If you do one thing related to Second Life Today …

Well, actually, there are several things that you could do … and some of them are related to filling out forms …

Art
Or perhaps you’d prefer to pick up your camera and enter our special competition to design a new fraphical strapline for Prim Perfect.  Our old graphic was created in 2007 – and Second Life – as well as other virtual worlds – has moved on since then!  We are offering a prize of L$5000 for the best one we receive, featuring images of Second Life (and other virtual worlds) in 2013. And Froukje Hoorenbeeke has generously matched that prize – our winner will also receive a voucher for L$5000 to spend at her gorgeous store, Dutchie!

Dutchie’s Mesh Kitchen

We are offering five further prizes of L$1000 each for people who share with us pictures of the best indivdiual style icons in homes, gardens and landscapes. So get out there and record your absolute favourites!

You’ll find full details of the competition (which closes on January 15th) here.

Romance
And don’t forget to complete our special survey of how you met (whether in Second Life, real life or somewhere else entirely!). We are planning a feature article on this for our Valentine issue, and we’ve already received some great stories – make sure that yours joins them!

Sunset on Gilmour, photograph by Honour Macmillan

Last day for sharing your story with us is January 18th.

Centre for Business Development

Business
Finally, today (January 10th) is the last day to complete the survey being run by the Centre for Business Development who are gathering information that will be useful to use in identifying issues and provide them with what they hope will be a good basis to start developing strategies.

The Centre is is a collaborative group of business people working together to identify and improve areas that may be hindering growth in Second Life. Their aim is to be proactive in improving business growth, opening avenues of communication with Linden Lab and enriching experiences for SL residents.

So … what are you waiting for? There’s lots of things to do … and later, there may even be a jigsaw …

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Prim Perfect Jigsaw: Together for Sway

Funky Junk Cottage for Sway

Our jigsaw today is a very special winter cottage created by Funky Junk for the special event, Together for Sway.   If you are looking for a last minute gift, or just for something really cool for yourself, the special event Together for Sway in an excellent place to visit – today and for the rest of the month.

Sway Dench has been a fixture in Second Life for years. She creates some of the cutest furniture and décor available and is famous for her Cookie Bears. Recently, she learned that there is a benign tumour in her brain and, in a few short weeks, will go into surgery to have it removed. While our dear Sway will make it through this, unfortunately her finances may not. She will be out of commission for nearly six months, and her inworld store is her only source of income.

An overview of the Together for Sway event

The special event Together for Sway was created to help Sway deal with this difficult time. Various designers have banded together and have set out their items (new or otherwise) all in the same venue. Sway will receive 100% of the profits. There are some lovely things on offer. A gentle stroll round – and I was suddenly the iron of a lovely Christmas clock, a snowflake mobile, a winter bench in the form of a sleigh, a dreamcatcher and several stylish sweaters – plus a couple of beautiful wooden angels created by Sway herself.

In addition to supporting this event, you can help Sway by shopping at her own store, Sway’s. We’re sure that a Second Life child—or maybe someone just young at heart – would really love to get a special Cookie Bear for Christmas!

Let’s do the jigsaw!

House by Funky Junk: Together for Sway

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Catch up with your Prim Perfect jigsaws (showing images of Second Life and other virtual worlds).

If you’d like to submit a photo of your own to feature as a jigsaw, send it to the Prim Perfect Flickr Group. It should be sized 800w x 600h, or else it will need to be re-sized.

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Prim Perfect Jigsaw: Home and Garden Expo Preview

Hanging out at Dutchie’s cottage

The Home and Garden Expo starts on Saturday 19th May, and currently all your favourite Home and Garden designers are hard at working creating the most amazing and beautiful displays for you all to enjoy.

Prim Perfect are sponsoring a region, and also hosting a series of talks with designers throughout the Expo, so we are hard at work too!

Dutchie’s Kitchen

But I made time this morning to pop over and visit Froukje Hoorenbeek’s region, which has been inspired by a Dutch polder, the low lying land reclaimed from the sea that is such a famous feature of the Dutch landscape. She’s placing some traditional Dutch cottages – and as I love European rural architecture and wish we had a lot more of it in Second Life, you can imagine that this makes me very happy – especially when it is as well done as this.

Froukje’s region is going to be very exciting, as all the designers there will be working in mesh.  So I took a couple of photographs to give you all a little taste – and a couple of fun jigsaws for today!

The first shows Froukje and I hanging on on one of the little bridges that crosses the canals that interlace this region (well, when you are below sea level, water drainage is important!).  Froukje’s attention to detail means that even the bridges come with a range of gorgeous poses!

Hanging out at Dutchie’s Cottage

The second shows the interior of the cottage – the kitechen area. It really is stunning – and shows just how far you can take mesh … the textures are, as ever with Dutchie, absolutely stunning.

Dutchie’s Kitchen

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Catch up with your Prim Perfect jigsaws (showing images of Second Life and other virtual worlds).

If you’d like to submit a photo of your own to feature as a jigsaw, send it to the Prim Perfect Flickr Group. It should be sized 800w x 600h, or else it will need to be re-sized.

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May Treasure Hunt – Clue 5: The Lair

he May edition of Prim Perfect once again invites its readers to go on a Treasure Hunt. This time there are FIFTEEN items waiting to be found, and you need to visit each store to discover their prim count. Instructions on finding the prim count can be found on our Treasure Hunt Information Page. What is your reward? You could win something from the Prim Perfect prize cabinet, generously donated by talented designers and store owners from around the grid.

The exotic designs and lush textures mean we’re visiting The Lair on Hearts Afyre. The store was established in 2006 by kalli and kadri Heart as a Gorean marketplace. Their familiarity of Gor shows in the quotes from the novels that accompany some of their designs, but the unique Old World feel appeals to a broader audience. The featured item for the Treasure Hunt is their Tarnsman fireplace. The gorgeous rich and complex textures are hard to see in this picture and have to be viewed closely in person. This piece is massive as well. I could easily stand inside the fireplace. It is one piece of a set which includes the fireplace, the chimney on top, two shelving units, and two sizes of hearth.

The Lair was previously featured in the March 2008 issue of Prim Perfect. They furnished the star home in Al-Andalus, creating custom textures and decor to reflect the Arabian theme of the sim. Those furnishings are now available in their store as the Bombay collection. The wood of the pieces is heavily carved with intricate designs featuring the peacock and accented with gold. A rich purple was used for all the fabrics as well as the romantic sheer curtains over the bed. The dressing table includes a hair brushing animation in the seat cushion. Only the bedroom furniture would fit in this picture, but there are more beautiful pieces on display at the store.

For this treasure hunt competition, find as many prim counts as you can for each of the magazine’s treasure hunt items, and send the details to primperfect@gmail.com, including your avatar name and an answer to the tiebreaker question (which you can find in the magazine on page 63). The winner will be the person who is closest to an accurate prim count, and in the event of a tie, the tiebreaker question will be used. Also – you don’t necessarily have to find every prim count to win a prize! Just find as many as you can, and these clues are here to help. You have until June 5, 2008, to send in your entry. Good hunting!

See our earlier clues here:

May Treasure Hunt – Clue 1: Elements in Design
May Treasure Hunt – Clue 2: Cherished
May Treasure Hunt – Clue 3: Sweetbay Designs
May Treasure Hunt – Clue 4: Oh! Furniture

Another clue will be appearing shortly!

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March Treasure Hunt – Clue 12: True North Designs

Once again there’s a Treasure Hunt in the current edition of Prim Perfect. There are FOURTEEN stores taking part this month – and you have to visit the store to discover the prim count of each of the pieces featured in the magazine. You’ll find instructions on how to find the prim count for an item on our Treasure Hunt Information page.

This time we’re looking for a Birch Drinks Cabinet within True North Designs. Dellybean North has built a curved cabinet out of light, almost silvery, birch wood complimented by a slate blue top. The curved pewter handles mirror the curve of the cabinet. Inside it is stocked with a variety of drinks which it will dispense with a touch and a menu. The texture of the cabinet is carried around to the back side of the piece so it is not limited to being placed against the wall. Did I mention it was very low prim? Take a look and write that number down.

Looking around, I found more beautiful birch wood. This new compact kitchen was created with birch cabinets and green marble counters. In many houses, the kitchen becomes the gathering place of the home. This design allows family or guests to hang out while you work on a meal. The fridge, dishwasher, sink, and lights all work with a touch. According to the informational notecard, Delly is planning a cooking animation to be attached to the stovetop as well. Hidden within the stained glass door at the end of the counter is a drink cabinet, dispensing the same selection of drinks as our featured item. The stools are purchased separately so you can select the right quantity and seat covering to match your individual style. Each stool has a choice of animations available through a menu. This is a wonderful item for the person who loves to entertain.

For the treasure hunt competition, find as many prim counts as you can for the magazine’s treasure hunt items, and send the details to primperfect@gmail.com, including your avatar name and an answer to the tiebreaker question (which you’ll find in the magazine on Page 72). The person to find the most prim counts will win – and in the event of a tie, we will use the tie-breaker. Also – you don’t necessarily have to find every prim count to win a prize! Just find as many as you can. You have until April 20th, 2008, to send in your entry.

See our earlier clues here:

March Treasure Hunt – Clue 1: Elements in Design
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 2: Creative Fantasy
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 3: Organized Confusion
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 4: Over The Rainbow
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 5: Oh! Furniture
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 6: Bygone Days
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 7:Sofia’s Furniture
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 8:Sweetbay Designs
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 9: Botanika
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 10: KitStar Designs
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 11: The Loft

Another clue will be appearing shortly!

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March Treasure Hunt – Clue 7:Sofia’s Furniture

Once again there’s a Treasure Hunt in the current edition of Prim Perfect. There are FOURTEEN stores taking part this month – and you have to visit the store to discover the prim count of each of the pieces featured in the magazine. You’ll find instructions on how to find the prim count for an item on our Treasure Hunt Information page.

This Medieval Fireplace can be found at Sofia’s Furniture on Serafina Island. It is solid brick with a shelf high on the right side. A roaring fire is built from thick, heavy logs. I like the texture on the bark. I think they’re from a maple tree. Suspended over the fire is a heavy iron pot, full to the brim of bubbling water. This fireplace was a centerpiece in the kitchen of Amber Selentiak’s castle from a recent episode of Meta Makeover. Sofia Standish was a guest designer on episode 4, and many items from the makeover can be found within the store, especially the tapestries.

One of the special items from the makeover was an elegant writing desk. This drafting desk is a relatively new offering from the store. It’s made from gorgeous warm wood, and two stools are on display to go with the desk. One has a dragon inlay on the seat, and the other is a rich blue. If you click on the stool, it will give you a pen. When you sit down, there is a wonderful writing animation. It looks as though you’re creating your masterpiece. Did you remember to get that prim count? Quickly dash back to the fireplace and write it down!

For the treasure hunt competition, find as many prim counts as you can for the magazine’s treasure hunt items, and send the details to primperfect@gmail.com, including your avatar name and an answer to the tiebreaker question (which you’ll find in the magazine on Page 72). The person to find the most prim counts will win – and in the event of a tie, we will use the tie-breaker. Also – you don’t necessarily have to find every prim count to win a prize! Just find as many as you can. You have until April 20th, 2008, to send in your entry.

See our earlier clues here:

March Treasure Hunt – Clue 1: Elements in Design
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 2: Creative Fantasy
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 3: Organized Confusion
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 4: Over The Rainbow
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 5: Oh! Furniture
March Treasure Hunt – Clue 6: Bygone Days

Another clue will be appearing shortly!

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February Treasure Hunt – Clue 3: Bygone Days

Once again there’s a Treasure Hunt in this month’s edition of Prim Perfect. There are TWELVE stores taking part this month – and you have to visit the store to discover the prim count of each of the pieces featured in the magazine. You’ll find instructions on how to find the prim count for an item on our Treasure Hunt Information page.

Today’s clue is another fun one from Jeannie Moonflower of Bygone Days. When she showed me this, I promptly said – “This looks like one of my plants.” And doesn’t it make a lovely (and highly realistic) addition to any Second Life home? Don’t we all have plants like this that we’e desperately attempting to revive?

Jeannie, as many of you know, is well known for her beautiful and realistic creations of period furniture – she recently worked on the most lovely ground floor for the Metamakeover show – and produced a splendid kitchen.

Some of you (many of you, I hope!) will have seen the big house kitchen Poppet McGimsie produced for Morgaine Manor, which was featured in the December edition of Prim Perfect. Jeannie produced a kitchen of a similar era, but for a far less grand home with a wealth of fascinating details.

There’s a series of pictures as part of the broader set about the Makeover House, so you can see more shots of the downstairs, including a magnificent sewing room.  But I have a real weakness for the kitchen with its carefully crafted detail, right down to the clothes drying over the kitchen range!  I remember my grandmother having a drying rack like that, when I was so very tiny that the distance she hauled it up towards the ceiling seemed to be immense.

Her stove was rather more modern though!

With its special sink for washing clothes and the fearsome mangle, this is the perfect kitchen for people who want to have a kitchen area in their period home, but lack a vast amount of space to place it.   Although someone this organised would probably not be hunting for a spectacularly wilting plant …

That, however, is your task as you pursue the next stage of the Treasure Hunt.

For the treasure hunt competition, what you have to do is to find as many prim counts as you can, and send the details to primperfect@gmail.com, including your avatar name and an answer to the tiebreak question (which you’ll find in the magazine on Page 90). The person to find the most prim counts will win – and in the event of a tie, we will use the tie-breaker. Also: – you don’t necessarily have to find every prim count to win a prize! Just find as many as you can – by March 5th 2008.

See our earlier clues here:
February Treasure Hunt – Clue 1: Submariner Fabrications
February Treasure Hunt – Clue 2: Sweetbay Designs

Another clue will be appearing shortly!

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For your inner Martha Stewart

Zasa Rossini of La Belle Vie has been coming out with totally charming kitchen equipment. Here’s a terrific example – her gorgeous mixer, complete with operating wisk and bread hook. Zasa’s attention to detail is apparent in the lovely texturing, even down to the etched logo. AND, it comes with menu-driven color options so you can customize the look.

Every kitchen maven should take a look at this one.

(And the bowl of lemons is in the store, too.)

Courtesy copy: Yes

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