Friday, January 21, 2011

Prefabulous 2: Zacca Lodge

How many woodsy cabins can one pixelated girl own? Never Never Enough! When I got a notecard last week that Zacca had a new release, well, I could hardly contain my excitement (don't worry, I contained it).  For those of you who don't know me or this blog (most of you probably!), I'm a prefab whore. I buy many houses. I own many houses. Sometimes I forget what I have and end up with two of the same prefab. You get the picture.

Check out my welcome mat. How cute is that? and it's a freebie!

I'm not a builder so my descriptions might seem a little elementary. The new Zacca Lodge (see here) comes in a small and large version and also a courtyard version which is what I am showing you today. Plain and simple-it's just lovely. The textures are gorgeous and this girl is all about textures. The courtyard is 122 prims which gives you enough space (if you have a plot of land with at least 400 prims or so) to have fun with decoring (is decoring a word?) and landscaping. When you walk through the door, you are greeted with an awesome window seat. I love the windows too btw.


The front room (see above) is large enough to separate into a kitchen and living area. Oops, I need a refrigerator. And more plants and chotskies! I love the ceiling and the the detailing of the beams (see below). If you like a rustic feel to your home than I'm sure you will be very happy with the Lodge.

There are two side rooms. I made one into a bedroom and yes, that is a bedroom set from UrbanizeD (And please take your shoes off in RL before you lie on a beautiful new bedroom set!). Enjoy this moment coz, well, it just might be your last. Live for today!!


The other room is kind of a kick back, relaxed, let's listen to some tunes, type of room. I'm hanging with Emerald on the MudHoney Rustic Spring set that she gifted me. Thanks Em! And yeah, that is a a fortune teller table in the corner. Stay away from Ouija Boards folks, stay very far away.

I love going outside and looking at all my lovely landscape loveliness from the Sea Hole.


On the other side of the courtyard is a nice area to put more decor or have an easel and canvas ready.

Thank you for letting me show you around this great lodge. CROSS Jupiter, the creator and owner of Zacca, is so nice and is great with customer service. Kudos to him for such a lovely build!

Zacca Store: Zacca
Zacca Demos: Zacca Demos

Outside
Landscape (trees, bushes, grass): Sea Hole Garden
easel and canvas: Marketplace
chairs: LISP, Autumn Shades in Olive and Rust
welcome mat: Pestique, FREEBIE!!!

Kitchen
table and chairs: *Tatty Soup*
paisley decal: [croire]
stove: ![CoCo], CozyStove, red
side table and cake: LISP, Traditional Hearth Console and Fancy Cake

Living Area
beanbag: ::Ragdoll's cut::, Beanbag Fading Violet
bottle light: *Art Dummy!
wall hangings: [croire], Buttefly Shadow Box, 'rainy day' and and 'in bloom'
curtains: *Tatty Soup*
birdhouse: [croire]
side table: {theosophy}, Berwick Console A
plant on table: Flower Power

Bedroom
bedroom set (bed, bedside tables and lamps): UrbanizeD, "Heavenly" Bed Set
enjoy this moment decal: :CP:
curtains, tv and stand, bookcase and couch: *Tatty Soup*
tv and stand: *Tatty Soup*

Kick Back Room
Rustic Spring Set: MudHoney
record player: artilleri
bookcase: ~La'Licious~
fortune teller table: .:Stone Misery:.
wall hanging: *Smudge*, Elephant Sun (*note* being rebuilt at time of this post)

Fashions:
tees: terri.tees, she's got newness out people!!!
denim: *Boom*, Gettin Low
hair: Vanity Hair, Imani

Sunday, January 9, 2011

the Last hours of Mary Kelly

Mary was exhausted. She couldn't remember a time that she had been this tired. She felt like she had been running forever without any time to think or breathe.  But she still needed to work.  It was 11pm and she had a good two hours still to get several more customers before she dropped from exhaustion.

It's been hard for Mary to get tricks the past couple of days.  Four of her friends have been murdered by some lunatic that has been roaming the streets since August.  Men have been keeping their distance from her.  It's as if she has developed some disease or is viewed upon as a bad omen.  She is sick of it all.  If she could just sit and rest. If only for a few minutes.  All she does is walk these streets day after day after day.

She wouldn't end up like her other friends, Annie, Catherine, Elizabeth, and Mary who didn't have the luxury of being alive.   She was going to be somebody.  Someday.  She would get out of this hellish life-get out of Whitechapel forever.   The Ripper wasn't going to get her.  She was somebody.  She wanted to live.

Mary decided she would go to Ten Bells to have a pint and something to eat.  She couldn't face any customers just yet.  And she was feeling lightheaded probably because she hadn't had enough money to buy food for two days.

After she leaves Ten Bells, she meets with several customers then drags herself home to her 12'x10' room at Miller's Court off of Dorset Street.  Mary is scared. She doesn't want to go to her room tonight. She doesn't want to be alone.  And she has felt for awhile now that someone has been following her.  She walks through her door and collapses on the bed.  Sleep at last.

One day men will look back and say I gave birth to the Twentieth Century
                                                                                      -Jack the Ripper, 1888

Note: I was inspired to write this post after the first stop of the Serial Killer hunt.  I've only made it to the first stop because, to be honest, it kind of grossed me out.  So you have been warned-this hunt is not for the faint of heart!  Most of the above I made-up with a couple of true facts thrown in.

What fascinates me about the Jack the Ripper case is not the murders nor the fact that they never found the killer, but the Whitechapel district.  There were approximately 80,000 people living in Whitechapel in 1888 which is shocking because the area is quite small.  You can almost imagine the horrific conditions as you're walking through the Soul Productions sim (so much so that I just wanted to take my pics and get the hell out of there!).  If you would like more info you can see the movie From Hell or read the graphic novel of the same name.

And now, I will close the book on Jack the Ripper and hopefully never think about it again!

skin: (fd), Bird Skin
hair: Clawtooth, Oh Juju!
dress: Rotten Toe, Love Prison Dress
shoes: lassitude & ennui, Imogene ankle boots

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Brave

Don't know just where I'm going
And tomorrow, it's a little overwhelming
And the air is cold
And I'm not the same anymore

Happy 2011! I started this post back in August (2010) and I'm just now completing it. I thought it would be a good way to begin 2011 for Translucent Journey. And just so you know, this post is going to run a little long.

Some cool things are happening in my life but it's hard to enjoy them because I'm plagued with self-doubt and fear. Much of how I feel is my own doing but it's hard sometimes, to fight that inner voice which can be so negative. I'm in the process of doing something I've always wanted to do, ever since I was a teenager but sometimes I think I defeat myself purposely because I'm afraid. If I don't try then I won't make mistakes, and then, of course, I won't fail. I never thought of myself as a perfectionist but I definitely have those tendencies. When I make a mistake, no matter how small, I beat myself up over it.

I also tend to screw up potential relationships of late for all the reasons above.

I've been running in your direction
For too long now, I've lost my own reflection
And I can't look down
And you're not there to catch me when I fall


A couple years ago Idina Menzel, who was the original Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway, came out with her first CD, I Stand (I think she's been on Glee but I don't know since I don't watch that show. Ducks). One of the best $100 I spent was in 2003, on a ticket to see Wicked in NYC the night after opening night with Idina and Kristin Chenowith. It was amazing. I also met Idina once in NYC. She's gorgeous, talented, has an amazing voice and her CD is fantastic.  If ever there was a song that summed up how I feel going into a new year, Brave is that song. Every line speaks to me.

If this is the moment I stand here on my own
If this is my right of passage
That somehow leads me home
I might be afraid but it's my turn to be brave


(and yeah, I know how annoying it is to read lyrics to a song you might not know)

Some friends recently told me that I'm one of the most interesting and talented people they've met and if anyone can make a go of this entrepreneur adventure, I can. My point in sharing this is not to brag (I'm not a bragger-believe me) but to tell you what my immediate reaction to my friends' comments were "what? who? me?" That's my typical reaction to a compliment. Why does everyone believe in me except for me? It's funny how your mind works. I know so many talented people who seem to defeat themselves, and I always try to boost them up and make them see the wonderful person that is within each of them.  It's way easier to see this in another than in yourself.

If this is the last chance before we say goodbye
At least it's the first day of the rest of my life
I can't be afraid
Cause it's my turn to be brave

When a new year starts we all have grandiose plans for ourselves. We want to change, become a better version of ourselves but then we kind of lose the momentum mid-February (or sooner). For very personal reasons (which I won't get into), I really need to get my shit together in 2011. There is no other option. And in order to do that, I'm stepping way out of my comfort zone in all areas of my life and yeah, I'm scared :(

And I might still cry
And I might still bleed
These thorns in my side
This heart on my sleeve


And lightening may strike
This ground on my feet
And I might still crash
But I still believe


So today I stand. I own myself. I own my feelings. It's my turn to be Brave.

The skin I'm wearing is from ND/MD (coz I have to bring this self-absorbed post back around to SL). I discovered them at last year's Fantasy Faire and just had to have their Cyborg Skin (I actually have three of them!). I'm attempting to create a superhero through pen and ink and colored pencil to represent 2011 (I know I sound like a nerd/geek but nerds/geeks are cool!) and yes, I might post it at some point. I think the Cyborg Skin kind of gives my AV a badass superhero look with an artsy feel.  If you're interested in unique, different and wild hair then I recommend Vanity Hair. I'm wearing the !Viola!

Also, the locations I choose to take my images usually represent...something. The sims are usually amazing to look at and deserve a tp from you! From top to bottom image, the taxi will take you to these areas:

Emerald Green
Golden Gate Bridge
Dreamers Paradise
Africa
Pravatch

Finally, I included Idina Menzel singing Brave. I wanted to embed the original video but damn youTube wouldn't let me. It's a great song. I hope you give it a listen! Again, I wish you a wonderful and prosperous 2011 and I appreciate all of you who take a peek at this silly blog!