A Sad Day

look at this adorable totoro!


...



He TOTALLY griefed me :(

The Best Necklace EVER... and it is free!

I am a sucker for cameos: chokers, lockets, earrings, broaches... you could probably even sell me a blinging cameo. And I thought i had collected every variety until I found this cameo locket with pearls by Caroline's Jewelry. And if there is one thing that rivals my love of cameos it is my love of pearls.
And, so I am in heaven. This necklace is by far my favorite accessory of all time. And, believe it or not, it is Free! Free. I'll say it again... free. All you have to do is IM Caroline to be added to her group.

I have never received a freebie I have loved so much. And I can't say enough about it. It is lovely and delicate and it is a real working locket! It opens and closes AND you can put a real picture inside! Awesome!!!

It is permanently glued to my chest so you will see a lot of it, but here's a closeup (pardon the boobage):

In addition to this locket, Caroline's has a bunch of other beautiful cameo lockets and other great items. Come visit the shop in Lo Lo.

You'll be glad you did!

SL on CSI New York (lol)

For a good laugh and an incredibly inaccurate portrayal of Second Life, check out the CSI New York episode "Down The Rabbit Hole."


The White Rabbit... lol. Would have been better as a tiny.

Sleepy Hollow & a Grim Babies Halloween

Everyone seems to be talking about Halloween and places to visit in SL. One place I haven't seen mention that I think should be is Grim Babies in Sleepy Hollow.




This place is an absolute Halloween delight. Spooky yet pleasant, Grim babies offers Halloween thrills both of the shopping variety and the activity variety.



As far as shopping goes, this is a great place to pick up a costume, decorative pumpkins, monster party dance balls, all things doll, spooky monsters and animated scenes to decorate your home and shop, and (of course) Grim Babies. What are Grim Babies? Well, they are like prim babies with a morbid twist. And there is an amazing variety here.



I really like the pumpkin carving kit, the interactive apple bobbing stand, and the ghoststory-telling haystacks.





When you've had your shopping fill, check out the Grim Babies Haunted Orphanage for a creepy adventure.

a creepy voice whispers cryptic antidotes at you as you wind you way through blood-spattered dormitories, cafeterias, human experiment labs, and padded rooms.

And then it starts getting weird...

weirder...

and weirder still...

I don't want to ruin all of the surprises for you, but I will say that the maze is really intense.

Don't forget to pick up a Grim Babies Orphan outfit, IV & survivor t-shirt at the front desk.

Asylum chic!

Visit Grim Babies @ Sleepy Hollow (115,75,27)

New Blog!!!!

The Argyle Boutique Blog is up and running!!!! Check it out!!!

Sleep now...

I guess the new release will have to wait until tomorrow.

OMG I'm alive.

I can't believe it has been a month since I have last checked in. Time goes by so quickly when you are busy. And I have been busy.

Doing what? Well...

I was the face of Sh*t happens for September! Whoo Hoo! You can see me in the ads at the Sh*t happens New main store!

I was also one of the winners of the Second Style Diversity Challenge! Um... haven't heard back about what, if anything, happens due to that. You'll know when I know.

But most importantly....

I"VE OPENED A STORE!!!!!!!!!!

I am now the proud owner of Argyle boutique. Simple, elegant fashion and accessories. So far I have scarves, sweaters, gloves, bangles, and a jacket for sale with much more to come!!!!!

Here I am at my first store in the beautiful Doll City:

And here I am at my new main store at the quaint shops of Boootiful Creations:

My main store will have more designs and color choices. I have so much planned and will be releasing regularily. I will also be starting an update group soon and a new blog for the store. I will maintain this blog (and pinky promise to update more regularily now that I have both shops set up) but this will still be for talking about other designers, places, and things I learn on SL. I will post a link to the new blog here when it is up and running.

Right now I have a limited edition pink and black argyle scarf available as a grand opening freebie. Stop by, look around, and grab your free scarf before it is gone!!!!

Goodwin and the first hint of autumn

The evenings are getting colder now and the breezy outfit you picked out for the warm day may not be enough come twilight.

It's time to pull cardigans and jacket out of the deep recesses of your inventory, time to trade sandals for boots, and above all, it is time to adorn your lovely collar with the best accessory of them all: the scarf.

Presenting the Goodwin scarf set by yours truly. Named after a notoriously blustery street in my town, the Goodwin scarf will keep the chill off your neck from the dawn of autumn into the deep recesses of winter. The Goodwin scarf is a semi-flexi fine knit scarf that has three styles in one! Above you can see the basic scarf which wraps cozily around the neck and shoulders with asymmetrical tails. Perfect for autumn picnics and walks in the park.

Autumn breezes sometimes turn into gales, and the Goodwin scarf has you covered!

The Goodwin scarf has a chilly nights attachment that reached above the lips to keep the biting wind off your face. The extension is a separate attachment that is worn on the lips so your face won't poke through. Extra cozy, the second style of the Goodwin scarf is great for late-night walks through the city or anytime you desire to be incognito.

And when the first frost descends unexpectedly, the Goodwin scarf has another trick up it's sleeve. The Goodwin headwrap keeps your ears warm and dry during the heaviest snowfall.

The Goodwin headwrap is cozy without being cartoonish or bulky and accommodates many hairstyles. Furthermore, it can be worn with or without the chilly nights extension. Versatile!!

The Goodwin scarf set contains three pieces: the scarf, the extension, and the headwrap. It features a dainty dots and floral pattern that is tintable to match any outfit (it is tinted green in the pictures here) . It is also modable, so the size of the pieces and gravity of the flexi-bits can be adjusted to your liking. It can be bold or demure depending on how you tint it and it is always lovely. Also, it is great for any Harajuku outfits you might be creating!!!

It only comes in one pattern now, but i think I will make a few others as I am fond of this creation and may (perchance) sell it someday. I'd love to know what you think, so if you have any constructive criticism please don't hesitate to let me know.

As always,
Noelle

Im capped

I have only been away for a couple of days, but apparently my IM capped. If you tried to IM me, please send it again as I most likely didn't recieve it.

Sooooo many posts. coming soon. promise.

Love,
Noelle

More Legwarmers by me

I swear I'm not obsessed with legwarmers...

So, fueled by my recent success in creating a clothing object, I decided to try a more sophisticated item of the same type.

Presenting, Megumi legwarmers in cherry blossom.

Megumi thigh-length legwarmers feature a hand-made texture of butterflies, flowers, and fans. The legwarmers are rolled up at the top and pool around the feet at the bottom. As a special touch, each legwarmer features a Japanese geisha on the calf.

Each legwarmer has three parts: the top scrunchie prim, the legging which uses the socks layer, and the lower legwarmers prim. The texture is slightly distressed and features subtle highlights got a more realistic look.

I like these legwarmers because they are cute, comfy, and still show of the lovely curves of your leg. I think I'm getting pretty decent with making stuff now and it is really exciting. Maybe one day I will have a store. For now though, I enjoy just experimenting.

IM in world if you would like a pair for FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Legwarmers by...me!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

While putting together my Harajuku outfit, one of the hardest things to find was prim flared legwarmers. Sure there were a lot of Flashdance style ones and the chunky ones by Gritty Kitty that I finally settled on. There were even a couple of flared ones made using the pants layer. But none really suited what I wanted. I was looking for a pair that could be worn with a dress or skirt (and thus could not negate the glitch pants) and I wanted them to be shaped like pant cuffs that covered the shoes.

Wondering what to do, it occurred to me that... perhaps... I could try making them myself. And THIS is the result:
I have named them Rainbow Dream Harajuku Legwarmers. Simple and fun, these legwarmers add some colorful flair to any outfit. You can wear them with skirts or pants too, so they are versatile.They are only 2 prims a piece. They are not flexi, so your feet wont break through when walking and also lets you do sweet moves like this:
They feature a hand-drawn texture (by me!) with a lovely asymmetrical striped pattern in muted rainbow tones. Colorful, yet not primary.

This is my very first creation and I am pretty happy with the result. I plan on making more elaborate ones featuring stitching, bunching, and pooling around the feet. I'm sure I will post too many pictures of them when I do:-)

If you would like a pair, IM me in-world and I would be honored to give you a pair for free! I even made a pair of glitch socks for taking pictures at certain angles.

As I reflect on my accomplishment at the end of the day, I wonder where I will go from here. Accessories? Clothing? Shoes? The possibilities are endless. I have already started work on a long flexi-hair style with a fantasy vibe too it. I would be finished with it too if I wasn't griefed so much in sandboxes. Why I get so much grief is beyond me.

Don't hate me 'cuz I'm beautiful griefers! Lol.

FRUiT Flavored Fashion

Japan has great urban fashion, but you don't see a lot of it in Second Life. Kimonos...of course. Anime and cosplay...sure. Neko style is probably the closest to Japanese street fashion, but it is grungier and less eclectic.

For those who are not familiar, there is a thriving subculture among the young people in Tokyo(the Harajuku district in particular) famous for their colorful, over-the-top fashions. This street fashion is chronicled in the magazines such as FRUiTs and Fresh Fruit.

I love Harajuku style but I certainly couldn't pull if off in RL. So... I decided to make it in Second life!

Isn't she lovely?!? I am so proud. Putting this outfit together was actually hard work. But it was so worth it. So, here's the look:

Skin: virgo by BP*- Great Japanese skin for only $L300!!! There are many other styles, so check them out!!
Hair: Boho burgundy by Cake!- I had already chosen a hair for this outfit (which I will blog about later when I write on Japanese designers in SL. I have been sitting on that article for a month at least now. Damn my perfectionism.) Then I happened upon an ad by Canimal that featured this hair and I became manic. I HAD to have it. It was just too perfect. So I emailed Canimal and begged in the forum for someone to PLEASE tell me where it came from. All the while, I am TPing to every decent hair store I can think of trying to find it by accident. This went on for a day. I was desperate and distraught. No hair looked even passable now that I had had a taste of what could be. And then, miraculously, I went to Cake for a completely different reason (socks) and THERE IT WAS! This flexi hair has a perfectly placed beanie that is scripted with 20 different textures. My new favorite hair hands down. Canimal never responded BTW (:-s).
Eyes: Black by BP*- Bettie Page makes a bit of everything and they are all great values. These eyes are darling and have a lovely highlight for that sparkling doe-eyed look.
Black undershirt by me- Inspired by a freebie turtleneck, I needed an undershirt with a similar lolita vibe. So I made it, simple but cute. And every outfit needs a touch of black, right?
Dress: Orange LAME Stripey Jumper by Sh*t Happens- Although many "FRUiTs" wear lolita dresses, I wanted a look that couldn't be mistaken as anything else. I wanted a smock shirt or jumper and Sh*t Happens was the only store that really delivered. The dress reminds me of the first attempts of crafty mothers to DIY a toddlers outfit. And I love that. I wanted something that looked homemade and bright. This dress comes in three lovely colors and they are only $L100 a piece. Nice.
Tights: fruit punch by Sh*t Happens- I had originally wanted striped leggings for this dress, but when everything came together I liked the contrast in patterns throughout the outfit. These leggings are a steal at $L25 for 6 pairs in bright colors.
Legwarmers by Gritty Kitty- Legwarmers were one of the hardest pieces I had to find for this outfit. There are a lot of leggings out there, but classic Harajuku leggings are usually one of two varieties: big poofy paw-like ones and loose fabric tubey ones. The Gritty kitty legwarmers are certainly the first type. You get four set for $L200, which is a pretty good deal. They are big and bulky, but they have great button details as you can see here.

Armwarmers: by Canimal- This are simple, cute arm warmers with little buttons down the side. The set comes with 6 colors and two textures. The plain textured ones are a little plain and flat, but the knit textured ones are nice and understated. The colors are subdued and pleasant.
Gloves: by Sand Surf Shack- These gloves came with the free outfit Urban October that you can purchase at the Gnubie Store for $L1. I thought they were the perfect wild touch.
Shoes: Strap Shoes by ***Angelic Doll***- I got this black pair of shoes for free and they are pretty cute. You can pick up a pack with 3 colors for $10.
Necklace: Inyannyan Choker by [Yuki]- You may know [Yuki] for her feather-soft hair, but she also has a few accessories including this adorable silver kitty choker, I thought it married nicely with the undershirt.
Earrings: Harajuku Girl CHIYO by PuNk Couture- I got these for free during the PuNk Couture clearance sale. There are four girls to choose from and you can mix and match to your hearts content. The images are super cute, but you can only see them from the front.
Umbrella: Ami by *TWEET*- I love this umbrella. It is so cute and cheery. The Pack comes with silver and gold detailed umbrellas and a matching scarf. You can get this umbrella in four lovely colors and it is perfect for a rainy day. *TWEET* seemed like an up-and-coming designer, but there hasn't been a release since 2006. This is a shame since all of her designs are darling and unique.

I submitted my new look in the Second Style Diversity Fashion Challenge. I figure I might not have been traditional enough, but I wanted to showcase diversity within a culture as well as showcasing some of the great Japanese SL designs. You can see my entry here. Normally I would say something like "vote for me!" but voting has been down and I'm not really sure what is going to happen.

In conclusion, I think you can agree that FRUiT-y fashion is quite simply...lovely :-)

Camping

I thought this was so funny I just had to share it:

Strike a Pose

If you are an amateur SL photographer like me, I'm sure you are interested in model poses. They add an element of character and emotion to your photos. And lets faces it, the standard animations get a bit boring. But I'm not a professional photographer nor a model, and I have not reached the point where I am willing to shell out $L50-100 for a single pose. So, here is what I do to get great poses on a budget.

First of all, there are all kinds of free animation boxes you can picks up in the newbie zones around SL. Yes, most of them are silly animations where your head spins round or you do a zombie dance. However, you can find some decent poses amongst the fodder and they are not always labeled obviously. The best thing to do is to take the time to go through them, delete the useless and rename any good poses so that you call recall them later.

While you can find some decent poses in free animation boxes, they aren't model poses per se. The free animations are more useful as narrative aids than for showing off fashion. Unfortunately, free model poses are not nearly as prevalent as the zombie dance-type animations. However, I have found an excellent box of free model poses made available at
ESB Photography Studios

Just look for the pink box which contains ~30 very useful standing and sitting poses. I use these A LOT.

**UPDATE** I found another great set of free poses at Sirena Hair and Fashion. There are a few repeats from the ESB box, but some great new ones as well. It even has a pose bracelet you can customize for a quick and easy AO. Go to the store and look for the board that says Tutorial Supplies. At the very top of the board there is a poster that says Stand Animations. And that's it! If you want a tutorial for how to put an AO into the bracelet or another object, check out Natalia Zelmanov's AO Tutorial.

**UPDATE** Lots of awesome free poses at Builder's Paradise Freebie store. Look for boxes labeled Free Poses, Free Animations, and Free Sexy Poses. There are many different boxes (there is no real organization here, so check everywhere. The labels are clear.) so you should be set for a while.

Other than the rare freebie box, model poses are hard to come by. One thing to look for is a free pose included with an outfit, skin, shape, or accessory. Some designers will include a free pose with an item or even in their store freebie box. Keep a look out for these when you visit your favorite stores. You might walk out with more than just a outfit.

Another option is to consider items that contain AO scripts. Yes, these items do cost money. Think of it this way: you are going to buy shoes, purses, and accessories anyway. Why not lean towards items that contain an AO script?? Basic items will only contain a sexy walk, but some items contain 4 or 5 standing animations and even sitting animations. These animations are wonderful for exploring and modeling pictures. And you can turn the AO off when you don't want it, so you don't have to worry about high lag areas.

Speaking of pictures, I haven't taken any lately. SL has been so wonky lately it has been near impossible. I have had much trouble with failure to rez and the search function being down. In addition, I lost some items out of my inventory :-( Hopefully things will be back to normal soon so that I can have something to blog about!

The Block is Back

My friend Prima introduced me to The Block a while back and it has since become one of my favorite shopping areas in Second Life. With its gritty urban-Neko theme and creative store elements, The Block is simply cool. So, when the new sim opened a couple of days ago, I rushed on over to check it out.

Not wanting to look square, I assembled the following look of urban loveliness. The hair is ETD sideswipe in Chestnut Brown, one of the excellent almost-freebies available at the ETD main store. The leather jacket is part of the Heiress suit by Last Call and has excellent buckled cuffs. I added the top from the Embla Sirianne sky blue dress (free at Ivalde) for a touch of color. I mirrored the buckled on the jacket with my French Spirit Buckle boots. My G.L.A.M "Silver"skinny jeans in charcoal, the new Aitui dark denim messenger bag, and PuNk Couture's "Slave to the Music" necklace (LOVE) finish off the polished street look that would turn the haughtiest Neko's head (IMHO).

The first think I noticed is that there is a lot more space for new stores. This makes sense as it had probably outgrown its old sim. The Block is a great place for urban, Neko, and Rockabilly fashion as well as the largest collection of high-quality men's stores I've seen in one place. The Block features such great stores as Gritty Kitty, Jeepers Creepers, Artillerie. With so much room and such great stores already in place, The new Block is certain to become even more of a fashion destination.

My favorite store from The Block is Sinistyle, a grungy urban clothing store for both men and women. While some of their designs focus on urban warfare(bloody items and trash armor), they have some really great trench and military coats.

Fashion is not the only market in The Block. Urban themed "stuff" of all kinds can be purchased here, including grimy furniture and guns. While this is of no interest to me, It is an intriguing aspect of the SL economy for the curious to peruse. Perhaps I should pick up some particle mace?

If you need a quick respite from the streets, you can enjoy the warm atmosphere of Caffeine. Caffeine has plenty of seating, coffee available, free t-shirts, and a decent music stream. It is a nice place to take a break from shopping and chat with friends.

The Block has retained its urban style. The new sim is surrounded with brick tenements placed cleverly to take advantage of forced perspective. The taller building and facade create a deep inter-city feel that was somewhat lacking in the old sim. However, I was very disappointed to see that the Neko-themed area had not been recreated. While there is still construction going on, I could see no place that seemed reserved for its later recreation. Where is the Groomers, the sushi bar, the movie theatre that served kitty snacks? Other atmospheric detail are missing as well. Where is the crane with the swinging wrecking ball?? I sincerely hope that more details will be added in the future as they set The Block apart from other urban sims. It will be a sad day if the most remarkable element of The Block is a Japanese bus stop.

So, The Block is bigger but, it seems, not better. At least not yet. It is clear that shopping at The Block will only improve, but hopefully not at the expense of creativity and soul.

Face of Style Contest

Entrance into the Face of Style closed yesterday at midnight, so I can finally share the photos I entered! I am so happy because I have been dying to post them for a week. Was I being paranoid by not posting them until now?? Maybe, but you never know.

So, without further adieu, i humbly present to you my first attempt at entering a photo contest:

This was my body shot. I just LOVE the location. The textures are so excellent it almost looks like I photoshoped myself into the picture.

I am wearing the Erin boho dress by Last Call. I chose a water location because the light eyelet fabric of the dress seemed to demand it. However, I thought the elegant black lace would be better served in the darker atmosphere of a rain forest than at the beach. My hair is ETD Survive in Mahogany, but I made a copy and did a white linen retexture on the headband for this outfit.
Other items: Miriel's Casual Excess Necklace in black, Miriel's Bauble Earrings in Black, and Butterfly Bangles by ??? (i will have to do some research to figure out where i got these).

This is my headshot. The pose isn't extremely inspired, but i like the way it allows the details of the dress to be featured. The dress is the gorgeous Regina Dress by last call. I chose ETD Bonita II hair in burnt mahogany for a romantic look that wasn't too formal. My necklace and earrings are Miriel's Moon and Tide in Black with white mother of pearl. I chose this set because I thought the detailing on the dress looked like stars, so I thought a moon necklace would be fitting and I liked its delicate simplicity. Black elbow gloves were added for drama.


This is my profile shot. This was the hardest picture to choose. I love the pose in this picture and how it allows the whole outfit to be showcased as well as a good view of my profile. I love the outfit too, Trixie baby tee and brown plaid pants by Celestial Studios. I paired with it G.L.A.M. metallic pumps color-changed to baby blue, Skool Daze bangles in peach, and Caroline's cameo locket in black and gold. The hair is my signature, ETD Bedded Attitude in mahogany.

I had a really had time choosing between the above shot and the following to be my profile picture:

I loved the background in the alt picture and I loved how the car mirrored the colors in my shirt. However, I did not like how you could only see the top on my outfit in this picture. Also, it sort of looks like one of those Myspace cellphone camera pictures the way my left arm is stretched out. Ultimately, I choose the first picture despite the lack-luster background.


I didn't retouch or photoshop the pictures at all. I'm sure I am in the minority of entrants for leaving my photos au naturale. I just think it is much more thrilling
to capture a really great "candid" photo. I'm sure I could strike a few poses and snap a spangly (spangly??) background behind it and it would look awesome. I think that finding the perfect spot and the perfect lighting and tying your fashion in with the environment is half the fun of of photo shoots. Hopefully others agree.

The results of the contest will be announced on June 24th. I am not holding my breath as there have been hundreds of entries. I am fairly inexperienced compared to many fashionistas I've seen on blogspot and Flickr. I'm not going to say I don't care if I win, but I will say that I have had so much fun doing this that it was already worth it.

And I will also say that it is a great promotion for any SL business. Contests like this are excuses for massive shopping sprees. More contests please!!!

Liverpool: Home of the Beatles

'Ello Mates! Welcome to Liverpool in Second Life! Birthplace of The Beatles.

I was inspired to visit by my Downtown Dots dress, a funky vintage micromini by PuNk Couture. Me in a micromini skirt? Who knew?? I love everything about this dress except for the neckline, which is a little too Appearance Mode cookie cutter. The dress comes with a matching choker with a red bow. I paired the dress with freebie thigh highs and freebie black velvet knee boots. My earrings are freebie hoops that I recolored white, my red bracelet is from PuNk Couture, the diva glasses from Last Call, and my scripted purse is from ETD (7 sassy AOs for high class ladies). My hair is the casual and sleek Mia bun by ETD with tintable scarf. All in all, a super-fab outfit perfect for exploring the shabby chic streets of Liverpool.

The Liverpool sim consists of two main streets, the dock-side promenade and the famous Matthew Street. Liverpool features many atmospheric pubs, including The Cavern, where The Beatles were born.

There are also many Beatles and Rock n' Roll themed shops with unique items. Want a Beatles band shirt, a piano that plays John Lennon's Imagine, or full Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band costumes? This is the place to go.

The RL British Rock Band "What The...?" has it's base in Liverpool and featured John's sunken bed from the movie Help!

Liverpool has great amenities. There are creative camping spots where you can paint John Lennon's face on a wall or fix a moped. You can also rent bicycles, jet skis, boats, and even scooters for free!

While it appears that there is still a lot of construction being done, the creators of Liverpool have done a good job thus far of featuring Beatles's related city landmarks. For instance, take a look at the skyline:

Look familiar?? Perhaps you will remember the Eleanor Rigby scene from Yellow Submarine:

And speaking of yellow submarines:

There aren't a ton of activities here besides shopping and bar hopping, but one neat thing I found was a fishing game on the dock. You watch your pole until you get a bite and then you type "strike!" to try and reel 'em in. And the best part is, you get to keep your catch!

Liverpool is your one-stop Beatles fix in Second Life. And you don't even need a ticket to ride :-) (lol)