Double News

Greetings Everyone ;-)

I hope you're all well. 

I have a couple of pieces of news! 
Firstly, (as you can see by the main poster) the 'Writers Desk Set's' are finally finished! and are now live on my Marketplace store ;-) 

There are three wood textures: Antique Oak Wood, Gothic Ebony Wood and Medieval Mahogany. The chairs have 15 seat pad and cushion options, which can be used as complementary sets or mix and matched to give a completely unique look. 
Along with cuddles and adult animations, both the desk and chair rez additional objects and wearable attachments, and I've also included quite a few extras into the sets; books, coins, candles, and the wax stamp set. 

The desks have been a complete labor of love, in the end, especially as they were initially intended to just be display pieces for my store, but I'm really happy with how they've turned out and I'll be adding some more pieces to the 'Writers Collection' over the next few weeks, which brings me on to my second piece of news ...

I've been invited to join this year's 'Home and Garden Expo', which returns on the 13th of February through to the 4th March 2020.
If you have read my blog you'll know that I've been affected by cancer and anything I can do to help find a cure is never a bad thing, so I'm seriously thrilled to have been asked as it's in aid of 'Relay for Life'. 
I've got two new pieces to create; exclusives for the event, I've ticked the box to provide a hunt gift and I've said yes to having a gatcha, so to say I'll be busy and rushed off my feet this month might be a little bit of an understatement, but I'm determined to complete it all! ;-) 

I visited the event last year when I first logged back into Second Life and I bought quite a few pieces to support the cause, so it's amazing to me that I'll now be a part of it this year! and if you get the chance to go this year, it's well worth the trip, not just for the shopping, although that is a serious fun part to SL, there are all kinds of things going on besides, click the link below for the itinerary.
https://slhomegardenexpo.com/entertainment/ 

Who knows where this year will take me and my little store 'Laminak' but it's starting off well, and I hope your lives are also getting off to a good start in 2020 ;-).

I'd better get back to 3ds Max hey? ;-)

Bye for now,
Much love and many hugs to you all.
Casey
x

Marketplace store:
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/16284

A New Decade Starts

Greetings and Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope you've all had a wonderful time over the Christmas holidays.

It's been a strange few weeks (RL interfering with my plans again!) but I've finally managed to get some more of the items I've been beavering away at for the last few months on the Market Place. 

The items are for the desk and chair set, that I'm STILL working on, and when I've finished setting up the animations for this, it too will be on Market Place to complete this set ;-) phew! It's only taken me - counts on my fingers and toes - about 10 months to complete it! but like fine wine, you can't rush these things (sighs).

There are 2 different Candle and Holder sets, both have 3 different base textures and 3 different candle colours, and both come in complete fatpacks - containing all bases and all candle colours - 18 different candles and holders in total 9 in each fatpack ;-)

 There is also a medieval book set:

And a medieval writing set:

All are Copy/Mod - No Transfer.

Once I've finally mastered Avsitter and programmed the chair I'll finally be able to get on with other things! It feels as though I've been learning mesh for a million years now! I'm going to attempt to make a bed next and maybe a bedroom set, but as always, I have to be in the right mood and the right frame of mind before I start, so who knows? it may well be something else! ;-) .... (I'm not fickle ... honest!)

I'm wondering, as this new year starts if I'll finally get my store up and running properly this year. It's been a long long journey so far, one that started in January of 2019 when I decided to head back into SL, and although it feels as though this last year has sped by so quickly, it also feels as though I've been plodding along years. I can, however, see improvements and I have learned SO much it's scary! but what a buzz it's all been! 

I've met some amazing people this last year, made some fabulous new friends, I've seen many wonderful places, bought some incredible builds, and I've had some great times! 
Mesh building is starting to get a LOT easier, to the point I don't really think too much now, I just get on and do, which is amazing! Texturing is also getting easier and I'm actually starting to really enjoy the different processes with it all, but there's more to do! and I'm determined to progress Laminak even further this coming year ;-)

I'm not sure who, if anyone reads these blog posts, I'm very aware that for the most part, they're just for me at the moment, a sort of reminder to myself how far I've come, but there will, at some point, be someone who will surely read this and if that's you, HI!

For now, as 2020 starts, I wish you all a wonderful year! I hope the goals you set for yourselves come to fruition and your lives are filled with fun and plenty of adventures, but mostly I hope the experiences you have are good ones and that as the final days of this first year of a new decade come to an end in December this year that you look back on 2020 with fond memories and not sad ones. 

Much love and huge hugs to you all!
Casey
xxxxx

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/16284

The One for Nostalgia

Hey everyone ;-)

I hope you're all well and have enjoyed Halloween, and for those in the UK, Bonfire Night, too!

It's been yet another month since my last blog! where oh where does the time go?! 

This month I've had the learning cap firmly screwed back to my head as I worked my way through attempting to learn yet another program to help with the models! This new piece of software helps with the textures instead of me just using Photoshop and I've been in awe at what it can do, so much so, that I've updated the lanterns I made for the store early on (to lessen the land impact) and have added 4 different textured options (White Satin, White Rust, Black Satin and Black Rust) to my Marketplace store.

I still have a bit more learning to do on it, but as with everything else to do with mesh models, I'm getting there. 
What else have I been up to? 
Oh, I've almost completed the desk and chair I've been working on for what feels like forever! I've still got to add in the animations and I'm in the middle of making two new wood versions for it, but there are 15 different seat and cushion textures added with a texture changer (get me!) and some desk clutter to create before I can set it for sale but here's a sneaky peak... ;-)

Finally, and this is both scary and exciting for me in equal measure! hahahaha, I've created an in-world store that you can visit!
Until I've created a few more pieces I'll only have things for sale on Marketplace, for now, but you're still very welcome to go take a look at what is essentially a very empty store - if you're interested in seeing the things I've been creating and working on that is! ;-) 
And, if you happen to drop in while I'm there I'd be delighted to see you! So please say hi! and don't just poof away ;-)
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bolsena/58/204/3207

I've also updated/changed? shrugs with a laugh ;-), my advertising (because I wasn't overly happy with the first ones I'd created). I think I mentioned in my last blog that I wasn't sure it was right, but I just wanted to get something out there on Marketplace - not that I'm impatient or anything ;-) 
I've finally created, after hours and hours of head-scratching and almost throwing my comp out of the window, a number of advert templates that I'm actually pleased with. I wanted something 'Regal' looking, something that reflected an idea of luxury and the things that will be, eventually, out of my head and in the store. I wanted to use my crest and the shield in some way, my favorite colour - Navy Blue, and, well, the list of things the adverts had to achieve (in my mind) was crazy! 
In the end, I created about 8 different templates, to give variety, that I can pick and choose from when I'm ready with a new item. Fingers crossed when I manage to finally fill my little store I'll still like them! ;-) 
What do you think? ;-)

I know it might seem strange to add in photos of an empty store, to explain this journey I'm currently on but as the title of this blog states, this is one for nostalgia, one that I'll look back on in a years time and be able to see the difference 12 months can make! fingers, toes and everything else crossed this is the case! hahaha. I wanted a record, even if it's just for me, to see how my new, Second Life store, started and when I have crabby days, when the head-scratching reaches fever pitch and I've got splinters in my fingers,  I can look back through this and see how far I've actually come! ;-)

I hope you all have a wonderful week, until next time, huge hugs to you all. 

Take care
Casey
xxxxx
;-)

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/16284?id=16284
SLURL - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bolsena/58/204/3207

And So It Finally Begins!

Hey there everyone!

It's been a while, hasn't it?! But I have great news!
After 6 months of hard slog, a lot of late nights, and countless days where I almost gave up! I'm seriously pleased to announce, that my old store has now been removed from Second Life Marketplace and the new one has begun! (can you hear the corks popping and the fireworks? ;-))

It's a small start, but it's a good one! and although I'm still messing about with advertising, and how I want my Laminak store to look, it's out there! Finally! ;-)

The first items listed were created for a friend in SL, and don't really reflect what will be sold at Laminak but they were fun to create and I've used them as a learning exercise; and boy have I learnt while making them. 

 I'm going to make a start on the things for the store over the next couple of days, I have lots, and I mean LOTS of ideas on what I want to make, so I'll have to narrow it down a bit .. maybe I'll make the bar set I was planning before I got distracted in WW2... ;-) 
What ever I decide to make from now on I'll keep this blog, Flikr and  Facebook pages updated. 
But for now - hands you a glass of champagne and gives you a huge hug - Laminak is back! ... CHEERS! ;-)
Love to you all
Casey
xxxxx

Market place listings: 
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/16284

Jungle Adventures and Building Bars

Hi everyone

I hope you've all had a good week.

The weeks are flying by so fast this year! it hardly seems like five minutes since my last post, yet here we are, another Sunday of musings as I take sips of my coffee.

I've had a busy time in RL and SL this week. It's Second Life's 16th Birthday at the moment and there are loads of events going on, so it's been nice to get out and about again after all the work I've been doing on my SL home.

Of course, my Linden balance has suffered but I'm not too worried, I've found some lovely pieces for my home and garden and I've explored sims I haven't been to before, so it's been a lot of fun.

I promised in my last blog to tell you about my roleplaying antics in the Jungle and as I've just applied to train as a healer there I thought it might be a good time to explain the place to you, as it looks like I'll be sticking around ;-)

There's a really good article about the sims that will explain it all far better than I could for you, I've added the link below, so take a look if you want to know more about it before you go, but the best way to experience it is just to go ;-)

When you arrive at the landing point there are information boards and a knowledge cave, which you have to go through and you must accept the experience (which places a dot above your head so the locals know who you are) but apart from that, in my experience, it's pretty easy to get started!

There are nine sims to explore, and loads of people who live and play there so there's always someone to talk to (roleplay with), and there are plenty of people on hand to help explain things to you if you get stuck.
I do have to warn though, this is an adult sim, and there are adult themed spaces, that you're encouraged to use, but if, like me, you prefer the social and exploration side you can spend hours in there gathering food, trading the food for coins (they have their own currency - which costs nothing to participate in) completing quests and generally enjoying the environment, then you can't go wrong here.

I'd recommend it to anyone who likes to have a quiet time (like me) as well as those who like a good fight/battle as there are bandits quite willing to take your coins and anything else you have if you're not careful. ;-) or armed enough!

Links are below for the information and the slurl to the landing point and if you take the plunge and venture forth into the jungle, and you happen to bump into me, please say hi!

The jungle aside I've had a go at some more mesh pieces this week, and although I'm still struggling a little I'm getting there. I've made a few pieces with prims in world, just to help me with sizes, etc and transferred the objects in the 3ds max to alter. I really wish I could take Casey in so I had something to gauge the proportions against but never mind, I'm slowly getting my head around it! ;-) even if it is taking a while!

I had a little swimming pool at the back of the house but as it didn't have animations in it, it seemed a little bit like 'wasted space', so I've covered it over and decided to turn this part of my home into a little bar area.
I did try to find bar furniture for it but nothing was suitable so this is one of the 'things' I mentioned in my last blog that I'd be making.
Thought it might be fun to do a before and after shot! hopefully, by next Sunday, I can show you the finished item ;-)

Actually, whilst I was looking for bar furniture I found a really good animated drinks place and bought a few crates along with a celebration pack, you can find the slurl below, and I'll be going back to buy more once I've finished the build, but for now, it's nice to just merrily plod along doing bits and pieces here and there ;-)

Or not ;-) having a drink and dancing the night away is still doing something isn't it? ;-)

I guess that's it for this week. I hope hope hope I have something to show you next week! fingers, toes, and everything else crossed!!
Until then, I hope you all have a wonderful week and I'll see you soon!
Huge hugs
Casey
xxxxx

Link for Amazon Jungle Information:
https://issuu.com/avajhamin0/docs/l_amour_diversity_mag_-_iss24?fbclid=IwAR0pROrPSscoHOjmsucfPrPdisqjWgpPlp5a4J7Y6mZHmXOB4A9kQuL7FXc

Amazon SLURL:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Glint/213/27/21

No.59 Bar Equipment SLURL:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Chatham/220/203/25

A brand new home and fresh new outlook.

Where do I begin as it's been almost a month since my last blog post? ....

The month of May proved to be a little bit difficult in RL, but a couple of weeks ago I got my mojo back and I've been working on my RL business as well as setting up a new SL home and role-playing in a jungle!

Up until yesterday, I hadn't logged into 3ds Max for almost four weeks, but I wanted a picture for one of the walls in my new home and I couldn't find what I wanted inworld, so at 10pm last night I logged in and it all came flooding back.

I don't honestly know what I was worried about, but I was. I thought I'd have forgotten it all and I'd have to start again, stupid hey? But it was fine, and apart from a couple of umming and ahhing moments, I created the picture without any problems. I loaded it in world and it's now where I needed it in the lounge.

So why have I moved? ...

Well, there are a number of reasons, the first one being that, although I loved the estate my old home was on, and I'd forever recommend it to anyone who wanted to live the medieval, steampunk, fantasy life in SL, this time around in Second Life though I'm not so focused on the purely medieval world. I want to expand and create a number of different things and I needed a space to call home that not only reflected my new outlook but was completely different from anything I'd ever had in SL.
Don't get me wrong, I do still love the fantasy world, I love old furniture and the darker the better but I'm not solely focused on the Tudor/Gothic like I was last time.

I left the old sims about 6 weeks ago, after buying mainland (which is the second reason I left - I'm trying to keep costs down a little).
I put up a house and decorated it, but it just wasn't 'me'. Then on 50L Friday last week, there was a house included in the sale and on a whim I bought it. In the end, I didn't use it, as it still wasn't right, but it started a much-needed rethink in my head, to go out and look for what I really wanted.
And boy did I find it! I actually had trouble choosing which house to get in the end, because I loved so many at the store I found! (I've added slurls for some stores I've used below)

After a couple of hours pondering (coughs ... more like 5!), teleporting back and forth between three homes I'd whittled it down to, I picked one that was perfect for me and I absolutely love it.
There are times in SL that just spark your imagination when you're filled with fire and a plan and you just have to go with it, whether it's a new look for your avvie, a party to organize, a wedding, or a new home! and that's pretty much what happened. I'd been floating around for a few weeks (in the jungle! but I'll do a separate blog for that) until the 50L sale and then 'BAM' one simple purchase changed everything. It woke me up and has thankfully reignited the fire I first had back in January.

I landscaped the rocks and placed the house where I wanted it - overlooking the sea, then it was time to decorate, and I purposefully didn't use anything I already had or have made. I wanted a fresh start and a fresh perspective and a place to come home to that wasn't work. If that makes sense?

When I started building in 2007 it was because I couldn't find the furniture I wanted for my castle, but it's nice to have a change, especially if you've been looking at something for hours on end, either creating or animating. I didn't have that last time. I've already said in an earlier blog that I don't intend to spend all my time in SL building, and when I get the store going again - because it will still happen ;-), I wanted a space away from the 'store', somewhere to escape to that's not filled with my own creations. Somewhere to meet up with friends and just potter about on. There will, of course, be bits I make, because there are things that I can't find and want to have, so I'll have a go at making them, but for the most part I wanted other creators things and there are, as I've also said before, some amazing makers out there now.

I haven't finished it all yet, I kind of like the idea of finding pieces as I go along now, or making bits as I realize it's just not out there. I've gone for a vintage, antique, Mediterranean look, which is a bit dark and grungy, but then, I love dark and grungy ;-) and well, honestly, even though we'd all like to think people loved our decorating style, does it matter if no one else does? if you're happy with the place you've created as a home, then really, it doesn't ;-).

As with RL, there will be lovers and haters, of everything you do, whether it's how you look or dress or where you live or what you believe. There are stores in SL that I don't particularly like and others that I truly think are magical and amazing, which is just how people will react to things I create. Laminak will be loved and hated and that's totally fine because it's the diversity we have in RL and SL that make both worlds so special and quite frankly, wouldn't life be incredibly boring if we all liked the same?

Hopefully, this little blip I've experienced has now come to an end and together with my home ;-) and my new found focus on 3ds Max and my RL business I'll be back to updating this weekly again.
Until next time, big hugs and safe paths to you all ;-)
Love
Casey
xxxx

House from Scarlet Creative: 
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Scarlet%20Creative/232/22/26

Rocks and Mossy Steps from Skye:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Skye%20Elgol/159/106/24

Garden Walls and Old Bell Tower from GOOSE: 
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Oyster%20Pond/174/111/31

As I've used numerous stores for the decorating I sadly can't create a slurl list for you, but, if there's an item in one of the pictures you like and want to know the creator of just leave me a message and I'll do my best to let you know where to get it. ;-)

Enchantment, Dragons and Butterflies

Greetings Everyone ;-)

I wasn't sure if I was going to do a post this week, but after visiting Enchantment I felt inspired!

I've been spoilt recently with amazing places to go and things to see in the fantasy realm within Second Life!

This week the new round of Enchantment - 'The Iron Thrones' based on Game of Thrones - opened, which I think is a quarterly event (don't quote me on this though ;-)) and one that's definitely worth visiting if you like all things fantasy.

Slight confession here, I've never watched a single episode of Game of Thrones! I know I'm one of the very few in this world who hasn't succumbed to the charms of this fantastical saga and considering I'm so in to fantasy I know this must sound odd, but when I first cottoned on to it it was in its third season and I hate trying to play catch up, so I haven't started watching.
I can still appreciate the aesthetics though and it's nice to see what the creators have made to go along with the theme.
As always at these marvellous events, there's a huge amount to tempt lindens from you, furniture and clothes, skins, animals and of course the Gatcha machines! I was good though and pretty much kept my linden balance intact, although, coughs, I did have to play the dragon Gatcha a couple of times! And I almost, almost, bought one of the Teegle Animesh Unicorns but I decided to put it on my growing list of 'Things I'd Love to Have' when Laminak is open. The 'list' such as it is, isn't huge, more like a little promise to myself that's spurring me on to continue with my studies and mesh building ;-)

 Speaking of mesh, what have I been up to this week?
Well, I started to make a chair to go with my desk (which I added a picture of in my last blog) but it's almost like I have too many ideas for what I want to build and instead of creating a suitable seat I twisted myself in knots and in the end I decided to put it to one side for a while.
Instead, I thought I'd have a go at making an ornament, something simple and easy to do so that I didn't get disheartened. Three days later! I finally finished and I now know I could have made it quicker! but hey, this is all a learning curve and I'll make the necessary adjustments to lessen the land impact for when it's in the store. I won't reveal the whole item, I want the store's wares to be a surprise but here's yet another sneak peek ...

I guess that's it for now if you would like to visit Enchantment please check out their website (link below) or join the group in world.
Hope you all have a fab week!
Love and hugs as always ;-)
Casey
xxxx

https://enchantmentsl.com/