Announcing the Storybook Magic Contest Winners!

After going through the entries within SL and here in Flickr, the winners of the Storybook Magic contest was definitely a tough choice.  I want to thank everyone who entered, all the pictures were amazing!  Here are our winners:

First Place:  Fairy Tales by Misty Crystal
Second Place:  Tell Me A Fairy Tale by Ursula Floresby
Third Place:  Magic Mermaid by Danybaby babii

Honorable Mentions...
Sent With Love by Wise Sandalwood
At Night They Leave the Books To Play by Shuri Dreamscape

CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!

Below are the pictures of the winning artists.....

1st Place:  Misty Crystal

2nd Place:  Ursula Floresby

3rd Place:  Danybaby babii

Honorable Mention:  Wise Sandalwood

Honorable Mention:  Shuri Dreamscape

Storybook Magic at Enchanted!

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A WORTHY CAUSE

In celebration of our new gallery artists and updates, I'd like to announce a couple things going on. First, any and all donations given to the sim or gallery from now until October 4 will go to a children's charity called, First Book. The organization helps children in need by giving them access to books so they can also listen to wonderful bedtime stories and create lifetime memories like other children. Thank you in advance for your donations for this cause :)

FEATURE ARTWORK DISPLAY

Please be sure and stop by the gallery and see our Feature Artwork display at the landing point, along with all the new pictures in the main gallery. The pictures at the landing point are one or two pieces chosen from most artists’ works within the gallery representing the Storybook theme and concentrate on fairy tales and reading in general. It’s wonderful to see all these together in one place!

PHOTO CONTEST

We are also incorporating a photo contest to go along with the Storybook theme, so use your imaginations, dress up your avie, and have fun! Here are the guidelines:

1. You have until Wednesday, October 3 to submit all pictures.

2. Pictures can be taken at any sim or setting as long as it's a storybook theme.

3. You may submit 2 pictures.

4. Pictures can be submitted to Natalie Montagne in game as a texture or photo in a notecard in the Flickr group link: http://www.flickr.com/groups/2092071@N23/. If you submit in game, please be sure and put your avie's full name on the submission.

5. No nudity allowed

Prizes will be based on originality, creativity, and staying within the theme. They are as follows:

First Place - 5000L
Second Place - 3000L
Third Place - 1000L

Please message Natalie Montagne either here or in game if you have any questions. Good luck and have fun!

New Artists at Enchanted Kaleidoscope Gallery!

Hi Enchanted Dreamers and guests :) I know it's been a LONG time since I've posted here. I've had alot going on in my first life, which has kept me from doing quite a bit of what I normally did here online and in Second Life. Well, recently, I've been updating and adding some things to our lovely art gallery over Enchanted. I've just added 7 new wonderful artists to our already fantastic collection of talent. All of them are true fantasy artists and produce exceptional work continuously. Please stop by the gallery to see their works and some other new updates too :)

slurl.com/secondlife/Elven%20Realm/126/125/245/

Feature Fantasy Artist: Tamzin Xigalia

Tamzin Xigalia is our Feature Fantasy Artist at Enchanted's Fantasy Kaleidoscope Gallery!  Please stop by and see her beautiful fantasy artwork.  She has been one of our ongoing artists on display in the main gallery for quite a while, but until July 1, we are featuring artwork not displayed before.  Here is the landmark:

Elven Realm 126, 125, 245


You can also go into my (Natalie Montagne) "Picks" and choose the gallery, it will take you directly there.  Enjoy!

Feature Fantasy Artist at the Gallery!

Please stop by the Fantasy Kaleidoscope Gallery over Enchanted. We have a new Feature Fantasy artist's works on display. Her name is Patricie Sapphire and she's one of the most talented artists in Second Life and Flickr! Her work is whimsical, eccentric, unique and beautiful. Patricie puts her all into every picture she produces, each piece representing her emotions at the time she developed it. All 16 of her works will only be featured at the landing point for a limited time. However, Patricie's art will be a part of our ongoing gallery after being featured.

For more detailed information about Patricie, please see my blog:
http://nataliemontagne.blogspot.com/2012/01/fantasy-art-focus-patricie-sapphire.html

The best way to get to the gallery is by teleporting through the door to your right at the landing point of Enchanted (in the cave). Also, here is a landmark: Elven Realm 126, 125, 245. Hope to see you there!

New and Updated Gallery!

The fantasy gallery over Enchanted of Elven Realm has just been updated and renewed. Before we had a mix of artists on display only. We now have 11 artists' works on display, each with their own donation option along with an artist's bio and website (flickr stream) giver. Some have chosen to sell their work, while others are only accepting donations. Due to the kindness and generosity of all the artists, most monies collected are going back to benefit the upkeep and maintenance of the Enchanted sim along with the gallery. Please be sure and stop by and enjoy the new gallery updates!

SeleneLily Galicia is still our Featured Fantasy Artist through the end of this month. If you haven't been by to see her works, please do so soon before it's gone. There are 17 of her works on display right now. Once this is over, about 6-7 of her works will be an ongoing display in the gallery.

Feature Fantasy Artist: Tigre Milena (Doni Parlanti)

Our feature fantasy artist at this time in the Fantasy Kaleidoscope Gallery is the amazing Tigre Milena (aka: Doni Parlanti). Tigre specializes in fantasy art, although she's very capable of any style being as talented as she is. Right now, at the landing point of the gallery, I have 17 of her works (including her bio picture) on display and each and every one tells a story. In fact, one of the items on display, and now out on the sim for all to see, is a book of artwork Tigre made. It's great, you touch the book and a menu appears and you can actually flip through the pages of the book, viewing many of her wonderful pieces. Another unique fact about Tigre's work is that most of the art is unedited, but you can't tell! This is what amazes me the most! I posted a blog about Tigre and her work quite a while back, and the link to this is:

http://nataliemontagne.blogspot.com/2011/01/fantasy-art-focus-doni-parlanti-tigre.html

You can also visit her flickr stream at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/doni_fables/

Please be sure and stop by Enchanted (sim: Elven Realm) to see her art. Once at the landing point of Enchanted, please use the teleport door to the right to venture to the gallery.

Take the Portal to a Land of Snowy Magic....

Reflections of colorful sky dance upon the glistening snow that surrounds this magical land of white palaces, icicles and sparkling trees atop three floating mountains


Very high above the beautiful and magical forest below, snowflakes fall on another small world within this land of unicorns. My small palace home is here and at first it was my own private little world, however, I enjoyed it so much I wanted others to be able to. I decided to add some extra touches and open it to the public, so I did!

The area consists of three small floating mountains each containing a different setting. The larger main one is where my small snow palace rests. Please feel at home, relax and explore. This was the only section I had for a long time, then later I added another smaller mountain, connecting the two with a beautiful bridge. This mountain has a gorgeous ice gazebo, two rows of lovely lighted and sparkling trees, a campfire with seating, and several couples dance balls. If you go here and don't see the balls, put /1show in chat and they will show up. Quite a while later, I decided to add one more mountain and did just that. I also connected it to the other side of my home mountain with the same beautiful bridge. This mountain houses "Unicorn Falls", an absolutely beautiful structure with a pool and falls, along with seating areas. Of course there are several extra touches here and there I think you will enjoy. One of my favorites is the aurora borealis that appears at certain times, and with your setting to midnight, it's very stunning! I've taken many pictures and they've turned out really good.

Please take the time to visit my home in the snow when you can. The only way to get there is through a portal that can be found within the unicorn field area of the forest below. There's a large tree that has a small door, open it and you're there! :) I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

When there were only 2 mountains

Unicorn Falls

My snow palace home

The ice gazebo where you can dance on the snow

Feature Fantasy Artist: Serg Sonnino (Shoshisn Shilova in SL)

We are now featuring some fantasy pieces of Serg Sonnino, AKA Shoshisn at the Fantasy Kaleidoscope gallery entrance over Enchanted. Please take the time to stop by and enjoy his beautiful artwork. He has been involved in the art community for years, as he is a graphic designer and photographer by trade. His Flickr photostream is truly amazing and a must see:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shoshisn/

The few displays in the gallery barely touch what he has accomplished as an artist! I know you will enjoy his works!

Feature Fantasy Artist: Yasmina Siamendes

Phoenix-Waterstart in Elven Realm

Not long ago I featured a new picture/pictures every week and then put them up in the gallery on Enchanted. Well, now I plan to recognize the artist and a selection of their pictures and also at times, recognize a theme or style of art with several artists. I will announce this in Flickr, here in the blog, and also display the artwork in the Kaleidoscope Gallery at Enchanted.

At this time I'm recognizing Yasmina Siamendes, a wonderful and very talented fantasy artist! For more information, I blogged in detail about she and her artwork on my other blog: http://nataliemontagne.blogspot.com/2011/06/fantasy-art-focus-yasmina-siamendes.html Her Flickr photostream can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yorga-secondlife/ Please stop by the gallery at Enchanted of Elven Realm and enjoy her work up close! She did a variety of pictures from Enchanted and Bewitched, too :) Enjoy!

Sad World (taken at Bewitched)

End of Photo Contest

We have some great entries that have been submitted for the Forest of Light 'n Dark Photo Contest! Acceptance of submissions is now officially over and we will be choosing the winners by this Wednesday the 11th of May. It will be a tough decision! If you're interested, I have placed all the entries (in no particular order) by sim in 7 separate Galleries within Flickr. We had a total of 105 entries :D Here is the link to my Flickr galleries:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinkpantherr/galleries

Once the winners are announced, I will give the prizes and also display the winning artwork at the landing point of the Fantasy Kaleidoscope Gallery over Enchanted. Stay tuned!! :)

Official Fantasy Kaleidoscope Gallery Opening!

ka·lei·do·scope [kuh-lahy-duh-skohp] A continually changing pattern of shapes and colors.  /kəˈlaɪdəˌskoʊp/ Show Spelle

First, I'd like to apologize for being rather quiet for a while! There's been alot of excitement going on at Enchanted and the new sim, Bewitched, as you can imagine. Along with the addition of the new haunted sim, and with the help of Andrek Lowell, I was also working on a gallery exhibiting Second Life artists' work above Enchanted. I had mentioned this in a past blog, but have never officially introduced it as being open. Well, this is the official announcement of the opening of the Fantasy Kaleidoscope Gallery above Enchanted! Andrek has done a beautiful job seeing that it blends well with the forest below, all the way from the scenery to the frames around the pictures. In keeping with its purpose, the gallery is truly its own piece of art! It is something that will always be in the works and continuously updated, as we have new art we want to recognize all the time. That is the main purpose of the gallery, to show off/exhibit fantasy art created within game and to give it the recognition it deserves. For a while I was recognizing a piece of art from Enchanted and a piece from the Finest of Fantasy Art group in Flickr each week. After I left it on the sim for that week, I'd move and place it in the gallery. I still plan to do something similar, but instead of just two pieces of work each time, it will be a variety each time and go along with a particular theme. For example, this week I will recognize art having to do with the theme, "Light and Dark". We are having a photo contest with this theme, so thought it would be perfect. I will display the artwork within the theme at the entrance to the gallery each time and depending on the event or what is going on, it could be displayed for a while, not necessarily just a week. In order to visit the gallery, please use the tp door at the landing point entrance to Enchanted.

There will be a post following this one explaining a photo contest meant to kick off the gallery opening, so please be sure and watch for this and enter the contest! I've posted some pictures from within the gallery in keeping with the light and dark theme, but please come by and visit, you'll be glad you did!

Teleport landing point

Nat standing in front of one of the gallery sections

Closeup of the frames used for this natural setting

Beautiful bridges and walkways to each section of the gallery

One of the four sections of the gallery, each with its own central fantasy statue

Another gallery area

Gallery lit up at night

Enchanted Keepers of the Realm

A New Day Dawns
Guardian of the Realm: SeleneLily Galicia (artwork by SeleneLily Galicia)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/selenelily_galicia/

I wanted to do something a little different this week for our weekly gallery choices. I had planned to do a blog and recognize the Keepers of the Realm, but decided to combine it with the gallery choices of the week this time. After all, most all the Keepers are artists in their own right :) The Keeper group consists of the greeters and guardians of Enchanted of Elven Realm. It's for those that spend quite a bit of time on the sim and enjoy welcoming people, answering questions and keeping an eye on things. Right now we don't have a schedule for members, but if I ever see there's a need for that, we can do that. This group is invitation only, but if you are interested or would like to become a part of the group, please either IM or send a notecard to me, Natalie Montagne, in world.

I have pictured each Keeper in this blog, whether the picture was done by themselves or a different artist. If available, I've also listed each of their Flickr websites. All pictures were taken at Enchanted...enjoy!

All captions are below the corresponding picture. Please click the picture to see it larger.

The Fairy Keeper at Enchanted

Keeper of the Realm: Nila Byron (artwork by Nila Byron)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nilabyron/

Marigny's Mushroom

Keeper of the Realm: Marigny Moonwing (artwork by Natalie Montagne)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinkpantherr/

Arethell Levan at Enchanted Elven Realm II

Keeper of the Realm: Arethell Levan (artwork by Arethell Levan)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60404652@N06/

Moirae

Keeper of the Realm: Moirae Loorden (artwork by Moirae Loorden)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/moiraeloorden/

Enchanted~Guardian Unicornis

Keeper of the Realm: Unicornis Alchemi (artwork by SeleneLily Galicia)

http://http//www.flickr.com/photos/selenelily_galicia/

A Fellow Flyer
Guardian and Lady of the Realm, Natalie Montagne (artwork by Natalie Montagne)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinkpantherr/

Fantasy Art of the Week 3/13/11

Nightstalker~Poseidon by Magissa Denver

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51510227@n03/

A Postcard from Enchanted...2 by Villemo Inglewood

http://www.flickr.com/photos/slwanderer/

Fantasy Art of the Week 3/6/11

Mushroom Delight by Kupula Haroldsen
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kupulaelf/

Our two pieces for this week are Mushroom Delight by Kupula Haroldsen and Resting by the Brook by Marius Drammond. Mushroom Delight was taken in one of my favorite sims in all of Second Life, Tol Narwa Vire, created by Azriel Demain. I think Kupula captured the beauty and magic of these simple mushrooms perfectly! Resting by the Brook was taken in my very favorite sim (guess I'm a little biased :P), Enchanted of Elven Realm. I think Marius captured the beautiful bridge, creek and surrounding forest amazingly well and the colors are outstanding! Marius won Second Place in our Grand Opening Photo Contest for the sim. Please check out both of these artists' wonderful photostreams.

Resting by the Brook by Marius Drammond
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51114881@N02/

Fantasy Art of the Week 2/27/11

Little Red Riding Hood by Teshan

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42660613@N04/

by Moirae Loorden

http://www.flickr.com/photos/moiraeloorden/