Exploring Unconditional

Time is the one thing I always wish I had more of.  There never seems to be enough time in my day to accomplish all the things I want to get done.

I suppose I should be grateful that I have things I want to do on my list, rather than it being full of things I have to do.

There – that’s me, practicing gratitude.  😛

I did manage to carve out some time to head in to SL for some exploring.  I visited several places, but I always have more on my list.

One of the places I visited was Unconditional.

The sim is gorgeous and full of little hidden areas. I’ve seen pictures from it all over Flickr, so clearly lots of people find it as pretty as I did.

In some places, it reminded of home – I’d see this sort of thing traveling around the roads where I live. 

I think this is one of my favorite pictures of all those I’ve taken.

Of course, there are no beaches where I live, so I always find those areas fun to explore, since I can’t do that in real life.

Whatever you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it in SL.  But be sure to stop by and give Unconditional a visit.  You won’t regret it.

Field of Dreams

Nope, not that one. 😀

This Field of Dreams is a gorgeous sim I found while ambling around SL.

The rustic landscaping is simply stunning and there are little details everywhere you look. (I almost missed the cute red bird sitting on the fence.)

This field of flowers stopped me in my tracks – this is something I see regularly here at home (it’s our state flower) and giant fields of sunflowers are awe-inspiring.  And the seeds are pretty tasty, too! 😛

I couldn’t resist snapping a pic of this scene – the cat trying to stealthily sneak up on the birds, the birds flying up out of danger, and waiting to see whether the cat will actually snare something or fall ignominiously into the water fountain.

I’m a big fan of the Tuscan look (as are many others, judging from the number of times I see Tuscan decor/landscaping), and this winery/picnic area looks so inviting.

There is lots more to see and explore at Field of Dreams, so grab your camera and head on over to check it out for yourself!

Where Beauty is Neverfar

After completing my course through Visionaire, I’ve been even more excited to travel around SL and find gorgeous sims to practice with.

I keep a list of places that I’d like to visit when I have time to go for a photo wander.  Neverfar was on that list, so away I went!

I must say, Neverfar absolutely fantastic.  I normally play around with various windlights when I take photos, but the sim windlight is spectacular.

All the earth tones were fabulous, and the landscaping and decorating were amazing.

Everywhere I looked there was another stunning view.  I would love to have an outdoor studio space like this one.

I was blown away by the design aesthetic of the whole sim.  I’m normally not a fan of shabby chic or rustic vintage, but this sim is one I could definitely live in.  The sumptuousness of the decor and the lived-in, cozy feel made for some spectacular scenes.

As I walked around, I found surprise after surprise, including this fabulous little patio area.

This little shack with its comfy chair makes you want to just kick off your shoes, sit down, and relax with your favorite book.

If you get thirsty, you can head a short ways down the boardwalk and grab a cold drink at this gorgeous little cafe stand.

One of the things I love about SL is being able to see the creative genius of its residents.  I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed Neverfar – it’s not my usual style, but it is so gorgeous.  I found myself staying much longer than I normally do, just to let the beauty sink deep into my soul.

Take a few minutes and go for a visit – it will not disappoint.

Tranquil Bay

Fall is one of my favorite seasons, so I was absolutely captivated by Tranquil Bay.  Tranquil Bay (Fall Trace) is the last visit in my Trace series.  It’s seriously amazing.

You land at this gorgeous spot – the colors of this sim are spectacular.  I love the soft orange of the horizon, balanced by the browns and greens of all the plant life.

I think this is my favorite photo from my visit.  I love the glow of the lights in the tree and the fireflies – I can almost hear the cicadas and bullfrogs as I sit in front of the fire.

The pops of pink flowers here are stunning, mixed in with the earth tones of the house and surrounding plants.  That rocking chair on the porch looks so comfy – sitting there rocking, watching the sunset, sipping on my sweet tea . . . *sighs*

Can you imagine living here? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to get up every morning to a sight this gorgeous?

Even the indoor decor is fantastic – I love the woven net with the lights and the clock.  I’m not a huge fan of rustic, but this is so well-done.

There was no shortage of things to see, including these amazing shooting stars over the water.

This is definitely a place I’ll be visiting again – it’s so peaceful and beautiful.

Rustic Charm at Flux Sur Mer

Flux Sur Mer is a sim that I’ve heard mentioned many times, but I had never managed to make it there for a visit (probably because I was spelling the name incorrectly!).

The sim is absolutely gorgeous, and I’m so mad at myself for not visiting before now. 😦

I was snapping pictures like mad. I took so many that it was hard to narrow down the ones to put in the blog post.

Everywhere I looked there were little scenes, hidden areas, and some new area to explore.

Another thing I liked was that the buildings were all decorated on the inside, which made the whole sim feel more warm and inviting.

The trees and hills and stone give the sim a rustic but welcoming feel.  I’ve seen this domed building in many sims, but I particularly like the placement here on the edge of a hill.

I think this is one of my favorite shots from this visit.  I love being able to capture large pieces of builds like this in a picture – it makes it seem more real somehow.

There are lots of great sitting areas all over, including some fabulous dining terraces.  There’s even an art gallery where you can buy some original artwork.

There are also many statues placed around the sim.  I’ve not seen this particular statue before (that I remember, anyway).  Another detail that adds to the rustic French feel of the sim.

Near the art gallery and terraces there is a fabulous country farmer’s market, with all kinds of goodies for sale.

If you haven’t made it to Flux Sur Mer yet either, you should drop everything and run right over.  It’s a fabulously gorgeous sim, and you will love it!

The Beauty of Vivaldi

A few days ago I was feeling the need to wander around SL and find some beautiful things to look at.

I came across Vivaldi in my travels.

The description says it’s ” the land of Four Seasons.”

There are different areas, including beaches, a forest, and a lovely snow-capped mountain.

Usually when I visit a sim, I try to keep the windlight consistent, to give the photos a cohesive feel.

Vivaldi, though, just didn’t feel right that way.

I love the picturesque lighthouse on the rock promontory.

There were all kinds of little hidden resting places.

I’ve always wanted a swing like this – to laze about during the summer and fall.

Alas, the weather where I live isn’t conducive to porch swings. 😦

I love the look of this house, with the huge garage doors, the fountain out front, and the red tile roof.

I would love to have a garden like this – to be able to sit and read outside.

Here, there’s always too much of something – too windy, too hot, too many bugs . . .

I did also visit Mount Shen, but crashed while setting up the pic, and ran out of time to go back.

Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful sim, full of lovely and relaxing spots.