Emerald Isle!

First, a big congrats goes to the team behind the SL Home & Garden Expo 2016 who raised $4,010,116L for Relay for Life of Second Life, benefitting the American Cancer Society.  Second, a warm thank you to all my readers who supported the cause.  The RFL-SL fundraising season continues with the 10th Anniversary Fashion for Life from March 6th-20th.  This year the offerings are vast on nine sims with daily entertainment, fashion shows, $10L hunt, live auction and photo contest, all details here.  If I have some free time this week, I’ll try to showcase some of the items but in the meantime please check out my nearest and dearest friend, Rhiannon Colclough blog, Fashion is Fun!

This coming Thursday will be St. Patrick’s Day and I’ve always marked the occasion with a holiday themed blog post. As I was looking through past entries, I noticed I’ve never featured outdoor decor.  Today’s scene was created with Brook Hill Living, Park Place, Tylar’s Treasures, Serenity Styles, Sway’s, What Next and Chez Moi.  I’m very excited to share with you a new home builder, Brook Hill Living who recently released the Waterfront Barn last week and the Chilmark House at the Expo.  The Waterfront Barn is available in two version, shabby or posh with four dock options, two gazebos, and an open floor plan, available on the marketplace or in-world store.

Park Place Home Decor is currently participating in two monthly shopping events; Swank and Gacha Good.  The Gold Plaid rattan patio set and Garden Chair Planters (gacha item) are offered at Gacha Good until March 31, 2016. Emerald Isla Garden Cart, Flower Basket (Pink & Red), Magazine Basket, and Purple Tulips in Twin Vase are available at Swank until April 1, 2016.

Tylar’s Treasures has the Nautica Collection on sale for 50% off at Perfect Ten (3/1-15/16).  The Nautica Collection includes arbor bench and planter {first photo}, crate, wall decor, stool, table decor, and is texture change (4 options). Also available for 50% off at Perfect Ten are The Mustard Seed Willow Trees, Lunar Seasonal Designs Blooming Shamrock Basket & Planter and Dreamland Designs Riverside Rustic Bedroom Set {display inside}.

To finish the deck styling, I used Chez Moi new March group gift, the super fun and colorful Lemonade Stand.  Touches of spring were added with Sway’s Hana Tulips in wooden bucket & rain boots, available at The Liaison Collaborative (3/7-3/30), and Floria Hanging Plants flanking the door.  Whimsical Stone Garden Decor animals/insects {sleeping cat, ladybug, snail and frog} by Serenity Style add a humorous twist.  Through the window we can see Serenity Style Ly One Way Set, available at Gen-Neutral (3/12-4/2).  Finally, I added hints of shamrock decor with Free Bird horseshoe wall plank (free group gift), free lanterns I picked up at Swank Luck of the Irish event, and the lucky clover plant stand hunt gift from The Artist Shed (Poppin’ Penguin Hunts 3/1-31/16).  Hope you have a great weekend and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Hope Springs Eternal

Happy Sunday!  The SL Home & Garden Expo 2016 will come to a close this evening.  If you haven’t stopped by yet, this is your last chance to grab some 100% donation items, hunt for home decor treats and be inspired to re-decorate for spring!  There are so many wonderful product, I wish I had more time to share.  Last night, we learned that Relay for Life of Second Life raised over $15,354 or a little under $4 million Lindens ($3,838,469L), so let’s join together and push the grand total over the $4M mark, I know we can do it!

For my last post for The Expo, I wanted to showcase the lovely Spargel & Shines Homes (Hope 1) Bocas Belle Cottage and both of Tylar’s Treasures 100% donation items: Spring Chalkpaint Bench and Spring Gazing Ball.

Completing the scene is What Next Spring Garden gacha items from the current round of The Arcade and Doormat with Wellies (past FLF).

Also shown are Lunar Seasonal Designs Menu Driven Blooming Shamrocks in Basket, Finishing Touches pastel For the Birds Garden Set featuring repurposed fence & birdhouse armchairs (so cute) and The Mustard Seed Greenhouse/Cottage, Weeping Willow Tree, Hydrangea Planter and Wall Fountain, all available for 50% off at Perfect Ten (3/1-3/15).

I converted the inside of The Mustard Seed greenhouse into a relaxing hideaway with Circa Living Bon Vivant Cafe Set in Florals & Colour Frames (50% off at The Expo -Hope 7), and Jolie spring ottoman in aqua, yellow polka-dot area rug and chest cabinet with flower vase in delight serving as a buffet table for sweets, available at the main store (pic below).  Flanking the buffet table inside and over the planter boxes outside are Finishing Touches Wall Mount Half Bird Cage (50% off at Perfect 10).  All the flowers displayed in the greenhouse in pots, milk cans or watering cans are part of the new spring garden collection from Finishing Touches available at the main store (there are some very specials items, please stop by to check them out).  Finally, at the foot of the bistro table is TMS Curious Kitties with Bunny Baskets and Carrots…..just in time for Easter.  Hope you have a nice end to the weekend, stop by the SL Home & Garden Expo and take advantage of the great deals at Perfect Ten!

Zen Retreat

Happy weekend!  On Sunday, the SL Home & Garden Expo 2016 will come to a close but before the event wraps up I wanted to create a peaceful retreat for reflection.  The Expo is a signature fundraiser for Relay for Life of Second Life, benefitting American Cancer Society, to fund a cure for cancer.  Cancer touches all of us, it’s touched my life with friends and family member affect, please I urge you to attend the expo and purchase the 100% donation items. Pastiche (Hope 6) is offering two exclusive creations with all of the proceeds going to RFL-SL, including the Asian Dark Wood Teahouse with sliding shoji screens above.  Other donation items shown are Love Everlasting PlantPets (Hope 6) Bent Sakura Tree {part of the Spring Garden}, Wild Kajaera (Hope 7) Modern Bench, and Hanaya (Hope 5) Forest Clearing Standing Vine Lantern.

Pastiche Darkwood Teahouse features grasscloth lined floor, four sliding shoji screens on both sides, two wall murals (a pack of tigers & tranquil bamboo grove), and a low prim count of 53 LI.  The other donation item from Pastiche is the Mio Tea Table with animated cushions to seat 1-4 avatars, low table with centerpiece rezzer and menu driven placemats containing a variety of foods.  Also displayed are other 100% donation products including Decades Galleries (Hope 2) 19th Century Japanese Fire Crane Serving Plate, USB (Hope 1) Bamboo Decor and Love Everlasting PlantPets Umbrella Fountain.  Take some time this weekend to check out all the offerings and support the cause.

SL Home & Garden Expo 2016!

Happy March!  I hope you had a nice weekend.  In today’s post we are going to finish our house tour of Cloverleaf by Galland Homes offered at 50% off at the SL Home and Garden Expo 2016.  Yes, the Expo is still going strong; raising money to fund a cure for cancer, so be sure to check out all 10 sims (including the Breedable Fair) before Sunday, March 6, 2016.

The last rooms in the versatile Cloverleaf we haven’t checked out are the kitchen/dining room and back yard paved patio.  The kitchen is include in the purchase of the home and not linked, so you can swap out the fridge or stove for another design.  The corner unit kitchen has two facets with running water, six burner stove with operational doors, stainless steel refrigerator and island….the perfect breakfast bar area.  The island is animated with 14 animations and 10 poses.  The main kitchen includes 21 animations and 11 poses (PG couples poses included), various props are also included to help you prepare your favorite meals for you and your friends.  I accessorized with white plates, jugs and fresh-baked goodies.

On the large picture window alcove, I placed the Closer to the Heart Creations (Hope 6) 100% donation item Monochrome Dinette.  The dinette seats six guest on black and white polka dot upholstered chairs and rectangular black etched dining table with views of the garden.  Red gerbera daisy vase and black/white abstract rug are also included in the dinette set.

Cloverleaf by Galland Homes features french doors leading out to the paved brick patio.  I used Galland Homes (Hope 2) large stone Outdoor Fireplace, BeYou World Seabrezze Patio Set, Frosty Chockberry Cake and Fresia Plate (Hope 6), True North Designs (Hope 9) Strawberry Daiquiri Tray and Broken Creek Decor (Hope 7) flowers in Terra Pots (all 100% donation items) on the patio.  Please stop by the SL Home & Garden Expo and take advantage of all the exclusive 100% donation items.

Finally, I have some very exciting news to share with y’all.  The SL Home & Garden Expo 2016 is hosting a photo contest with a prize package valued at $82,000L!  But you need to hurry, the deadline is tomorrow night, March 4, 2016 at midnight.  Details below, good luck!

The Expo Photo Contest

We are very pleased to announce the Home & Garden Expo Photo Contest!

Join today for a chance to win wonderful prizes, showcase your talent to a wide audience, and support the fight against cancer!

The prizes include:

• Almost L$ 60,000 in products and gift cards from Maven Homes, Magnum Opus, and many others
• L$ 23,000 in cash prizes from Hanaya, Spargel & Shine Homes, and others
• The total value is over L$ 82,000!

There is a small L$ 200 fee to enter; the proceeds will go directly to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

To join, visit the main Expo region. The contest vendor near the landing point will provide you with a copy of the contest rules as well as allow you to enter.

You can also find the rules here.

Don’t miss this opportunity to show off your photographic skills, compete for great prizes — and aid the battle against this horrible disease that has touched so many lives.

The deadline for submission is midnight SLT, March 4, 2016.

Home Sweet Home!

Happy Monday!  Hope y’all had a nice Valentine’s Day.  Real life kidnapped me for a bit but I’m back with tons of post featuring items from the SL Home & Garden Expo 2016 to benefit Relay for Life of Second Life.  RFL of SL is the signature fundraising event supporting the American Cancer Society.  The Expo will run from February 14 -March 6, 2016 on 10 sims with exhibitors designing two exclusive 100% donation items and 50% of gacha proceeds are donated to RFL.  For more information on Relay for Life or to donate directly, click here.

With such a large event the shopping guide page is a great resource with maps and directory for the home & garden exhibitors as well as the Breedable Fair, that is taking place at the same time on Hope 10.  Another good tools is the flickr expo preview page and blogger list.  There is a $10L hunt featuring 35+ H&G creators gifts with 100% donated to RFL (hint page & gift preview page).  Lastly, every day there is a series of events including lantern release at 4pm SLT (to honor & remember loved ones who are touched by cancer) and discussion with designers hosted by Prim Perfect Magazine.

I’m honored to participate as an official blogger for RFL Home & Garden Expo for the second year.  Each blogger was assigned a region to cover with the opportunity to feature other H&G designer on neighboring sims; my area is Hope 6 with 16 creators.  Today, I’m pleased to introduce Cloverleaf by Galland Homes (Hope 2) offered at a deep introductory discount of 50% off.  The one-bedroom home features an animated kitchen with 21 animations, 11 poses and props to prepare your favorite meals, running water and working stove.  The home also feature a 2-car garage with stable-style doors, double-hung windows, french doors and working fireplace.  The 100% mesh home is American Craftsman style but can be adapted to Colonial, Chalet or California bungalow with 112 prims (143 prims with kitchen) best for a 2048 lot.  Open floor-plan interior features baseboard, crown molding, tray ceiling and walls that can be re-textured without losing the baked in ambient shadow effect.  The Cloverleaf home is a wonderful adaptable spaces perfect for a couple or single.

Potomac Signature Homes is offering two items for 100% donation including the Wishing Well shown above (Hope 9). The adorable water well with spring flowers, willow tree and gazing deer is a delightful addition to your garden.

Spring has sprung at Cloverleaf and the entry is decorated with Bird Cage Bougainvillea & Wooden Flower Box from Closer to the Heart and texture change Stacked Pots of Primroses offered at 50% off from Lunar Seasonal Designs (Hope 6).  The entry also features Circa Living Bloom Blossom Wreath in Rainbow (free gift at Flower Power event till 2/16/16) and Pestique Cat Welcome Mat ($1L on MP).

Another fun offering from Potomac Signature Homes is the squirrel mailbox.  Shown behind is What Next Monaco Scooter with sidecar, available at February round of Collabor88.  Two more 100% donation items shown in the garden are the Romantic Willow Tree and Le Jardin Bench from Bee Designs (Hope 6).  The willow tree features single and couple poses, floor pillows and bucket of flowers.  I just love the garden bench, it reminds me of a special place from my childhood.  Bee Designs bench has couple cuddle poses and single animations.  Flanking the house is Lunar Seasonal Designs Menu Driven Spring Flower Beds (50% off), and both exclusive donation creations (Animated Multi Birdhouse and Bird Feeder).  To the left of the house with a working gate is Dysfunctionality donation item the texture change Lattice Top Fence (Hope 4).  I strongly encourage you to take some time to explore the SL Home & Garden Expo 2016, participate in the daily events, play a few gacha’s, grab some exclusive donation items and be inspired to redecorate your home knowing that your lindens are benefitting an important cause that touches all of us.