Tuesday 26 May 2020

The final Guardian is awake!

Summer is starting to approach, and so, the last of the Guardians has opened her eyes, and is ready to reveal herself to the world.


The Summer Guardian features two different bark textures, a cleaner one, and a more timeworn choice (similar to the other Guardians). It also comes with multiple textured flowers that you can place wherever you prefer.

The Guardian will be an exclusive release at SaNaRae event, now open!



Tuesday 19 May 2020

Godspeed Cer

I'm normally used to daily news, especially during these weeks of pandemic outbreak.

But I wasn't prepared for this.

Cer (Cerdwin Flanagan) has passed on.
She was so full of life and love, and there was no sign of any problem with her. Only recently she announced taking a small break due to not feeling well.
That was the last time I heard from her.

Cer was one of those unique souls that always tried to bring out the best out of people. She did that with many. She did that with me. I feel like having the same rez day was a sign.
I know she liked my creations, and I felt so honoured about that, but she pushed that on to a new level, by including them in what is now Witch Woods, one of the most beautifully crafted regions, where every single object has a story and a purpose.
It is a sanctuary for many. And that reflects Cer's heart.

She always prioritized the sense of community, and always made sure that everyone felt welcome and important. Her creative mind was the silver thread through which she summoned her magic. Because she was a witch, the good kind. Everyone who met her was enthralled by her charisma and her profound spirit.

If Second Life is a better place, it is thanks to people like her.

Her last legacy are the wonderful and memorable moments of gathering during Fantasy Faire, what we began to call Covfefe Breaks.
For many people, Fantasy Faire 2020 was hard, because of Covid outbreak, and there wasn't a reason to celebrate. Cer gave us a purpose, and made us ignite the spark of inspiration, that will now forever be set ablaze for her.

There will be no funeral pyre in my heart.
I want to hold on tight all the happy moments and memories we built and shared, squeeze them at a point to lose my breath, and find in them the light.

There is a beautiful metaphor of death in a poem by Herny Van Dyke.
When someone we care about passes away, they set sail on a ship, moved by the morning breeze, towards the horizon.
As she goes on, on the blue surface of the ocean, she appears to become smaller to our eyes. We have the feeling she became smaller, but she's still the same.
And when at some point this ship will reach the horizion, she will look like just one small dot amidst the sky, making us say "there, she is gone".
But at the same time there will be other eyes watching her, from another shore, shouting with joy "Here she comes!".

Cer loved to find beauty in everything, and we have been lucky and privileged to have shared part of our time on earth with her.
I am sure that she must have found her daily inspirational theme: ships!
I believe that she jumped on her viking ship, ready for a new adventure. And as we're mourning her, someone will be blessed with her talent, on another silver shore.
Someone will be welcoming her.
"Here she comes!"

I will never forget you my friend.
You will be missed.



Saturday 9 May 2020

The Gates of Enchantment are open

May means Enchantment!
And this round is particularly dear to me.

May will be the month of the Kitsune, the mythical fox spirit of the Shinto folklore. I've always longed for a round dedicated to ancient Japanese lore, and this was the perfect occasion to release some special exclusives!


The Inari Torii functioned as gates to link the material world with the spiritual one, so that humans could bond with the Kami, the Japanese deities. These Torii gates are dedicated to Inarii, kami of fertility, rice, tea, sake and agriculture. Inari is also the kami of foxes.
These gates come in three variations: wood, rocky and ruined, and all of them with the option of having engravings or not.


Since the round is about kitsune, there you are your own Spirit Foxes! They're animesh pets to be rezzed in your land. They come in two coat variations, and three animations: idle, sitting and feeding.

But this isn't over!

As tradition, it will soon begin the amazing Enchantment hunt! Every designer has a prize hidden in their store region. Harshlands prize will be a personal Spirit Fox attachment pet!


This little fox is well hidden in Dragonstone, and you can find some directions by the landing point.


Thursday 7 May 2020

Swank May Round: Boho Chic

Harshlands goes Boho this month!

That sounds like an unusual turn for us, isn't?
Swank opens again for its May round, and for this month theme, I've decided to prepare a set inspired by the beautiful beach Boho weddings.


The Boho Wedding Set is made of several parts that can be purchased separately, or as fatpack.


The Boho Altar comes with a Texture HUD, with the choice to change the wood structure and carpet colour/pattern, 5 different choices each part.


The Boho Bench features the same type of colours of the Altar. It comes in two versions, with couple (pg) poses + multisit, and a multisit version only (in case you're planning to host a ceremony and you don't want random group hugs...)



Next of the set are Boho Lanterns, featuring multiple wood paint colours and a soft light emission.


The Petal Ground is the last touch of detail of the set. A wedding cannot be one without flowers! These mesh grounds come with many different colours and three shapes: a straight line, a small and large group.

You can preview and test the product at Swank: