Fantasy Faire, Life and Work

Greetings Everybody!

Another week has passed by and it's been a busy, busy, busy one for me.

I'd hoped to get through all the 'Fantasy Faire' sims this week before it ended yesterday but sadly; as it's seriously huge! I didn't manage to properly explore it all. I did get around most of it though and I bought a few bits from the RFL (Relay for life - American Cancer Society) vendors to help (main picture above shows the things I purchased and won on a few gatchas) because although the charity is based in America the cause is one that is actually close to my heart.

You see, (and I guess there's no better time to talk about this, seeing as the subject has been brought up) I lost my Mum to Cancer last October and I know many, many people will have experience of this horrible disease affecting them in some way, whether it's yourself who has had it, or a friend, or like me, a very close family member, when it happens to you it's hard to put into words how utterly helpless, vulnerable and powerless you feel. 

To watch someone you love go through operations, chemotherapy and radiotherapy is horrendous enough, but if you then lose that person and the disease wins your world falls apart.

My life completely changed in October 2018, I not only lost my Mum, but I also lost my best friend, my holiday buddy and my crafting partner. She was the person who understood me the most, my biggest supporter and the one who always pushed me to aim higher than I would naturally go. 

Mum's Avatar

In 2008 she was intrigued by the things I was doing in Second Life, she wanted to know all about what I was making and I convinced her to join. It wasn't long before she asked me to teach her how to build and when I'd finished showing her the basics, BOY did she build! Everything, and I mean everything, she made was bright, colourful and fun (just like she was) and either retro, 50's or hippy in style. 

I gained three pets when she passed away; two dogs and cat, which has proved to be quite tricky; as I already had one dog and two cats myself, but we're managing. 
It does, however, mean I can no longer go out to work like I used to do (as Mum would look after my dog, and I now have three, and no one to look after them if I'm not here) so I decided in January to re-train myself, I'm learning a number of things; not just mesh, in the hope that I'll be able to work from home, long term, and keep her and my fur babies fed and happy ;-)

I hadn't intended to explain all this yet, it always feels like such a horrible topic and not something most people want to hear or talk about, and it's certainly not something you expect to read on a blog about a Second Life store, but I'm kind of glad I've explained things now, because if I have wobble weeks and tell you it's been difficult, you'll understand why (hopefully). 

Anyway, back to the Fantasy Faire...

I hope some of you managed to get to it. The sims were incredible! I loved the colours and mystical, almost underwater feel in the cave system at 'Twilight Spring'. I liked the light, open, old-village feel at 'The Light of Va'loth'. I loved the atmosphere and grungy but magical setting at 'The Shrine Tree' and I loved the vast, opulent splendour at Midas and the Scary but fantastical rock beast at Trollhaugan! 
There was so, so much to see and I'd thought I could do a couple of sims each night, but as per usual, I was distracted by what I was seeing and lingered far too long at each place! I think next year I'll start earlier and I'll hopefully manage to get around all of it.
(You never know, I might even be involved in it next year! Now there's a 'Mum' type thought!)

Trollhaugan

The Shrine Tree

Midas

Speaking of which, I put my learning cap back on this week, I wanted to find out what 'materials' were, someone told me back in January, it was just about the 'shininess' of objects and clothing, so I haven't bothered to look into it, but now I know what it actually is I wish I'd investigated sooner, because yet again I've had to go back through things already made to update them! 
I'm not overly worried about this extra little side step though as it's been seriously worth it, everything looks way better, almost real, and that's just what I wanted ;-)

I promised in my last blog to show some things I've been making, so here goes. Again this is just for the store and I wasn't overly worried about the land impact; although I have still made this with the lowest land impact possible; but still keeping all the detail I wanted. It'll go in front of the shield and flag display and be the place where I have free gifts etc at the front of the store.

I'm actually quite pleased with it so far, I have the chair to make next and a few other bits, but I'll hopefully - fingers toes and everything else that's even remotely crossable, crossed - be able to start working on furniture for the store soon ;-).

I'm actually starting to get excited about re-opening Laminak now. I just hope I can get everything made that I want to make and create the store I've been yearning to have since I first joined SL. The more I learn the more that seems totally possible ;-). 

I hope you all have a fab week.
Much love and many hugs as always
Casey
xxxx