Engine Room March 2024 – Part I

TUNES

The tunes are really nice this times and I was listening to it while I was finishing my picture for today. It put me in the right vibe for the steampunk theme *giggles*

Finally Engine Room is back and open for this year the first time. I have to admit it is one of my most favorite events ever as I LOOOOVE Steampunk – I bet you can tell!

As always I put in the credits what is new, the event location and as well the location of the Mainstore of each designer, just in case you would like to take a closer look to their designs. Mostly if I like something I do visit the designers  Mainstore to see what else they might have.

Besides the engine room we have the Skin Fair as well and LeLUTKA released their first 4.0 EvoX heads. The one I am showcasing today is the “Billie 4.0”. I am and i will be a LeLUTKA girl till SL decides to close their doors I guess. I tried so many other heads and some were really nice, but none one ever could make me change from my LeLUTKA ones *hides*

For the 4.0 line they again updated so many things and fixed issues that I didn’t even experience for myself *giggles*, for example we have a second lip layer now and can make our lipstick even more unique, as well as static eyes.  The HUD as well got an update and a new look. The materials were improved, and you got extra slots to safe your look on the Style HUD. To see all the updates (which would be really too many to write them all down) you can read the Update Log that comes with your head.

Clothing

Outfit: Eudora3D – “Iris” (Maitreya) – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024

Accessories

Piercings & Tattoo (Forehead): BodyArts – “Signum” (unrigged)
Earrings: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Earring Mads all linked” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Ear Lobes: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Inazuma Plug” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Piercing (Nose): Wicca’s Originals – “Jadeon Piercing” + “Tegan Piercing Set” (unrigged)
Bracelet: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Nyx Bracelet” (Maitreya LaraX)
Nails: V/. VoluptasVirtualis – “[Esbaa]” (Maitreya, Bento) – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No Connection”
Eyeshadow: Hexed – “Blacky Eyeshadow – Red” (LeL. EvoX BoM)

Head, Body & Tattoo
Head: LeLUTKA – “Billie Head 4.0” – NEW @ SKIN Fair 2024
Tattoo Head & Ears: BodyArts – “Void”
Tattoo Face: BodyArts – “Faceband Wicca” (LeL.EvoX BoM, custom made – take a look at the “Vere Flores” or one of her various amazing facebands)
Teeth: [CX] – “Strigoi’s Fangs – Silver Type.1 ( Size E / Wider )”
Body: Maitreya – “LaraX 1.0”
Tattoo Body: Nefekalum – “Creation (Full/60%) Black” (BoM + Materials) – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024
Poses, Props & Tools

Pose (+glasses): [piXit] – “Clementine Posepack + Props” – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024
Animals: :: ANTAYA :: – “Butterfly lightbulb” – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024
Plants: Blue Blood – “Mechanical Flowers” – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024

Stylist, Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Survival Of The Fittest

Survival Of The Fittest

To say the world has changed is an understatement of biblical proportion. Damn humans and their damn weapons. Good riddance to them all!

They thought theirs was the superior intellect. Sure, they harnessed nuclear weapons and developed biological warfare. Then they were stupid enough to combine the two and created the Apocalypse.

The global holocaust that followed eliminated 95% of the human population. The remaining survivors were not so lucky. Many died a very slow and very agonizing death. The rest, those immune to the manufactured biological agents were nothing more than mindless lumps with the mental acuity of a rock.

Another assumption the human race miscalculated was that cockroaches would be the only living creatures to survive the devastation. Oh, they survived and grew to the size of horses. What they did expect was us to endure – the Mice.

The humans underestimated our intelligence and our strength. Where their weapons wiped them off the face of the earth, the Mice were enhanced by them. We grew in size that exceeded the largest humans and our intelligence quotient far surpassed their most learned scholars.

We, the Mice, took control when the Apocalypse came. Not the way the human’s would when the strong bully the weak. No, the Mice organized the survivors, all the species of animals that did not fall. We gathered food, built shelters, tended the injured. Everyone was treated with fairness and compassion. Everyone has a job to do and no one is better or worse than their neighbor.

Our cousins, the Rats, also grew in size that slightly eclipsed the Mice, though their brainpans grew to a more moderate level. The Rats are the laborers in this new world – the muscle that carries out the jobs that require brute strength.

It’s no Utopia – the human’s arrogance saw to that. But the species that lived to tell the tale of the Human Apocalypse will not make the same mistakes. We learned. We adapted.

We are the future.

Clothing

Outfit: [The Forge] – “Aftermath” (Maitreya)

Shoes: Eudora3D – “Exie Boots” (Maitreya)

Accessories

Mohawk: [ rD ] – “Exodus Fauxhawk”

Glasses: -[TWC]- – “Mistic Glasses -Black-“

Bracers: [CX] – “Ruffian Armguards – Black” (Maitreya)

Rings & Nails: [CX] – “Creature Claws – Gold” (Maitreya, Bento)

Weapon: [The Forge] – “Anarchy Bat, Black”

Head, Body & Tattoo

Head: BeSpoke – “Rodent Carla”

Skin: BeSpoke – “Rodent Carla – Skin – Gray” (BoM)

Body: Maitreya – “Lara V5.3”

Poses, Props & Tools

Pose: myself

Set:

– Dirty Rat –  – “Bell Shelter”

[CD] – “Newhaven Utility Tower Se”

:FNY: Designs – “Refurbished Mannequins”

/sD/ – “Rust Buckets”

Story

Anne Daumig

Location

Bartertown

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

More than Words

TUNES

Now that I’ve tried to
Talk to you and make you understand
All you have to do is close your eyes
And just reach out your hands

And touch me
Hold me close don’t ever let me go

More than words
Is all I ever needed you to show
Then you wouldn’t have to say
That you love me
‘Cause I’d already know

[- Extreme -]
Clothing

Top (incl. Harness): AsteroidBox – “Alina Shirt” (Maitreya Petite)

Skirt: AsteroidBox – “Alexa Skirt” (Maitreya)

Boots: Eudora3D – “Brighton Boots” (Maitreya)

Accessories

Glasses: [CX] – “Farseer Glasses – Gold” – NEW @ The Warehouse Sale // July 2021

Earrings: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Earrings Mads Human EvoX”

Ear Accessories: L’Emporio&PL – “*Vulnus* :: LeLutka EvoX Human– Female”

Septum: -[TWC]- – “Thirst Septum -Silver-“

Piercing: Wicca’s Originals – “Jadeon Piercing”

Necklace: AsteroidBox – “Farren Jewelry – Female Fit” – NEW @ Fifty Linden Birthday Bash

Collar: [CX] – “Sinister Summer Collar – Onyx/Silver” (Gacha, Common)

Sleeves: [CX] – “Lance Bracers Femme – Black” (Maitreya)

Rings: CULT – “Rou Rings Set”

Nails: FORMANAILS – “Eve” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No_Mask (size 1)” – NEW @ Tres Chic // August 2021

Eyeshadow: .{PSYCHO:Byts}. – “Drusilla Eyeliners” (Lel. EvoX HD Applier) – NEW @ Midnight Order // July 2021

Face Art:  Nefekalum Tattoos – “Hunger #01” (Lel. EvoX BoM, Materials)

Lipstick 1: [Cubic Cherry] – “{Tenuous} Lipstick” (Lel. EvoX HD Applier)

Lipstick 2: Mad’ – “Daemon Lips” (Lel. EvoX BoM)

Head, Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLUTKA – “EvoX Avalon 3.0”

Teeth: [CX] – “Strigoi’s Fangs – Silver Type.1 ( Size E / Wider )”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara V5.3” + “Lara Add-On Petite V1.1”

Tattoo: .:Vegas:. – “Tattoo ( Dark ) Existence” (BoM)

Poses, Props & Tools

Pose (incl. Chair & Guitar): .:Tribal Tuesday:. – “Guitar Man” (Bento)

Particles: **CC** – “Popstars (Smokey) – NEW @ Crystal Heart Festival // August 2021

Deco 1: 22769 – “The Record Store” (Gacha, Commons)

Deco 2: crate – “Sound Station Full Set”

Amp: .:Standby Inc. – “World Tour – Amp [Silver] (Rez) w/o Cord” (Gacha, Common, store closed)

Clock: Visual Magick – “Retro Vinyl Record Clock”

Shelf: floorplan. – “guitar bookcase”

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

“You’ve sensed that something’s watching you”

TUNES

I am a man who walks alone
And when I’m walking a dark road
At night or strolling through the park
When the light begins to change
I sometimes feel a little strange
A little anxious when it’s dark
Have you run your fingers down the wall
And have you felt your neck skin crawl
When you’re searching for the light?
Sometimes when you’re scared to take a look
At the corner of the room
You’ve sensed that something’s watching you

I have a phobia that someone’s always there
Have you ever been alone at night
Thought you heard footsteps behind
And turned around and no one’s there?
And as you quicken up your pace
You find it hard to look again
Because you’re sure there’s someone there
Watching horror films the night before
Debating witches and folklore
The unknown troubles on your mind
Maybe your mind is playing tricks
You sense and suddenly eyes fix
On dancing shadows from behind
I have a constant fear that something’s always near
I have a phobia that someone’s always there
Fear of the Dark

[- Iron Maiden -]
Clothing

Dress with Hood: Bauhaus – Melinoe Dress (Maitreya) – NEW @ Necrotize // October/November 2020

Shoes: Eudora3D – “Vertigo Boots” (Maitreya) – NEW @ Necrotize // October/November 2020

Tights: Izzie’s – “Tights Orange” (BoM)

Accessories

Nails: FORMANAILS – “Claws XXL” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Face Art (incl. Eyes & Mouth Lights): .:Soul:. – “Makeup – Pumpkin Face & Eyes” (BoM)

Head, Body & Tattoo

Skin: YS&YS – “Immortal NO Brows” (BoM)

Head: LeLUTKA – “Ryn 2.5”

Ears: [CX] – Ostium Impaler”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara V5.3”

Poses, Props & Tools

Poses: Foxcity

Camp:

DRD – “Forest Ritual Site – Cauldron”

DRD – “Forest Ritual Site – Treestump”

DRD – “Forest Ritual Site – Altar”

DRD – “Forest Ritual Site – SpellBook”

DRD – “Forest Ritual Site – Tree Trunk”

DRD – “The Cemetery – Dirt Pile – One”

DRD – “The Cemetery – Dirt Pile – Two”

Animal: *HEXtraordinary* – “Snail Wanderer – Achatina”

Weapon: [CX] – “Wasteland Reaper”

Tree 1: LB – “GiantCedar{Animated}*Seasons”

Tree 2: LB – “OldOakTree{4Seasons}*Animated”

Shrubs: [we’re CLOSED] – “shrub large bare”

Roots: DRD – “The Cemetery – Ground Roots”

Leaves: +Half-Deer+ – “Fallen Leaves – Autumn – Ground”

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Punishment Divine

TUNES

Punishment Divine

It’s warm and tender
But very soon it turn cold
Shadows stare down from the walls
Out of the mist
It’s coming closer now
It never rains
It pours on me
So let the saints
Set up the courtyard
The unpleasant cage
The obvious point is I’m insane

Was I aware
Whom I had slain
I fear I was the faceless
The Nameless
The bush set on fire
No one ever dared to speak
“Shame on me
I don’t believe
The here and now
Is all we’re living for”
Witness my last breath
I do not regret
A word I’ve said
The strong will survive
The weak must die
And out of the mist
It’s coming closer now
Sinner and saints
The grateful slaves…

[Blind Guardian]

Clothing

Dress: [CX] – “Disciplinarian – Black Canvas” (Maitreya)

Bra: Dirty Princess – “The Sex Vixen Princess Bra Full Cups” (Maitreya)

Shoes: Eudora3D – “Patent Boots” (Maitreya, Group Gift)

Stockings: {Luxuria} – “Worship Thigh Highs – black” (BoM)

Accessories

Halo: [CX] – “Xeno Arc – Gold” – NEW @ NEO – Japan

Collar: AsteroidBox – “Crystal Collar”

Collar Implant: [CX] x -TWC- – “Tritium Slave Collar – White (Gold)”

Septum Piercing: IMMODEST – “Downfall Septum” (store closed)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: adoness – “Vonks”

Makeup: Nefekalum Tattoos – “Witchwood // Face” (BoM)

Lipstick: alaskametro<3 – “Babygoth makeup palette – lipstick 01” (BoM)

Head, Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLUTKA – “Lake 1.2”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 5.0.2”

Tattoo: Nefekalum Tattoos – “XIV (Gold)” (BoM)

Arms: [Cubic Cherry] – “{Aurum} Doll Arms” (Maitreya, Bento)

Ears: .:E.A:. Studio – “Kanji Ears”

Poses, Props & Tools

Pose: Foxcity

Particles: **CC** – “Glitterati”

Pose Tool: Anypose – “BVN HUD v1.6”

Face Animation Tool: LeLutka – “Axis HUD Face 1.1”

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

“I am not here to fit in your World – I am here to make my own!”

“It is a law of nature we overlook, that intellectual versatility is the compensation for change, danger, and trouble. An animal perfectly in harmony with its environment is a perfect mechanism. Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit and instinct are useless. There is no intelligence where there is no change and no need of change. Only those animals partake of intelligence that have a huge variety of needs and dangers.”

[H.G. Wells, The Time Machine]

Steampunk always had something that pulled me closer… I do not know what exactly it is, but maybe it has to do with today’s title. It always had something active to me… something that develops forward never staying still somehow. Maybe that is part of the attraction it has to me 🙂 The Victorian epoch, was a time of inventions, so no wonder that the steampunk era was put into that time frame somehow. But what exactly is steampunk? Lets see what Wikipedia has to say 😉

“Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction or science fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Although its literary origins are sometimes associated with the cyberpunk genre, steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century British Victorian era or the American “Wild West”, in a future during which steam power has maintained mainstream usage, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. However, steampunk and neo-Victorian are different in that the neo-Victorian movement does not extrapolate on technology while technology is a key aspect of steampunk.

Steampunk most recognizably features anachronistic technologies or retro-futuristic inventions as people in the 19th century might have envisioned them, and is likewise rooted in the era’s perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, and art. Such technologies may include fictional machines like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or of the modern authors Philip Pullman, Scott Westerfeld, Stephen Hunt, and China Miéville. Other examples of steampunk contain alternative-history-style presentations of such technology as steam cannons, lighter-than-air airships, analogue computers, or such digital mechanical computers as Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine.

Steampunk may also incorporate additional elements from the genres of fantasy, horror, historical fiction, alternate history, or other branches of speculative fiction, making it often a hybrid genre. The first known appearance of the term steampunk was in 1987, though it now retroactively refers to many works of fiction created as far back as the 1950s or 1960s.

Steampunk also refers to any of the artistic styles, clothing fashions, or subcultures that have developed from the aesthetics of steampunk fiction, Victorian-era fiction, art nouveau design, and films from the mid-20th century. Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded by individual artisans into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical “steampunk” style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk.” [Wikipedia]

So steampunk is nothing that really existed back then, but was invented by the desire of the thoughts what time back then could have been with its future thoughts… yeah sounds crazy, but it does make sense if you get deeper into it 😉

Maybe it is as well the colors that are assigned to that kind of styles. I love the combination of muted, dark colors and the gold and copper metals. It just falls together so well most of the time and you always get a lightly elegant touch even if you do not wear a long gown :p Maybe it is the feeling of strength, that all the gear and leather gives most of the outfits and the huge buildings, vehicles and structures you can find if you look up steampunk in SL or google about steampunk in RL.

Whatever it is, steampunk does have a huge fascination for me and I do enjoy those styles and looks a lot, so that won’t be the last time I am styling up like a Victorian steampunk or a dieselpunk ‘Conqueror’ to discover new and unexplored space and maybe get more information about the mystery of the time machines 😉

Clothing

Dress: Wicca’s Originals – “Cecilia”

Sleeves: Wicca’s Originals – “Amity Arms” (Maitreya, Gacha, Rare)

Shoes & Socks: Eudora3D – “Yana Boots” (Maitreya)

Accessories

Mask: [ContraptioN] – “Maskineri II Eye *???*”

Necklace: Codex – “Vintage Time”

Rings: Meva – “Victorian Bento Rings” (Maitreya, Bento)

Nails: Formanails – “Cris Claws” (Maitreya, Bento)

Wings: Luas – “Steam Commander Bento Wings Beige” (Maitreya, Bento, Gacha, Common)

Hair & Makeup

Makeup: alaskametro<3 – “Molten Eyeshadow” (LeLutka Applier)

Lipstick: alaskametro<3 – “London” (LeLutka Applier)

Hair: no.match – “No.Ring” NEW @ Salon 52

Body & Tattoo

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Head: LeLutka – “Piper 3.3”

Skin: *YS&YS* – “Petal Tone 02 Skin Applier” (LeLutka/Maitreya Applier)

Ears: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Nepthune”

Shape: .{ wren’s nest } – “Piper Shape for LeLutka Piper Bento Head”

Poses & Props

Poses: Foxcity

Set:

DRD – “Steampunk Airship – Ground”

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Antique Gramophone” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Drum Table” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Pipes Lamp” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Armchair” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Bike Figurine” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Cart Table” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Glass Of Red Wine” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Wine Bottle” (Gacha, Common)

::Static:: – “Vintage Lighting – 15 Bulb Lamp” (Gacha, Common)

::Static:: – “Vintage Lighting – 11 Desk Light” (Gacha, Common)

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Lost Paradise – What do you believe in?

I am not uberly religious, but some themes, which as well are shown in arts again and again, do catch my attention sometimes. I more believe in nature and the power of even that, instead of the church for example. Religion or the believe in god, spirits and ghosts are something very personal and we all have different experiences with that, so I would never ever try to convince anyone of my own opinions about that. I do believe in the thought, that energy never goes away completely (Conservation of Energy) and always gets transitioned into something else 😉

For me tings like the Wiccan cult – or some older forms of nature based believes – are way easier to believe in than god or even the church. There was a time, where I did believe in god and as well the church, but that did end with the death of my father when I was 7. He died because of stomach cancer and all I wanted to know – when I was 7 – was “Why?”. Why would that god, that I did believe in, allow that a disease would be able to take my father from me, when I still needed him so much. There was a group for kids at the church, which I was attending every week and after my father passed away I wanted answers. They had none besides the one the church always uses, if they can’t explain something – “The paths of God are inscrutable”. Tell that a 7 years old girl, which is kinda ripped apart – not really working out well. That was my first disruption I had with that. Later, when I did grow up and started to try to get to the bottom of everything I was told and what I learned, it became even worse… I questioned why god would let it happen, that in a war innocent babies get killed – after I they tried to convince me, that war is nothing god does, but the humans as all have their own ability to make decisions – babies who can’t even walk, talk, speak nor make any kind of deliberately decisions.

I read the bible – more than once, as I wanted answers and I wanted to understand – and the more I read, the more I again questioned so many things… for example, how can I believe in a god that breaks his own ten commandments in the bible? How can I believe in a god, that allows humans to murder in his name? I was taught god is good! I learned I never will get answers more than “God must have his plan” or like I said before “His ways are inscrutable”- which was not enough for me, as I always want to go to the bottom of things. Maybe that is the reason why I personally prefer science and nature over religion itself.

Like I stated at the beginning, for me it is way easier to believe in the power of nature. Nature is very rational and there are proves, that some things do happen as we see it everyday. There is stuff between heaven and earth, not all will notice – or not all will/want to understand. So everyone has the freedom to decide, what he or she wants to believe in Germany, which is something I highly value. I know it is not a matter of course everywhere in the world sadly.

What I had in mind for this pictures, was a modern version of Eve, paired with the believe in natural powers and the Wiccan doctrine – Something nature connected 🙂 (I still won’t believe, that the female should have been the only reason, that locked out the human species from paradise 😉 )

I LOVE the creativity of CURELESS [+] / CUREMORE, especially their gachas that contain those amazing, special and unusual/artistic torsos. This time it was the “Lost Paradise” gacha, which drew my attention. The gacha does not only contain wearable parts, but as well some cool creations for the scenery. The trees, which come with a HUD for the bones and the apples, the snakes in all colors and shapes and the apples on the ground are a perfect scenery. I wanted all kind of warm colors for the set and with the HUDs it was really easy to achieve 🙂 I added some other things to my look – you all know I really love mix and match. I had some amazing parts, which I could imagine would fit so well, like the hand branches from .Drastic. or the cool claws from E.A.Studio. Iam not a fan of ling empty legs – I stated that in past posts already – so I wanted something wrapped around my legs and certainly no high heels 😉 I wanted flat shoes… but I do not own many of those, as I rarely shop for flat shoes besides sneakers, heavy boots and those kind of style. So I was so happy, when I found the “Charro Flats” still sitting in my inventory. I know I got them at an event and then I never had the right look to use them – until today!

Again I was able to just play with stuff I got over the time and did not have to follow any deadlines. Sometimes I really do need that, as much as I enjoy blogging, sometimes I need my freedom. It is different, when you blog for a designer. where you have items you want to showcase in the focus in a very clear way, or if you just fool around with things. I really do enjoy both and I need both for my happiness 😉 It feels like 2 completely different challenges to me and I do enjoy both!

Outfit &Accessories

Torso: CUREMORE – “Lost Paradise / Eden Diorama” (Maitreya, Gacha, Rare)

Legs: Storybook – “Savage – Brown” (Maitreya)

Shoes: Eudora3D – “Charro Flats” (Maitreya)

Apple: CUREMORE – “Lost Paradise / Eve’s Apple” (Gacha, Rare)

Headpiece 1: CUREMORE – “Lost Paradise / Wreath (fire)” (Gacha)

Headpiece 2: La Biche – “Branch Horns (Toadstool)”

Choker: Moon Elixir – “Mushroom Thron Crown”

Hands & Rings: .Drastic. – “Walnut Hand Branches”(Maitreya, Bento)

Nails/Claws: E.A.Studio – “Obsess Claws” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: [KoKoLoReS] – “Leighton”

Makeup: Zibska – “Kane” (LeLutka Applier)

Lipstick: Zibska – “Folia Lips” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body; Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Face: Izzie’s – “Pores & Blemishes” (LeLutka Applier)

Body Tattoo: Astralia – “Forest Tattoo” (Maitreya, Ivy Elf Gacha)

Poses & Props

Poses:

Foxcity

Set:

CUREMORE – “Lost Paradise / Paradise Tree (Brown)” (Gacha)

CUREMORE -“Lost Paradise /Crawling Snake(Beige & Green)” (Gacha)

CUREMORE – “Lost Paradise / Crawling HeadUp Snake (Beige & Green)” (Gacha)

CUREMORE – “Lost Paradise / TreeHanging Snake (Beige & Green)” (Gacha)

CUREMORE – “Lost Paradise / Forbidden fruits (Fire, Red, Yellow, Green)” (Gacha)

Moon_Sha – “Wall Ivy 1 & 2 – Summer 1”

Little Branch – “WildGrass*1Li{Green}”

Location

Wicca’s Wardrobe (parcel beside the store)

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Time to relax… now!

 

Today my post might be different as most of my other ones. I had a year full or work and joy, a year of stress and the most fun I ever could imagine.

About a year ago, in May 2016, an idea was growing inside my head. After seeing a wonderful musical, done by kids and adults of an amateur dramatic society not too far from my home, an old dream of mine came up again.

I always wanted to do a musical with mainly kids from a school I am working at. Until that time I never had the right people around me, or I was not allowed to do such a huge project as it would interrupt and interfere the normal school schedule too much and so many other reasons, which I do not even remember.

But this time it should be different.

I spoke to a very close friend of mine, that as well works at the same school and with me. She was at that musical I was talking about before as well and when I joked about, if we could not pull off something like that as well, she only answered “Why not?”. I told her about my weakness of organizing things and my strength of creativity, music and passion for musicals. She is like a soul mate for me or even the sister I never had, so I was totally honest about my fears. She only did listen and did not say a word until I was done talking and I already was scared that she would tell me I am crazy – Which would be no news :p

I was staring at her to wait for her reaction. She looked at me and said “If you are taking the responsibility for everything that has to do with music and dance and all the sound engineering stuffs, I can help organizing stuffs, help with reversals and costumes and as well I can do all the calculation with you”. I must have stared at her with an open mouth and she started to joke about it and asked me, if I did really listen to what she said.

I was speechless as I never would have expected such an amazing reaction. So all that was left – before proposing the idea to our school principal – was to find a musical, that could be done by kids and teens but as well would attract teens and adults as audience. We have kids from the age of 10 up to 18, so it should be something that catches all of them, plus it had to be something with cool costumes and many possibilities of accessories and styles. It took me about 4 weeks to find something that was affordable, would allow changes by me and as well sounded cool enough for the kids.

I found a muscial version of Dracula twisted for kids and young adults with a lot of humor and still the basic Dracula story in it. It was called “Dracula – the ultimate Grusical”. When I told my friend about it, she was all up for it immediately and already saw certain costumes and styles behind her inner eyes. Now the most difficult part was coming up… I had to propose the idea to our boss. He is a passionate musician himself, but as well he leads a school and so I was not sure what he would say about our idea.

His first question was, if I would be sure about all the work and effort and I told him, that I was part of a school musical 3 times before myself and that I am not exactly sure how much work it would be, but that I would know it would not be easy and as well a lot of unpaid extra hours, but the same time, that it would be a life time dream of mine and that I am not scared by a huge work load.

He said he would not have anything against the idea but all the other teachers would have a say as well, as some rehearsals would maybe go through some usual school times. When I entered the teachers room a few days later, I had really wonky knees as those folks who usually work with me, now would have the decision about my dream. Their reactions were amazing and they all told me I would have full support and even had ideas how we could connect the musical project with regular lessons and classes like making accessories and all the stage buildings in arts and have some parts of the text to work in the German language lessons. I was totally overwhelmed and more than happy.

After some mailing work with the publishing house of the musical, I got the text, the music, the songs and everything that we needed – by then it was July 2016, shortly before the long summer holidays. The holidays gave me enough time to adjust text and music according to some requests of our principal and as well to the roles for the kids. When school started again in September 2016 I was done with all this and as well had made a first choice of who would play certain roles. Now I just needed to ask the kids if they would agree and as well I needed my friends help for some more role assignments.

To make along story short, some kids did not like the idea and bailed out even 2 month after we started rehearsing and each of them nearly gave me a breakdown and I saw the whole project die more than once, but we always found a solution and  asked a few former pupils to take part as well. It was a very rough and exhausting year but I do not regret one second. It was a great time to know the kids way more than during a ‘norma’ school year and they all worked super hard. In May 2017, we got another shock 6 weeks before the premiere… Our Dr Van Helsing got a cruciate ligament rupture while playing beach volleyball and I again saw the whole project going down. But again there was an angel, who offered to help and a 16 years old guy stepped up and took over that major role.

14th of July 2017 – Premiere!

I have no idea how we made it and time seemed to fly in the last 3 weeks but we made it to rock the first show of 4 with a sold out house of 200 people in the audience. we are a small school and only have round about 120 kids and having a sold out premiere was more than I ever expected. The kids were super nervous, none of them had done such a huge project before. The musical is about 2 hours long and we added a little break of 30 min between the 1st and the 2nd act. 2,5 hours of high concentration, lots of text and singing. In the end we had about 70 kids involved with acting, speaking, singing on stage, a choir and the school band. All had costumes and makeups and we had amazing help from a few parents who helped with all that behind the scenes during the shows. During the break we had Dracula themed snacks, cakes, sweets and drinks, sold by the association, that supports all kind of our school activities.. it was so amazing really.

Now after the 4th and last show… I only can look back and I am so grateful for all the help and support we got. The kids grew on that project in an unbelievable way and already asked when we would do something like that again.

I probably do not have the power and strength to do something like this right again, but I did not say “Never” either 😉 We will see what the future brings 😉

Maybe now some of you do understand, why I was not blogging as much as I used to in the past months, or why I was not online that much in the past weeks… but that project really took a lot of me – not only time wise – but I do not regret even one second! But now it is time to RELAX – at least for a bit 😉

Details

Outfit: PurpleMoon – “Oriana” (Maitreya)

Shoes: Eudora3D – “Nina” (Maitreya)

Hair with Hat: EMO-tions – “Paola”

Rings: MEVA – “Boho Bento Rings” (Maitreya)

Glasses: Earthstones – “The Yesterday”

Necklace: BEO – “Vanessa”

Nailpolish: Nailed It! – “Lace Set” (Maitreya Applier)

Lipstick: Zibska – “Lami Lips” (LeLutka Applier)

Tattoo: [White~Widow] – “Silence” (Maitreya Applier)

Vehicle: Atelier Visconti – “Paolino”

Location: Wicca’s Wardrobe

Basics

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 2.7”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Eyes: IKON – “Hope Eyes”

Shape: Selfmade

Model & Photographer: Wicca Merlin

Winter Echoes in Spring

I am not in gown moods too often, but if it is such a stunning gown like the “Yvaines Garment” from Enfant Terrible, even my smooth and romantic side comes through 😉

When I put on the gown, I immediately got a dreamy princess feeling. I added the amazing “Winter Fur” as well made by LeEnfant Terrible – I am sure no pixel animal had to die for it and it was just handmade by the amazing designer 😉

The incredible amazing head-piece was made my Eudora3D. It contains the headpiece, face chains and a left and right side part. For my post I used the silver one but you can get a gold version as well.

The hair certainly had to fit with the head-piece and as well I wanted it to go with the fantasy and dreamy idea. My final choice for the hair fell on the “Helga” hair style from EMO-tions. Usually I use a blonde tone but for my dreamy ice princess, this time I chose to go with a white hair color.

The awesome “Wassail” necklace, which perfectly matched the headpiece, comes from Empyrean Forge. I adore their jewelry a lot, as it is always so detailed that you have to zoom in really close to see all the amazing details.

The location is one of my favourites as well – Winter Moon. The whole year you have a winter themed sim installation with all kind of different corners for amazing pictures.

Details

Gown: Enfant Terrible – “Yvaines Garnment” (Maitreya)

Fur: Enfant Terrrible – “Winter Fur” (Maitreya)

Necklace: Empyrean Forge – “Wassail”

Headpiece: Eudora3D – “Marina”

Hair: EMO-tions – “Helga”

Makeup: Zibska – “Delight” (LeLutka Applier)

Lipstick: Zibska – “Felicity” (LeLutka Applier)

Basics:
Head: LeLutka – “Simone 2.7”
Body: Maitreya – “Lara V4.1”
Eyes: IKON – “Hope Eyes”
Shape: Selfmade

Location: Winter Moon

Model & Photographer: Wicca Merlin