A Coating of Patina

Dear Diary:

PAT-n-uh or pu-TEE-nuh, whatever way you pronounce it, is a beautiful colour.  It is a tarnish that forms on some metal over time, or a sheen on wooden furniture produced by age or a change in a surface through exposure or weathering or changes to colour from years of wear.

This girl is running to the mirror to check out her attributes! 

Good Night for now.

I'm wearing:
Skin: LeLutka Lola (light)
Lipstick: LeLutka Lola lipstick (dark)
Eyes: Miriel Hazel (no longer available)
Hair: Dura (gift)
Nails: SN Shiny Black

Jacket: Peqe Pacific / Flora
Tee: Callie Cline signature tank (leaf green)
Skirt (with belt): Aleida Erna pleated skirt (banknote)
Stockings: Shiny Things Thigh highs (charcoal)
Shoes: Aleida Vivian pumps (banknote)

Earrings and choker: AlaMood (Mood) Celestial Aged Gold

Poses: Miamai

好運在龍年

Dear Diary:

Yesterday was the start of The Lunar New Year and the Year of the Dragon.

This is a very auspicious year for those born under this fierce symbol.  If you are born under this sign, you are said to have great ambition and success and are often a leader.  You tend to help others but rarely ask for help and you definitely have a temper.  You do like your independence.

Dragons are healthy but do get stressed.  Yoga or walking can help relieve this tension.

Since this is a Water Dragon year, the water element calms the fire of the Dragon.  Water Dragons do not always need to be right.  They can see things from another person's viewpoint.

新年快樂

Good Night for now.

I'm wearing:
Skin: LeLutka Lola (light)
Lipstick: LeLutka Lola lipstick (dark red)
Eyes: Miriel Hazel (no longer available)
Eye makeup: Mozz Cosmetics colourful winged eye with lashes (brown)
Hair: Plume (now Osmose) Allure

Dress: Lika Ruby China dress dia (red)
Shoes: GF Ribbon slingback shoes (black)

Earrings: Mandala Sinra earrings (Wolf silver)

The Essence of Iron

Dear Diary:

This week I'm ranking iron:

1. Iron is such a vital component in our blood and, a deficiency of it is the world's most common cause of anemia.

2. Iron is the cheapest and one of the most abundant of all metals, obtained from earth's minerals.

3. Iron, as a colour, is described as "lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge.

And of course, ranking at the bottom of my list -

499. Iron is something I should be doing to the basket of clothes I have in my laundry room.

Good Night for now.
I'm wearing:
Skin: LeLutka Lola (light)
Lipstick: Aleida lipstick C-002 (gift)
Eyes: Miriel Hazel (no longer available)
Eye makeup: Mozz Cosmetics Glittery smokey eye (silver)
Eyelashes: Mozz Lashes version 2 (06)
Hair: Wasabi Pills Amandine Mesh

Dress: DCNY Wool mini dress (warm grey)
Leggings: En Svale leggings (border)
Boots: GOS DARE booties (platinum)
Purse: Septem Essentia colour change bag

Earrings: Mood Fumo earrings
Necklace: MG Twin Hearts necklace (mesh) (silver) (SL Marketplace)

Poses: Props n' Poses

Let's get rid of that Word!

Dear Diary:

In 1976, Lake Superior State University, in Michigan, published a list of words that they felt shouldn't be uttered again.  It was done as a publicity ploy but the University is still publishing a list.  The list this year contains many of my favourite "banned" words.  The Banished Words List for 2012 contains an interesting selection, with submissions from around the world.

I SO agree with "man cave" being there.  Even some malls are advertising about a man cave available when the women go shopping.  Even if it has a tv and pool table with refreshments, isn't it still a lounge?  If a "man cave" is at your home, isn't it still a garage? [or should be]

Another term that irritates me is "baby bump".  A friend of mine who is pregnant always says to me, "I'm getting a baby bump!  Look at my baby bump!"  Can't she just say pregnant?  It totally makes my head spin.

Next year I'm going to suggest "awesome".  Awesome is everything to everybody and you hear it applied to all things from evaluating food to admiring someones new haircut to expressing your health at the moment.

Check out the full banished word list here just in case your favourites are on it too.  Any suggestions for next year?

Good Night for now.

I'm wearing:

Skin: LeLutka Lola (light)

Lipstick: LeLutka Lola lipstick (German Red)

Eyes: Miriel Hazel (no longer available)

Hair: Wasabi Pills Clementine

Top: Peqe Tartan Highwaist sweater (yellow)

Leggings: A Piece of Candy Shelaigh leggings (emerald) (no longer available) 

Shoes: Aleida Natalie croco pumps (gold)

Glasses: HOC Industries rectangular glasses (tinted black)

Laptop: What Next

Furniture, Rug and accessories: Just My Imagination Cleo Design TOSL New Year's resolution time

Electrify Me!

Dear Diary:

I love it when Luna comes up with these really weird colours for the new colour challenge.  But I have to admit, it's really hard to find something in my closet that will match.  So yesterday I went on a search.  In the very back of my closet, from a previous place of employment....errrr...no.... from a costume I mean, I found the perfect item. 

Good Night for now.

I'm wearing:
Skin: LeLutka Lola (light)
Lipstick: Aleida lipstick C-001 (gift)
Eyes: Miriel Hazel (no longer available)
Eye shadow: Mozz Cosmetics Glittery smokey eye (purple)
Eyelashes: Mozz Lashes version 2 (01)
Hair: D!va hair Naomi (gift)
Nails: Je Suis naive nails No. 001 (purple)

Lingerie: Chez Kitten Kittie (purple)
Feet: SLink Jolie pied v3

Fans: Abranimations (purple) (gift)
Poses: Glitterati

Building Snowmen

Dear Diary:

When I was a kid, I just loved going out on a wintery day when the snow was really sticky and build snowmen with my friends.  But lately, the weather in my part of the world has been very mild, a little snow, but definitely mild.  One day it snowed so all of a sudden I had mushy / a-little-on-the-sticky-side snow.  I definitely got the urge to build.  I went outside to roll snow to make something creative but noticed my neighbours shoveling or sweeping so embarassment kept me from rolling the balls for the snowmen.  All of a sudden I thought....wait...I can go to my other world...so I did.

I called up my friend, Chloe who is always game for doing something fun and we spent a great time outside on a picture perfect day. 

Good Night for now.

On Chloe:
Skin: YS&YS Linda
Lipstick: YS&YS lipstick for Linda (Light Rose)
Hair (with hat): Mina Liss
Sunglasses: Mokoptical Disco sunglasses (no longer available)
Sweater and jeans: Maison Marlene Scan 5
Boots: BM Boots worn brown leather

On Me:
Skin: LeLutka Lola (light)
Hair: Truth Hair Snowkitty (gift)
Sweater: Orion sweater (white) (no longer available)
Jacket: Zenith fur coat (baby pink)
Boots: Shiny Things ribbon boots (brown)
Gloves: Aleida Britta gloves (green plaid)

Props and poses: Baffle! Let's Build Snowmen

Brainy Coral

Dear Diary:

When I was thinking what to write for coral, I decided to do a search to see what words of wisdom I could add but since nothing seemed to be coming into my brain, I typed "brain" and I hit the jack pot!!  I found "brain coral"!!  This is a coral, a living colony of polyps that form a unit that really looks like our brain.  At night the tentacles reach out to catch food and in the day, the tentacles wrap themselves over the surface for protection.  I really think brain coral works more efficiently than brain Dreamer.

Good Night for now.

I'm wearing:
Skin: LeLutka Lola (light)
Lipstick: LeLutka Lola lipstick (orange)
Eyes: Miriel Hazel (no longer available)
Hair: Pomme d'Amour ballet hair
Nails: Love Soul nail colour (copper

Dress: The Secret Store Danae dress (coral
Sweater: Miseria Ash cardigan (brown)
Scarf: GF knit muffler (tinted) (gift)
Leggings: Emery leggings Reptilla (mink)
Shoes: Revelation Charlene (coral)
Hat: Shi cloche hat
Briefcase: The Secret Store Girly Briefcase (coral)

Necklace: Glow Studio Time Goes By (TDR Blue 13)

Poses: Diesel Works

Thinking about 2011

Dear Diary:

Now that we're into a few days of the new year, I began to think ahead.  What would this era bring for all of us?

2011 was a difficult year for many people around the world and most were glad to see the end of a very tough time.  Weather disasters played a big part.  Japan was ravaged by earthquakes and a tsunami and the U.S.A. was hit by hurricanes.  Political unrest touched Egypt, Libya and Bahrain.  Economic crisis devastated Europe while many people in every country were jobless.  And wars continued in the Middle East.  Many were hoping that these disasters would be left behind and 2012 would bring an ease to these troubling times.  I'm one.  I'm optimistic.  I like to think this year will improve for all of us.

As I was writing this, I unwrapped a Christmas candy, the ones that have sayings printed inside the silver wrap.  I always read these and tonight mine said, "What if the season to be jolly lasted all year long?"  What if?

Good Night for now.

I'm wearing:
Skin: LeLutka Lola (light)
Lipstick: LeLutka Lola lipstick (Deep red)
Eyes: Miriel Hazel (no longer available)
Eye makeup: Mozz Cosmetics colourful winged eye with lashes (black)
Hair: Vanity Hair Scientist

Dress: Latte Black dress (old Christmas gift)(no longer available)
Shoes: GF Ribbon Slingback shoes (black)

Chair: Morantique Garbo Model chair (Natura)

Champagne Starts the Year off Right

Dear Diary:

I was thrilled that Luna Jubilee started up the "52 week colour challenge" again.  I knew that she would be starting January 1st but I checked on December 29th just in case.  Ok...let's try the 30th...hmmm...well surely on the 31st.  Finally, despite the onset of hoards of people coming for New Year's dinner, I looked early in the morning.  YAY!!  There it was and the challenge starts again.  It's fun to be doing this again.

So, although I can't drink champagne, I sure can wear it.

Good Night for now.

I'm wearing:
Skin: LeLutka Lola (light)
Lipstick: LeLutka Lola (pale)
Eyes: Miriel Hazel (no longer available)
Eye makeup: Mozz Cosmetics Colourful winged eye with lashes (silver)
Hair: Laqroki Champagne

Dress: SAS Merel (Champagne)

Necklace: HelaMiyo The 52 necklace pearls falling on the back

Pose: LeLau celebration (champagne included) (SL Marketplace)