On the Silk Road

When one thinks of the silk road, that famous path to untold treasure in the orient down through history, I'm not sure that Victoriana springs immediately to mind. Huns... Camels... Nomads... Intrepid explorers.. but townhouses, tearooms and the Great Exhibition? Interestingly, though the pathways for traders had been worn for thousands of years, it was Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen who coined the term "The Silk Road" in 1877 to describe the routes he was taking.

Perryn Peterson of Second Life's Mieville Sims and organizer of (what I consider to be) one of the most concise Steampunk hunts, organized a Silk Road hunt, and while I don't particularly participate in Hunts, for Mr. Peterson, I do. I try to make things specific for the hunt and while CFF is a more neo-victorian store, I felt it was well within keeping to the themes to add a more flavored piece of furniture. To that end, the Kneeling desk was created.

Now that the hunt is over, and I've placed the item on the show room floor for sale, I thought it's probably time to mention it. I really wanted to create an item that would.. be a seperate place. Someone asked me, "why the screens?". Well, especially for a roleplay item, it would be good to have a barrier, a room divider that states Here is a sanctuary for this avatar. I made very restful kneeling animations that lend to that meditation feel. Touch the cushion and you go into a seamless painting animation, completely with holding either your wrist or your sleeve out of the way of the inks.


Because not everyone has room for all the accroutements that go with it, I wanted the desk to be versatile. All the objects can be rezzed or cleared from the desk via a touch menu. That makes the entire set at 17 prims without the objects rezzed, and just 38 with everything in place.


I have several sumi-e brush sets in my RL, so I called on those to try and provide a implication of realism. You have the brush stand, a brush that dispenses a wearable brush for the avatar upon touch, the ink bowl, a jar of water to pour into the bowl, the parchment and a box of ink sticks. These are all custom sculpted and textured. I was very proud of the brush stand and the jade texture.

The painting is a very famous sumi-e painting, very old and I thought, very reflective. You can touch the parchment and (again for roleplay purposes) you can set the "progress" of the painting from blank, through quarter, half, 3/4 done to complete.

All in all, I wanted to create a lovely little item that had a definative asian feel without being too oriental. I hope you enjoy it.

Available Here at the Marketplace for 800L.

Divining Your Future.. Today...

Tarot is a subject that gets a lot of different reactions, so if you don't believe in it.. if you do believe in it.. if you find it entertaining, whatever.. set your beliefs aside. I personally have a fascination with tarot mainly because of the artwork and the general ritualistic mysticism associated with it. It also hits my Victoriana nerve same as steampunk. It's been around as long as people have been playing cards, but it really hit a high note in the late 1800's with the spiritual craze that gave us Seances, Fake Fairies and Alistair Crowley. So, you find steampunk goes hand in hand with a lot of the occult fun that also accompanies H.P. Lovecraft, Robert Howard, Harry Houdini, etc. Tarot seems like a good fit with that whole aesthetic.

Using tarot in a virtual medium just fascinates me. I've seen tarot decks, all manner of them in Second Life, and they were all good, but I found them a bit.. lacking. This set was too big.. this set was too hard to set up.. this set, you had to follow links to webpages and try to figure out the meanings of the cards (for those of us who can't always remember). Most of the decks I've seen in SL are wonderful, but aren't very spontaneous nor do they assist you with the casual entertaining reading.

Every now and then, though, you stumble cross something that seems really special. And to my good fortune, the lovely folks over at Relics of Kadath have enabled me to bring that really special something to you.


I came across these Tarot decks while they were still in development and with RoK's permission, they've graciously allowed me to present them in my own store, Capalini Fine Furnishings.



Hence the "NEW" vendor sitting very prettily on the second floor. Now, as I said before.. there are a lot of tarot decks in SL, but these have been the most fun I've used. They come in a small box, that you can rez. It is much easier to tote around, the instructions are easier, and it's just overall, more elegant. There are six decks, of varying styles for you to fit your own mood.. and each deck is very artistic and creatively themed.




When you access the menu, you're given the option of layouts. It gives you six layouts to choose from, and then it rezzes the cards in formation.




They do look lovely on my table, don't they? I should put out some candles.. some colored lighting..

Then, as the reader turns over the cards (and it recognizes reversed meanings), it gives you the traditional meaning for the card. It gives YOU.. the owner.. no one else.. the traditional meaning. So, in a roleplay situation, there's no removal of suspension of disbelief by having the cards speaking to a crowd of people.




In the end, I've given these to friends as gifts before because I found them to be elegant, suited to my avatar, and just in general, a wonderful entertainment suiting any number of situations (from roleplay to a serious reader). By far the best Tarot set I've found in SL.. and now, I'm proud to offer it to you at an insanely reasonable price ($450 L). These are available at Capalini Fine Furnishings, and can be gifted at the vendor.

Just a side note: The creator of these has also informed me that for.. additional expenses, they are quite willing to do custom sets.. something to keep in mind for that extra special gift for someone who has everything.

oh those nutty Faberges...

In the realm of things created down through history, I've always been drawn to objects and creations that exhibit creativeness, intricacies and a genius mastering of mechanics. Steampunk has always appealed to me because it touches upon all those things. You have the beauty of the mechanics (which really is an artform unto itself), the insane creativeness and intricate work. During the 1880's, to my mind, this was exemplified by the work of Carl Gustavovich Faberge and the House of Faberge.

Peter Carl Faberge was the son of Gustav Faberge who founded the house, and his son took the notable Jeweler's house to unfathomable heights under Czar Alexander III. Like Heron of Alexandria, Faberge created some of the most intricate and amazingly crafted pieces in history.

Here's the caveat; As much as I enjoy works of art that incorporate those three things that I absolutely adore.. I find Faberge eggs.. gaudy.

Seriously. If you gave me the option, I wouldn't own one. Okay, I might own one but only for the amount of time it would take me to get ahold of Christie's Auction House. So when a customer a year ago compared me to Faberge (I'll not deny it. I was absolutely thrilled when he called me the Faberge of SL (and it's not that I agree with it, I don't. There are far more detailed and intricate builders than I.), it gave me an idea. Here was a perfect opportunity to put my own craftmanship to the mix and create a Faberge-esque creation. So I started making actual eggs that were tiny, intricate, and were extremely animated. Some eggs, the key is the animation. Some eggs, it's the detailing. All of them are the same size (the egg portion), and all of them are completely different from one another. I've tried to make them all operate uniquely. They all open differently, have different tunes, some turn, some have flowers..

They're not reproductions of Faberge, but they are all made with the same genuine care and love for the genre (minus the insanely bright colors, bling and precious gems). I hope to do more and make this an entire line.

My Capalini Ornate Egg series

To Hunt or Not to Hunt...

There is always a hesitation on my part when I am asked if I am going to participate in this hunt or that hunt in Second Life. This is usually followed by an awkward silence as I try desperately to think of what to say. No, Capalini Fine Furnishings does not participate in hunts, for several reasons. Mainly, I don't have time to create something specifically for a hunt and I don't want to just.. plunk something out crappy and say "Here.. this is for you."
I don't appreciate it when merchants do that when I'm hunting and I won't do it to people I would like to court as customers. So last year, when several of my friends prodded me about speaking to Perryn Peterson about a possible Steampunk Hunt, I was dubious. After speaking with him and going through my usual excitement of showing stuff off, I actually agreed to be in the hunt and was pleasantly surprised at how high the quality of all the merchants was. It really felt that the merchants involved were desperately trying to showcase what they really felt steampunk was. I thought it was a marvelous success. Since then, I have participated in every single Steam Hunt, which .. this is the third one, currently going on. I am STILL impressed with the quality of most of the merchants and find that I am still pleased as punch to be involved.



This time around, I made two offerings just for the customers that will be sold after the hunt. I was going to do this big behemoth steampunky aether chamber because I wanted the whole "HOLY COW" effect when the hunter rezzed it, but it was finally prevailed upon me I probably needed to do something more usable. So my two offerings (pictured here): A fobbed watch that chimes a music box melody and keeps time, with ticks that can be turned on and off..



And a wind up key. Now, the wind up key is very special. I'd been looking for a way to combine my music boxes with a wind up key, because my wind up keys always actually work. You can "wind" them up, and you as the avatar will perform a lovely little ballet dance, much like a wind up doll. But it doesn't seem very sensible if there isn't any music. For this hunt, I achieved what I'd been thinking of. Hours of revising scripting and coming up with an old standard "I wanna be loved by you" in music box format, paid off with a very intricately sculpted key. That plays music. I gave it to two friends who promptly went off in giggling fits playing with it.

I'm all about interactivity.

Now Perryn has asked me about his newest hunt.. The SILK ROAD..

Hmmmm.. what victorian asian thing can I come up for it?

A Time Well Spent

Horology - The art or science of measuring time. Clocks, watches, clockwork, sundials, clepsydras, timers, time recorders and marine chronometers are all examples of instruments used to measure time.

Chronometrophilia - A group of collectors and enthusiasts interested in the history of horology.

Clockwork and the mechanisms to tell/monitor the passage of time has always had a certain appeal to individuals. Sometimes an almost zealot passion in a few individuals, and that love of timepieces is just as alive in virtual mediums as well as the real world.

Some time back, a friend (who knows I like to try and build interesting clocks in Second Life), sent me a notecard from Selador Cellardoor regarding a project he and several others were putting together in SL. Imagine my excitement at hearing about a museum dedicated to Second Life Timepieces. I was invited to submit several (which I did) and 2 of my pieces were selected to be displayed. They would have liked to have displayed more but there are always space and prim considerations to be had.

So a few days ago, I decided to take a gander and look over The Clock Museum which recently opened.
I was decidedly surprised at the number of clocks I found there, the wide variety of clocks and .. really gained an appreciation for the number of clockmakers in SL. What follows here is just a few of the clocks that I personally found interesting..
Actually, I found all the clocks very interesting and more than once, found myself thinking "Hmmm.. wish I'd thought of that one". I teleported in from the landmark and embarked on a very lovely afternoon.

Well, obviously, knowing that two of my pieces were displayed somewhere, I went in search of them. I found the first clock displayed in the main building, in a little windowed alcove. It's one of my favorite builds because I tried to think of something other than hands turning, and it was the first time I timed particle effects. The Steamglobe Clock, that tells time by rotating disks instead of hands and blows steam on the hour is still one of my favorite creations.

As I wandered up to the second floor, I was really stunned by the sheer volume of clocks I was confronted with. I'm one of those passionate zealots that has a true fascination with clockwork. Here is a collection of some of the most eclectic and creative time keeping devices I've ever seen.

The first clock that really caught my attention as I wandered about was this very impressive looking timepiece by Gedden's Clocks & Watches called Modern Timepiece. Not only was it a marvelous modern affair, but it recalled more art deco lines and made one feel nostalgic for a time that's never really existed.

As I was passing by the balconey on the second floor of the museum, I kept camming from clock to clock. Being a big fan of Steampunk creations, obviously seeing the powering mechanism for a clock is a favorite pasttime. That's why this little clock, "Water Wheel Clock" by Abune Clocks & Lamps caught my eye. Not only is the mechanism visible, but I adored the lighter metallic coloring.

The next set of clocks to catch my eye.. well, were really hard to miss. Tucked in a corner on the first floor, another marvelous steampunky feeling clock, Factor Steam Clock by Beezle Warburton, is flanked by a more traditional clock, Black Forest Cuckoo-Waltz by Avalon clocks. And unable to miss it, this large eyecatching clock, PL Magic LED by Perpetually Looney, is a delight to watch change time.

Near the front door of the museum, on the wall are two clocks that really don't need to be missed. I have nostalgic (if not slightly creeped out) memories of those kit kat clocks with their wagging tails and constantly moving eyes. Clock R Us's "Kit Kat Clock" pretty much nails it on the head with their version. I stood for probably 10 minutes just watching it.

"Verbatim Premium" by Chronolabs made me laugh because of it's innovative use of sign boards. I always wanted one of those growing up, and now I can have one.. That tells time even.

As I moved out of the building (I happened to run into Selador as I was browsing the timepieces.. he informed me there was more out in the garden), the first clock I noticed along the path was my own "Hickory Dickory Dock". I have it out at my store, and it still makes me smile to see both mice caught.

As you wander along the paths, up the side of a hill, is a large clockface that is really eyecatching. "Clock Bell Tower" by Wunderbar Antiques is, by it's very existance, a LARGE clock. I didn't get to hear it chime, but I felt dwarfed by it as I stood there, looking up at it's large face.

As you wander up to another little structure, just a little hut along the path, there is an odd sculpture on the foundation. I thought it was a sculpture.. until I got closer and realized it was an astounding animated clock. "Large Ahnonay Clock" by Filbert Holmer, really caught my attention and I'm not even sure if it's part of the museum, but it's certainly worth seeing.

Lastly on my afternoon of a chronomentrophiliac's delight, I came across a lovely little hedge maze that lead to a beautiful gazebo with clocks inset into the four directions. 1PrimThings' "Clock Tower Gazebo" set off the centerpiece to the garden, and was a wonderful place to sit down, catch my breath and contemplate the passage of time as the sun set.

Thanks again to Selador Cellardoor for letting me know about the museum and for putting this project together.

Up, Up and Away

Ever since man has looked toward the heavens, he's dreamed of being amongst the clouds. Our dreams are there.. our imaginations.. our gods.. Even now, with jet and propellor propelled vehicle transportation (fancy shmancy for airplanes), we still dream of unfettered access to the heavens. Feeling the wind on our faces, seeing with unrestricted access, the world below. Romantics have often used this analogy in terms of endearment, whether it be for close friends or lovers entanglements; giving our hearts wing, our eyes to the stars, our souls to the heavens.

Since 1783, when the Montgolfier brothers (Joseph Michel and Jacques-Etienne) successfully managed to fly a manned balloon 80 feet (tethered.. that was as long as the tether was), hot air balloons have captured our imaginations. Even though the technology might be considered outdated, people have enthusiastically and passionately still pursued it (as evidenced by Per Lindstrand and Richard Branson setting world records with their trans-Pacific flight in 1991).

My imagination is no different. I dream of the smell of the air so high, the creak of a basket as it shifts; It seems to me to be terribly exciting to see the world from that perspective, having no barrier between myself and the wind. And I cannot imagine not wanting to share that with someone I care about.

With that in mind, I've created a very special couple's vehicle for Second Life. Now, I'm not the best vehicle creator, so it's taken me some time to release this special object, just simply because I wanted to do it right. I started with a simple balloon shape, made a frame.. and made it in the colors I find the most pleasing. Beautiful shaded ivory tones and a copper metal basket.. with copper highlights. As I was showing it to my cousin, Kembri.. she mentioned it would look lovely with a more colorful balloon. I stepped back and thought about it, so I decided to give it some different options. Then I thought, well, not everybody loves copper and brass the way I do, so I gave it the options for two wicker baskets. This gives the owner the option to customize the balloon up to 15 combinations.



As I pondered what kind of animations to make for it, I had a fair idea of what I wanted. I wanted a personal, intimate vehicle. Something two friends could feel like they were sharing secrets in.. something you could float on the wind and idly chat as you looked over the landscape. So, I made two custom set of synched animations (4 animations) for just.. friends. I also wanted some very intimate animations, so I made a kiss.. just a standing kiss, that seemed very sweet. In case the two passengers are more than friends, this vehicle carries 3 "cuddle" positions. These positions are adjustable, as every avatar is completely different.



Lastly, I've experimented with so many different vehicle engines. There are balloons that go quickly, bank, fly by at the speed of an airship. This is a hot air balloon. I wanted it to feel like a hot air balloon. You have control over the up and down.. and some moderate control over turning the balloon and moving in a direction (and this was done deliberately) but nothing is fast. No movement is that of propulsion. When you rise, a burner with a flame kicks on at the base of the bladder.. when you stop rising, it kicks off. I've even given you a "drift" option, so.. you can rise above the city, or the sea.. and just drift, while conversing or.. sharing an intimate moment.




And should someone want to tag along, there is a sit option for a 3rd passenger: Hanging off the side of the balloon by one hand. Chuckles Can be purchased at XstreetSL for $500.00L.

Special thanks to Elfod Nemeth for the .. generous use of his avatar for the photos.

Tick Tock, The Mice Went Up the Clock

When I was a child.. I had a fascination with my grandfather and his cuckoo clock. It wasn't terribly fancy, but you had to pull the chains to pull the weights back up, and the bird would quickly spring out and cuckoo. When he died, no kidding, so did his clock. My parents left it hanging on the wall, though it no longer kept time.
This started a lifetime love of clocks and a fascination with the more eclectic versions. Somewhere in my mind, that cuckoo clock became imbued with my grandfather's spirit.. thusly to me, ALL clocks have a bit of that, Whether it be their owners, the creators, or just Father Time himself.

It's a dream of mine to actually own a grandfather clock. As heirloom pieces and specialized clocks, they can be rather expensive, but I do love them and just the feeling they cast on a house. There are many myths and legends surrounding them.. including the one where they gained their name:

Previous to the 1870's, they were known as Floor Clocks. During the 19th century, two brothers named Jenkins worked as managers at the George Hotel in Piercebridge, County Durham, England. One of the brothers died and, according to the story told to Henry Clay Work in 1875, the clock (made by James Thompson) began to lose time. Repair attempts were made by the hotel staff and local clockmakers, but failed. When the other brother died at the age of 90, the clock broke down altogether, and was never repaired in remembrance of the brothers.

H. C. Work decided to write a song about the story of this clock in 1876, which he called My Grandfather's Clock. The song became popular, and it is from this song that the current usage derives.
-Wikipedia

They're also heavily noted in many nostalgic short stories, many whimiscal tales, and horror stories. (I'll cite the example of the huge clock in "The Last Unicorn" because that's what immediately comes to mind.

I wanted to make a Grandfather Clock, and really wanted to emulate the cabinet maker, Jake Cress (he's an artist, he truly truly is). Hopefully my Grandfather Clock outwardly shows that "spirit" that I see in all clocks.

Hickory Dickory Dock
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck one and down he ran
Hickory Dickory Dock

Getting tired of mice continually running up him, this Grandfather Clock has "caught" these two unlucky mice. With his merry winking face, the sculpted hands keep the time to whatever timezone you wish.. and chimes "Hickory Dickory Dock".
I took special care with this item. Each bit is custom sculpted and textured by me. These are my own sounds, and I really wanted to give you a story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it.

Because this item is so specialized, it is available as copy only, and may be purchased off Xstreet: CFF - Grandfather Clock - Hickory Dickory Dock for $750.00 Lindens.

A Summery Edition

A few weeks ago, I was perusing pictures of the Winchester Mansion out in California. This eclectic house was built by Sarah Winchester who, for her own reasons, kept the house in a constant state of construction. She believed that ghosts of the people killed by the firearms created by her family roamed the house. Thus, it's become a tourist stop (I'd love to go there), a place of peculiar interest, and a semi-mecca for people who have a love of the occult. The house has stairs leading nowhere, doors that open to nothing, rooms askew.. it's an architectural oddity. And in the midst of these pictures of spider webs in stained glass, stairs being where they have no business being, etc.. I saw pictures of the greenhouse attached to the mansion.

Every victorian mansion had one, either attached to the main house or stand alone.. but they had one. In comparison to the rest of the house, the Greenhouse looked.. normal. I sat back, and thought.. something should be different. It's so, bright.. and normal looking.

So, I set out to create the greenhouse that in my mind's eye, should have been the Winchester greenhouse. It's solid looking, highly detailed.. and was created to be the focal point of a build.
Everything from the baked shadows on the floor to the door creaking open and closed is designed to give a feeling of ambiance. As you walk up the stained concrete steps, a broken hasp lies on the stoop, part of the broken lock still hanging next to the door. Vines, breaking free from the crates that brought them, have taken over a full end of the greenhouse (custom plants, designed by me)while a planter of vines sits further in. Unused trellises are leaned up against the glass and a work table is set with bags of potting soil left on the shelf below. Strange and unusual diagrams and drawings are scattered about the table where a gramophone/victrola and a potted plant sit. Touch the gramophone, it cranks.. then you hear the hiss of the wax record before Chopin's Waltz in A minor begins. A few steps toward the fountain.. and the door slams shut. The fountain sits at the very back in a round brick centerpiece, the whole greenhouse drawing you toward it. It bubbles serenely along as you sit at the edge of the cistern and dabble your fingers in the water.

This piece is primmy.. but I really wanted to give it the detail it had in my mind's eye. The individual objects may be removed.. but it's to be taken as a whole. It's not the Winchester Greenhouse.. but it is, to my mind.. what should have been there.


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Addendum: Many thanks to the Primgraph for kindly mentioning CFF in their coverage of the Home Expo 2010.
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A More Refined Sofa...

Queen Anne Legs.. Queen Anne Legs.. Gah, why is everything in victoriana so... Frilly?

Simple curved lines.. elegant upholsteries.. decadent simplicity is where I started with this new collection of furniture, The Provencial. To me, the victorian era (ergo the steampunk era) was not just the drawing rooms of london. Believe me, there were other countries and other cultures trying to keep up with the Joneses. A more germanic feel appeals to me, from the heavier woods and thicker upholsteries. My style isn't a common one in Second Life.. but then.. who wants to be common?

Excerpted from Xstreet: The Provencial Collection

An elegant styling in the theme of Biedermeier, this suite is perfectly suited in the victorian parlor or the elegant modern home. To enhance your ability to personalize it, a drop down menu is accessible to allow you to change it's appearance. Five woods and thirteen fabrics give you a wide range of possibilities. Shine versus no shine and pillows that can be called to rez or derez via the menu provide just another touch of customization. The arm chairs and tables can be changed to match the sofa, or to be different for an eclectic feel. The tables have an addtional touch; A table cloth that can be rezzed should you wish a more formal feel. As with all Capalini furnishings, each bit of upholstery is embedded with a unique sitting animation. The pillows that rez are also embedded with unique sitting animations for those long conversations or just another way to express the moment.Additionally, Capalini Fine Furnishings utilizes the MLP2 opensource code to provide even more choices. Touch the sofa to be given the option for up to 18 couple cuddle / hug / kiss postures. Each animation was carefully chosen and selected based upon the highest quality and suitability for this sofa.

As an additional bonus, because I am so pleased to be presenting this set, I am including everything to make this a "room". Included are the custom made lamps (sculpted in the art deco styling popular at the turn of the century), toy, stuffed animal, carpeting, chandelier, floor lamp and table lamp.Perfect for victorian settings, steampunk settings, modern housing that wants that vintage or antique feel.