Stepping Into New Waters -- Featuring Liv-Glam, [[Masoom]] and Hairoin

Life changes and that's a good thing. It makes get out of the ruts of familiarity and comforts we design for ourselves. This week, Eve Express at Face Paint announced that Face Paint was closing at the end of this month. My entire model career has occurred with Eve as a mentor, friend, boss and sometimes 'mom'.

Featuring [[Masoom]] Sheela Top - Devil

Featuring Hairoin: Kenzie

1. IKON: Sunrise Eyes Steel Blue Pale

2. Pulcino: Reyukken

3. Noya: Chrystal Platinum Female

4. [Mirror's Enigma]: Megumi Skinny Jeans

5. Viviane Fashion: No4 Pink

6. Face Paint: Copper Bangles

7. Cute Poison: End of the World Necklace

8. Gaeline Mesh Lashes: Divina

So it's time to seek out new territory to explore and learn something new. My passion for a while has been photography in Second Life. I had a very old laptop for a long time, and about a month ago, I got an Alienware. It does graphics and shadows and things I never knew were even on the screen in Second Life.

Featuring [[Masoom]] Sheela Top - Devil

Featuring Hairoin: Kenzie

1. IKON: Sunrise Eyes Steel Blue Pale

2. Pulcino: Reyukken

3. Noya: Chrystal Platinum Female

4. [Mirror's Enigma]: Megumi Skinny Jeans

5. Viviane Fashion: No4 Pink

6. Face Paint: Copper Bangles

7. Cute Poison: End of the World Necklace

8. Gaeline Mesh Lashes: Divina

I scroll back to photos I took previous to my new computer and I realize how little I had to work with considering all the fascinating props and tools Second Life gives us. I take photos with several different windlight settings, like this one and the one under this sentence.

Featuring [[Masoom]] Sheela Top - Devil

Featuring Hairoin: Kenzie

1. IKON: Sunrise Eyes Steel Blue Pale

2. Pulcino: Reyukken

3. Noya: Chrystal Platinum Female

4. [Mirror's Enigma]: Megumi Skinny Jeans

5. Viviane Fashion: No4 Pink

6. Face Paint: Copper Bangles

7. Cute Poison: End of the World Necklace

8. Gaeline Mesh Lashes: Divina

I do this just to see what happens. It's like looking for the prize at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box. I never quite know what will happen when I push <this> button. Eventually I imagine I'll get used to some of the settings and it won't be such a huge surprise, but I know it will still be a joy.

Featuring Liv-Glam Gone To California

1. IKON: Sunrise Eyes Steel Blue Pale

2. Sexy Mama's Sculpted Nails

3. [Mirror's Enigma]: Sapphire Tan Skintone

4. Bird Next Door: Ethnik Bangles

5. Moonshadow: Flower Season

6. Hairoin: Insidious

I've begun to take photos of friends. I'd like to take more photos as time passes, and work with a number of subjects so I can learn as I go. If you're interested in posing and letting me play, I won't charge anything. I would just treasure your time. If you had interest in the photos, you can have them for the price of the upload or I can send them to you via Email so you upload them yourself.

Featuring Liv-Glam Gone To California

1. IKON: Sunrise Eyes Steel Blue Pale

2. Sexy Mama's Sculpted Nails

3. [Mirror's Enigma]: Sapphire Tan Skintone

4. Bird Next Door: Ethnik Bangles

5. Moonshadow: Flower Season

6. Hairoin: Insidious

I only caution you to realize that I'm not a professional photographer. I want to expand my abilities as a photographer, but that takes time and practice. If you're looking for something special, there are countless amazing SL photographers whom I'd recommend you to hire. If you're content to work with a novice, please contact me. Add me. I have a caryn Ashdene blog, flickr, SL and Facebook account.

In the Eye Of the Beholder -- Featuring Face Paint, Luziefee and Zanze

There are times where I'm certain I've not quite captured the image I intended. I wander Second Life and look for beautiful settings to enhance the glorious diversity of clothing I get to blog, yet even with all the work, sometimes things don't quite seem to come to the fruition that I sought.

Featured Zanze Envy

1. IKON: Sunrise Eyes Steel Blue Pale

2. *booN: DTU831

3. Sexy Mama's Valentine Manicure

4. [Mirror's Enigma]: Sapphire Tan Skintone

It makes me smile when I have a friend say "I love that..." and they're pointing to a photo that I thought failed miserably. Lately I've realized that there are all sorts of ways to make something work and just because I can't see it through my eyes doesn't mean I haven't conveyed the message to others and their eyes.

Featured Luziefee Chenoa Poppy

1. Luziefee: Leni Onyx Ring

2. Moonshadow: Flower Season Set

3. Liv-Glam: Priisma Glam Sneakers

4. [Mirror's Enigma]: Sapphire Tan Skintone

5. Face Paint: Fall Perfect Red Lips

6. Face Paint: Fall Perfect Liner

7. EMO-tions: Anna

8. IKON: Sunrise Eyes Steel Blue Pale

9. Demise of Flight Poses

Being a perfectionist can be a positive thing. It makes me check and recheck what I do. It also makes me hard on myself. It's good to have rational and real friends who will genuinely say "No no no, that's crap!" if it is crap. They're also trusted enough by me that when I can't see the beauty in the moment and they do, I'm grateful that as they behold it, it is really beautiful.

Featured Face Paint Fall Matte Lips

1. Liv-Glam: Kane Print Dress

2. FuLo: Sequin Animal Print Bracelet

3. FuLo: Triple Spike Bracelet

4. [Mirror's Enigma]: Sapphire Tan Skintone

5. Candy Nail: Resort Sunset

6. Gaeline Mesh Lashes: Fantasia

7. Bliss: Amanita

8. IKON: Sunrise Eyes Pale Steel Blue

I recently attended a casting where we had to be short (scoff hahahaha) and only 6-7 feet tall. In a world away from this, 2 years ago when I began working with Carrie, I was 5'2 in world. I've been stretching ever since. I am 5'11" in my world off line and always wanted to be short. So I was short here. Very short it seems. Now I'm extremely tall. And when I put on the shorter avi, I felt strange. It's just another example of how we perceive beauty and behold it.

The Way You Do The Things You Do

Do you know those people who seem to be able to do everything and when they do, it looks effortless?

I look to those people for inspiration. I respect them. I notice the ways they use their talents and creatively construct an exciting world all around them.

When I met Zzoiee, she had qualities I could heartily admire and learn from as well. Since I've met her, the world she exists in has grown exponentially and each step she's taken to make this so much fun to watch.

As I take photos, I feel them viscerally. It wasn't that way at first for me, but the more I do this, the more I feel it way down deep inside of me. It comes from the clothes, the designer, the experience and the art of it.

Much of my life could be expressed in song, so when things move me emotionally, I begin to hear music in my head. This series of photos come from Zanze's Avenue Zenshi Fashion Week Black and White Collection. Zzoiee, I don't even know how you do the way you things you do, but you do it brilliantly.


Featured Zanze Blair {Charcoal} Avenue Zenshi Fashion Week
Featured EMO-tions Audrey .theevent.
1. Custom Shape
2. Finesmith: French Sky Nails
3. Mirror's Enigma: Socordia V2 Skintone (Bleed)
4. Mirror's Enigma: Dreamy (n): Black Colored Eyes
5. {what next}: Rainy Day Pose Props
6. Chop Zuey: Kharma Lovers Earrings
7. Chop Zuey: Kharma Lovers Bracelet Worn as a Choker
8. DADAbeiz: Black Half Ankle Boots
9. Lace Tights by Caryn
10. Shot on Location at Image Essentials (The Maze)
11. Pose Built into Umbrella

Featured Zanze Bridgit {Checkmate} (Avenue Zenshi Fashion Week)
Featured EMO-tions Keyla (LEEZU Hunt)
1. Custom Shape
2. Gaeline: Mesh Lashes Starlia
3. Face Paint: Spring Gems Special
4. Mirror's Enigma: Dreamy (n) Black Colored Eyes
5. LAQ Tasha
6. HollyWeird: Ice Queen Piercing
7. Moonshadow: Gipsy Set
8. Bootgasm: Sleek Boots Black
9. Shot on Location at Image Essentials
10. Prop and Poses: "This Image Essentials Prop is a combination of items purchased from various merchants as well as items created by [Kay Weston]."

Featured Zanze Cinch Dress {Zebra} (Avenue Zenshi Fashion Week)
Featured EMO-tions Pola
1. Custom Shape
2. Poetic Eyes: Quicksilver
3. Sexy Mama Valentine Manicure
4. Mirror's Enigma: Iona Native Skintone
5. Chop Zuey: Men's Margherita Necklace
6. MIA: Rock Leather and Country Lace Cowgirl Boots
7. MIA: Rock Leather and Country Lace Cowgirl Hat
8. MIA: Rock Leather and Country Lace Cowgirl Lace Pants
9. Props and Poses: "This Image Essentials Prop is a combination of items purchased from various merchants as well as items created by [Kay Weston]."

Featured Zanze Clarice {Abstract} (Avenue Zenshi Fashion Week)
Featured EMO-tions Liberty Turquoise Earrings and Necklace
Featured Face Paint: Jessica Smoke
1. Custom Shape
2. Poetic Eyes: Quicksilver
3. EMO-tions: Silja
4. 17 Quintessencia Model Square 1
5. Oceane's: Rose Natural Honey Tan
6. R2: Azuli Silver
7. "This Image Essentials Prop is a combination of items purchased from various merchants as well as items created by [Kay Weston]."

My Wild Irish Rose (Fashion for Life Day 6)

This has been the most incredible day and in the middle of all things wild and wonderful, my heart had one of those sadness moments. I use songs and lyrics for my blog titles and photo names now and when I researched Irish music, I noticed that many had a similar theme as my day has had.

Sometimes the little lows we have make us appreciate the highs even more. I was scared to death and excited at the same time during the highlight of my day. It was my very first fashion show rehearsal and I was like a doe caught in the headlights. Once I got over the fear... wait... haven't quite yet!

Maybe it gets a little easier over time or maybe it's like acting and every opening night brings on a massive round of nerves. I heard when I was part of the Thespians at school that nerves make us focus and attention to detail makes a difference between good and great. I have enough nerves to fill the Grand Canyon. I'm not quite sure if it makes me great yet, but I know I'm stepping closer to my dreams.

This week presents one of the best opportunities I know of online to support an amazing cause. I was watching Celebrity Apprentice, noting that the supposed aim of this show is to raise money and perhaps it does, but it also raises a lot of anxieties and ugliness. I think raising money for any just cause is also a cause for celebration, and certainly not for all that stress on TV.

I've wandered around the sims set up for the Fashion for Life event and run into so many different people from many lifestyles. In this moment, while we're shopping and supporting this charity, we're part of the same lifestyle for a few moments. I don't know why a good cause doesn't unify the competitive people on Apprentice. I'm glad it doesn't happen in our Second Life.


Featured Zanze Lacie Dress Buff at Fashion for Life
Featured Mirror's Enigma SuperbiaV2 Peach Skintone
Featured Mirror's Enigma Superbia Prim Lashes
Featured Mirror's Enigma Naturelle Gray Eyes
1. Custom Shape
2. Osmose: Argentina Platinum
3. Trendy Dolls: St. Patrick's Day
4. Purple Moon: Rosali Necklace
5. Baubles by Phe: Square Diamond Bangles
6. R2: Azuli Blue
7. Poses by Manifeste

Featured Baboom! Clover Gown Patrick's Day
Featured Face Paint Gidget Cotton Candy
1. Custom Shape
2. EMO-tions: Anna
3. Poetic Eyes: Autumn Moon
4. Gaeline: Mesh Lashes Starlia
5. Trendy Dolls: St. Patricks Day
6. Moonshadow: Gipsy Earrings
7. Poses by InPose

Asteria Creations at Winter Fair

There is something refined about a well tailored pants suit. Perhaps it comes from growing up with a family where everyone worked, my mother as a teacher, and she abhorred dresses, so I grew used to seeing them as the attire of a working woman. Women's rights. Being strong on your own without expecting a man to provide everything. Strange what thoughts run through your mind in a virtual world like Second Life, what path memories take and how we link this world with our own.

This outfit, the Angel, from Asteria Creations really took me back in time. Wide legs allowed for busy women to move comfortably and often gave an illusion to the long skirt to trick the eye. These pants are not quite that wide, but still the mind wandered. The system top with a frilly belted waist added a delicate feminine side to the overall effect of the look. You can find this at Winter Fair and after a hectic start, it's been extended 5 days, so you have extra shopping opportunity til December 20.



Featured Asteria Creations Angel's Tunic, Pants and Belt Beige 
1. Custom Shape 
2. Glam Affair Skin: Jadis 
3. Poetic Eyes: Quicksilver 
4. Emotions: Lissi 
5. Gaeline Mesh Lashes: Starlia 
6. Face Paint: Smoke Camel 
7. [SHOCK] Starshine Glitter Nails 
8. Moonshadow Flower Season Set 
9. AP Leah 3