This entire post is Kismet's fault. Just quietly playing greedy, and bam, a link to a picture of this dress. We both oo and aah and figure out when its coming out, then I get to be the lucky one to snag the pics and blog it. I absolutely love it. Its a bit unusual that the belt doesn't come with the dress, its a separate purchase, and pretty much essential to the look of the dress. However, I adore it so much I didn't even blink when I bought it.

Thanks to my wench for coming over and standing all over my furniture for pics! Muwah!

I've never really been fully sold on this 'blond' deal. Its stepping far out of my norm, which was always pale with dark hair, much like I am in real life. When I made the switch to blond I wanted some sort of drastic change, at the same time in real life having just cut my hair off to donate. What better way than to go from raven hair to blond? Hmmm. Will be playing with it a bit longer and will see if my Ls can handle the switch back after filling up on blond hairs.

The look, I love. Miel makes me happy, the top and scarf being theirs. Scarf removed for the 2nd picture, I'm so darn wishy washy I couldn't decide if I liked it on or not! The belt and shoes are Pixel Mode, I've gone a bit boot crazy lately. Jeans, if you've ever read anything else I've ever posted you could guess, drawmachine. Too typical of me, but I almost forgot how to do this 'blogging' stuff! Thoughts for the new year are a completely new look, and more frequent postings. When I say a new look, thats all blog and av. 'Dina' is getting a bit stale, boring, same ole same ole and I need new, exciting, crazy. Hmmm, perhaps!

On a completely different topic, from the av to the game that is, I actually logged in for the first time on a new viewer. Imagine that! However, this is going to take a lot of getting used to. Nothing is where it should be and this took me way longer than usual! I do rather like it, but don't quote me on that.

Hoping you all are having a wonderful season so far, staying warm and spending as much time with loved ones as I wish I could be. Missing many of you...

Style Card:
Shirt & Scarf: Miel
Boots & Belt: [PM]
Jeans: drawmachine
Skin: LAQ
Hair: Truth

Dina's Style Card:
Clothing: Elate
Jewelry: Miel
Shoes: Nardcotix
Skin: Belleza
Hair: Truth
Pose: [PDA]

I am confident it is going to end up on the feeds and blogged by a few people, and normally I tend to shy away from things that may end up flooding said feeds but I had to have this one. The sweater is by AOHARU and comes in 8 colors. I was tempted by the pink or even the red or green for the holidays but I figured the blue would be perfect for me this season. Doesn't mean I wont go pick up another one. but for now this will do. I stood around in just the sweater for a while but decided that wasn't exactly the warm wintery look I was going for! Tossed on jeans from Decoy, one of the many fabulous tanks I've gotten from Miel and my favorite boots from Pixel Mode and was better armed against the cold of my new home.

These pieces from MB Creationz are absolutely my favorite holiday decorations so far this year. I created a mini skating rink and set them out for visitors and friends to enjoy. I love the amazing detail, the crisp colors and textures and the sit animations are as fun as the holidays are going to be this year! I didn't get a chance to pick them up yet but I will be heading back for their gift boxes to slip under the amazing tree they have (you will see more of that tree in upcoming entries, no worries) for my friends to open. I don't have a chance to decorate as much in RL this year since we wont be here most of the holiday season, so this gave me the perfect setting to let out my passion for Christmas.

A couple of weeks ago I sat and chatted with Sands about the holidays. We each have had some pretty bad seasons the last couple of years and promises, with firm devotion, that this year was going to be vastly different. So far, its been amazing. Getting quality time with him each evening, and well into the morning, has already proven to make my holidays much brighter and I am very thankful for it all. I have had to make some tough choices in regards to SL in the last few days, but I think in the end those that I settled on with his help, as well as a couple of friends, is going to make SL the fun place it needs to be when I have time to log in. When SL becomes more work and stress than just fun it means you need to take a step back and do some adjusting. No, you weirdos, this doesn't mean there was drama, people can be stressed without it involving drama. Can you belive it? With how much people assume I was all drama for a bit there (because heaven forbid I have a bit of it once) isn't it just simply amazing how those same people are continually involved in drama while I am nowhere in sight? I must be causing it from a distance, yep, that must be it, shame on me. This must mean I am going to get coal in my stocking this year from Santa! Oh noes!

Sigh. In all seriousness, it is really disappointing to see so many people that are causing others problems come through and leave traces of pain and confusion in their wake. I see it from a safe distance in plurk, in SL, on the feeds, and then am disappointed in even myself for staying out of things I wish I could just speak up about. Others openly speak up, are encouraged and applauded for doing so, even when they are actually just causing more issues in their vocal outbursts. They are tearing others down and being rewarded for it, and its causing that great divide among friends through plurk and SL again. It was calm for a week or two, wasn't it? I suppose that good hearted nature so many were trying to foster, posts that were uplifting and positive towards people couldn't possibly last long in this community. So, why is that? In a time when people are supposed to be happy, spreading joy and all that sappy stuff, why are some of the very same people that asked 'why do we have to tear each other down' doing just that? Is it acceptable to tear certain people down? Ok to rip them apart when others are? These people arent even people I know really, on either side, but where did the 'tis the season' part of the holidays go for everyone else?

I know where it is for me, and I hope you do. I have had a fantastic weekend and wish it for everyone else too! Sands has the day off and we are just starting to play, make plans for the evening and such. I haven't really said it in my blog lately, but goodness sakes alive I love this man to pieces. You know what I wish for people today? Take a chance on someone new this season. That's right, step out of your box, out of your safe place, don't worry about what other people may think or say and just reach out to someone without pre-judgments based on what you may have 'heard'. Everyone has altercations with someone at some point, but there are indeed always three sides to a story. It might backfire, sure, but you might be surprised. I may have to hunt out someone new to do this with as well. Over the last few months I have met a handful of people that I might have judged by what other people said or thought of them and I am extremely thankful that I did not! Try it. Go on. You are braver than that, right? Right!

Dina's Duds
Sweater: AOHARA
Tank: Miel
Pants: Decoy
Boots: Pixel Mode
Pose: So Many Styles
Hair: Truth
Skin: Belleza
Glasses: Persenickety
Furniture: MB Creationz

For some reason, today, my pictures look really different in edit mode than they do when I upload them. I wish I had enough time to completely redo them, but I have far to much to do today than play with pictures all afternoon. Oh, how I wish I could though! Today is, officially, this avs 2nd rez-day! I got to spend the morning hanging out with my best friend (Love ya tons Kerra) and am looking forward to an evening with Sands of course. Neither of which will make fun of my off shaded body parts from these pictures.... ok, maybe. Lets just pretend I had pants on all summer and my feet got tanner... just, just go with it people!

These shots were taken using the poses that come with the garden area you see, as well as one from LAP (above). This is the new garden and land that I have in SL, and I honestly could only be happier if I had more prim's to play with. I finally have the gardens I have wanted, without unwanted trash right behind my land. Without the worry of people just dropping in, except for the few people I want to drop in, and without a club or store right next door! The land I am renting is beautiful and the neighbors have been fantastic so far. This is what SL living should be and I will be including more shots of the area soon.

Later I will get the outfit credits for Kerra, but for me I am wearing feet by SLink (they just dont look right in these images, but I swear they blended perfectly in game and in my editing program...no idea what is up today) and another outfit by MIEL. Yes, its a MIEL week I guess. I just love this little outfit, perfect for the gardener in me. I have to keep spring with me somehow as we approach Autumn and Winter. So glad we are finally out of Summer! I am happily dragging out pants and sweaters and as I organized in SL I am finding so many that I will be blogging in the future.

Tonight, I raid in EQ2, may slip in for a game of Greedy in SL, and have an over all fantastic evening. The plans are laid out, but even the best set plans for Sands and I get turned over once we log in. He has been extremely sweet the last few weeks, I suppose it just shows how being happy can affect someone, so we have been having a blast again. Its nice to put aside things that don't need our energy or focus, and just move on day to day being happy. I have had some amazing conversations with new and old friends about the recent shenanigans and am extremely comforted by the fact that they see things very similar to how I saw them. I'm not so crazy after all! Well, unless you are looking at my inventory... still a little crazy over that. Hey, I am working on it! Honest! Actually...it is my 2nd rezday on Dina...I think that should excuse me from that no shopping deal, don't you?

Dina's Duds
Outfit: Miel
Feet: SLink
Hair: Magika
Skin: Belleza
Pose: LAP

We all knew that 'no shopping' deal wouldn't even last one day, right? I was doomed the moment I checked my emails this morning and saw an update waiting from fri.day. Doomed, I say! How could I resist going and picking up a few things when we have been waiting for an update from them for weeks? I couldn't, that's how! I managed to walk out with only a couple of tops, the pants seen here and two hairs. This adorable pony is one of them and it comes with bangs (as shown) and without. I have a forehead that goes on forever, apparently, so I had to choose the one with bangs.

I am always on the hunt for new shoes and jewelry, accessories have never been my strong point, so I took a random shoe slurl from the feeds and ended up at Miel. This was a huge mistake. I ended up with more clothing, these adorable shoes and jewelry set and the intention to go back and get more. You know, when my 'no shopping' promise is fullfilled. I may need to have my own yard sale here soon just to fund my shopping...I mean, my no shopping. Oh who am I kidding.....

What I haven't shopped for lately are poses! So, I did a bit of wandering around, hopping on pose stands and walked off very happily with this pose box from Diesel Works. It comes with a large variety of textures for the walls and over 20 poses to choose from. Each are adjustable: position, rotation and the likes, and fantastic! I look forward to playing with it as I take pictures of the five hundred and two things I need to unpack and blog. I should get started on that being 'productive' concept! Right after a nap....

Dina's Duds
Shirt, Pants & Hair: fri.day
Shoes & Jewelry: Miel
Skin: Belleza
Pose Box: Diesel Works