Sane or Sick: Working on SL things on a RL Cruise...You decide

So, here I am, on a RL cruise with my hubby, and what am I doing whenever I'm in the room? You guessed it - working on textures and ideas and paperwork for Always Eclectic! I think my hubby has given up and decided I'm just a hopeless addict so he doesn't say much anymore....just gets more theatrical in his sighs.

There is an ulterior motive.....I have been off RL work since mid-July and my 'vacation,' if you count being in a lot of pain for more than half that time a vacation, will end soon as I will return to work in early October. In my little SL addicted mind, that means HURRY!!!!

I have a bunch of things that I have in-store signs now created. Those should be getting put up sometime in October with any luck.

I'm in The Halloween Hunt, so I've finished my gifty for that, plus a couple of other cool Halloween things.

I have an idea for my gift for the Shaken Not Stirred hunt thanks to hubby and his knowledge of All Things Bond.

That brings me to WOMENstuff hunt and the holidays...whew....

Add to that my involvement in a RL choir that, of course, performs at the holidays, and that my RL dad broke a hip just before my cruise started.....you begin to get the picture.

So I am working my little avatar behind off to get everything ready so Always Eclectic doesn't miss a beat! More lovely little hunt items to create......bwahahahahaha!!!! ;-)))

See you soon!

Riendra

New! Always Eclectic Petite!

Strider (ariana.farstrider), owner and designer of [S&S] Clockworks came to me with a lovely dress she had designed that was crying out for jewelry.

We threw ideas back and forth, and this cloisonne style set is the result. It grabs the red and black of the dress and adds the butterfly on the pendant for an additional splash of color.

So, Always Eclectic Petite is born! If anyone would like a particular item 'shrunk' for a petite, just send me a notecard and off we go!

Oddly, it isn't that much harder to make jewelry for petites - the pieces are just smaller and require a bit more patience to become cooperative. I think the results are well worth the effort.

Strider and I have traded vendors, so the dress and jewelry are available at either store.

Always Eclectic: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Award%20Island/198/232/22

[S&S] Clockworks: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mieville%20Twain/217/209/29

See you soon!

Riendra

Introducing.....'Regally Yours'!!

I just released a new set called 'Regally Yours.' As the name implies, the set is based on some medieval period pieces. This is the biggest set I've made as it includes 6 separate items (7 if I count each earring!). Take a look!

To entice you further, the Renaissance Island location has the silver ring as a freebie! Always Eclectic at Renaissance Island.

Both sets are available at Renaissance Island, and the individual pieces are available at the main store as well as the sets.  Always Eclectic Main Store

One of the reasons I do period jewelry is that I love period clothing! I wouldn't want to wear the stuff in real life as it is way too heavy and hot. But, in SL it is light as a feather and everyday has perfect weather so it's not a problem! Period pieces involve an interesting challenge. For instance, the jewels have less facets in medieval times. They didn't have the tools to do the very delicate faceting that they did in later years. So, no, I wasn't being lazy using kind of squarish jewels - I was trying my best to be authentic! ;-)))

Anyway, back to work! I have ideas for Halloween rolling around in my head - now they need to roll out onto some prims!! And don't forget the Steam 7 hunt item waiting for you at the main store!

See you soon!

Riendra

Always Eclectic to be in the WOMENstuff Hunt!

Yes! We're in the WOMENstuff hunt! This is fabulous news - lots of exposure - lots of new people to meet! I am SO excited to hear this news!!! Now to work on the giftee!!

I learn more about having my own land and store all the time. No yelling to the landlord when something doesn't look right - just dig in and fix it! Need to find a place to put something? Move something in the main store? Create a new display outside? Create a new building outside? The decisions are all mine.

This is good and bad. Good because I get to do what I think best. Bad because it does take away from creating jewelry. I'm trying valiantly to balance the two. So far I'm reasonably successful - I think.

First, onward to more recent. I'm finishing up a new release....it is cool....very....different from most things I've done before. Then Halloween....

Never ending! And don't forget to come by for the Steam 7 giftee!

Riendra

Always Eclectic is now a part of WOMENstuff!

Yes, it's true - Always Eclectic and I are members of WOMENstuff. A couple pieces of paperwork and I'll have my designer tag! w00t!!!!

Of course, this means I'll be applying to be in the WOMENstuff hunt starting in November. YES!!!

The New Always Eclectic Main Store is OPEN!!!!!

YES! It's all together, um, mostly, and I made it in time for the start of Steam 7! I thought I was pretty prepared but I kept thinking of loose ends - and just thought of another one!

First, a pic of the new place - not the greatest but I'll get better ones later.

Doesn't do it justice - you don't see the landing point in the gazebo or the pretty stream, or the weeping willow or the.....well, you get the picture. Yes, I'm proud of it - it was a lot of work and I really like how it turned out.

Also, a new release and a couple in the wings....this comes in 9 different colors.

Also, I really, really like how my Steam 7 hunt item turned out. I tried for a totally different look this time. Let me know what you think.

Now, the list of things you have to do when you move stores....and I KNOW this isn't everything. This is just so you appreciate and understand when your favorite store moves, they have to WANT to move as it's a lot of work.

- Find a new location - the biggest piece of all - where? how much is tier? how many prims? what kind of sim? etc., etc., etc.

- Create a building - I chose to do this before I bought the land so I could, more or less, plunk the building down and start. That plan sorta worked. I still ended up changing some things since I rushed it a bit to make Steam 7.

- Create new merchandise! Can't open a new store without at least a couple of new releases!

- Do all the thingies to reset your merchandise vendors to the new location and TEST them all! Or at least I test them all and probably still missed something.

- Try to remember all the places your landmark is and change it - classified ads, ad boards, online sources, and OH!!! If you put an LM in your merchandise, you need to change it in all of the merchandise packaging too! That was a job and a half. I can't imagine the work if you had a big store.

- Landscape - and ideally have a plan before you start so you don't redo things. I, of course, did not do that and changed my mind at least 3 times before I finally made up my mind. Arghhhh! All self directed ARGHHH!

- Decorate the store if so desired - I desire, but haven't gotten to that part yet - getting there!

- Notify any hunts you are in that you've moved.

- Are you having an opening sale?? A promotion? Event?

- Let your group members and friends know.

- Post on your blog! ;-ppp

I'm sure there are a lot of things I have forgetten. As you see, it is not a five minute task. However, I love my new store! I hope you like it too!

Riendra