I did my "homework" today! Hurray, I made my way through no less than eight different ear skin tones that I had had notecards for waiting in my inventory. I've been so bad about them, one request was from mid July... eek. Luckily that person was very understanding and was quite sympathetic, I didn't charge them for it. But ugh, they all blend together after a while. And I want to smack someone whenever I see Redgrave on the card... ugh, their demos are NOT "ear tone friendly".
I created something beautiful the other night... something I've sketched and drawn very distinctly throughout my whole life. Literally! Over the years a very specific shape and style has manifested itself, and like my fiance said, it's like I plucked one of them out of my sketches and put it into a 3d reality. I made a dragon mask :) And it's peeerdy. Hopefully I'll have pictures of it tomorrow, if I post.
The if is because I'm going away for the weekend to go ren fairing, weeee! Time to play dress up, wear my RL mask and shop for more. And I get to show Bonnie (the woman who made the ORIGINAL swan hat that inspired Gracile) a few snaps of how much people have loved wearing that hat. I might have limited internet access, but if I log on at all it will be only to resolve failed transactions, any other CS I'll probably be doing over email.
I'll be talking to a few real mask makers there. Last year I spoke to the very talented Wendy Klein (now Wendy Drolma, she changed her name to the Tibetan word for Tara), and she offered to make one or a few of my designs real. This entire year I've struggled to come up with designs that would be unique enough and distinctive enough to be worthy of it, with the same sort of focus on form that she excels at. The only mask I've made that comes close to what I'm looking for I think is Le Fleur. But I have some sketches... hopefully now that I've created a base selection of more simple masks, going into the next year I'll be able to make more elaborate ones. How cool would that be though? Owning a real Siyu mask with your avatar having matching one?
Hehe, ok I'm off to bed, but looking forward to this weekend.
Monday, August 25, 2008
I realized today that this marks the longest period of time I've gone without releasing anything. The last of the pirate stuff was released June 26th, and it's now two months afterwards. Even my vacation in December '07 had me back and chipper and producing a month after.
My being washed out from the pirate stuff, and then the whole copybot thing (which STILL hasn't been solved to my satisfaction... I'm actually going to file another DMCA, I've decided this.), and then my being sick as just been one thing into another of delays, delays, delays.
Here's an update:
I'm feeling much better :) I still have the coughs/sniffles every now and then but I've proclaimed myself no longer sick. So thank you so much to everyone who's wished me well and a speedy recovery back to my chipper self, it helped and hey, it worked! :D
I've decided to just give up on my hopes of a summer ball. I'm really so sorry to everyone that's been on their toes and ready to get on their dancing shoes, I'm kind of upset about it too. I've realized now, for next year, if I don't do it in June, I'm not going to do it. I've decided to shift the theme to the halloween ball, since it works. The theme for the halloween ball in October will be a Goblin Masque, and I'll be trying to get all manner of interesting creatures and animals out in time for that.
October is also the month of the jewelry expo, so this is going to give me September to work to get new masks and new jewelry. I've decided my jewelry theme is going to be Tibetan/ Moroccan/Indian, so chunky, exotic, middle eastern bangles and earrings and collars. I might change but right now I've got some great ideas, we'll see how those pan out.
The only thing I've created in the past two months is a gigantic piece of cheese.
I'm sorry o.O
My being washed out from the pirate stuff, and then the whole copybot thing (which STILL hasn't been solved to my satisfaction... I'm actually going to file another DMCA, I've decided this.), and then my being sick as just been one thing into another of delays, delays, delays.
Here's an update:
I'm feeling much better :) I still have the coughs/sniffles every now and then but I've proclaimed myself no longer sick. So thank you so much to everyone who's wished me well and a speedy recovery back to my chipper self, it helped and hey, it worked! :D
I've decided to just give up on my hopes of a summer ball. I'm really so sorry to everyone that's been on their toes and ready to get on their dancing shoes, I'm kind of upset about it too. I've realized now, for next year, if I don't do it in June, I'm not going to do it. I've decided to shift the theme to the halloween ball, since it works. The theme for the halloween ball in October will be a Goblin Masque, and I'll be trying to get all manner of interesting creatures and animals out in time for that.
October is also the month of the jewelry expo, so this is going to give me September to work to get new masks and new jewelry. I've decided my jewelry theme is going to be Tibetan/ Moroccan/Indian, so chunky, exotic, middle eastern bangles and earrings and collars. I might change but right now I've got some great ideas, we'll see how those pan out.
The only thing I've created in the past two months is a gigantic piece of cheese.
I'm sorry o.O
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Eugh, I'm a plague carrier right now. I've been rather quiet lately, because I was having fun out in the real world and enjoying the (gorgeous!) weather, but apparently leaving my happy little den of a work has exposed me to DISEASE. Not much to do except sleep it off and wait for my head to get unclogged.
I had some big plans for August, like working on stuff for the Jewelry Expo (coming up in October!), doing a sim for Dreams Anubis, finishing my Shaman collection, starting some limited edition headdresses...
Eh, it can wait. *snortles and downs some Nyquil*
I had some big plans for August, like working on stuff for the Jewelry Expo (coming up in October!), doing a sim for Dreams Anubis, finishing my Shaman collection, starting some limited edition headdresses...
Eh, it can wait. *snortles and downs some Nyquil*
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Pricing Thoughts (for renting)
Ok, so I got out my calculator and sketched together some thoughts about the prices of my tree house apartments. The infrastructure is pretty much in place, I think I know how things flow, I just need to do detail work like adding sitting areas and privacy options, making specialized furniture, some sort of elevator to get up there, and landscaping the bottom to something more appealing when you inevitably plummet after a clumsy landing.
Right now there are nine units (wooot! I met my goal!), with four "lofts" and five full apartments. Basically the difference is that a full apartment has more space, with an area that could be used for sitting and lounging and a spot where you could put a bed or a photo studio if you needed. A loft is much smaller, and much higher, and basically only gives you enough space to put up some chairs and a posing stand (but the views are phenomenal). Every tree has its own sort of common area, where the residents can meet together, decorate together, or just hang out. I've already decided that as a tenant of the island, you'll have these rights:
♦ At least 350 prims, possibly 400, to decorate with and to work on your own projects either up in your home, or in one of your common areas.
♦ Use of the event hall once every six months, possibly more if there's a need for it.
♦ The option of having your space be furnished with furniture made by me that fits the theme of the tree house. (But owned by you, and so counting toward your prims, but I'll make 'em lean and mean to the best of my abilities.)
♦ Be a part of an exclusive community (muahaha) of awesome, artistic, and fabulous friends. I won't be letting just anyone rent here, so issues with neighbors should be minimal, and a feeling of camaraderie is probably going to be the biggest part of what makes this place special. Already I have a few friends reserving spots, so the people I choose to accept will be people I feel will get along well with the current tenants (and me!).
♦ Be able to request reasonable changes to your environment, such as additional sitting areas in the branches around you or expansions where I agree are appropriate. Also, furniture suggestions as to things you'd like added to your area.
♦ Conflict resolution with your neighbors to the best of my abilities as a mediator.
For that, I've decided to try out pricing the lofts at $5000L per month, and the full apartments at $6500L per month. This will really relieve a lot of my tier payment and along with that, money worries about paying bills and food expenses etc. It's been a while since I didn't have a steady $L income though, so I'd like to know if these numbers are unrealistic or too high for interested people. So let me know in the comments if this seems fair, of if you've thought of a perk you think I could add to sweeten the deal.
Right now there are nine units (wooot! I met my goal!), with four "lofts" and five full apartments. Basically the difference is that a full apartment has more space, with an area that could be used for sitting and lounging and a spot where you could put a bed or a photo studio if you needed. A loft is much smaller, and much higher, and basically only gives you enough space to put up some chairs and a posing stand (but the views are phenomenal). Every tree has its own sort of common area, where the residents can meet together, decorate together, or just hang out. I've already decided that as a tenant of the island, you'll have these rights:
♦ At least 350 prims, possibly 400, to decorate with and to work on your own projects either up in your home, or in one of your common areas.
♦ Use of the event hall once every six months, possibly more if there's a need for it.
♦ The option of having your space be furnished with furniture made by me that fits the theme of the tree house. (But owned by you, and so counting toward your prims, but I'll make 'em lean and mean to the best of my abilities.)
♦ Be a part of an exclusive community (muahaha) of awesome, artistic, and fabulous friends. I won't be letting just anyone rent here, so issues with neighbors should be minimal, and a feeling of camaraderie is probably going to be the biggest part of what makes this place special. Already I have a few friends reserving spots, so the people I choose to accept will be people I feel will get along well with the current tenants (and me!).
♦ Be able to request reasonable changes to your environment, such as additional sitting areas in the branches around you or expansions where I agree are appropriate. Also, furniture suggestions as to things you'd like added to your area.
♦ Conflict resolution with your neighbors to the best of my abilities as a mediator.
For that, I've decided to try out pricing the lofts at $5000L per month, and the full apartments at $6500L per month. This will really relieve a lot of my tier payment and along with that, money worries about paying bills and food expenses etc. It's been a while since I didn't have a steady $L income though, so I'd like to know if these numbers are unrealistic or too high for interested people. So let me know in the comments if this seems fair, of if you've thought of a perk you think I could add to sweeten the deal.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Still waiting for a final resolution as to those stolen items, and until then I keep feeling the muse sucked out of me. I'm working on my tree house, organizing my inventory, and staying away from SL a bit. It's a little demoralizing that their removal is being delayed like this, and every other day I bother a concierge to see if they'll assign someone to it out of frustration. My support ticket about it has been closed twice, but I keep reopening it. Again, they like to say [RESOLVED] and assume we'll believe it. I'm oon tooo yooou LL *taps nose*. So I shall continue to badger, badger, badger, badger.
The tree house has grown into a little tree top city almost, with three separate trees connected by rope bridges. Someone said today it looks quite "Swiss Family Robinson", but I was hoping for elven.. drat. Anyhoo, I'm up to eight units, with six "full" apartments and two "lofts". I'm hoping to squeeze another loft in there, to make nine total. The loft apartments are very simple and rather small, but high up so they have an amazing view. Well. every apartment has an amazing view, frankly. I'm theorizing ways to make privacy an option as well, as right now it's quite open and even though it's secluded, you might feel exposed while trying on skins. I'll play with curtains, screens, maybe even more solid walls.
Selos took some pictures, she was having fun with beautiful lighting and some really fun angles, so here is a little taste of how it's coming along.
You can see it yourself if you swing by :) Obviously I'm open to suggestions, especially about landscaping on ground level.
The tree house has grown into a little tree top city almost, with three separate trees connected by rope bridges. Someone said today it looks quite "Swiss Family Robinson", but I was hoping for elven.. drat. Anyhoo, I'm up to eight units, with six "full" apartments and two "lofts". I'm hoping to squeeze another loft in there, to make nine total. The loft apartments are very simple and rather small, but high up so they have an amazing view. Well. every apartment has an amazing view, frankly. I'm theorizing ways to make privacy an option as well, as right now it's quite open and even though it's secluded, you might feel exposed while trying on skins. I'll play with curtains, screens, maybe even more solid walls.
Selos took some pictures, she was having fun with beautiful lighting and some really fun angles, so here is a little taste of how it's coming along.
You can see it yourself if you swing by :) Obviously I'm open to suggestions, especially about landscaping on ground level.
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