted it, and also Morticia Addams, two elegantly gothic women who would rock this gown in a heartbeat! There are sizes for Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies provided, along with a HUD that allows us to select from 25 colors each for the dress and sleeves, plus on/off for the sleeves, then 5 metals each for the back web, sleeve spiders, and dress spider, with on/off options for each of those as well. I've got it all visible on the left, and I turned off the sleeve spiders to the right without hiding the dramatically peaked sleeves because I simply adore them :) If you have some arachnophobia tendencies and want to hide all the spiders, it's very easy to do so and this still looks fantastic without.

It was a decent day, with a delicious meal at my parents' so that's always a plus :) My nerves are still frazzled but that is because I'm going out again in the morning and that makes 3 days in a row which is a lot for someone with agoraphobia. Anyone remember the Simpsons episode where Marge developed it from being mugged, and was magically cured by the end of the episode? My life is clearly not animated fiction, lol, and I am not thrilled with that type of portrayal because it makes people wonder why I am not being cured as easily. It took me over 30 years to get to this point, so there is no switch I can flip to turn it off. Bob's Burgers actually included a character with it in an episode, and they handled it nicely so I wish they would bring her back :) I hope you all have a wonderful weekend ahead, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from SWANK Event:

Photo 1:

Outfit: ANNA 'Softline' Outfit'FATPACK $0L SWANK Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: {Le'La} Evora Dress Gift $0L SWANK Gift

Photo 3:

Dress Left: AXE-DRESS IDA /07 $0L SWANK Gift

Dress Right: AXE-DRESS IDA /09 $0L SWANK Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: V8 Underground **ABADDON X DEMON CONCEPT COSTUME COMPLETE OUTFIT** $0L SWANK Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: #SHOOSH - Elvi Gown [FATPACK] $0L SWANK Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Oui Oui - Essential @ Lewd Station

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. ALMOND ISABEL

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Swank Pumpkin Hunt

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I've got some treats to share from the SWANK Halloween event round, which is themed Goth Event and Pumpkin Hunt. The pumpkins have the Swank logo in gold on them, and are free for the members of their free group. I know it says hunt, but I promise they are not difficult to find :) Most of the displays have one, and a couple were smaller or tucked up in a corner for example, but the vast majority are easily spotted and clicked. There are over 200 displays here from a terrific assortment of designers, with treats for everyone to appreciate.

My first look of the evening is our Ahlure - Shelby Outfit, a gift that's sure to turn heads. The jacket, dress, and boots all come in Legacy, Lara X, Reborn, and Waifu sizing, with a BOM pair of thigh-high stockings. There's also a HUD with several tabs, offering 12 textures for the jacket fur, 8 dress colors, 3 dress metals, 8 boots colors, 8 strings colors, and 3 boots metals. As you can see from the rear view, the dress is split on the side for a little bit of peek-a-booty ;) 

I found 3 prizes from V8 Underground (2 female, 1 male) and the one I'm sharing tonight is called **EMPUSA DEMON CONCEPT COSTUME COMPLETE OUTFIT**. Isn't she devilishly beautiful? There are Lara X, Legacy, Reborn, and Waifu sizes each for the dress, sleeves, and boots, and we receive loads of accessories as well. The horns, collar, and earrings are all adjustable, and the staff has the built in holding pose you see here. As for the wings, they are bento animated with a HUD to turn that animation on and off, so if you need your wings to stay still for a bit (like taking a photo...) you can control that very easily. This brand is a go-to for costumes, so be sure to grab their landmark and see if your Halloween needs could be fulfilled here as well.

Next we're wrapped in gilded glam with the [GIULIADESIGN] - Colette-05 gift. Our dress and separate sleeves are designed for Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, and Petite X mesh bodies. That shimmer is so alluring, and the style really shows off our shoulders and cleavage. I also really like the use of seams to add shape, details always catch my attention :)

No matter what the calendar says, we can always find places to make use of swimwear in SL like this sexy [ZENESSA] Vanilla Swimsuit gift. The one piece suit has a thong cut and lots of slender strings connecting the top and bottom, very flirtatious :) There are sizes for Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Nhumana, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. Also included is a HUD that offers 20 colors each for the main and the seams, along with a transparency button you can click to choose solid or 7 percentages to adjust the sheerness. I kept it solid on the left and just 5% sheer on the right, barely noticeable on the small bit of fabric shown.

My final look of the evening made "Go Go Power Rangers" zip through my head ;) It's our Fatal Fashion HALLOWEEN - Outfit H160 (Ranger Red) gift, and has a very classic design made more modern (sexy) as we do see so often in Halloween costumes. This gift consists of the dress, gloves, and boots to fit Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, Peach, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. We even get a pair of silver earrings to jazz things up, large hoops that will go nicely with lots of other outfits as well. The boots surprised me by being suitable for the kitten heel height rather than completely flat feet as most boots are, fun because I have always liked that particular heel height in RL. 

It was an exciting day here since I got to do the online gaming with a friend, and chat with her and her husband on the phone about our weeks and such :) Of course my hockey team decided to lose their season opener to the reigning champs, so the evening did take an annoying downward turn that I am not genuinely upset about. I mean it's a bummer, sure, but it isn't enough to ruin my mood or anything. I'm looking forward to dinner at my parents' tomorrow, and then I have a full weekend of plans too. So we're in full swing of the busy season in SL, as this month seems to be a busy one each year, much like December. I hope you're all having a pleasant day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from SWANK Event:

Photo 1:

Outfit: Ahlure - Shelby Outfit $0L SWANK Gift

Photo 2:

Outfit: V8 Underground **EMPUSA DEMON CONCEPT COSTUME COMPLETE OUTFIT** $0L SWANK Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: [GIULIADESIGN] - Colette-05 $0L SWANK Gift

Photo 4:

Swimsuit: [ZENESSA] Vanilla Swimsuit $0L SWANK Gift

Photo 5:

Outfit: Fatal Fashion HALLOWEEN - Outfit H160 (Ranger Red) $0L SWANK Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Friday - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. ALMOND EMILY

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity