Mariko Magic: Russian Snow Princess

Russian Snow Princess at Lemania Indigo Designs

I have been wanting to photograph this fabulous creation for some time. The outfit is Russian Snow Princess and was designed by Lemania Indigo, designer and owner of Lemania Indigo Designs. Lemania is a highly prolific designer, and the main store of Lemania Indigo Designs abounds with gowns, dresses, and outfits influenced by Lemania's love of Classic Hollywood movies. The collection is a unique blend of retro, nostagia, and modern that will appeal to women of style.

Click on the pictures to enlarge them to their original size.

I first saw Russian Snow Princess in a series of photos featuring my friend  Annyee Lindman who is a model at Lemania Indigo Designs. Annyee, modeling the outfit, was breathtakingly lovely in the photos. That was last February, and Russian Snow Princess had been withdrawn to make room for the spring fashions. Happily, the outfit is available once again for this winter season at a price of $560L. With winter scenery coming to many sims, I now had the opportunity to take my own set of photos of Russian Snow Princess.

A snow princess needs lots of pretty snow. As if bowing to the demands of the princess, my dear friend, Jaysun Dagger, created a magical winter wonderland around his island residence. Jaysun has a discerning artistic eye for the beautiful and the sublime. I am thrilled over how well Russian Snow Princess photographed against Jaysun's gorgeous winter scenes. As always, my photos are marvelously windlight free.

Russian Snow Princess comes with corset, pants, gloves, stockings, footwear, a fur hat and a number of fur pieces, a flowing flexy skirt, and a prim skirt. By enlarging the photos, you can appreciate the exquisite details of this extraordinary creation. And imagine making a beautiful statement strolling the season's winter sims dressed in Russian Snow Princess. There are other looks available with this outfit that are very suitable for indoor wear. By replacing the large flexy skirt with the prim skirt, you can create a look that is elegant and sophisticated. I love dressing down to just the top and pants to create a casual sexy look that is perfect for snuggling against your special someone before a warm fireplace.

I was feeling very Anna Karenina. So I also wanted to photograph Russian Snow Princess in a European city with an appropriate historical ambiance. Jaysun brought me to the perfect backdrop. Second Life is wonderful. It even had falling snow. It is a homage to Bruges, Belgium by the talented SL builder, Painter Meriman. Very picturesque, Bruges is called the Venice of the North. I got the ambiance that I wanted. The period buildings along the recreation of the city's canals made for a great photo session.

I do hope that you enjoyed this long look at Russian Princess. Be sure to explore the extraordinary breadth of fashion magic at Lemania Indigo Designs. At the mainstore, there are very friendly and helpful models displaying the day's specials.  The specials are very good deals. And there is always a nice group of devoted customers, self proclaimed SL Divine Divas, at the store. It is a fun place to shop, and I might see you there.

Lemania Indigo Designs Main Store:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lemania/110/101/22

Painter Designs:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ocelot%20Valley/36/146/24

The photos were taken at the residence of Jaysun Dagger and at Painter Designs. I would like to thank Jaysun and Painter Meriman for allowing me to photograph their properties.

Photo Mariko - My Sisters, Opar, Red Hair, and More.

My sister Dawson came back to Second Life for a short visit. I was overjoyed to see her as I've dearly miss her. Daw promises me that she will drop by occasionally to check up on me. I can always use some checking up and some sisterly advise and affection.

Speaking of sisters, this is a recent picture of my sister Victoria, now one of my favorite pictures of her.  I was showing Victoria the changes made to the Hidden Forest at Opar where all the original trees in the forest are replaced with taller, more mature trees in glorious autumn follage. I like this picture because it captures a new sophistication that Vic has brought to her appearance. She is charming as always. I also like the colors and lighting in the picture, especially the beautiful translucent coloring of Victoria's avatar. Naturally, this picture is windlight free. Click on the pictures to enlarge them for better viewing.

On the Wild Shore of Opar, the sea churns and waves crash heavily against an island mountain and over the rocks on the shoreline. High above it all, Jaysun and I enjoy a sunset at Opar sitting by the campfire on top of Wild Shore Island.  The views up here are spectacular. And its so peaceful and relaxing here enjoying good company and listening to sound of the waves and the crackling of the fire.

The Japanese stereotyped the first Westerners arriving in Japan in the 16th century as being redheaded barbarians. And this stereotype persisted through the centuries. Well, this Japanese girl likes to occasionally go redhead. I recently have been wearing this curly red hair. Curly hair was considered especially barbaric by the Japanese. But I really like this particular look on me.  And It's not at all barbaric. Wouldn't you agree?

I was wearing this look when I went to the Bentham Forest looking for fashion shoot locations for Mariko Magic. I took a lot of pictures experimenting with different poses, angles, and lighting. This is one of those experimental pictures: but, I think that it stands well on its own merit. I used this location for my prize winning photo in the MEB Photo Contest.

I ran into Leesa Donner while out shopping one day. I am awed at all the changes in Leesa's appearance since she graduated from modeling school. She apparently designed her look very well as her Second Life modeling career is really taking off. She is so successful at everthing she is doing in Second Life. Leesa is amazing.

One of the highlights of my redesign of the Hidden Forest at Opar are

the fields of  tall wildflowers one walks through to enter the forest.

My very dear friend Leena Ying visited Opar to see the new forest. Leena is from Beijing, China. She is the owner of DrLife, a store featuring the best skins available in Second Live. Leena has a great love of Chinese history. She recently built the most realistic recreation in Second Life of the Great Wall of China. Women are definitely highly represented among the best builders in Second Life.  I'll feature Leena's Great Wall in a future post.

I took this picture of Lulubelle when we were exploring an AM Radio build in the exhibition sim for artists-in-residence of the Institute for Digital Intermedia Arts (IDIA) of Ball State University. We came upon a incongruous sight.  Suspended high above one of those vast forlorn rural scenes by AM Radio was a huge blue orb which we were able to enter. It was like entering a pocket universe. For all 360 degrees of the interior sphere, distant stars surround you. The sphere is filled with white feathers and delicate floating dandelion seeds upon which you walk, sit, and lay. At times, you loose your sense of what is up and what is down. The effect was magical. I went to the sim yesterday and was disappointed to see that the orb is gone. Hopefully, it will be brought back.

ArorA at the El Cau

Jaysun and I caught the last half of ArorA Chadbourne's performance at the EL Cau in Caputxeta Vermella, a Portugese sim. There was a good sized audience at the EL Cau. It was a nice surprise to find an active Portugese community in Second Life. ArorA's performance was one of her recent best. The selection of songs and her intrepretations were superb.  And the mostly Portugese audience loved her, as all audiences do.

Jaysun and I enjoyed a little dancing at the El Cau

World Aids Day 2009 in Second Life

World Aids Day 2009 observed in Second Life

On December 1, World Aids Day 2009 was observed in Second Life with live music performances in a number of locations around the grid. It's a day to reflect on the millions of victims of the HIV virus worldwide and to foster awareness that will help in the prevention of new infections and encourage further research for ever more effective treatments. I attended the performance at TriBorough, New York. Prior to my arrival at TriBorough, the event was disrupted by a couple of griefers who spammed the area with prims bearing offensive messages while hiding behind offensively named alts designed to protect their main SL identities. A reminder that lower life forms like bigots and cowards do inhabit Second Life. And a greater reminder, by negative example, that compassion for the those afflicted by misfortune is a virtue that should be nurtured as acts of compassion affirms our humanity and brings one nearer to God. Happily, despite the unfortunate disruption, the events across Second Life were a great success.

World Aids Day 2009 in Second Life Video: