Red low neck low back dress

My latest clothing creation. This full length dress features a low neckline and low back. The hem is slightly slanted, with a colour gradient that gets lighter near the hem. This dress is great for those evenings out, when you don't need something too formal, but nothing too casual too. Especially good for dinner dates!

On a side note, I am going to start prefixing my creations in-world with "MJ", to distinguish them from other items that may bear similar names. It may take a while before all items are updated, so do bear with me.

Calligraphy work 1

This is a calligraphy work, in Japanese. It is actually a haiku, following the 5-7-5 syllabus. It reads:
めにあてて (me ni atete)
うみがすくなり (umi ga suku nari)
さくらがい (sakura-gai)
The writer goes by the name of 楓雨 (Fu-u), and this piece was actually participated in a calligraphy exhibition in Tokyo in 2002. It is now available for purchase at my shops. Do come down and take a look. Who knows, it may just be what you are looking for to decorate that empty wall at home or in the office.

My store at C&B - Chaos and Beauty

Update: As of 28 Mar 07, Chaos and Beauty has moved from Cheju to Peacock Park, and due to the move, I was unable to secure a shop at the new Chaos and Beauty. So I am no longer selling things at Chaos and Beauty, but do feel free to visit this place for the art gallery.I have gotten myself another store, this time at C&B - Chaos and Beauty. This is the SLURL. The owner of this place is Nite Zelmanov, and he is renting out places here at L$60 per week for 20 prims, which is a reasonable price, considering that this place attracts reasonably high traffic. You can find shops here selling clothes and gadgets. There is also an art gallery just beside, for those who like to appreciate art pieces.

Lost L$

I lost some L$ mysteriously today. Only L$3, a small amount, but it is money nonetheless. I checked my transaction history, and somehow there was no history of me losing the L$3. I have emailed Linden Labs technical support to see if this is a bug or something, hopefully they can check it out and give a reply. Otherwise, it is hard to trust that SL is secure... after all, no one likes to lose money mysteriously.

Does anyone have any similar experiences? Any idea what the cause could be?

Taiji Practitioner Set

I made this basic set for taiji enthusiasts. It contains two sets of taiji attire, in cyan and in pink. Also included in the set are the taiji sword and wooden sword that I made. This set is available for sale in my store, as well as stalls and yard sales that I participate in. For those in Tai Chi Circle, you may want to get this as a starter kit.
Above is me in my cyan taiji attire, and below is me in my pink taiji attire.

Below is me, with my taiji sword, doing a sword routine.

My store at POD SHOP Keswick Mall

POD SHOP Keswick Mall seems to be quite a new mall, with high traffic (for a mall) though. While there are some shops here already, there are still stores available for rent. Rent here is cheap, going at L$50 per week, so I decided to get myself a store here, to replace the one that I lost when KO Designer Mall Gorean section was sold away.

My store can be found at Keswick 189, 11, 43 so feel free to come and take a look at what I have to offer. My creations are sold here, including dresses, taiji-related items, and swords. I will continue to add more stuff here for sale as I make them, so do watch this space!

Twilight Inc. Village

Update on 3 Feb 2008:
I have ceased renting here for some time already.
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The shops at Twilight Inc. Village (Sunset Commerce 1 85, 7, 24) sell many different things. Besides the usual stores, there are small market stalls for rent too, going at L$25 per week with a prim limit of 15. This place sees moderate traffic, so the rent is a great deal. Even the stores, going at L$300 per week, is a good deal, considering that this is one of the busier malls around.

So I got myself a stall here (see picture below) intending to sell the clothes I make, as well as maybe some of the swords that I have.

Dreamtime Mall

Update on 3 Feb 2008:
I have ceased renting here for some time already.
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Dreamtime Mall (Clanis 91, 117, 77) is one of the busiest malls around. Besides having lots of shops, there are also stalls for small-time vendors to sell their stuff.
Each stall has a limit of 10 prims, going at a weekly rental rate of L$50. With the lost of my vendor space at KO Designer's Mall Gorean section, I am moving towards renting spaces (stalls and small stores) to sell my creations. Below is my stall at Dreamtime Mall. Due to the prim limit, I will be putting up clothes for sale here.

Looking for a new space

KO Designer's Mall Gorean section is now closed. I was quite surprised, actually. I teleported in today, only to find the space empty. After checking with the owner kallyfaith, I found out that they have sold the land there, and are thinking of setting up the Gorean section again at somewhere beside the actual KO Designer's Mall, instead of in a separate place. While waiting for them to set up the new place, it seems that I am now lacking a space to sell my creations. So as of now, I am actively looking for vendor spaces for rent. I don't need many prims (between 25 to 50 is fine with me) as long as the rent is reasonable and they allow floating text. So if you know of any, feel free to let me know, either via IM in-world, or via comments here.

Meanwhile, if you wish to purchase my creations, you can look for them in the various yard sales. Try out Gorean Open Market, Under the Boardwalk Yard Sale, Spirit Realm Yard Sale, etc. Once I have found a new space, I will be sure to let everyone know!

Spirit Realm Free Yard Sale

This is a HUGE yard sale, and it is free! The prim limit is 25 per lot, and you are allowed to share lots as long as everyone using that lot is agreeable. With that many lots available, you can find quite some stuff up for sale here. I managed to get myself a lot too, somewhere further in. There are also freebies up for grabs here. Definitely worth a visit, and a good place to sell your stuff too! Click here to get to Spirit Realm Free Yard Sale.

Skye Plaza Mall Yard Sale

To get to the yard sale, click here. The yard sale is just above the shops level, there is a stairs leading to the yard sale from Skye Plaza Mall. There aren't many lots here, but those who do manage to get lots here put up great stuff for sale. So do check it out from time to time to see what is available.

Shopper's Village Yard Sale

Click here to get to Shopper's Village, where there are shops and also a yard sale. The yard sale is all the way at the end of the village, but it is worth the walk there to check out what is on sale there. Along the way, you will pass by shops (see if anything catches your fancy) and if you can afford it, there are spaces for rent here too.

Yard Sale at Taedong

At Taedong, when you arrive, you find yourself at the entrance to the castle. At the entrance itself is a teleport script that will bring you to the shops and this yard sale. There is a 15 prim limit per lot here, and there are only 12 lots available, so it may not be easy to get a lot here if you are looking for someplace to sell your stuff. But do feel free to drop in for a look by clicking here.

Skidz Partz Yard Sale

This is the yard sale at Skidz Partz. To be able to sell things here, you have to join the group Black Sun Systems, Inc. Joining the group is free!

The prim limit here is 5 prims per lot, which is not much, but it also means that vendors either use a vendor prim (if they have lots to sell) or rotate what they put for sale here. Either way, this generates variety.

You can get to Skidz Partz by clicking here.

Black Satin Cross Back Dress

The latest dress made by me. I got the idea from a newspaper ad, and decided to try my hands at making a cross back dress. I tried to use gradients, burning, dodging and blurs to get the satin effect. The templates were made with GIMP, which is free!

White Taiji Attire

This is the latest taiji attire made by me. It comes with red lining, red buttons, on a white satin cloth. The background is of course KO Designer's Mall Gorean/Houses/Furniture section, where you can find this attire for sale at only L$20.

Green Poka Dot Dress

This is the latest dress by me, it is a medium length dress made from a single poka dot design. You can wear it just as it is, as seen below.
Or you can wear it with the prim skirt, as below.

Light Blue Outfit version 2

I have added a prim skirt to the outfit. This is how it looks like. The prim skirt is semi-transparent. The set comes with a dress, as well as glitch pants. And the tank top in the picture above too. All for L$30 only. Available at the KO Designer's Mall Gorean/Houses/Furniture section.

First Land Program Ceased!

This was announced today on Linden Labs' Second Life Official Blog. You can read about it here, as well as the many (and I mean many) comments about this move. I guess this move is going to impact all of us, just exactly how, it will take some time to find out. For me, I am adopting the "wait-and-see" attitude for now. Those interested can post their comments on the official blog or the official forums and see if LL replies.

Light Blue Outfit

This outfit, comprising a light blue tank top and a light blue skirt, was inspired by the movie "Kill Bill 2", where at the end of the movie, the lead actress wore something similar. The tank top has a white edge, and simple lace along the neck. I tried to recreate the crumpled effect for the skirt. I also made a pair of glitch pants to go with this skirt. It is now available at my space at KO Designer's Mall Gorean section.

Under the Boardwalk Public Yard Sale

This is the public yard sale at Under the Boardwalk. There are also vendor spaces at Under the Boardwalk. To get to the yard sale, you can either follow the arrow after teleporting in, or click on the sign for a teleport to the yard sale directly.

As with other yard sale, the limit is 10 prims, within the confines of each block. There used to be two areas for public yard sale, one as shown and another in the basement of the main area. However, the basement has since been closed to the public. So this open area is the only public yard sale at Under the Boardwalk for now.

As you might have expected, I try to maintain a lot here, so do feel free to drop by and take a look at what I have to offer here.

Whitescreen

I created this small box for taking snapshots of myself in the outfits that I create. I actually did a bluescreen, but the resulting pictures didn't turn out as expected. In fact, trying to edit pictures really gave the bluescreen halo effect typical of older movies.

There are actually 3 versions of my whitescreen. The one show is with an advanced posing stand. There is also one with a basic posing stand. And the last version is without the posing stand, and will be used for snapshots of items created by me, such as swords.

Decadent Mall Yard Sale

Decadent Mall is another place with a public yard sale. After teleporting in, head out of the main store area, and follow the path down to the public yard sale under the mall.

As with other public yard sales, you are allowed only one lot (which is a concrete slab) and up to 10 prims within the lot. This yard sale actually is quite popular, with most of the lots already taken up by the time I got here. I had to go all the way behind to get myself a lot.

Light green dress

I saw a similar dress in the newspapers the other day, and decided to make one. I had originally wanted to use photo source, but eventually gave up the idea (after two hours of hard work) because there was just too much work to be done trying to fit the image onto the template.

So I tried making my own template using the tools and filters available in GIMP. First, to create the crumpled effect, I used the gradient tool to draw around 50 lines, then blurred it with a Gaussian blur, and then used emboss to create the final crumpled effect. The collar area was similar done using gradients. The colours were added using separate layers for each colour, with opacity set at 50% for each colour layer. The result is the dress below, and is available at my shop at KO Designer's Mall, as well as the yard sales in SecondLife that I take part in, such as at Under the Boardwalk and Gorean Open Air Market.

Kendo Shinai

This is a bamboo sword used for kendo practice, known as a shinai. It is not really a sword, but it is used in place of one, and in the hands of a kendo practitioner, it can still cause quite some pain. Do get yourself one and join me for a short sparring session at any of the dojo in SecondLife.

Aikidogi (with hakama)

This is my aikidogi, which I am intending to use for aikido practice in SecondLife. I made the hakama some time back, using LoopRez 0.60 to generate the pleat skirt. The top was again a photo source job, though this time, I got the picture of the dogi from the Internet. Do get yourself a set and join me in aikido practice.

Magenta Dress

Another of my creations over the weekend, and this time, using photo source again. I got the picture from a newspaper ad, took a photo of it, and used that as the photo source. I had to play around with Photoshop to get the picture to fit within the template. The plunging neckline, though, means that bras will show, so be like me in this picture not wear one.

Taiji Attire

This is one of my creations over the weekend. I tried my hands at creating my own textures, using photo sources. The original picture was a photo of my own taiji attire. After playing around with it in Photoshop, I managed to come up with this. Some parts of the attire look great, giving the satin look, which was what I was trying to create (it took a long long time, since I am a beginner at Photoshop).

For martial artists and tai chi practitioners, this is the set of attire for you to wear around. More colours will soon be made available.

KO Designer's Mall Gorean section

Update on 3 Feb 2008:
I have ceased renting here for some time already, after the sim was sold.
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This is my shop in KO Designer's Mall, inside the Gorean section, which also links to the furniture and houses section. This is a small free rental space made available by the owner kallyfaith Rolland. She is kind enough to let out these spaces in this section of the mall for free, each space allowing up to 25 prims.

So once I got this space, I set up shop. Not as elaborate as my neighbours, though. My shop is just a simple one with the items for sale, and a BIG signboard that tries to attract attention. Currently, my range of swords (momiji daisho, simple tachi, even a shinai) as well as some other martial arts clothing, and my range of glasses and sunglasses are available for sale here. Clothing that I make will also be available here as I design them.

To get here, try this SLURL http://slurl.com/secondlife/sabre/28/19/29/ which should bring you right to my shop. If you don't see it in front of you, turn around and see if you can see my signboard. Feel free to buy any of the items on sale there if they appeal to you. Pictures of the items on sale can usually be found on this website, under "Creations".

Gorean Open Air Market

Update on 3 Feb 2008:
I have ceased renting here for some time already, after the sim moved.
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This is my small little lot at the Gorean Open Air Market (SLURL http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caribbean%20Sunrise/65/195/22/). This is a place much like a yard sale, with up to 10 prims allowed for each brown lot. The lots are free, though you have to join the ~Tegair~ group in order to be able to sell things here. There are also lots with freebies, and also a flea market for used goods.

Due to the limited prims here, and because I have yet to get a vendor box, I limit the choice of products available here, and I try to rotate them. Do drop by every once in a while to check out the products available and buy them if they appeal to you.

Satins

I was searching the web trying to find ways to make realistic satin textures. This came up because I was making a set of taiji attire, the type that people wear at wushu and taiji competitions. Well, the methods for Photoshop have been explained on Natalia's homepage (or rather, a link from her page), but they don't seem to work for GIMP.

Actually, the method is almost the same. I started off with using a blank texture, and drawing 5 short lines using linear gradient in difference mode. Then, using a Gaussian blur filter, with 30 pixel setting, I blurred the texture. Here comes the difference. In Photoshop, to get the final effect, you would use Find Edges. For GIMP, you need to use Emboss. Playing around with the settings for Emboss, I managed to get this.
Then, adding a layer on top of this, I coloured this new layer red, and set opacity to 50%, and this is the end result. Of course, I just need to change the colour of this layer to get different coloured satin textures.

First class at NCI

I went for my first class yesterday. It was a class on clothing creations by Rainbow. The class was held at NCI South, which you can teleport to from NCI Plaza itself. Just click on one of the two signboards there. Be sure to click the right one!

I got the lesson schedule from the big signboard at NCI Plaza. You can either read it off the screen, or click on the signboard for a notecard with the schedule. There are some interesting classes being held throughout the week. Too bad that most of them are outside my log in hours. Living in a different time zone and all... I wonder if they will give out their course material...

One of the main takeaways from this clothing class is how the textures map onto my body. We were actually told to wear the UV maps and I managed to take some snapshots after the event, so that I can study how the textures are mapped and work on clothing accordingly. Having only used Photoshop CS, I think I want to switch to GIMP, which is free!

Anyway, classes at NCI are free, do check out the schedules and see what interest you. Maybe we will see each other in class one day.

Another job

I found a new job today. Similar to sweeping the floor, this job pays L$1 every 10 minutes, up to L$500 too. And they can be found in the same mall. So here I was, climbing up the stairs, to clean the glass windows and walls of this big mall. The things I would do just to make a decent living...

I also found other cleaning jobs too, such as scrubbing the floor. And of course, there are gardens and parks with unfinished landscaping. There are wheel barrows lying around, all you have to do to earn L$ is to help the owners finish their landscaping projects by planting some more flowers. So if you see a wheel barrow lying around, and have time to spare to earn that few extra L$, just pick up a shovel and help to plant those flowers.

Working at a casino

For newbies, one of the places where you can easily earn money without doing much is at a casino. Most of these casinos have camping chairs (usually in front of their slot machines) where you can earn L$2-3 every 10 minutes just by sitting there. Of course, there are other ways to earn money too.

I took up a job at a casino as a security guard. It paid L$1 every 6 minutes, just standing there in the casino's uniform. They even provide a gun for you too! Other jobs at casinos include doorman (standing at the entrance) as well as pole dancers.

There are other jobs too, such as road sweeper (which I have already done as a first job), cleaning windows and even planting flowers! So there is no shortage of ways to earn money in SecondLife, but it can be boring just doing the same thing over and over again. But then, I guess that until my creations start to sell, I may just have to stick with these jobs to earn an income.

Simple Tachi

Below is a picture showing my latest Japanese sword, a simple tachi (which is longer than the katana, by the way) leaning on a black sword stand. The usual sword stand for katana, wakizashi and tanto displays the swords horizontally. But for tachi, because they are longer, displaying them horizontally takes up space. So tachi are usually displayed in this manner on sword stands specially made. And yes, they are placed upside down, don't ask me why.

First Job

I got my first job today, sweeping the floor outside a mall. You can see poor me below, sweeping away for a meagre pay of L$1 every 10min. This happens when you cannot find a camping chair... but they don't pay for long anyway. This job, I can earn up to L$500... but that means 5000min on the job! That's more than 80 hours... or more than 3 days.

But I need the money, else I won't be able to upload more textures for use in my creations. Some people work at jobs and forgo their dreams. Some people work at jobs so as to be able to pursue their dreams.

Tai Chi Circle

I created my own group today, called Tai Chi Circle. I didn't know that it was going to cost me L$100... starting out without much money in the first place, this only made me all the more poorer. So please show your support, buy my creations. *hint hint*

Anyway, this group is for people to learn more about tai chi chuan, or taijiquan (also called tai chi and taiji in short). It is also for practitioners to discuss tai chi, as well as for them to share experiences and training methods. So if any of you are tai chi practitioners, go feel free to join the group.

For a start, I have made a taiji sword (jian), as well as a wooden one. They will be available for sale in my stall at KO Designer's Mall (Gorean/furniture/houses section), as well as any yard sale that I can find. I will attempt to work on animations for tai chi routines, once I get QAvimator working and learn how to use it.

Wushu T-shirts

Today, I uploaded my first set of textures. There were for a set of t-shirts that I have. The original t-shirt is black with white words, but with GIMP, I managed to make a t-shirt with white background and black words. With this white t-shirt, other colours become possible too! I can make the same t-shirt (with black words) on red backing, blue, green, yellow, beige, and so on.

The Chinese character behind is "wu", which is for martial arts. The small logo on the left chest area is a dragon enclosed in a circle.

I will be putting up these items for sale in yard sales around. Do look out for them. By the way, I have a small area in KO Designer's Mall, in the basement (Gorean/furniture/houses area), do come visit and buy my creations.

Momiji katana and tanto (Daisho set)

Another sword (or rather, set of swords) made by me. It is a set of katana and tanto, known collectively as the daisho. As the hilt and scabbard are in red, this set is named "Momiji", which is red maple in Japanese. Here is a picture of me posing with the katana in hand. The katana, with its three versions (sheathed, unsheathed, scabbard only) is on sale at Under the Boardwalk's yard sale.
Here is a picture with the daisho set at my waist.

Here, I have drawn out both the katana and the tanto (which is a dagger), dual wielding them.

This is a Japanese sword stand that I made to hold the daisho for display. It is also available for sale at Under the Boardwalk's yard sale.