Sublime Harmonies.

It isn't often you happen upon a store that rocks you on your feet, particularly in Phil's Pad, as most are "been there, seen it, got the shirt and read the book" kinda setups. Sadly. BUT, on an up note, I'm pleased to report yet another wonder that has only recently come to my attention - Discord.

A phenomenal build - dark, gothy and creepy - beautifully textured and placed; it looks stunning. So much so that my little photographer's heart swelled and burst with joy, and I went a bit trigger happy trying out different settings and fiddling. :D

Then the clothes, hair, the accessories and the AO driven weaponry... By all that's good, everything in the store is magnificent, and there are very few items costing over L$250 (if ANY, indeed), with most set at a remarkable L$80 or L$99, with wigs starting at L$50! Yes, kiddies, that's right, L$50 fer fecks sake!

The creativity of Orange Meili has to be seen to be believed, and if you're an elf, neko, vampire, goth, or just into something a bit more interesting that might raise a brow or two, go and take a look. Hell, even if you're just curious, go have a look. You won't be disappointed.

• Red Outfit - JOU-YOU L$99 (includes everything except the boots, and skin - comes with a hat that I decided not to wear).
• Pink Outfit - DA-TEN L$99
• Hair - [M-AO] Midnight Black & Metal Grey L$70

**MAU's & MEJ's**

There are a few designers on 'the grid' that deserve our attention, for the items they make are, undoubtedly, extraordinary and beautiful. Some are builders of extraordinary talent, some are clothing designers with an eye for those things that make us all grab for our wallets, and some make skins of unparalleled beauty. There are even those that dabble, with both hands and every other digit, in a multitude of diversity, the most notable being Mej Shojo, Julia Hathor and Sunnivah Jiutai of **MAU’s & MEJ’s** emporium of utter delights.

Every item is crafted with great skill, and their landscape articles are utterly ravishing (check out their plants!), as well as unusual and cheap. In fact, cheap, quality for money, is what denotes this place of wonder, meaning that you get, to quote our American cousins, more 'bang for your buck' than many other places. In common with Bare Rose, **MAU's & MEJ's** is often overlooked, passed by or, simply not noticed amongst other gaudier presentations. Which is a damn shame...

I, for one, have always used this shop as somewhere to find the fantastical, particularly hair, and costumes, and the items have always proved to be versatile, with many layer options, as well as inventive and original. The other thing going for this sim is that it doesn't have the 'I'm-going-to-batter-people-to-death' lag common to some others. It’s a lovely place also, worth visiting simply for the tranquillity surrounding you as you wander, as well as providing much good shopping and bargains aplenty. So, my dears, I exhort you, plead on bended knee, scuffing my oh-so-carefully applied Crimbo prims, to take a stroll, and another long hard peek at one of Phil's Pad's overlooked treasures.

Stuffz:

• Outfit - **MAU’s & MEJ’s** Fashionset *Ice Birdy* L$149
• Jacket (part outfit) – SOLANGE! Kadin Blue/Silver L$750
• Skin – [Rockberry] POE free
• Hair – Calico Kitty POE free
• Shoes – 24 Shoo, part of a set of freebies available in store
• Jewellery – (Caroline’s) POE free
• Tattoo - **MAU’s & MEJ’s** TribalTattoo tintable L$5

Homage.

Here's my take on the Bare Rose challenge...

What can I say about June Dion except that she's an astonishing designer with a real eye for the exotic, amazing, and sometimes good old fashioned, bog-standard clothes, we all need. She's invariably cheap, and can be relied upon to produce great textures, and stuffz that you can always mix and match. She is deffo one of the best on the Grid, and I salute her. More power to your tablet, lady, says I...

Three cheers: Hip, hip, hooray, hip, hip, hooray, hip, hip, hooray!

In the pics I is wearing Night Magic, which comes in black, red, and blue, and Scorpio Lady. The shots were taken at: Solange Fashion and The Wastelands.

Winter is a-coming...

It is cold at the moment, and not just in RL, but on the grid too, with many sims reflecting the Season of HUMBUG that will be upon us all too soon. Now, I'm not a grinch, but I do find the constant references to said to be tiresome, particularly with the exhortations to buy, Buy, BUY! we have shoved down our necks. However, I found some nice things to cheer me up, and I thought you might like to take a looksie at 'em.

First up, some rather splendid shoes by a new store (to me, anyhoo) with the splendid name of Riddle. They come in many, many colours, and have several sole choices included in the pack for a measly L$150 - which is fooking cheap, folks. They're also very well made.

The outfit I have decided to pair my shoes with is the rather splendid Carlyle by a Piece of Candy, priced at L$250, which has millions of layers. I am particularly enamoured with the sweater and the cowl neck as they fit like a dream and look fabboo. It's also a reason to dress snugly and channel my inner hippy, but the less said about that the better, methinks. :)) There is also an ongoing hunt at the moment for Blue Diamonds containing skins that are based on the Nora stuffz that you can read about in one of my earlier posts. At a L$1 each, this is a great way to spice up your look if you're on a budget.

I'm also wearing an Aveda hair by ETD, which I snagged in the sale for L$50, and the Bad skin (black) by MinaJunk which was lots of moolah... L$1000, but for something so damn gorgeous I don't care.

Happy shopping, and remember to fight off the crowds with something sharp and shiny.

Just Some Skins

Now, I know that Eloh and her skins, and all permutations thereof, are old hat but, it must still be acknowledged by all that she revolutionised the availability of good skin when she gave out her files for NADA. I remember all too well being a noob, hankering after skins beyond my reckoning, drool leaching its way down the pixels of dreams... Ahh, sad times, my friends.

Anyhoo, while on my travels, I wandered to a sim called Maske, which is quite an industrialised sprawl, favouring Steampunk and Lolita odds 'n' sods. And found these little treasures all for the taking.

First up is {{Uncle Wiggily}}, who gives out all manner of cool stuffz for nothing. I'm particularly loving the wings and horns, as demonstrated by moi, but there's plenty of other things for the taking if they takes ya fancy. Leave a tip - I did.

On to the skin. Zero monies, they are an Eloh mod - quelle surprise - and a good one. They are called Another Mod - Full Perms Asian Skins, and are ably done by Chav Paderborn, the designer for The Steamstress and Burando. Again, lots of other free goodies, but you will need to look rather than beam in and out.

Fly Me to the Moon

I've become addicted to Koinup, which leads me to explore any number of amazing places and to wear stuff that I would never consider before. Having always been an SF nerd (we all have our addictions), I scooted off and bought some Steam Punk gear for the recent competition hosted by said photographic site and thought I would show it off. Having said that, what I really want you all to go and look at is 109 Prims, which specialises in all manner of groovy things, including costumes, and the cutest dollarbie kitty to wear on your head. The build is also, without a doubt, abso-fuckin-gorgeous! If you don't believe me, go and have a look... So, muchachos, without further ado, what the hell are you waiting for? Go. NOW!

Clobber I'm wearing:

• Skin - Minajunk exotic Red L$1000
• Outfit - DE Second Coming L$395
• Steampunk Wings (orgasmically good!) - Mochi Products L$100
• Tanker Helmet (with goggles) - Mochi Products L$150
• CyberArm Rusty Steampunk - PrimtroniCs L$269
• Hemp rope tech belt fem - PrimtroniCs L$290

Here be Pirates... Arrr!

My pirate name is:

Bloody Grace Bonney

Every pirate lives for something different. For some, it's the open sea. For others (the masochists), it's the food. For you, it's definitely the fighting. You can be a little bit unpredictable, but a pirate's life is far from full of certainties, so that fits in pretty well. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

Antiquity Tortuga is an awesome sim, and everybody should go there just to get the true feel for what it's like to be a Pirate buckling yer swash on the seven seas. I loved it, and took some pretty good piccies while I was there too, then did some shopping for the basque and the cutlass you land-lubbers do see. So, folks, some shopping - not much - but pretty amazing tourist stuff. Go have an adventure. :D