Mother of Autumn

Made for the AttentionSL Magazine October 2022 // https://indd.adobe.com/view/4e274a38-1262-47d1-9f49-1c26ce8a0e62

Autumn’s Mother Heart

And there Autumn met me
with the loveliest of winds;
but a heart blown asunder
as her leaves would fall again.

She mourned like a mother
who may lose her only child.
So I looked past grand color,
to see grief in her raw wild.

The moon rose like a wizened soul,
as I swam into Autumn’s stream,
a whirlwind of warm memories
and soon-stolen wishes and dreams.

I spoke kind words that did little
to ease her deep growing beast.
She even trembled with vestiges
of leaf prints near her knees.

And so, I did the only thing
a human could truly do.
I bowed with grace before her,
and kept vigil through and through.

With bravery, Autumn finally let go . . .
as our tears shook and echoed
into winter’s bleary woe.

Time moved on as it has the want and will,
past winter, spring, and summer still;
and again, I greeted Autumn.

She smiled when she saw me,
and bowed to me with grace;
the human that saw fit to stay
in grief’s lonely darkened space.

I walked closer to divine Autumn,
the wisest mother of them all,
to notice lines and creases softer,
at peace with her destined fall.

Once more, sweet leaves moved from her
and, yes, she blustered and cried.
But, in the end, she whispered to me,
Love branches immortal, never to die.

[- Angie Weiland Crosby -]
Clothing

Top: Mug – “Wicked Witchy” (Maitreya Petite) (Gacha)
Shorts: Asteroidbox – “Iris Shorts” (Maitreya)

Accessories

Horns: UNHOLY BALAR – “Horns w/ pumpkins”
Piercing (Nose): Wicca’s Originals – “Jadeon Piercing” + “Tegan Piercing Set” (unrigged)
Piercing (Mouth): LittleFish – “EziliV2” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon)
Necklace: Wicca’s Originals – “Sarya Necklace” (Maitreya)
Hand Accessories: L’Emporio – “Amuletum Wicca” (Maitreya, Bento)
Rings: KUNGLERS – “Peyton Rings”
Nails: L’Emporio – “Tormento” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: Exile – “Emma”

Head, Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLUTKA – “EvoX Avalon 3.1”
Teeth: [CX] – “Strigoi’s Fangs – Silver Type.1 ( Size E / Wider )”
Body: Maitreya – “Lara V5.3” + “Add-On Petite V1.1”
Tattoo: .:Vegas:. – “Tattoo Flue ( Medium )” (LeL. EvoX BoM)

Poses, Props & Tools

Pose: selfmade
Book (with hand pose): /VaeV\ – “Miser’s Haunted Tome – Festive – left no glow” (Gift)
Owl: JIAN – “Barn Owl ::Companion – Shoulder”
Fawn 1: JIAN – “Fallow Fawn Static Graze”
Fawn 2: JIAN – “Fallow Fawn Static Stroll”
Hedgehog: JIAN – “Hedgehog Wanderer”
Squirrel: Mutresse – “Fluffy Squirrels – 2”
Staff: LUX ATERNA – “[Der heilige Nikolaus] Staff”
Tree 1: LB – “MysticBoardLeaf.v1”
Tree 2: LB – “OliveTree.v2”
Leaves: tarte. – “falling leaves – swirl (old)”

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Stand up for your Rights!

TUNES

Preacher man, don’t tell me
Heaven is under the earth
I know you don’t know
What life is really worth
It’s not all that glitters is gold
‘Alf the story has never been told
So now you see the light, eh!
Stand up for your rights. Come on!
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don’t give up the fight!

[Bob Marley]

When I was styling and shooting todays pictures, I saw a lot of things on the news that made me sad again. It is so embarrassing, that in the 21st century we still have to talk about human equality – it should be our nature by now and not something we still need to debate about! We are all humans anyways what skin color, religion, ethnics or countries we have or come from. I was raised that way, that I should always see humanity in people first, get to know them and then decide if I like them or not, but not because of their visible trademarks.I am very happy that according to the news there is many people who think the same – sadly not yet all. There are enough things to dislike someone, but that only should be about character attributes and nothing else. I am not a dreamer… not everyone can go along with everyone else – we have our own character as well – but it shouldn’t be any thing that we judge about, before we actually know the person itself and know what we dislike about a certain person! In a world where we can fly everywhere in the world and can live where ever we choose, those idiotic, racist thoughts should be gone – ALL kind of them! We all have our traditions and no one will take them away, just because we allow another one to be close and have their own traditions and culture – it even can be interesting and exciting, at least for me.

So yes, STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS if someone tries to take them away from you!

Clothing

Top & Sleeves: Salt & Pepper – “Daphne” (Maitreya)

Shorts & Belt: Salt & Pepper – “Colette” (Maitreya)

Shoes: DRD – “Rosie Plattforms” (Maitreya) – NEW @ Vintage Fair 2020

Accessories

Glasses: EarthStones – “Eyeglasses – The Yesterday (S)”

Septum: [CX] – “Drop Septum (Gold)”

Necklace 1: Kunglers – “Chris necklace O.O – Citrine”

Necklace 2: MG – “San Juan Skyway – Gold”

Rings: *elise* – “Mathilde” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Dope” – NEW @ Cosmopolitan //June 2020

Eyeshadow: CAZIMI – “Dahlia Eyeshadow – 8 Green – 90%” (BoM)

Lipstick: CAZIMI – “Trending HD Lips (LeLutka) Set 02” (LeLutka Evo. HD Applier)

Shading: Nefekalum Tattoos – “Cheek and Nose Contour” (BoM)

Head, Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Lake 1.2”

Freckles: Izzie’s – “Pores & Blemishes – Freckles” (BoM)

Body: Maitreya – “Lara V5.1”

Tattoo: .:Vegas:. – “Tattoo Dark I see you” (BoM)

Poses, Props & Tools

Poses: Foxcity

Cigarette: NikotiN – “Cigarette Dirty V.2”

Lighter: Foxcity – “Night Owl-4 Lighter Prop” (from the Night Owl Bento Set)

Bottles: BellePoses – “Beer 3M” & “Beer 01M” (Aylla Pose Set)

Car: DRD – “The Stranded Pack Rat”

Guitar: DRD – “Vagabond – Guitar”

Dreamcatcher: DRD – “GG – Catcher – One”

Pose Tool: Anypose – “BVN HUD v1.6”

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

Location

Bartertown

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Desert Flower

LeLUTKA did it again!!!

They released another gorgeous new head for their Evolution Line called “Nuri”. Usually I try to combine different skins and shapes and try to ‘own’ every new head before I do pictures. Sometimes that takes a while until I am satisfied, but this time when I saw the “Nuri” head, I felt that African-American beauty of the basic structure of the head. I just had to use the original skin that comes with the head to really showcase that incredible work of LeLUTKA again. The head is very sophisticated and with some much love to the details. I always admired how LeLUTKA does give attention to different ethnics and how well the specific trademarks are brought to (virtual) life. The skin is one of the 4 original skins that come with the “Nuri” head. They perfectly work with the Glam Affair Body skins (OVERVIEW). I will play a little more with the Glam Affair skins made for the “Nuri” head for one of my next posts, but for now please do enjoy the natural beauty of “Nuri”

Accessories

Piercing: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Septum Astrid” – NEW @Kinky Event // May 2020

Necklace: Kunglers – “Sile Necklace”

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

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

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Books”

Makeup: Koonz – “Ready2Cut Eyeliners” (LeLUTKA Evolution Applier) – NEW @ Mainstore

Head & Body

Head: LeLUTKA – “Nuri 1.2” – NEW @ Mainstore

Face Skin: LeLUTKA – “Face.Nuri.001” (comes with the Nuri head, BoM)

Body Skin: Glam Affair – “Body – Normal [Maitreya] 006” (BoM)

Poses, Props & Tools

Poses: Foxcity

Pose Tool: Anypose – “BVN HUD v1.6”

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

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Tonight is the Night!

As promised… one more Vintage Fair post, even if Vintage Fair ends today. But while you have a last chance today to go shopping, I am sure you will find all the great creations and designs at the main store of all brands soon.

Today the main inspiration was the idea to prepare for a first date back in the good old days 🙂 The amazing gown from Salt & Pepper and the incredible jewelry from Tres Beau made me do a classy and elegant  post! Not happening that often, but with that awesome designs, I could not resist 😉

As I mentioned in my last post, I really do love The Vintage Fair – I do have to admit I do have a weakness for vintage looks, even if usually show my dark side mostly. Most of my addiction comes from the music of that times. Music was/is always very close connected with fashion at all times and sometimes musicians even were style icons. The Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, Edith Piaff, ABBA, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Grace Jones, Marlene Dietrich, Ray Charles, Paul Anka anyways what name I would drop, I am sure you could easily recall how they have looked 🙂 Being a musician in RL myself, I always looked about the development of music – maybe thats why I like some of the vintage styles, when I do like the music that belongs to that certain time.

Let’s go back to the actual purpose of my post today. It was really fun to use some poses I never had used before, but they made total sense in this picture series. It started wit the cool “Eau De Parfum’ Prop Set” from WetCat, where my idea was born to kinda go through a whole series of how you prepare before you go on a date :)you make your way into your room, sit down and think about what you would to look like and then you start doing your make up and perfuming 🙂

I have to go back to the 2 amazing designs, that are center of my today’s style and post idea. The “Evelyn” dress from Salt & Pepper certainly comes with a texture HUD to change the color of fabrics and metals. and  is rigged for Slink Hourglass, Belleza Freya and Maitreya Lara. The way how Salt created and formed her fabric is just awesome as it does make it look so realistic. The shape of the dress already screams vintage all over but the colors really underline that too. The outfit usually comes with a matching head-wrap too, but I wanted to use the amazing hat made by Tres Beau for this post.

The delicate veil and the amazing feathers as well as the “Betty” jewelry really caught my heart. I adore Kimmera Madison for years, not only because she is my sister, but as well for her incredible awesome skills of designing and texturing. Kimmera was the first who released the first Wedding Gown in SL, her brand Tres Beau is one of the oldest fashion brands in SL. When she started back in 2004, ther was not even an idea about flexies, scupties or even mesh… she started the hard way with pure system layers painted on the avatar itself and made her way through all the changes Second Life made about designing. You rarely find designers, that are still around and in business after such a long time and all the changes! To me that is something I highly respect – we all saw how many designers left Second Life, when mesh was invented.

Even if this post and style is something non usual for me, I do enjoy it immensely. Maybe you noticed, that I do not wear my regular “face” for this post. I decided since Wicca is not really an elegant person, that I would like to try the “Cate” head from LeLutka. Cate looked very young to me on the vendor, but after fooling around with skins, I was able to give her a ‘grand dame look’.

Clothing

Gown: Salt & Pepper (S&P) – “Evelyn” (Maitreya) – NEW @ Vintage Fair 2019

Accessories

Hat: Tres Beau – “Featherd Pill Hat” – NEW @ Vintage Fair 2019

Veil: Tres Beau – “Veil White” – NEW @ Vintage Fair 2019

Jewelry: Tres Beau – “Betty” – NEW @ Vintage Fair 2019

Bracelet Right: Kunglers – “Elvira Combo Crystal”

Bracelet Left: Kunglers – “Misha Crystal”

Nailpolish: DP – Koffin Nails – “Flapper Fancy” (Maitreya Applier)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: KMH Hair – “F112” – NEW @ Vintage Fair 2019

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

Lipstick: Navzar – “Wild Lipstick Palette” (LeLutka Applier) – NEW @ Vintage Fair 2019

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Cate 3.3”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Skin: Navzar – “Ashley” (LeLutka / Maitreya Applier)

Poses & Props

Poses: Foxcity & WetCat

Perfume Flask (With Pose): WetCat – “Eau De Parfum’ Prop Set” (Bento) – NEW @ Vintage Fair 2019

Cigrette: +Dreamcatcher+ – “Cigarette with mouthpiece”

Lighter:  :BAMSE: – “Shabby Gifts – Golden Lighter” (Gacha)

Backdrop: Hive – “Simple Skybox”

Furniture:  DRD – “Gold Retreat Vanity”

Book & Birds: Serenity Style – “Bella Dreams – Magic Book” (Hunt Prize)

Hand Mirror: Serenity Style – “Bella – Broken Mirror”

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

Wallart: DRD – “Gold Retreat Wall Art – Protection – Gold”

Wallflowers: ChiC buildings – “Wallflowers Gold”

Flowers: ChiC buildings – “SEA Flower Art – Brass”

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Late Autumn – Soon I need to turn on the Heating again!

Pose: – “Blasphemous Sister” (hand animation altered)

Todays post is filled with items from people I highly value, respect and I am happy to be able to call some of them friends as well 🙂

After I had a blast with creepy and unusual looks, I thought it would be time for a autumn casual one – not that I will give up on the other though!

First of all I would like to mention the backdrop. The “Atelier Baudelaire” backdrop again shows the incredible skills of Hattie Panacek. I rarely saw such amazing detailed and realistic textures, as you can see it on all of her creations. What I do love the most is that she not just does clean and tidy textures, she allows as well non perfect and dirty spots. To me that gives the designs even more life and realistic feelings – nothing is perfect in RL and if it is it looks like a display in a warehouse but not like a realistic “used” place. Especially if you have materials on, her designs will blow you away in a good way!

The “Atelier Baudelaire” backdrop is a huge loft looking backdrop with 2 sides. The right side you can see on my todays pictures. It shows the desk of an artist or designer while the left side shows the actual working place of an artist- soon I will showcase the other side as well, but that backdrop perfectly shows, that you can use it for more than just one picture if you just use the right angles and crops. I do like it a lot, when you can use a backdrop more than once. Often enough you only can use backdrops only once, as they will be recognized instantly again on your flickr or blog.

Pose: Foxcity – “On Point-4m”

The amazing coat was made by Salt & Pepper for the UBER event. The coat can be worn with or without the turtleneck shirt and certainly you have a color HUD to mix and match the whole design to your likings. Certainly you can color the shirt and the coat separately. What I loved the most on that coat was the texture. All the tiny leather details and the lightly used look completely caught my attention.

The hair was made by no.match and it was released for the last round of Tres Chic, but I am sure you will find it at the main store by now. The hair is a more loose style with a huge hair band that brings the hair down the left shoulder to the front. To me it looked perfect, it did underline the loose look of the trench coat so nicely. I love the hair textures of no.match a lot and especially the blond pack has a blond tone that I completely fell in love with. I do like the fact as well that you have a so called “Essential” pack for nearly every hair style. Even if my personal favorite blonde is not included in that one, it gives you the possibility to have more than one color, even if you do not want to buy the whole fatpack. Sometimes I want more than just color, for different possibilities on pictures, but a full fatpack sometimes is too expensive for a hair style you just want to use for a picture 😉

But now I need to work on the picture for the left side of the amazing “Atelier Baudelaire”… I hope you enjoyed my first fall/winter post, even if it was a more casual looking one again 😉

Pose: Le Poppycock – “Keep On Believing”

Outfit

Coat: Salt & Pepper – “Trench Noemi” (Maitreya) – NEW @ UBER

Leggings: lassitude & ennui – “Hisa Leather Leggings” (Maitreya Applier)

Accessories

Bracelet (right): Kunglers – “Isis – Malachite”

Bracelet (left): Kunglers – “Bromelia – Ebony”

Rings: FORMANAILS – “Rings 1” (Maitreya, Bento)

Nails: FORMANAILS – “Stiletto 1” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Makeup & Lipstick: alaskametro<3 – “Fall Runway” (LeLutka Applier)

Hair: no.match – “No.Caution”

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Eyes: IKON – “Hope Eyes – Quicksilver”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

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

Poses & Props

Poses: <EMOZIONE>, Foxcity & Le Poppycock

Backdrop: Ex Machina – “Atelier Baudelaire”

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Golden Autumn

Picture Made for VERSUS Magazine Fall/Winter 2018 (https://issuu.com/versus.sl.magazine/docs/versus_magazine_fall_winter_2018)

Jewelry

Necklace: Kunglers – “Rosalia”

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Arrest”

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

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

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

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

Poses & Props

Pose: Foxcity

Backdrop: Moon_Sha – “Wall Ivy 1 – Summer 1”

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Blue Dreams

Outfit & Accessories

Outfit & Headpiece: Fellini Couture – “Mazzo” (Maitreya)

Necklace: Kunglers – “Marianne”

Rings: *elise* – “Caterina” (Maitreya, Bento)

Nails: Slackgirl – “Benny Mesh Nail” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Longer” – NEW @ Hairfair 2018

Makeup: Zibska – “Agafia Eyemakeup” (LeLutka Applier)

Lipstick: Zibska – “Chooli” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

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

Poses & Props

Poses: Foxcity

Background: Foxcity –  “#MOOD Gacha – 10 – My Runway (Black)” (Gacha, Common)

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

What a Feeling!

TUNES

First when there’s nothing
But a slow glowing dream
That your fear seems to hide
Deep inside your mind
All alone I have cried
Silent tears full of pride
In a world made of steel
Made of stone
Well, I hear the music
Close my eyes, feel the rhythm
Wrap around
Take a hold of my heart
Now I hear the music
Close my eyes, I am rhythm
In a flash
It takes hold of my heart
What a feeling
Bein’s believin’
I can have it all
Now I’m dancing for my life
Take your passion
And make it happen
Pictures come alive
You can dance right through your life
What a feeling!
[Irene Cara]

Outfit & Accessories

Outfit: Tachinni – “Alexa Bodysuit” (Maitreya)
Legwarmer: Salt & Pepper (S&P) – “She’s a Maniac” (Maitreya, Gacha)
Shoes: [Gos] – “J’Adore Pumps” (Maitreya) – NEW @ Collabor 88
Hat: Wicca’s Wardrobe – “Man – HAT – tan”
Necklace: Kunglers – “Sahara – Silver”
Bracelet: Kunglers – “Elvira – Crystal”
Handaccessories: Pretty Mess & Nova – “Soceress Set – Silver” (Maitreya, Bento)
Nose Ring: [CX] – “Drop Septum – Silver”

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Copy” – NEW @ COSMOPOLITAN
Makeup: alaskametro<3 – “Cairo” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”
Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”
Face: Izzie’s – “Pores & Blemishes” (LeLutka Applier)
Tattoo: [White~Widow] – “Replicas” (Maitreya Applier)

Poses & Props

Chair: [Black Tulip] – “Burlesque – My Chair”
Backdrop: Foxcity – “Photo Booth – Dance Hall”

Model & Photographer

A Walk in the Park

Walk in the Park

You go for a walk in the park ’cause you don’t need anything
The hand that you sometimes hold doesn’t do anything
The face that you see in the door isn’t standing there anymore
In a matter of time, it would slip from my mind
In and out of my life, you would slip from my mind
In a matter of time
[Beach House]

Outfit & Accessories

Jacket: *COCO* – “Denim Jacket over Shoulders” (Maitreya)
Top: Maitreya – “Bali Boho Blouse” (Maitreya)
Pants: Kaithleen’s – “Frill Denim Shorts” (Maitreya)
Tights: Izzie’s – “Sheer Tights Basic” (Maitreya Applier)
Shoes: N-Core – “Rogue” (Maitreya)
Bag: GizzA – “Soho Tote Bag”
Glasses: EarthStones – “The Yesterday”
Necklace: Kunglers – “Melita”
Rings: .Drastic. – “Fairy Silver Rings” (Maitreya, Bento)
Nails: Nailed It! – “French Manicure Pastels Set” (Maitreya Applier)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Nothing” – NEW @ COSMOPOLITAN

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”
Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4,1”
Face:  Izzie’s – “Pores & Blemishes” (LeLutka Applier)

Poses & Props

Poses: Foxcity

Location

Model & Photographer

In the Summertime

TUNES

In the Summertime

We’re not bad people
We’re not dirty, we’re not mean
We love everybody but we do as we please
When the weather’s fine
We go fishin’ or go swimmin’ in the sea
We’re always happy
Life’s for livin’ yeah, that’s our philosophy
[Mungo Jerry]

Outfit & Accessories

Dress: -:zk:- – “Madilyn” (Maitreya)
Necklace: Kunglers – “Mirian”
Bracelets: Kunglers – “Maria”
Rings: Slipper – “Laura” (Maitreya, Bento)
Bag: [sYs] – “Charley” (rigged)
Glasses: Glamistry – “Sunglasses PU2004”

Makeup & Hair

Hair: no.match – “No.Blame” – NEW @ ULTRA
Lipstick: Izzie’s – “Fae Lipgloss” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”
Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”
Face: Izzie’s – “Pores & Blemishes” (LeLutka Applier)
Tattoo: [White~Widow] – “Lolita-Green” (Maitreya Applier)

Poses & Props

Poses & Hat: BellePoses – “Isis” (Bento)

Location

Model & Photographer