Sneak Peek of June Issue Cover of Blithe SL!

Check out our June issue, available tomorrow!

The Ashraya Project Art Expo

The Ashraya Art Expo is opening noon today and will be open from May 28th to June 4th, 2012, featuring the works of 34 talented photographers, painters, sculptors and digital artists. All artwork is for sale at this event and 100% of the proceeds will go to benefit The Ashraya Project.

ABOUT ASHRAYA


Ashraya is an organization based in India which operates with the purpose of providing aid to Indian children in need and abused women through the implementation of various projects.

From the organization’s website:

"Ashraya", meaning 'Shelter' has brought hope and love into the lives of several hundred children and women, over many years. Founded and registered in 1982, the Bangalore based organization is dedicated to finding solutions for children within the frame work of their own biological families, or in adoptive homes. Initially, the organization’s main function was to work with and rehabilitate destitute, poor and abandoned children. It has now extended its services to the family as a whole.”

(http://www.ashraya.net)

Kauna Relocation Sale!

The new and fabulous mesh menswear shop Kauna (previously blogged here) has relocated to a new sim, and is celebrating their relocation with a 72-hour sale! The gorgeous Casual Blazers, which were sold at faMESHed, are marked down to just L$99.  Just peek around the back of the small moon that the Kauna UFO is parked on to find the three flashing lights that are actually secret vendors! But hurry!

Also hurry to Kauna tomorrow, May 26, for the Men Only Hunt. Kauna's hunt gift is this striking Retro Military Jacket.

Kauna's new store is located at the Morning Light sim. 

ReBourne Dome 50% off Sale

From now until 12am SLT 5/23, ReBourne's new Dome prefab is on sale for 50% off. This gorgeous mesh build can be both a skybox or a house and features gorgeous textures, high-quality animations, lighting control, indoor pond, swimming pool, shower, furniture and more. You don't want to pass up this Marketplace only sale, but check it out inworld first. The following photos show a bit of the prefab's glory, but this is one that really needs to be seen to be fully appreciated.

Barbarella's Sci-Fi Ball

A science fiction themed event takes over Q Club at Hutchinson's Parish on tonight at 6pm SLT, so channel your favourite campy character for a chance at the prize!

You May Say I'm a Dreamer, But I'm Not the Only One.

You just know you want to click that pic and see all the details.

John Lennon was dreaming of Peace of a different sort, but I suppose this lovely chair, named Peace, will have to do for now. This incredible lawn chair is one of Sway's Relay For Life offerings at the Home and Garden Expo this year and when I saw it, it immediately began to beg me to take its portrait. This groovy chair has plenty of personality, including the 11 animations packed into its 6 prim frame. The peace sign fabric is perfectly aligned, adding realism to the seat. And, see that far out 5 prim guitar? It's included, along with a guitar playing animation that automatically rezzes the guitar in your hands.

The Home & Garden Expo opened today, May 19th and will remain opened until May 28th. There are so many great designers there and way too much to put in one blog post without completely overwhelming you, so stay tuned as we share more of the fabulous designers at the expo.

Creations for Parkinson's

Overview of the Creations for Parkinson's sim. All photos courtesy of Creations for Parkinson's.

The new Creations for Parkinson's sim opens today at noon SLT, with live entertainment, shopping and exploration with 100% of the proceeds benefiting The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

The Live Entertainment lineup is as follows:

Noon - 1 p.m. - Cyndi Burnstein
1 p.m. - 2 p.m. - Jaynine Scarborough
2 p.m. - 4 p.m. - DJ Lyxz Delicioso
4 p.m. - 5 p.m. - Clarice Karu
5 p.m. - 7 p.m. - Exxxquisite Magic
7 p.m. - 9 p.m. - DJ Decosta

The sim also boasts shops from  such well-known designers as Mohna Lisa Couture, SF Designs, Pulse, and GizzA, along with many others who have offered a 50/50 split of their sales to the cause.

Booshies at the Home & Garden Expo's Breedables Fair

Just look at those eyes!

I'm taking a second out of my day of Home & Garden Expo sneak peek fun to give you a special preview of the Booshies. We have the full story on these adorable not-just-breedables in our June 1st issue, but we just had to let you know that a special preview is available at the Breedables Fair which opens tomorrow. The critter you see above is a Felitera with a special skin. You can purchase the Booshitar from one of the RFL vendors.

Booshies are more than cute pets to breed for different skins. They're a game with battling opportunities, farming skills to build, and new species to discover (yes, as you breed, you can discover completely new species, not just new skins). Best of all, they follow a free to play model--no more worry about shelling out the Lindens to keep your pet alive. And, you can even interact with your pet outside of Second Life. Booshies aren't quite ready to play yet, but at the Breedables Fair you can pick up pre-release packets so when the creators are sure all the kinks are worked out you'll be among the first to have these adorable creatures.

Be sure to check out the June 1st issue of Blithe SL Magazine for more information about the Booshies and some stunning photos of the cute critters in their natural habitat of Booshtopia. We're sure you'll fall for these breedables that will take Second Life pet ownership to a whole new level.

Second Pride Prom – TODAY!! Don't Miss It!

It's that time of year, time for tuxedos and boutonnieres and fancy limousines to carry you and your dream date to the social event you've been waiting for. This time, it's in support of a cause that's dear to all our hearts – Second Pride!

Put on your suit and shell out your Lindens to support the upcoming annual Second Pride. There are two parties today, at 12pm and 6pm SLT, so whatever your time zone, drop by, enjoy the music of the talented DJs and contribute if you can. Second Pride is fast approaching, and it's sure to be a spectacle so do your part in support of this year's event at the hot Lighthouse Lounge.

A Rusted Development

Art exhibits in SL sometimes echo art exhibits in RL; photos are carefully framed and arranged on the walls of a gallery for viewers to pass by and review. At other times, however, SL art exhibits are a world apart from their RL counterparts, pulling you into the experience of the art and making you interact with them through more than just your eyes.

A Rusted Development, a new exhibit built by Haveit Neox and featuring work by artists Rose Borchovski, Artistide Despres, Claudia222 Jewell, Bryn Oh, Scottius Polke, Ziki Questi, PJ Trenton, Blue Tsuki, Stephen Venkman, Eliza Wierwight, and Trill Zapatero has just opened in the LEA1 sim. Curated by Rowan Derryth, the components of this haunting and awe-inspiring build are constructed on the foundation of a story.

The tale...


The fabled merchant city that rode atop the back of a gigantic whale met with a calamity that ended its existence abruptly. In the middle of the ocean, a horrific storm caused two huge ships carrying toxic chemicals to collide into the swimming whale city. The whale and all the populace died in the flood of chemicals that saturated the waves.


The whale turned to bones, and the city to rust, it was nearly half a century before this city adrift was discovered. An expedition of artists, searching for land to build an art colony, came upon the decomposing city. With the intent to regenerate the place, they set to work by first towing to safe harbor the floating mass. Each artist then undertook their vision. The empty shell of the city suddenly filled in and expanded as each artist found their niche in the Rusted Development. No longer at the mercy of invisibility, the city humbles its rusted façade to the highlights of the art within.

The discrete parts by individual artists work together to create a breathtaking experience.

The exhibit is in place until the end of June but don't wait 'til the end. Spend some minutes, or more likely, some hours, visiting it now. Wander around the whole-sim installation and take in the skills and imagination of some of SL most notable artists gathered in one place.

And don't worry if you fall into the sea; there's almost as much to see under the waves as above.

Visit A Rusted Development at LEA1.

FATEeyes

Another quick post since we're in magazine prep frenzy, but when Strawberry Singh, one of my favorite bloggers (and I think one of nearly everyone's favorite bloggers), shared a preview of FATEeyes last night, I knew I had to have them. They are, quite possibly, the last eyes I will ever purchase and you know how much I love eyes. You can customize every part of these eyes from the pupil to the sclera. Also, each eye can be designed to look completely different making heterochromia an easy and stunning fashion statement! Just look at this small example of what FATEeyes can do:

There's an option for every RP or outfit out there!

I can't even begin to describe everything this innovation in mesh eyes does, however, Strawberry was wonderful enough to make us a YouTube video and it is able to demonstrate what still photos can't about makes these eyes worth every Linden and more.

Kauna

Just a quick post to share a recent discovery. Kauna is a small store, situated in a space ship and consisting of just a few items, but the few items are worth checking out and more are on the way.

Sexy tan tweed.

This tan tweed blazer is perfect for those times when you need to dress nicely but don't want to wear a tux. It styles well with jeans or slacks and you can wear a shirt underneath or leave your chest bare. Stop by for some must have jackets and be sure to hit the subscriber sign so you'll be the first to know when new items are released. With this kind of mesh start, the designer is sure to bring us great things in the future.

Hair: Wasabi Pills - Zack
Pose: Glitterati

Supporting the Arts in Second Life

There are lots of good deeds done by residents of Second Life, many of which provide donations to an array of First Life charities and causes. Relay for Life, in support of the American Cancer Society, is well known and loved by many SL residents, and there are many other less–well-known fundraisers that do excellent work. But in SL as in RL, the arts are often overlooked when it comes to funding. The Avatar Charitable Trust seeks to improve that situation.

Quick Advice

From the other angle you can see my boobies!

Don't toss on an outfit and take that teleport limo to your favorite club without giving your av a final check. Who knows what surprises SL has in store for you...

Culture Shock

One thing I've always loved about Second Life is the generosity of its members, so I'm thrilled to be able to share information about Culture Shock and A:S:S's participation in a very worthwhile charity. Culture Shock is raising funds for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) for the second year in a row and features many talented designers who are offering gorgeous exclusives with 50-100% of the proceeds going to the charity. The event opens on May 4th at 4 pm SLT.

A:S:S Chevallier Rings in 5 Different Styles.

A:S:S (link not available until event opening) has created this stunning Chevallier Ring in 5 different styles (click the photo to see the amazing detail) as an exclusive 100% donation item. It includes a HUD that allows you to easily switch between the six textures:

A:S:S Chevallier Rings in 5 Different Colors/Textures

Wrapping Paper: Hedo's Giordan

Gay men haven't earned the reputation of being fashionable by hiding in the safe shadows of any closet. As we've come out, we've brought the fab with us, using scarves, bags, and accessories to add flair to our outfits, rather than sticking to the safe and expected three-piece suit. In Second Life, however, gay men sometimes forget to seek out the individuality offered by a forum where we can wear wings and actually fly. Instead, we seek out a "three-piece suit" of a different type (and with just one piece): the jock strap.

I'm not saying that jock straps aren't sexy. They certainly are, which is why they've all but become the uniform of club-going gay men in SL. What I am saying is that clothing is like the wrapping paper that keeps our presents covered so that anticipation can build until that sweet day when we can rip the covering off and see what sweet gifts have been concealed inside. Revealing that gift is incredibly exciting when you've spent some time wondering about the specifics of its shape, size, and power. It's the joy of this anticipation that we want to bring to you with our Wrapping Paper series. Join us as we show you how adding clothing instead of taking it off to the bare jock strap minimum can make you sexier and more desirable than you ever imagined.

Our first installment of Wrapping Paper focuses on the sexy Hedo Fashion design, Giordan:

Don't blend in, stand out with straps, buckles, leather and feathers.

Prom Night at the Parish

Maybe you didn't go to your prom. Maybe you went with your favorite girl, coveting her dress the whole time. Maybe you're young enough that you got to go with your boyfriend. Whatever your experience, it's time to relive it and do it up right!

Q Club on the Quay is holding Prom Night on Tuesday May 1 at 6pm SLT. DJ Mirah spins and the contest board holds a prize of L$2000 for "best of the prom" so dress in your prom night finest! Prom King or Queen will be crowned!