“So when people ask me what American Pie means, I tell them it means I don’t ever have to work again if I don’t want to.” ~ Don McLean
It’s that horrible day back from a holiday weekend. You’re tired. You’re cranky. So, here’s something to get the grumpy out of you:
Now see — don’t you feel better?
“Do not call the forest that shelters you a jungle” ~ African Proverb
First things First.
Meeroo Mini Jungle Set
My friends at Meeroo Nook have put out a special Mini Jungle Meeroo Enclosure that is on L$99 special through Memorial Day weekend. It’s 30 or so prims of ferns, ruins, lush trees, and a hypnotic mystical pond in the center. If you have a jungle-y type Sim with or without meeroos, it’s something you might want to grab.
See it in-world at Meeroo Nook:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Seven%20Veils/151/212/22
Or on the Marketplace.
Now, let’s get down to dimes.
In my previous entry, Meeroo Money, I estimated that Meeroos would make between L$30 and L$50k in their first two months. I got quite a few chuckles in my IMs saying that I was likely giving it way too much benefit of the doubt.
Well, chucklers, you were right. I was way off. But so were you.
Malevay Studios just award their 10,000th player L$10k. So, let’s think about that.
Again, let’s assume the average player purchased a 6-meeroo start pack. Frankly, I think that’s conservative, but I’ll lean conservative. Now, since you can, in theory, play meeroos without owning meeroos or getting them directly from Malevay, let’s assume a 50% direct consumer user base.
That would give us 5000 players each spending at least L$5100 for a total of L$25500000.
That is equal to approx. $100k USD.
If you bump that to a 75% direct consumer user base, that translates to L$38250000, (or $150k USD).
Oh. And the recurring food costs they can expect to get each month?
Well, that’s 30,000 meeroos on the grid (conservative) consuming L$1200/month for every six meeroos for a total of L$6000000 (or $24k USD).
Go forth and create activities, my children. The people of SL are so desperate for things to do that they’re playing a bad crafting game composed of make believe rats with donkey ears and 80′s lyrics trivia.
And they’re paying WELL.
“I often think that a slightly exposed shoulder emerging from a long satin nightgown packed more sex than two naked bodies in bed” ~ Bette Davis
I think I was five the first time I remember hearing my grandmother use the word “peignoir” to describe the frilly little nightdresses I preferred to wear. From that moment I was hopelessly in love with the word and it occupies that special place in my heart reserved for deliciously feminine vocabulary treats like boudoir and décolletage. Yes I’m aware that a traditional peignoir is more of a dressing gown, but in my mind, it always means the little girl shortie not-quite-negligees that I used to twirl about in.
As such, there was much squee to be had when I slogged through the lag at Culture Shock and laid eyes on this:
Pretty Little Peignoir
Isn’t it just too cute to bear? Atomic isn’t one of my favorite stores, but there is nothing to complain about in this piece. The prims are well done with a soft movement; the “skirt” is layered to give that illusion of sheer crepe over lustrous chiffon. The sculpted prim chest bow is especially charming (and it’s also copy/mod, so if you want to add it to your favorite hairstyle or other accessories, you can). I would have liked to see a little more effort put into the textures on the prims. Second Life fashion has gotten to the point where just repeating textures on skirt prims isn’t going to cut it anymore. But this isn’t a complicated piece and it’s easy to forgive, especially with the insanely low price tag of L$100.
Because this is intended as an a la carte item, you’ll need to find something to appropriately cover your naughty bits (well, depending on your location and company that is). I chose a sweet pair of satin panties from the Caroline Ensemble by Insolence and the polka dot tights from Gawk!. The Caroline Ensemble is worth an entry of its own, make no mistake, but I needed bottoms, so I mixed and matched. The tights come in a nice pack on multiple layers with seam and torn options. If you don’t like the polka dots they also come in plain tights and striped tights.
Finally, at the tips of my stems you’ll spot Maitreya‘s Scrunched PrimSocks. I really don’t want to go off on another rant about the shamelessly grubby exploitative tendency of certain content creators to take one well made item and break it down into a million colors / combinations to bilk shoppers. I don’t begrudge anyone making a buck, but it irritates me that just because someone spent an extra twenty minutes in PS playing with the Hue/Saturation settings they think it warrants making ten times the price on a single creation. It’s especially disappointing to see a good creator cling to this practice when they must be aware that stores like [GOS] are happily providing consumers with far better options.
So, do yourself a favor. If you want the socks, pick them up in whichever pack has white. Adjust them to your size, then rip the resize scripts out of them and tint them as you need.
Then go enjoy playing dress up and remember to twirl.
Where Does She Get Those Wonderful Toys?
Hair: Cleo – L$250 (Colorpack)
Truth
Creator: Truth Hawks
Glasses: KRO Sunglasses – L$400
K_gs Kumaki
Creator: koguma Kumaki
Panties: Caroline Pink Satin Ensemble – L$290
INSOLENCE
Creator:camilla Yosuke
Peignoir: Lovely Chiffon – L$100
Atomic
(currently at Culture Shock)
Creator: Ivy Graves
Tights: White Polka Dotted Nylon Tights – L$180
Gawk!
Creator: Mell McMahon
Socks: Scrunched PrimSocks – L$450
Maitreya
Creator: Onyx LeShelle
“Not the buttons! Not my gumdrop buttons!” ~ Conrad Vernon as Ginge in Shrek (via Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman, Roger S.H. Schulman, Cody Cameron, Chris Miller, Conrad Vernon and whoever else was in the writer’s room but didn’t get credited)
My friends at Sax Shepherd Designs (yeah, get used to it) have put out a special item to celebrate the launch of Meeroos onto the main grid (one supposes there are people celebrating such things).
Mystical Forest Lamp - Sax Shepherd Designs / Meeroo Nook
The Meeroo Mystical Forest Lamp will be on sale for only L$25 until the end of the weekend (I’m assuming either the 22nd or the 23rd). You can find it at the center of the Meeroo Nook, or on the Marketplace. Unlike most freebie/dollarbie/cheap promo items that you see, I found this to be a charming item with quality textures and sculpts. It’s got lots of glowy effects, but it’s also modify so you can turn those off if you like and set your own settings. It’s 8 prims of mushrooms, plants and fairy-looking lamp pod thingy. I imagine it would fit nicely into any fantasy realm.
Gumdrop Topiary Trees - Sax Shepherd Designs
While you’re there, I also highly recommend stopping to peek at their new gumdrop topiary trees which are ubercute. I’m so diggin’ the stuff decorating my SIM these days.
Where Does She Get Those Wonderful Toys?
Gumdrop Topiary Trees – Various prices
Mystical Forest Lamp – L$25 thru this weekend
(Marketplace Listing)
Meeroo Nook / Sax Shepherd Designs
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Seven%20Veils/151/212/21
“Vanity, I am sensible, is my cardinal vice and cardinal folly; and I am in continual danger, when in company, of being led an ignis fatuus chase by it.” ~ John Adams
*Evie's Closet* Willo O' The Wisp in Lament (Soft Lilac)
It was pointed out to me that I didn’t make mention of the fantabulous little number I was wearing in yesterday’s video post.
The Willo O’ the Wisp outfit by Evie’s Closet is a faetastic fairy ensemble (it comes with lovely wings that are not pictured in my photos, but you can see them in the store promo below) that really does everything right. The system layers are scant, but cover all they should. The textures aren’t just mindless repeats edited here and there, but shaded and blended to give a convincing tattered and patched look. The overall effect is stunningly lovely while still remaining delicate.
The use of prims is both practical and effective. The little hip frill on one side has different flex movement than the longer veil-like silks that drape from the shoulder, hips and chest. This lends an airy feminine allure that you don’t see enough in fantasy and lingerie pieces. That sense of being wrapped in a whisper of fabric translates here. There are sculpts where there need to be sculpts and regular prims textured expertly where they need to be. In the overly sculpted creations that dominate the market these days, this type of outfit stands out, proving that you can use multiple techniques to produce a superior effect.
*Evie's Closet* Willo O' The Wisp Store Promo
Prior to March of this year, I hadn’t been to Evie’s Closet in a long while (I think it was 2009 the last time I visited) and I was delighted to see how sophisticated the stock was. Evangeline Miles is a content creator who has developed herself in the format, skilled up with the market, and learned to employ layers and other multiple elements to give her creations an edge over most of what you see in the fantasy offerings.
While you’re at the store, you’ll also want to explore the rest of the Oubliette SIM. It’s a nicely done little fantasy realm.
Where Does She Get Those Wonderful Toys
*Evie’s Closet* Willo O’ The Wisp – L$350
Evie’s Closet
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Oubliette/184/189/249