Hi Everyone!!!

Yes, I know ... I've been soooooo bad at keeping up with the blog! The sim I reside on changed it's theme and I had to do a total designing re-haul of my parcel. In RL the company I work for decided to downsize and I was let go. I haven't found another job yet, BUT I've been doing some freelance AND I've been contacted by a RPG company that would like for me to illustrate for them ( :))))) ... WOOOT! Anyways, I had to admit after all the SL and RL events, I was feeling VERY burned out and decided to take a break ... But now I'm BACK!

Now, I found a VERY USEFUL tidbit on Miriel's SL Blog in regards to getting rid of ugly face shadows on your avatar ... I've cut and pasted her post below:

"Aha! Finally! I've figured out how to eliminate environmental shadows on the avatar, and I'm an idiot for not doing so sooner. It's so obvious.Go to World > Environment Settings > Environment Editor (or just hit Ctrl-Alt-E, if you like that kind of thing). Click the Advanced Sky button. Go to the Lighting Tab. Turn the Sun/Moon Color to 0 all the way around to eliminate the shadows. If you don't want to eliminate them entirely, just turn them down until you're happy: the lower you go, the fewer shadows and highlights will be cast by the sun or moon.That's it. You're done.You may want to turn up the Ambient setting to make the scene brighter, or turn up the Scene Gamma. You may also want to go into Atmosphere tab and make sure the Distance Multiplier or Density Multiplier is set to 0 (one or the other, though you can do both if you really want) to keep things from being hazy. Lastly, if you have local lights on, you may want to go back into the Lighting tab and fiddle with the Sun and Moon Position slider, because the sun position determines how bright local lights will be. Local lighting will also add some shadows back onto your avatar.There are a couple downsides to this technique, though. One, the sky itself will look pretty bad. Two, your scene will be pretty desaturated and may look washed out, though I'll experiment more to see if this can be worked around. For me, though, it at least beats the awful shadows cast by the avatar nose."

All I can say is: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!!! Thanks Miriel!!!

Okay, I've got to get back to completing a RL freelance assignment ... I will be posting again this Saturday in regards to a couple of new pieces I made for Absinthe Minded and a special announcement for N30 Photo Studio addicts!!!

Hugs,
Absinthe

Halloween Stuffs

OK, OK ... This item I have up in my skybox in Skyridge has NOTHING to do with pottery or patio. The Vampirella Halloween Costume!

For those of you who don't know, Vampirella is a very sexy and famous 70's/80's super hero vampiress from the planet of Drakulon ... her stories were published by Warren Magazine and could usually be found in the horror comics section (like Tales From The Crypt and Creepy Magazines).

Anyways, I could not find a quality Vampirella outfit anywhere in SL, so I did what any desperate avatar would do: I made my own! But, I didn't stop there! I made the accessories, a really nice flexi wig and a pair of high heeled boots to go along with it ... I present to you: VAMPIRELLA!



You read the price correctly: It's only $200L ... Trust me, the quality is VERY nice and you WON'T be disappointed!

Up in the skybox you'll also find on the grounds and walls: $1L Fall/Autumn Leaves Ground Cover and $1L Spiderwebs and a $1L Pumpkin ... ALL are Copy/Mod ... so grab them all today and get ready for Halloween!

Thanks for looking and I'll chat with you all next week!

Best regards,
Absinthe

New Items!!!!

Sorry I'm late!! Blogger seems to be having image uploading issues, so it took awhile for this post to be added. Here are a couple of new items I've been working on (on and off) since I've opened up my shop ... hope you like them :))

A very simple Luminary ... I remember during Xmas holidays how neighborhood streets and driveways would be lit up with luminaries at night ... beautiful! They aren't just for the holidays anymore! Make as many copies as you like to light up your walkways!


Up next are Talavera tiles ... I've always loved decorating my patio walls with these beautiful handmade/handpainted pieces of Mexican art ... find them at my tiki level store!



Next are examples of "mix and match" patio bistro pieces in different shapes. The chairs have poses animations built right into the pieces! Come by and try them out ...more colors will be available soon! Oh, and as usual, come by and grab a freebie copy of some margarita drinks!!!

Now, by popular demand, is my 'signature' logo fountain with the lions head relief ... comes with animation and water sound!


Last and not lease, I've FINALLY made the "square" version of the potted garden bench. Just add in you own animations/poseballs ... otherwise, come by and pick up a few freebie poseball copies at my skybox section of the store!

That's it for now!!! You'll have to excuse me, but I'm going to catch the new season premiers of "Chuck" and "Heroes" ... Have a nice night and I'll chat with you all on Saturday :))

Absinthe

New Patio Furniture

Took some time out to create a few new pieces and to update an existing piece...

Above are some new patio furniture pieces with built in animations (from Bits and Bobs, of course;P) and shadows. More colors and fabric choices will be available soon (or IM me if there's a pattern/color you'd like to see).

You will also notice the new firepits with a wrought iron base (one square shaped, another round shaped). The firpits contain really nicely textured logs and the fire emits crackling sounds and smoke! Come on by and check it out!

As you can see, I'm starting to add in my pots with the new "terra cotta" texture ... they will be appearing in batches around the tiki patio area as I complete them.

Finally, I've "updated" my chiminea piece ... I made the base more simple/less prims and I've included the newly textured/animated/firelogs with sound (originally I was using a different set of logs and particle fire that were not included). You can't see in this picture, but there's a nice column of smoke that comes out of the chiminea top, stop by and see it, it's really nice!

OK, that's it for now, RL calls ... I'll chat with you all soon!

Absinthe

Mentioned in This Month's Issue of "Prim Perfect"

Yay!!! Just a quick note that I was mentioned in this month's SL magazine "Prim Perfect" ... here's the link to the article:

Prim Perfect's Review of Absinthe Minded

Thanks Saffia!!! Hugs!

I'm Early!

Blogging a day early because I will be up to my eyeballs in Photoshop work tomorrow and may not make it onto SL on Saturday ... anyways, the shop is just about as set up as I can make it ... I'm sure I'll be doing some "tweaking" here and there as time goes along. I have it set up that when you first TP to "Absinthe Minded", you will land up at the skybox shop in Skyridge ... from there there will be another TP area if you would like to see the sun loungers at my ground level tiki shop.

I had time to make 2 more new items, hope you enjoy!

First up is a Tuscan Fountain made with a combo of sculpties and prims ... I've been tinkering with scripts and am rather pleased with how it all turned out ;P

Second up is what I call a "Water Garden" ... add in either your own plants or add in some more water ... or even a fountain. You could even add in your own poseballs/animations to make it a nice garden bench for the center of your garden!

Okay all! Have to go ... chat with you all next week! :))

Regards,

Absinthe Primrose

Almost There!

Phew! RL and SL situations are making the moving to the new store longer than I thought ... but I'm almost there!

Here's the SURL to the new skybox location in the Skyridge sim ... things still are being added and arranged, so excuse the mess ;):

Absinthe Minded's Skybox in Skyridge


In the meantime, I've managed to create a few new pieces!

Above is a new texture to my lounge set (again, with animations built right in, no poseballs!) ... this one I call "Ice Cream Stripes" ... you can't tell from the pic, but there's a nice vine texture in the cloth. Also new is a prism shaped side patio table. On the table is a Damani ice cream cone freebie :)) Just a note that this is on the ground level in my "Tiki" location:

Absinthe Minded Patio Stuffs Tiki Hut in Skyridge

Up next are two wrought iron patio lanterns that you can hang on your patio walls! They contain a neat little script in which it turns on with a GLOW during your land's region night ... and TURNS OFF during your land region's day!!! So cool! Come on by and check it out!

OK, I have to go, have a few SL projects that I've been commissioned to do and time's a wastin'! Until next week...

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Ack! Sorry for the late post everyone ... moving the store to a new location in a sim called "Skyridge" (there will be a ground level shop and a TP to the skybox shop), but the "This Land" location is still open until I'm situated, so come on by!

I've managed to create a few neat lounge and patio pieces ... and they have the awesome animations built into the pieces (no poseballs, yay!) by Bits n Bobs! Here's a peek:

The pink version I call "Watermellon Stripe" and the blue version I call "Pina Colada Stripe" ( can ya tell I was thinking about food and drinks when I made these ;P ). There's patio/market umbrellas now available as well as square and round side patio tables available ... I've even made simple wrought iron tiki torches ... one in a "round" theme, the other with a "square" theme in mind ...

There's a few "freebie" drinks available (again, items I've found in my travels throughout SL). Come and by and grab a copy!

Now with the animations, I'm discovering that some AO's may interfere with them (or vice versa), so you may have to remove them in order to use the lounger animations ... come by the Skyridge location to check it out! Here's the SURL:

Absinthe Minded Tiki Location in Skyridge

More fabric choices will be available soon, and please excuse the mess at my tiki hut ... I'm still building and putting things together, so you'll see a few pieces strewn about :))

Okay everyone, I've got to get back to work! I'll chat with you all next Saturday ... my new location should be set up by then! Hugs.

Absinthe Primrose

New Items ... Including a Bird Bath with Ambient Sound!!!

GAH! Search in down in SL (what else is new, right?) ... Ah well! Below find some new items I created with the existing "Antique Plaster" texture, and are now available for sale right now at Absinthe Minded:

Above is a very simple seating area sculptie bench ... with little 'ol me taking a break. The middle is hollowed out and textured with gravel . I used Linden plants for my example, but you can your own plants or water and fish/water plants! Make as many copies as you like! Excellent for parks, large patios or if you need a "waiting area" outside your shop! Poses are not included, but there are a few poseballs available for free at my shop if you need them ... otherwise, add in your own poses/animations! A "square" shaped one is in the works as will be available soon.

Up next are a few more Sculptie pots and vases with a shadow effect underneath ... one vase is in a simple prim plant stand in wrought iron.

To the right is a Bird Bath with Ambient Bird/Running Water sound included!!! Why use up more prim space with a sound stone, when you can already have ambient sound already inside of one of your pieces? Stop by the shop to hear it ... the Bird Bath plays 5 bird/water ambient sounds at random (so you don't go loco) and the sounds are not available anywhere else in SL!

As usual, plants are not included with purchase, BUT they are available for free from my shop :))

And finally, a large urn with ivy! Just fill it with your own flowery shrub and place it at your door entrance ... better yet: sit it atop a pedestal for a grander effect! You can even use urns/pedestals as "fence" corners ... just add some wrought iron fence to the sides and you'll have a classy enclosure for your little plot of SL heaven! Shadow effect and the ivy is included.

That's if for now ... I'll have a few more things ready by next Saturday!

Photos From The Shop!

Happy Saturday everyone! As promised, here's some photos taken of a few of the items on sale at Absinthe Minded:

To give you and idea of the sizes, the large vase to your right is a little taller than your average SL avatar...and all my pieces come with a "shadow" at the base! Most of my items are modifiable, so make them a small or large as you like. Although the plants are not included, they are all either Linden plants or freebies that I found in my wanderings around SL ... you can pick up a copy of them from my store!

Any one of these pots would look cute at your door enterance ... the one on the left is a sculptie urn/pedestal combo... the 3-ball topiary is a sculptie creation I am working on ... once I get the hang of texturing sculpties of this nature, it will become available.

The photo above is a sculptie/prim creation of a large vase ... The fern is a Damani freebie ... just for show and not included, but you can pick up a copy for free from my store!

Above is a large square sculptie pot. Using some of the Linden 1 prim plants, this would be perfect in lining city streets or in front of a row of shops...note the close up shot of the pot and how wonderful a "worn/antiqued/beat up texture" looks on this ... I've named this texture "Antique Plaster". Please note that most of my items are modifiable, so you can use your own texture!

Above is an example from the "patio" line ... A chiminea with a fancy prim wrought iron base! Please note that the fire is NOT included (main reason: when I bought the fire it was copy, but no transfer)... it's a lovely glowy particle effect...you can't tell from this pic, but the fire has smoke/embers that float to the top and disappear in the air ... it's a creation by Niel Protagonist and can be purchased in-world at his particle fx shop! And the fire is only 1-prim!!!

Above is another example of a large vase using the same fancy wrought iron base as the chiminea!

Phew! There's more to show you, and more that are in the works ... but please feel free to wander over to Absinthe Minded and check it out for yourself!

I will be uploading a new creation at least once a week...and don't forget to join the "Absinthe Minded" group in-world to be kept up to date on new releases and sales! Any questions, don't hesitate to IM me! Chat with you soon!

~Absinthe Primrose~

Oooooo! First Post!

Hi everyone and welcome to my very FIRST ever blog entry on "Absinthe Minded"!!!

I started "messing" around with Sculpties and truth be told, I was not impressed by the "lumpiness" that SL seems to caused once the item is imported in ... but once I started fiddling around with some textures that have a worn/beat up/antique feel to them ... they looked awesome! I've been having so much fun creating what I had thus far and, well: decided I wanted to open up a little store!

I seem to be better decorating patios and gardens than I do interior design (in RL and SL), so I believe I found my niche in Second Life.

I'd be honored if you took a peek ... here's the LM information:

Absinthe Minded, This Land (175, 207,377)

I'm starting to learn more and more about sculptie creation, so I have plans for more vase/urn items ... including: garden sounds, patio accessories, etc.

Currently the items in the store are using a texture I call "Ancient Plaster" ... but if you look on the side of the store, some vases are there showcasing some other textures I plan on using real soon!

I will have pics posted soon on the products ... thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope you like what I've created so far :))

Absinthe