Giverny: The haystacks

The final episode of Meta Makeover (we return as Designing Worlds on May 5)  is now available on the Meta Makeover website at SLCN – and can also be downloaded free of charge from iTunes.

For our last episode, we visited a very special sim – a stunningly beautiful recreation of Monet’s home village – Giverny.

Giverny: The lilypond

Owned by Soliel Snook and Kaye Robbiani, this stunning sim combines places important to Monet’s life … and to his art.  We found some fascinating vignettes – such at the famous lily pond, and the richly coloured haystacks too!

We explored the sim with Kaye Robbiani, who showed us the re-creation of Monet’s home, and also the fascinating museum she has created, showing something of his life and work – and telling the story of the American artists who followed in his footsteps.

And there’s also an encounter with an old friend from Soliel’s garden centre, who we first met on our winter show in Giggleford last year – and who has now, rather unexpectedly perhaps, found a new home in Giverny!

Giverny: The village

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Remember that although Meta Makeover has finished, we will be back in May with our new show, Designing Worlds.  And though our coverage will be extended, we’ll still be doing our Meta Makeovers, where we bring in a top designer to make over your virtual home or garden!

So if you would like to have a virtual home or garden given the treatment by a top designer, send an email to us at metamakeover@gmail.com with three or four pictures of your home or garden attached, and stating your reasons why you would like a makeover.

And if you know a special place in Second Life that we should really feature on the show, drop us a line too!

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What was Saffia wearing on the show?

Saffia in Kasera at Giverny

For this last show, Saffia wore one of the new outfits created by Neferia Abel for her new range, L’Abel.  The outfit is called Kesara, and it offers a whole range of options in a pretty dotted pattern, or else plain.

It includes a simple, but sophisticated, dotted micro bolero with sculpted puff sleeves and collar accented with a stunning sculpted corsage and neck chain. There’s a strapless silk bodice which wraps the torso in horizontal strips, and also included is a bodice version that is trimmed at the bottom edge in the bolero’s dotted pattern for maximum mixing ease. There are three skirt options: a sleek system skirt that echos the subtle pattern of the bodice – which Saffia wore on the show in maroon; a sculpted skirt option created from sculpties on 3 different attachment points to ensure wearablity; and a system skirt that echos the bolero dotted pattern.

Saffia in Kasera at Giverny

“Usually, I need to wear a system skirt on the show,” says Saffia.  “Flexi skirts drop down through chairs, and sculpted skirts may behave … oddly.  Neferia makes some of the very best system skirts out there – she always takes trouble to make sure that things look exactly right!”

Finally, two pairs of glitch pants are included, one in the dotted pattern, the other in the solid black option. To add the final finessé, the pair of included black forearm gloves lend more glamour!

“For me, the bolero with its neck chain and the lovely corsage was the special touch that made this outfit so exciting,” says Saffia.  “And it was, of course, very appropriate for the show, which featured so many beautiful and decorative flowers!”

The new Designing Worlds logo - a bridge from old to new

Our recent programme from Giverny was the last show from Meta Makeover – but don’t despair, we’re back with a new look and a new name from May 5th: Designing Worlds!

Over the past months, Meta Makeover has been broadening its scope. We have been doing makeovers, but we are also doing a lot more: visiting some of the most beautiful builds and seeing some of the highest quality designs; meeting top designers; visiting prime examples of how quality design and planning in a virtual world can enhance activities in the real world, such as at the Dresden Gallery; and we’ve been tackling serious issues such as intellectual property in the virtual environment. And we’ve been looking beyond Second Life to other virtual worlds.

The Designing Worlds name recognises what Meta Makeover has become: it says all the above and more. And as our new logo (above) suggests, Designing Worlds builds on the best of Meta Makeover and adds a new breadth of coverage that we hope will interest you even more.

The opportunity arose to re-frame the show because we and our partner network, SLCN are  moving up to the next level of in-world video, and when we return on May 5th with the first edition of Designing Worlds, we’ll be in widescreen 720p High Definition TV. If you visit the SLCN web site, you’ll see that some of our sister SLCN shows – like Music Academy onLive – have already made the switch, and they look great.

There will be further developments a little later in the year and as soon as we can tell you more about them, we will.

In the meantime, we will be working hard on redesigning our sets, graphics and other aspects of the show to be back with you with a brand-new look on Tuesday, May 5th at 2pm.  Join us – and now you can follow @DesigningWorlds on Twitter to get the latest updates.

Giverny: The lilypond

Today, Tuesday 7th April, we are visiting a very special sim – a stunningly beautiful recreation of Monet’s home village – Giverny.

Giverny: The haystacks

Owned by Soliel Snook and Kaye Robbiani, this stunning sim combines places important to Monet’s life … and to his art.  You’ll find some fascinating vignettes – such at the fmous lily pond, and the richly coloured haystacks too!

We’ll be exploring the sim with Kaye Robbiani, who will be showing us the re-creation of Monet’s home, and also the fascinating museum she has created, showing something of his life and work.

And there’s also an encounter with an old friend from Soliel’s garden centre, who we first met on our winter show in Giggleford last year – and who has now, rather unexpectedly perhaps, found a new home in Giverny!

Giverny: The village

The show starts at 2pm SLT, but you should be there by 1.30pm to make sure of getting a seat. And if you’re not in North America, remember SLT time has been affected by the resetting of the clocks!

We’ll see you there!

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Would you like your home to feature on Meta Makeover? Send an email to us at metamakeover@gmail.com with three or four pictures of your home attached, and stating your reasons why you would like a makeover.

And if you know a special place in Second Life that we should really feature on the show, drop us a line too!

Saffia in Dottir

For the most recent edition of Meta Makeover, Saffia wore what she describes as an old favourite from Ivalde – Dottir in blue.

“Dottir is an old favourite of mine,” explains Saffia.  “It’s pretty and practical – I love the texture, with the rich velvet with same coloured dots.  And the skirt moves so beautifully too!”

The wrap-around bodice features Juliet-inspired sleeves, complete with sculptie puffs at the shoulder and upper arm before snugly wrapping the arm down to the wrist. An empire-waist full-length flexi skirt made this dress a perfect elegant match for the elegant garden.

Saffia in Dottir and Hat Heaven

And, to complete the effect, Saffia added a hat!

“Just for the outdoor scenes,” Saffia says.  “I could have worn it to take tea too – Victorian ladies kept their hats on when paying calls, after all!  But it was rather too magnificent – and kept disappearing into the chair!”

The hat was made by Kate McLaglen of Hat Heaven – and was a magnificent structure!

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Would you like your home to feature on Meta Makeover? Send an email to us at metamakeover@gmail.com with three or four pictures of your home attached, and stating your reasons why you would like a makeover. Every two weeks, we shall select one lucky owner from our postbag and invite them to be our next Meta Makeover.

The Dock at Bord du Lac

The latest episode of Meta Makeover is now available on the Meta Makeover website at SLCN – and can also be downloaded free of charge from iTunes.

The Garden at Bord du Lac

MissLily Nightfire has a lovely new home (designed by Fatima Ur) in the new mountainous sim of Bord du Lac, created by Zasa Rossini.  But although she had furnished her home to her satisfaction, the garden needed a make over.

And who better to tackle it than Fatima Ur, who had designed her home?

Fatima is well-known for her lovely Pacific-style Victorian homes, and the beautiful period furniture she sells through Antique Artistry.  But what isn’t so well known that the landscape design skills she brings to her lovely Isles of Fatima are also accessible through her garden centre – and we had a taste of those skills and see some of the plants and garden items she has created on today’s show!

The Conservatory at Bord du Lac

We started in the lovely conservatory – where the March winds from the mountains were kept away by the warmth of a lovely tiled stove.  And the detailing of the room included even a drain from removing excess water!  We have a good look at the patinas used in the design – such as the green copper used on the dome, and the interesting glass texture used.

In the second half of the show, an encounter with a stone angel reminds Saffia of a chilling Dr Who episode!  And we also join Fatima on the beautiful dock she has created by the lake to discuss her new buildings, and also how she has developed a lovely individual design for MissLily Nightfire’s garden.

And she shares some secrets about her animations too!

The fountain at Bord du Lac

Make sure you watch the show and let us know what you think!

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Would you like your home to feature on Meta Makeover? Send an email to us at metamakeover@gmail.com with three or four pictures of your home attached, and stating your reasons why you would like a makeover. Every two weeks, we shall select one lucky owner from our postbag and invite them to be our next Meta Makeover.

And if you know a special place in Second Life that we should really feature on the show, drop us a line too!

MissLily's home and garden

This week, Meta Makeover is tackling a garden!

MissLily Nightfire has a lovely new home (designed by Fatima Ur) in the new mountainous sim of Bord du Lac, created by Zasa Rossini.  But although she had furnished her home to her satisfaction, the garden needed a make over.

And who better to tackle it than Fatima Ur, who had designed her home?

Fatima is well-known for her lovely Pacific-style Victorian homes, and the beautiful period furniture she sells through Antique Artistry.  But what isn’t so well known that the landscape design skills she brings to her lovely Isles of Fatima are also accessible through her garden centre – and we shall have a taste of those skills and see some of the plants and garden items she has created on today’s show!

MissLily's home and garden

And you can join our viewing party to watch the show at the Meta Makeover studios on Northpoint.  As always, there’s special gifts for everyone who comes to the studioAnd you can also see our exhibition hall, which has the most wonderful display by Fatima and by next week’s guests too!,

The show starts at 2pm SLT, but you should be there by 1.30pm to make sure of getting a seat.  And you’ll also be able to see a range of St Patrick’s Day goodies from top SL designers on display in our exhibition hall – and you’ll be able to buy it too!

We’ll see you there!

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Would you like your home to feature on Meta Makeover? Send an email to us at metamakeover@gmail.com with three or four pictures of your home attached, and stating your reasons why you would like a makeover. Every two weeks, we shall select one lucky owner from our postbag and invite them to be our next Meta Makeover.

Saffia in Lanikal

For the most recent edition of Meta makeover, Saffia wore a stylish dress from Neferia Abel’s new range – L’Abel.

“The Ivalde sim has had a huge makeover itself!” says Saffia.  “And now, as well as offering her well-known retro designs, she’s producing a range of beautiful, strikingly contemporary designs.”

For the show, Saffia wore Lanikai, a verstile sheath dress, that can easily go from shopping to cocktails!  It is tailored with a square neckline, sculpted cape sleeves and straight pencil skirt.

“I loved the neckline and the texture with its rich colour and design,” says Saffia.  “It’s a beautiful, sophisticated look – and perfect for the show!”

And Saffia strongly recommends a visit to the new Ivalde sim. 

“There’s a whole range of interesting new designs,” she says, “and you’ll be seeing more of them on the show!”

Saffia in Lanikal - Close-up

For this episode, Saffia added a striking necklace and ear-rings designed by Gwen Carillon.

“I love Gwen’s jewellery,” says Saffia, “and this set, Midnight Fire, worked perfectly with my new dress!”

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Would you like your home to feature on Meta Makeover? Send an email to us at metamakeover@gmail.com with three or four pictures of your home attached, and stating your reasons why you would like a makeover. Every two weeks, we shall select one lucky owner from our postbag and invite them to be our next Meta Makeover.

And if you know a special place in Second Life that we should really feature on the show, drop us a line too!

Meta Makeover studio

The latest episode of Meta Makeover is now available on the Meta Makeover website at SLCN – and can also be downloaded free of charge from iTunes.  And this was an unusual show from our studio, as the whole team chose their favourite clips to see again.

Were our favourites your favourites too?  Did we choose the most beautiful, the most fun?  Or is your choice something quite different?

Make sure you watch the show and let us know!

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Would you like your home to feature on Meta Makeover? Send an email to us at metamakeover@gmail.com with three or four pictures of your home attached, and stating your reasons why you would like a makeover. Every two weeks, we shall select one lucky owner from our postbag and invite them to be our next Meta Makeover.

And if you know a special place in Second Life that we should really feature on the show, drop us a line too!

Meta Makeover studio

Today, Tuesday 24th March, we are back in our beautiful studio on Northpoint with a slightly unusual edition, as we are going to be looking over our past shows and sharing with you some of our favourite clips.  Some are beautiful, some are informative – and some are funny.  A few manage to be all three at the same time!

It’s also an opportunity for you to meet the full Meta Makeover team as they make a rare appearance in front of the cameras – including Aisling Sinclair, our new Advertising and Client Relations Manager.

Everyone on the team gets an opportunity to share favourite clips so, if you want to see again the Episode with the Milk, or the amazing fish we saw on the 7Seas fishing programme, or the one where we turned ourselves into a cookery programme with Kittie Munro of Kitstar Designs baking a cake, or where we met a certain famous pop group on the streets of London … don’t miss this week’s show!

The show starts at 2pm SLT, but you should be there by 1.30pm to make sure of getting a seat. And if you’re not in North America, remember SLT time has been affected by the resetting of the clocks!

We’ll see you there!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Would you like your home to feature on Meta Makeover? Send an email to us at metamakeover@gmail.com with three or four pictures of your home attached, and stating your reasons why you would like a makeover. Every two weeks, we shall select one lucky owner from our postbag and invite them to be our next Meta Makeover.

And if you know a special place in Second Life that we should really feature on the show, drop us a line too!