Tracing the Threads of History and Fantasy

Serenity

June 24, 2025

Today I will be subjecting you to another video experiment. That is, shorter snippets cut together and with a voice-over added afterwards. In some ways it is easier than just filming and talking at the same time, but in other ways it is not. And I really need to do something about the zooming and panning…

Anyway, this is not about my trials with video in SL but about the latest releases from Dutchie and Landscapes Unlimited, with bonus appearances by Wasabi (new cute hair with a little shell ornament) and alaskametro (new FREE skin at the SL22B Shop & Hop). Dig into the video first and then you’ll get some added detail and credits below, as well as some bonus images.

Dutchie’s Yoga Mat features 61 solo yoga animations, 6 flowing sequences, including one with 57 animations, and 11 color options. It uses PBR materials for realistic detail and the animations use Bento hand poses and subtle facial expressions.  There is also a Friends, Class and Solo Pack which includes 5 differebt marts: Solo, Duo, Trio, Four, and Class (up to 7 avatars). 

The Emmental Solid Sky Landscape by Landscapes Unlimited includes four layouts, all with square flat areas for building and with four seasons each. The landscape covers a whole region, including 1,5 x 1,5 km off-sim sculpted parts. It uses PBR materials (but has legacy textures too) and includes two resolutions. The water is animated and several different options can be selected via the menu.  It is currently sold at a 50% discount (until June 30th).

Moonshine

June 14, 2025

Lore’s release for the current round of We Love Role-Play will let you setup a shack in the middle of nowhere to make your very own moonshine. The shack has a realistic, run-down look and the distillery comes in a few variants, from worn to shiny new. There are also various other props such as crates and bottles. The simple, single-room house with the open shed on the side could also be used for other purposes, such as an old farm with a small stable.

My inventory is not exactly full of suitable clothing for this kind of scene, but I do think that Rakshasha’s Philip outfit—which also is out at WLRP—works pretty well, especially if you opt for hiding the sleeves and the frill on the shirt and making it a simple linen material. But there are many other ways of wearing it too, thanks to the options on the HUD.

Pink Boudoir

May 16, 2025

The beautiful Swan Lake series from DICTATORSHOP is getting a bathroom addition, starting with among other things a lovely sink and a tall mirror. The sink comes in PG (63 animations) and Adult Vanilla (116 animations) and offers five wood colours and two gilding options.  The opulence of this series makes it the perfect way to create a luxurious personal space and the addition of PBR-capable mirrors gives an extra dimension to your rooms and your photos. I will note that, as it says in the information regarding the mirrors, these reflections have sacrificed some detail over clarity of textures. I think I would personally have preferred it the other way around, so I suggest demoing to see what you prefer yourself. And if you do not want to use PBR at all, legacy versions are also included.

Such opulent surroundings called for something extravagant to wear and I found it in this set from Petrichor and Ersch, featuring a lace bodice, puffy lace sleeves and stockings, all of it with gold ornaments to match the decor. And with the many texture and color options available, it was easy to find a lovely shade of dusty pink that worked very well with the whole setup. The icing on the cake is the short, flirty hairstyle from Wasabi, an unrigged style that offers two versions of the bangs plus mirrored versions.

Temptress

May 14, 2025

Be a dangerous temptress in Belle Epoque’s Medea gown, perfect for every vengeful Greek princess/sorceress. And of course a crown is needed, and here it is provided by NeonSheep, its leafy design matching the laurel leaf accents on the gown. Admittedly, the beautiful decor in Roawenwood’s Tangier Collection is more Eastern than Greek, but I love the way it looks in the Desert Manor from Lore.

All of the above, save the building which is an older release, are available at the birthday round of We Love Role-Play, which you do not want to miss. And Lore does have a new release there as well, which I plan to feature in an upcoming post.

The sleek hair with the seductive fringe, aptly named Felina which really suits it, is the latest release from Wasabi, available at the Kustom9 event.