Arius Queen

HEAD: LeLutka Mesh Head Stella

BODY: Maitreya Lara body/hands
HEAD / BODY APPLIER: La Petite Morte ashley - The Saturday Sale

HAIR: little bones Tonic @ uber

EYES: IKON Deadshine. Quicksilver

OUTFIT: aisling Arius Queen @ Fantasy Gacha - Gacha

POSE: Eternal Dream Fata tyvm!

Black Mermaid

Last night, I did the Echantment Hunt. It is awesome! The free gifts are really worth it, so listen to my words: do not miss it! Really! 23 stores are participating, and I found the gifts quite facile to find. This hunt should be easily doable within an evening. A notecard with all landmarks and hints is available in the group notices of the Enchantment Update Group.

I show you some of the gifts here: 

Lumae... oh my, Lumae, I love those skins and packages! *lol* The gift comes again with all the appliers you might need: body and head appliers, yes! Though the body applier HUD is a Mini-Hud, excluding some of the cleavage options but this is still a great deal! By the way, Lumae is participating in The Wash Cart Sale where you can buy *gasps* full packages of a few current skin lines in a special make up tone *gasps once more* for 10 L$ only! Still available until Sept 16. Also, check out the Lazy Sunday offer: it's the Niska skin in bare!

antielle's Mermaid eyes come in 6 colors: aqua, blue, gray, pink, red and yellow. Astralia's Coral Reef headdress is available in 2 colors: pink-silver or pink-gold. The Ursula Pendant vom The Plastik has also 2 colors to choose from: black or white. It is a match to the rest of the whole Ursula series which is available for purchase at the Enchantment event location.

Enchantment is running Aug 14 until Sept 5.

HEAD: ABSOLUT CREATION EVE'olution-head-#2-Beta

BODY: Maitreya Lara body + SLink hands
HEAD / BODY APPLIER: Lumae Adore - Eione // Anemone - free Enchantment Hunt gift 

HAIR: Moon Tourniquet. Noir - previous Fifty Linden Friday

EYES: antielle Mermaid - free Enchantment Hunt gift

EYELASHES: Mon Cheri Falsies
EYELINER: Glam Affair Couture

NAIL APPLIER: La Boheme Mami Wata (SLink) @ We <3 RP! - dollarbie tyvm!

HEADPIECE: Astralia Coral Reef - free Enchantment Hunt gift
NOSE PIERCING: Gaeline Creations Celeste - free Enchantment Hunt gift
NECKLACE: The Plastik Ursula Pendant - free Enchantment Hunt gift
BRA / TAIL: Mer-Chandise Cove Forgotten Princess - free Enchantment Hunt gift

POSE: Black Tulip Ariel - free Enchantment Hunt gift

While On The Enchantment Hunt

This is a busy weekend! I really put some effort in a few posts to show you more great things from Enchantment before it would be too late. You have one more week until Sept 5 to check out all the great offers -- and to go hunting!

In the Enchantment Hunt, you will find many gifts which complete sets you can buy, or which match to an offer. So it's really worth it! You will be lead through 23 participating stores where you have to find a blue seashell. A notecard is available in the group notices of the event group. Grab it before you start, or you'll end up like me! I started the hunt way too tired and made a monkey out of myself when I had to ask in the group for help just because my brain was not fully functioning anymore. Don't fall for this trap! *lol*

Even if this is a quite short hunt, and even if the gifts are really easy to find, I recommend to take your time. Some of the shops are totally worth to be explored! One of my favourites was BoOgErS where I had to take snapshots immediately. My main snapshot for this post was made in the garden of Les Encantades where I also grabbed a yellow dress from the current 30 L$ Saturday Sale.

SKIN: Essences Ariel05. medium01. cranberry @ Enchantment tyvm!

BODY: Maitreya Lara body/hands/feet
SHAPE: 7 Deadly s{K}ins Temperance tyvm!

HAIR: Entwined Ariel @ Enchantment tyvm!

EYES: IKON Odyssey. Clarity

EYELASHES: Mon Cheri Falsies

TIARA / NECKLACE: Gaeline Creations Celeste @ Enchantment tyvm!
HEADDRESS: The Plastik The Ursula @ Enchantment tyvm!
EARRINGS: The Plastik The Ursula @ Enchantment tyvm!
BRA: The Plastik The Ursula @ Enchantment tyvm!
DRESS: Sweet Lies Sirenas @ Enchantment - Gacha tyvm!

POSE (first pic): elephante poses Part of Your World @ Enchantment tyvm!

Cheeky Snake

Next Tuesday, Fair Play will re-open its doors for the next round. The last round was already a blast but after the first sneak peeks, I am even more excited about the upcoming one! I am a total fan of headpieces and -dresses, and circlets and flowers, so this Elven headpiece from DoggMata just had to be shown. The snake from OtherSkin is another stunning creation at this event: four snake skin colors are available, and what I loved most about the snake is the realistic animation of the eye. I tried to capture the moment when the snake blinks but my snapshot just can't do it enough justice - you have to see it yourself, you will love it!

Fair Play is open every month from 1st to 27th.

HEAD w/head+body appliers / SHAPE / EYELASHES: PUMEC Helga - free group gift / no fee
BODY: Maitreya Lara body/hands/feet

HAIR: DUE Breeze. Ombre 8 - Gacha

EYES: IKON Triumph. Armor - free GG / no fee

TATTOO (shoulders/legs): Dita Couture Kaleidoscope tyvm!
TATTOO (belly/hands): PixyStix Peak Hour tyvm!

HEADPIECE I: DoggMata Elven. Celtic Lattice Taru soon @ Fair Play: El Mundo - opens Sept 1 tyvm!
HEADPIECE II: LODE Boohoo. Sunny day - Gacha
EARRINGS: Plastik Chrome Edition. Sinestre / Hiss - Fifty Linden Friday tyvm!

COLLAR: Yasum Turian @ The Fantasy Collective - free group gift / no fee
HAND JEWELRY: Charm Vera Claws & Rings @ We <3 RP! - free gift
BRA / SKIRT: !gO! Sigrun @ Fantasy Gacha - Gacha
SNAKE: OtherSkin Hope soon @ Fair Play: El Mundo - opens Sept 1 tyvm!

Interview: Mer-Chandise Cove @ Enchantment

The Little Mermaid theme was obviously a challenge for all designers who participate in Enchantment, and they came up with so many great ideas and approaches to the theme. I had the chance to have a little talk with Kol Tchailenov, owner and designer of Mer-chandise Cove who created a classic mermaid tail in various color options for this event.

- picture shown with kind permission by Kol Tchailenov -

"I absolutely love all things mermaid, both in real life and Second Life and have since I was a young girl. When I first came to Second Life years ago and saw a budding mermaid community, I was hooked! Some creator friends at the time helped to show me the ropes on how to create things in Second Life", she explains her beginnings as a designer as well as her specialisation on mertails and accessoires. I grin and bait her: "I have seen that first life tab picture in your profile! You snorkel!" She laughs: "Haha, yes! That was at a marine park in the Dominican Republic where I also got to have a dolphin encounter, and play with a dolphin for a whole half hour! It was pure magic." I am astonished and even a bit envious: who didn't love Flipper?! But I also have to admit that I probably wouldn't have the courage to swim with dolphins.

Of course, I did a bit of my homework for the interview and have had a look on her marketplace before. But I didn't find so many products yet. Did she just start, I wonder? "I actually used to have more things on my marketplace. But like many creators, I am trying to keep up with the times and have deleted almost all of my older non-mesh merchandise." She sounds like an organized and up to date person to me. And I have also a sneaking suspicion because we all know our beloved creators: they tend to be perfectionists! So I have to ask her: "Are you a perfectionist?" I am sure, I made her laugh with my guess. "I am also a perfectionist, haha!", she laughs indeed but continues to clarify: "I will not be someone who cranks out products that I know are below the quality my custo-mers expect. I have several things I’ve made in the last few weeks/months and some items at events like Enchantment and The Fantasy Collective that will be up on marketplace shortly. I am also getting more serious about releasing new products every couple of weeks now. I see so many areas in Second Life lacking for mer that I want to be able to branch out into new types of products for mer. I’m so excited about the direction I plan to go with the store."

I am excited to hear that, too. While I caress that awesome mertail creation of her which I am wearing during the interview, I nod enthusiastically and want to know more: "You offer mertails and accessoires so far. So what kind of new types of products for mer may we expect?" -- "One of the most exciting things I plan to start offering more of is seascaping. I’ve started here and there with some high quality, low prim rocks, like the Ariel rock at Enchantment. But I want to broaden to things like large underwater caverns of the same caliber, and low land impact. I absolute love creating whole underwater environments so I want to start releasing all the building tools one might need to create a breath-taking underwater area, from vegetation to caves and coral formations."

I turn my head around. We are underwater on a wonderful roleplay sim which just openend, and where mermaids (and mermen, too, of course!) could find a new home. I can absolutely imagine more great and colorful sea decor. You just can't have enough of that! "Seascaping is certainly something which many designers have not on their screen yet", I agree. And I am already looking forward to her upcoming mer products since she already made me curious when I have seen those great advert pictures for the Ariel rock. "It's not just advertising pictures. It's a story!", I say, and she smiles: "One of my favorite things are vignettes, little scenes/stories, and I hope to bring more of that to the mer community in Second Life." Talking about stories, I want to make sure what her favourite Little Mermaid is: the original, or an adaption? "My absolutely favorite Little Mermaid was actually the third Disney movie, Ariel’s Beginning. We got to see so much more of her life under the sea, her family, and how the stage came to be set for the beloved movie I grew up with."

The advert pictures are not just advert pictures...
- picture shown with kind permission by Kol Tchailenov -

... they tell a story!
- picture shown with kind permission by Kol Tchailenov -

"You have also your mainstore on the Nymphai sim. During my interview with the owners of Enchantment, Duchess Flux and Sorchiee, I got to know the Ippos Community a bit better. What is your relationship to this creative community?" -- "I love the Ippos Community! Sorcha Irelund and I go way back to the early roleplay days of Second Life, and Duchess Flux has been a long time custo-mer of mine. So I was elated when they asked me to consider moving my mainstore to their beautiful sim.  Being a part of Enchantment for the first time, especially this round with the Little Mermaid theme, has been truly delightful and I can’t wait to get more involved in the sim events."

On a sidenote for everyone who is not used to the Ippos Community yet: the sim events are not always about shopping only. Just before Enchantment openend, I was able to attend a great concert with Redhawk. A musician who knows to entertain not only with his great voice and his guitar skills but also with funny comments to introduce his next song. If you ever have a chance to listen to him, I highly recommend to not miss this opportunity!

Impressions from the live music event with Redhawk at Enchantment

Finally, my little smalltalk with Kol Tchailenov has to come to an end. We make ourselves comfortable on the Ariel rock for a picture of the two of us. I am not used to wear mertails yet and have to rearrange its fit. Wiggling my bum, I twitch at it and grin when I notice once more that I am currently looking like Ariel -- apart from the fact that I had to overdo it with my headdress(es) again! "Your offer is really quite close to the theme", I state the obvious laughingly. Kol laughs, too: "Oh, I was doing backflips when I heard the theme this round of Enchantment! At the time they asked me, I was the only designer they knew of who was going to be making an actual mermaid tail for the round. So I felt a sense of duty to bring the classic look to the table." I nod and push the camera button. The flashlights illuminate the underwater world. Kol disappears in a vortex, and I remain with a fun snapshot and a smile. Many thanks to Kol for taking her time, and for introducing us in her underwater world of mermaids!

Kol and Rubilyn during the interview, chitchatting on the Ariel rock. Kol wears the Rebel mertail she offers at The Fantasy Collective. Rubilyn wears the Princess mertail available at Enchantment.

LINKS & SURLS
>> Mer-chandise Cove Store @ Second Life <<

>> Mer-chandise Cove @ marketplace <<

>> Flickr Picture Stream of Mer-chandise Cove <<

---

And now some additional information I also want to give you about the outfit I was wearing during the interview:

Lumae came up with her first skin that has scales. For the head / head appliers, you can choose between with and without facial scales. As usual - and I'm always so excited about that fact! -, one tone comes with so many appliers:
* Omega head and body (can also be used for LOGO Alex head)
* Omega Petite body for Yabusaka Petite V2 (use with Omega head appliers)
* SLink hand, feet, Physique and Visage
* The Mesh Project head and body
* Maitreya Body
* Belleza Body
* LeLutka Head
* Genesis Lab Head
* Eve'olution Head
* Loud Mouth, Nyam Nyam, Sweetlips and Kissers Mouth
* Soul Ears
And last but not least: with matching Leevi ears in three sizes. Each color - hold your breath! - is available at 100 L$ only! Because Lumae wanted to make sure that everyone is able to play a mermaid or sea fairy! How awesome is that?! Underwater Love! *lol*

The Plastik surprised me with a set of sea decor, including seashells and starfishes that comes with a HUD with no less than 40 color options/textures to choose from! They are low prim at 1-2 LI cost only, and since the original size is already quite huge it is guaranteed that resizing it won't blow up your available prim count.

Now go, go, go, visit! You have still time until Sept 5 to check out all the great offers at Enchantment!

HEAD: LeLutka Mesh Head Stella

BODY & NAIL APPLIER: Maitreya Lara body/hands
HEAD / BODY APPLIER & EARS: Lumae Adore - Ianthe // Abyss (appliers: see list above) @ Enchantment tyvm!

HAIR: Olive the Pearl. Streaks @ Enchantment tyvm!

EYES: Clemmm Unkin Mermaid. Unwanted Fog. Regular @ Enchantment tyvm!

EYELASHES: Mon Cheri Falsies
TATTOO CHEST: Things Ryllae (appliers: Omega, SLink, TMP) @ Enchantment tyvm!

HEADPIECE I: May's Soul Ariel headdress. silver @ Enchantment tyvm!
HEADPIECE II: LODE Blue Tail. Ocean @ Enchantment tyvm!
HEADPIECE III: AZOURY Eledone. Pink @ Enchantment tyvm!
NECKLACE & EARRING: Meva Mermaid @ Enchantment tyvm!
BRA & TAIL: Mer-chandise Cove Princess @ Enchantment tyvm!
TRIDENT: CerberusXing Tidal Trident. Silver @ Enchantment tyvm!

POSES: an lar The Naken Series @ Enchantment tyvm!


BUBBLES: Cole's Corner Celestial Bubbles Aura @ Enchantment tyvm!
SHELLS/STARFISHES: The Plastik The Ursula Sea Decor w/40 color HUD @ Enchantment tyvm!
KELP / KELP NEST: Love fox Dry Kelp Large / Kelp Nest Dry @ Enchantment tyvm!

Interview: Del-ka Aedilis

For this interview, I met Nea Narstrom and Beric01 Resident, the two creative minds behind Del-ka Aedilis. This label might not be so well-known already. But I have seen various sim designs from the two and was always surprised when they came up with something new. Everytime, everything matched smoothly: landscape, buildings, furniture, decoration. Even if I didn’t participate in the proposed roleplays, the sims invited to stay and hang out for a good while. So I absolutely had to introduce them to you.

Nea, me and Beric on top of the wall

Their passion for roleplay and their wish for suitable roleplay environments was the headstone to give building a try. „As passionate roleplayers, we discovered the need of low-prim, well-built and nicely textured buildings, especially for gorean and ancient greek or roman settings“, they explain on their homepage. „I think, the first time we built was at the time, when we couldn’t find suiting houses for Selnar. Either we didn’t like it, or it had too much prims“, tells Nea while Beric adds: „Also we realized that many houses were great but unfortunately inappropriate for our roleplay intentions. So we started to modify the buildings we bought. We started little by little, and over time, we became more and more courageous. Victoria was the first sim on which all houses were self-built.“

It was a long path over months, even years for them to come from re-building to self-made. They took even a step further and are nowadays specialised in creating whole sim settings. They want to provide „the perfect roleplaying environment where terraforming, city or village layout, buildings, interior, decoration and everything else appears to be from the same mold“. But where does their inspiration come from? Nea explains: „Actually, we realize everything which would excite us for a roleplay. You have a certain idea about a roleplay environment in mind, and therefore a goal you’d like to achieve. It also makes it easier to work on it.“ -- „And my inspiration is the challenge to create something with recognition value!“, Beric points out with a big enthusiastic smile.

One of their latest releases from the Ellaria Series

One of their recent remittance works that made a whole roleplay sim community flabbergasting, was the reconstruction of Kasra. The german gorean roleplay sim on which Kasra was located had a big challenge when they decided to merge with another sim, Belnend, and that their part with the Kasra city would need a total new layout but now only on one half of the sim. The leadership of Kasra gave them a huge leap of faith when Nea and Beric were asked to rebuild and reconstruct it ‚as they see fit‘. With that granted freedom, they realized their vision of Kasra within a very short time. And Kasra’s expectation was not disappointed. It was even outstripped.

Ironrath at Wolfswood is another roleplay sim design by Del-ka Aedilis, inspired by Game of Thrones

„Would you ever consider to participate in events?“, I ask. Both are a bit hesitant but for a reason: „So far, we didn’t have the courage to apply for such events. Even though it would be a nice option since our portfolio is gradually growing and is already quite considerably by now. On the other hand, we are aware that such events have often strict requirements and datelines because it is needed. Since we also feel that we want and need a certain connection to our works, we fear that we couldn’t cope with this kind of  business.“ I do realize how important it is for them to feel comfortable with their projects and to have a certain bound with it. I want the details: „If someone would love to hire you, what would they need to know?“-- „First of, the general conditions: the setting, the time frame, and if it is a full or homestead sim. Second, the ideas or visions the sim owner already has. After putting all that together, we can decide if we are able to accept the challenge.“

What about the costs? Except from the buildings which are available for fixed prices at the mainstore, a whole sim design is a matter of negotiation. „All income from the shop is supposed to cover our sim costs. For any sim design by us, we ask to donate to a non-profit organisation only“, they explain. I am already sure about which organsisation they are talking because I remember their installation Terra Nostra in December 2014/January 2015. And indeed, all donations go to Doctors Without Borders, they confirm.

After so many information, I want to visit their newest sim, Castle Black and The Wall. Most will notice immediately that this sim is inspired by Game of Thrones. „It does look quite realistic. How did you do it? Did you study the books, the series…?“, I want to know as I look up that wall that seems to have no end. „It is a fusion of what we have read in the books, what we have seen in the series -- I, myself, have watched the scenes about Castle Black forth and back! -- , and everything we could find from ‚behind the scenes‘ information. A big help was a Youtube video from a student who modelled the castle in a game engine.“

Courtyard of Castle Black. In the background: the elevator to the top of the wall

Now I want to explore the sim! Nea and Beric suggest to get on that huge wall so I could have a nice view from above. I agree. They recommend to activate the sounds. To which I follow. Then we step into the elevator. The doors squeak, and finally, the elevator starts to move. „Justin Joseppe said, if ever anyone would build this elevator, he would provide the script. And he kept his word.“ I wished, he didn’t. They laugh. I don’t. I cringe, and grit my teeth. This is the best and, at the same time, the most horrific elevator ride I had so far in my whole Second Life! I have no words for that. This is an experience you will have to make yourself!

View from above. The wall has a dizzying height!

But the panorama I have on the top of the wall outweighs the horror I had to go through. It snows a little and it’s currently rather calm than windy on that simple platform which is fixed in a dizzying height. I thank my two interview partners for their time and take a snapshot with them. In this moment, innocent me, even forgot that I still had to take the elevator to get back on the ground… 

LINKS & SURLS
>> Official Homepage of Del-ka Aedilis <<
>> Del-ka Aedilis @ Second Life <<

>> Del-ka Aedilis @ marketplace <<
>> Castle Black and The Wall <<

During the interview, I was wearing the following stuff:

HEAD: LeLutka Mesh Head Stella

BODY: Maitreya Lara body/hands
HEAD / BODY APPLIER: Lumae Niska - 4 - Peach // Sangria - Lazy Sunday

HAIR: Magika Shine

EYES: IKON Triumph. Armor - free GG / no fee

EYELASHES: Mon Cheri Falsies

EARS: [MANDALA] Steking Ears Season 5

HEADPIECE: Independent Objects Mearwen Circlet tyvm!
OUTFIT: FDD Stories Trissa @ The Fantasy Gacha - Gacha

Mermaid's Sunbath

HEAD: ABSOLUT CREATION EVE'olution-head-#2-Beta

BODY: Maitreya Lara body/hands
HEAD / BODY APPLIER: WoW Skins Noralie (applier: Omega) free GG / fee

HAIR: Spellbound Sirena // Grimoire : Complete - includes crown/headpiece/hair adornments @ Enchantment tyvm!

EYES: antielle Mermaid. Gray free @ Enchantment Hunt (start location) tyvm!

EYELASHES: Mon Cheri Falsies
EARS: [MANDALA] Steking Ears Season 5

HEADPIECE: Sax Shepherd Designs Little Mermaid Maang Tikka @ Enchantment tyvm!
NECKLACE: Sweet Thing Mermaid Song w/color change HUD @ Enchantment tyvm!

EARRINGS/NECKLACE/BREAST ADORNMENT: Glitzz Emerald Treasure. White @ Enchantment tyvm!

TAIL: The Plastik Ursulae. Mermaid Fin. Steele @ Enchantment tyvm!

PROP: Mer-chandise Cove Lagoon Sunning Rock tyvm!

The Ancient Ones Return

Do you notice the change of the forest sounds? A menacing silence arises from the underwoods: The ancient ones return! Light and dark are about battling it out to claim the land as their own. The warlords and warladies of the forest are gathering together to defend their realm. Who will win? Fate takes its course.


It's the first anniversary at Totally Top Shelf, and they are celebrating it with a Royals theme. I will bring you pictures from the current location in one of my next posts because I so loved the reflection effects that I had to take a few snapshots! On the other hand, the Hidden Sanctuary event is back with a new round, and as you could read from my little introduction, it's The ancient ones return. So I did a little connection between those two events which have actually two totally different themes but both are about fantasy, and for me, they were the perfect complement for my inspiration and outfit today.

Both events, Totally Top Shelf and the Hidden Sanctuary events, will still be open until August 22nd, and both worth a visit!

Last but not least, a little teaser: as you might have noticed already, I have brought two interviews within the last weeks, and shown more often places in my posts. Yes, I'm in the middle of changing my blogging. Because I want to bring you more information. There are so many great event owners, creators, photographers, bloggers and other creative minds out there with a fabulous style who amaze us every day that I want to focus on fantasy events mostly, and tell you more about everything "behind the scenes". I am so swept off my feet about the reactions people have shown so far for this idea, and I am so looking forward to all these great occasions for smalltalks and interviews to deliver you an insight into their exciting worlds!

HEAD: ABSOLUT CREATION EVE'olution-head-#2-Beta
BODY: Maitreya Lara body/hands/feet

HEAD / BODY APPLIER: [PixyStix] Nighe the Royal. Snow @ Totally Top Shelf tyvm!
SHAPE: my own

HAIR: Tableau Vivant Muse @ We <3 RP!

EYES: IKON Deadshine. Quicksilver

EYELASHES: Mon Cheri Falsies
EYELINER: Glam Affair Couture
TATTOO FACE: [PixyStix] Go (applier: Omega) free @ Totally Top Shelf tyvm!

TATTOO BELLY: Identity Body Shop Precious Secret (appliers: Belleza, Maitreya, Omega, SLink, TMP)

HEADPIECE: Death Row Designs Amazon Headdress
EYEPATCH: .DirtyStories. Shadow Queen @ Totally Top Shelf tyvm!
RING: The Plastik The Knight Ring @ Totally Top Shelf tyvm!
HORN: On A Lark / Sweet Poison RPGear. War Horn - Gacha
STAFF (front) / STRAP: May's Soul La parca - Gacha
STAFF (back): [Tia] Voodoo. Mojo staff - Gacha

CHEST HARNESS: The Forge Braided Hex Harness. Black @ We <3 RP!
SLEEVES / DRESS: Beyond Persuasion design The primordial alliance sisters {Shadow forsaken} @ Hidden Sanctuary events tyvm!
BOLERO / SKIRT (short fur): !gO! Forest Elf Girl @ Totally Top Shelf tyvm!- Gacha

POSES:
1) Eternal Dream Lita
2) marukin closeup jewellip series

Interview: The Little Mermaid @ Enchantment

I am officially enchanted! Today, I had the great opportunity to have a little talk with two adorable and well-known ladies: Sorchiee, and Duchess Flux. They are currently setting up their upcoming event Enchantment with its theme „The Little Mermaid“. It will run from August 14th until September 4th, 2015. 

„When we came up with our theme, it was, of course, as suprising as funny for us to notice that other events had similar themes as well. But at the same time, it seems very understandable for July and August to create a theme around and under water“, they tell. „What differs our theme from the other events is, that we didn’t choose a general approach to a mermaid theme but the fairytale of The Little Mermaid. It matches also our event concept: Enchantment is a Second Life Shopping event, that is focused around fairytales.“

The Enchantment bosses are all excited and have started with a few little events around the upcoming "The Little Mermaid" theme round already. 
- picture shown with kind permission of Duchess Flux -

Enchantment has been around before already, four times a year, but with another concept which was originally created by Voshie Paine. Voshie brought us the „Hop-Around“ and the Stamp Machine which was much fun because we got to see all the mainstores and were hunting for those stamps on the cards. But the event became too much for Voshie. She was going to close Enchantment down. Duchess and Sorchiee wouldn’t want to accept that. And we are glad they didn’t, and that Voshie – still supporting as team member - allowed them to take over. „All our incredible designers were handpicked by the two of us. We strive to offer the best of the best“, they explain, and the line-up on their official homepage approves it: FDD Stories, Alegria, Dead Dollz, !gO!, Lumae, Pure Poison, just to name a very few at this point. While most of the designers are taking specific choices on The Little Mermaid, some designers like The Plastik, Aisling or Azoury are taking a more artistic route in interpreting the fairytale. „And we love it!“, they claim.

The rezzing-friendly, fantasy-inspired sims Ippos, Pegasoi and Nymphai have many nice corners to explore under their forestal cover

The artistic route does certainly not come out of the blue. The three sims Ippos, Pegasoi and Nymphai, where such events like Enchantment, Totally Top Shelf, The Secret Affair are located – as well as The Fantasy Collective on a neighbour sim – are home to many creative minds. Various creators & designers from fashion to decoration to poses and more, photographers, bloggers, event managers, roleplayers and all in-between are living here next door to each other. It allows to offer a place with a huge exchange of ideas. „All three sims are fantasy inspired and built by our sim designer Divine Paine. They were created with photographers and bloggers in mind. That’s also the reason why they are rezz-friendly. We want them to be able to take the pictures they want. But our Ippos Community is not just a place to take pictures. When we started to rent out, we wanted to have an environment where people feel equal, safe, and where they can contribute to a big community of like-minded people.“

It looks all so calm and quiet but don't be fooled ... 

But with all those on-going events, didn’t it become all about competition for everyone? „We have indeed various events on the sims with different influences from roleplay worlds such as Elves, Gor, or Sci-Fi. But with all those varying backgrounds, we are not competitive at all. We really complement each other. Everyone is always willing to lend a helping hand. It makes our Ippos Community something really special.“ 

Ippos, by the way, is one of the first sims to be released by Linden Lab. One day, Pegasoi popped up somewhat out of nowhere and they took their chance to purchase it. When more new events started and people asked them to host their events nearby, it inspired them to buy the third: „Though our sims are residential and commercial, Nymphai is our first totally commercial sim with stores from Figment, Rowenwood, Ravenshot Interiors, Mer-Chandise Cove, and more.“ Is there anything else they have in mind but business, you might now wonder? Oh yes, they have! They always try to bring more inspiration to the grid and the fantasy roleplay community. Just recently, a lot of bloggers and photographers from the Ippos Community gathered to contribute to a big story called „Defenders of Ippos“ where they presented not just their prefered fantasy fashion but gave an insight in their virtual adventures.

... these are not sweet little waves chopping around archaic stones. These are racing vortexes!

Their adventures and sims are also source of inspiration for their event themes. And what was the inspiration for the „The Little Mermaid“ theme of this round of Enchantment? „That film is one of our favourites!“ – As unexpected as this may sound, film is and can be art, too. And Enchantment is into many arts: „We have also other events going on during Enchantment. We have an art opening from The Last Unicorn Gallery. We have a Movie night. We have also our own Little Mermaid show at Lady Garden Cabaret on August 22nd.“ 

The whole event location design have been set up by sim designer Divine Paine

Then I have to step quickly aside. „The art behind you is being set up for the event“, the ladies explain griningly. And I realize that I have talked to them for about nearly an hour already. Time to stop to pester them with more questions because they have only a few days left to finish the setup. And while we are unpatiently waiting for the event to open its doors, the three sims invite you to be explored. Trust me: you’ll be officially enchanted as well!

LINKS & SURLS

>> Official Homepage of Enchantment <<

>> Flickr Picture Stream of Enchantment <<
>> Flickr Picture Stream of Ippos, Pegasoi & Nymphai <<

>> Ippos <<   >> Pegasoi <<   >> Nymphai <<