Harvest Moon Hideaway!

The 7th Annual Home & Garden Expo 2014 opened Tuesday, September 16 and will run until September 28, 2014, featuring over 80 creators on 9 sims.  Home and Garden Expo (HGE) raises money for Relay For Life of Second Life (RFL of SL).  Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising event, and RFL of SL is one of its virtual counterparts. You can get more information about RFL of SL here: http://relayforlifeofsecondlife.org/.

In the past, I had the good fortune to participate in the Relay for Life Christmas Expo 2013 and the Fashion for Life 2014 event, both part of the umbrella of RFL of SL fundraising events.  This season is equally exciting and I was selected as an official blogger for HGE where home builders, interior designers, and landscape artists present display exhibits for inspiration and donation.  All the creators designed two exclusive items for sale with 100% of proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society.  Styles range from shabby chic to modern, Victorian to gothic, rustic to whimsical.  Other offerings at SL Home and Garden Expo are building classes, raffles, silent auction, gacha, and two hunts.  Anything and everything you would want for your home, property, store, or sim is available at the Home Expo 2014.

Thaihiti Baroque of Thaino Designs created an adorable octagonal shape Secret Wood House with flower window boxes, cream and pink plaid draw-back curtains, valances, and wainscoting.  I was inspired by the upcoming Autumnal season and wanted to build a Harvest Moon Hideaway with a fireplace, small bistro area, rest/relax spot with tea set, and reading nook.  Adorned in fall colors of orange, brown, golds, rust reds, celery greens, and blues, with touches of Halloween pumpkins and black cats.  Furnished with items exclusive at Home Expo from Cleo Designs, Thaino Designs*, Follow Us*, Dreamscapes Art Gallery, Good Furniture, Shabby Tabby, Kaerri, Serenity Style*, La Vieux Carre, Hanaya, and Striped Mocha*.  Pop over to the Home & Garden Expo and explore all 9 sims, be inspired, be generous, donate, and remember always Let’s Get Decorating! Taxi please…

* = Donation items

Structure: Thaino Designs, Secrets Wood House

Outside Decor

• Thaino Designs (Sim 1): Pumpkin Seat*, Pumpkin Floor Decor* & Pumpkin Flower Beds
• Dreamscapes Art Gallery (Sim 4): Leaf Lampstands A/Autumn
• Hanaya (Sim 6): Apple Bobbing Barrel (Classic Hunt Gift)
• Other items used (not part of HGE): Pilot Barrel Pumpkin Display, Studio Skye Enchanting Forest & Silver Birch Trees

Inside Decor

• Thaino Designs (Sim 1): Hanging Pumpkins Baskets*
• Cleo Designs (Sim 6): His & Her Chairs (Orange & Brown, Classic Hunt Gift), Coffee Table with Tea Set, Apples, and Pastry Decor, Fireplace, Reading Nook Beach & Decorative Shelves, Shutter Wall Hanging & Strawberry Cake
• Dreamscapes Art Gallery (Sim 4): Fall Chairs with plaid blankets and decorative candles, Leaf Chairs (Autumn & Summer) & Halloween Frame A
• Shabby Tabby (Sim 8): Autumn Mantel Decor
• Kaerri (Sim 8): Felicity Flower Umbrella 
• Striped Mocha (Sim 1): Copper Kettle with Candles & Pumpkins*
• Serenity Style (Sim 3): Journey Stepladder*
• La Vieux Carre (Sim 8): Old Elm Spice Rack
• Follow Us (Sim 4): Home Sweet Home Sign* (part of the Girly Desk set)
• Good Furniture (Sim 5): Bistro Table
• Other items used (not part of HGE): Shutter Field Pumpkin Lanterns, StoraxTree Rustic Rug 10 

Hey Girlfriend!

Day 3 of Fashion For Life and so far $1,961,380L has been raised.  Wow, that’s great but let’s pledge to raise more.  I have a sneak peek of tons of exclusive items that you can purchase to help fund a cure to cancer at FFL, benefiting Relay for Life SL.

My friend Deb Vos, ♕MM Netherlands 2014, asked if I would model with her using KaTink Poses exclusive FFL releases, We Own This & Armed and Beautiful (both 50% donation to American Cancer Society).  Thank you again Deb, it was super fun, great idea and the photo’s turned out wonderfully.  First up is our casual look using KaTink’s Armed and Beautiful couple pose. 

On Deb (checks Deb’s blog for a complete style card):

• Dress: Nya Shop, Summer Dress
• Shoes: Baboom, Navy flat (slink add-on)

On Gloria:

• Skin: EnvyMe, Annet Fair
• Hair: Damselfly, Kippar
• Dress: Prism, Monica
• Cuff: Opal, Kalan Pink

And now for our glamous look, we used the Katink’s We Own This pose. 

On Deb:

• Gown: Miamai, Shae
• Hair: Mina, Tim

On Gloria:

• Skin: EnvyMe, Annet Fair
• Hair: Damselfly, Zendaya
• Gown: Purple Moon, Drew 
• Jewelry: Moondance Jewels, Oscar Drape 

Grab these pose sets and have fun taking pics with your girlfriends.  All your purchases at FFL will go to finding a CURE for cancer.  By the way, take some time to read the stories on the Fashion For Life site of Second Life residents who have been touched by cancer.  Together we can find a cure with support and funding.

Red Eye

Fashion For Life is the oldest and grandest fashion fundraising event in Second Life.  Each year it raises thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society through Relay For Life of Second Life. This year there are 10 sims dedicated to Second Life fashion and imagination.  The theme is Wanderlust – a reflection of the Relay For Life Journey to a Promise.  Each of the 10 sims are designed to reflect modes of transportation.  One of the sims, Trek is designed to look like an airport with runways, hangers, and planes.  The Sea Day dress from Baboom and the Nantra Jet Set pose pack, both exclusive items for the Fashion For Life Fair were the perfect combo to highlight the Trek sim.  The dress reminded me of a PanAm stew jetting the globe.  150 designers created exclusive releases and 10 awe-inspiring sims to explore in the next 13 days of giving.  Part of the experience is enjoying the imagination of the sim designers.  Fashion For Life runs from June 7 to 20, 2014 with DJ music presented by Zenzibar located on the new PENUMBRA sims.

Exclusives offered @ Fashion For Life:

• Dress: Baboom, Sea Day Aqua
• Shoes: HopScotch, Jenny Teal (slink add-ons, 100% donation)
• Pose with Prop: Nantra, Jet Set
• Skin & Hair: Belleza, Lindy & Truth, Thelma (not part of FFL)

Quiet Reflections

“I believe in pink.  I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot.  I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.  I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.  I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.” ― Audrey Hepburn

Fashion For Life is OPEN!!!!  On my first sneak peek at the amazing exclusives offered at the FFL event, Teradawn Serenity of Wild Serenity created this gorgeous pink sequin gown, Gilded Blush Pink, a perfect homage to the pink ribbon campaign for breast cancer.  100% of proceeds from the sale of this gown are donated to Second Life’s Relay for Life campaign.  Did you know that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.  For me that was my aunt, my godmother, my former boss, my neighbor and my mom’s best friend.  There are 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.  Fashion For Life is a wonderful charity that supports the American Cancer Society, funding research for a cure to cancer.  With 14 days of giving (and shopping fun) we can pledge to have a cancer free world and celebrate more birthdays.  At FFL, there are 10 sims filled with exclusives creations, a perfect excuse to shop for a cause.  Buy this gown, or any item available at Fashion For Life, and know that you are helping to fund a cure for a cancer free world.  A pretty good pay out I think, you get new exclusive fashionable items and know you are helping a worthy charity.  Won’t you help, please?

Sim Taxi’s….

• FFL Amble (sim sponsored by Bianca Bender, Automobiles)
• FFL Excursion (sim sponsored by Barnesworth Anubis, Water Transportation on Rivers)
• FFL Journey (sim sponsored by TotalLunar Eclips, Steampunk Ground Transport) 
• FFL Meander (sim sponsored by Grace Loudon, Water Transportation on the Ocean)
• FFL Parade (sim sponsored by Pluto Fairey, Pedal Power) 
• FFL Perambulate (sim sponsored by Eclair Martinek, Foot-driven, Skateboards or Skates)
• FFL Promenade (sim sponsored by Rathmeous Dagger, Space)
• FFL Trek (sim sponsored by Troy Vogel, Mechanized Flight)
• FFL Voyage (sim sponsored by Jara Lowell, 2-3 Wheelers) 
• FFL Wander (sim sponsored by Winter Nightfire, Non-Mechanized Flight) 

Exclusives offered @ Fashion For Life:

• Skin: Deluxe Body Factory, Sissela with Slink appliers for hands & feet
• Gown: Wild Serenity, Gilded Blush Pink (fitted mesh, 100% donated)
• Hair: Damselfly, Kippar
• Jewelry: Moondance Jewels, Sayuri Set