Stuff, and more Stuff...

Big day today. I find out sometime in the next few hours how the first part of my University course has gone for me, and to focus on something else while I wait in terror I'm about to start phase 3 of what I've come to call 'Project Shine'. This is my attempt to blend 3D and Photoshop into a style & workflow from which I can quickly make new, shiny, glossy outfit templates for the Latex Web Inc. clothes, and for my own artworks. The new Joiner advert for the Latex web Junkies group is also a preview of what's in the works...

There's a few things that have led to this... first was Mastress Dorry showing me the work of Shiniez, and then Kim Dench giving me a chart of all the main creators' 'shines' in SL to look at. Then I took full advantage of my University course to learn learn learn all about how light bounces off objects, reflections etc, and with Mija's help, learn about Photoshop's Brushes - which are amaazzzzingly useful. The plan is, with Turi and Mandy, to start releasing new outfits in early 2013, and revamp some of our most popular existing adverts, with this new Look. It's taking time, but it's a learning process, and I am loving every minute of it :) ((special thanks to Mija for all her help and technical advice!))

Other things... a few people have been asking about what happened to the role-play at Darkadia; it's officially 'on a break' while we decide what to do with it. The problem we found was that there aren't enough hours in the day, or enough energy, to run something that people expect to revolve exclusively around Them. Plus, we have to pay the rent of the sim itself, so the LWi (Latex Web Inc.) shop is the main focus atm. More than anything, we just needed a rest.. I know I did, lol...

Also, been thinking a lot about the SL/RL divide, and the sometimes lack of it. I have often been asked to 'prove' myself in SL, that is: prove I'm female; the answer is yes, I am, and happily so, but I have learned from bitter experience to keep at least SOME barriers up between SL and real Life. Especially now that I'm back at University. I don't even like talking on a telephone much, never have, so I'm not really up for babbling in SL at my usual top speeds lol... The other, and very vital, reason is safety: I've recently been the subject of several attempted hacks and griefs, and not just on my SL account. 4 years ago I had one idiot stalk me in London's clubs - it is NOT a fun place to be. So, to those who nibble at my heels about this: please respect my wishes to keep at least a bit of me separate from the online world :) Thanks xxxxxx

Lust in the Dust

Zomg... I am sooo looking forward to the holidays now hehe... I'm actually starting to DREAM in Photoshop lol... who knew that nightmares could be in Layers! Anyways, while I get the brand new 'shine' ready for the next wave of releases, we're releasing a few freebies - here's Mandy Galileo in our Western stylee cow grrrl set - and if we get enough requests, we'll look at doing an actual latex cow slave suit too :P

Invasion!!!!

Darkadia gets a LOT of interesting visitors... the planet Skaro sent a delegation of Daleks over today... I think they were scouting for victims eeeeeek... the Dalek Empress herself came too, she used to be the human Kira Saiman before she upgraded to dalek form... they said they would be coming regularly to trap the unwary and take them to their 'research labs', so watch out! hehe xxx

Oh heck..

The IMs in SL got a bit crazy recently - it's hard to get things done when you have someone ranting in the IM box about how coffee is the reason the world is going to hell (kind of thing, lol).. so my Owner decided it was time I was de-stressed from this and, um, has locked me down.. heavily. I can't hear anything now! It's scary... and very exciting too... this is something I think I will have to get used to from now on. She also cut my hair shorter... *grumble*... I think it's ok... but the Owner is always right... yes? :)

Corset is from Tsarina of Rosal, she makes gorgeous corsetry. Skirt is a very special mesh one by Dari, in 'backless' stylee. Kisses and thankyous to both of you :)

More later xxx

Nomnomnom

Breakfast... and photoshop :P it's a fun combination :D

Piccy to go with last night's short story... *grinz*

Short Story :)

Okay, so I haven't really ever written anything before. But this short story has been kind of developing for a little while, and tonight I finally typed it out. Enjoy xx

“Owned”

My Owner comes for me each night after the twin suns have vanished beneath the horizon of gigantic waterfalls. She arrives in various forms; I never know in what shape She will appear in from one night to another. Sometimes She will materialise as something demonic, like a Succubus or a Drider Spider-Goddess. Other times She is as a ghost, ethereal and soft. Occasionally, She is almost human... almost. But always surrounded and clad by darkness. Always with a smile concealing lusts and desires, a smile that grows wider as She moves towards me...

I was taken from my world a few years ago, and trapped on this strange world where realities mix, flow, and combine into new forms and structures like dreams and nightmares.  I had been travelling back home through the January cold and rain of London when... something... appeared out of the fog, like a hole in the air itself, spilling colours and sounds from infinite realities and possibilities out onto the dark, grey street. I think I fell in. Or I may have jumped, I don’t really remember. Whatever I had done, or not done, there was no going Back. It was far too late for that now.

She who now owns me appeared to me first as another human woman, trapped in this ‘new universe’, and showed me how to adjust to the way things worked here. She’d been there a while, and had assumed the mantle of ‘Baroness’ in order to survive. Being of a naturally timid nature, it took me a while to get used to the sensual - and at times, very erotic - customs and manners of the various ‘clans’ and societies here. I made some very good friends too, others who had fallen through the walls between realities, and we helped each other survive and adapt to the weirdness (and that’s the best word to describe it) that we found ourselves surrounded by daily.

And one day, She snapped a collar on my neck, and locked it tight. Very tight. 

Seconds later her form shimmered and altered. As I backed away, her human form twisted and flowed and became black, reflective... arachnid. Her human upper half spat a jet of black liquid at me, which expanded and enveloped my body like a wave of hot water, then tightening and clinging to me like a second skin. As I fell upon the floor of the strange building She had taken me to, squirming and gagging against the film of black material covering my face, I heard her sibilant voice whisper... “Mine...”.

Through a haze of darkness, I could see Her looking down at me as the material twisted and bent my arms back against my shoulders, my legs being drawn together tightly and without mercy. With a deft slash of one of her lower claws, She sliced tiny openings for my mouth to breathe... I sucked in air gratefully, dizzy from terror. The second skin seemed to cling ever tighter, squeezing and caressing me like a living glove. A few more slashes from Her claws, and I realised that She had made openings in my new ‘suit’, and was already caressing the exposed parts of my writhing body with whatever appendages She had deigned to now manifest...

And now, I am lost to Her.

I understand that I didn’t fall into this world back on that London street... I was pulled in, by Her. Now, I exist as a toy, a plaything, left suspended and bound in a tight black cocoon when She is away hunting. I live inside the living latex suit She spun around me, my body twisted and contorted inside to match whatever She desires my appearance to be. She takes me as Her lover, Her slave, Her concubine, She invades my mind as well as my body and whispers... always whispers the word that makes my soul fall further and further into Her pit of dark, sensual silk...

“...Mine”.

****

Okay, so...

... everything's packed and almost ready to hit the shops, vendors and marketplace. Kyaaaa...! I am happy... finally I feel that the quality of our gear is being raised a bit at last. Future plans include some mermaid stuff and some spider-dominant gear hehe... anything to encourage those shy dominants out there to use a bit more imagination :P

Just did a test mesh version of our classic hairpins, the Kanzashi. I'm still working on the textures and extras for this, and there'll be more 'normal' (ie. traditional) versions too. Mesh is sooo much fun to work with, it really lets you get rid of that 'twisted prim' look that makes so much SL stuff.. well, suck. Some of the mesh stuff I've seen recently has been Incredible, and SL is totally better for it. Finally we can really start doing weird, twisted and erotic designs without being held back by prim or sculpty limitations :) *does happy dance*

So creatively: all is good. Next up is an improved 'shine' on our catsuits - being back at University has taught me some new tricks I'm excited about trying on the SL stuff we do. And amazingly I'm so far able to juggle Uni and SL and my Online courses and not fall apart lol ... what's so good is that one bounces off another, and each benefits the other as I learn more and more.

And in SL itself... interesting ^^ ... those who've known me a while will know of my feelings about 'needy' types, less-than-clever dominants, IM-flooders and worst of all, stalkers/ griefers. The last few weeks have seen my account attacked twice - and badly - and a Certain perSon leaving dumbass comments on my friends' blogs. We Know Who You Are, suckah! Big thankyous to BHF and Winter and the LL grid monkeys for rescuing my account in time!!

So, after a LOT of thinking and all that stuff you do over cups of tea... I'm going to let myself get fully, 100% locked down in SL while things calm down, hehe... sending Notecards will prob be the best way to get a message to me for a little while. Seems that there's a 'new wave' of thinking among our dear Owners, who are getting tough on us bratty types and, er... making us behave. By locking us down. And restricting us... a LOT! And yanno... this is what I've been ranting on about for a while now - why don't dominants ACT like dominants more? Not in a bullying way, but in a caring - and TOUGH! - "you are Mine, mwahahahaa!!!" way... a little bit of Evil keeps us subbies in suspense, wondering what dark plans are being formed... and that's what's exciting. Presence, Imagination and a good knowledge of RLV and what SL button does what (so they don't keep having to ask us subbies what does what etc.... gah) is a good mix :D

And anyway, I need a break from working so hard recently... seems my owner Dorry has plans... *gulp* ... I think I may be in trouble for being away working for so long...

More later :) xxxx