Book Forest Expanded (The Changing Landscape of Awenia, 4)

Posted on August 27, 2018 by Three Knots | 2 Comments

I watched out the window as the boundaries of the Book Forest expanded. It’s funny, when things like this happen: you don’t actually see things moving—it’s just that a few seconds, or minutes, or hours later, you note that something has changed position.

The Book Forest is its own entity. It began as a concept in my mind, I admit, and I did have something to do with the first little iteration of it, but since then, as with all the wild places of Faerie, it has developed a mind and soul of its own. I noted the changing boundaries for a few days, but I stayed away because I knew the Book Forest would take care of itself. When the boundaries seemed to settle (or at least have been in the same place for a couple of days), I took Bran and his trusty smartphone camera, and we went down to take a look at the new Forest.

The Book Forest

This is my favourite photo that Bran took as we explored the remade. Book Forest. He took so many pictures!

This entry is going to be image-intensive: there are 26 photos of the book forest. I’ll do my best to keep the text within reason!

As with all the best forests, the first thing I felt when I walked into the Book Forest is this wonderful silence. The outside world just falls away.

The outside world fell away.

The outside world fell away, and suddenly we were in the world of “once upon a time”.

Joy and wonder

I was overcome by a sense of joy and wonder. The first thing I noticed was this beautiful area that looked like a homage to writing and to books themselves.

Stop shooting me!

“Stop photographing me and concentrate on the forest!” I admonished. “Bran, seriously; look where we are.”

Bran looked at me and winked. “I am looking, Your Majesty,” he said.

“Perv,” I shot back.

Look at all the little chairs!

“Look at all the little chairs! Some of them are even shaped like books!” I couldn’t resist the urge to play storyteller.

Bran seemed to like it too.

Bran seemed to like it too: he just kept photographing me as I laughingly told him to stop. I loved that the statue behind me was supported by two armloads of books, that the mushroom table had a stack of books on it. There was just so much to see.

I wanted to tell stories here forever.

I wanted to tell stories here forever; there was something about the ambiance of the place, magical, removed, and yet so solid.

But there were many other things to see, so I stepped down from the tree stump podium and we walked further in to the forest.

The next stop was a tiny house.

The next stop was a tiny house with books on the steps as if somebody had just run in to make a cup of tea.

A mysterious air….

There was a mysterious air about the little cottage, as if magic occurred there. I wondered if it was the residence of some Author or other.

Seriously, stop photographing me!

“Seriously, Bran—stop photographing me! If you do it again, I will make a photo face!”

The camera clicked. Again.

I warned you!

“I warned you, Bran!” I shouted. “You know not to test me!”

To my embarrassment, there was no other sound than the electronic click of Bran’s mobile phone camera.

I sighed. “Fine. Let’s see what’s in this house.”

Bran insisted that it was rude to just walk into someone’s house, even if nobody was there. Some part of me, the part that grew up in Southeast London where places have bars on the windows, knew that. But Queen Gwyneth, you know. She goes anywhere she likes.

In the end, I folded. “Fine; but let’s look through the window at least.”

It looked like someone was just moving in.

It looked like someone was just moving in: there was an empty bookshelf, and the only inhabitants were two cats. I do like cats.

“Maybe we could get to know whoever lives here,” I mused.

“Maybe,” Bran said. “But there’s more to see.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” I said.

Beautiful trees behind the house.

There were beautiful trees behind the house. “You know what?” I said. “I really like that all the paths are made from books.”

“Oh, you noticed that, huh?” Bran smirked. “Your powers of observation are truly staggering, Your Majesty.”

“I don’t think you’re allowed to talk to me that way, Bran.”

“I have a photograph of you making a very rude selfie face, Your Majesty.”

“Fine.”

Signs everywhere

There were also little signs everywhere; I liked that touch. And there were beautiful lamps, even though we didn’t need them in the bright sunlight of Faerie during the day. The fairytale books with their pop-up paper castles and other little touches gave us something new to look at every time we turned.

Book Fort!

“Bran, Bran! Look! It’s a book fort! Take a picture of that!”

“I already did, My Lady.”

He was way ahead of me.

Happily ever after

Once again, I was caught by these signs. Up ahead, there was this amazing glowing door set in to a rock.

Another “strange” sign

There was another “strange” sign in front of the glowing door (See what I did there?). I wanted to go through it, but Bran resisted. I won, of course, but when I tapped on the door, nothing happened. How annoying.

Somewhat changed, but still recognisable.

The book forest had kept some of its old features, and this little ruin was one of them. There were new features here, of course—and weirdly, some of them seemed to have come from my Frog Prince dream a couple of weeks ago. How very odd. The moon on a stand was here, and the little figuring of the frog prince himself looking into a mirror. I just shook my head.

Candy Apple Tree

I loved this candy apple tree, next to another one of those beautiful pop-up books. It was hard to keep all the little details straight: I could see I was going to have to come here again and again.

Stump House

This little house made from the largest stump I’d ever seen, had also been a feature of the old forest, but the surrounding roses and trees were new. I guess the book forest’s expansion provided more room for beautiful things. And I’m never one to discount the appeal of beautiful things.

Book bed and bridge

The little area with the bed made from a book and the table full of interesting things was till there, as was the bridge. But there were new book piles, even a large book arch.

Then I turned around, and this little house took my breath away

Then I turned around, and this little house took my breath away. When I checked, it was empty. “It’s just waiting for someone small to move in,” I told Bran.

“Like… Clutie, for instance?” Brian asked. He was smirking.

“She’d never leave me,” I said.

“How wonderful for you.” The expression on his face said everything. Bran and Clutie… yeah; they don’t get along.

Wow, look at that book arch!

“Wow! Look at that book arch!” I couldn’t wait to stand under it. “Bran, Bran! Take a photograph!” I shouted.

Brian smirked. “I thought you didn’t want me to make any more photographs of you, on pain of your selfie face,” he said.

“I changed my mind.”

Bran rolled his eyes.

Rose petals, like a kiss

Now, sometimes funny things happen around you when you’re a Faerie Queen. In this case, it was hundreds of rose petals, just falling from the big book arch. So I blew them at Bran. To thank him for the photograph, of course.

The Narnia Wardrobe

I call this the Narnia Cupboard. It’s been here since the Book Forest first sprang out of the surrounding woodlands. I like to think it was the first thing that appeared here, and maybe everything else sprang from it. It’s special.

But we were approaching where the paths converged, nearly back to the Book Forest’s entrance. I couldn’t help but feel a little sad. I only get to discover a place for the first time, once.

Until it remakes itself again, that is.

Style Card:
Body: Maitreya
Head: Catwa, Lona Bento Mesh Head
Skin: 7 Deadly s{K}ins, Seattle (Available NOW at Ultra!)
Nails: Cazimi, August VIP Nails (You can pick this up at the Cazimi Main Store!, but only if you’re a member of the Cazimi VIP Group)
Ears: Lumae, Leevi Long Ears
Eyes: AviGlam, Doll’s Eyes
Gown: Junbug, Pippa Gown (Available NOW at Equal10!)
Hair and Antlers: Analog Dog (natch), Doe (Available FOR JUST TWO MORE DAYS at The Gacha Garden!)
Autumn Necklace & Earrings: Bliensen & MaiTai, Augumn (Available NOW at Collabor88!)
Book of Shadows Necklace: Maxi Gossamer, Soul Catcher Book of Spells
Rose Petals: Persefona, Floating Rose Petals 2

Location: Awenia, The Book Forest
There are so many things to credit here that I know I will leave some out and possibly put some in that aren’t shown properly in photographs. If you have questions or would like to know more about any item, just leave a comment here or message me in-world (Gwen.enchanted), and I’ll give you whatever information I can. Also, some of the items have stories around them, and I am not able to resist telling a good story, ever.

Book Paths and Forest Bounding Books: Una, Book Path. (This is now a group gift at the Una Main Store!) Una Daxter sent me this, I think because I played her Alexandra gacha about a million times at a Fantasy Gacha Carnival. It’s one of the coolest things anybody has ever given me, and I have blogged and photographed and credited it more times than I can count. It was absolutely the inspiration for the Book Forest, and I cannot thank her enough for that small gift. Although it’s been in every blog post featuring the Book Forest, I haven’t told this story before. I love it very much.
Forest Entrance Book, Brown Book Scenes, Leaf Book, Book Bed Fae Swing (with a tree): BananaN, all from Story Book Gacha except the swing. (You can find this at the BananaN Main Store!)
Tree Stump Chairs and Podium, Mushroom Seats, Tree Spirit With Books: Merchants of Dreams, Writers’ Place. This was a live auction item from the 2015 Relay for Life of Second Life Fantasy Faire. It’s not available. It was given to me by the people who won the auction so that it could be placed at the Milk Wood Writers’ Colony, and there is a copy of it there in Gossamer Down so that anyone can use it to hold workshops and meetings.
Cabin, Doors of Durin, and Pink and White Pop-Up Castle Book: Spell, A Forest Tale Gacha, Cabin; Spell, Middle Earth Gacha; and Spell, Once Upon a Time Gacha (You can find all of these at the Spell Main Store!)
Butterfly Tree with Faeries: Simply Shelby, Butterfly Tree (Available at the Simply Shelby Main Store!)
Lighted Book Tree: {e}lusive Designs, Book Tree With Lights. ({e}lusive is in between stores at present; however you can find their stuff at the {e}lusive Marketplace Store.) Dema Fairport, who created this beauty, is a SL creator, DJ, and photographer. She was in my Visionaire class, and we’ve been friends ever since.
Lanterns, Wishing Well, and Bridge: Raindale, Maplemoor Gacha. (You can find this at the Raindale Main Store!)
Signs: All these signs are from the stunning 8f8 Storyteller’s Burrow gacha. (You can find this, and lots of other amazing stuff, at the 8f8 Main Store!)
Big Book Fort: Cheeky Pea, Book Nook gacha, Book Fort (You can find this at the Cheeky Pea Main Store!)
Ruins: Ionic, Sacred Ruins (Available at the Ionic Main Store!)
Décor in Ruins:
-Silver Moon on Stand: Air, Frog Moon Silver (Available NOW atEnchantment!)
-Table: Dust Bunny, Autumn Calling, Wooden Table (You can find this at the Dust Bunny Main Store!)
-Book on Table With Rose: Konpeitou, Beauty and the Book w/Rose (Available NOW at Enchantment!)
-Frog with Mirror (on table) Konpeitou, Frog Prince Mirror (Available NOW at Enchantment!)
-Alchemy Book Scene: Stormwood, Alchemy Book Scene!)
-Story Book on floor (and many other story books scattered around the forest): Divine Creations, Tell Me a Story (It looks like Divine Creations has some Real Life and isn’t active in SL at the moment, but you could probably find pieces of this gacha on the Marketplace.)
Candy Apple Tree, Fairy Tale Chairs, Table, Parfaits, Daisies & Ladybirds, Will-O-Wisp Tree, Glam Poppies, Persian Carpet Grass: (Available at The Looking Glass’ Horizon Dream Region!) I’m a proud Looking Glass fan.
Stump House: Since 1975, Fairytale Garden House (Available at the Since 1975 Main Store!)
Magical Tree House: Kazza, Abode Tree (I couldn’t find this at their main store; it was an ultra rare from a fantasy gacha. You can find it on the SL Marketplace, but it’ll cost you.)
Roses: {anc} Sugar Rose Field (Available at the {anc} Main Store!)
Giant Book Chair and Wonderland Book Arch: Boudoir. (Available at the Boudoir Main Store!)
Trees: There are so many different trees in here I’d go nuts listing them all for you, but they’re from places like Rivendale, Harshlands, Keke, and Happy Mood. You can go to every single one of these places and find the most amazing stuff ever.

Thank you to everyone who previewed the expanded Book Forest and gave suggestions, reactions, or just was nice to me while I went through all my obsessive stories about Cool Stuff. These people include, but are not limited to: Mystical Edenflower, Nyza Stillwater, LLRiven, and Nathaniel Ballard.

Kiss That Frog

Posted on August 14, 2018 by Three Knots | Leave a comment

Sometimes, a Princess’ life is … surreal.

In this dream, I am wandering around the Book Forest. You know, just soaking up the atmosphere, trying not to contemplate the sheer insanity of a forest made up of things that used to be trees but are now books. Because the book forest makes perfect sense if you think about it. It really does.

I had to stare

And then, the strangest and yet most completely normal thing ever happened. I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced this, but I happened to glance down and there was this … frog. With a crown on his little head. He was obviously disgusting and slimy, as frogs are wont to be, and of course I found myself filled with curiosity, rather than revulsion, because that’s how things go in dreams.

No. Freaking. Way.

“No. Freaking. Way.,” I thought to myself. “This is absolutely not happening. Of all the faerie tales I could get stuck in, why this one?” I’m a now kind of faerie princess, not a stuck-in-a-story-I-can’t-escape kind of faerie princess. Or, you know. I have been up ’til now…

I turned away. “Forget it,” I said. “I am absolutely not going to kiss you.”

“You say that now,” croaked the frog. “Give me a chance.”

Absolutely not.

“Absolutely not,” I retorted. “I do not have to resort to kissing frogs! I have the Internet! I have thousands of Realms where I can go, any night of the week, if I want a date. I am a princess, not a cliché.”

The frog made a sound between a snort and a laugh: it was hard to tell, because his voice was every bit as repulsive as he was. “You’ll change your mind,” he said. “Look: I’m out of my natural habitat here. Can’t you just take me back to the palace and let me stay with you for a bit? I’m a nice frog, I promise.” His tongue flicked out wildly to grab an insect I hadn’t noticed. Yuck.

“I really don’t think so,” I replied.

“Look, Your Highness. I have a nifty crown; that must mean something, right? And I’m a good conversationalist. I promise only a small percentage of our discussions will be my trying to convince you to kiss me.” Was that a smile on his wide, ugly face?

“Hmm.” I considered it for a moment. “OK, but if I tell you to stop trying to convince me, you will change the subject immediately. Is that clear?”

“Sure, sure, whatever you want,” replied the frog. “But hurry up and get me home; I need a much more humid environment than this weird forest made of paper books. Who on earth thought that was a good idea, Princess? Who designed such a place?”

I narrowed my eyes. “I did, you abhorrent amphibian. This whole Realm is my creation. I probably even imagined you into being, now that I think about it.”

“Oh! A lovely conversational topic!” said the frog. “The nature of existence! If I am your creation, I wonder if I truly have free will, or if free will itself is merely a construct that my brain imagines so that I don’t lose all hope or argue myself insane wondering whether my choices are truly mine, or if they are determined by you, My Lady.”

Super. The frog was going to have an existential crisis and wipe himself out of existence any second now. I pondered. And then I smiled.

I picked up the frog.

I picked him up. “All right: I’ll give it a shot. Let’s head back to the palace, and I’ll figure out what the best environment for you will be. We’ll look it up on the Internet.”

“What, pray tell, is the Internet, Your Highness?”

I smiled widely. “You’ll love it!” I declared. “It’s the greatest source of information and fun conversational topics ever!”

And then I had a little laugh with myself, just in my head. Because Dear Prince Froggie had never heard of the Internet.

And that meant he probably had never heard the story of the geek princess and the frog. Because, you know. In my world, princes are a dime a dozen. But a talking frog?

That’s freaking fantastic!

Style Card:
Body: Maitreya
Head: Lelutka, Simone Bento Mesh Head
Skin: 7 Deadly s{K}ins, Texas (Available NOW at eBento!)
Nails: Cazimi, Influence Nails (Available NOW at the Designer Showcase!)
Ears: Lumae, Leevi Long Ears
Eyes: Arte, Nordic Eyes
Gown: Silvan Moon Designs, Princess Tiana Gown (Available NOW at Enchantment!)
Shoes: Eudora, 3D Arianne Pumps (Available NOW at Enchantment!)
Hair: Analog Dog (natch!), Tia (Available NOW at Enchantment!)
Necklace and Crown: Bliensen & MaiTai, Principessa (Available NOW at The Fantasy Gacha Carnival!)
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Titania 2.0 Bento Animated Iridescent Fairy Wings
Frog Prince: Unrepentent, The Frog Prince

Location: Awenia, The Book Forest
Building: Ionic, Sacred Ruins
Silver Moon on Stand: Air, Frog Moon Silver (Available NOW at Enchantment!)
Table: Dust Bunny, Autumn Calling, Wooden Table
Book on Table: Konpeitou, Beauty and the Book w/Rose
Frog with Mirror (on table) Konpeitou, Frog Prince Mirror (Available NOW at Enchantment!)
Book Castle: BananaN, Storybook Gacha, Castle and Books

I talk a lot about how much I love the Enchantment Event. It’s one of my favourite recurring events in Second Life, both in terms of the stuff you can find there and the careful attention that the Ippos team put into the event design itself. Unlike lots of other events that have gone to the “stuff you can buy all stuck together in one big room” model, Enchantment always, always, creates an inspiring environment around the story theme. If you love story as I do, and if these tales speak to you, you cannot afford to miss Enchantment, and you’d better stock up on Lindens before you go, because otherwise you won’t be able to afford everything you want!

Kiss That Frog
Peter Gabriel

Jump in the water
Sweet little princess
Let me introduce his frogness
You alone can get him singing
He’s all puffed up, wanna be your king
Oh you can do it
C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon
Lady kiss that frogSplash, dash heard your call
Bring you back your golden ball
He’s gonna dive down in the deep end
He’s gonna be just like your best friendSo what’s one little kiss
One tiny little touch
Aah, he’s wanting it so much
I swear that this is royal blood
Running through my skin
Oh can you see the state I’m in
Kiss it better
Kiss it better
(Kiss that frog)

Get it into your head
He’s living with you, he sleeps in your bed
Can’t you hear beyond the croaking
Don’t you know that I’m not joking

Aah, you think you won’t
I think you will
Don’t you know that this tongue can kill
C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon
Lady, kiss that frog

Let him sit beside you
Eat right off your plate
You don’t have to be afraid
There’s nothing here to hate
Princess you might like it
If you lower your defense
Kiss that frog and you will get your prince
Get your prince

(Singing now…!)
Jump in the water, c’mon, baby, jump in with me
Jump in the water, c’mon baby get wet with me

Jump in the water, c’mon, baby, jump in with me
Jump in the water, c’mon baby get wet, get wet, get wet

(While scatting:)
Kiss that frog. Kiss that frog. Lady, kiss that frog.
Kiss that frog. Lady, kiss that frog.
Kiss that frog. Lady, kiss that frog.

Jump in the water, c’mon baby jump in with me
Jump in the water, c’mon baby jump in with me
Jump in the water, c’mon baby jump in with me
Jump in the water, c’mon baby jump in with me
Jump in the water, c’mon baby get wet with me.

Get wet, get wet.
Get wet, get wet.
Get wet, get wet.
Get wet, get wet.

Revisiting the Book Forest

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Three Knots | 1 Comment

Would you go?

Would you go? Would you walk into the wardrobe and take your winter coat and travel to Narnia in winter?

Entering the Book Forest makes me ask such questions of myself.

Entering the Book Forest makes me ask such questions of myself. It is a place where there are no limits to the imagination. As small as it is, it seems dense and immense when you’re inside it. And it brings so many lovely things back into my head. Although my duties in Faerie are many, particularly now that we are having such an influx of people who are a bit afraid of being on the Island. I’m beginning to wonder if I shouldn’t try to separate it from the contemporary Realm it lies in and try to rewrite history.

Then again, rewriting history is a dangerous practice. Dyisi would surely warn against it.

Is it running away, if you are recreating?

Is it running away, if you are recreating? Again, Dyisi would probably say yes. But then she thinks I run from everything.

And, OK, maybe I’ve been prone to do that… in the past. But I love this Realm, this little town, these whimsical shops and pathways. And the Book Forest, more than anything, is the centre of the whole idea. You can put anything together. Everything can be juxtaposed. You can have a bakery next door to a magic shop. You can have an Amsterdam canal front in sight of a princess tower. You get what I mean.

I was always fascinated by juxtaposition.

Even in London, I was always fascinated by juxtaposition. And I guess it’s no surprise: London’s sense of history rams gracefully (yes, really!) up against its boldness, its newness. The reflection of society and history, the calling-out of the ages, many ages all together, is nowhere more apparent than in London.

And of course it’s true that nowhere looks less like London than the Book Forest.

And of course it’s true that nowhere looks less like London than the Book Forest. But there are books about London here, I’m sure of it. Somewhere along the book paths or in the book stacks. They must be here, because there’s always a book about London.

It’s funny. When I was a little girl, I used to imagine that I could turn a corner in St. Martin’s Passage and find myself somehow in a magical realm.

It’s funny. When I was a little girl, I used to imagine that I could turn a corner in St. Martin’s Passage and find myself somehow in a magical realm. That mindset, that life, that me seems so far away now. As far away as a story. As far away as a book. A character. Something I just read about. Even my (adoptive) parents are a faded memory now. It’s so much like a store that I wonder if I should write it one day, get it published in a mundane Realm without obvious magic, where people long for stories like mine. But there are many stories to live, I think, before it’s time to tell mine properly.

And then, from the Paradise Lost statue, pages fly as if escaping the book.

And then, from the Paradise Lost statue, pages fly as if escaping the book. Should I return them? Or are they going somewhere special?

I decide to follow.

I decide to follow them, and they lead me past the book hourglass as if they’re searching for something.

Chasing book pages is every bit as fun as you think it is.

Chasing book pages is every bit as fun as you think it is, which is to say it isn’t fun at all, unless you like chasing things. Now would be a good time to have a dog, I guess. We run past a replica of the Doors of During that appeared here last week, and the pages pause, as if considering whether to enter. I hope they don’t: I haven’t been through that door myself yet.

They pause and turn toward the book steps.

They pause and turn toward the book steps. There are other fluttering pages here: maybe they long to be with their own kind? Oh, great; I’m now ascribing sentience to a bunch of floating pages. Perhaps Faerie has finally driven me mad? That bitchy little Demifae queen would be so happy.

Make up your minds little pages!

Maybe I should just accept the fact that they’re not going anywhere.

Maybe I should just accept the fact that they’re not going anywhere. Stand here, juggle them a bit, look cool. I look cool, right? I mean, here I am juggling papers. Because that’s a cool thing to do on a Friday night. It’s not like there could ever be anything better to do. I’ll bet they just want to stay here. I take a deep breath and try to give in to the pages, stay still with them.

But then, they’re off again, and of course I’m compelled to chase them.

They fly over to the door of a house that’s made from a tree.

They fly over to the door of a house that’s made from a tree. Wait– when did that appear? Faerie changes so rapidly. I know it’s a mirror of my mind, but am I so flighty? Maybe I am.

Under the door of the house they all go, but there’s a light on in the window, and I swear I smell pipe smoke. I don’t think now’s a good time. Hopefully the inhabitant, if there is one, will be able to find a place for the pages.

As for me, I wander back toward the front of the forest.

And there I find… a wardrobe.

And there I find… a wardrobe. Again. And it brings us full circle. I’ve been so many places, but will I go here? will I just walk through?

It’s a portal like any other.

All I have to do is step through.

But… not today.

But… not today. Today I’ll just curl up with a book and a kitten. Books and kittens. There’s no better way to end a day in the book forest. And maybe tomorrow I’ll see what’s behind those doors. Both of them.

Style Card:
Body: Maitreya
Head: Catwa, Lona Bento Mesh Head
Hair: No Match, No Again (Available NOW at Hairology!)
Circlet: Venge, Anisa Head Adornment
Eyes: Mesange, Artic Eyes (Available NOW at On9!)
Ears: Lumae, Leevi Long Ears
Skin: 7 Deadly s[K]ins, Vyra, in a NEW SKIN TONE, Dew, which is lovely on Gwyneth! Poster with more information below!
Tattoo: Misschievous, Chandelier Tattoo (faded)
Nails: Cazimi, Whimsy Nails (Maitreya Appliers)
Dress: The Muses, Daphne (Available NOW at We ❤ RP!)
Collar: Footpaw Industries Celtic Filigree Amythest Collar (attached rose from Footpaw Industries AeLan necklace)
Boots: !go!, Fay Brown Boots

Props:
Wishing Well and Bridge: Raindale/Maplemoor
Paper Books with cardboard pop-ups: Sepia book with castle: BananaN, Story Book Gacha
Paradise Lost Statue: by Nacht: Paradise Lost (Available NOW at The Liaison Collaborative!)
House made from a Tree Trunk: Since 1975, Fairytale Garden House
Book with Floating Letters: Violatility, La Literature Surrealiste Light
Hourglass and Book with Steps and Pages: Disorderly, Timed Literary
Ruins: Ionic, Sacred Ruins
Doors of Durin: Spell, Lord of the Rings Gacha, Doors of Durin (Chap4)
Book Paths: Book Forest Door, Una, Book Gacha
Wardrobe: 22769, Imaginarium (Available NOW at The Liaison Collaborative!)

Poses:
Poses with Pages: Elephante, Story of Love (Available NOW at The Liaison Collaborative!)
Pic with Cat: Le Poppycock, Book Lovers (Available NOW at The Liaison Collaborative!)
Standing Poses: An Lar, the Bronte Series (Available NOW at The Liaison Collaborative!)

Many of the new Book Forest items are from the current round of The Liaison Collaborative, which has a literary theme! The wardrobe in particular is worth a mention: it’s 22769‘s Imaginarium.

As always, thanks for reading. I love you guys.

Spiffy photos taken with the indispensible aid of my LumiPro. I’d never visit the Book Forest without it!

POSTER-September-2017-NEW-SKIN-TONES

Evil Fairy Academy Graduation!

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Three Knots | 1 Comment

So it seems the Powers That Be (whoever they are, may their Names be praised!) heard my cry! Just after I lamented about what a drag it is to be a Good Fairy Godmother, I was contacted by a Shadowy Force, who took me away to Evil Fairy Godmother Academy! It was just like all those fantasies I had as a little kid about being taken away to some mystical place where I could learn all about Science and Maths and other mythical things I kept reading about in those silly mortal books I snuck in past Nurse.

As you know, time works differently in Faerie. I have no idea how long I was at the Academy, but I made lots of friends and had sleepovers, and played pranks on other Faeries and stayed up past my bedtime and broke all the rules, but because it’s Evil Fairy Academy, I didn’t get in trouble for any of this!

Here I am at Evil Fairy Godmother Academy Graduation!

Here I am at Evil Fairy Godmother Academy Graduation! The graduation exercise was simple: create a creepy environment in which you could cook up a bunch of nasty things to do to some unsuspecting Princess who just happened along. As you can see, there is a lot of mist in my environment, which should be a warning but which Naive Princesses and other fantasy victims find irresistible. I included a couple of big flowers: again, sweet little Princesses find things like this irresistible, and some glowing orbs. My Fairy Godmentor said it was perfect!

I am looking forward to all the things I can do as an Evil Fairy Godmother!

Just thinking about all the things I can do as an Evil Fairy Godmother makes me smile. In fact, I’m thinking of that little Princess I gifted with eternal beauty just days before I began my studies. Sixteen years from now…. Oh, it just makes me laugh, to think of all the ways I can twist that gift once that little idiot is old enough to attract men.

Of course, there are always questions….

Of course, there are always questions. Will I be good enough? Will my curses be truly fairytale worthy? There is an art to creating a perfect curse: it has to look, on the surface, as though it could be a good thing. And, to be fair, it always has to be breakable. Because we’re not all bad, really. We know that as the Bad Girls of fairytales, we have to be prepared to lose. And we have to teach a lesson. I think it’s much easier to just hate the little twerps if you’re a Good Fairy Godmother, because then you’re just giving gifts and assistance without any reason. As Bad Fairy Godmothers, we give… hm. We give challenges. Yes, that’s a good word. Challenges.

I think I will be fine.

And you know, now that I think about it, now that I realised I’ve internalised the idea about curses being challenges rather than just straight-up bad, I’m sure I’ll be OK with this. Over the next few months, my Evil Fairy Godmentor and I will be working together, tormenting a village full of entitled little snits. I can’t wait!

Style Card:
Body: Maitreya
Head: Catwa, Catya Bento Mesh Head
Hair: Phoenix, Adriana (Available for a few more days at Hairology!)
Eyes: Mesange, Serendipity Eyes (Omega eye appliers)
Skin: 7 Deadly s{K}ins, Davina, Sand (Available NOW at the Fashion Dazzle Event!)
Ears: Swallow, Shiny Elf Ears (Available NOW at Shiny Shabby!)
Hands: Vista, Bento Prohands
Evil Fairy Godmother Dress: Junbug, Roslyn in Crimson
Evil Fairy Godmother Headdress: Noctis, Briar Rose Headpiece, blood drop
Wings: FatePlay Custom Bento Wings; Wing Appliers, Blushed, Pleated Wings

Set:
Pillars: Ionic, Forgotten Pillars
Red Roses: The Looking Glass, Hearts Like China Roses (Ruby)
Floor Mist: E.V.E, Flowers of the Mist
Big Flowers: AiShA, Munchkin Fairy Flower Blue, White
Ivy against back wall: E.V.E, Ivy Tree (no leaves)
Bush with luminous globe: E.V.E, Moon Snow on Branches Winter Bush White
Red floor roses: Aisling, Floor Roses

Poses:
All from An Lar, The Dottie Series

Spiffy photos taken with the indispensible aid of my LumiPro. I’d never make up stories out of whole cloth about the Evil Fairy Godmother Academy without it!

The Other Side of the Forest

Posted on September 24, 2016 by Three Knots | 1 Comment

Gwyneth:

This life of dreams will come to an end soon: I feel it, and I fear it.

I have wasted my summer, my power, wishing and hoping to be elsewhere, and now…

Now Mabon is upon me. I feel Autumn clutching at my heels with every step I walk. And the future looks darker still, but I must embrace it; it is all I can do.

Through dreams of magical lands and darkness, I can only hope to travel home, only hope to find myself where I belong.

Wherever that may be.

There were lights everywhere.

There were lights everywhere, which was a blessing, for the land was dark and the pavement was uneven. I felt my way along by the soles of my shoes.

And yet it was beautiful.

And yet it was beautiful. The lights in the darkness. The glittering wings. Is this my soul in autumn?

A clock chimed. And someone called, “Sunset”!

I followed the voices.

And found myself watching the most beautiful sunset.

And I found myself watching the most beautiful sunset.

I fancied for a moment it was the sunset of summer itself. My summer.

My summer, gone in the next few moments. I couldn’t bear to look.

My summer, gone int he next few moments. I couldn’t bear to look.

And so I didn’t. I turned away.

…and found myself, in broad daylight on top of a ruined castle.

And found myself, in broad daylight on top of a ruined castle.

Wait! I know this place.

Wait! I know this place. This is the castle at the edge of Farthingdale. Their Mabon celebration must be in full swing.

I descended the stairs. What might be waiting for me at that festival?

Briefly, I thought of the Wylds. My empty throne. Lord Mornoth. Dyisi. Nathaniel. All those who wait for me.

No harm, I thought. No harm to go down to the festival, right?

No harm, I thought. No harm to go down to the festival, right? No-one would recognise me there. I was without crown, largely without glamour, dressed like a tourist. No-one would recognise me. It would be all right.

But then, it was morning.

But then, it was morning. A glorious, autumn morning, and I stepped from my house, greeted greeted my watch dragon (only a statue, but beautifully moulded and carved), and approached my favourite place of all.

Just the thought of it made my lips curve upwards.

Just the thought of it made my lips curve upwards. In the middle of autumn, my power both waning and growing in a way I did not understand….

My garden

My glorious garden. I have never been much of a plant-tender; I let the demifae take care of all that. But I do love to walk in it, small as it may seem against the massive forest of Farthingdale. It’s my space.

I stretch, and let my wings stretch, too.

I stretch, and let my wings stretch, too. So what if the air is crisp? The plants still thrive, thanks to my fae gardeners.

Does it look like rain?

Does it look like rain? No, no; a clear, crisp, late September sky greets me, the smell of woodsmoke from the nearby town, or perhaps the witch’s house, just behind me there in the woods.

With a chuckle, I decide to play gardener for a moment.

With a chuckle, I decide to play gardener for a moment. They’ll laugh at me later, the demifae gardeners, the ones who actually know what’s going on in this garden. It occurs to me that they might actually get angry with me if I water the wrong thing… so instead of watering, I just dance around with the can for a moment. Oh, Gwyneth, are you a Fae Queen, or are you a ten-year-old?

Oh, it doesn’t matter.

Oh, it doesn’t matter. I’m here in my garden, and it’s autumn, and for just a few more weeks, perhaps I can still the darkness that stirs in my heart.

Style Cards:

Magical Landscape (The Looking Glass):
Body: Maitreya
Head: Catwa, Destiny
Ears: Swallow, Ears Elf HD (Available at Shiny Shabby!)
Eyes: Mesange, Kelpie Eyes (Omega appliers)
Skin: Lumae, Eirtae, T1
Hair: Cheveaux, MO89H (Available at Hairology!)
Dress: Posh Pixels, Garbo, Ocean (Available at the Spoonful Of Sugar Event!) The Spoonful of Sugar event is a charity event to benefit Doctors Without Borders, an amazing charity that sends doctors all over the world to change and improve people’s lives.
Jewellery: Moondance Jewels, Alluring O’Hare Collection (Crown, earrings, necklace) (Available at the Spoonful Of Sugar Event!) The Spoonful of Sugar event is a charity event to benefit Doctors Without Borders, an amazing charity that sends doctors all over the world to change and improve people’s lives.
Location: The Looking Glass

Outskirts of Farthingdale:
Body: Maitreya
Head: Catwa, Destiny
Ears: Swallow, Ears Elf HD (Available at Shiny Shabby!)
Eyes: Mesange, Kelpie Eyes (Omega appliers)
Skin: Lumae, Eirtae, T1
Hair: Tableau Vivant, Berta
Clothes: Aleutia, Coco Camisole, Zeta Jeans (Available at the Spoonful Of Sugar Event!) The Spoonful of Sugar event is a charity event to benefit Doctors Without Borders, an amazing charity that sends doctors all over the world to change and improve people’s lives.
Shoes: Reign, Kiko Flats
Ruined Castle: Ionic, RuneStone Castle
Forest: Studio Skye, Enchanted Woods
Distant Town of Farthingdale: Death Row Designs, Andolys, Belle’s Town

Autumn Garden:
Body: Maitreya
Head: Catwa, Destiny
Ears: Swallow, Ears Elf HD (Available at Shiny Shabby!)
Eyes: Avi-Glam, Elysian Eyes, Amethyst (Omega appliers)
Skin: Lumae, Eirtae, T1
Hair: Ayashi, Mami (Available at Hairology!)
Dress: Avatar Bizarre, Tooth Fairy Gown (Available at the Spoonful Of Sugar Event!) The Spoonful of Sugar event is a charity event to benefit Doctors Without Borders, an amazing charity that sends doctors all over the world to change and improve people’s lives.
Wings: Death Row Designs, Fairy Pinkset Wings
House: Schultz Bros., The Gardeners House
Dragon: Dragon Magick Wares, Happy Dragon Statue (Available at the Spoonful Of Sugar Event!) The Spoonful of Sugar event is a charity event to benefit Doctors Without Borders, an amazing charity that sends doctors all over the world to change and improve people’s lives.
Forest: Studio Skye, Enchanted Woods
Garden: Love, Cottage Garden (Available at the Spoonful Of Sugar Event!) The Spoonful of Sugar event is a charity event to benefit Doctors Without Borders, an amazing charity that sends doctors all over the world to change and improve people’s lives.

You still have one day to visit the Spoonful Of Sugar Event! Two sims for fashion, a home and garden sim, beautiful decor, and a wonderful cause. What are you waiting for?

Spiffy photos taken with the indispensible aid of my LumiPro. I never send Gwyneth on one last trip through dreamland (for now) without it!

The Blessing of the Bread

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Three Knots | 1 Comment

Gwyneth:

Queen, Protector, Priestess, Sorceress, Storyteller, Guardian, Faery, Elf, Myth: I am all these things. For the denizens of the Wylds, I am the representative of light, the definition of beauty, the walking guise of Love Itself.

And so we come to Lughnasadh. Lammas. First Harvest. The Commemoration of Lugh. And the villagers bring me their loaves to bless, mortal and Fae alike, and there are games and tests of strength and mental agility, and the day is golden with barleycorn and wheat, dark with the promise of autumn, and bright with cider apples

We begin at sunrise, which at least comes a little later now it’s August.

Nevertheless, it is a long day

Nevertheless, it is a long day.

I am called to bless basket after basket of new bread.

I am called upon to bless basket after basket of new bread, some of it hot from the oven, some of it hard from travelling, a symbol only of those who must come from far away.

Barrels of grain and buckets of apples, all must be blessed.

And we feast.

So much feasting!

The crows come, with their brothers the ravens, to remind us of the darkening year.

And any who would be wise must listen to them well.

Although my feet do not touch the ground, I am with the folk all day. For someone as energised by solitude as I am, this is a daunting prospect. I am glad to have my trusted advisors, my Consort, and the demifae with me. Kern warms my shoulders with glamour; Cutie makes me drink, quite a lot.

Every song an invocation, every word an acclimation.

Be you blessed, travellers, and sing the sun around
Call the harvest bounty from autumn’s hardening ground
At your festival, sound the horn, calling the people again
Child of barleycorn, newly summer-born
Ripening like the grain, oh
Ripening like the grain

Style Card:
Body: Maitreya
Head: Catwa, Destiny
Ears: Logo, Expressive Elf Ears (with appliers from Lumae)
Eyes: Mesange, Kelpie Eyes (Omega appliers)
Skin: Lumae, Sabine, T4 Fawn / Starlight (A preview, available as part of the Marketplace Buy Now event)
Hair: Emo-Tions, Leni
Headpiece: Lode, Vesna (dry aged)
Dress: Silvan Moon Designs, Lady Nioniel Elven Gown (Coming soon to We ❤ RP!)
Shoes: Deviance, Milady’s Slippers, Spring
Poses (in order):
Plume: Regal 5
F*cking Ninjas: Water Willer 2
Picture This: Summoner 2
Axix: Lady Crow 7
Axix: Lady Crow 1
Picture This: Magi 1
Picture This: Summoner 2
Gate: Ionic, Pagan Poetry Stone Gate (rare!)
Barley: Organica, Barley Field Dry
Baskets of Corn & Apples: Distorted Dream Designs
Basket of Bread for Blessing: Dust Bunny, Wanderlust Bread Basket
Bread Loves in a Bucket: Ionic, Loaf of Bread

Spiffy photos taken with the indispensible aid of my LumiPro. I never bless the harvest without it!

A Wishbox Realm

Posted on August 20, 2016 by Three Knots | 2 Comments

A long time ago….

A long time ago, I had another Second Life avatar. I mean, OK, I am not without alts now, but my primary avatar is Gwen Enchanted, and I am rarely on any of the others except for specific role-play reasons.

But once upon a time, back in 2007 or so, I had a Second Life Avatar who was called Avalon Blessed. Through Avalon, I discovered SL, but when I got tired of it, I forgot I had a premium account and changed banks, so Linden Lab deleted her and her sizeable inventory, and I was very sad when I came back to SL. So many of the creators I love most in Second Life I discovered through Avalon as well: Analog Dog Hair; The White Armory; Evie’s Closet; and of course, Wishbox.

“Wishbox?” I hear you saying. “Wow, I remember Wishbox. Wisp Jinn used to make the most beautiful, whimsical stuff, still super good today, but she hasn’t put anything out in ages. Wonder what happened to her?”

I discovered Wishbox, as Avalon, at a little mediaeval faire somewhere in SL, and I can’t tell you where it was, or when it was, and I am pretty sure the faire doesn’t exist any more. But it was something like the Faery Crossing, or maybe one of the Elven Foresty type places. And I am lucky, so lucky, to be acquainted with the magical Dyisi Oppewall, who knows and has introduced me to some amazing people.

Last night, she IMed me to say she was wearing a new Wishbox dress. I think my response was something lyrical and poetic like, “OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!”

And then, magically, a few hours later, due to the crossing of Linden to mystical palm, I had my very own Realm.

So of course I wrote a story about it.

My mum is the meanest witch in the forest.

My mum is the meanest witch in the forest. But today, for the first time, possibly because she has a terrible headache, she’s sending me in to town all by myself, to buy herbs for her potions. I have a list, and her little purse jingling with copper. Mum is very serious about the way I dress: I’m only allowed to wear certain, light “virginal” colours, and my upper arms must be covered, “because men see your heart there.” I don’t know where she gets this stuff.

But today, I can be anyone I want to be.

But today, I can be anybody I want to be.

A few yards away from the door, I change the dress to lavender purple, just to see if she’s still watching me.

Nothing happens! She must have gone back to bed!

I change the dress to pink and look back, just to make sure. No face in the window.

I change the dress to pink and look back, just to make sure. No face in the window. I’m safe!

Suddenly I feel free! I grow bold, and I skip down the path she’s told me never to run on. And the dress becomes green.

Suddenly I feel free! I grow bold, and I skip down the path she’s told me never to run on. And the dress becomes green! Even the birds change colour. They are such nice birds!

But really, red is much more daring! She’d hate this, my mum would!

I’m giddy with my small rebellion, and my hummingbirds feel it, too. I think they like being red.

I’m giddy with my small rebellion, and my hummingbirds feel it, too. I think they like being red!

Soon, I come to the castle ruin, the one I’m not allowed to go into. “Giles! Giles, I shall address my people from atop the turret!”

“Yes, yes, I mean it! Call them all! All the people must hear me!”

“People of Gwynlandia! Behold your Queen! From this day forward, all young ladies shall be able to dress however they like, no matter what their mothers say!”

I know My Subjects were happy to hear this news. It makes me giggle. But now I shall have to hurry to get to the town before noon; mum will be cranky if I’m not back by teatime.

I know My Subjects were happy to hear the news. It makes me giggle. But now I shall have to hurry to get to the town before noon; mum will be cranky if I’m not back by teatime.

For the first time, I feel a little anxious about going to town alone. A nice red lipstick will make it all better. And of course a floral print on the dress, which mum would say makes me look like a little tart. And forget the sleeves—I’m done with sleeves!

Despite the fact that mum would approve of this, I give the seedy pub on the edge of town a wide berth. But I have to stop to talk to the Harper Lady statue. She’s my favourite ever.

And now I’ve gone out the forest gate and reached the town gate. It’s not locked, and the guard gives me a little wink. I think that makes the dress flowers turn blue. I think that’s why they turn blue.

And now I’ve gone through the forest gate and reached the town gate. It’s not locked, and the guard gives me a little wink. I think that makes the dress flowers turn blue. I think that’s why they turn blue.

One day, I shall own a grand house in town, and I shall welcome visitors grandly, and I shall not mind what they are wearing, so long as they are happy wearing it!

“Welcome, welcome all ye, to my grand home in town! All things inside are grand and beautiful! Come inside and see!”

In the market, I try flirting with the baker’s boy, but it makes my whole dress turn red because I don’t know what to say. He smiles at me, though. Is it because of my bare arms?

In the market, I try flirting with the baker’s boy, but it makes my whole dress turn red, because I don’t know what to say. He smiles at me, though. Is it because of my bare arms?

Finally, I arrive at the herbalist’s door, and I have to change the dress to brown so she won’t tell my mum I’ve been a tart. And I know my day’s adventure is over, because now I have to get the herbs and hurry home and make mum some tea and listen to her tell me all the things I should not have done in town. I won’t tell her how many of them I did!

Finally, I arrive at the herbalist’s door, and have to change the dress to brown so she won’t tell my mum I’ve been a tart. And I know my day’s adventure is over, because now I have to get the herbs and hurry home and make mum some tea and listen to her tell me all the things I should not have done in town. I won’t tell her how many of them I did!

I cannot tell you how much I love this dress! It’s original mesh, fits beautifully to SL standard sizing, and the HUD to change all the colours works quickly and seamlessly. Wisp designed every bit of this herself, and she’s been working on this dress for a long time. Below, I’m going to give you some non-story bits and show you all the presets, plus the HUD for the dress. It’s amazing, well made, and very much worth the price, I promise. Yes, I paid for this dress. I would buy it again. I may buy it for friends, it’s so cool. If you are looking for something whimsical and wonderful, whether or not you remember Wishbox, I urge you to teleport to her store and take a look at this dress. There’s a demo you can try on, of course, and I hope she’ll soon have other things for you to discover.

Welcome back, Wisp.

Style Card:
Amazing Dress: Wishbox, Realm (Available NOW at the Wishbox Main Store!)
Body: Maitreya
Head: Catwa, Destiny
Ears: Logo, Expressive Elf Ears (with appliers from Lumae)
Eyes: Soul, Sidhe Eyes
Skin: Lumae, Eirtae Bare, T1
Hair:Emo-Tions, Michaela
Headdress & Hummingbirds: Cureless, Flower Kissers Tiara
Poses: All from Black Tulip, Forest Day and Lost in the Woods sets
Setting:
Forest: Studio Skye, Enchanted Woods
Witch’s House: Trompe Loeil, Le Fay Cottage
Ruined Castle, Ionic, Runestone Castle
Pub: Death Row Designs, Dangarnon Pub
Harper Lady Statue: Death Row Designs, The Last Hope (one of only two)
Forest Gate: Sweet Revolutions, Sylvan Gate
Town Gate: Stormwood, Cobblestone Wall Kit
Fantasy Town: Death Row Designs, Andolys Fantasy Town
Skybox: (white-walled building) RageWorks: Converted Church SkyLoft

Spiffy photos taken with the indispensible aid of my LumiPro. I never build half-sim-sized sets and create a fantasy life for my primary rp character to photograph one amazing dress without it!

Three Twisted Knots

Not all those who wander are lost.

Tag Archives: Ionic