Curious cogroaches!

The onset of warmer weather in New Babbage saw the broom cupboard here at Atelier somewhat plagued with beetles earlier this week. On capturing a few specimens I noticed, that like so many things in our fair city, that they are indeed clockwork insects! I have thus named them 'cogroaches'.

They are quite the most curious yet beautiful creatures, with delicate, papery wing cases and glowing eyes. Not being one to let such a discovery go to waste, I have utilised them to adorn a charming spring straw bonnet, which can be found for purchase at the store, along with some sweet little cogroach brooches.

I find insecty jewellery such a joy, don't you?! And the bonnet is just the sort of hat that one might wish to wear to church, providing you can convince the vicar that cogroaches are not wood burrowing and will not eat the pews.

February shadowbox

A wee bit late, due to the new shop, Valentine cards and other projects, but completed at last!

With a Valentine theme, the shadowbox takes it's inspiration from a poem by Anne Bronte, 'In memory of a happy day in February', 1842. With a collage of vintage valentines, painted heart-shaped buttons and cross stitched wording, I hope it conjures up the spirit of valentine wishes received in happy surprise. The thermometer, an indication of rising temperatures at long last - 'the smile of early spring' - after the worst of the winter weather has passed.

The February shadowbox is on the wall by the stairs at Atelier until the March one takes its place.

"Was it the smile of early spring that made my bosom glow?

'Twas sweet, but neither sun nor wind could raise my spirit so!

Was it some feeling of delight, all vague and undefined?

No, 'twas a rapture deep and strong, expanding in the mind!"

Valentine fun at the new store

It took three days to move into the new shop in the canals, but all is now in place and looking marvellous. The cephalopods have settled in nicely, and the poisons are safely out of harm's way on the upper floor.

In order to celebrate the opening, which coincides with Valentine's weekend, I have made a selection of free Valentine cards. There is indeed something for everyone! Even one or two that the urchins may wish to send. All are decidedly different, and two are tea-themed!

I have placed them on a dresser just inside the shop and they will be there until Sunday, just in case anyone has been forgetful to send romantic (or otherwise!) wishes at this time of year.

I have a new store!

Wonders galore!

There are cards to be had

and the rhyming is bad.

An exciting new main store

Atelier has had a few homes, and I have been extremely fortunate to have had a succession of wonderful landlords behind my retail career. It all started with a dear little shop (something of a broom cupboard!) above the Bakery at Loner Lane, Port Babbage, back last May, when Loner Lane was owned by Miss Kaylee Frye. Miss Frye came up with the generous notion of small spaces for new builders - rent free! 

I had 50 prims at my disposal, and it was a very successful introduction to selling. When the plot was sold to Mr Albus Weka, he was kind enough to ask me back. In the interim period of Miss Frye selling Loner Lane to Mr Weka, I took one of the little shops at my good friend Mr Max Queller's Queen Victoria Arcade in Wheatstone Waterways (now no longer standing). Looking back, I have had some lucky breaks, for which I am very thankful; I have had a chance to play, build and develop my style.

It became apparent recently that I had pretty much done all one can do with a 50 prim limit, and needed a new base and a new project. I was again fortunate to hear of the perfect plot very quickly. And so, I am pleased to announce that Atelier has found its new, much improved, and permanent home, in the Canal District, New Babbage.

Tyger and I had already started a lovely new shop for Atelier - with me haphazardly throwing prims together in roughly the kind of thing I wanted, and he, pulling them into shape, aligning, straightening and generally un-wonkifying them as I went. Not to mention dealing with the cumbersome mega prims I find so tiresome to work with. So when the time came we were pretty much ready to go. And here is the end result!

JUST REZZED Boarded, for now, but soon to be up and running, 

the new main store at Babbage Canals

My favourite parts? The two bay windows on the lower floor, reminiscent of lighthouse lanterns, the copper-hatted 'egg' window above, the wonderful palette of colours in the roof tiles, and the chunky beams in the open attic, complete with a little barn owl - a welcome to the neighbourhood present from my new neighbour Miss Canolli Capalini.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Babbage%20Canals/56/87/105/?title=Meadow%20McBride%27s%20Atelier&msg=New%20main%20store%21

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!"

(RL) Steampunk Sculptures

This Boxing Day I took my camera to 'The Pride of the Valley Sculpture Park', which is about five minutes drive from me, in Churt, in Surrey. I've always loved sculpture placed in the great outdoors and the park occupies ten acres of woodland and water garden, and houses 200 sculptures, many in a decidedly Steampunk vein. It was a lovely crisp winter's day, and although my hands froze solid taking these pictures, the light was beautiful. Here are a few of my favourite pieces:

1. Teapot Pachyderm
I love this little fellow! He is nicely nestled among the rhododendrons, where his brass body catches the light beautifully.

2. Rusted Towers
Two wonderful rusty towers, possible grain stores or similar. Glorious colouration and a satisfying echo inside :)

3. Broken Diving Bell
Crushed and lying in a puddle of water, you can't help but wonder what happened to this forlorn looking diving bell. A misencounter with a leviathan perhaps?

4. The Brass Sentries
Standing on duty at the top of the park, brass animals of indiscernable species gaze out from their tree trunk plinths.

5. Funnel birds
A pair of quarrelsome birds perch their tubby bodies on equally tubby little chairs.


Many more frames on my flickr photostream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/meadows_pics