Tuesday 25 October 2011

Panic panic panic

I am off on a Big Trip a Long Way Away (capitals significant...).

Well, only 11 days, but it's been chaos getting stuff prepared for it: and it's work* and not play. And no idea what the connections will be like, apart from work ones and for SL... um nope. Hotel or nothing.

Soooo... you won't forget Vent du Sud, will you? Please pretty please? 


Go buy a winter cabin or something, for 50L... or just wander around where I wish I was (or at least the RL equivalent).

Link to the fall stuff

And (oh hey let me have my last plug for a while)


Link to the new house and Mas and greenhouse etc. next door. It's 39 prims and... well go look. 
(Wind vane. Note the wind vane).

And I'm off to do my suitcase and head out at the crack of dawn tomorrow. Where did I put my adapters? And ...

Not that I'm panicking or anything but... argh.  This is the annual Big Work Nightmare and I ******* hate it.

52 weeks of colour? Making stuff? Watch this space as of 6 November.

*Vietnam, since you asked. But again, work not play.
 

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Emergencies and zenitude, Rett does free, fall, and pumpkin lava

Why yes zenitude is a word. Sort of French-ish. But a lovely one, no?

Here, have a photo of the Vent du Sud autumn / fall stuff I started putting out: and yes a freebie is involved. See the trees? Pretty trees. 1L each of course but other stuff to tempt you as well, like the 20-prim cabins for 50L, and more besides. 



So first the emergencies because this is my blog and I can whine.

So there.

Quick another photo then you can scroll on, promise.



Being freelance, you'd think I was used to 'urgent' but sometimes clients spring something on me that I really don't see coming. Like translating a 29-page report on a new cancer medicine for (I quote) "yesterday would be good" while still battling through another 25 pages of pharmaceutical legalese.

That was on Friday evening. Bye bye weekend, bye by SL

Mr RL was dispatched to the kitchen. I may never eat a fish finger or a frozen pizza again.

He did, however, make pumpkin soup. Which acts like orange lava when it boils (just so you know).


Speaking of Halloween (which we weren't, but humour me, it's the pumpkins)...

I did actually promise Rett a cauldron in a weak moment to go with her 'sexy witch' outfit and haven't quite done it yet. I will try. And stick it out for free by her store if I do. I am nice like that. 

Only Rett could have a half-nekkid witch, eh?

Don't mind me, I'm just grumpy because on 31st I shall be stuck at the other end of the planet where Halloween is not on the menu. Nor, I suspect, pumpkin. And not, it is not for fun but for work.

(If I whine, I whine properly). 


However, she has actually put out a free witch hat (witches' hat? witch's hat as in singular?). Forgive me for my grammar is all tied up in parent compounds and response rates and stuff.

That is a seriously bad photo, but the hat is next to the outfit and the little black thing is the end of my feet (cropping? what cropping?). Sorry again, Rett, my photography is about in line with my grammar this lunchtime.


Where was I? Apart from whining?

Ah, the zen part.

Zen is being able to sneak in and spend the odd moment right here in Vent du Sud, surrounded by autumn colours.
(Yes the hammock is also 1L and also near all the other autumn type stuff right here)

Now want to make a pumpkin soup bowl but that will be after the leaf dispenser and a dozen other things in my "ongoing" file. And all that when I've finished 'Estimated survival rates'. Oh joy.

Saturday 15 October 2011

The perfect saleswoman? Also, wenge and CARS.

Good morning / afternoon / evening. May I help you sir? Madam?

Heh. One saleswoman in wenge. Read on...

I actually get quite worried about what to say to people on the sim sometimes. Do I say hello?

If I do they sometimes run away (even if I am quite incapable of the hard sell, honest). And if I don't, they may think I'm snooty or something.

Difficult. 

But before we get carried away on philosophy, however, I am practising my saleslady techniques because I want to get people to come and see Menthal Oh's cars.

I mean seriously, LOOK at this car (and the jacket, but we'll get to that).

Not only do they look fabulous, they drive like a dream and have exhaust fumes and lights and all the fantastic car-type gizmos AND are low-prim: usually around 30.

Oh dear, I would actually be pretty useless at selling cars because I know nothing about them in RL except that these are arguably the best I've ever seen in SL and they are, of course, at Vent du Sud right on the main square.

Lots of cars, in fact, with a rezzer too.

And not only lots of cars but there are some *cough* special versions with *cough* pose balls.

Menthal and his co-builder Alheana have been really busy (and no, I am not referring to the pose balls). Some really outstanding building and scripting and I am, basically, in awe.

I think they've come up with something quite unique in SL (again, they really do drive like a dream, come with instructions and even a car-challenged person like me can drive them. Sort of, although the problem is not with the, um, car).

See? Lots of cars. I even have my very own with a Vent du Sud logo on it (thanks, Menthal but yes this is a hint... he does custom versions too).

(No, I spared you a picture of that. Be thankful. I got it stuck in my mainstore last night because I am... not good at SL driving).

Aaaaaand, as we announced weeks ago, there will be a competition to win one but Menthal is up to his eyeballs in virtual axel grease and needs to be prodded about that.

*Prods*.

But he's having fun, which is important, no? And I'm not very good at prodding either but I really do want people to at least GO SEE THEM (and buy up my decor and builds while they're at it. Not that this is a plug or anything). 

So yes, colours (which is also the reason for this post).

Wenge is lovely, and having found a skirt that worked, I pounced on the new Allegra jacket from Mimikri. And then cursed because my viewer was doing the 'hide the details' thing on the jewelled details so had to redo the photos.

But it was a chance to take one more of a car...

Credits
Hair: Tram. I love this hair. It is gorgeous hair.
Jacket: Mimikri Allegra. Wonderful
Skirt: SYS Sorrow skirt
Top: Michami bustier
Shoes: Enkythings Talyna from Enky at Vent du Sud
CARS: Menthal Oh, EM motors, Vent du Sud 

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Make a wish? Sit on a pumpkin? Delivery fail? This post reveals all



Wishing well - 3 prims, bucket - 2 prims (I added nice moving water to it).  1L each. Three colours.

One of the 6 things above is free at the New Stuff area (which one day will have a sign saying 'NEW') at Vent du Sud.

I also hauled out these from last year and bribed coaxed two of the gang to demonstrate - there are FOUR sits in all, swappable at will.

Not, you understand, that I kept clicking on swap until the others were dizzy.

Course not.

However, Rett (who is making a witch outfit) would like to point out that she knows she is missing a foot shaper but left off to pose for me.

Anyway, anybody who feels that really big pumpkins to seat four are an essential item for their Halloween decor, pop over and grab one for 1L on the Vent du Sud main square.

In other news, and because I am vain, I wanted new hair.

OK, OK, this may not be world-shattering but I am a known cheapskate something of a frugal shopper.

So, I ordered about a dozen demos from the Marketplace and  received... none.

Frustration.

By this time I needed to buy hair  (cheapskate yes, but vain yes). I did find a note I'd made to go and look at Tram hair and actually went and bought it.   Which actually involved looking for it. Because I am also lazy. The store won't let you click teleport (grrrr) and it was upstairs.

But it was worth it.

 Nope, not making it big big big because I have not yet learned enough to smooth out kinks in my jawline.

But I love it. I may be wearing it for the next dozen fashion-ish posts.

Having actually spent money on something other than tier and feeling slightly weak, I checked my marketplace to make sure I had had no failed transactions and could redeliver to clients.

And discovered all the demos were still in my cart.

Sorry, Marketplace; Not that deliveries ever fail or anything.

I do check mine daily and now and then I have to redeliver to people (some of whom are convinced it's my fault but hey... this is SL. I will spare you stories of outraged entitlement because I happened to be sleeping when somebody didn't get something).

That's it for today, and I'm off to make a living but the wishing wells and other new stuff? Soon to be moved to make way for more. I feel a 'shuffle stuff around' mood coming on.

Friday 7 October 2011

Facepalm moments and forgetfulness. Moss, 52 weeks of colour.

I needed to sit down and think.

You know, about important stuff like a snappy title and fabulous pictures for moss, world peace and existential... somethingorother.

But more than that, there was something I'd forgotten to do at Vent du Sud. But what?

Back to moss for a second.  And only a very short digression to the 1-prim, 1L bench (see credits)

I did find a top that worked, but I think I had to have been blind over the pea-green shoes. Which I should have cropped out really, or got out the HUD and turned them white.

Pretend they're white on this one. I needed to pace about a bit anyway.


Just imagine about ten paragraphs of stream of consciousness here, involving what shall I build next do I need new hair what shall I cook for dinner should I do marketplace listings no really RL deadline is looming...

Enough?

My mind is a scary place.

But I still couldn't remember what I'd forgotten to do. Seriously, I should make a to-do list for SL but knowing me I'd forget where I put it.

Then I had one of those facepalm moments.

Brought on by somebody buying something (cue big grin, never fails).

Kerchunk. 

Oooo lots of kerchunks including... this, for 25L.

Which I'd set for 25L instead of 50 a few colours ago. And forgotten to change it.


So I'll leave it out for 25L for a bit longer, OK? Two sizes, 20 prims, and I'm thinking of doing a market stall version for considerably fewer (if, that is, I remember).

Credits:
Hair Exile, Monica (love it)
Top by PBI (sadly departed)
Necklace Zaara, Karmuka (stunning as always)
Bracelet Miel, Chum (it's a work of art)
Pants Coco ankle pants
Shoes HOC, Yay wedges (fabulous colours, but sorry about the pea green blunder)
Cabin Vent du Sud, 25L (until I remember to put it back to 50 but I have written it down)

Bench Vent du Sud, 1L, 1 prim, couples and singles anims. Amazing, of course.


Tuesday 4 October 2011

New house and 3-build offer, with digression on weathervanes and pension funds

Finally got the new house out at Vent du Sud on Sunday (see it in situ below) at which point Work With Capital W intervened.

However, it is sitting beside the bigger Mas (and the greenhouse), for 50L and at the link above. Total 39 prims, windows go opaque on click and hey... WEATHER VANE. Such a cute weather vane. 

Name? La maison du sud (southern-type house). So shoot me... I wasn't feeling inspired.

I mean would you feel inspired if you had this massive chunk of pension fund regulations to translate?

Thought so.

It's a very typical Provençal house, and the box includes the windowbox, the lavender and the sunflowers. And I think it's cute. 

There. Self-congfatulation moment.

In my enthusiasm, I also decided to make a special pack of both the new house and the Mas plus the greenhouse (which also includes the 1-prim bench on the photo below).

Lots of things, then, for 75L.  Here.


Not sure how long I'll leave the offer out (that big box looks messy), but I will put it on the Marketplace. Soon. When I have got this monster of a text off to the client.

I even made a composite photo of it all and got as far as advertising it on the Subscribo until the deadline for pension funds loomed closer.

Did you know that pension fund terminology includes the magic phrase 'premature withdrawals'?

Sorry to digress (again).

But believe me, you need a chuckle when you're trudging through that.

Next up is listing it on the Marketplace, but the Mas (50L) and the Greenhouse (10L, including all the accessories) are up there if you want, including lots more photos.

Just because, however, here is a BIG PHOTO of the Maison du Sud. Taken before I finished texturing the base (hell, I always forget something, but rest assured it is now done). Check out that weather vane!!


PS: the windowbox, sunflowers and lavender also available separately at 1L. Or rather two of them. One of them is free. To find out which, go look.

I shall be continuing with 'benefits purchased' and 'termination benefits' for now but I did find MOSS GREEN for the 52 weeks challenge.



PS: I'm just hiding this here in the unlikely event anybody has scrolled this far. Remember I offered 3 free houses to anyone who commented? Well, nobody did (cue violins). Plenty of people popped over and bought one, mind which is Very Nice Indeed. But the offer still stands - you can comment on this post and I will choose 3 (if I even get three people saying why they'd like one).

Heh.