A Foray into Footwear- Garden Party Shoes

I've been wanting to add more diversity to what is on offer at the store, especially since I have a little more space, and have been agonising for weeks over just how to go about embiggening the Sinaburoe shop. (I'm still agonising, but perhaps more about that later, and it's more the "oh-dear-I-have-too-much-space-now-what-shaaaaall-I-dooo " pleasant kind of agony.)

(A candid snap of my shopgirl, Eccy, who despite being given minimal responsibility demands the earth when it comes to bonuses and freebies...Here she is being generously plied with shoes before she left an unruly mess all over my boudoir rug *tsssk today's youth*)

Anyway.

I'm a shoe girl from way back.

Shoes then. Grin.

I love them, always have, in every universe. There's something about a certain height of heel that I can't resist- I love a good high no-half-measures heel, as to me it's most flattering. The problem is that I'm often looking to wear a vintage style, circa 20's/30's shoe, and back then shoes had gorgeous trimmings, but horrible heels. It's why Daisy Duck and Minnie Mouse look the way they do in shoes, I suspect (shudder). I have no desire to emulate them. So I can never claim that Garden Party shoes are authentic historic footwear, however to me they are a good marriage between vintage styling with a sexier modern shaping.

Most of my personal-use shoes end up being black. It's because I love the colours, but can never decide, so invariably lump with the sensible choice. That's why each Garden Party pack has a floral-and-black and plainer-black-with-trim pair. Also if the colour isn't quite right for your outfit, you can use the edit menu to add a slight tint to the prims. So the trims are quite brightly coloured- it gives you room to dull them back with another hue if you need without losing too much contrast.

Anyway, we all understand each other perfectly here, being shoe-girls, I'm sure, unless one of us stumbled in from some weirdie googling of Daisy Duck and sexy high heels. Let's ignore that person, and enjoy the yummy gardenny colours below :)


tangerine

lilac

fuschia

bluebell

ash

apple

Each shoe is copiable, modifiable and script free. No huds. Two versions of each style are included- one with invisiprims for older viewers, and one that uses alpha layers for newer viewers, so pick your poison.

Make sure you try a demo first if in doubt (The helper sign over the vendors will give you a demo pack to help you check quality and colours. Just remember that of course these can't demonstrate the modify qualities of the full version.)

Swoon

Taking a break from all the sneezing, I'm pleased to be feather free for a little while."Swoon" is a very romantic take on gloves, and something simpler for those who like things a bit less fluffy.



These sets each include long and short gloves for day or evening wear (you can adapt them to any length you need), with unique sculpted flared tops. Ribbons and bows tie about the arms very prettily, and these are augmented with a simple gem to add a little shiny contrast. Matching sculpted collars are included.

As these are completely modifiable, the ribbon and lining colours can be made to whatever you desire using the edit menu. I have included suggestions only.


Ivory


Gold


Ebony


Crimson


Cornflower


Cappuccino

Please click for the full picture!

March into Spring

Ahh! Spring is springing (so I heard) and new growth bursting forth all over the place, apparently sending everybody into paroxysms of creative and fertile stirrings. Well, this may be true for half the planet, that other half vaguely over there where I don't live, but never mind as I get to naturally feel like that most of the year round in my sunny home. So even if the days are shortening over here, I can still get into the spirit, and share the joy with the best of you.

What nicer way to completely ignore any Autumn Blues than to be involved with a Spring Fair!

Embody Poses and Shapes is holding a "March into Spring" Market up on it's sunny rooftop, and Eclectica is joining the happy bunch.

As well as this being a chance for a group of original designers to display their wares, a hunt has been arranged (not a ginormous 500-sim event, just a nice smattering of businesses on the one sim for a bit of fun). Many of the designers have generously provided $L10 items as well so that you can get a taste of what's on offer.


"Flounce" earrings in Dark Pink can be picked up for $L10 at my display.....


.....and this "Flounce" brooch in Dark Pink is a hunt gift.

Come pop by, pick up some good bargains, grab an Eclectica Demo Pack if you like, do a little hunting if that's your poison, and celebrate the change of seasons with us.
When: March 5th to 20th.
Where: Embody Rooftop.
For extra information: visit the Embody blog here.

Marketplace giftgiving- a vast improvement

It's with great pleasure that I announce that my old tute on how to navigate the Marketplace giftgiving shamozzle is completely obsolete. It is now a wonderfully more simple and intuitive process.

Please delete the previous instructions from your brain, and replace with these: (biiiig smile, as the process is so much shorter, and I have far more confidence in using it).

Pictures below will help guide you. Please click them to enlarge.
As usual, if you are already in my shop and want to send a gift, helper signs will take you to the correct Marketplace page. If you found me via the Marketplace search, you are already there, so ignore this bit.


Scroll down to find the "related items" if you prefer a different colour, and click it.



Once you have your colour version, click the lovely big orange button called "Add to Cart as Gift". Write your friend's name in the window below. Click the next button down called "Find Resident".


Add a nice message, and click "Finished".


Hurrah! It's done!


The item is now in your shopping cart, and is ready to be delivered to your friend when you check out.

Much nicer!

Feathers & Pearls

I have longer gloves for you this time, and all are luxurious satin with gorgeous trimmings. Gently moving Feathers with Pearl-and-Metalwork detailing set these apart from anything else. And of course, each has a complimenting feathered collar to complete the look.



All are copy and modify friendly. All are script free. No huds or resizers necessary. Demos can be found at the Eclectica Mainstore here. Gifts can be sent (via The Marketplace) directly from here.




Aubergine


Crimson


Dusk


Ebony


Gold


Ivory

Feathers

I've been making Feathers! These are matching gloves and neckpieces, all softly feathered and held with chains and gems.



Here I am, mincing about at home in "Just Beautiful Black" with Sonatta Morales "Mystere" gown.



And just for the hell of it, mincing about without said gown.



Aaaand, here's the full range. Please click for full sized images, as the feather detail is worth it!

Just beautiful black


Black & silver


Just pure white


Black & gold


Black & burgundy


Black & blue

These are all copiable, modifiable and script free. Each set includes two glove styles- opaque and semi-transparent. Demos can be found in the Sinaburoe Mainstore here. And if you'd like to do a little Marketplace shopping, find them exactly here.

Marketplace giftgiving -yes it can be done.

I'm suspecting that the Marketplace has grown harder for some to navigate, especially with giftgiving. There seem to be too many steps now between finding a perfect gift, and completing the transaction. So many of the pages in between are confusing as they give uneccessary space to irrelevant advertising, and the option to bestow a gift is pretty well hidden.

I've been working hard to improve signage instore, and using links to the Marketplace to make giftgiving easier. There's now a notecard to be picked up at the landing point which shows the steps clearly...but here they are....



Over each of the signs in the Mainstore (Sinaburoe) is a new "helper sign". Touch the button on the top right, and a blue drop-down window will appear in your top right. Click "Go to page".














This will open the corresponding Marketplace window in your web browser. One set from the range you want will be shown at the top of the page. Make sure you are logged in.

For a different colour, scroll down to find the one you prefer under "related items". Click on the one of your choice.













This will take you to the correct colour (this example is "Eclectica Nouveau Rose Gold"). You can choose "add to cart" for multiple purchases, however "Buy Now" may be simpler for single purchases.













This will take you to the next page, as shown. Click "Edit your order" (This is hiding stupidly down the bottom, and this page really ought to have a big orange button saying "Send as a Gift". I suspect this is where we are all losing sales).
















On the next page (shown) check that the price and amount is correct. Then, to the left, select "Send as a gift". (Again, where is the big orange button?)














A little window pops up, which lets you add your friend's name, and a nice message. "Update" it when it's done.














Here's the next page. Check it's all correct. Then use the "Checkout" button. The next step is final, and you may wish to ensure that your friend is inworld, expecting the gift, and not in busy mode.













And it's done...you reach the confirmation window, and your account will be deducted. Congratulations...you just sent a gift!