Shapes by Kira Release of Eva Skins!

You are invited September 25th to Shapes by Kira for the debut of the fabulous new Eva skin. Gone are the days where you find a gorgeous shape and then have to search high and low for just the right skin to match it perfectly. Shapes by Kira is very well known for creating beautiful shapes and now with the release of Eva skin you can let Shapes by Kira be your one stop body shop. Eva skin comes with and without a hair base and looks great with a variety of shapes found at Shapes by Kira. Eva comes with 9 makeups and one natural look and for you freckle lovers next month there will be a freckled version of Eva released. Eva skin will also be featured at the skin fair being held September 26th until October 10th. There will be an exclusive makeup found only at the Expo (The expo will help raise money in support of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation). You definitely want to make it to the skin fair in order to check out that amazing exclusive!

The talented person behind Shapes by Kira is Kira Paderborn. Kira was one of the first models at Avenue Models when it opened and she quickly showed she was more than just another 'pretty face'. Two and a half years ago Kira noticed there were not many shape makers in Second Life. She began making shapes and even though her shop was small her clientele grew rapidly, and Shapes by Kira became an overnight success. Kira is also a co-owner of the Corrupted Innocence brand along with her business partner Alexxis Laszlo. Second Life is full of many people who make skin and shapes but Kira truly believes in putting out only quality material. There is nothing in her stores that she herself would not wear. Months ago Kira made a skin and sent it to bloggers. She got lots of feedback on that skin after its release and decided to create a new skin making changes to improve the overall quality of the skin and make it more appealing to potential customers.

Kira puts her heart and soul into each item she creates and hopes her customers can feel that when they wear something created by her. Looking good and feeling good begins underneath your clothes. Let Shapes by Kira help you feel and look your best!

For more information regarding Shapes by Kira, please contact Kira Paderborn-Owner. Media wanting to interview or setup appointment with Kira, please contact Annette Wilder-Wilder Public Relations Firm Inc™ Owner.

© A WILDER PR INC. PRESS RELEASE SEPTEMBER 2009

Skin City Sones soda can hunt

Skin City, Second Life:
The merchants of Skin City have hidden Sones soda cans with skins, shapes, eyes, and more av accessory booty prizes in the one and only 1-stop city for...skins, shapes, eyes, and other avatar accessories:

booty from these Skin City merchants:
_AR Another Realism

Arrogant Lioness

BB31 Baskin Bobbins

Body ProjectChambre du ChocolatFalln Angel

IC-Skins

Kitheres Industries

Mei Asian Skins

RioSin Skins

SL Shakespeare Company Style Shop

Soda

Soft Touch Skins

Starfuker Skins

VIP - Sculpted Talking Faces

Wunderlich's

XTreme Reality
More soda cans added daily... as new merchants arrive and get set up!
Come for a sneak peek and the chance to find high quality skins and more hidden in buy-for-0/1 Sones soda cans...
and...
Come see designers incognito as they try to find the hidden caps.(I can only tell you what I've hidden - don't ask any of us for where other booty's hid... cuz we dunno and are out there searching with you! o.O)
Ina Centaur

Skin City Mayor

The making of a gorean master

A few days ago I got a desperate call "I've got a new Jarl - and he needs a bit of fashion help".

I have to admit I was intrigued - - how much fashion advice does a Gorean Master NEED I wondered?

But I've advised a few men when they have needed make overs and how difficult can it be...

What greeted me was a bit of a man mountain - almost as wide as he is tall, his biceps so bulging that they looks like his arms had been stuffed with small, fat children. His neck crushed under the weight of his ragged, mop like hair, his legs looking like mooring rope that had been used by boy scouts for knot tying practice. Imagine a very large brick, with legs and arms and covered with a cheap skin.

"Aye Lass, I think I need a new skin

"Two points here - first only men in there 70's have the right to call me lass, I left school over 20 years ago so I think I count as a woman at worst and a lady at best.

And to say he needed a new skin was like saying that Second Life has the odd glitch - true but somewhat of an understatement.

The skin was no problem easy to find a good skin when L$ is not an issue - off to Dragonfly and - PRESTO a lovely skin.

This is where it got tricky - a good skin showed up all the flaws in the shape - so I tried the tactful approach

"Perhaps a better defined shape would improve your look"

"Aye but I made this shape myself - 'tis manly"(no - actually pushing your sliders up to 100% does not make you manly).

"Well lets just look - see if we can find something with better definition for you

"Sure enough After a bit of grid hopping I found a lovely barbarian shape, based on Arnie in his Conan days - 7ft2 tall - shoulders broad enough to park a small car on, arms that looked like Popeye after a spinach overdose, a rippling 6 pack, slim waist, a firm, rounded ass and legs like well carved tree trunks.

"Just look", I pleaded, "If you get the mod version you can play with anything you don't like"

"Lass he looks like a wimp" (Hmm there's that L word again).

"A wimp? It's a lovely, manly shape, a shape fit for a hero"

"Nay Lass, it ain't tall enough, he is far too pretty, he has too much waist, too much of a 6 pack" (Really - 7foot tall is too short? And what woman really thinks there is such a thing as TOO much of a six pack on a barbarian hero??)

More grid hopping and I find a shape advertised as for "men who want to be bears"...well, as long as the Gorean is relatively sheltered or open minded he might not know or care what a 'bear' is, amongst certain groups in SL, now then, does the designer have an outlet that isn't in an obviously gay mall? (Instinct told me this man probably wouldn't be comfortable in a mall - especially not one that advertised itself as such).

After a bit more grid hopping (really - I don't mind being ruthed after every teleport), I found the designer had a small outlet in an small, innocent looking mall and the store had the shape I was looking for.

"Please, come and look at this shape - I am sure you'll like it - it looks like a REAL hulk of a hero"

"Well Lass" (it's starting to bug me now), it's better than your last find, more of a manly shape" (Stop sniggering at the back of the room please), "But still, he doesn't have the muscle"

Oh but now we know 7ft7 is the ideal height for a Gorean man...

"You can get the mod version, change what you don't like.."I humbly suggested.

"Aye Lass, I tell ye what, I'll bring over my little lass to see what she thinks

"Two minutes later there in front of me is a tall, willowy yet buxom slave girl, with just enough clothing to be decent in a PG sim..

After formal introduction ("Lass, this is the Lass that's been helping me get even handsomer"), the slave girl gigglingly agreed that the 'bear' shape wasn't too bad and was fit for a hero - with a few adjustments maybe...

The sale was made and I breathed a huge sigh of relief, now there was just the hair..

Silly me, hair for men is always difficult, but I'd recently been to Pazzaz and knew they have some lovely mens hair which I thought would fit the bill...of course I was wrong...

"Too long, too short, too girly"

More grid hopping, more please to just come look, which were often met with an accepting of a tp, 5 minutes for the store to rez and a blunt "No, Lass" and a speedy barbarian exit.

Then as a last resort I went to a little place I know which has maybe a dozen mens hairs, there was one, a mid length pony tail which might do. the usual (by now) invitation to just come look, but this time after 5 mins to rez, before I could point out which hair I had in mind - I get a "Perfect, Lass, I've got it"...

I turn around to see him sporting which was obviously based on Rod Stewart in the 70's...

oh hum..well he's happy...

A day later I got an invitation to come see the full effect.

After rezzing in what was some sort of cave dwelling I see my barbarian stood next to a large open fire, his Rod Stewart hairdo, the skin being shown to it's best (not much in the way of clothes to spoil the view) and an obviously modded version of the shape (bears just aren't big enough it seems), all dressed in a pair of rough hewn trousers and two weapons belts, bristling with swords, knifes and sharp pointy things strung over his shoulders and across his chest..

Nice enough if you like that sort of thing I suppose -

but now I need a companion in a well cut tux and a martini to ease my shattered nerves - in future I'll stick to helping male escorts get their look together...

Anonymous submission

BIANCA F. RELEASES FATA SKINS TODAY

Bianca Foulon, owner and designer of the bianca F. line of Italian designed women's apparel, accessories and skins, today releases her newest generation of skins for the women of SL. This new skin series is named “Fata” and it comes in five different skin tones Sahara, Moka, Bronze, Cioko and Ivory. These skins are now available at the flagship bianca F. store
Bianca has refined the facial features and paid close attention to the female form. The result is very realistic and feminine skins that are edgy, yet so delicate. Each skin tone comes with 10 make up choices and demos are complimentary. "I tried to make these skins so close to my own natural skin and hope that women will view them with great appreciation," states Bianca.
In appreciation of the support of the many members of the bianca F. group, Bianca is pleased to offer a gift of one of these newest skins to the group.
This newest collection of skins will be presented in a show on Friday, April 11th at 2 pm PDT in cathedral Piazza del Duomo

Skin fair starts today

Vanity Universe is proud to present Second Life’s first International Skin Fair in our brand new Vanity Universe location

opening it’s doors on Saturday, March 1st at1pm PST.

More than 65 Second Life skin designers are waiting to present their existing and new products to those visiting the fair.
The huge skin variety guarantees something for everyone. Meet the known designers exhibiting next to talentes newcomer and small companys, not only to enjoy the new products debuting that date, but also to enjoy an amazing fashion show being put together by the FACES modeling agency.
We hope to see you there and are pleased to welcome you to Vanity Universe!

(Click poster to TP once the fair starts)

Finding a Furred Avatar (Do You Love the Skin You’re In Part 2)

Some friends and I were recently talking about articles in the SLN, and I mentioned Dashwood Dayafter’s article, “Do You Love the Skin You’re In,” of which the topic had also recently been discussed on Second Life TV. Discussing it, it was suggested I do an article about finding a “furry” avatar.
If you’re looking for a furred avatar, especially if it is going to be the one you'll be using all the time in Second Life, selecting one can depend on a number of factors. Cash is one consideration, as some avatars sell for over a thousand lindens. If you’re short on cash, there are some halfway decent free ones out there. I saw one newcomer at Luskwood ask about them and got a good purple catgirl avie from someone for free, as well as a squirrely one.
Then there’s what kind of appearance do you want? Felines and Canids are the most popular, but vendor machines have all kinds (skunk, mouse, bat, panda, etc.) and usually in a variety of colors.
And exactly how do you want your appearance? Some vendors go for cute and cartoony. Others go for a more balanced look. And if by chance you can’t find something you’re looking for, some builders will take the job of making a custom one for you.

One other question, especially for the guys, is how clothes will fit on you. A guy who plans on going to formal parties may want to stick with something that has legs very close in shape to normal human avatars as tuxedo pants will not fit a digitgrade.
That tail of yours will also be sticking out of whatever you wear, as will any hairs on places on your body. The adjustable option for your clothes will be very convenient, if not a must. For a fashion designer, the furry male can be something of a challenge.

Do you have or are planning on getting a job? Obviously, if you’re looking for a position as a bouncer in a club, a big wolf looks better than a small mouseboy.

Some furred avatars can also do things normal human skins can’t. Some have ears that can fold back or automatically wiggle. Tails in some can wag. Some as they walk around can temporarily leave footprints on the ground. Skunks can spray. Bats have flapable wings and can fly around in a more natural looking manner. There are also furred avies with a “feral” option, able to run around on all fours like an animal avatar, as well as on two like a human.

There are numerous places where one can get a furred avatar. Regrettably, a few of these places also cater to customers with risque tastes (at least one puts that stuff in it’s own room). Two with strict policies on clean items are Luskwood and Rocket City. Luskwood, the home of Luskwood Creatures and Luskwood Bunkies, only offer their own avatars for sale, but the place is also a social hangout, and one can get advice about avatars from the people there, as well as get a look at numerous avatars being worn. Rocket City has vendor machines from a number of avatar makers, furred and a few nekos. They also have some attachments such as flex-tails, and a little clothing. This is among the best places to shop for a furred avie, if not the best.

For myself, I went with the Luskwood Red Fox, substituting the tail that came with it with a “Flex-Tail” from Rocket City. It doesn’t have a lot of frills, but I like it as it seems to suit me, being part “redneck,” as well as a sci-fi fan. Most clothes I come across fit it okay, though the pant bottoms can be a problem sometimes.
Since getting it, it has been "me" in Second Life.
Some people I know have also stuck with their first avatar as their main one. Others have changed it as they acquired more cash, going either for another brand of the same kind that they thought looked a little better to them, or something else entirely.
A friend of mine whom I met as a skunkboy later changed to a fox, then got another brand with a slightly different look.
One can also buy additional avatars to wear on occasion much like one would wear a set of clothes, such as for a costume party, RPing, etc. Or they may change to keep from being bored with a particular look. Most still have one they see as their identity in SL. But some never do settle on a single appearance, buying a number over time and changing their forms when the mood strikes them. One lady I know who calls herself a “shapeshifter” says she has over 50 avatars, furred, free, and otherwise.

So whether you plan to have a furred avatar as your only one, or just something to wear once in a while, put a little thought in what you want.

Bixyl Shuftan

Who is that gorgeous av?

The changing face of SL-newspapers CEO JamesT Juno
The early face of JamesT, yes we have all been there the bad newbie hair the sunglasses etc.......

This is the av that most people will recognise instantly, a few minor changes over the months, occasional hair changes different sunglasses but very upright and stern this was the JamesT most of us would think of if we heard his name.
Introducing the NEW JamesT Juno

A makeover was well overdue with his 1 year SL birthday looming.

First on the list a new skin, with a recommendation from Carter, we headed to Dante - by naughty designs and had fun trying on different looks. Skin shopping is time consuming every skin must be tried and tested but its not something to be rushed, at any time, your skin is the most important purchase you will ever make ( I have kept the same one almost since the beginning, it was the first skin I bought and with the exception of a few makeup changes I am still happy with it almost a year later, also bought from naughty designs) (picture by Dixie Barbosa)

The skin comes with a few different beard and moustache/ stubble options plus hair styles.

James was quite happy to stay with the hair rather than search for one that probably would not match as well.

A few new suits from Styles of Edo completed his new look.

So if you see me out and about with this gorgeous looking av - yes I have found a new man, but not a new love its still JamesT Juno!

(pictured here at IntLibber Brautigans wedding)