Deck the Halls!

Windlight Winter Art Show and Showcase opened Monday, December 7th and will run until Sunday, December 13th presented by Team Diabetes of Second Life, an official and authorized team of the American Diabetes Association. This special holiday event brings together Second Life artists and creators on one sim with fun activities and daily entertainment, click here for an event calendar.

The best parts of SL is the creativity of its residents and the Winter Art Show has 20+ artist participating with individual booths displaying their work for sale.  In today’s post, I’m honored to feature Ilyra Chardin Winter Grounds, a beautiful snowy bank landscaping in my winter lodge styling.  Ms. Chardin is an enormously talented designer and digital digital artist, specializing in mixed media storybook and landscape art, creating poetic serene portraits that welcome the viewer.  She’s been featured at The Raglan Shire Art Walk, Builders Brewery Relay for Life Art Auction, Windlight Gallery as a Windlight Fellow, The Cheeky Lady Art Gallery, Creations for Parkinson Gallery, and in Art in the Park (a Gallery that she curates).  Ilyra was featured in the November 15, 2015 issue of SL Enquirer in an article by Dean Lawson, entitled, “The Multiple Layers of Ilyra Chardin.”  She is a Windlight Artist and Feature Contributor for Windlight Magazine.  She is also a feature photographer, artist and writer for Avi Choice Magazine.  Please take time to stop by Ilyra booth at the Winter Art Show and explore her enchanting world…..Taxi please!

Another wonderful part of the Windlight Winter Art Show & Showcase are the merchants who have generously donated 100% of the proceeds of sale to ADA.  Above, I used a number of exclusive releases and 100% donations items from creators at the Showcase including Potomac Signature Homes, Park Place Home Decor, The House of Avro and Kaerri.  Stop by the event and check out all the offerings, participated in the Christmas Tree Ornament Hunt, buy a ticket to the Winter Queen raffle (100% donated), or cheer on your favorite Ginger Bread House builders!  If you prefer to donate directly to the American Diabetes Association, kiosks have been placed at the event or you can give online.  I hope to see you there!

Art Work: Winter Grounds by Ilyra Chardin & Solitude by Richie-Narstrom

• Potomac Signature Homes: Rustic Holiday Living Room {sofa, loveseat, armchair, end table, table lamp, standing lamp & rug} & Dark Green Spruce Christmas Tree
• Potomac Signature Homes: Basset in Bed, Holiday Wreath {not at the Showcase}
• Park Place Home Decor: Winter Garden Ottoman 1, Holiday Rattan Patio Chair {100% donation items}, Holiday Hanging Bag Planter w/Poinsettia,
• The House of Avro: Swag Garland with Baubles, Victorian Planter w/Poinsettia, Poinsettia Arrangement, Planter w/Bauble Poinsettia, Christmas Stocking w/Puppy & Christmas Stocking w/Cat
• Kaerri: Mantle Decor, Filled Xmas Stocking, 2015 Red/Star Xmas Tree

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree!

The fifth annual Second Life Christmas Expo will run from December 3 to 14, 2015 and is a mega event that raises funds for Relay For Life of Second Life (RFL of SL).  100% of registration fees, sponsorship fees, kiosk donations, hunt, raffle, auction, and vendor donation items are paid to Relay For Life of Second Life.  Relay For Life of Second Life is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society and is a virtual version of The Society’s signature real life fundraiser – Relay For Life.  You can find more information about RFL of SL here: http://relayforlifeofsecondlife.org/ .

The 2015 Second Life Christmas Expo will consist of both holiday and non holiday items from some of the best creators and designers in Second Life, spread across 8 sims!  The Expo will feature special events, including live performances, djs, skating parties, a Snowman Building Contest, Hunt For the Bells, Naughty Or Nice, a Christmas Tree Lot, holiday raffles and gotchas, and of course photos with Santa! The Holiday Of Hope Ball, for the 5th year running, will be held at the Christmas Expo.  And returning to the Christmas Expo as a special event this year is the Avi Choice Fashion Awards.

Since there are so many activities happening within the Expo, I wanted to highlight a few in today’s post.  My dear friend, the jolly elf Earth Nirvana of Whimsical Happenings is participating in the Christmas Tree Lot with an exclusive festive and spirited upside-down garden pot tree complete with presents under the tree.  The Lopsi Tree is a modern, unique and whimsical approach to Christmas Tree!  100% of the proceeds of the sale is donated to Relay for Life of Second Life, check it out.

Another fun event at the Expo is the Hunt for the Bells ’15, a $10L hunt with 100% donated to The American Cancer Society.  This year there is a photo contest (12/5-12/15) for the Hunt for the Bells hunt, with a grand prize of $10,000L giftcard with other prizes for runners-up.  To enter you must use at least 10 hunt items, submit a NC listing the items to Earth Nirvana and send full perm picture to Leala Spire for voting & social media placement.  Please keep the picture PG & tasteful.  Good luck!  In my photos above I’m using Spyfalle Holiday Party Paper Lanterns in the windows from the Hunt for the Bells (hint: “let it go”).

So many creators have designed 100% RFL donation items including the Sage Nice or Naughty Sweater dress (pic #1 & 2) available for males & females.  Sage has also created the exclusive Noel Sweater Dress (pic #3) for 50% donation available in a variety of colors.  Gloria is wearing Oceane Body Designs Pretty 1 pack eye make-up and lip color also a 100% to RFL.  Finally, the Cookies for Santa green snowflake draped table  is from Outside the Box, with 50% donation to American Cancer Society.  The SL Christmas Expo offers daily live entertainment, tons of events, hunts, freebies, exclusives all for a great cause.  You have until December 14th to stop by and explore all the wonders of the season!

Picture #1:

• Sage, Nice or Naughty Sweater (100% donation)
• Oceane Body Designs, Pretty 1 Pack 12 (100% donation)
• ZOZ, Snowflake Glitter 2 (Slink nails)
• Tantalum Jewelry, Epiphany Ring
• Semi-Precious, Noel Earrings (color change HUD)
• Truth, Louisa (Group Gift)

Picture #3:

• Sage, Noel Sweater Dress (50% donation)
• Oceane Body Designs, Pretty 1 Pack 13 (100% donation)
• Semi-Precious, Xue Snowflake Earrings
• Entice, Christmas Slink Nails

No Peeking…

Super quick post to remind you that the SL Christmas Expo 2014 closes tomorrow, December 15, 2014.  I couldn’t let the event pass without showing you one or two more items, perfect for your holiday cocktail parties or in my case, sneaking a peek at Niki’s hidden gift stash (you know what a small blue box means….jewelry YAY!!!).  Hope you enjoyed the Relay for Life event, donated generously to fund a cure for cancer, and were inspired by some of my Christmas interior design post.  It was great to be a part of an important event that touches so many close to me.   I look forward to the day we find a cure.  Until then, please pop over to the SL Christmas Expo and grab some of the exclusive items that benefit Relay for Life of Second Life.

SL Christmas Expo 2014 (Dec 5-15) items:

• Bracelet & Ring: Purple Moon, Cubics dans la Chocolaterie Bracelet + Ring (Sim 1)
• Pose w/prop: NanTra Poses, Sugar Rum Cherry Set (Sim 3)

AviChoice.com Holidays (Dec 3-20) items: (Taxi please…)

• Dress: Purple Moon, Linet (Penny Wishes Hunt item, 50% of the proceeds donated to Relay for Life)
• Necklace: Purple Moon, Lima (Naughty or Nice Hunt item)

Winter Trends Fair (Dec 5-19) item: (Taxi please…)

• Earrings: Purple Moon, Fan Earrings in White/Gold

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

After a cup or two of hot chocolate, night fell on the North Pole and the Misses showed me my room for the evening.  The rustic charm of the winter lodge living room continued into the guest bedroom.  The Potomac Signature Homes Holiday Lane bedroom is a cozy retreat with an oak four-poster bed adorned with garland and wrapped in red and green wool tartan duvet, matching plaid lampshades and quilted wreath.  Oak side tables and dresser, snowflake rug, and a sparkling frosted Christmas tree complete with quilted handmade tree skirt, candle and string lights, ornaments, poinsettia, and “spinning” silver snowflake topper welcomes and charms the bedroom. The Holiday Lane bedroom is available at the SL Christmas Expo 2014!

The side wall is decorated with Dreamscapes Art Gallery Christmas Forest wood trees which create the feeling of Christmas glow.  Finishing the bedroom is the comfy sage and poinsettia Jolly Velvet Chaise Couple Lounge, decked out with snowflake blankets and pillows by Circa Living and a charming holiday themed corner side table with wooden tree and Christmas signage by The Mustard Seed (both Homestuff Hunt gifts).

On our shopping trip, I picked up some cute Christmas lingerie.  First up is Carrie’s Lingerie Holiday Grace lace and silk poinsettia print bra and boyshorts, part of the Penny Wishes Hunt (a portion of the sale is donated to RFL) at the SL Christmas Expo 2014 AviChoice sim.  I accessorized the Carrie’s Holiday Grace set with Purple Moon Cycle in Emerald & Topaz Set (Hunt for the Bells- 100% proceeds donated to RFL) and Cucbis dans la Chocolaterie Bracelet & Ring (Naughty or Nice Hunt), both items available on Sim 1 at the SL Christmas Expo 2014 until December 15, 2014.  Wreath with teddy bear and trees by Potomac Signature Homes.

And, last is Mona Red Kitty Set, a red and black kitty cat printed boyshort and bra set by Blacklace Lingerie, part of the KittyCats Advent Calendar.  I’m also sporting Chop Zuey Hearts of Hope set, both items free for all.  Joy to the World, and look forward to a glimpse into Santa’s toy land tomorrow!

I’ll be Home for Christmas

I have more Christmas home decor for you today, this time traditional elegant from Aphrodite Shop.  The design duo of Marina Ramer and Jaylin Whitewood have created a whole Christmas Village in their main store sim, check it out!  They have designed everything that you can think of for the holidays from ice-covered bungalows, Hanukkah living room complete with cultural foods, couples animated decorative trees, holiday dining room table large enough to fit all your friends, family and invited guests, and my favorite is the Glowing Warm Christmas Set.  The Christmas set includes a trio of creamy taupe large club style armchairs and sofa appointed with embroidered decorative pillows, a marble ornament fireplace with Christmas stockings, garland, Christmas tree prints, and wooden trunk with hot chocolate and cookies for Santa.  Aphrodite Shop offers two options for a corresponding Christmas Tree, one with family animation complete with props and kids/parents animations, and the other for couples.

I finished the room with Park Place holiday accessories consisting of animated Snow Globes in Mason Jars (exclusive for the SL Christmas Expo 2014), Sleigh Card Holder, Words For All Sign, Toy Solider, Candy Cane Wreath, and Holiday Corduroy Drum Ottoman.  I really like this interpretation of a traditional Christmas with a blending of modern lines in furniture and highlights of red and green appliqué.  If you’re looking for a living room ensemble that can meld into your home, consider the Aphrodite Shop Glowing Warm Christmas Living Room and matching Christmas tree, it’s really beautiful.

Taxi to Aphrodite Shop please….
Taxi to Park Place please…..