Xen's Pen
Fashionable ramblings from Xenobia Foxclaw's virtual pen.

Let’s face it, I am a “crazy cat lady.” In real I have ten cats—yes, that’s right ten, t-e-n, 10 cats. Yes, they are indoor cats. Yes, they have been spayed or neutered. No, they are not any special breed. One is an American Long Hair and nine are American Short Hairs—that’s a nice way of saying they are of indeterminate heritage. The oldest came from the local humane society, all of the others were strays. Yes, they are spoiled rotten. Yes, I can name them all—Topaz, Lori, Angel, Freddie, Alexander, Isabel, Rhubarb, Ishmael, Pip, and Bev.

They take a lot of my time, attention, and money. However, I wouldn’t get rid of any of them. On the one hand, I don’t want any critter in SL that requires any attention (e.g., needs to be petted, fed, exercised). I’ve done my part. On the other hand, there is a little bit of me that enjoys dressing as a feline on occasion. Such an occasion occurred recently when I received a neko outfit. I had fun completing the look.

Here are three of the photos I took while wandering around. I found a very high spot on the France 3D Courchevel sim that looked exactly like a place at least one of my cats, Lori, would climb and wait for me to walk by before leaping, claws extended, to land on my unprotected shoulders. Or where Ish would climb to chase his tail going around and around in circles until he fell off only to sit and bathe himself as though he meant to do that.

What Xenobia Is Wearing and Other Credits

Hat: Wait, what, I don’t have a hat on?! What’s that all about?

Outfit (including ears and tail): Beautiful Dirty Rich—Sweetie (Magenta)

Skin: Belleza—Erika (Fair 7)

Tattoo: Catseye—Tattoo Tiger(Colour-change)

Whiskers: Ephemeral Creations—Dora (brow, 22 whiskers) & Dora (nose, 36 whiskers)

Claws: FineSmith—DRAAKJE Spike Nails

Hair: Little Heaven—Hair 13 Rabi (White)

Eyes: Aimesi—CatEyes (Gold)

Eyelashes: Miamai—No Alpha Lashes N0. 6

Poses: Di’s Opera

Model & Photographer: Xenobia Foxclaw

Location: France 3D Courchevel

You may have guessed from the title that I watch Project Runway on TV. I do indeed, and I like Tim Gunn’s favorite line, “Make it work.” I was casting for a fashion show with a designer with whom I was unfamiliar—Faster PussyCat. I like to look at the work of any designer whose clothing I might be selected to show. I was impressed with this designer’s work. Many of her gowns come with gorgeous hats, and you know I am a bit partial to my own hats. I wanted one of her designs, so I bought a dress that didn’t have a hat and put one of my favorites with it, changing the color to coordinate with the dress.

I think Tim might like this outfit; I took a bit of a risk with it, but I think it works. I styled it with shoes, necklace and bracelet from FineSmith. The jewelry is part of one of the two sets Yula has at the Fan Limited store. She has similar sets at the store that are in different textures.

What Xenobia Is Wearing and Other Credits

Hat: Xen’s Hats—Andre (Color-change)

Jewelry: FineSmith—Chamonix Set (Wood/Onyx)

Dress: Faster PussyCat—Queen of Hearts Dress (Pale Turquoise)

Shoes: FineSmith—Kick! Spikes (Black)

Tights: B!ASTA—Dotty Sheer Tights (Black)

Skin: Belleza—Erika (Sk 7)

Hair: Vanity Hair—Mimmi HP & Base (Teen Blonde)

Fingernails: FineSmith—Metallic Nails (Texture-change)

Eyes: Amacci—Gaze Eyes (Blue Green)

Eye Shadow: blackLiquid MAKEUP—Glitter Shadow (Gunmetal) (Available soon)

Eyelashes: Miamai—No Alpha Lashes N0. 6

Poses: Morphine Poses

Model & Photographer: Xenobia Foxclaw

I was feeling the need for tranquility and found this in lovely sim that is for Counselor Education in Second Life. It was indeed tranquil. I probably should have put on a coat against the cold of the snow, but I wanted you to see this cute outfit. I was also playing with shadows and how they change with the direction I was facing just like in real. Okay, almost like real—I haven’t figured out how light shines through my hat and onto my face in some photos.

What Xenobia Is Wearing and Other Credits

Hat: Xen’s Hats—Charlie (Color-change)

Dress: paper.doll—Peyton (Auqua)

Boots: G Field—Gina Lace-up Boots (Fat pack is color-change)

Tights: SHOP Toshy—Panty Hose (Light Brown)

Skin: Belleza—Erika (Sk 2)

Lip Gloss: blackLiquid MAKEUP—Caramel Nude Gloss (Available Soon)

Fingernails: FineSmith—Nails (Brown Wash)

Hair: CaTwA—Yona (Roots/Pearl) (This style needed minimal editing to wear it with the hat)

Eyes: Amacci—Gaze Eyes (Dark Blue)

Eyelashes: Miamai—No Alpha Lashes No. 6

Poses: Di’s Opera

Model & Photographer: Xenobia Foxclaw

Location: CESL – Counselor Education in Second Life

There was no music when I reached the Blind Pig Music Co. at Ruby Bayou. In fact, there didn’t seem to be anyone around, but I still felt that I was being watched.

I didn’t think it was the skeleton placed so prominently on the table.

No one showed up on radar.

An interesting noise caused me to glance over my shoulder. This was a sound I had heard before, but usually it was from TV or the zoo.

It wasn’t just one chimpanzee, it was three little ones wearing hats. I think they may have wanted mine.

They were very friendly chimps who seemed to enjoy my company. I know I certainly enjoyed theirs.

I was especially fond of one of the little ones. I really hated to leave, but my time was so short.

I tipped my hat and bid them farewell, but I want to go back to visit. Perhaps next time there will be music.

What Xenobia Is Wearing and Other Credits

Hat: Xen’s Hats—Frankie (Color-change)

Jewelry: FineSmith—Synergy Necklace & Earrings (Green)

Jeans & Shirt: VMC—Ohana (Cream)

Jacket: Tulip—Black Sheep (Sage)

Pumps: Loordes of London—Statford Pump (Chainmail)

Bag: Woot—Ahoi

Skin: Belleza—Erika (Sk2)

Lip Gloss: blackLiquid Makeup—Mauve Pink Gloss Lips (Available Soon)

Hair: Amacci—Nettie & Hairbase Tatto (Almond)

Fingernails: FineSmith—Nails (Acid Bronze)

Eyes: Amacci—Emerald Eyes 2

Eyelashes: Miamai—No Alpha Lashes N0. 6

Poses: Adorkable

Model & Photographer: Xenobia Foxclaw

Location: Blind Pig Music Co., Ruby Bayou

In a recent post I took photos of me in the fantastic Sense of Snow outfit from FineSmith. An observant reader asked if I had forgotten to don the mask that comes with mesh gowns. To my momentary embarrassment—I get over things really fast—I admitted that I it was entirely possible that I had done that very thing. So I redressed, being certain to add the mask, popped back to the same sim and took more photos, once again playing with the sky settings. I love how different things can appear with different settings, and some of them really show off this outfit well.

What Xenobia Is Wearing and Other Credits

Outfit: FineSmith—Sense of Snow

Shoes: FineSmith—Kick! Spikes (White)

Tiara: FineSmith—November Tiara

Skin: Belleza—Erika (Fair 10)

Hair & Base: Amacci—Fayne & Hairbase Tattoo (White)

Fingernails: FineSmith—Snowflake (Ice)

Eyes: Amacci—Gaze Eyes (Ice)

Eyelashes: FineSmith—Noir Lashes (Blanco)

Poses: Morphine Poses

Model & Photographer: Xenobia Foxclaw

Location: Elf Forest – Winter

In real, I could live in slacks. Well, I do live in slacks and jeans. It’s a good thing too since I have been known to fall. The truth is that I used to fall a lot in SL too. While Xenobia has been in SL for almost three years, I’ve been active in SL for almost five years. I was in SL for more than a year before I learned how to walk straight. Now that I think about it, I have to laugh. My partner knew that I fell into or off of everything…sidewalks, bridges, mesas, roof tops, dance floors…if there was water anywhere on the sim I was in, I would fall into the water. HE (please read that with the emphasis it had when I wrote it) never had any trouble walking in a straight line. I have to wonder why he was surprised after more than a year that I didn’t know the secret of walking in a straight line. Surprisingly, I’m still with the same partner although he has a different avi too.

Sorry, I got side tracked again. In SL where I can wear anything I like, I still like to live in slacks. So when Agnes Finney, owner and designer of My Precious, dropped me this outfit recently, I could hardly wait to blog it. Better yet, the top and jacket have three-quarter-length sleeves. I wear those all of the time in real. I even stopped by her sim to take the photos of this great outfit. I’m going to keep this outfit close because I suspect I will come back to it often.

Read more about the new hair from Dura here.

What Xenobia Is Wearing and Other Credits

Jacket & Blouse: My Precious—Agnes With You Jacket & Top (Indigo)

Slacks: My Precious—Agnes Calm Tweed Pants

Hat: Xen’s Hats—Andre (Color-change)

Jewelry: FineSmith—In The Flash Deco Broach (Texture Change) (Reduced and moved to lapel)

Shoes: G Field—Short Lace-Up Boots (Moss)

Skin: Belleza—Erika (Sk 2)

Lipgloss: blackLiquid MAKEUP—Vixen Gloss (Not yet available, but soon)

Hair: Dura—Boys & Girls 29 (Butter Rum)

Fingernails: FineSmith—Solid (Red)

Eyes: Amacci—Emerald Eyes 1

Eyelashes: Miamai—No Alpha Lashes N0. 6

Poses: oOo Studio

Model & Photographer: Xenobia Foxclaw

Location: My Precious

In real life, my hair is more white than the dark brown I was born with since a year ago I gave up dying it and let it go natural. I know I would look younger if I went back to dying it, but I taught for 41 years and I earned everyone of those white hairs—I wear them like medals.

In SL, I really like Dura Hair. chiaki Xue, the owner and designer of Dura, always seems to come up with hairs I like and go back to time after time. When I opened the two newest ones, I knew immediately I would wear these a lot because they are great hairs for hats. Let me show you.

Dura Boys & Girls 29

I actually reduced the size of the hat I donned from my inventory by clicking on it, tilted it a bit and moved it over a smidgen. No editing of the hair was needed.

Dura Girl 33

I left the hat exactly as it was above and changed hairs—there is one very tiny spot just above the hatband that shows. I may be able to move the hat forward a tad to take care of it or increase the hat by one.

You can see what I mean about being great hat hair. I like it so much that I took the manager of Xen’s Hats, Calico Silverweb, over to Dura and got her seven-packs of the hairs. Go get your own Dura Hair and then pop over and get some of Xen’s Hat—they are great matches.

What Xenobia Is Wearing and Other Credits

Hair in Top Photo: Dura—Boys & Girls 29 (Butter Rum)

Hair in Bottom Photo: Dura—Girl 33 (Butter Rum)

Hat: Xen’s Hats—Andre (Color-change)

Jewelry: FineSmith—In The Flash Deco Broach (Texture Change) (Reduced and moved to lapel)

Jacket & Blouse: My Precious—Agnes With You Jacket & Top (Indigo)

Slacks: My Precious—Agnes Calm Tweed Pants

Shoes: G Field—Short Lace-Up Boots (Moss)

Skin: Belleza—Erika (Sk 2)

Lipgloss: blackLiquid MAKEUP—Vixen Gloss (Not yet available, but soon)

Fingernails: FineSmith—Solid (Red)

Eyes: Amacci—Emerald Eyes 1

Eyelashes: Miamai—No Alpha Lashes N0. 6

Poses: oOo Studio

Model & Photographer: Xenobia Foxclaw

Location: My Precious

The new mesh outfit from Yula Finesmith’s workshop has me cold, very cold, but gorgeous. I donned the Sense of Snow outfit, added a tiara, eyelashes, fingernails, and shoes—all from FineSmith—and I was ready to shoot. (Well, I also added hair, skin, and eyes and THEN I was ready to shoot.)

I used SL search to find this sim via a few stops that weren’t quite what I was looking for. However, persistence paid off and I found the Elf Forest – Winter. Everywhere I turned was a more beautiful location. I took several photos from several locations that were all near the fountain that you just see a bit of in the top photo. I finally settled on just these two that used different sky settings. I recommend this as a great spot for winter shots and exploring.

What Xenobia Is Wearing and Other Credits

Outfit: FineSmith—Sense of Snow

Shoes: FineSmith—Kick! Spikes (White)

Tiara: FineSmith—November Tiara

Skin: Belleza—Erika (Fair 10)

Hair & Base: Amacci—Fayne & Hairbase Tattoo (White)

Fingernails: FineSmith—Snowflake (Ice)

Eyes: Amacci—Gaze Eyes (Ice)

Eyelashes: FineSmith—Noir Lashes (Blanco)

Poses: Morphine Poses

Model & Photographer: Xenobia Foxclaw

Location: Elf Forest – Winter

In real, for me this is winter.It’s gray with a little snow just now, and yesterday I took two steps outside and fell. Mostly it was my pride that was hurt because I had to use my iPhone to call my husband. (Yes, you guessed it, it was one of those I’ve-fallen-and-I-can’t-get-up moments.) There was only an inch of snow, but what I didn’t know was there was a layer of ice under the snow.

Okay, so there I was propped up on my recliner with an ice pack (frozen mixed vegetables) on my black-and-blue knee feeling just a little sorry for myself. Fortunately, I’m one of those Pollyannas who sees the positive in situations. It could have been much worse, and now I have given my husband a story he can tell everyone he meets for the next week..or month…or longer. (I’ll roll my eyes and give a long-suffering sigh when he begins reciting the incident for the thousandth time.)

(If you are not familiar with Pollyanna, you really should read the book written in 1913 by Eleanor Porter or see the 1960 Disney movie starring Hayley Mills.)

So I was ready for sun. One of the prettiest sims is the SHAN SL Island. I took all of these photos within the space of a few feet, so there is a lot more to explore and photograph next time.

I landed in the sun—the heavenly sun with an elephant turned away. I felt safe enough so that I stretched my arms out and threw my head back to just enjoy the warmth.

When I opened my eyes, the elephant had turned around and a camel had just walked between us. I was a bit hesitant to move. The elephant didn’t go far, but that was one friendly camel. She or he came visiting me several times while I was there.

I thought it would be appropriate if I wore a SHAN SL swimsuit to take photos on the island, so I had slipped on my SHAN SL Twiggy Swimsuit in black. I wanted to color my Gabor hat, but I wanted something more exciting than black and white. Accessories would add a bit of color, so of course I searched my FineSmith jewelry and found the Rehana Earrings and Ring in the Africa colors—black with turquoise and coral. So I recolored the straw hat black with a turquoise bow and slipped into my newest pair of Mary Jane Shoes.

This place isn’t just pretty, it has all of the sounds one might expect to hear in this environment, so be sure to have your sound on.

I glimpsed some water behind me and was curious to explore.

Lovely water with a number of features including lily pads. There were  colorful frogs jumping from pad to pad, butterflies, and other critters. I turned around to find a waterfall. Such a lovely area that I must explore further.

What Xenobia Is Wearing and Other Credits

Hat: Xen’s Hats—Gabor (Color-Change)

Swimsuit: SHAN SL—Twiggy Swimsuit (Black)

Jewelry: FineSmith—Rehana Earrings & Ring (Africa)

Shoes: Mary Jane Shoes—Euphoric (Black)

Skin: Belleza—Erika (Sk 3)

Hair: Dura—Girl 27 & Hairbase (Ash Brown)

Fingernails: FineSmith—Black Onyx Nails

Eyes: Amacci—Gaze eyes (Green Brown)

Eyelashes: Miamai—No Alpha Lashes No. 6

Poses: Morphine Poses

Model & Photographer: Xenobia Foxclaw

Location: SHAN SL Island

I was sort of meandering through my inventory when I spotted a folder I did not recall—ok, well, it’s not really that unusual, I have a terrible memory and have for as long as I can remember—oh, maybe longer than that, after all I just admitted to having a terrible memory.

Back to that folder—there was a folder from Entre Mares that was obviously not one I had been given for a show. (I meticulously put things I model for shows in a particular place so I can find them.) If I hadn’t been given the dress for a show, that means I bought it, and if I bought it, it was must be spectacular. So I tried it on.

If I try a dress on, I’m going to want to accessorize it. If I want to accessorize it, I’m going to search for jewelry from FineSmith. If I search for jewelry from FineSmith… (Does this remind you of the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie book? It does me. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, it’s time for a trip to the library or a bookstore or perhaps your child’s room.)

I am really having trouble staying on track this evening. Let me see, where was I? Oh, yes, FineSmith jewelry. I just happen to have gotten some of the limited edition sets that I wanted to write about. So I selected what I think is the perfect one.

I may owe Sykao, Entre Mares owner and designer, an apology. She designed a beautiful hat to go with the dress. But to be honest, I like my hats even better. There is also the issue that I want you to look at my hats and decide that you NEED my hats so you’ll rush over and buy one or several. So I took off Sykao’s and put on mine. Sorry, Sykao.

With no further ado—or getting off the track, here is the look I put together—

The photos were taken at a lovely, romantic sim called Two Moon Paradise. First I took photos on the beach and then from a tower in the water and finally in a…hmmm, I don’t know what you call a gazebo-type build that sits in the water. It was an especially romantic spot with a dance ball, a couch and candles that would have been perfect for a couple. Where is Roland when I need him?

What Xenobia Is Wearing and Other Credits

Hat: Xen’s Hats—Danni

Dress: Entre Mares—Quena

Jewelry: FineSmith—Rehana Necklace,Earring, Ring (Platinum)

Shoe: G Field—Strap Shoes Alex Suede (Black)

Skin: Belleza—Erika (Fair 6)

Hair: Amacci— Hairbase Tattoo & Hair Knot (Coal Black)

Eyes: Amacci—Gaze Eyes (Deep Brown)

Eyelashes: Miamai—No alpha Lashes No. 6

Poses: Morphine Poses

Model & Photographer: Xenobia Foxclaw

Location: Two Moon Paradise