Enchanted Realms Gifts

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I found out about the Jingle Bell Event at Enchanted Realms, a fun shopping event with lots of seasonal or year-round exclusive offers and sales. As you can probably guess, there are also tons of generous gifts for the free group, and some of those are what you'll be seeing here this evening :) We are always so spoiled this time of year with a bounty of gifts, and I wish I had time to thank each designer individually for all of their generosity. At this event, please look for the wrapped boxes that are easy to spot in each display, and give them a click with that group tag active. You'll get to spend some time unpacking dozens of goodies like I did :)

My first look is the wonderful GS Jordan FITMESH Dress PERIWINKLE gift from Gidget's Style. The sweater and skirt are separates, each provided in Gen X Classic/Dainty, Gen X Curvy/Dainty, Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh body sizing. Our skirt has a built in belt, and the sweater is opened just enough to bare a little bit of cleavage. 

I kept on that skirt to share another great gift, the Duet Sienna Sweater Festive Gift. Its sleeves remind me of Juliet style, but they are usually fuller up top I think, but whatever you may call it I am absolutely a fan :) The subtle knit texture is lovely too, and that cowl neck is ideal for winter. There are sizes for Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Lara X, Petite X, and Reborn mesh bodies. I think it would also pair nicely with jeans or leggings.

If you want to look sexy any time of year, be sure to claim our ~Sassy!~ Untamed dress - pink leopard gift! In sizing for Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies, this sexy dress has a fishnet inset across the front and skirt, plus a wedge cutout and laced openings on each side. There's something so fun about the deep pink leopard pattern too, a combo of natural animal print with a fantasy coloring. 

Next I changed into the B! Fashion - Red Sequins Mini Dress, a gift that makes me want to go dancing. The secret to making those sequins really pop is to wear the shine enhancer which is included, a very subtle light that helps show how the texture responds to light sources. Our sleeveless mini comes in sizes for Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies. 

My final look of the night is our @rOrO Prisha Dress Xmas gift, and their social media post is how I found out about this event in the first place :) So I owe Rowan lots of gratitude for the info and this intriguing seasonal beauty, in traditional red and green hues with an open back and burnished gold chain belt. We receive Erika, Lara X, Legacy, Reborn, and Star mesh body sizes. I feel like simple flats or sandals and a choker whose metal matches the belt would be ideal accessories, but I also view all of my photos and mentions as "serving suggestions" like you see on frozen food boxes ;) Your way of doing things will look different because we're all unique, and we get to enjoy that variety and personalize things just right for our own tastes or moods. 

It was a fairly calm day here, which might sound like an unusual description but it's the first word that popped into my head :) I didn't go anywhere and there have been no critters downstairs (traps are empty at least) so nobody had to go releasing frantic mice at a snowy park or woods. Sometimes quiet is a very good thing, especially with a busy day ahead. Tomorrow I'm going out early, so I have to get my blog pics and notes taken care of very quickly before my pre-outing nap, might not even have time for Advent collecting until I get home. It would be tempting to skip an evening of blogging, but there's so much more that I want to share that I just cannot justify it. I hope you're all having a lovely day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from the Enchanted Realms Jingle Bells Event:

Photo 1:

Outfit: Gidget's Style GS Jordan FITMESH Dress PERIWINKLE $0L Group Gift

Photo 2:

Top: Duet Sienna Sweater Festive Gift $0L Group Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: ~Sassy!~ Untamed dress - pink leopard $0L Group Gift

Photo 4:

Dress: B! Fashion - Red Sequins Mini Dress $0L Group Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: @rOrO Prisha Dress Xmas $0L Group Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH VIP Lyrical - Essential

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

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Golden Shop & Hop

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Credits:

All Gifts from Holiday Shop & Hop - Golden Region:

Photo 1:

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

Photo 2:

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

Photo 3:

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

Photo 4:

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

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

Photo 5:

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

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH VIP Lyrical - Essential

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

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Candy Cane Wishing

 Hiya everyone! Tonight's post brings us through more of the CMH Candy Cane Wishes 5 Hunt path, so we are looking for sweet candy canes with red, white, and green stripes. Each designer gets to decide which to offer - $1L hunt prizes, $25L - $50L exclusives - and how many, so you will find stores with multiple hidden treats. This means having the website handy is essential, as it tells us the locations, hints, prices, and even preview images so you know what to expect :) I'm always so impressed by the creativity of the prizes, as everyone will have a different first thought when you mention the winter holidays, and these folks get to give us a glimpse into what makes them smile this time of year. 

In my previous post of this hunt, I showed you two prizes from The Bold Llama T-Shirt Co., and for this look I am sharing the third one :) Their MR & MRS CLAUS Tee is a $25L exclusive offering, with a surprisingly romantic image of the happy couple sharing a dance. Who knew that Mrs. Claus has such fantastic legs? No wonder Santa is so jolly! As with all of these cozy tank tops, we receive an unpacker HUD to choose from standard mesh sizes or eBody Classic, eBody Reborn, Waifu, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Hourglass, Physique, and TMP mesh bodies. Just deliver the ones you need right now, and hold onto that HUD for future use. Personally I've been tempted by mesh body sales lately, and Santa could decide to surprise me, so I cannot say with certainly that I will never own/wear any of the other bodies available.

Another prize you won't want to miss is the @rOrO Quintessa Dress Xmas, which is yours for just $1L when you find that candy cane. It gives me such delightful 80s vibes with the stirrup pants, which are provided in a BOM layer, and the bold belt/sash attached to the playful dress with bare shoulder. There are sizes for Erika, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, Reborn, and Star mesh bodies of the seasonal dress, looking so fun with trees of red and white on our jolly green background.

The ART & FASHION - DOWHATYOULOVE OUTFIT prize is a $1L treat and one of two you can find here at different prices. This pairing of orchid colored mini dress and thigh high boots are provided in Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh body sizing. The dress says "Do What You Love", which is a wonderful message and reminder to all, and those boots are just wildly sexy! 

Next I'm sharing their $50L exclusive offer, the ART & FASHION - WITCH IN RED OUTFIT. It's a stunning look for sure, starting with the strapless dress and separate sleeves that look either witchy or fae-like. Even the strappy boots are included, and all of these pieces come in sizing for Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique bodies. There are 2 charming accessories included too, the choker and the flower wreath for our hair, which can both be adjusted if you wish. The red choker has a little white tree on the front, and the wreath is a snowy white to match the sleeves and the trim on the dress. The 'art' part of this store's name is quite evident with the beautiful image on the front, don't you think?

I'm so happy to wrap up this post in such a comfy cozy way, with our [NF] - Female Christmas Outfit - [Eve - Pyjamas Set] prize from Nirvana Fashion! There is a men's version as well, all for just $1L, and the matching sets are just what I need in RL this time of year too ;) These pjs are one piece with top and pants linked, in standard mesh sizes as well as sizing for Freya, Isis, Legacy, Maitreya, Reborn, Hourglass, and Physique mesh bodies. The pattern on the fabric is so precious, with Santa in his sleigh and some cute reindeer to help. As for the slippers, those are red with white snowflakes, and are unrigged to fit just about any flat feet. My plans for later include this outfit, Xan, our Christmas tree, a fireplace, and lots of snuggles!

Whew, it's been a day...the snow got a little carried away, so we got over 6" and I would have to say we are technically snowed in right now. The dude who usually plows our driveway for us has sold the plow for his truck, and the one who used to do it hasn't responded (that is not unusual for him, hence the EX part of ex-handyman) and it is simply too much for housemate or I to shovel safely. My parents are in the same boat with the same people, so it's going to be a long and dull week. I had planned to go to a new Trader Joe's on Tuesday, but this time of year there's always an asterisk to any plans with a disclaimer of 'weather permitting'. The news has been horrible too, to the point where I don't even know who to be sad for first. I want to keep this post light and positive, so I am going to remind you all to keep visiting your Advent stops (with all this chaos, it doesn't look like I'll be able to do any morning posts this year) and visit all the events that catch your eye, treat yourselves well and be kind to each other please :) I hope you're all having a nice day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Hunt Prizes from CMH Candy Cane Wishes 5:

Photo 1:

Top: The Bold Llama T-Shirt Co. MR & MRS CLAUS Tee $25L Hunt Exclusive

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

Photo 2:

Outfit: @rOrO Quintessa Dress Xmas $1L Hunt Prize

Photo 3:

Outfit: ART & FASHION - DOWHATYOULOVE OUTFIT $1L Hunt Prize

Photo 4:

Outfit: ART & FASHION - WITCH IN RED OUTFIT $50L Hunt Exclusive

Photo 5:

Pajamas: Nirvana Fashion [NF] - Female Christmas Outfit - [Eve - Pyjamas Set] $1L Hunt Prize

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH VIP Lyrical - Essential

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

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Merry POSHmas

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we're popping over to the POSH Event for their POSHMAS round, which has some group gifts at various displays as well as treats under the Christmas tree, and even a hunt for little gnomes that also have free gifts for POSH group members. Their group is free to join as well, so there are all sorts of goodies you can claim for absolutely no cost to yourself. Just head on over and explore the lovely winter wonderland and check out the sales while you're there :) The only catch is that the event wraps up on the 17th, so you simply must get there quickly.

I started out with the flirty #KIRA STYLE- DRESS RAISSA gift, which is a fun strapless dress with daring slits on both sides of the skirt and attached garter straps. There are sizes for Freya, Hourglass, Legacy, Maitreya, and Petite mesh bodies, and a HUD with 21 choices. Some of those colors are solid, others have the fishnet midriff you see on the left above, and others are lacy in the middle like the one I selected for the right side. 

Next I changed into our DOllz 'Innocent Maid' Dress/Hud FATPACK gift. It is one of those versatile styles that could be used for roleplay but can also just be a fun look for a random outing :) We receive Kupra Squeezed, Legacy, Peach, Reborn Juicy, and Waifu mesh body sizes, as well as a HUD with 15 color combos. The pretty collar with bow is attached to the dress too, so it's all worn as one pretty piece. 

BlondeQueen has several adorable cropped tees for us to find, like the BQ::Snowflake T_Shirt:: Green on the left above and its Yellow version next to it :) Both versions have a white snowflake on the front, and will fit Legacy, Perky, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies. I'm wearing the black pair of Delizio jeans with them, from their free fatpack you can find on the marketplace. 

I couldn't resist sharing two more of these sweet shirts! The BQ::Snowflake T_Shirt:: Red is the exact inverse of our BQ::Snowflake T_Shirt:: White gift, thanks to the colors of the flakes on the fronts. These come in the same sizes as the first two I showed you above of course, and there is even a fifth color out there...can you guess? Okay, I'll tell you - it is black with a white flake on the front :) It was so thoughtful of them to offer this quintet of seasonal gifts, so whatever color speaks to us at any given moment can be worn with our favorite pants, skirts, jeans, or leggings.

My final look of the evening is a real showstopper, and one of two gifts I found from the same terrific brand. These nails are the SHACKLED - Vampire Sunset [Almond Nails], long and shapely with lots of versatility. That would be because their HUD offers 10 manicures in one, with 5 ombres either with or without the black point at the cuticle line. They all do have a sunset vibe, and the vampire reference could be from the length or shape, or simply that these particular vampires are really fond of when the sun goes down :) This set of mesh nails includes sizing for Belleza, Belleza Gen X, eBody Reborn, Kalhene Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Signature Alice mesh bodies/hands. Just hide the built in nails with the body's HUD, and add these beauties instead. 

Three cheers for the weekend! I had a really nice time at my parents' for dinner, and my mom has been sifting through old paperwork so she had a few intriguing things to share like a copy of my great grandparents' birth certificates (Italy, 1880s) and their marriage certificate, which a cousin had requested to obtain Italian citizenship many years ago. The cousin visited but never moved there, but it is fascinating to have a tiny slice of our family's history :) I'm headed to the farmers market in the morning, then we are supposed to get 2-4" of snow in the evening into Sunday morning. It's a good thing my appointment on Sunday afternoon is virtual and won't be delayed or disrupted. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend ahead, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from POSH Event:

Photo 1:

Dress: #KIRA STYLE- DRESS RAISSA $0L POSHMAS Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: D0llz 'Innocent Maid' Dress/Hud FATPACK $0L POSHMAS Gift

Photo 3:

Top Left: BlondeQueen BQ::Snowflake T_Shirt:: Green $0L POSHMAS Gift

Top Right: BQ::Snowflake T_Shirt:: Yellow $0L POSHMAS Gift

Photo 4:

Top Left: BQ::Snowflake T_Shirt:: Red $0L POSHMAS Gift

Top Right: BQ::Snowflake T_Shirt:: White $0L POSHMAS Gift

Photo 5:

Nails: SHACKLED - Vampire Sunset [Almond Nails] $0L POSHMAS Gift

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

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Mellow - Essential

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

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Christmas at Palomma Plaza

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I feel like Santa digging into a sack of gifts to pull out some more treats to share, this time from the Palomma Plaza Christmas tree. There are so many wonderful gifts under there, free for all members of their group which is also free to join. I still miss Palomma dearly, but I am comforted by seeing her legacy from The Free Dove continuing in the very same building :) This time of year, it feels right to focus on generosity and kindness while thanking these designers for showing us those very traits. Let's all grab a cup of hot cocoa and open some gifts!

First up, I got festive in our Delicatt Couture - Irene dress Christmas gift. This playful minidress has a single shoulder strap adorned with a bow, and a full skirt speckled with gold. There are sizes for Altamura, eBody Curvy, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, and TMP mesh bodies, along with an 8 color HUD. All the shades look amazing with the white trim, black waistband and bow, and of course our gold "Merry Christmas" carefully written on the front. 

Lots of my Christmas wardrobe in SL looks best suited to the North Pole weather, but not this RoxAnne Lindy Dress gift! It's one of 3 gifts I found from them under the tree by the way, randomly selected since I appreciate them all :) This dress has a daring belly cutout and diagonal hemline, two details that are sure to turn heads. We receive Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Maitreya, Lara X, Petite X, Peach, and Star mesh body sizes, plus a HUD with 8 texture choices. They are numbered rather than having examples on the HUD, so you get a bit of a fun surprise each time you click one :) 

For those colder days or nights, I'm feeling mighty cozy in the Travesty Velma Christmas gift I also found beneath the tree. It looks like a sweater and skirt but is all one piece, in sizing for Legacy, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Prima Busty, Prima Petite, and Reborn mesh bodies. I'm gigging at realizing that this style does in fact resemble the famous outfit of Velma from Scooby Doo, in more December-appropriate colors of course ;) The Santa on the front has a kind expression that also made me smile.

Black Angel has carefully wrapped their RITA XMAS OUTFIT by BA Store for us to find under Palomma's tree, and I'm getting a mix of cheery 80s vibes as well as a sexy modern twist from the harness. That harness as well as the top, skirt, and boots will all fit Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. The bow I'm wearing is also provided, and is adjustable so you can fit most hairstyles. The HUD enclosed will let us pick from 10 colors apiece for the bow, top, harness, skirt, and boots, with 5 metals. I'm sure it's the bow that made me think 80s, although the first one I thought of was Madonna and it was a black bow. This one is nicer from being more colorful :)

My final look of the evening will help us look elegant all year long. It is the [Vips Creations] - Female Outfit - [GloriaA] gift, one of several from under the tree, and starts with a high collar gown in 5 standard mesh sizes and a fitmesh version for classic avatars, along with Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh body sizes. The included HUD offers 9 colors to choose from, and you can just see the ivory heels peeking out from beneath the gown on the right up there...there are Belleza, Maitreya, and Slink high feet sizes included. Ivory is a great neutral for any of the gown's colors, and there's a bit of glitter to it so the heels are a terrific addition. 

All I'm going to say about the mouse situation here is that our grand total thus far is 5 caught and released, mostly because one of the traps no longer sets correctly so it is just one trap at a time instead of two. Otherwise my day was focused on the housemate getting the car repaired again (a leak decided to return after prior repair) and a much more fun evening of Hello Kitty gaming :) Friends make everything better, and this particular friend always keeps me up to date on the trends I miss out on (she is on the ticky tocks, and I am not, LOL) and helps suggest places I should check out on my weekly outings. It's encouraging, and she is generally a cheerful sort that boosts my mood every time we talk. Tomorrow is dinner at the parents', and I think she said she's making teriyaki chicken which sounds tasty to me. It's well below freezing out right now (26 degrees) so I really could use some hot tea or cocoa. I hope you're all having a lovely day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from Palomma Plaza:

Photo 1:

Dress: Delicatt Couture - Irene dress Christmas $0L Group Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: RoxAnne Lindy Dress $0L Group Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: Travesty Velma Christmas $0L Group Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: Black Angel RITA XMAS OUTFIT by BA Store $0L Group Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: [Vips Creations] - Female Outfit - [GloriaA] $0L Group 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 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

Holiday Shop & Hop

 Hiya everyone! Tonight it's time to get our shop on, with the annual Holiday Shop & Hop event :) There are 18 regions filled with 360 stores, and a gift for everyone available at each stop. As usual, I'm sharing one region at a time and tonight it's the Dahlia that was randomly selected. I'm also going to suggest another tradition from the past several S&H rounds, the amazing FabFree spreadsheet that has all the info about these gifts and can be sorted by type, store name, etc. by the tabs on the bottom. I am so grateful to their team for keeping this going and helping us keep track of any gifts we may have missed, and it helps me to be able to tell Xan about the male or unisex gifts he might be interested in. The shopping party has been open for a few days and continues until the 4th of January.

My first look is the stunning Son'a-Edge Regal Festive Dress - Gift. It is a great choice for this time of year because of the colors, and it is extremely versatile as well. That's because there is a HUD that offers 16 gemstone colors (seen as white across the neckline on the left above) as well as on/off options for the glow, sequins, bright, sleeves, ruffles, sparkles, and light. The dress comes in sizes for Kupra, Lara X, Legacy, and Reborn mesh bodies. On the right I've switched off our sleeves and the sequins, and it almost looks like an entirely new dress :) Imagine turning off the ruffles too, which are our neck strap, and you'd have a strapless gown that is truly festive just as the name says.

Another glamorous gift is our .:{Sofia}:. Gift Raindrops Gown Dress. Gold. With its strapless embroidered bodice and full satin skirt, it glimmers with tiny beads dripping down the skirt to really catch our attention. We receive sizes for Erika, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Lara X, Legacy, and Reborn mesh bodies, along with a single size white fur jacket. It will look just as pretty if you slip out of the jacket when you arrive at your destination of course, just make sure your fans get a glimpse of you wearing it both ways ;)

Next we head in a more casual direction with the ***Ambrosia***Nordic Knit Dress gift. The name describes the texture quite well, and I'm loving the red and white combo for this time of year :) Our snug sweater dress fits Lara X, Legacy, and Reborn mesh bodies. The short hemline and short sleeves give it a less bundled up vibe, and a more flirtatious feeling.

WZRWRKS has a jaw-dropping tee for us called [WAZ] Scoop-Neck Crop Top as their gift for the event, and there is a (less busty LOL) shirt for the men as well. This cutie includes sizing for Lara X, Legacy, Reborn, and Waifu, with alpha layers in case parts of you decide not to stay inside the shirt. I did have two very specific little parts that made the alpha layer handy, and yes you are probably guessing correctly. I think the holiday decorations also really help make this a fun treat. 

For my final look tonight, we have a closeup view of the Nives: Leya Bento Long Stiletto Mesh Nails 2K gift. If you like your manicure to be long and slender, and decorated for winter, these are the ones for you! There are sizes for BBL, Belleza, Belleza Gen X Curvy, eBody Reborn, Erika, Kupra/Kups, Legacy, Maitreya, and Slink hands; just use the body's HUD to hide its built in nails, and add the matching size from the folder. Voila, you have lovely new claws :) This made me think of a video I saw recently of a woman with similar nails whose cat was very slowly extending its claws and then slowly retracting them, trying to teach her how to put her talons away, LOL! Poor thing was so confused, probably wondering why its human was so bad at being a cat. My RL nails are nowhere near this long and rounded rather than pointy, but I do wonder if a cat would think I forgot how to retract them too now.

My anxiety made my outing fairly challenging, but I got to a store and back safely so I am counting it as a win. We went a back way which is bumpy and winding, so that was a big part of the problem. Taking the main roads home helped a little, although the traffic increased so that made it challenging too. I did pick out some treats to reward myself for getting there, lol, and I took a nap after dinner which was soothing. I'm so behind on Advent stuff now though, for the past few days I've just shoved them in a folder 'to sort' so that is a goal for the weekend if not sooner. Meanwhile I've got several more regions of S&H to visit, and other events and hunts, so I am a busy little magpie :) I hope you're all having a terrific day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from Holiday Shop & Hop - Dahlia Region:

Photo 1:

Dress: Son'a-Edge Regal Festive Dress - Gift $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: .:{Sofia}:. Gift Raindrops Gown Dress. Gold $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: ***Ambrosia***Nordic Knit Dress $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Top: WZRWRKS [WAZ] Scoop-Neck Crop Top $0L Shop&Hop Gift

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

Photo 5:

Nails: Nives: Leya Bento Long Stiletto Mesh Nails 2K $0L Shop&Hop 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

Silver & Gold Hunt

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we are exploring a new (and probably one-time) hunt from Twisted, called Silver & Gold Hunt. It is not a typical Twisted hunt, so no cubes and only one store had decoys that I saw ;) The prizes are free and hidden in silver bells, and you can navigate by using the website or you can get the HUD from the Twisted HQ to teleport you from stop to stop. It is fairly small, and I used the HUD but also had the website on hand for the hints. Xan and I got all of the prizes in one evening, so teamwork probably helped but I don't think you will be overwhelmed trying to get this one done. I know that this time of year is a busy one in SL, and they seem to be keeping that in mind as well by making sure it is enjoyable rather than stressful. The hunt just started yesterday and lasts into early January, with a theme of friendship.

My first look of the evening is our @rOrO Sadie Friends Dress B or W prize, named such because we receive both black and white versions to enjoy. They are each provided in sizes for Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, Reborn, and Star mesh bodies. The saying on the front reads "Make new friends but keep the old; One is silver and the other is gold" which I remember as a Girl Scouts song from many years ago :) Did you also notice the kitty peeking out from the kangaroo pouch style pocket? I certainly don't mind the company, as I'm sure the little cutie just wants to keep warm like I do. 

~Sassy!~ Aeris Dress for Silver & Gold Hunt is a delightfully styled sweater dress with halter neck, bare arms, long sleeves, and a sprinkling of snowflakes to honor the season. That peekaboo cutout showing off some cleavage is a great little detail too :) We receive Lara X, Petite X, Legacy, Perky, Reborn, and Waifu mesh body sizes when we find their silver bell. 

If you've ever wondered what it would look like to create a dress from tinsel, I think our :::. Clothes Culture .:::MALI prize might answer that question :) This stunning tank dress has a cutout on the bust and a really short hemline, with an impressively sparkly fabric. There are sizes for Altamura, eBody Classic, eBody Curvy, Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, Physique, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine mesh bodies included. 

The gorgeous ~MystRie~ Icy Dreams Gown is one of 4 prizes you can find here in four separate bells. This beauty comes in Freya, Legacy, Maitreya, Reborn, and Slink Hourglass mesh body sizes, in crisp white with flecked blue ruffled trim and front skirt inset. In case you're wondering, the other prizes are a men's suit and male and female dinkies outfits that all coordinate nicely with this gown. 

For my final look tonight, I am enjoying the Secrets of Gaia Celebration PJs Female ~ Cold 1 ~ nightgown. It says "Baby it's cold Outside!" on the front, and I'd have to agree right now ;) We receive standard mesh sizes as well as sizing for eBody, Freya, Isis, Venus, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, Reborn, Hourglass, Physique, TMP, Tonic Curvy, and Tonic Fine mesh bodies. There are tiny snowpeople and flakes on the fabric too, to really bring home that idea of chilly weather. I know there's been controversy about the song, with the male singer pushing boundaries of consent, but I also read an interesting take that a woman in that situation would be hesitating in a flirty way to not seem 'easy', preserving her reputation. It's also a fun saying apart from the song! There is also a set of male PJs with the same pattern on them, but no wording. 

I had a support group meeting tonight for the anxiety/agoraphobia and that went really well :) Then the housemate decided to change the plans at the last minute for my outing tomorrow, so I had to scramble to come up with an alternative. Now I feel all slow and confused, but I am going to do my best to speed things up and get back on track. I hope you're all having a nice day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Hunt Prizes from Silver & Gold Hunt:

Photo 1:

Dress: @rOrO Sadie Friends Dress B or W $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 2:

Dress: ~Sassy!~ Aeris Dress for Silver & Gold Hunt $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 3:

Dress: :::. Clothes Culture .:::MALI $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 4:

Dress: ~MystRie~ Icy Dreams Gown $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 5:

Outfit: Secrets of Gaia Celebration PJs Female ~ Cold 1 ~ $0L Hunt Prize

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 5.3 & Lara X

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity