Shop and Hop Gleaming

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we are exploring gifts from the Gleaming region of the SL22B Shop & Hop. This extravaganza is 24 regions (4 of which are adult) with 20 designers apiece so 480 wonderful displays to find discounted offers and generous gifts with no group needed. A few places are offering additional gifts for their group members though, so you just may be tempted into joining a few new ones ;) This is just the shopping portion of the celebration of the 22nd birthday of Second Life, and once life settles down a bit here I will be able to explore the other exhibits with Xan. The theme this year is Myths and Legends, so I'm really excited to see it all!

I'm coming in hot with my first look, two sexy gifts from the same generous designer :) The [Pixel Doll] Chiyo Outfit Set 02 - 01 is the red set on the left, while their 02 - 02 set is the combo in black to the right. These each include the top, skirt, and panties, in sizing for Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. I feel like without the skirt it could be used as swimwear, so handy in this hot weather!

For this look I added some body art, thanks to the [BE] Beauty Essence - SH '25 Female Tattoo gift. It's all BOM (Bakes On Mesh) layers, for our arms, back, front, and waist sections, each in 60%, 80%, or 100% opacity. Here I am wearing the 80% opacity of all 4 areas, but of course you can wear just one or two at a time if you prefer :) The soft flowers of the front and back pieces are as beautiful as the bold Greek key lines of the arm bands and waist, all very intriguing together or separately.

Next I changed tops to the MONOMANIA - Boheme Blouse, a thoughtful gift that can be worn with just about any sort of bottom you wish to pair it with. The bare shouldered, long sleeved crop top is provided in Freya, Isis, Venus, Legacy, Maitreya, Reborn, Hourglass, Physique, and Senra Jamie mesh body sizing, with a HUD that offers 7 colors. I've seen this style worn with maxi skirts to great effect, but can picture it with jeans or shorts just as easily :)

I adore our gift from Faida, which is their sweet Gina mini dress. It fits Lara X, Legacy, Nhumana, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies, and I think this is my first time hearing of the Nhumana body so I'm eager to learn more and see what she looks like :) The dark background of the fabric shows off the tiny pale pink flowers so well, and the style can easily be dressed up or down depending on the footwear and jewelry you choose to wear with it.

For my final look of the evening, I get my fae on with the fantastic :.C!L.: Fauna Fairy Dress Rose Accessory & Wings gift :) The corset dress bares our shoulders and has a delightful fluttery skirt, so the fairy vibes are potent. We receive Freya, Isis, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn sizes of the dress, plus the rose hair accessory and fairy wings. Our hair accessory and wings each have resize scripts built in, so you can tailor them to your shape and hairdo. Just think, you can also wear the dress alone, or the wings with any outfit that either has or needs a touch of green and magic. The rose can be paired with all sorts of other looks too, if you are into mixing and matching as I am.

The weekend went way too quickly, and my houseguest has headed home so I am readjusting mentally. I'm also recalibrating from spending half my time at my parents' house to take advantage of their AC, lol, like I did during my therapy session earlier. Video calls are simple enough to hold anywhere, and my parents have kindly offered their hospitality as much as I need before my AC is repaired in a couple of weeks. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed from all the back and forth, as my anxiety and agoraphobia make me crave stability. *deep breaths* I am okay and will continue to take it moment by moment, day by day, and will try to focus on the supportive people in my life ♥. SL is always an intriguing refuge, filled with plenty of pleasant distractions. I hope you're all having a nice day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from SL22B Shop&Hop - Gleaming Region:

Photo 1:

Outfit Left: [Pixel Doll] Chiyo Outfit Set 02 - 01 $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Outfit Right: [Pixel Doll] Chiyo Outfit Set 02 - 02 $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Tattoo: [BE] Beauty Essence - SH '25 Female Tattoo $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Top: MONOMANIA - Boheme Blouse $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Dress: Faida - Gina $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Outfit: :.C!L.: Fauna Fairy Dress Rose Accessory & Wings $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH VIP Taffy - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. Almond MEL

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Make Haste to Meva

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we have a very limited time opportunity, so I'm inviting you to Meva for their 11th anniversary. The celebration includes a temporarily free group join period, and a free hunt for 11 gift bags that don't need the group tag to claim them. That is great news if you still want to visit but do not have any group slots left, as we know how easy they are to run out of ;) The group membership will allow you to claim some gifts and use their 5 lucky chairs, which are all in the same general area. The hunt will bring you to each department, and the bags are large so they are fairly easy to see. It is such an accomplishment to keep an SL brand going for eleven years, and I'm happy to celebrate with them. As for the hurrying part, well the celebration wraps up on the 3rd of July (just started a few days ago) so I shared as soon as I found out today. If you can stay in the group, they do mention having Advent gifts for their group members too, which of course will be in December. For now, let's enjoy a mix of hunt prizes, group gifts, and lucky chair goodies!

The Meva Sharon Dress Ebony is a terrific hunt prize, created with a single strappy sleeve and attached belt. There are sizes for Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, and Reborn mesh bodies included. I really like the leathery texture, and the zippers add a sassy feeling.

For this look I combined a group gift and a hunt prize, so I'll start from the top. That would be our Meva BOM Top Valentines Gift, which you can tell was a group goodie from February but is suitable for any time of year. We receive a red and a white version of this cutie, sheer but with heart shaped pasties built in to cover the essentials ;) The Meva Janine Capri Leggings Cream are another free hunt prize, shapely in sizes for Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn. The neutral color lends itself to pairing with just about any hue you could wish, and the capri length means we can enjoy in all sorts of weather.

I was wearing the red version of the gift top in the previous picture, but I switched to the white one here which changes the color of the hearts but not trim or pasties :) Then I added the Meva High Skirt Pink hunt prize, and I must say the style really captivated me! That high peaked waist draws the eye upwards, while the front pocket zippers and all the great stitching makes me very happy. Find this bag and you'll receive sizing for Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies.

Next I changed into the stunning Meva BOM Catsuit Pink hunt prize :) While it goes from head to toe with long sleeves, much of the material is fishnet so it does provide essential coverage while showing off just enough. The BOM layer is so easy to wear, and can be layered over your favorite tattoo BOM layers without interfering.

For my final look of the evening, I am proud to say I got lucky and won the Meva Brielle Dress from one of their lucky chairs. It fits Legacy, Legacy Petite, Maitreya, Maitreya Petite, and Reborn mesh bodies, so I swapped back over to my Maitreya 5.3 from the Lara X I'd been wearing so far in all the other photos. The dress has a sexy chain harness and shoulder straps, all in rich gold links, with a beautiful ombre of brown to tan at the split hem. It is flattering and alluring! The lucky chairs change letters every 8 minutes or so, and I had a good time hanging out for a while with fellow group members waiting for my initial. 

I don't usually blog on Saturday nights, but I felt so badly about missing 3 days in a row that I decided to go ahead and blog. Then I found out about this brief event and felt like it was karma :) It's a warm weekend here but I am trying to enjoy it, and I hope you're all having a good day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts and Prizes from Meva:

Photo 1:

Dress: Meva Sharon Dress Ebony $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 2:

Top: Meva BOM Top Valentines Gift $0L Group Gift

Pants: Meva Janine Capri Leggings Cream $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 3:

Skirt: Meva High Skirt Pink $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 4:

Bodysuit: Meva BOM Catsuit Pink $0L Hunt Prize

Photo 5:

Dress: Meva Brielle Dress $0L Lucky Chair Prize

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH VIP Taffy - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. Almond MEL

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Summer Lovin' With TSS

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I'm back with some wonderful free gifts from the delightful Summer Lovin' event from The Saturday Sale. We all know TSS for helping us save lots of lindens each weekend, and now we get to visit the Grease themed event :) Does that name make you start singing along, like it did to me? Summer lovin', had me a blast, summer lovin', happened so fast...this one does in fact wrap up fairly quickly, the 6th of July, so dance your way on over and enjoy the sales, free gifts (no group needed), and carnival rides. Yep, that's right, there are rides and props that will certainly bring you back to the rockin' 50s :) Not all the gifts are themed but some are, so it's up to you if you want your look to be modern or retro.

My first look is the gorgeous zOOm - Tamriel GIFT Dress, which is decorated with golden symbols on the front and a slender chain draped into the cleavage opening. We receive sizes for Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Lara X, Petite X, and Reborn mesh bodies. 

This lovely gift is our RAPTURE-Dress Hana-Tangerine. The ruffles are such fun details, and the loose strands on the hem remind me of kites or jellyfish :) I think the vibrant orange hue is fantastic for summer, and the seams down the front are really flattering. There are Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Juicy mesh body sizes included.

Time for something retro, thanks to SUGAR N' SPICE and their stunning SNS SANDY DRESS SUMMER LOVIN GIFT. The flared skirt makes me want to twirl around and dance :) We get to enjoy a strapless style with a sweetheart neckline, built in white belt, and of course the multicolored polka dots on the black skirt, in sizing for Legacy, Perky, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, Juicy Boobs, and Waifu mesh bodies.

Next we get to feel flirty and stylish in the Blackstone - Brooke Set - Petrol gift. The slender tube top is sheer lace, tinted to match the pants which are laced up the front with a tiny zipper in the rear. They'll both fit Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn bodies, and we also receive a HUD with 6 metals for the zipper.

For my final look of the evening, I slipped into the HORL - Eils Outfit which is yet another gift you won't want to miss :) The single strapped top and belted skirt with laced slits in the front are each provided in Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Lara X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh body sizes. I think this combines modern styling with a nostalgic pattern on the skirt, so there is a nod to the theme.

Whew, as you can guess I've had quite a week. The heat combined with the failing AC unit meant I had to head to a hotel room for a few days, where blogging was not an option on a laptop. Now the AC unit has been inspected this morning, and the verdict is that it is beyond repair :( Until it is replaced in a few weeks, I will be spending hot days at my parents' so I'm not stuck in an overheating house. I don't expect it to interfere with my blogging, which is a nice change, as I am already feeling guilty for missing a few posts. The hotel room was pleasant enough, and the free breakfast was nicer than I'd expected with a great variety of hot and cold offerings. The weather got cooler today because of rain, but we have a Saturday heat advisory again so we're all over the place here. All that really matters is that I am hanging in and have my weekend plans set :) I hope you're all enjoying your day/evening, magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from Summer Lovin' TSS:

Photo 1:

Dress: zOOm - Tamriel GIFT Dress $0L TSS Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: RAPTURE-Dress Hana-Tangerine $0L TSS Gift

Photo 3:

Dress: SUGAR N' SPICE SNS SANDY DRESS SUMMER LOVIN GIFT $0L TSS Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: Blackstone - Brooke Set - Petrol $0L TSS Gift

Photo 5:

Outfit: HORL - Eils Outfit $0L TSS Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Muse - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. Almond MEL

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Time For SL22B Shop&Hop

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I'm ecstatic to share some gifts from the SL22B Shop & Hop event, celebrating the 22nd birthday of Second Life. First of all, just think about what an impressive accomplishment that is, bringing people from all over the world together in a virtual universe where people can be anything and anyone they wish! I'm so grateful to Linden Lab for their hard work and persistence, and to every designer who has ever added to my massive inventory (LOL) or participated in a Shop & Hop event :) As you probably know, there are discounted items and a gift at every display, and this time around we have 20 moderate regions and 4 adult regions for a total of 24 regions with 20 stores apiece. That means we've got 480 displays to enjoy, whew! Tonight's gifts are all found in the Gilded region, as I find it easiest to keep them sorted that way and tackle one at a time for blogging. I also highly recommend the FabFree spreadsheet of gifties :)

My first look starts with the Grumble-Dragon Skin Dress, yours for free with no group necessary. This sheer tank dress has such a striking pattern in vibrant colors, something I do associate with the Grumble brand :) We receive sizes for Erika, Freya, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, Prima Busty, and Reborn mesh bodies. For a little extra eye candy, I added our [NC] - Roses Choker gift from Noble Creations. This lovely deep pink choker with 3 rose blossoms on the front has a resize script built in, so we can adjust if needed. I think the color went well with the dress, as there are some vivid shades of pink in that pattern along with tons of other hues.

An instant summer favorite is our "Freda" Shop&Hop 2025 Gift Printed Jeans Shorts & Shirt. It consists of the top in blue and red versions, each in Gen X Classic/Dainty, Gen X Curvy/Dainty, Legacy, Perky, Lara X, Petite X, and Reborn mesh body sizing, with the shorts in red or green that fit Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn bodies. I'm wearing the blue shirt and green shorts on the left, red and red on the right :) The shirts are loosely buttoned and tied, while our frayed-edged shorts have a built in belt slung low around the hips. For this photo and all the rest, I've changed from Lara 5.3 to my Lara X body.

Our [GIULIADESIGN]-ARYA-01 is a dreamy pairing of flirty slip dress and bolero style jacket to cover our arms and just a sliver of upper back. They fit Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. The print on the dress reminds me of tiger stripes, in a soft silvery color that is very flattering with the pale pastel pink.

Please be sure to pick up both generous gifts at the [Ari-Pari] display, similar casual cute shorts outfits that both can liven up your wardrobe this time of year. The Hayln Outfit seen here pairs a solid cropped tank top with sporty shorts in multicolored square designs, each in your choice of 5 colors via HUD. The top and shorts are each provided in sizes for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Lara X, Petite X, Legacy, Perky, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. So cute!

Our [Ari-Pari] Daiya Outfit gift is the same style top and shorts, so it includes the same sizing as Hayln :) The geometric pattern on the shorts is the difference, fewer colors in the pattern itself but just as mesmerizing with the eyecatching design. It also has a HUD with 5 colors each for top and shorts, so we can mix and match to our heart's content once again.

Greetings from the heatwave, LOL, and I am not handling it particularly well. Thank my thyroid for that one I guess, as my body has no idea how to regulate temp or cope with changes like this. The AC is really struggling and I will be going to a hotel for the next two days, much to my chagrin. It is about a 15 minute drive, but my anxiety and agoraphobia have decided that will feel like 15 hours and they are pitching a fit...sadly this does mean that I will be unable to blog for a few days. I will be borrowing a laptop and trying to login on the hotel wifi, but the odds of a successful login are slim since it takes me an average of 5 attempts on a wired connection here. Yep, every single day I am cussing and tearing my hair out trying to login, LOL, it's fun on a bun. The mobile version eats my group notices and inventory offers as I've discovered the hard way, so that isn't going to cut it. I guess I'll be back Friday then, at which time I'll also have a houseguest so I will be extra busy but probably cooler ;) Hope you're all having a nice day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from SL22B Shop&Hop - Gilded Region:

Photo 1:

Dress: Grumble-Dragon Skin Dress $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Necklace: Noble Creations [NC] - Roses Choker $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 2:

Outfit: "Freda" Shop&Hop 2025 Gift Printed Jeans Shorts & Shirt $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 3:

Outfit: [GIULIADESIGN]-ARYA-01 $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 4:

Outfit: [Ari-Pari] Hayln Outfit $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Photo 5:

Outfit: [Ari-Pari] Daiya Outfit $0L Shop&Hop Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Muse - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. Almond MEL

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Colorful Swank Treats

 Hiya everyone! Tonight's post has several more treats from the SWANK Event and their Celebration of Colors round. They have a Pride hunt for their VIP group members (free to join) which is not a difficult hunt, so please don't let the word 'hunt' discourage you :) The prizes or gifts are inside rainbow striped wooden flames, just look around for them and give each one a click. The event is open until the end of the month, so we have just over a week to enjoy exploring both floors of this huge, impressive sales event.

For my first look of the evening, I am feeling bright and colorful in our JUMO Originals - ANOK Dress Pride gift. This beauty is awash in rainbow stripes, and its straps wind around the body to provide a crossed belt. We receive sizing for Freya, Isis, Venus, Legacy, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh bodies in this thoughtful gift.

I recently shared another lovely {Le'La} gift, and now I'm just as delighted to show you our Makana Set. The cardigan, top, and skirt are designed for Erika, Erika Bubble, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Kups, Legacy, Nerido, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Reborn, and Juicy mesh bodies, while the garters come in those same sizes as well as Maze versions for each. I love the color, what a pretty shade of blue! The garter having a small heart shaped zippered pouch on the left side is a fun detail too. We are all "Limited Edition" just like the shirt says :)

Next I slipped into the flirty Ruxy-Selena Mesh Dress flower gift, which can be yours for free just like all of tonight's looks if you find the flame :) It looks like a loosely buttoned satin blouse, with a small floral pattern on deep orange. I can see wearing it over jeans or leggings too, and for modesty I would definitely layer a bra under too. Not every destination in SL would approve of this as is, lol, and I am relatively modest in my daily wanderings.

Interestingly I noticed that the Witch In A Box - Syntilla Dress is also a buttoned style that is slightly opened, but this gift has long sleeves and a lovely star pattern instead :) The dress fits Freya, Hourglass, Legacy, and Maitreya mesh bodies, with a HUD that lets us choose from 4 textures. Did you notice that the stars are various colors to go with the background? This clearly made me a very happy magpie.

My final look of the night is our YoUnique Couture gift called Dannielle Dress Duo2. Just like the name indicates, there two beautiful dresses inside (v1 and v2) which are each included in sizes for Gen X Curvy, Kupra Bimbo, Low, Original, Legacy Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Mesh Body Classic (TMP) bodies. Handkerchief hemlines are just so fun, and both colors look fantastic with the intriguing pattern. I think to accessorize, I would add a short necklace or a bracelet, matching earrings, and whatever shoes jumped out at me first from my inventory ;)

This weekend seemed to go by really quickly, didn't it? Good news - my power was restored early Saturday afternoon, so my generator did not become a problem. Questionable news - the air conditioning is starting to struggle, really crappy timing with a heatwave causing us to have a heat advisory until Wednesday night. At some point it'll feel like 108, and the AC can't seem to get it below 82 during the day and 77 at night already. It might make it, but only time will tell. If it gives up, I will wind up at a hotel and not be able to be in SL (cheap old laptop) so blogging would be put on hold. Xan or I will update on that if it comes to it. Otherwise I'm still working my way through Shop&Hop, tons of fantastic offers and gifts as always, and should start blogging that soon. I hope you're all having a nice day/evening, please be kind to one another! Many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from SWANK Event:

Photo 1:

Dress: JUMO Originals - ANOK Dress Pride $0L Swank Group

Photo 2:

Outfit: {Le'La} Makana Set $0L Swank Group

Photo 3:

Dress: Ruxy-Selena Mesh Dress flower $0L Swank Group

Photo 4:

Dress: Witch In A Box - Syntilla Dress $0L Swank Group

Photo 5:

Dress: YoUnique Couture Dannielle Dress Duo2 $0L Swank Group

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Muse - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. Almond MEL

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Marketplace of Pride

 Hiya everyone! Tonight I wanted to check the SL marketplace for Pride themed gifts, as I know there have been many released there over the years and I'm still pleased to celebrate Pride month as usual. The good news is I found several, using "pride NOT demo" as my search string then narrowing it down to apparel then women's and sorting by price. The attempts to eliminate demos will work to an extent, but even checking the box for no demos can be avoided by determined listers. Some put d-e-m-o or d*e*m*o to get around search limitations for example, although I genuinely don't understand why since it won't earn them any money. I truly do enjoy browsing the marketplace, as some of these designers no longer have an inworld store or don't have one yet, and their merch can only be found here. Anyone remember when it was called XStreet XL? If so congrats, you're an SL oldie but goodie like me ;)

My first find is the Sneeky Free Bom Pride Jeans N Crop outfit, whose name sums up this versatile look fairly well :) The clothing is provided in BOM layers, with 4 tops and 4 pairs of jeans to mix and match. I'm wearing top 1 and jeans 2 on the left, with top 3 and jeans 4 to the right. Aren't those lace sections on the tops pretty? Rainbows abound here, and I am very pleased to have found this free gift.

I stuck with Sneeky jeans to share our Dark Angel : Pride Cuff Tshirts treat. There are two versions, Happy and Support, each in sizing for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra, Kups, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, and Reborn bodies. The soft green Happy version says "Happy Pride Month" across the rainbow splash, and Support Pride is the bold yellow that says its name in multicolored lettering. Both are really pretty and spark joy this time of year for me :)

Those jeans came in handy once again to show you the charming Redheads Rock - Pride T-Shirt. This loose fit tee has a great purple color that serves as a lovely background for a watercolor type image of a Pride flag :) There are sizes for Freya, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh bodies, along with classic S, M, and L for classic avatars. 

The [Zombie Kittens] Marsha Pride Minidress is such a thoughtful gift, named for Marsha P. Johnson who was a prominent figure in the Stonewall uprising that helped bring us to a place where Pride month can be celebrated. The dress comes in Freya, Isis, Venus, Maitreya, Hourglass, and Physique mesh body sizing, along with a HUD that lets us choose from 19 total options - 8 images ranging from 1 to 6 background colors. I'm still oohing and aahing over the pile of rainbow colored kittens on the right, and honored to wear the Ally image in my heart and on my blog.

My final look of the evening is a full outfit called KEdays-Pride Outfit Gift Maitreya fitted. It was designed for the Lara 5.3 body as the name indicates, with the top, skirt, panties, and heels all included. I think there is a chance of the clothing fitting other bodies with some alpha use, but did not test that theory out; if it were a paid purchase I'd suggest a demo, but there is no harm in trying a free gift :) The hearts on the top are as vibrant as the striping on our shoes, and I was a child of the 70s who always loved rainbows anyway ♥.

My day was calmer than yesterday, lol, as the weather is decent but the power is still out in my area. The whole house generator is struggling its little heart out, like if you turn something on (tv, fan, whatever) it makes the lights flicker and the generator gets really loud and scary sounding. My anxiety is not enjoying this, as you can guess. The power company's estimate for repair is currently Sunday at 11 PM, so 2 more days more or less. It'll be too hot to stay in an un-airconditioned house if the generator croaks, so I will be retreating to a hotel in that case. I did have dinner at my parents' house, which was enjoyable and we looked at even more very old photographs for a bit. They don't have room for my housemate and myself to stay there by the way, otherwise we would just head there instead of a hotel in a pinch. Not many people have 2 spare rooms set up for guests, and none of us have cots or even sleeping bags to rough it in the living room or somewhere. So that's my weekend plans I guess, lol, waiting to see how the generator does and how fast the power company can repair whatever the storm damaged. I am trying to stay optimistic. I hope you all have a lovely weekend ahead, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

Photo 1:

Outfit: Sneeky Free Bom Pride Jeans N Crop $0L Marketplace

Photo 2:

Tops: Dark Angel : Pride Cuff Tshirts $0L Marketplace

Photo 3:

Top: Redheads Rock - Pride T-Shirt $0L Marketplace

Photo 4:

Dress: [Zombie Kittens] Marsha Pride Minidress $0L Marketplace

Photo 5:

Outfit: KEdays-Pride Outfit Gift Maitreya fitted $0L Marketplace

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Lyrical - Essential

Skin: .::WoW Skins::. .WS. Almond MEL

Ring: {Carter} Wedding Zoe (Marketplace)

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

Poses: Various Sets from [piXit] or Verocity

Bleeding Solstice Gifts

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we are visiting the Bleeding Solstice event from Difony Events, which is described as an elegantly haunting Gothic shopping event. There are over 100 designers taking part, nearly all of whom are offering free gifts with no group tag required to claim them. On the ground level they are in hanging lanterns, then on the two upper tiers you'll want to look for large round globes that provide glowing light and free treats :) Sometimes we all need to get in touch with our darker side, and this is the ideal place to do so in my opinion. We have until the 8th of July to complete our shopping and gift-claiming.

For my first look of the evening, I carefully slipped into the Bemused ~ Solstice Gift Corset Dress. I'm sure you can see why 'carefully', with that cinched wasp waist that requires the use of the enclosed alpha layer (or your body's HUD) to accomplish that stunning shape. The dress is provided in sizes for Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Lara X, Legacy, and Reborn mesh bodies. I cannot quite make out the image embossed on the front, but it is beautifully intricate :)

Speaking of intricate, the [Witch In A Box] Elysium Dress gift has several unique cutouts and straps that give it a playful, flirty style that is sure to turn heads. It is provided in Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn mesh body sizes, along with a HUD to tint it with a grid of colors to click or you can input an RGB code. This means the possibilities are endless :) Did you notice the shimmery stars that are picking up the light sources in my home? By the way, if I look slightly slimmer in this photo, I did adjust my shape temporarily as one hip was trying to peek through the dress. So I slid the saddlebags slider down until it was no longer visible, quick and easy solution. I did return to my typical shape right after :)

This seductive look starts with the zOOm - OniX Outfit GIFT, one piece with the appearance of two that is easy to wear and to admire. There are sizes for Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. Sometimes I accessorize with jewelry, but this time I selected one of several wonderful tattoo gifts :) The Juna: Celine Tattoo Woman was my go-to, lovely artwork for the neck, upper chest, partial sleeves, and a little on the upper back/neck area that is mostly hiding beneath my hair. Our gift consists of dark, medium (shown), and light versions as BOM layers and appliers for Slink, TMP, Vista, Maitreya, Belleza, Eve, Signature, Altamura, and Omega. That's an impressive amount of compatibility! 

We are fortunate enough to have several great tops as gifts here too, like this stunning //Rowers// Frida Top Fatpack. It combines a knit tank top with leather straps and long sleeves, all worn in one easy piece in sizing for Gen X, Legacy, Perky, and Reborn mesh bodies. We also receive a HUD that offers 6 colors each for the leather and shirt, so mixing and matching is definitely on the menu :) There is certainly something about long sleeved crop tops that always captures my attention, like we're too cool to care if our belly is bared but we're keeping our arms toasty. I paired it with my favorite marketplace gift from Delizio, well the black pair from their fatpack of jeans in lots of great hues. This color gives a slightly Goth feeling, but white or blue would have been terrific neutrals as well.

My final look of the night is the gorgeous gift from [Ari-Pari] which is their Dark Flora Dress. Isn't she dreamy? This sweet sleeveless sundress comes in Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, and Reborn mesh body sizing, with a HUD that offers 5 deep colors for the background. The pattern has some paisley among the blossoms, bringing a little retro feeling to add to the charm. I feel like the fluttery skirt is a fun choice for hot weather, since that is not the time you want something clinging to your skin.

Ugh, what a day! How to summarize this...bad storms whipped through the area, and I was asleep when the housemate woke me to say that we needed to evacuate immediately because of tornadoes. So I scrambled to get dressed and grab my phone, not even thinking about meds or anything else I'd need, and you could hear trees cracking and splintering as they were whipped around by the high winds. He was driving like something from a horror movie or video game, lol, dodging falling branches (not like a twig but big enough to damage vehicles) in my parents' minivan, to get us to a local grocery store's parking lot where there were no trees to hit us. Naturally the power company texted us while we were there (half hour or so) that they detected a power outage, like yeah there's no way our grid was gonna hold when it seems to be held together by rubber bands and bubblegum. As of right now, the power is still out and the generator is on but seems to be faltering, as the lights have flickered many times and the generator sounds funny. I'd usually describe it as a loud lawnmower, but now it sounds like a racecar with someone revving the engine. Fun, eh? I am safe, but that was the most terrifying car ride and worse for someone whose biggest fear is being in a car at all. We passed one traffic light that was out, but the closest one to home was working which seemed odd. The house isn't damaged but this time the shed out back took a little damage to the roof, so that's just something else around here that needs fixing. We've got 3 trees down in the backyard, and one on the side of the house. I'm partially in the dark to keep the strain on the generator minimized, and my (battery-operated) thermometer says it's 78.1 in this room so I am feeling rather toasty. I don't want to live in interesting times anymore, LOL, let my life be boring for a while please! Well I do hope you're all safe and having a nice day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Gifts from Bleeding Solstice Event:

Photo 1:

Dress: Bemused ~ Solstice Gift Corset Dress $0L Event Gift

Photo 2:

Dress: [Witch In A Box] Elysium Dress $0L Event Gift

Photo 3:

Outfit: zOOm - OniX Outfit GIFT $0L Event Gift

Tattoo: Juna: Celine Tattoo Woman $0L Event Gift

Photo 4:

Top: //Rowers// Frida Top Fatpack $0L Event Gift

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

Photo 5:

Dress: [Ari-Pari] Dark Flora Dress $0L Event Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Lyrical - 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

Adora-tions Group Gifts

 Hiya everyone! Tonight's post comes from the Adora-tions store, whose group is currently free to join and there are new gifts daily this month. I would like to mention that this is an adult themed store, described on a landmark as a kink-positive clothing, tattoo, and accessories store. Even among the gifts, there are a few with wording that might be a bit much for some (Daddy's f*cktoy is on a pair of earrings for example) so I wanted to make that clear before inviting you here :) This is not me shaming them by any means, just trying to protect anyone who might be bothered by it. I carefully chose the gifts I'm sharing tonight to be on the milder side yet still representative of their style, so these are not specifically kink-themed. I chose things I love that felt meaningful to me :)

Berries are so tasty for summer, aren't they? Our Adora-tions - Strawberry Lydia Outfit gift includes the pale pink cropped tee and pleated miniskirt, each in sizes for Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, and Reborn mesh bodies. The heart shaped cutout on the shirt caught my eye too, so cute! Now the Adora-tions - Brat Magic Drinking Cup is another generous gift, seen in my right hand above with its built in bento holding pose. It's a much more vibrant hot pink, and I wonder if brat magic is a reference to brat summer :) The fine print right beneath the lid says "Magically Bratilicious" which made me giggle, and the eyes below it are amazingly drawn to captivate.

Next I paired up two more gifts, starting with the Adora-tions - Earth Matters Tee. It is cut short enough to show some underboob, with a lovely sky blue fabric adorned with "Earth Matters, Save the Planet" written on and beneath a gorgeous sky, tree, and ocean image. You can wear this important message in Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra Bimbo, Low, Original, Kups A, Kups B, Legacy, Legacy Petite, Maitreya, Reborn, and Waifu mesh body sizes. The playful Adora-tions - Pride Helen Shorts are provided in sizing for Khara, Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn bodies. They've got a zipper in the front, bright red waistband, and rainbow hearts to really bring home the Pride month theme :) I appreciate that they are flirty but not too short to wear to most venues, like I don't feel like half my buttcheeks are peeking out.

With a full rainbow of colors, those shorts are versatile enough to help me show off another shirt too - our Adora-tions - Magical Girl U Bella Tee group gift. This pretty purple tee has pink ink on the front that says Magical Girl University, est. 20XX, with a familiar outline on the front that reminds me of Sailor Moon :) This gift includes Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Petite, Perky, Lara X, Petite X, and Reborn mesh bodies. The fit is flattering, showing a peek of cleavage and slightly lifted on the left side. Cap sleeves are always so nice for the warm weather too.

Another summertime staple is swimwear, like this stunning Adora-tions - Proudheart Rissa Bikini gift. The top and bottom are separates and will both fit Legacy, Perky, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. The tiny rainbow stripes are actually itty bitty hearts, appropriate for Pride month or any time you are headed to a beach or pool. The bikini also gave me a fun chance to share the Adora-tions - Refuse To Sink Thigh Tattoo gift, a wonderful linework tattoo of an anchor with a lily inside, that has "Refuse to Sink" beneath it. There are BOM layers in 50%, 75%, 100%, new, and tintable versions, so you can choose your opacity or even edit to change the color :) I'm wearing the 75% here and it is quite vivid, so I think it photographed clearly enough that I didn't even need the full 100% to take pictures. Over the past couple of years, I have felt like I was sinking into depression and from the agoraphobia, but I'm still here and still trying to fight it so this tattoo means the world to me.

My final look of the evening is our Adora-tions - Pink Grid Debbie Dress group gift. It immediately caught my eye with its plunging neckline, beautiful color, and fun geometric pattern. Don't forget the zipper down the front ;) This gift comes in sizes for Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. I think I want to wear silver jewelry with it to accentuate the stripes of the pattern, maybe with pink gems...the possibilities are truly endless though!

Before my outing yesterday, the housemate pointed out a weird leak from my side of the car, and today it got worse so he took it to be checked out. It turned out to be coolant and something else (?), then naturally they found a few other problems, so he borrowed my parents' minivan for now. Good thing they trust him, eh? They ordered parts and will either have it ready Friday or Monday, so outings for the rest of the week might be a challenge. There is no good time for these things to happen, so I am just grateful it can be fixed relatively quickly. The minivan is the spare car that my mom drives on Sundays to church, LOL, which sounds like a used car sales pitch ;) The gas mileage isn't great and their other car is a hybrid, so you can see why they prefer the little one for when my dad is driving which is 98% of the time. I'm excited about the next few days in SL, mostly that SL22B is almost here! I think I saw that there are 500 exhibits to see, which Xan and I love exploring together. I hope you're all having a terrific day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from Adora-tions:

Photo 1:

Outfit: Adora-tions - Strawberry Lydia Outfit $0L Group Gift

Drink: Adora-tions - Brat Magic Drinking Cup $0L Group Gift

Photo 2:

Top: Adora-tions - Earth Matters Tee $0L Group Gift

Shorts: Adora-tions - Pride Helen Shorts $0L Group Gift

Photo 3:

Top: Adora-tions - Magical Girl U Bella Tee $0L Group Gift

Photo 4:

Bikini: Adora-tions - Proudheart Rissa Bikini $0L Group Gift

Tattoo: Adora-tions - Refuse To Sink Thigh Tattoo $0L Group Gift

Photo 5:

Dress: Adora-tions - Pink Grid Debbie Dress $0L Group Gift

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Lyrical - 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

More Swank Treats

 Hiya everyone! Tonight we see another handful of SWANK Event gifts from their Celebration of Colors round, just in time for Pride month. They call it a Pride hunt as a matter of fact, with the gifts tucked inside flame shaped wood plaques painted with rainbow stripes. Just look for those at the event with your SWANK VIP group tag active, and when you get home you'll want to crank up some tunes while you unpack dozens and dozens of treats :) My goodness, it felt like Christmas morning in dreamland! The event is open until the end of the month.

This dazzling first look of the night is our **SIMONE DREW PRIDE STYLE COMPLETE OUTFIT** gift from V8 Underground. The top and leggings are each included in Kupra, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Lara X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies, while the sneakers will fit Kupra, Legacy, Maitreya, and Reborn flat feet. Also tucked inside the gift are the headband, earrings, and matching necklace I am wearing here, all of which are adjustable. One of the many details to catch my eye was the rainbow on the front of the vibrant red shirt, reading PRIDE and with hearts dripping down each side of the arch.

This smoking hot gift is the V-Twins (Gothicat) - Lexa Outfit. Its bodysuit, gloves, and boots are all designed for Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Legacy, Bombshell, Perky, Maitreya, Petite, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. The outfit HUD offers 12 colors for the top, 12 harness, 5 harness metals, 12 skirt, 12 belt, 5 belt metals, 12 gloves, and 5 metal gloves choices, while the HUD for the boots has 12 for the boots, 5 boots metals, 12 belt, and 5 belt metals for the strap around the ankles. I feel alluring and a little bit naughty in this outfit, lol, which is a good thing because I need to step out of my comfort zone more often.

For the Celebration of Colors round, we can celebrate the shiny red of the Cherry Up! Fairy Bodysuit @ Cherry gift :) This tantalizing treat comes in sizes for Legacy, Lara X, and Reborn mesh bodies, adorned with pretty pale pink bows and sheer hip ruffles. I really love the mix of edgy and feminine, suits my tastes quite well.

Next we honor Pride month with the playful MELODY TRIXIE PACK GIFT PRIDE 2022. This single shouldered mini dress fits Erika, Kupra, Legacy, Perky, Maitreya, and Reborn mesh bodies, and includes a HUD with 10 texture options. We've got some solid colors with an image on the left front like I am wearing on the left above, or you can see a full pattern on the right which also made me smile :) Both of these are all too true, you are loved and love is love!

My final look of the night is a fun outfit that looks like several layered pieces, but is really all linked together as one. The [Mow] Bianca Outfit @Jacket Cherry gift is provided in sizes for Erika, Gen X Classic, Gen X Curvy, Kupra (Bimbo, Low, Original), Legacy, Maitreya, Lara X, Petite X, Reborn, and Waifu mesh bodies. The sheer blouse is slightly open at the top, and you could choose to add some pasties or a bra (BOM layer would be my suggestion) if you wanted to up the modesty factor. 

It was a warm and busy day, but my outing went relatively well (better than the previous few) and I am ready to plan another for Saturday. Meanwhile there are so many things going on in SL that there is no chance I'll be bored ;) Just think, SL22B is starting in a few days, and that means another round of Shop&Hop, YAY! I have no idea yet how many designers there will be, but I'll guess over 300. I hope you're all having a blissful day/evening, many magical magpie hugs to everyone!!

Credits:

All Group Gifts from SWANK Event:

Photo 1:

Outfit: **SIMONE DREW PRIDE STYLE COMPLETE OUTFIT** $0L Swank Event

Photo 2:

Outfit: V-Twins (Gothicat) - Lexa Outfit $0L Swank Event

Photo 3:

Bodysuit: Cherry Up! Fairy Bodysuit @ Cherry $0L Swank Event

Photo 4:

Dress: MELODY TRIXIE PACK GIFT PRIDE 2022 $0L Swank Event

Photo 5:

Outfit: [Mow] Bianca Outfit @Jacket Cherry $0L Swank Event

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 4.0

Hair: TRUTH Lyrical - 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