Eclectic plumage - a recipe

INGREDIENTS:
1 freebie cowboy hat, white with black band
1 small bunch of flowers courtesy of Greenthumb Magic
1 French Maid top, by four Yip (part of a set)
2 poofy lace sleeves, from 'Victorian shirt' by Candy Enoch
1 homemade rose choker (textured with chequered floor tiles)
1 knitted belt, by Pixel Dolls
1 hastily made skirt using black and white damask wallpaper texture
2 buckle cuffs, by Felicity Overlord
1 pair black and white spotted socks, by Bellinda Box
1 pair black ballet pumps, by Shiny Things
1 black and white garter, origin unknown
1 large chiffon bow, from aforementioned set by four Yip

METHOD:
Shrink cowboy hat to minimum limits. Take flowers and texture with chequered floor tiles. Afix flowers, position hat in jaunty fashion. Wear remaining items, fixing large chiffon bow to rear. For best results attend the New Babbage Founders Day Black and White Ball, graciously hosted by Miss Breezy Carver. Dance till dawn, or until done.

A shadow box for January

I have been feeling inspired to work on a project I have been mulling over for some time - shadow boxes. I love the eclectic, surrealist shadow boxes by Joseph Cornell and for quite a while have been wondering how pieces like this might translate into SL. I wanted to keep prims low, so this meant the collage must be a single texture with shadows and detailing added.

With temperatures dropping to minus 7 here, I thought it might be fun to use a frosted window as a frame, and this led to an idea of creating a shadow box for January. The botanical study of snowdrops was hunted out next, along with the beginnings of a verse by Mary Robinson, (The Snowdrop, 1797). I then just had to find 'winter's timid child' and was pleased to come across a white caped little girl c.1890. I finished off with a calendar page from 1889 and some green buttons, before adding the lettering, which, to help the 3d effect, are vintage printers blocks. The whole thing was then set in a box of distressed tongue and groove.

The box is available at Atelier in Loner Lane for the whole of this month, and hopefully, will be replaced with a February shadow box, inspiration allowing.

"The snow-drop,
Winter's timid child,
Awakes to life bedew'd with tears;
And flings around its fragrance mild,
And where no rival flowrets bloom,
Amidst the bare and chilling gloom,
A beauteous gem appears!"