Dr. Stein grows funny Creatures

TUNES

Once they killed his monster when it went into a trap
Now he’s making better ones on a higher step
[Helloween]

It is not a secret, that this time of the year is my personal favorite. The weather becomes bearable, the sun is not burning down like crazy anymore, the days become shorter – I always was more a creature of the night and certainly the spooky times arrived 😉 Now I can do weird, crazy and morbid stuff without being asked if I am alright 😉

What inspired me a lot for this post, was the actual hunt and the latest releases from DRD as well as the amazing group gift from CURELESS [+]. I got kinda an addiction to the incredible detailed torsos from CURELESS [+ ], that they have in various releases, which I showed already in previous posts. When I saw that they even released one of those as a group gift I first could not believe it. It was one of the best group gifts I ever got! Speaking of kick ass cool group gifts – the hair I am wearing as well is a group gift coming from no.match. You can wear it with and without the hat!

There is 2 events going on at the moment that really got me excited and after completing both of them I am kinda sad that it is already over… such things  I could do forever 😉 . The fist one would be the Ironwood Hills event called Haunting 2018. It is the 3rd event in a row – and all 3 belong to each other – and I immensely enjoyed them all. While we hunted for little charms for a charm bracelet laying inside a book, this time we got a tablet, that guided us through the whole story and hunt. You do not need to collect something this time you just need to find the right people one after another and solve their riddles. It is a great way to explore the sim as well if you did not do that before as it drags you across the whole sim. As if that would not be already enough for amusement, you get as reward over 40 gifts from the best designers on the grid. All of them as well made special Exclusives, scary, spooky themed for the event – It is a shopping paradise for all those who love the darker side of life 😉

Speaking of the best designers on the grid, I cannot miss DRD. Deathrow Designs, is one of my all time favorites anyways if it is clothing, accessories or structures/buildings. They have a certain way of their designing and texturing, you would discover them under a million of other designers. The skills of the whole team is incredibly amazing and incomparable. They as well are part of the Ironwood Hills event with their mega amazing Reanimator Gacha – you can gamble for it or just buy the whole set. The whole set screams Dr. Stein with the tower and it’s furniture as well as the reward gift for completing the Ironwood Hills hunt. Last year round about the same time they introduced their Shadow Box. A monthly subscription box over 6 month with a final reward gift if you bought all 6 of them. My today background is exactly that final gift with various furniture items that were in the shadow boxes. Obviously I used the dark version – for the Shadow boxes you always got one light and one dark version.

DRD has as well an event going on, the Reanimator Hunt. You just have to grab the hunt HUD at the landing point and roam around the DRD sim along a path they mentioned in the NC. While walking around, you will find little skulls and just by clicking them you will get your hunt items until you collected all and can grab your final 10th gift back at the landing point. What I loved is that the skulls are not permanent. As soon as you lick them they vanish and spawn somewhere else randomly. That makes sure everyone has the same hunting experience 🙂

As a little plus and for all that love to collect things they have a neat addition to the hunt The Steins – 11 unique, in character dressed avatars of their staff – appear randomly on the sim and you have to ask them a specific question (you find that one in the DRD group notices). If you asked the right question each of them will hand you a unique, personalized journal – I still miss 3 of them but I will keep hunting them down 😉

Don’t miss either Ironwood Hills or the Reanimator Hunt @ DRD, before October is over – There is not many chances for free hunts and games in such an amazing quality!

Outfit & Accessories

Torso: CURELESS [+] – “Cadavre Exquis” (Maitreya) – NEW Group Gift

Panty: CURELESS [+] – “Anatomic Doll / Skeletal System / Panty / RARE” (Maitreya, Gacha)

Collar: Asteroid Box – “Caelum Collar” (Maitreya) – NEW @ Red Light District

Shoes: UTOPIA@Design – “Alice” (Maitreya)

Bracers: Wicca’s Wardrobe – “Trinity Bracers [Black]” (Maitreya, Gacha)

Bracelets (Incl. Blood Tattoo): CURELESS [+] – “Barbedwire Cuffs”

Nails: Meva – “Bento Claws Dark” (Maitreya)

Bunnies: CURELESS [+] – “Bunny Dool” (Group Gift)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Scary” – NEW Group Gift

Makeup: CURELESS [+] – “Undereye Lines & Eyeliner” (Omega Applier)

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

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Eye: Clemmm – “I’m Tired / Red Bloodshot” – NEW @ Ironwood Hills (Gift)

Ears: .:E.A:. Studio – “Elf Dior Ears”

Poses & Props

Poses: Foxcity

Set: DRD – “Shadow Mansion  – Furnished- Dark” (Shadow Box Bonus Item)

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Trend Fall 2018: Headwear

Picture Made for Eclipse Magazine September 2018 // https://issuu.com/eclipsemagazinesl/docs/eclipse_magazine_september_2018

Outfit & Accessories

Jacket: MSS – “Ellen Shoulder Coat”
Top: MonCheri – “Dead Romance Tank”
Headpiece: Janka – “Novo Scarf”
Pants: Dirty Princess – “Lil Suspense Princess Shorts” (Maitreya)
Leggins: lassitude & ennui – “Hisa leather leggings” (Maitreya Applier)
Shoes: N-core – “Rogue” (Maitreya)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: .Shi – “Hearken”
Makeup: Zibska – “Noir Pack 06” (LeLutka Applier)
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)

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

In the Evidence of its Brilliance

TUNES

Love controlled by time
Future lovers shine for eternity
In a world that’s free
Put away your past
That will never last
If you’re holding on to a dream that’s gone
I’m gonna tell you about love
Would you like to try?
In the evidence of its brilliance

[Madonna]

And again it was Madonna, the Queen of Pop herself, that inspired me for today’s pictures. I again saw the Confessions Tour Opener on youtube and I so wanted to capture that mood, colors and theme. It looked so cool with her and all the dancers dressed as ponies, her way to move and control them… just awesome.

I digged deep in my inventory and it was quite time consuming to find all the parts I wanted. I did not just want to have a fetish looking pony girl, I really wanted to capture that special mood of the video. I did not want to have a typical pony tail or one one of the ‘usual’ pony boots…

I was so happy when I discovered one of the amazing !dM gachas called “PonyPlay”. I picked the latex looking tail and as well the shiny latex boots with the hooves at the bottom. Those were exactly the base for what I was looking for. The cool outfit with the back-bound arms I found in my inventory in my Ghoul’s folder. It is an older outfit but for today’s post it was exactly what I wanted. The “Bondage Harness” was perfect, but since I am not a friend of having all the private parts completely exposed, I decided to add some cool latex pasties from CURELESS [+].

The poses and the right backdrop were quite a challenge too… I needed a certain light, several light sources and as well something that is not too crowded or busy. I tried with a plain black backdrop first and added some lights and projectors but it did not yet feel right. Then I remembered a background from Foxcity and some cool editorial poses from the same creator. With the neon lights it was perfect and while I played with some windlights I realized that this would be the perfect choice.

Madonna always was/is a great source of inspiration for me anyways if I was thinking about fashion or music. I am sure that will not be my last post that she inspired me too 😉

Outfit & Accessories

Outfit: {Ghoul} – “Juuzou Bondage Harness” (Maitreya Lara Exp)

Pasties: CURELESS [+] – “Sterile Pasties” (Maitreya, Group Gift)

Stockings: .:Avanti:. – “Noirette Stockings” (Maitreya Applier)

Shoes: !dM – “PonyPlay” (Maitreya, Gacha)

Tail: !dM – “PonyPlay” (Maitreya, Gacha)

Collar: #187# – “Leashed Collar”

Face Deco: +XAnSA+ – “JianDi Face Straps”

Gag: ::Axix:: – “Beloved Nocturnia Gag” (BoundBox October 2017)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match (Bangs Verion A) – “No.Cake”

Makeup: Zibska – “LTD Noir 13-24” (LeLutka Applier)

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

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Ears: ^^Swallow^^ – “Gauged Ears”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

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

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

Poses & Props

Poses: Foxcity

Backdrop: Foxcity – “Photo Booth – Neon City Vol3 Black”

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Trend: “Uncovered”

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

Outfit & Accessories

Top: Wicca’s Wardrobe – “Elowen Bra” (Maitreya, Gacha)

Jacket: Vinyl – ” Lenka” (Maitreya)

Shoes: REIGN – “Suicide Heels” (Maitreya)

Collar: Voluptas Virtualis – “Rye”

Nails: Slipper – “Deidra” (Bento, Maitreya)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: .Shi – “Hearken”

Makeup: Zibska – ” LTD Noir 13″ (LeLutka Applier)

Lipstick: je suis – ” lelutka lips no. 006″ (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

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

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

Poses & Props

Pose: Foxcity

Background: Paparazzi – “Slum Riverside – BACKDROP – blue”

Model & 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

Into the Groove

TUNES

Music can be such a revelation
Dancing around you feel the sweet sensation
We might be lovers if the rhythm’s right
I hope this feeling never ends tonight
[Madonna]

I am a kid of the 80s. Music, fashion and the whole lifestyle is something, I was not really able to enjoy when it happened, as I really was a kid in the 80s and sometimes I wish, I just would have been born a little bit earlier 😉

The 80s fashion did not last too long but it did and as well does influence the fashion trends a lot. The 80s was the time of big fashion icons like Lady Di, Madonna, Cher, Grace Jones and many more big names. Certainly most of the ones I called by name are musicians – I am a musician myself in RL, so that is my personal favorites not only for fashion.

The 80s brought out some really avant garde models and creations. Even today if you ask people – young and old – they remember leggings, shoulder pads, stretch dresses and skirts, leg warmers, graphic tees and certainly vibrant and neon colors. The other side of the coin for the more cool kids was the vinyl, latex, denim, fingerless gloves or oversized top looks.

 

Even if my style would have been a bit darker, more towards the rocker styles of the 80s, when I saw the “Chala Ice Cream” dress, made by Rosary, I immediately wanted to do a color pop style. I had no idea for along time how to illustrate the look I had in my mind, but when I saw the “Debbie” poses from BellePoses with those huge records – I had what it needed 😉

When I was styling and snapping the pics I heard a lot of Madonna and Cyndi Lauper to get the right mood and groove. The last one even wore this kind of colorful stuff mostly paired with waist corsets.

Certainly according to Grace Jones stylings, I had to find some really vibrant and colorful makeup. What better place I could have thought of that Zibska. Zib ha a great sense for strong and bold colors and how to bring them on your face as an incredible makeup.

I am really curious what else will be brought back from the 80s besides leggings and white jeans and some more we already had in summer. The fashion industry already released some A/W 2018 fashion trends and I saw animal prints, western styles with cowboy boots and sequins coming back – lets see what else they will bring back! I am crossing my fingers for some rock or gothic creations *searches for her ripped fingerless gloves*

Outfit & Accessories

Outfit: Rosary – “Chala Ice Cream” (Maitreya)

Shoes: UTOPIA@Design – “Alice” (Maitreya)

Earrings: Ticky Tacky – “Lick Me!” (store no longer existing)

Headpiece: :Z.S: – “Retro Headband”

Bangles: :Z.S: – “Cheer Bangles”

Nails: Pink Hustler (*PL*) – “Nail #27” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: Sintiklia – “Mbali”

Makeup: Zibska – “Yumi” (LeLutka Applier)

Lipstick: Zibska – “Peake” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

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

Tattoo: Redfish – “Wonderland” (Maitreya Applier)

Poses & Props

Poses & Records: BellePoses – “Debbie” (BEnto)

Backdrop: MINIMAL – “KPOP Garage”

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

My Decision…

Not too long ago a very close friend of mine, Seaside, was IMing me, asking if I would be ok. First I was wondering why she would ask me that, but then she told me she was following my flickr and the latest, and very dark pictures did concern her. I thought that was very sweet and I tried to explain to her why I do have this super dark and destructive side as well. I was suffering of depressions a very long time of my life and I sometimes still do, but I learning to live and work with them. So if I do those very dark and morbid pictures, to me it is like checking up on an old friend, deep inside of me. This friend will never leave me, but we both learned how to co-exist. I just have to go there sometimes, to check on him and if he still is there in place, where I put him a long time ago. I do not know if that makes sense, but for me it is kinda like therapy and it does work out 90% of the time. The hard times, where I often was close to the moment of giving up, or even tried to give up are gone and that is what counts for me.

For quite some time, I did not want to see that. I thought with medicine, pills and therapy I can make it go away – I just wanted to ‘heal’. After many different attempts to do that, I met a wonderful person, that to me was more valuable than every therapist I ever met before. He was a therapist too, but I did not met him as a patient, I met him at one of my concerts and we became friends over the time. After we met several times we had a discussion about depressions and he gave me a completely new view on it. He told me, depressions would be kinda the same thing as being alcohol addicted, you can fight the symptoms, but not the facts, case or reasons. He stated, that I can decide, if I let the depressions take over my life or if I take control over the depressions. That sounds very easy , but it is not and I probably would not have been able to do that without any help. I was very lucky to have real friends and family, who helped me over the time of the learning process and it was not done in just a few weeks – it took years.

I decided to take control – even if I maybe never will have 100% of control, it made my life way easier that to just give up and live for the depressions. I wanted more from my life that what my depressions would have allowed me to do. But like I said before, sometimes that ‘old friend’ knocks at my door and I have to decide if I let him in, or if I just go out with him for a while or even go visit him at his place, where I can leave him when ever I want.

I know, depressions can be very different and there is no general solution for that, but you always have decision to fight against or to give up – I never won’t judge over someones decision, as either of both is an option to choose and while one can be good for someone, it can be bad for another person.

I hope, I could make sense with my words – English is not my first language 😉

Outfit & Accessories

Outfit: Enfant Terrible – “Kimi” (Maitreya)

Boots: Blueberry – “Celia Boots – High Heels” (Maitreya)

Rings: Elle Boutique – “Bloom” (Maitreya, Bento)

Collar: Salt & Pepper – “Slumber Party” (Gacha, Rare)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Role”

Makeup: Zibska – “Mina Liner” (LeLutka Applier, Ltd. Gift)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLeutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

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

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

Poses & Props

Prop: R.O.T. – “End Nature”

Poses: Foxcity – “Stairs (Sitting)” (Bento)

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Nightcrawler

A&Y Cybernetics again released a breathtaking creation at ROMP!

The new “Aglaya Latex Cyber Corset” is a perfect match to the “Aglaya Latex Cyber Boots”, which I blogged a few days already – I had to wear them again for this post to show off that perfect match.

The corset, as well as the boots, have the typical A&Y HUD to color customize many different parts. I am still amazed, how awesome that HUD works. It kinda already feels cybernetic, when you put the HUD on and then you connect the HUD with the item you want to customize and see the percentage running up to 100%. When it reached the maximum you can choose the part you want to color and then you are able to select what ever color you want depending, which the HUD/pack you bought – either one color with 2 different shades as base color, or you go for the complete fatpack.

I do have to admit cyberpunk is something right down my alley. I love the idea of cybernetic body parts, the vibrant colors paired with black do have a very energetic feeling for me and the idea, that in the future we all will not be perfect anymore and have several mechanical/electronic parts to survive is kinda interesting. That would create a whole new vision of beauty 🙂

In SL modeling we always were taught to never hide our faces, but for cyber or cyberpunk looks, huge glasses and masks are so much fun! To be honest, I always had a tendency to not listen to “rules” if they did not make sense for me 😉

Outfit & Accessories

Outfit: A&Y Cybernetics – “Aglaya Latex Cyber Corset” (Maitreya) – NEW @ ROMP

Gloves: Salt & Pepper – “Winona” (Maitreya, part of an Outfit)

Shoes: A&Y Cybernetics – “Aglaya Latex Cyber Boots” (Maitreya)

Collar: Happy Undead – “Charming Collar”

Mask: DRD – “Tubes Mask – Metallic” (rigged)

Glasses: MINIMAL – “Power Glasses – Black”

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

Hair & Makeup

Hair & Hairbase: A&Y Cybernetics – “Cyro Hair” (Hairbase: Omega Applier)

Makeup: Zibska – “Kane ” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Poses & Props

Poses: Poseidon

Location

District 18

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Wicked Nymph

The bodies were still warm
As we awoke
Time look past away
We dragged what was left
As the shores
All just to see death
Burn holes through the black depths
In deliverance at the ocean nymphs
All just to see death
Burn holes through the black depths
And past Saturn’s rings
Such beautiful things
These screaming voices
Of bloodless corpses
Time will take that away
Come to me
With the tales and travels
At the true living dead
Come to me
Legends, gods and mystery
As my brothers in rock send
Secret whispers to thee
Legends, gods, and mystery

[Grade]

Outfit & Accessories

Top: Wicca’s Wardrobe – “Elowen Bra” (Maitreya, Gacha)

Body Particles & Flowers: E.V.E Studio – “Ink Drops Suit” (Gacha) – NEW @ Fantasy Gacha Carnival

Chocker & Cuffs: -SECRETS- – “Helena Slave Chocker”

Hair & Makeup

Hair: [KoKoLoReS] – “Oakes”

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

Body & Tattoos

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Tail: ~ Cynefin ~ –  “Lorelei Bento Mermaid Tail” (Maitreya)

Scales: :[ET]: – “Kirin Scales – S Light” (Omega Applier)

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Ears: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Meraxes Ears”

Eyes: ANATOMY – “Opal Eyes – Dark”

Lashes: Stardust – “Kira” (LeLutka Applier)

Teeth: LeLutka – “Beast Teeth”

Poses & Props

Poses are a mixture of the ~ Cynefin ~ tail poses and some playing with the AnyPose tool for the upper body

Statues: E.V.E Studio – ” “Ballerina” Ink Drops [FATPACK – M01] ” – NEW @ The Enchantment

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Cheeky Bunny

I do not know what it is, but something changed in the past month for me when it comes to taking pictures. I worry about a lot of things, I never thought about before, I do like playing with lights, projectors and “no light” or “low light” windlight settings. The less light you have around you, the more control you get about the lights around you. In the past I first chose my windlight and then added one or two lights or projectors – lately I do it the other way round. I first set up my lights and then look for a windlight, that supports my idea. In the beginning it felt weird to set up out of the darkness, but it becomes better with each try. As well I discovered different desires, which I would like to have for my pictures and so I started a few new “learning projects”. I watched a lot of tutorials, practiced a lot and learned many new things.

One project that started – I tried to start that, since my vacation had begun – was to paint hair. I do have a graphic tablet forever but besides using it for textures I never touched it for pictures, as my mouse felt so much better with that. But try to paint hair with your mouse.. even if you really think you can control your mouse perfectly, but things like the pen pressure, I only get with the tablet. I forced myself to play with it and watched many tutorials. Slowly it starts working, but it really needs a lot of practice and I am not yet ready to show it off  more than a few strands of hair 😉

To not loose my motivation, I started to play with some ready made hair strands and wisps as well as hair brushes for Photoshop, as those as well helped me a lot to understand the basic hair drawing. When I found the strands from Rayne Morgan, I was completely speechless. I rarely saw such a well drawn hair in all it’s details and if you are willing to credit her work, she even offers a few free downloads on her Deviantart site (https://www.deviantart.com/raynemorgan).

There I found some interesting ready made hair as well for instant use. I always had wondered, how some photographers were able to paint or photograph hair and have such amazing results on Flickr. When I saw the website of Rayne Morgan… I immediately did know how a few did that 😉

It is really breathtaking how that hair can change a Second Life picture like it did for the closeup above. You get the hair as a PSD file. You are able to color and as well warp it, until it matches your Second Life snapshot. I could not resist, to even work on that one by adding some more wisps and paint some little strands myself. It is not the end of my hair-paint experiences, as I really want to archive painting my own hair completely one day, but I wanted to share the progress and as well the way of keeping up my motivation to do so 🙂

Outfit & Accessories

Outfit: //Ascend// – “Diora” (Maitreya) – NEW @ The Fetish Fair 2018 – 2nd Edition

Panty: .:Avanti:. – “Adara Panty” (Maitreya)

Shoes: UTOPIA@Design – “Jora” (Maitreya)

Hand & Rings: [Since1975] – “No Mercy Rings” (Maitreya, Bento)

Mask: FnH – “Bunny Mask”

Earrings: Elle Boutique – “Jaclyn Earring”

Hair & Makeup

Hair: Besom – “Piggy Bank”

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

Lipstick: Izzie’s – “Metallic Lipsticks” (LeLutka Applier)

Hair for Closeup: Rayne Morgan

Head & Body

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

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

Legs: Zibska – “Wild Thang” (Maitreya Applier) – NEW @ TheSecret Affair

Poses & Props

Poses: Foxcity

Set:

Couch: [Ds] – “Contempo Ladies Chaise” – NEW @ The Fetish Fair 2018 – 2nd Edition

Lamp: Trompe Loeil – “Wiggle Modern Light”

Statue: NOMAD – “Bright Headed Mannequin C”

Mirror: [Figure 8] – “Narcissus Mirror Silver”

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin