I bought this wonderful dress from Mikunch at Kustom9 the other day, and when I put on the with cardigan version – you get with and without and a cardigan colour hud, and flower colour hud included – I noticed that my hair was cutting out portions of it, that lovely png alpha sorting bug. I contacted the lovely creator lllMiku and by the next morning I was logging in to it being changed to 24 bit tga’s. I did a post/tutorial on this a while ago, you can see it HERE. If you ever encounter this with mesh items – not appliers, as that is different, let the creator know, as they may not realise that the reason is that png textures still have an alpha channel, even when not visible.

This dress with and without cardigan is delightful, and I got to show off my new hair from Moon, we went hair shopping like crazy the other day, hitting up many stores. I love that with the new COMING SOON skin by Adam n Eve I have a hairbase, that works well with this hair, as it is a need.

Get your girly on like I did , and have a great day!

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 Flowey

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Charli – Adam n Eve COMING SOON TO MSO November

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & flat feet, Physique Body, Visage Head – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : Adam n Eve 

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 57 – Flair

Hair:

21 Hours – Moon 

Clothes:

Ohana Dress – Mikunch @ Kustom 9

Shoes :

Lisa Sandals (slink flat feet add ons) – Pure Poison 

Accessories :

Ladybug Ring – Yummy

All of us went shopping the other day, Ashia, SySy, Sachi and I…Whimsy was offline, so she is not loving us now. We spent four hours visiting various locations, and we have visited an event that had Dead Dollz at it. I saw some great dresses there, but they were limited exclusives and I got all sad at the thought of that, because it makes it difficult to say hey go get this months from now, or when people go archiving through your blog. So we tpd to the store to see if it was only colour exclusive, but alas no, I did however get a few things including this stunning lace over nude dress. Unfortunatly this too was exclusive and so I am blogging it hopefully fast enough for everyone to get it in time.

The hair is a bewitching new style from Exile, i love the length, the slight mess of it and just its overall sex appeal. I can see myself Elvira lounging all over the place in this do. It totally rocks with the sneak peak of the NEW Charli skin appliers from Adam n Eve that will appear at the next round of My Slink Obsession in November, so look out for that.

Finishing off with some beautiful footwear that is by Essenz, with pin up style bows at the front of the shoe, it adds the va va voom to the whole look. Seeing as it is only a week or so away, I added some Spoopy accessories from MG @C88 to my look, which I think are just the right level of spoopy to leave them on all year round.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 Flowey

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Charli – Adam n Eve COMING SOON TO MSO November

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & Mid feet, Physique Body, Visage Head – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : Adam n Eve 

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 57 – Flair

Hair:

Cry Ophelia – Exile

Clothes:

Felina Dress – Limited Edition – Dead Dollz

Shoes :

Havana (slink Mid feet add on) – Essenz @  L’accessoires

Accessories :

Sister Catrina Muertos Ring, Widdershins Earrings – Maxi Gossamer @ C88

I am such a Red, White and Blue lover. Clothing done the right way in these colours just makes me happy, and these pants are so divine, in their wide legged, high waistedness, that them being the most perfect navy was just icing on an already beautiful cake.

The shoes are such adorable pumps from Boom and they actually look like iced cakes, with their little frilly parts, teaming them up with a bow addorned circular bag, and it has so much cute going on, I had to just add more with the Ploom hairstyle with matching bows. Adorable overload, and seeking out more, while normally I would go with a more sleek and sophisticated look with these pants, this was a fun change…but these pants are all love, so make sure you do not miss out on getting them at C88 this round, they are Must Haves.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 Flowey

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Esmerelda – YS & YS

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & Mid Feet, Visage Head, Physique Body – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : YS & YS

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 175 – Flair

Hair:

Sugar – Ploom

Clothes:

Lydia Wide Pants – Emery @ Collabor88

Natasha Bustier – Zaara 

Shoes :

Teganna Heels ( add ons slink Mid Feet ) – BOOM @ Seasons Story

Accessories :

Ritz Handbag – BOOM @ Kustom9

Ladybug Ring – Yummy 

I adore coats like this one, the cinched style, the fit and the beautiful suede. It works with or in this case without something fabulous underneath. I went with these fun pocketed style jeans, that just make me love the skills that people have with textures in SL. Finishing off the look with some great HighFeet add on shoes that are really cool shaped, I especially like the heel design, and the overall ensemble is a nice way to spend the day, doing whatever you need to do.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 Flowey

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Esmerelda – YS & YS

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & High Feet, Visage Head, Physique Body – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : YS & YS

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 175 – Flair

Hair:

Cachet Pony Attachment – LeLutka

Clothes:

Dandy Jacket – Gizza

JEANS Mesh – 3.0 F – stone – sYs

Shoes :

Vixen ( Slink High Feet add ons) – sYs 

Accessories :

Ladybug Ring – Yummy

The nicer the look is intended to be, the naughtier it can make you feel. Combining the so adorable dress from Tres Blah for this round of C88 with the innocent Anna hair from Lelutka, and the sexy pumps from Maitreya – The straps turn on and off, and you get lots of interchangable colours with the fatpack -… I end up with a night behind bars, goodness knows what I got up to. Hopefully Whimsy didn’t spend all my bail money on this round of Collabor88 because this whole shared cell thing, is not going to work for me.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 Flowey

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Goth Skin Tone A – Adam n Eve 

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & High Feet, Visage Head, Physique Body – SLink

Vampire Teeth add on for Visage Head – COMING SOON to Slink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : Adam n Eve 

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 56 – Flair

Hair:

Anna Hair – LeLutka 

Clothes:

Darling Dress – Tres Blah @ Collabor88

Shoes :

Zest Pumps (Slink High feet options) – Maitreya Gold @ Collabor88

Accessories :

Jack’s typewriter Ring – Yummy @ Collabor88 

Collabor88 is just about to start, and there are amazing items for the Motel Spoopy theme this round. So many amazing Horror movies to draw inspiration from, and the Yummy release is an incredible amount of spooktacular jewellery, with an amazing gold typewriter ring, and a hotel room key, with the room number of a famous door, you probably shouldn’t enter.

The glamourous UpDo is by Exile, and Elvira herself would change her long loved locks for this number. It is splendidly piled high, and with the right colours to draw you into her web of intrigue. I am wearing a dress from Asteria, that Whimsy and I visited when we were on our store shopping adventures the other day… if you missed my long winded ranty post about that, you can see it HERE.

Bringing the look all together with my Goth Skins appliers by Adam n Eve, the Goth skins are for the Visage head and the Physique body, which fit in this dress very well indeed. The dress also comes with a neck corset of lace, but I left that off in preference of the Yummy items.

The teeth I have on are an add on option for the Slink Visage head, however they have not been released yet, I saw them on Siddean and kind of picked her pocket for them – shhhhh don’t tell – but hopefully they will be released in time for Halloween, or anytime really, because Vamping it up in SL is more than just one day a year. Plus they are hella sexy!

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 Flowey

Eyes:

Custom Eyes – Anara 

Skin Worn:

Goth Skin Tone A – Adam n Eve 

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & High Feet, Visage Head, Physique Body – SLink

Vampire Teeth add on for Visage Head – COMING SOON to Slink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : Adam n Eve 

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 56 – Flair

Hair:

Check Out Time – Exile @ Collabor88

Clothes:

Celebre Black Mini Dress – Asteria Creations 

Shoes :

Zest Pumps (SLink high feet add ons) – Maitreya Gold @ Collabor88 

Accessories :

Room Key 237 Necklace, Jack’s Typewriter Ring – Yummy @ Collabor88

Last night when Whimsy came on, I declared STORE SHOPPING DAY! I had already hit up a few earlier on my own, and she had been in and done some events. But I wanted to show that we do in fact store shop, that stores don’t and shouldn’t need to feel that their store ‘has to’ do events, as we see said so often. It is strange to see, the way that stores feel that if they don’t do them they are going to get left behind somehow, or that they wont make sales. Sure there may be less money made in the begining, but why can’t store owners do promotions in their own stores, run by themselves or their staff to encourage a similar response ?

Many years ago, long before events or theme days, I used to do this with a store I managed, a few hours once a week two items would be reduced, it brought customers in droves, and it definitely helped other items be seen that weren’t. If you think about it, with the amount of event shopping some customers do, it can end up a year or more since someone has been in your actual store, even though they feel as though they purchase every release – but those releases are at events. Take into account, that they may also only be a year or so old, that can mean that they have never even seen the other 50+ releases you have done in your store timeline.

I love events, I do, and I even run one myself, this is not an anti event post, it is more of a ‘get out there and do some store shopping’ encouragement post, and also a ‘ show your own customers what you do’  kind of thing. Events are supposed to be a tool, one extra feather in your cap, they are not supposed to become all consuming, there are many and I mean MANY stores that don’t do them at all, or just do them sporadically, a few ones that actually mean something to them.

Stores are supposed to ‘USE’ events, not have events use them, my meaning is that by having access to an established customer base, through not only the event, but the other participants, you grow your own customer base, but you are supposed to then go forward with that new customer base, and take them back to your store – and no that does not mean make lists using nefarious means and add people to a subscriber they did not sign up to, that is the lowest practice of them all – but by making sure that your items are enticing enough to the consumer, and by following through with releases that will bring them to your own doors.

I understand that it is time consuming to constantly create and have it not get the same kind of reaction sales wise that it may in an event, not may, I know they do, but there has to be a time you sit down and work out what it actually is you are doing. What is your goal, what do you want to achieve as a creator? do you do this to pay bills, and you need the money from wherever and however you can get it, and get it fast, or is there more going on than that? Money is great, again, do not misunderstand my intent – someone usually does – but there are many creators in SL that are motivated by different things, there are those that cash out, those that just want their money to stay in world, so it pays for their SL Lifestyle. There are those that create to create, and the money is just one big dollop of icing on the cake. There are mixes and all sorts of behaviours that go into running a store in SL and honestly, I have worked behind the scenes with Dozens of them over the years in one way or another. I do not advertise who I work with, people know what stores I have publicly Managed, but there are so many that are not public knowledge, but trust me, I know what it takes, I know the hours, the tears and frustration, the disappointment and the successes, the joy and the fun. I have worked 28 hour days with no sleep for collections, and I know none of it is easy. But no one should feel like they ‘have to’ do anything in SL, because when it comes down to it, I am not sure that anyone ever joined Second Life to open a business because they needed to make ends meet, that is something that usually evolves.

So again, sit down, use a notepad and pencil in RL, maybe even remove yourself from the computer for a bit, and find out what it is that drives you to succeed in your store. Make a list of what brings you happyness in what you do, and a list of what doesn’t. See if you can do more to get more of that joy, and find out what it is that causes the other…you have to also remember that essentially this is a job, so being mad about taking vendor pics, or listing on marketplace or having to box things up is all just a waste of ink, those are parts of the job, so while they may be boring and time consuming they are parts of your trade.

Look at what you are making for what events, or releases, and see if there is a pattern you have missed that brings in more sales.

Look at your store, this is something that people need to do every month MINIMUM. I often see stores that have relics of past events at their landing points, decorations for holidays long gone etc, this shows a customer not only that you don’t pay attention to your own store, but that possibly you haven’t even been in world, so what if something goes wrong? I could lose my money, and they may TP away = loss of sales.

Look at how you present your store, are your vendors dated? are your photo skills more improved than half your store now? if so then take some time to reshoot your ads. Again, boring to some and time consuming, but I have worked in retail in RL for over 20 years and I know that just moving a rack of clothing and restyling a display can completely sell out of an item, just because it seems so pretty and shiny to everyone. Older items may be still incredible work, but if its older skin, and prim hair in the ad, and you had bits of green screen left over or your hand is stuck in your hip, that is not giving that item the attention it deserves. Also check if there are items that could also be downselling your skills, if its not up to the level you are now at, remove it from the store and put it on Marketplace, unless it is selling really well still, but again, reshoot the ad if needed, and maybe even give it some attention as an item, some older outfits or items, could use makeovers.

Anyway, I am rambling now, but customers do want to show you their love, and they obviously do have money to spend, as even going to discounted events can run into the thousands, you just have to show them why coming to your store is an experience too, and show them who you are as well, in ways that makes it not just about getting a thing, but supporting a person who has MAD SKILLZ!

__________________________________________________________________________________

So after all that we went to L&B and I bought these awesome pants, that have a hud with 15 textures, but seriously, even though the plaid is what enticed me I screamed when I realised there was a tux stripe version. Not only that but the next store was Gizza and the first thing inside was a Tuxedo set, and I used to wear these shirts in the 80’s with sleeves though, and leggings or skirts and so this was just my ideal look. Whimsy and I actually exhausted ourselves trying on everything in the mesh department of Gizza, back and forth dressed and undressed – yay for clothing layers buttons on my body hud – it was an awesome few hours, and seeing other girls trying on different outfits. There are full collections at Gizza, which is fantastic, because Whimsy cries that no one seems to do those anymore that much.

I am still feeling my somewhat Asian influence from yesterdays look to this one, and again some sexy Shi hair, and these fantastic Geta from Blah that when they were released I flew over to get.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Between the Lines Winxbox Prop Back piece only – W.Winx & Flair

Location –

Poses by:

 oOo Studio 

Flowey

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Amelie – YS&YS

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & High Feet, Visage Head and Physique Body – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : YS&YS

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 230 – Flair

Hair:

Poise – Shi.

Clothes:

Zipp Pants BW Leather set – Lapointe and Bastchild

Macha Outfit Tuxedo – Shirt & Gloves only worn  – Gizza

Shoes :

My Elevated Getas ( worn with Slink High Feet) – Blah

I fell instantly in love with this hair when I saw the notice, straight over to Shi I went, and not only picked it up in the great black pack, but grabbed this awesome leather tied top at the same time. Large sleeves and the mullet style, with tied straps at the front make it fun to mix and match with all sorts of clothing. Shi. is always such an impressive store, the releases are amazing, and I am always really jealous of the items the men get.

If you are not a fan of the Caribiner clip at the back of the hair, that is just an attachment, but honestly that is what had me running over there, it is sexy as all get out. Other forms of sexy are these great new shoes by Glamistry. The laced up backs, the leatherwork and the metal, all interchangable depending on what versions of the shoes you get, but fatpacks definitely give you an abundance of options.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

Between the Lines – Runway Winxbox – W.Winx & Flair 

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Xiao – The Skinnery 

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & High Feet, Visage Head, Physique Body  – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : The Skinnery

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 230 – Flair

Hair:

Raven – Shi.

Clothes:

Tie T Shirt – Shi.

Leggings Contrast – Emery 

Shoes :

CALYSTEGIA ( For Slink HIGH feet) – Glamistry 

Accessories :

Skeely Fish Cuff – Tea.s

I am a silver fan first and foremost, I will always go with silver options if they have them…but the idea of a light grey dress with a black belt with a gold buckle tickled my mixing metals brain. So mixing the idea of all the things together brought together this look, and completely going against my own rules, I did an effect to the picture that makes it a confusion of colours.

The dress is a stunning style by Cynful, whether casual or dressy it works! Dinner out with friends, a date night, or dancing it is perfect. Even better it fits superbly over the Slink Physique body, and no alpha used at all, anywhere. I was even able to keep on my mesh biknini bottoms underneath.

The accesssories are all bits and pieces from the round still currently going at Collabor88, by LaGyo and Yummy. I did how that event overlaps months, because you still have time to not only wear everything, but shop it all one last, two last, three last times.

The hair I have on is a recent release from Lelutka, the Cristal style is full volume hair, with an optional bow ribbon, which has texture colour options when clicked on. Very sultry hair, and frames the whole look together.

Also going on now is Uber, the shoes I am wearing by L.Warwick are from that event, and they are wonderful slip on wedges, with the amazing detailing her store is known for. They are so solidly fabulous, that you can spend all day and night in them, and be ready to slip them on again in the morning, wherever that may be.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 oOo Studio 

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Annette – Pink Acid 

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & Mid Feet, Physique Body, Visage Head – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : Pink Acid

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 230 – Flair

Hair:

Cristal – LeLutka

Clothes:

Society Dress – Cynful

Shoes :

Validation (Slink Mid Feet Add ons ) – L.Warwick @ Uber

Accessories :

Morgan Bangle, Morgan Clutch – LaGyo @ C88

Statement Necklace – Yummy @ C88

Ladybug Ring – Yummy

TODAY I ENDED UP VERY HYPER, AND THAT RESULTED IN ME DECLARING IT NATIONAL CAPS LOCK DAY, REALLY IT SHOULD BE INTERNATIONAL, BUT I WAS HAVING A MOMENT OF SILLY ON MY SILLY. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE DECLARED A ‘DAY’ MANY YEARS AGO WE DECLARED IT NATIONAL ‘LENS FLARE DAY’ WHICH IS STILL MY FAVOURITE SILLY. WE ALL DID LENS FLARE PICS, AND JUST BLOGGED WITH THEM, LIKE IT WAS ANY OTHER POST, BUT DOING IT TO COMMEMORATE THE DAY.

SLINK RELEASED THIS BRAND NEW SWIMSUIT THAT YOU CAN WEAR WITH THE PHYSIQUE BODY, NO ALPHAS NEEDED, AND IT IS FITTED MESH FOR THE BODY, SO WHATEVER YOUR SHAPE IS IN THE BODY, THIS WILL FIT PERFECTLY. THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL PRINTS IN FLORAL VARIATIONS, AND THIS IS THE FRANGIPANI, I MISS MY FRANGIPANI TREE, BUT NOT CLEANING UP THE MESS. THE BIKINIS ALSO INCLUDE A MATCHING PAIR OF THONGS, WITH THE BLACK THONG PART AND THE FLORAL BASE, SO CUTE.

I WENT SHOPPING WITH WHIMSY AT TIKI TATTOO, TO GET THIS GREAT DIVING BOARD, AND IT HAS SOME GREAT ANIMATIONS IN IT, THE DEAD ONE IS A WORRY THOUGH, I THINK IT SHOULD BE NAMED, BELLY FLOP RECUPERATION, BUT THAT PROBABLY WOULDN’T FIT ON THE BUTTON.

THE LOVELY STACEY OLLER, WHO IS ALSO TYPING IN CAPS WITH ME TODAY, HAS UPDATED HER SLINK PHYSIQUE APPLIERS AND VISAGE APPLIERS ALSO WORN BY ME TODAY. I AM WEARING ANNETTE AND LOVE THIS FACE, ESPECIALLY THE FRECKLES OPTIONS. IF YOU BUY THE ANNETTE PACKAGE, YOU GET SO MANY OPTIONS OF APPLIERS FOR VARIOUS THINGS, NOT JUST THE VISAGE HEAD, SO DEMO DEMO DEMO.

WASABI PILLS RELEASED THIS GLORIOUS STYLE OF HAIR, THAT REALLY HAS THAT DRIED IN THE SUN LOOK TO IT, PERFECT FOR THIS KIND OF DAY.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Tiki Tattoo – Double Dive Boards

Location – The Deck

Poses by:

Flair – Stand 2 ( Winxbox Runway poses) 

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Lashes:

Natural Curl Sculpted Lashes – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Annette – Pink Acid 

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & Flat Feet, Physique Body, Visage Head – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : Pink Acid

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 57 – Flair

Hair:

Roberta – Wasabi Pills

Clothes:

physique Mesh Bikini (Frangipani) – Slink

Accessories :

Ladybug Ring – Yummy