Interior & Spaces Styles BOSL!

Traditional Christmas (section #1)

Greetings fellow interior designers, Second Life residents and friends!  Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season.  Big congrats to Hidden Gems for its’ 3rd year anniversary.  I’ve been bursting at the seems to share some exciting news with you, my interior design company, Interior & Spaces Home Designs, was hired to design four areas on The Best of SL sim for the BOSL’s Holiday Lyric Hunt (December 13th-31st).  BOSL is the premier fashion agency, magazine and shopping district as well as the organizers of the Miss Virtual World Academy, MVW and Mr. Virtual World Pageant.   I’m truly honored to have the opportunity to expand my business from residential home consultation to sim builds for fashion agencies.  The Holiday Lyric Hunt is taking place in four sectors of the shopping district offering male/female/unisex and home decor gifts.  I designed four theme scenes: traditional Christmas (section #1), silly snowmen (section #2), winter landscape (section #3) and modern holiday glam (section #4) using products from Sway’s, What Next, Finishing Touches, Park Place Home Decor, Dreamscapes Art Gallery, The Mustard Seed, Potomac Signature Homes, Chez Moi, Vespertine, The Loft, Convair, Baclava, Trompe Loeil and Silvery K.  Please stop by the different locations to check them out and feel free to contact me for exact product information or design consultation at gloriasilverstonesl@gmail.com.  Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Silly Snowmen (section #2)

Winter Landscape (section #3)

Modern Holiday Glam (section #4)

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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

Dashing through the snow!

In my last blog post, I focused on the interior of the EL Houses Forest Camping Cabin, today we draw our attention outside to some new holiday releases from my sponsors and more.  Up first, Tylar’s Treasures has created a number of winter exterior scenes with animations including couple cuddling, dancing and solo poses.  Shown below is the Pine Forest Seating with park bench, armchair, coffee table, snow dusted wooden forest and moose.   Also included in the Pine Forest styling is Dreamscapes Art Gallery cheeky Stick Reindeers and StoraxTree’s Holiday Delivery A (sled).  On the left side of the forest cabin is the adorable Tylar’s Treasures Bringing Home the Tree Alaskan Huskies dog-sled team which includes snowy trees (background) and stump with cardinal bird.Finally, gracing the entrance is Finishing Touches Simple Elegance Holiday Swag, Wreath & Tree in Marble Urn from Perfect Ten event (50% off until 12/15/15).   Although 24Karat designed these items for interior use, the swag and urns are modifiable to fit your needs.  Dreamscapes Art Gallery Snowman with Bucket (b) greets visitors on this chilly evening as Bing Crosby sings Jingle Bells in the distance.

Gingerbread Lane

Happy Holidays!  For those of you living in the United States, I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving and took advantage of the Black Friday deals.  I noticed that Linden Labs has 12 Days of Savings on the marketplace, so be sure to check them out before December 7th.  Today’s post will kick off the holiday season featuring a number of different events, hunts and deals available on the grid.  If you’re a bargain hunter, then the entire month of December is your dream; pretty much from mid-November till after the New Year there are special annual events like SL Christmas Expo 2015 (12/3-14/15, benefitting Relay for Life of Second Life), hunts such as Peace on Earth 2015 (12/1/15-1/9/16) and store advent calendars (ie: Sway’s Advent 12/1-24/15).  I’ll try my best to spotlight some of these deals with accompany holiday tunes.

Up first, Perfect Ten has open (December 1st -15th) offering 50% off discount from 10 Home & Garden creators.  I just love the Lodge Xmas Living Room log-style set with gingerbread men patterned cushions and matching Christmas Tree by HJM Designs.  The set includes 2 armchairs, 1 sofa, 1 coffee table, 1 end table, decorative holly pillar candle tray, golden angel candle display and gingerbread men painted ornament tree.  On the coffee table, I accessorized with a plate of fresh-baked gingerbread men cookies, hot cocoa, mini winter scene, Park Place Berry and Evergreen Decor and Kaya’s Ray of Sunshine Jar of Winter w/Bow moose snow globe (50% off @ Perfect Ten).

Creating warmth in the room is Sway’s Darret Stone Fireplace, tools and wooden wall planks previously released at The Liaison Collaborative, now available at Sway Land.  Hanging above the fireplace is Wood Works Christmas Holly Wreath from the Let It Snow Hunt (12/1-31/15) and decking out the drapes are Finishing Touches Pine Swag with doves and peace sign for the Peace on Earth Hunt 8 (12/1/15-1/9/16).

On the right side of the lodge is Sway’s limited Katya Chaise Lounge in hohoho color palette of red, green and brown, available in Adult or PG version for December Mix Event (until 12/31).  Also flanking the right wall is a hutch with Finishing Touches Peace on Earth dove Pine Wreath, Tylar’s Treasures White with Red Snowflake Tree (50% off @ Perfect Ten) and Dreamland Designs Victorian First Noel Candlesticks (free @ GLH X-mas Fair 2015).

No holiday space would be complete without an inviting dining table ready for a feast.  Sway’s Oron Table & Chair is available at Tannenbaum (11/25-12/25) in dark or white wood and has 10 texture options for the table runner.  Also available at Tannenbaum are the matching Oron Flowerpot Candles.  

Hidden Gems in Second Life was designed to support and promote smaller emerging SL creators, so I’m very excited to share with you a new home builder I found, EL Houses by Aksanka93.  The A-frame cabin structure I’m using for this blog can be yours for free on the marketplace.  Check out Aksanka93 store for other homes.  In honor of my country holiday lodge blog, please enjoy “Christmas Cookies” my George Strait.