I don't think I realized just how close I'd grown to the owner of Face Paint till this week. I've admired her. I've worked for her. I've learned a lot from her. This week, I realized she filled a role that I was lacking in my personal life. I lost my mother in 2006, and it'd been a long time since someone touched my life in a maternal way, but Eve Express has done so.
The latest look from Face Paint - Love & Care - is exactly the name I'd give for the earnest spirit Eve brings to Second Life, to the business, to her friends, to the modeling industry. She really does LIVE this abstract concept daily.
I watch the award shows, often while I'm working in Second Life, so I don't see all the nuts and bolts, but I do see the people in their perfect looks and dream. Who doesn't dream for a moment in the spotlight?
With a mentor maternal figure in my Second Life like Eve, I know that every day is a victory, and if I were dreaming of the red carpet night, I'd go home from Face Paint... but also go home to Face Paint... and I find joy in that. And Love and Care.
Such mesmerizing beauty greets the eye as you enter the room wearing the latest release from Snowpaws.
Feathers and flowers and swirling designs make this gown more than just another long dress to wear. It's art, and it's incredibly fashion NOW. The upper body makes use of skillfully created panels of solid and shear material to cover yet whisper sinfully decadent temptation.
Flowers bud from both wrists and another springs forth from your hip, then in a flurry, they blend with a swag of feathers all around the ankle to form the mermaid tail of the dress. You're ready for a red carpet night in this gown. It's available in Noir as well as Snow.
Now all I need is a date!
Featured: Snowpaws Silhouette Mermaid Gown
1. Glam Affair Skin: Jadis
2. Poetic Eyes: Quicksilver
3. EMO-tions: Jack
4. Candy Nails: Rosy Black
5. Gaeline Mesh Lashes: Divina
6. Face Paint: (new) Love and Care
7. Chop Zuey: Elifu Black Set
8. Poses and background at Image Essentials
What do you fear most? Fear inspires in all of us a very basic instinct to fight or flee. I know there are many fears I face related to raising a family, being a daughter and daughter-in-law, and health. Online, I also deal with fear.
Sometimes I overcome it. Sometimes I do not. I win. I lose. I'm human. My greatest fear - Rejection. My greatest fear online (and likely related to my greatest fear) - Failure.
I want to create a vibe, an energy, a personality in words and pictures online that best represents me. Not an alter ego. Not a wish I could be persona. Just me. When I put so much of me into it, though, it becomes scarier and makes me feel far more vulnerable. If you reject me, you are not rejecting an avatar, or a role... and if I fail... I fail.
People I've met, friends I've made, sincere and supportive amazing men and women devoted to their own personal passions have meant the world to me. I need to give them my best. I want them to keep me, need me, use me and know that I earned that role in their world, business or pleasure, co-worker or best friend.
I have given a lot of energy to this model aspiration. I set a goal, and I didn't reach it. I failed myself. I felt then like I'd failed others. I felt like I deserved to be rejected by them in that failure.
So these closest allies, these people who mean the world to me gave me a shoulder on which to cry, time to have my bruised spirit, and then shook me and reminded me that I do not give up or give in and flee. I fight, and fight, and if I think I'm losing, I look to them for help, and then I fight some more.
The worst didn't happen. They did not give up on me or reject me or lecture me on why I did not live up to their expectations. They encouraged me, made time for me, and nudged me to give it more. And there is more to give.
For the next few weeks or months if it takes that, I'm going to refocus on this goal that I did not complete on Sunday. I know I'm not ready for all those new aspirations I had set for 2013, but I also know that I'm not ready to walk away from all the work I put into 2012.
Fear... motivates action of some kind. I face this fear of failure, and press onward, with each of you, friends, co-workers, supporters and people I have yet to meet but are part of my destiny.
~C
I need time to breathe, think and refocus. I look forward to knowing about your many successes and joys. To each of you who have become a part of my life in this fashion world in SL, you rock.
I wish you well. I'm not gone, just gone for a while.
Caryn
Jon Stewart wrote a song, "Gold" about the process of artistic creation and how to make sure it sells. A good song writer, a singer, someone who's good with mechanics in the music industry... they all have something in common. They've figured out how to turn music into GOLD.
As members of the fashion industry, we in like manner work to turn our passions into gold. I have heard often that you cannot expect to get rich while you model. It's a challenging business.
I perched in the chair, just outside the ballroom, a cup of tea to sip as I gather the courage to ask you...
Flirtatious eyes flicker back to you, over my shoulder. A breathless moment ensues...
Every day, I devote time to work in Second Life. I really do work. I want to do it. I enjoy it. And I do like it when my passion for the work earns money. I do many things without any notion of pay, but when someone does choose to pay me, it's treasured.
I hear the first notes from the orchestra drifting from the room beside us, tickling my ears, teasing my desire to bravado till I finally ask, "Will you dance with me?"
I think the single greatest thing I have ever done for pure fun has been to dance in Second Life. Even when the dances were very unpretty and jittery in the early years, I just loved to dance. Now the scripts and the animations are so much more clever. I went to a live dance performance (though I cannot recall the troupe's name) and was in awe of how dance had progressed in Second Life. I just love it. Seriously, will you dance with me? ~smiles~
I began working with the designers at Designer Showcase and this dress from Graffitiwear is part of this cycle's sales. Visit Designer Showcase to get this gown and see the many deals from all around the grid. I paired with a beautiful new pair of earrings that I just opened today (even though they were a Christmas gift) to wear. I wasn't in world as much in January, so I'm enjoying Christmas far into the new year. Chop Zuey provided the necklace and bracelet as pieces from the amazing selection of free items she has at her main store. The group fee is 350L, but with that VIP status, the rewards are enormous and far exceed the small fee.
Featured Graffitiwear Gold Slitted Strapless Gown
Featured RYCA Gold Hoop Earrings
Featured Chop Zuey: Kingdom of Sky Gold Necklace and Bracelet
1. Custom Shape
2. Glam Affair Skin: Jadis
3. Poetic Eyes: Autumn Moon
4. EMO-tions: Resolution
5. Nikita Lashes
6. Face Paint: Metallic Shine Gold
7. Candy Nail: Chidori Gold
8. Nardcotix: Gold
9. Poses Built into Chair, Di's Opera Poses, Vista Animations Pose
I really enjoy it when something in Second Life reminds me that I'm here to have fun some of the time. I work hard at a professional approach and business relationship but on occasion, I just have fun with the playfulness of this place. When Something New sent out a free pose pair, I had to play with it.
I have been using song titles to name my blog posts recently, growing and evolving as a blogger. When I thought of holding on tight, I recalled this song, and it's so aptly applied to Second Life. Persevere. Hold on tight to your dreams. I borrowed a helper here, someone who generously answered my petition to partner pose. In exchange, I took several photos for him and his special someone. I hope they hold on tightly to one another. Thank you Skua Sarrasine.
I don't want to be known as the girl who's always so down to earth and serious! The dress comes from a designer who participates in Designer Showcase, Unique Clothing - Sophie in Red. It includes the dress and the sexy garter and stockings. I also pulled a little treat from the new store .::Joops::. a headband that's showing two tiny red hearts in my hair.
Featured Unique Clothing Sophie in Red from Designer Showcase
Featured .::Joops::. Hairband Hearts
Featured Something New Balloons Pose
1. Custom Shape
2. Mirror's Enigma Leigh Native Skin Tone
3. Poetic Eyes: Hot Mocca
4. EMO-tions: Lala
5. Gaeline Mesh Lashes: Starlia
6. Face Paint: Love and Care Extreme 6
7. Sexy Mama Valentine Sculpted Nails
8. Baboom Lucky Stone
9. Bax Boots: Prestige Boots Red Suede
10. Skua Sarrasine - Holding My Hand
I've put together a beautiful look with a selection of all new items that flowed well together. I joined the group of bloggers who work with the Designer Showcase, so some of the items I share now will be from various artists that make use of that terrific forum. Find them here: Designer Showcase.
In this snapshot, you can see the skin from Beauty Code, London Tan with Red Burn Lips. It's an item from Designer Showcase. I have tried a few of Beauty Code's skins, and this is one of my favorites yet from this designer. I fully believe that no matter how long and how good at their craft they get, good designers improve something all the time, and over all they just get better and better.
EMO-tions put this hair out recently. Cheyenne pulls hair back away from your face, adds a small bit of hair jewelry, then lets the hair fan out from the decorated pony tail in waves. Chop Zuey has several locations where I can find different designs. I found this set at Gypset. Though the primary metal is gold, there are a number of colors and even a touch of silver, so it makes it easy to style and match with many designs. Earrings and bangles fit with this outfit and I will show you the necklace soon.
As I panned back, enjoying the simple but fun setting at Image Essentials, the Wren Noir Dress from Liv-Glam makes a statement. The wide black and white stripes paired with that blood red bow at the waist really stands out and teases the eye.
And what about the title, Love at Home? I've begun to name my blog entries with song titles. Everyone bandies about the month of love, Valentine's and all the things you 'should' do for your loved ones. Thank you Hallmark! (~chuckles). I consider my home in SL to be multiple locations because the home is where the heart is. I hope you find a way to bring love home, in this Second Life, and in the life you lead off line.
Featured Beauty Code Skin London Tan Red Burn Lips Natural (Designer Showcase)
Featured Liv-Glam Wren Noir Slip Dress I
Featured Chop Zuey Polkadots Gold Set
Featured EMO-tions: Cheyenne
1. Custom Shape
2. Poetic Eyes: Hot Mocca
3. Thalia's Fashion: Mesh Leather Boots
4. Face Paint: Mix & Match Eyes Coppertone
5. Gaeline Mesh Lashes: Divina
6. Images and Poses in the props at Image Essentials
