Hollywood Glamour at Swank

Greetings Everyone ;-)

It's almost time for Laminak's second round at Swank and this month it's 'Hollywood Glamour!'

I've created a chaise set, complete with antique chaise longue, a side table, rugs, pictures and a champagne tray, which hands out a cool glass of bubbly. 

It's a strange time we currently live in, with the virus, but Second Life is such a fabulous place to go, to carry on life as normal, meet friends, socialize and just have a bit of fun. 

I started this set before things got as bad as they currently have and I wondered if I should still release it, after all, it's a party type set and would people really want to party? but then I thought, people need to get up close and personal with their friends and loved ones more than ever right now and need cheering up, so here it is. 

I hope you're all keeping safe, I hope you haven't been badly affected by it, I hope all your loved ones, friends and families are well and I hope you're managing to keep sane whilst the lockdown is in place!

Get your real-life friends and family to join you in SL, or just gather your SL friends and family and host some parties, have a drink and shut the real-life nightmares out for a while ;-)

Perhaps the Swank event could give you ideas? there's plenty to choose from, indoor and outdoor decor and furniture, clothes for men and women, gadgets and accessories!
Host that party, whatever theme you go for, or no theme at all, just 'be' together ;-).

The 'Hollywood Glamour' Chaise's come in 4 different upholstery textures, White and Black, Cream and Vintage Print. 
2 different kinds of wood, Black or Natural, and either as PG or Adult, in a set or on their own.
The blankets also have 15 different texture options, so there should be a colour that matches with the rest of your home ;-)  

I've also created chaises with textures to match the Country Cream, Country Flowers and Regal Red Antique Oak Bed sets, these are available in my little store. 

**These chaises just come with a side table as the other accessories are available with the Bed sets**

I think that's it for now, Please keep safe all of you. 
Sending huge hugs and love.
Casey
xxxx

Taxi's to the Swank event and Laminak Store:

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/bolsena/55/208/3207

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Swank%20Events/159/104/23

Sneaky Peaks - Freebies - and Exciting News!

Greetings Everyone ;-)

Firstly, and most importantly, I hope you, your family and friends are all ok.💖💖💖 
In these very uncertain times, I hope you're keeping safe and haven't been affected by the virus. If you have been, though, I hope you were one of the 80% who hasn't had it too badly.

To help keep you occupied in Second Life, not that I'm sure you need it as there's so much going on! ;-) I've made a backdrop. It's completely free if you pick up the non-animated version and 10L (because of the TOS with the animations) if you want the one with animations. 
The words are separate so you can move them around and change the colours as much as you want! My hope was that you could arrange the words around group gatherings, in places we're currently not allowed to go in the real world ;-).
It's the Laminak April group gift, released early, but you don't have to be in the group to grab it. I'll add the LM's below for where to find it.

I'm getting ready, slowly but surely, for the next round of SWANK. The April theme is 'Hollywood Glamour' and I've created a chaise set for it, complete with pictures, decor and something fizzy! The photo at the top and the following one is a sneaky peek, but these will be released on the 7th of April. 

There will be 7 versions! one to match each of the beds currently available and 4 exclusives - 2 French Cottage and 2 Hollywood Glamour. 

Finally .... drum roll please ....... ;-) 

I've been accepted to join the Fantasy Faire!!!! 

I can't tell you how thrilled and excited I am about this!! 
I've got something very special in mind to make for it, so as soon as I've finished making the April round of Swank things I'll get straight on it and I'll share some sneaky peeks as I go along, but for now, I'll wish you all a safe time over the lockdown. Be careful and wash those hands! 

Much love and many hugs
Casey
xxxxxx

Locations to find the 'Social Distancing Backdrop'

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/bolsena/55/208/3207

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Swank%20Events/159/104/23

Country Flowers and Regal Reds

 Hey Everyone ;-)

A really quick blog alert!

I wanted to add a further two colour options for the bedding and drapes on the 'Antique Bed Sets' before I moved onto the next projects, and I've just finished them ;-)

There's a really lovely, creamy pinks version, with delicate shades of grey and pink rugs to match and there's a rich red and gold option, again with matching rugs. 

They're on sale at the same price as the Country Cream Set until the Swank event finishes, but these are only available at my little store. 

I'm not sure I'd do another set now as I don't have the time but if anyone wants a certain colourway I'd be open to suggestions in the future ;-)

So, what's been happening? ;-)

I'll be in the next round of SWANK in April, with the theme of 'Hollywood Glamour'!
I've started making something for it but I'll be keeping it a secret for a little while longer, and I'm also working on something for the Fantasy Faire, even though I'm not sure if I have a spot yet. 
If I'm not in it this year, I'll try again next year, and the things I'm making will just go in the store.

There's also the April Group Gift to make, so I might not be blogging regularly for the rest of this month, but I've have, however, started a Facebook Group! and there's a new Facebook Laminak Page too - links for both are below - as things were getting a little messy, hahaha, and I'll add regular-ish updates there.

Phew .. busy times ;-)
I hope you're all well.
Sending love and hugs, as always.
Casey
xxx

Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/Laminak-111741523773331

Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/491746008162143/?source_id=111741523773331

SWANK Event - March Round - Wild Spring

Greetings Everyone ;-)

Even more exciting news! Laminak is in the March round of the 'SWANK' event in Second Life.
The landmark for Laminak's little kiosk is below:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Swank%20Events/242/219/39

As this was a last-minute offer for my store to join in, I retextured the medieval antique bed I was working on to go along with the theme of the event 'Wild Spring', and although the main feel of the bed is dreamy, creamy creams and chocolate browns, I've added the fresh-coloured rugs and accented the bed with a bright floral cushion to brighten it up.
I've included a set of three other cushions to use as decor - as a freebie - in the complete sets.

The bed comes in PG or ADULT versions and is loaded with singles, friends, couple cuddles and if you buy the Adult version, some really nice sexy ones too ;-)

The set has a side table and wrinkled rugs and I'm currently working on some extra furniture to match it that will be released later in the month or next month.

There will be other versions with matching furniture, and I'll, of course, finish the medieval set, but for now, here's the first of what I hope will be many more new beds for Laminak ;-).

The Home and Garden RFL Event is still running too, and quite by accident the 'Cream Sofa Set' and the RFL Exclusive Candles (100% of the money for the exclusive items goes direct to RFL) go really lovely with this new bed set.
If you haven't been yet here's the LM to the Laminak store on Hope 4 Sim:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hope%204/145/194/23

Well, that's it for now, huge hugs as always to you all and much love.
Casey
xxxx

Exploring The Weird and Truly Wonderful

Greetings Everyone ;-)

I decided to take the night off tonight and explore Second Life a little.

Mainly because I'm driving myself nuts with the new furniture I'm trying to make, and secondly because there was a fashion show at the Expo that I thought might be fun to go see.

Sadly, I didn't manage to get to see the show as the sim was full but this didn't stop me having a look for other places - I was determined to take the night off! ;-)

My first stop was 'Burlap' by Cica Ghost. A completely crazy place that reminded me of the old, stop motion animation tv programs, I used to watch a kid ;-) I bought a rabbit doll, from a hidden vendor and had a dance with my friend on a gigantic gramophone ;-) but mostly I had fun just exploring the store and I was grateful for being reminded that SL isn't all about work - which it seems to have been recently.

My next stop was to 'Hand' by Bryn Oh

And I was completely obsessed with completing the story.
It's such a creepy, but completely captivating place that you find yourself wandering between the many rooms desperate to hear the next part of 'Flutters' story - it also helps that the narrator has a very dreamy sounding voice that's seriously pleasant to listen to!
It's an unnervingly weird, dystopian, futuristic, maybe even a little sci-fi in some aspects, world, and I totally loved it! Ever wonder to yourself what planet Earth might be like in centuries to come? ... this might just be what humans reduce it to ..

I thought it might be fun to go check out the new 'Linden Homes' while I was out and about and I'm actually tempted to ask for one.
I really like the idea of the new homes being in a more 'green' environment. I liked the boathouses and the trailer parks but they haven't tempted me to slice off a section of the mainland I own in order to free up the 1024 land allowance I'd need to have one. These new homes have actually made me think it might be worth it though!
The thing is - and what will no doubt stop me doing just that - as I started to get more productive with my building I stopped using my house on the ground and I removed it, along with all the contents I'd spent forever collecting last year, to free up prims for the store, so, would I ever use the Linden home?
I very much doubt I would, but that didn't stop me from falling in love with one of them!

I really liked the spacious feel of it, the other Linden houses seem a little too enclosed for me, and although that can be cozy I personally like space and bigger rooms.
If I'm ever tempted though this would (up to now, unless they bring out castles!) be my house of choice ;-)

My final stop was to a place that turned out to be another story experience, and although I thought, as I first landed there, that I wouldn't want to spend the extra time on another long story I went in anyway to 'just take a peek' and remained yet again for the whole thing.
If a story grabs me right away I'm hooked and this had me hooked, in a completely different way to the first, but nevertheless, it kept me heading up the stairs to the next room and the next room to find out what happened to the character.
The place was called 'ARTEFATOS' by Ash.

You're told as you enter to wind your way up the stairs and explore each of the 6 rooms in the 'Hotel'. You're also encouraged to use the rooms, either on your own or with a partner or even with a fellow explorer, so be warned it is, or could be quite an adult place .. winks .. if you want it to be ;-)

The story is narrated by the author in Portuguese but there is a projection on the wall (if you do as asked and add advanced lighting) and notecards you can read in English if Portuguese isn't your native language.

As I finished the story and headed to the last room I found myself smiling.
There wasn't a notecard, just the narrator and a caption on the wall:

"We know it will be snowing. We know I'm going to bite your chin and we know you're going to put your hands on my ass.

But this is a story yet to be written.
And of all the possible stories of love and lust, my favorite is always the one that has not yet been written".

It made me smile because I, as I assume we all do at times, forget that I'm living my own story (profound hey? hahaha).
Any mistakes I make or frustrations I have with my mesh builds, all those times when I wonder why I'm even bothering to be the best that I can be, are all just part of it, and one day (hopefully) I'll look back and be grateful that I was tenacious enough not give up ;-)

Second Life sure does help you feel better when you need it and I've had fun tonight, but it's back to the mesh tomorrow and the start of yet another month!

Bye for now, huge hugs to you all.
Love
Casey
xxxxxx

Landmarks and links for all the destinations in this blog can be found in the Editors' Picks on the Second Life destinations page (as of the 29th Feb 2020 - until they change them or the event/experience finishes that is! ;-))

https://secondlife.com/destinations/editor/1

Group Gifts Begin Again

Greetings Everyone ;-)

I went to the lantern release this week at the Home and Garden Expo, on what turned out to be my SL rez day, and I was so moved by the experience it spurred me on to make a lantern to launch the 'Laminak Group Gifts' again.

I can still remember the first day I rezzed as 'Casey' into the magical world of Second Life, and I can hardly believe that was 15 years ago!

To celebrate my rez day and to kick start the monthly gifts this is what I came up with ;-)

If you'd like to see the lantern release yourself at the Expo, it happens every day at 4pm SLT (whilst the event is running).

In other news, I've been busy working on a new bedroom set.
So far, I've made the bed (without all the animations programmed into it) a side table and a candle stand, there are a lot more things I want to make for it before I release it all, but the bed is currently on display at my little store if you want to go have a look while you pick up the group gift ;-)

That's it for now, I hope you've had a great month!
Much love and many hugs, as always x
Casey
xxxx

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bolsena/60/205/320/

Home and Garden Expo 2020

Greetings Everyone ;-)

The 'Home and Garden Expo' in aid of 'Relay For Life' is almost here! 13th Feb - 4th March 2020. 

I've had a crazy few weeks, feverishly building, but I'm pleased to announce that 'Pearls Parlor' - Gatcha and Sofa Sets will be live in just a few short days!

The set has a slightly grungy, antique look with lighter and darker tones, but everything is mix and matchable (is that even a word?)

The majority of the 19 pieces (14 in all) are part of a gatcha set on HOPE 3, sim. The remaining pieces - the 'Sofa Sets' and 'Expo Exclusives' - will be inside my little store on HOPE 4, sim. LM's for both will be down below once the event is open.

There were moments when I really didn't think I'd manage to do it all, but it was/is such an important cause for me that I just kept plowing through! and I'm actually quite happy with how everything's turned out, so it's been worth all the late nights and panic attacks I've encountered on the way ;-).
I'm now just hoping that all my work and all the hard work of the other creators bring in the much-needed funds for the Relay For Life team. 
If you can spare some time please head over there, explore, watch a show, play a few gatchas (there are loads!!) or just add in a few lindens to one of the collection vendors ;-) it all counts xxx

I've also made a little something for the 'Hunt' ;-) 
So come and grab it if you're passing by ;-)

One final note before I collapse into my bed! 

I mentioned in my 'Fantasy Faire' blog last year that perhaps the following year (this year) I might be able to participate with my store, I don't know for sure yet if I'll be accepted as I've only just applied - and I don't have much in my store as yet - but I'm keeping fingers crossed that I will and I have big plans for the next item for my store! Which I might be able to launch there. 
Whatever happens next, 2020 is so far proving to be a pile of fun! ;-)

Much love and many hugs to you all, as always.
Casey
xxx

LM's to come on the 13th Feb ;-)