Nocturnal Musings

Vote Beggin', New GingerDead and Muffin Tops for Charity

2008-04-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

Well, it's time to cast your votes for the Merovingi Fashion Awards. Nocturnal Threads was nominated for the Best in Goth label and needs your votes to win. The prize is a 20" iMac! I'd appreciate your support. You simply have to swing by and click the black vote box, wait a moment for the blue menu to appear and choose Nocturnal Threads. It will then ask you to confirm your vote, click yes and your all done. You can pick up the LM at my main store. Here is the Slurl. I hope I'm typing this correctly:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Rhodium/31/133/21

While you are over at the Merovingi Fashion Award sim, you can check out some of my newest releases and the special outfit I did to raise money for Doctors without Borders and the American Cancer Society. Instead of a show-offy fancy pants gown like a lot of designers do for these things, I went with something silly to make you smile. :) Presenting Muffin Top - All proceeds go to the aforementioned organizations - available at my main store in Pimushe or at my Merovingi Display in Rhodium.

More Releases! Two new additions to the GingerDead Collection. Unisex Jammy set - GingerDead Have a Heart Jammies. It comes with top, 2 sizes of pants (loose or tight, plus they are mod anyway) and Lenoir Slippers. The artwork is directly from my webcomic, specifically the haiku comic entitled Happy Place. One of my favorites.

Next up is GingerDead Carnivale. This one has one small image of GingerDead on the back of the shirt. 95% of the rest of the outfit is pulled from hand drawn designs I made for the Freak Show poster style comic I did recently on GingerDead.com. I'm really happy with this one. Hope you dig it as much as I do. :)

That's all for now. I really appreciate you guys. Thanks in advance for taking the time to vote. You have only a few days to do it so don't wait. :)

Merovingi Fashion Awards and Release Notes

2008-03-31T19:34:00.000-07:00

I recently found out Nocturnal Threads was nominated for Best in Goth Fashion for the upcoming Merovingi Fashion Awards. To be honest, I didn't know about the awards so the nomination was quite a surprise. I'm not sure how the 5k people who voted in the nominees knew about it, but they did. I guess I should read SL blahgs once in a while. Anyway, I'm really honored to be nominated, so to all of you who took the time to nominate NT: Thanks! Voting takes place at the end of April. I'll keep you posted. OH! By the way, first prize in each category is a 20" iMac. How awesome is that?!

Here's what's new at Nocturnal Threads -

Barcode Betty - inspired by an outfit I deconstructed in real life and the bar codes on the backs of stuff you see in the grocery store. Wee! I'm sort of in love with this one at the moment.

Ribbed Red and Ribbed Grape - Fully Loaded! These sets include ballgown length skirts as well as a short option, so you can go from Gothic Ball to Goth Club. There are also extra low prim bits to complete the looks: two flouncy flex cuffs to attach to gloves and a choker with ribbons. Check it out:

Releases - Relay for Life and more

2008-03-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

For this year's Relay for Life effort in Second Life, I've designed two items of which all proceeds go to the American Cancer Society. Last count I heard, Second Life resident's had raised over 4 million Linden Dollars, roughly around 14k usd. This number will be much greater by the end of the fund raising effort. You can help SL make an even greater impact by purchasing RL outfits or donating to RFL kiosks, every linden dollar counts, no amount is too small.

Relay Girl is a flirty sexy number in cobalts and purples to play off the RFL and ACS logos. It includes an adorable shrug style jacket with detachable flouncy prim collar, flexi prim mini skirt, bustier style top, thigh high stockings with socks, wrist band with built-in matching nail polish and of course panties.

GingerDead Fight Back is something collectible if you are one of the fans of my GingerDead comic or GingerDead Collection as it was drawn specifically for the Relay for Life effort and is in purple. The use of a color other than red makes this very unique. The t-shirt comes with arm warmers and is unisex and will only be available during the RFL campaign, so grab it while you can.

Other than the RFL threads, I have one other release to present: Apoc. Apoc has a bit of a post-apocalyptic feel to it. The flexi prim mini skirt is textured to resemble metal with rivets, the circular rivet theme repeats itself in the black leather gloves and top. This set is perfect for the girl who likes to kick ass and look sexy doing it. ;)

That's all for now. There has been a great lapse in releases as my real life has undergone a lot of changes - all quite amazing and positive. During the transition, to be honest, virtual life wasn't enough for me. I needed a break and a time to just immerse myself in real life. I've traveled a bit, attended a lot of art and music events and have been checking out the Goth scene at a local club. I feel inspired and refreshed which should translate into exciting new designs for you. :)

Releases and Friendly Additions

2007-11-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

First up is a sexy pants and flouncy midriff baring babydoll style top with matching gloves in Nocturnal Threads signature avant-goth style.

Next up is a new addition to the GingerDead collection - Lenoir Devil Dance. This unisex v-neck black t-shirt with red trim features original artwork from GingerDead and Friends Halloween '07 comic. It also includes fingerless handpainted skeleton gloves with built-in black nail polish.

Haven't seen the webcomic yet? WTF are you waiting for? I celebrated one year back in October. Check it out: www.GingerDead.com!

I'd like to welcome a new friend to the "NT Friends w/Cool Stuff" room on the second floor of my main store. Perfect Tomorrow's boots are killer. She is definitely a new force to be reckoned with in the alternative footwear market. I think she fits in great with my other faves like Epy's creepers and Feri's oi boots. Perfect Tomorrow's store is named the same and has tons of colors available. There is a great assortment at NT available for your convenience. :D Here's a sneak peek of what you can expect:

New and Forgotten

2007-10-23T11:45:00.001-07:00

Above is today's release, Gossamer Childe. The hand drawn spider web motif makes this perfect for Halloween/Samhain Galas, Vampire balls or for those of you who embrace the elegant avant-goth style on a daily basis, consider throwing this on as you hang around the house drinking absynthe and reading Anne Rice books. :P

Below are the last two releases which I never got around to blahging. Real life has been a bit of a mess, so designing had to hit the back burner for a while, but I'm back now. :)

GingerDead and Friends hit it's one year anniversary this month. If you haven't checked it out yet, you're a year behind so go do it already.

Mehndi meets Goth

2007-07-29T22:46:00.001-07:00

About 6 years ago, I decided I want to learn to do henna tattoos (mehndi). I read some books, studied traditional designs and practiced on my hands, wrists and feet until I got the hang of it. In a short while I was doing art walks, events and by appointments at a nearby spa. When I moved to Ireland for a few months and needed cash I hung out on the street with the buskers and offered mehndi designs to passersby. It's been a while since I did any but it's been on mind lately. It seemed natural to merge my love for henna with my avant-goth approach to fashion. I wanted an outfit that expressed me and the spirit behind Nocturnal Threads. Of course, it had to have some stripes and hand drawn mehndi style patters plus a splash of red in the signature black and white. The result is Nocturne. Enjoy. :)

In other news, I finally sorted out a way to attend this years SLCC. Thanks to two wonderful friends who helped make it possible. (you know who you are and how hard you rock ;) Anyway, YAY! I'm really looking forward to it. Hope to see some of you there.

Ciao for now. :)

New Noir

2007-06-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

There's something very beautiful about black and white in SL. Don't get me wrong, I like color, but in SL I can throw on a gorgeously shaded greyscale skin and equally desaturated clothing and it's like I'm walking film noir or an animated illustration. Anyway, I enjoyed making these items. I am modeling the girls stuff with skins by Pixel Dolls and my male avatar is wearing one of my faves from Munchflower (nomine).

The GingerDead Death Play set features some artwork from my webcomic and the design is also available on apparel in the really real world. Just visit Ginger Dead.com and click on the store link.

Whisper comes in a girls version ( fully loaded with mini skirt and pants options, plus a cute shrug style jacket) and guys version. Sometimes, I make something for the guys and fall in love with the textures so much I want to be able to have more options than just wearing the guys set and modifying the fit of the pants. This was one of those times and I'm pretty thrilled with the results. I guess I'm not alone as a designer when I admit that I more or less design for myself. I make stuff I want to wear and hope that others might like it too. Lucky for me that's usually the case. :P

Sorry for the span that's passed since the last update but stuffs been a little crazy. I'm still working on a large project and recently had to have a procedure on one of my retinas. Ouchies! Anyway, it's great to be able to offer some new stuff. Thanks for reading. :)

Salmonelle

2007-05-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

It's not a new strain of food poisoning, it's a darling new set.

I was playing in Artrage trying to paint some textures to work with and came up with this palette. Vivid soft salmony shades and ebony make this outfit really pop. It includes the jacket with a flexi ruffle collar, micro mini flexi skirt, panties/skirt base, stockings with sockies overlay, and cute studded wristbands with matching nailpolish.

I'm wearing Drew hair from Panache in peach tips. I find their soft peach tones work well with this set. I don't know about you but I like matching my hair to my clothing.

I'm about to launch into an SL project that's outside of Nocturnal Threads which will most likely mean no updates for a week or so. It's a pretty cool challenge for me and when I can I'll share more details with you.

GingerDead and Friends is still going strong. I did haiku's the last two weeks so if you enjoy poetry, check out the comic and read the awesome haiku responses in the comments section. I have some seriously talented readers. They make me realize I need to step up my game.

The Merovingi Clothing Fair was a great success. We raised a ton of money for Relay for Life. To everyone who stopped by and chatted with me, it was great to meet you all. I'll definitely participate in next years. For the first clothing fair and an event this size, I'm wildly impressed with how well it was done and can only imagine how awesome it will be next year.

That's it for now. ;)

RezDay, Clothing Fair, SLRFL

2007-04-27T11:43:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday was my 2nd rezday. Honestly, I feel like I've been in SL a lot longer than 2 years. I guess it's that bizarre time aspect in SL. You know the one that makes people fall madly in love, get SL married and divorced in the course of 3 weeks. Anyway, I wanted to thank everyone that's been supportive of me as a designer since I started. I was making outfits on day 3 of joining and opened my store about a month into being here. Nocturnal Threads is a major part of my SL and now my RL as well. To celebrate I made some silly balloons which are currently available in my main store until whenever. Just click the sign and wear.

So this year, the fashion designers and fashionistas get a fair of their own. The Clothing Fair started yesterday and will go on through the 30th. You can vote for your favorite designer at any of the vote kiosks. The Fair is split into two sims - Heaven and Hell. Guess where Nocturnal Threads is? hehe. While I appreciate your vote for best designer, even better is your money. O.o No silly, not for me. Make a donation to SL Relay for Life at any of the donation kiosks, buy a limited edition design from one of the fabulous designers in which all proceeds go to RFL.

Since many are doing elaborate gowns for 1k or so, I decided to make something really affordable and transferable so you can buy as a gift. My Indian Summer outfit sells a lot, so I did a version of it in RFL colors called Summer Plum. The 350 L$ donation goes straight to RFL. So far this year, Second Lifers have raised over 50K USD! The Clothing Fair is hoping to really make the numbers spike, so consider donating if you can.

That's all for now. I hope to see you at the Fair. I've been swinging by as much as possible and meeting people. Many have commented that they don't often get to meet the designers so I think it's a nice opportunity to do so. I saw a few other designers hanging out so take advantage of the opportunity to say hi, ask us questions, whatever. :) If you see me hanging out and want to buy something, let me know. I'm willing to let you pay the RFL kiosk instead of the vendor and I'll drop the outfit on you. Just one more way of raising money. But, please only if you see me hanging out there. I can't take dozens of IMs or track donations otherwise. It would make me mental. :P

Ciao for now. Thanks again for your continued support of Nocturnal Threads!

<3 kaia

Black Parade

2007-04-16T02:05:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with the jackets My Chemical Romance wears. The Black Parade video rocks only because of those jackets...okay, maybe not, but it's a great example of how fashion helps create the mood. Pure avant-goth style here. You know I am pretty sure I coined that term a few months back. I researched it and everything. I had to come up with a phrase to describe my style and I thought that was the greatest phrase. It's pretty cool to see it starting to pop up now in other places. Anyways, here's my rendition of 'The Black Parade' in his and hers options. Available at Nocturnal Threads and on SLex. I hope you enjoy. :)

Bad Gretel and Retro Babydolls!

2007-04-04T20:34:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you add Punk and Goth and cross it with a Biergarten Girl? Bad Gretel! This set has various pieces to create different looks. Too many combinations to fit on one ad. I loved the stockings so much I wanted them as boots and thought you might too, so you get a thigh boot version of the stockings as shown. So far everyone who has previewed it has commented on the stockings/boots and sleeves. I'm quite pleased with this set. It's pure Nocturnal Threads' avant goth style with a touch of humor. Second Life rocks because we can drape our virtual bodies in pop surrealism.

This Friday at the fabulous Catwalk City is a Spring Fling fashion show. To capture the 1960's and Spring theme of the event I did two babydoll dresses with matching bangle bracelets. I actually made the pink one first and loved it so much I had to do another using this season's must have color: cobalt blue. Blue Fling will be making it's way down the runway Friday night. Both sets are available at my main store and Catwalk City as well as SLexchange.

Leeloo Revisited and Casual Guys

2007-03-14T01:46:00.000-07:00

Remember this?

Well, some of you have mentioned that the bandage set would rock your socks off if it was in black. I heard you and put together a new set called Leeloo Noir. It includes the bandage set only in black leather straps. I always thought the original set in the film needed something on the arms, but I refrained because I was intent on replicating the wardrobe. This time I get to sway. ;) So, I included arm bandage/straps with built in black polish. If you feel a bit shy, you can throw on the micro mini matching flex skirt I added and if you are feeling super shy you can wear the pants i also included. They are really similar to the ones worn in the Fifth Element but in a deep steel tone to stay with the noir concept. If you go for the pants look, I recommend you wear the panties as it will complete the top seamlessly. Otherwise the top ends oddly. Without the panties, the pants are a nice semi low ride that are neutral enough to look killer with any shirt in your wardrobe. I hope you enjoy this set. :)

Guys, I didn't forget you this week. The last two sets have been pretty fancy, so I thought I'd put something casual together for you. Some of you have an aversion to color, so you get the skull knit shirt in both blues and greys. The deep blue/black pants have a metallic skull band because, well you seem to like that kinda thing. :P

It looks like I may be getting involved in a large project that I can't discuss right now. If so, it will keep me slammed through the remainder of this month. So, if you don't see new releases for a couple of weeks, it's not because I'm slacking or don't care, I'm just really busy. I'll try to update but if I can't I'll come back with a vengeance in early April. GingerDead and Friends, will continue to update weekly. I'm hope you are digging the recent little story arc. If I have succeeded it's proving to be not only humorous, but a little thought provoking as well. :)

Ciao for now.

In Like a Lion...RAWR!

2007-03-10T12:54:00.000-08:00

Not really. I remember when I lived in New York, suffering through March's bitter cold mumbling 'in like a lion, out like a lamb' in my mind to reassure myself warmer days were coming soon. Here in Florida, March is lovely. I cherish the cool weather because the summers are brutal. This time of year, I get the rare treat of opening up windows to let in actual fresh air. Once the heat kicks in, it will be many months before the air feels refreshing and crisp. So while those of us in warmer climates bask in the glory of March, the rest of you hang in there, spring's on it's way.

I've been really busy this month. Some of my smaller shops scattered around the grid needed to be moved, new locations set up and one of my comicker friends had some heavy real life stuff to tend to, so I went on a mission to gather guest strips from other comic pals and did two of my own, so his comic wouldn't miss a beat. I ended up falling a bit behind in my own, so I've been working on getting a week or two ahead. It's just too stressful to wait until just before update day to create a strip. After some toiling, I'm just about ready for the next two GingerDead and Friends updates and can refocus my attention to Nocturnal Threads.

I did an interview with Madison over at the Metaverse Messenger who ended up featuring me in the designer spotlight and also did an article on the GingerDead collection this week. You can read the article here. I think it's my favorite one yet.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here's some stuff available in the main store. The beanie caps with hair have been available for some time in various colors, but now you can get them with black/green hair. Hooo!

Kool Aid, Wicked Witches and Steampunk

2007-02-28T11:34:00.000-08:00

Those are some of the influences in this week's new releases. I like taking a pop surrealist approach to fashion. Pulling in color or style elements from things we see in everyday life, turning kitsch into chic, using processed sugary childhood drinks to inspire a color palette., etc. Anyway, I hope you like these.

GingerDead fans, be sure to stop by the comic this week because it's haiku time once again. Your haiku comments win you virtual hugs and interwebz fame.

Chomp!

2007-02-14T22:19:00.000-08:00

A new addition to the Nocturnal Threads' GingerDead Collection, Lenoir Chomp! features two renderings of Lenoir from my webcomic on the front and back. The artwork comes specifically from this strip. There are a lot of sweet little details to this set like black beads on the vest, sleeve pockets, argyle sockies with tiny hearts and another heart emblem on the glove. It has an adorable school girl feel, but with a GingerDead twist. Enjoy. :)

Back (but not necessarily) in Black

2007-02-04T22:46:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the meager updates in January and lack of blahgging. I spent a lot of time on getting a bit ahead on my webcomic, did two guest artist/comicker appearances and marketed like crazy. I needed that time, but I missed designing. It's good to be back.

If you haven't checked out the GingerDead collection lately, you haven't seen VenBowler. This one is inspired by the bowling shirts of the 1940's and 50's. The design on the back comes off the virtual pages of GingerDead and Friends. This particular strip showed how Vendetta dreams of growing up to become a Suicide Girl. The back of the bowler has the pin-up of Ven from my comic. The strip got some attention when someone posted it on the Suicide Girl's community pages. I had sent an email to the PR people just letting them know I was mentioning them on the comic and I received an email a few days later asking for an address to send some swag to. A big package came yesterday and it's awesome. I got bunches of goodies! :)

Dash is made for the guys, but can look great on girls too, by simply modifying the fit of the pants. It combines classic and modern cuts and fabrics. My vamp and goth boys should be happy with this one. It's very yesterday today, if you know what I mean.

After all the drawing I did in January, I found myself taking a more painterly approach to designs. These next two girls pant-sets reflect this. Petal has a very modern look to it I think. The image I wanted to present was sexy, strong and stylish. The color I used was inspired by some flowers I happened upon. It's a dusky sort of lavender-pink. I really love it coupled with deep charcoals.

The painting approach is more obvious in Whimsical where i drew florals and spirals and shaded them like I would if I were painting on canvas. The name describes the mood I was in while creating this set. For some reason it was one of the most relaxing and fun designs I've done in a while. I was almost sorry when it was completed. I plan on exploring art on my fashion designs more and perhaps something fabulous will come out of it. Maybe not, but i'm going to play with it anyway. It's my damn world and my imagination, afterall. :P

That's all I have at the moment. Now go do something fun and creative like post a haiku here.

Super Sad :(

2006-12-29T17:58:00.000-08:00

Linden Labs CEO, Philip Rosedale has been quoted saying he is "super sad" in regard to some of the serious problems Second Life is experiencing. This inspired my creation of an emo superhero named Super Sad. Sometimes, laughter takes the edge off. I hope this will put a smile on some faces. The thought of emo super hero made me chuckle. Anyway, the t-shirt is available for FREE at Nocturnal Threads main store in Pimushe. You can also get a real life version in my online store along with more SL humorous apparel and GingerDead merchandise.

In case you are wondering, yes I sent Philip a tee in world today when I released it. I think he has a sense of humor and wont want to kick my virtual ass or anything. :)

OTHER NEWS:

For Christmas I received some things to keep my creative juices flowing. Clay, Sculpey, sculpting tools and acrylic paints in black, red and white (GingerDead colors) as well as a full version of ArtRage. The clay was given to me because I have been toying with the idea of doing some one of a kind GingerDead stuff. I guess I have no choice now. (thanks mom!) As for ArtRage, I've had the free version for some time but it is too damn limiting. Working with 'wet' digital paint and not being able to use layers is impossible. So now that I have the full version I'm trying to learn to really make use of this awesome program.

I did one airbrush style painting last week that I thought would be interesting on clothing. It worked out better than I expected. Today's release, Skull Graf is the result. If I can get better at digital drawing and painting, you will see more artwork on apparel from Nocturnal Threads.

Second Life has quite frankly been pretty damn awful lately. It has taken me two days just to get these two shirts created, boxed and up in my store. Needless to say, I'm super sad that the functionality of SL is slowing down my ability to release new items. I really hope they pull it together soon.

Keep an eye out on January 1st for an article about me in SL Business Magazine. I haven't read the article or seen the layout yet, but they seem really professional and I have a feeling it will be great.

As the year closes, let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been supportive. Nocturnal Threads customers, GingerDead fans, without you it would be pointless for me to continue. Thanks sincerely for buying my stuff, sending me encouraging messages about my designs and reading my webcomic. I plan to continue to put my heart and soul into everything I do and hope to keep improving. I hope your New Year is anything but super sad. :P

Flexi Plaid, Christmas Noose and SL fun

2006-12-19T23:34:00.000-08:00

Poor Vendetta has been neglected in the GingerDead Collection thus far. She has some tees but not an outfit of her own. Since she is so sassy (ok bitchy, but i'm being nice!), I gave this one an extra dose of attitude.

I have been thinking a lot the fashion in Second Life and it's ability to translate into real life. This outfit was designed with that vision in mind as are a lot of my outfits. I think it's quite possible we will see new fashion trends emerge from virtual reality. More on that topic another time.

In GingerDead news, a new comic is up: Christmas Noose Haiku. This is the second one that I have gotten more experimental with and used a haiku in the strip. Last time I did that the response was great and a lot of fans posted replies in haiku form. I invite you to do so this time around as well. I loved reading your contributions on the Friendship haiku and look forward to reading some more. www.GingerDead.com

In SL news - BLEEEEHHHHHH! I crash every few minutes. It may be my puter and I will troubleshoot the hell out of it tomorrow. I had an interview today, new products to post and a store to move and rearrange and let me tell you spontaneous crashing is no where near as fun as combustion. Anyone who has IMd a question or comment and not gotten a reply, this is the reason. It's been this way for days now and it's making my Second Life quite hellish. Sorry, if your message went unanswered. I'm not a snobby designer who ignores customer IMs, I promise. I simply lose them due to crashing. :(

Have a lovely Solstice and happy holidays to all.

Despite the universe's efforts to smite me....

2006-12-14T23:22:00.000-08:00

I managed to release a new outfit today called Oceana. It's another one inspired by graphic novels, female action figures in films and just plain girls that can beat up boys. I'm happy with it, but it was not the release I had hoped for.

In the wee hours of the morning (lately i get to bed at 6 or 7 am ) I was in this cool zone working on a very detailed addition to the GingerDead collection. I had all my pieces ready and was just figuring out where I wanted character embellishments placed when Photoshop exploded. This has happened a few times in the last week or so and I have lost work, but not to the extreme I did last night. Hours of work just poof... gone. :( I know I should save often, but PS had always been reliable until now and I was just so into the work that I never got around to saving. BLEH.

Anyway, I spent time troubleshooting and then doing a 'repair' of PS, so hopefully it's okay now. To test it I created Oceana, never saving as I went along and daring PS to smite me again. It did not.

New Release

2006-12-13T03:06:00.000-08:00

As promised, I'm trying to release new outfits all week. This one took me longer because Photoshop exploded in the middle of designing it and I lost everything. :( Nimbus is all hand drawn and shaded and has a cute flexi skirt similar to those catholic school uniforms that make boys drool. I love the stripey socks and colors. Wearing the set earlier, I received several compliments from strangers, so I think that's a good sign it will be a hit. I hope you enjoy.

Reminders:
Today is Wednesday and that means there is a new comic up on GingerDead and Friends. Check it out. :)

It's also an update day so no Second Life until 12pm SLtime. Let's keep our fingers crossed this one goes nice and smooth.

Top Model fans: the British premiere is tonight at 8pm. Yeah, I know it's no Project Runway, but I really love to see the creative photoshoots and they often are modeling some designer threads, so it's something to watch until Project Runway returns.

Something new at last!

2006-12-12T01:52:00.000-08:00

I must have cursed myself when I said December looked like it might get off to a slow start. After SL Troubles died down from that horrific update, I had to set up new stores, move a couple of others, etc. By the time I got caught up and was ready to design I got really sick. I haven't had a geniune flu for about two years. Anyway, it knocked me out of commission for a good week but I'm back. :)

Whenever I can't design for more than a week, it makes me mental. I feel so much better having finally completed something. RAWR is now available at Nocturnal Threads main store in Pimushe. The outfit is inspired by the incredibly sexy women in graphic novels that can kick some serious ass.

As you know I replicated outfits from films such as Aeon Flux, Tank Girl , the Fifth Element and Fight Club. It was a lot of fun doing those, but it's more fun to pull from my own imagination. I pictured this one as something that could translate well into a film. I always thought that would be an amazing job to have (designing wardrobes and costumes for movies) and in Second Life I can do that. YAY! Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

I didn't make a huge announcement about this, but I did release some GingerDead holiday cut out decorations. They are really inexpensive (50L and under) and are copy and mod so you can rez a bunch if you like and decorate your home or club. These are only available at my main store. Also, I released one winter themed art print of Lenoir entitled "Let it Snow". incidentally these designs are available in real life on apparel and as greeting cards in the GingerDead Section of my store. You can also still shop for humorous tees based on our Second Lives here.

I'll leave you with a photo of the art print: Lenoir - Let it Snow:

Hello December

2006-12-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

November wasn't as productive as I would have liked, but I did manage to release some designs that I'm really pleased with. SUGARrush pictured here is one of my faves. It's my first babydoll style and I feel like I have really mastered the flexiprims on this one. I feel like a cupcake when I wear it. :) I think I'll do some more babydolls very soon.

It's a little discouraging right now as SL's new update is really making things impossible to work. I'm afraid December is going to get off to a slow start until I can work again.

If you would like to see all of November's new releases check out my news area of my site. I find it much easier to post images there and keep a nice archive of latest NT and GingerDead news.

Speaking of GingerDead, the webcomic is really coming along nicely. I'm gaining readers each week and getting some encouraging feedback.

I had a lot of fun with one strip I did which was experimental and included a haiku and image, rather than the usual style. I was surprised at the terific response and the fact that readers began replying in the comments area in haiku format. Thanks Gabe for starting the trend. Here's the comic if anyone wants to get in on the haiku action.

To kick off the holiday season, I did some drawings of each GingerDead character which I used to design some real life greeting cards and shirts in my cafepress store. I think the idea of goth or alternative christmas / holiday greeting cards is pretty cool. Most people will prefer Hallmark, I'm sure. But, why bore your cool pale pals with the usual stuff when you can send them a GingerDead card instead? :P Of course I did versions of the designs for SL too, so currently you can get special GingerDead holiday tees and sweater sets at my main store through Christmas.

Finally, a pic of my latest mens release called Unsteady. I really enjoyed combining different patterns for an ecclectic look. It's mod and transfer. Girls just mod the fit of the pants and this set will look great on you too.

New Threads and a Special Halloween Comic

2006-10-30T23:06:00.000-08:00

It's been a crazy couple of weeks in the really real world for me, so i'm a little past due for new fashion releases. It's funny how I really have no stress as far as Nocturnal Threads goes, but I manage to put pressure on myself anyway. I like to update the store weekly whenever possible and usually manage to do so but some times RL happens. Anyway, I'm happy to announce the following new releases.

Before I post the images, I want to wish everyone a happy Halloween and Samhain blessings. Have fun! Do something spooky! To celebrate I did a bonus comic this week at GingerDead and Friends, so please do check it out. Comic will still update tomorrow as scheduled. Twofers week, hooo!

Anyway, here's what's new at Nocturnal Threads:

GingerDead invades Patrick Grey :O

2006-10-19T23:40:00.000-07:00

During the last week or so while I have been promoting the GingerDead and Friends webcomic, and discussing the eventual GingerDead build I would like to do, a name came up several times: Patrick Grey. I'm sorry to say I had not come across this webcomic before and was unaware of the neat downtown build in Second Life. After checking out the well-established comic (i loved it), I headed 'downtown'.

The build is designed to look just like the comic. Stark white buildings outlined with black lines surround you, leaving you with the strange sensation of standing inside of a pop-up book. The coffee shop offers a neat hand drawn cup of joe with a white whisp of steam. You can purchase a couple of tees there for a measly 5L (way to make me look bad, dude! :P), read the current week's comic (i have considered this but am undecided) and best of all you can purchase the first collection of 90 comics in an SL book for 500L. I recommend heading over to the Sawrey sim to check it out.

So, it appears I'm not the first webcomic to infiltrate SL. I had a similar approach to the GingerDead build in mind, and was relieved to see that mine will differ greatly than Patrick Grey's Downtown. I would have hated to scrap the vision. I'm actually rather excited to know the artist is an SL resident and hope to meet more webcomickers (yep i'm pretty sure that is a word) in the metaverse soon.

Of course, I couldn't visit without taking some pictures to share with my readers. If you know me at all you can guess that I had to bust out the GingerDead and Lenoir avies and invade the Patrick Grey comic! HOOOO! I got such a kick out of having my characters virtually traipse through another webcomic. It was totally surreal. GingerDead was a lil creeped out by the whole thing, but Lenoir loved it. Hopefully, GingerDead and Lenoir will meet Patrick face to face next time and take some pics together. Anywho, check out Patrick Grey's Downtown in Sawrrey and the awesome webcomic found here.

GingerDead's nerves are more rattled than usual
thanks to a double espresso shot at Patrick Grey's Coffee Shop

Lenoir looks on as GingerDead frets that Patrick may not find this amusing.

Gingerdead and Creator kaia Ennui

Particle Art by Kala Pixie

2006-10-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying the pictures I'm posting do not do this experience justice. This is a must- see sort of thing and I offer the photos as a hint and a nudge for you to check it out.

Kala Pixie, is a particle artist. I was fortunate enough to be invited by a friend to see her work this weekend. Approximately 10 of us arrived at the sim and piled onto the launching chairs. When everyone was rezzed and ready, Kala shot us into the stars and after a brief explanation that zooming out was recommended, the show began. Vivid colors began to leaping over our heads and the first ooohs and aaahs were uttered by the crowd. As the show continued more complex patterns emerged, pulsing and dancing in the night sky. For just over 30 minutes, Kala took our breathe away with the most skilled and artful particle exhibit I have ever seen.

Kala wants each viewer to experience the show without lag and therefore exhibits in a unique way. In order to see her work you must contact her and book a show. You can book for a romantic private viewing for two or gather a group of up to about 10 people. There is a nominal fee that i assure you is worth every penny. Tips are also appreciated. I personally love that the show is limited to a small group at a time. There was no lag and having a shared experience like this with close friends made it that much more special.

I hope to see Kala's work recognized beyond my little old blog. She is eager to share her work and discuss her vision and is only an IM away. :)

Lenoir's Spooky Find

2006-10-14T00:49:00.000-07:00

I set lil Lenoir loose on the grid again tonight to see what she might dig up. :P

Entering a search for Haunted Houses turned up a number of choices but one creative title caught my eye: "A Lonely Night in October". I arrived in front of a cornfield maze with some of the coolest scarecrows I have seen in-world. I had to know where to get them and when I clicked to find the creator I saw a familiar name: Nebulosus Severine. Neb is a friend of mine and a fabulous designer (Numinous Designs) as well as an RL visual artist who exhibits regularly in SL. To my delight, I realized this was one of her pet projects and being she is so talented I knew I had stumbled on a great find.

An attempt to fly over the maze left me shaking my fist at Neb for turning off "fly" on the land. If you want to get to the house, you will have to get through the maze first. It isn't one of those insanely annoying mazes and I was soon through it and on to the Haunted House. The house is a work in progress, but to be honest some of the barren rooms with a single bare bulb hanging from the ceiling and a ghost floating about just added to the ambiance. One of my favorite details in the house are the windows. Neb used that box trick that makes it appear there is a scene unfolding outside. It's really awesome. The spider web's were also well done, thin and airy and not cartoonish like you often see in SL.

Clicking the bookshelf downstairs opens a doorway which leads to the more frightening area of the house. A crimson stained mattress lies on the floor, chains hang from the ceiling and the fountain spews blood. Having this room hidden beyond the rich antique wallpaper and plush sofa was a nice touch.

If you are a lover of the Samhain/Halloween season, a visit to Kress to see Neb's "A Lonely Night in October" is a must. Hang out and listen to the stream which played some great goth tunes as well some obscure audio sound bites while i was there. If Lenoir had a thumb she would be pointing it up right now. :P

Speaking of Lenoir, today's comic (gingerdead.com) featured one of my favorite drawings of her thus far. I like it so much I released a new tee and wristband set. See below. But first, check out the pics from Lenoir's adventures.

SL Halloween w/GingerDead and Lenoir

2006-10-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

Last year I had a lot of fun exploring the various Halloween themed resident builds and I thought this year it would be fun to don the GingerDead avies and take some pics of what I found. I have to say that so far this October is kicking last year's ass. Maybe, it's the use of lighting we have now. Perhaps, people were motivated by last year's work to do better. Whatever the reason, this year Second Life offers some fantastic places to get into the Samhain groove.

The first place I headed to was Sleepy Hollow, home of the Grim babies. What an incredible job they did here. The theme revolves around the abandoned orphanage and has lots of Grim baby shopping opportunities, but even if you aren't in the market for one it is worth going to see the way they are presented. For example, there are a number set up in what looks like church pews in a spooky schoolhouse setting. Each baby is totally unique and usually pretty humorous. The work that goes in to these things is really something to be seen. Think twisted cabbage patch dolls in prim form. :)

The shopping at Sleepy Hollow doesn't stop there. This is by far the best Halloween marketplace I have ever come across. It was so impressive I weasled my way into a spot there to offer some NT costumes and avatars from my webcomic. I just wanted to be part of it in some way and Grim Misfit was kind enough to set aside a little spot for me. Whether you want costumes, decorations or party supplies you are sure to be pleased with the fabulous choices by some of the most incredible designers. In addition to individual items, I was amazed to find kits that include things like apple bobbing, jack-o-lantern carving and spooky story telling. You can easily transform your club or home with one stop at Sleepy Hollow.

Not interested in shopping? Sleepy Hollow is still more than worth a visit due to the fabulous Haunted House. Most attempts at haunted houses in SL are rather lame, but this one actually works. There is a definite theme and story going on and the custom sounds and textures really keep the feel consistent and make for a great spooky adventure. In addition, I understand they are running Trivia games there some evenings as well. This sim goes poof as of November 1st, so don't wait.

Next stop: Octoberville! I loved Octoberville last year. It had a nice haunted house and some small shops and charming Autumn woods complete with bales of hay surrounding a lovely little fire. This year the woods remain the same but the rest of it is bigger and better. Master Kaos explains the area is ten times larger and wishes for residents to simply come and enjoy his creation.

There is something about Octoberville that really triggers memories of Halloween in the suburbs of New York state where I grew up. The streets are lined in trees of fiery autumn golds and oranges. There are corn fields, pumpkins, caramel apples and a hay ride. I have not made it to the haunted house yet because I was too enchanted by the train ride. I have never been on anything like it in SL. It's a nice long ride through the sim and castle with some "bumps" along the way. I highly recommend it. If all that weren't enough there is a scavenger hunt. When you teleport in you receive a free tee and a notecard with all the info you will need. Joining the group gives you a fun 'trick or treater' tag that I couldn't resist. I will most certainly be back to check out the haunted house and ride the train again.

Kudos to all the residents involved in these two fabulous Halloween builds. Everyone should set some time aside to see Sleepy Hollow and Octoberville. As I sweat through October in the balmy Southern USA, it is nice to know I can connect with the energies of this holiday and season in the metaverse any time I please. :D

i'm chock full o' newsy goodness

2006-10-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

I admit it. I'm the worst blahger ever. Since I update the Nocturnal Threads site with the latest fashion and NT news I feel like it's silly to repeat it all here. I prefer formatting my images into little galleries etc and find this format less fun and too predictable. So, keep that in mind. While tumbleweeds are occasionally blowing through my personal slice of blahgosphere, NocturnalThreads.com is always active.

OK enough of that here is the big news!

On October 9th, the GingerDead and Friends web comic was officially launched. This week I will be updating it daily through Friday. After that it will be updated every Wednesday until I get a lot faster. It is awesome to finally have a way to present the strip in a professional online comic format. I went through a lot of options before finding something that worked. It's been a bit of a nightmare to be honest. The secret formula, in case you're wondering is WordPress + ComicPress. I just saved you aspiring webcomic artists much hassle. HOOO!

To celebrate the launch of the comic and to instill a stronger SL presence for GingerDead and his pals I created a new fashion line called the GingerDead collection. This includes more tees of course, some to be released later in conjunction with the particular strip, a racer jacket, dresses, etc. See the collection so far here. In addition, the wonderful Syphex Odets weilded prims to create for me custom avatars of the characters. So far GingerDead and Lenoir are available. Thanks to Huddles they have their own AOs and Poofers. All the textures are hand drawn and the avies really look just like comic. You can find all the GingerDead stuff along with a free doll, free tee and GingerDead cookie (bite it if you dare) at my main store in Pimushe up on the second floor.

If you want to stay informed in world of latest NT releases and comic news join the Second Life group called NT/GingerDead. You will get a cool gingerDEADicated tag. :P I will probably limit announcements to once or twice a week to not get spammy. I hope to do some fun stuff that is for group members only, so be sure to join if you are interested.

It's been awhile...

2006-08-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

Things have been kinda crazy lately as I am working on getting ready to launch the webcomic and related SL presence. I'm keeping that info to myself for now, but I think it will be rather cool and will announce it when I'm ready to launch.

I have been doing my best to keep Nocturnal Threads with fresh fashions while simultaneously working on this other project. I had planned to start using the blog to show latest design work, but holy hell it takes an hour to upload one image. I suppose I'll stick to doing that on my website in the NEWS section. I have been lax there as well, but will remedy that now.

Nocturnal Visions

2006-06-06T14:52:00.000-07:00

The last few days, I have neglected creating any new SL fashions. I have ignored GingerDead, who in my mind is tugging impatiently on my leg. Instead, I took some time to explore photography and image manipulation in Photoshop. I enjoy photography, but haven't really ever made serious time for it. Lately, I have been watching my friend create interesting, artful compositions from his photos. Many times, the pics he uses are just random things he sees in his daily life and after applying various tools to them with Gimp, I believe, art is born. So, I owe my little detour from my usual creative outlets to him. (thanx muse :D)

After the initial experimentation at home with the first two images, I decided to go out in the really real world (eep!) and find some interesting backdrops and textures. I found myself at a small local cemetery on a gorgeous afternoon which was blissfully quiet and empty, snapping away without a care. Upon returning home and uploading the images I was pleased to find several that I could work with. I'm really loving the results. Perhaps, I'll do a little exhibition in SL.

To see the full gallery go to http://www.nocturnalthreads.com/visions.htm

I threw them into a flash template, so you'll need flash to view. If you don't have flash, you are nuts because it rocks, so downlooad the free player at www.macromedia.com

What Would Your Avie Do?

2006-06-01T23:29:00.000-07:00

In Second Life I'm kaia. kaia and I have always been one as far as I could tell. I don't approach the metaverse with a role playing or gamer mentality. Anyone who knows me knows my approach to others whether in flesh or avatar is that they are spirits, like me, like all of us are. That said, something strange happened yesterday that got me thinking.

On particularly intense caffeine induced frenzy I decided it was time to create a full website for Nocturnal Threads. Several hours later, it was completed and I went on to work on other stuff. The following day, I remembered that I created the site, but had only a vague recollection of the layout or text. The thought that it was kaia who actually worked on the site flickered in my mind for a moment. This was an odd sensation to say the least. My first reaction was, "OMG. I must be mad." After reviewing the site, I realized that there was an undeniable kaia energy present somewhere between the lines of text and graphics. Of course, I am kaia and kaia is me, so what the hell am I talking about?

After a year of interacting and working within this metaverse, I believe that I have projected certain energies into kaia and this seemingly insane "kaia did it" concept was really accurate in that I had and have channeled kaia into my work. By this I mean, that certain energies are present when I am engaged in kaia-oriented projects and or interactions. Of course, these energies are within my spirit and life, but they are embraced and drawn upon frequently when I'm in-world. Since I refer to positive energies, I had to admit that at times, I could use a little more kaia in my real life dealings.

When I reflect on some of the many discussions I have had in-world, I can't help to think I am on to something. Are there aspects of ones personality that for some reason are able to emerge with unbridled freedom in a virtual platform that are less intense in real life? Conversations with F--- had revealed that in his daily life he was uncomfortable in social situations and often approached situations and people with a hostility that you would never believe even existed in this sweet avatar. SL had become a place for F--- to interact in a totally new way. The thing is, he insisted on seeing his avatar as so separate from himself. I say, if you are able to bring forth positive approaches in avatar form, there is nothing stopping you from channeling this same energy into your daily life.

Another friend, recently mentioned that she had been engaged in a tournament that she had done exceedingly well in. She commented that she felt a bit of her avatar was at the tournament with her. She asked me if this made sense and yes, it did. Her avatar is playful, cocky and confident. Why wouldn't channeling these attributes be a contributing factor in her success at this competition? What is important for her and all of us to realize that if there are certain attributes present within us in-world, they are equally present out. It is merely a matter of tapping into them.

Yet another dear SL friend is unbelievably shy in real life. While the shyness is present to a degree in-world, he admits he is way more out-going in avatar form. He once said he couldn't even look people in the eye in real life and this made me weep at my keyboard, because he is so beautiful and loves without pretenses or restrictions with this pure open heart. This is easily visible if you get to know him even a tiny bit in SL and I know for a fact that this is part of his Spirit. To think of this amazing spirit being repressed in real life just saddened me deeply.

In my path, we are focused on raising the spirit above the head. The head is formed by parents, society, relationships, etc. There are negative attributes which we are quick to write off as just simply how we are, when in fact they are not of our spirit but purely head bullshit. For example, the person who admits to reacting to many situations in real life with anger and defensiveness which causes him a lot of trouble believes this is just how he is. Yet, he is able to approach things in a far more productive way in SL. He does not fear socializing in SL as he does in RL. The truth is he is allowing his Spirit a bit of room to step forward in-world. In his daily life he uses the same tired defense mechanisms that he has developed as a result of life experiences. This is how he has trained himself to be. This is his head and not his Spirit.

What has astounded me in the course of a year's immersion in this platform is how often people are able to tap into aspects of their spirits that they never allowed themselves to tap into in RL. Of all places for the Spirit to awaken! One imagines a hilltop retreat and deep meditation or some such scenario, not traipsing around a pixelated world. Yet, it happens. I see it all the time.

In closing I propose a challenge. Meditate on your strengths and weaknesses. Think about which strengths are more present in-world or which mental weaknesses are not apparent when you're in avatar form. The next time you are in a situation in your life where your weakness is rearing its ugly head or your strength would be beneficial, channel your avatar. Ask yourself how your avie would react and apply it to the situation. But, know and understand that you are simply embracing an energy that lies within you and always has. You are merely removing your head and applying your Spirit.

Silent No Longer

2006-05-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

Do I really want to open my skull and invite passersby to sift through my cerebral cesspool? It seems somewhat arrogant to assume anyone would even want to. Yet, a few moments ago I found myself registering for a blogger account and here I am searching for something useful to say.

I suppose I can start this thing by stating what purpose this blog will serve. Occasionally, I do have observations or anecdotes about my Second Life from the general observations of a resident to experiences as a business owner and designer. Since a fair amount of contacts I have made have expressed an interest in my work on GingerDead and friends, I will keep you posted on developments. General news and announcements will be on my website, but here I can elaborate and get feedback. I may post general life topics I feel like ranting about or discussing, but I promise not to be a blog that shares daily toils that are completely of no interest to anyone but me. You know like, "dear blog, today it is raining. I ate an egg sammich at waffle house and it was too runny. waaah." No, I wont be going there.