Friday, December 5, 2014

The 2014 Christmas Expo and Breedables Fair - Relay for Life


By DrFran Babcock

My boss, Bixyl, suggested I apply to be a blogger for this Relay for Life event, so I applied. I was not surprised to be accepted, because I know that the organizers want as much coverage as possible, and rightfully so! In my opinion, Relay for Life is the best, most selfless thing that goes on in Second Life™.

What is the Expo and Breedables Fair?

This year, the Holiday Expo and Breedables Fair spans six sims, filled with clothing items, things for the house, and breedables. Each year, this off-season Relay for Life event allows some of the best content  creators in SL to sell their wares as long as they offer at least two items for sale in Relay for Life Vendors. Last year I complained that most of the items in the vendors were not worth buying. It seems that the organizers of the event: Dawnbeam Dreamscape, Jessii2009 Warrhol, and Johannes1977 Resident were listening. There are a lot of things to buy that are just lovely. Also, last year, the build was one of the most scrumptious I have ever seen, but it so overwhelmed the merchant’s goods that I wandered around instead of going into the shops.


My Review Rules

I do not accept gifts or freebies to review. I know that I have received some from the creators, and I thank them for their generosity. However, I went to the Expo and looked around, and selected the items I wanted to review. The items that I am showing here follow these basic rules:
1.       I have paid for the items that I review.
2.       I have purchased only items that were in official Relay for Life vendors.
3.       I have chosen the creators and stores that I like.
4.       I don’t review breedables for a number of reasons not suitable for this article.
That said, I again want to praise the organizers of this event with all my heart and soul. I found this year’s arrangement of sims and stores to be much more navigable than last year.

My Three Favorite Things

After going around the sims twice, taking notes, I went back and made three purchases. The purple Emma gown in the photo was purchased from a vendor in Purple Moon. What I love about it is the graceful line and sweep of the gown. The creator smartly added flexi prims to the bottom of the mesh so that there’s lots of movement. I can picture myself wearing this gown to the Nutcracker Ball, which is the annual closing event for Relay for Life.

It was just a coincidence that the next item I bought was the elegant Lazuri jewelry set, complete with earrings, choker, bracelets, and and rings for each hand. Even better, the metal, pearls and gems can all be changed into almost infinite combinations just by touching them, and choosing from a menu. I love color-change items, because then I can wear them with almost anything. The quality of this Lazuri set justifies the price (1100L), because it’s so versatile.

The last item to share is my new friend, the silver dapple unicorn from Demons and Angels. It’s a wearable, so you can “rez” it anywhere. In addition, the flowers and vines in the mane are color change, so I just made the flowers purple to match my gown and jewelry. The unicorn comes in bareback and saddle styles, and it can pose as well as be ridden. It has more features than I could list, and is extremely handsome—or beautiful, because you can even change its gender with the supplied HUD. I had lots of fun riding it around the sims.

While doing so, I found a friend and co-worker wandering around. Gemma Cleanslate looked adorable in her Feyline Santa’s helper costume. Although she had purchased it last year, they were available at the Expo this year. I love Feyline for making the majority of the items in there shop for sale in Relay vendors. I love Feyline for making the majority of the items in their shop for sale in Relay vendors. They have Santa’s Helpers outfits, kilts, and pajamas all in pretty red and green fabrics, and the prices are moderate. I will be buying one of these as soon as I submit this article to the SL Newser.

I recommend the Expo highly this year. Come on down, and if you see me riding by on my as yet unnamed unicorn, say hello. You can access the sims by searching: Xmas Expo in your map. Happy Holidays to all the readers of the SL Newser, and look for more posts from the Expo.

Dates:
December 4, 2014 - The Expo & Winter Breedables Fair will open to the SL public
December 15, 2014 - Last day of the Expo & Breedables Fair
2014 SL CHRISTMAS EXPO & WINTER BREEDABLES FAIR SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES