~flirt~ Thanksgiving Sale

Where?

~flirt~ fine jewellery mainstore ONLY

When?

Saturday 7th November thro’ Sunday 29th November

What?

• ALL ~flirt~ jewellery will be on sale with at least 50% off regular prices. Single items start at L$50, sets from L$200, plus catch up on any ~flirt~ gifts you missed! In-world ~flirt~ group members can also get 10% off ~flirt~ storecards.
• GIFTS – I’ve put out all the non-exclusive gifts I’ve given out in hunts, events and so forth over the last 2 years, so if you missed anything now is the time to grab them! You’ll find them on the  East wall of the store, downstairs.
• GROUP GIFT – There is also a new group gift, on the desk in the mainstore.

Why?

Short version – to say a big “Thank you” to all my customers.

Read on for the tl:dr version :p

2009 Jewelry Fair

Despite being unable to spell jewellery correctly, the team organising the 2009 Jewelry Fair have done an amazing job with the set-up and build for this year’s jewellery expo. Themed around the children’s novel “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the fair takes you on a walk past over 120 exhibitors hidden within a high-hedged maze with no chance of getting lost other than in the glorious bling on display.  This year the fair is supporting the charity Oxfam, many designers having set up exclusive items with 50% of proceeds going directly to this cause.

2009 Jewelry Fair

~flirt~ The Secret Garden Rings

I have designed a set of rings specifically for the Jewelry Fair, each one depicting a tiny “garden” of seasonal flora hidden within a beautiful solitaire diamond, set high on a latticed texture-change precious metal ring.

~flirt~ Secret Garden Ring: SPRING

~flirt~ The Secret Garden Ring: SUMMER

~flirt~ The Secret Garden Ring: AUTUMN

~flirt~ The Secret Garden Ring: WINTER

For the duration of the 2009 Jewelry fair all four rings are set to one third off the normal price, and additionally, 50% of the proceeds of all sales will go directly to Oxfam.

State-Of-The_Art Sculpted Gemstone Technology

The sculpted gemstones featured have been painstakingly developed by Skip Bernard of Sculptacular with extreme mathematical accuracy.  ” Created using the formulars of Marcel Tolkowsky (american standard cut ) and Prof. Eppler (german cut), these diamond sculpts are of extreme precision and realistic appearance”.

Skinkie has also had the opportunity to use Skip’s developmental ray-tracing internal reflection sculpts to add a further dimension to the gems, bringing back the twinkle that sculpted diamonds hereto have missed.  Using these, the highest quality sculpted gemstones available in Second Life today, together with Skinkie’s reknowned precision building and texturing skills, we believe we are offering probably the most realistic and beautiful diamond rings available on the grid.

Updated Scripting

Rings are all scripted with the newest version of the ~flirt~ Multiscript, with the familiar texture-change and resizing options, together with the ~flirt~ Easyfit System.  This version also includes new features:

• Glow on/off
• Delete all scripts

There are also some bug-fixes, including eliminating cross-talk between worn items of scripted jewellery.

~flirt~ Tigerlily Hair Barrett

Exclusive to the Jewelry Expo is this gift from ~flirt~. Scripted with the newest version of the ~flirt~ multiscript, over 140 texture combinations are possible, choosing between 12 precious metals and 12 crystals.  Versions pre-attached to the mouth and chin are provided, but should these not be suitable, the ~flirt~ Easyfit System will make re-positioning on a new attachment point a breeze.

~flirt~ Tigerlily Hair Barrett: 2009 Jewelry Fair Exclusive Gift

The 2009 Jewelry Fair runs from today, Friday 18th September, thro until Sunday 27th September 2009.

Links & SLURLs

~flirt~ @ 2009 Jewelry Fair (JewelryFair1 sim, Summer)

~flirt~ mainstore

2009 Jewelry fair Blog

~flirt~ easyfit system

All new releases from now on (unless the feedback is negative of course) will include the new ~flirt~ Easyfit System and as some explanation is needed I thought I might throw in some gemeral tips for fitting jewellery to your avatar.  If this is helpful please let me know and I’ll do more of this sort of thing.  But first… Easyfit.

What IS ~flirt~ Easyfit?

Simply put, it’s merely a semi-transparent sphere attached to your jewellery that can:

• Help you line up the jewellery correctly on your avatar
• Make finding attached jewellery embedded inside your avatar a breeze – no more needing to cam inside!
• Be made invisible when not needed
• Be resized to your preference

Easyfit came about as Lorrie (~flirt~ CSR) and I were talking about how difficult it can be to fit, in particular, ~flirt~ two part necklaces.  Due to the huge variations in avatar size a complaint we kept hearing was that Part 2 of the necklace was hidden inside the chest on attachment. One option was to sell the jewellery attached further out from the body, but then *everyone* would need to re-position it rather than just those.. well, more well-endowed in the chest department 😉 So Easyfit was born. A prim large enough to be at least partially visible outside the avatar mesh, but able to be hidden.

Whilst this system is perhaps most helpful for positioning two-part necklaces and body piercings, as all ~flirt~ jewellery is built and supplied at it’s smallest setting (as minimum size is the limiting factor in SL builds) we have included it with all pieces.  The Easyfit prim is textured with the central axes marked in familiar colours, aiding alignment with whichever body part it is being fitted to.

How do I use ~flirt~ Easyfit?

Before You Start

1. Make a copy of all pieces of your jewellery PRIOR to making any adjustments.  If the worst comes to the worst you will be able to delete and start again.  I would also suggest storing a copy somewhere safe (inside a storage prim in-world) in case of inventory loss.
2. USE A POSE STAND. Seriously guys, you can’t make fine adjustments to any attachment whilst your avatar is flailing around being moved by your multi-stand AO. I know, you look like a dork when on a pose stand, but better five minutes doing that than walking around looking like a dork with your earrings poking out of your neck! Besides, it makes the whole debacle so much easier.  Heck, if professional builders need to do it then you do too!

ALWAYS Use A Pose Stand

Rather than cluttering up your inventory with countless posestands I have started embedding one in the notecard that comes with your jewellery (click the object icon and choose “copy to inventory”). If you still can’t find one, pick one up for free from the store, or from XStreetSL.

Fashion Expo 2009

The Fashion Expo 2009 opens it’s doors at 9am SLT (PST) today, 8th June 2009, and runs until Sunday 14th June 2009.  Organised by the All Stars Relay For Life team, as well as showing off their regular wears, designers have been invited to get involved in fundraising for American cancer Research, the proceeds from a minimum of two items going directly to charity.

As well as the one-of-a-kind ~flirt~ Gradient Set (blogged here) which will be auctioned in aid of RFL together with the beautiful Mandarin Surprise Gown by SySy Chapman, I have made a special recolour of the soon to be released ~flirt~ Full Circle set. For now, this is only available at the Fashion Expo sim.

~flirt~ Full Circle:RFL Set

As part of the Interactions Series, this set has special significance to me.  Whilst I started out to merely update Interactions, once I began working an entirely new design, still based around the Interactions “wheel”, emerged.  For the Relay For Life set, sculpted Marquise gems of pale amethyst are set in the finest precious metals produce a delicate feminine design which changes hue dependant upon the ambient light, from lavender thro’ the palest of pinks.

~flirt~ Full Circle Poster

The meaning behind Interactions still stands… Full Circle is merely a representation of how special relationships change subtly over time, become different but no less beautiful and perhaps more balanced.

~flirt~ Full Circle:RFL - Info Poster

::Features::

~flirt~ Multiscript:

• Resize-on-click
• Choose from 4 metal textures: Platinum, Gold, Rose Gold and Pewter
• ~flirt~ Easyfit System (details to follow in seperate post)

Multiple attachment point versions included

Customisation available (see notecard available in-store for further details):

• Alternate/additional gem or metal textures
• Custom message on click (private channel)
• Engraving
• Minor structural alterations (discuss with Skinkie Winkler)
• Addition of personal scripts (ie. collar scripts)

Full Circle:RFL Edition  is available as a full set or individual pieces.  100% proceeds go directly to Second Life Relay For Life, supporting American Cancer Research.  Please give generously.

~flirt~ Full Circle Necklaces:RFL Edition

~flirt~ full Circle Earrings:RFL Edition

~flirt~ Full Circle Bracelets:RFL Edition

~flirt~ Full Circle Ring:RFL Edition

SLURL’s

~flirt~ @ Fashion Expo 2009

Fashion Expo 2009 Auction Arena

For Sheelagh:One-Of-A-Kind ~flirt~ Gradient Set for RFL

The Fashion Expo 2009 starts this coming Monday and runs for a week (8th thro’ 14th June) with many of Second Life’s most fabulous and talented designers taking part. The main focus of the fair is to raise money for Second Life Relay For Life, with all funds going to the American Cancer Research charity.  We’ve all been touched by the devastating effects of cancer, making this a cause close to many of our hearts.  For me on a personal level, a number of people close to me have either fought or succumbed to this devastating disease, including most recently my dear friend, Sheelagh.

Sheelagh was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly before Christmas and subsequent to a total mastectomy, has this week finished her last dose of chemotherapy.  But that’s not the end of the road for her – she still has radiotherapy to undergo and further follow-up tests.  As I’ve stood with her and tried my best to support her through this I have been humbled by her determination, honesty and …she won’t mind me saying this… sheer bloody-mindedness to fight this thing.  She happens to also be my 4 year old daughter’s nursery school teacher, and has carried on working throughout, gently and compassionately educating her young charges about some of the less pleasant realities of this world, teaching them acceptance of those different to themselves as she lost her hair, laughing with them as they decked her out in an assortment of hats and scarves, showing them through the moments she couldn’t hold back her feelings any longer that it’s ok to cry.

As a friend or relative of someone with cancer it’s all too easy to feel helpless, sometimes worthless. That couldn’t be further from the truth. We can be there to give hugs, to listen, to understand, but also through events like the Fashion Expo and SLRFL, to raise money and awareness, encourage those on their journey, celebrate with those who’ve battled and won, hold hands with those who’ve lost.  So, in playing my small part, I’m pleased to be able to offer this one-of-a-kind version of the ~flirt~ Gradient Set, designed specifically for the gorgeous Mandarin Surprise Dress by SySy Chapman, to be auctioned for SLRFL.  It is dedicated to Sheelagh as a symbol of courage and hope.

~flirt~ Gradient Set in Antique Gold with Mandarin Garnets

Mandarin Surprise Dress by SySy Chapman

~flirt~ Gradient Series:One-Of-A-Kind RFL Set in Antique Gold & Garnet

This special set of ~flirt~ jewellery has been made specifically to compliment the Mandarin Surprise Dress by SySy Designs, and will be auctioned with it, 100% of the proceeds going to Relay For Life in Second Life, 2009 which benefits American Cancer Research.

The set comprises 18 pieces of hand-crafted full prim jewellery made by Skinkie Winkler to the highest standard. Her most challenging creation to date, Skinkie started building The Gradient Series almost a year ago, spending countless hours torturing and twisting prims into place. However, dis-satisfied with initial results it stayed in the depths of her inventory until it was finally completed earlier this month.

The key piece of the series, the ~flirt~ Gradient Drop Necklace, consists of no fewer than 500 prims (over two attachment points – chest and spine) with 250 tortured tiny prim gemstones cascading across the neck base and upper chest. Made from beautiful Mandarin Garnets set in Antique Gold, this set is the perfect adornmet for SySy Designs’ Mandarin Surprise Dress.

Included in the auction are:

*~flirt~ Gradient Drop Necklace – two piece necklace
*~flirt~ Gradient Drop Earrings
*~flirt~ Gradient Necklace – with chest and spine attachment versions
*~flirt~ Gradient Earrings: Grande
*~flirt~ Gradient Earrings: Petite
*~flirt~ Gradient Wrist Cuffs – right and left included
*~flirt~ Gradient Bangles – right and left included
*~flirt~ Gradient Ring – right and left included
*~flirt~ Gradient Dress Rings – right and left included

All items (excluding earrings) are fitted with Resize on Touch and feature the new ~flirt~ Easyfit System. Simply touch your jewellery and choose “reveal” to use the Easyfit prim to perfectly align each piece to your unique avatar shape. When you are done, click again and choose “hide”. If a piece is not visible at all when you first wear it, press Ctrl+Alt+T (to highlight transparent prims) and look for the red highlighted Easyfit Prim to move the attachment out from the avatar mesh, then fit as normal. Press Ctrl+Alt+T again to toggle “show transparent” back off.

Whilst this gem/metal combination will never been available elsewhere, the full set can be purchased in a variety of colours from the Fashion Expo or the (soon to open) new ~flirt~ fine jewellery mainstore in Rigby.

Please show your support and bid as much as you are able for this and the many other auction items at the Fashion Expo 2009.

::SLURL’s::

~flirt~ Mainstore

Soon to Open NEW ~flirt~ Mainstore (building in progress)

SySy’s Mainstore

~flirt~ Karma Booster Lucky Bags

Well, I have to go into hospital tomorrow for a minor-ish op, but knowing my prediliction for having every complication under the sun I thought I should go get me some exta karma, just in case.  And what better way than to  have a sale!

Not just any old sale though.  I’ve made up some absolutely fantastic bargainaliscious Karma Booster Lucky Bags for you all!  Priced at either L$500 or L$1000, each one (and there are ten varieties of each) is packed full of sparkly ~flirt~ goodness worth between 2-3 times the price!!! The catch? You don’t know what’s in them until you open it up…I’m sure you will be more than happy though!  There’s LOTS of Tiffany, over half the bags containing at least one piece, plus all your other ~flirt~ favourites.

To make sure that everyone gets a shot at them I’ve set up servers to sell limited numbers of bags at different times of the day over the weekend… and on Monday as that is my Real Life birthday! Times at which the sale will start each day are listed below.

• Wednesday 29th April – 3pm SLT
• Thursday 30th April – 2pm SLT
• Friday 1st May – 4pm SLT
• Saturday 2nd May – 10am SLT
• Sunday 3rd May – 12 noon SLT
• Monday 4th May – 2pm SLT

Come along, boost your karma and be good to your soul!

~flirt~ fine jewellery mainstore

The Fairest Jewel: Poetry Competition Winners

My sincere apologies for the delay in bringing you the results of The Fairest Jewel Poetry Competition, held in association with The Poet’s Plunder. We have been overwhelmed by the high standard of the entries, making it very hard to choose between some of the best poems. However, the judges were in agreement about the winner, a short poem called “Shimmer” written by Shylah Oceanlane.

Shining,
shimmering,
glowing bright,
jewel, beauty or love,
each illuminates the night….

“Shimmer” by Shylah Oceanlane: First place winner

Congratulations  Shylah!  Your poem encompasses the premise of the competition, vividly describing the justaposition of the three elements, jewels, beauty and love.

Second and third place were harder to decide, with three poems tying in points.  However one stood slightly ahead, capturing the meaning behind the gift of jewellery perfectly.  Congratulations, Bliss Windlow, for your poem, “Promise”.

a jewel beyond
beauty
the “forever” gathered
and placed
in my ring.

“Promise” by Bliss Windlow: Second place winner

Third place therefore was a tie.

..on thine dainty finger
gleams a token of
mine deepest, truest
devotion.

“Devotion” by Mirasol Inglewood: Joint third place winner

Tumbled diamonds
spilled
across a silent sky
unspoken knowing
you and I ….

“Tumbled Diamonds” by Bliss Windlow: Joint third place winner

Congratulations to you all!  Winning poetry will be incorporated into artwork and displayed in the ~flirt~ mainstore over the coming months.

In view of the outstanding quality of the entries, the following poems all recieve an “Honourable Mention”.

My secret love is a beautiful jewel held forever in my heart.

“My Secret Love” by Latex Zemlja: Honourable Mention

Eyes were wide,
Tongue was tied;
Then a ring..
“Yes!” she cried.

“Proposal” by Mirasol Inglewood: Honourable Mention

Diamond Stars,Pearl Moon,Topaz Seas,
Your Love – Fairest jewel of these.

“Fairest Jewel of All” by Kate McLaglen: Honourable Mention

Shine.
Perfect and beautiful,
Like a flawless jewel.

“Shine” by Sehra Kauffman: Honourable Mention

It flows
from
your topaz eyes
to my heart ….
and ignites unspoken ….
magic …..

“Topaz Eyes” by  Bliss Windlow: Honourable Mention

An additional prize of a L$250 ~flirt~ storecard will go to each of these runners up.

Thank you to all who took the time to put virtual pen to paper and make the judging so incredibly hard. For more information about the poetry scene in Second Life please contact Klannex Northmead for an up-to-date schedule or grab one (for free) from XStreetSL.  The Poet’s Plunder Open Mic, hosted by Klannex, is every Saturday at 6am SLT at the Bookworm Cafe, Da Vinci Isle.

~flirt~ Bloom Series

How Does Your Garden Grow?

The first set of jewellery I ever bought in Second Life was a pretty colour-change flower set from Coconut Ice which I wore constantly.  Simple and understated, I could match (or clash) the colours to everything in my wardrobe.  The scripting however, was clunky, laggy and text-based, and my love of deleting product notecards meant I quickly forgot the channel number and colour names needed to make it work.  I suspect that this set, in part at least, was what inspired the ~flirt~ Bloom Series, although the flowers themselves evolved from one of my now regular prim-torturing sessions where I just play with tiny prims and see what happens.

~flirt~ Bloom Set in Pearl

Each piece of jewellery, in fact, every single of the non-changeable prims in the enitire series, is hand-painted with homemade textures – literally hundreds of hours of painstaking work – to provide five semi-precious stone varieties: Black Onyx, Jasper, Pearl, Turquoise and Yellow Jasper.  A further set, in beautiful pink Rhodochrosite, is now exclusively available in aid of RFL2009.

~flirt~ Bloom Set in Rhodochrosite:Relay For Life 2009

The metal and crystal parts of Bloom are texture change, twelve metal and twelve crystals combining to provide over 140 possible varieties! Seriously, try to find me an outfit you CAN’T match these to!  As with all ~flirt~ jewellery each piece is fitted with a “click to resize” function, and multiple attachment point versions are provided.

~flirt~ Bloom Set in Black Onyx

The ~flirt~ Bloom Series isn’t “cheap”.  It is however incredible value for money, and with ~flirt~’s high build quality and attention to detail it’s an investment every fashionista needs to make.

~flirt~ Bloom Set in Turquoise

~flirt~ Bloom Set in Jasper

~flirt~ Bloom Set in Yellow Jasper

So, how does YOUR garden grow?

See ~flirt~ flickr stream for images of individual pieces.
Full range and demo’s available from ~flirt~ fine jewellery mainstore

The Fairest Jewel Poetry Competition

Ever fancied yourself as a bit of a poet? Is rhyming romance your middle name? Or perhaps you’re the hero(ine) of the haiku? Well now is your chance to shine, quite literally.

~flirt~, in association with The Poet’s Plunder, is proud to be hosting a short poetry competition. We are looking for poems of 12 words or less, in the format of your choice, around the theme of jewels, beauty and love. Winning poems will be incorporated into artwork/posters to be displayed in the ~flirt~ mainstore, as well as receiving prizes totaling over L$10,000!

Prizes:

• First Prize: L$1000 cash plus L$5000 ~flirt~ storecard
• Second Prize: L$500 cash plus L$2500 ~flirt~ storecard
• Third Prize: L$250 cash plus L$1000 ~flirt~ storecard

Judges:

• Skinkie Winkler, ~flirt~ fine jewellery
• Klannax Northmead, The Poet’s Plunder
• Random Calliope, Worthwhile Gallery, Ode

Closing date for entries is midnight on Monday 30th March 2009.  Winning poems will be announced prior to or on Sunday 5th April 2009.

Full details are available from the ~flirt~ mainstore – please read the rules/instructions before making your submission.

A Touch of Taihiti

One of the things I’ve been working on over recent weeks has been some new pearl textures. I was never wholly satisfied with the ones I was using and as I kept being requested to make alternate colours I decided it was time to improve things. After much research, lots of tweaking in Photoshop, test after test textures, I have finally made a set of realistic Tahitian Pearl textures for use with current and upcoming ~flirt~ jewellery. However, to start off I tackled the not insignificant task of re-texturing the ~flirt~ Pearls Of Wisdom set.

The pearls now come with either a gold or platinum setting, and are on sale in three regular pearl colours – cream, chocolate and black. Two fatpacks, the gold pack and the platinum pack, contain a bonus set of golden and silver pearls respectively at a bargain price.

I have also made a special valentine edition with Pink Pearls in a Platinum Setting, enhanced by a stunning rare Pink Diamond. This set is available EXCLUSIVELY in the ~flirt~ mainstore Lucky Chair (at the back of the shop).

Regular sets and packs are available from my XStreetSL Store

The Power Of Four

If you go to the store this weekend don’t forget that “The Power Of Four” mini-hunt is still going on until 4:04pm on Sunday! To celebrate my daughter’s fourth birthday, four regular items of her choosing have been reduced to L$4  for four days, four hours and four minutes (as of 12noon on her birthday, February 4th). There are some great bargains to be had.

Kiss Grid-Wide Valentine Hunt

Lastly, the Kiss Grid-Wide Valentine Hunt, organised by Vain Inc., starts at midday today (although many vendors have their gifts out already). ~flirt~ is pleased to be participating with an exclusive gift made especially for this event. Look for the big red lips in the ~flirt~ mainstore (they are easy to find, honest).