Calla - A History

Calla is a year old! We started with a sky box, a handful of styles, little funds, enough knowledge to be dangerous, and a whole lot of determination.

Calla actually began as TLC - Tigerlily Creations - in a tiny sky box in Enceladus.



The first purchase, July 6, 2006 - a hideous pair of shoes by Tigerlily Koi, mercifully purchased by Haedon Quine.

Haedon was the land owner and the creator of our build, and furnishings. I was the poor furniture maker - turned jewelry designer - turned hair stylist, ever-determined to make a go at this Second Life. We graduated from a tiny sky box, to a bigger sky box.



Haedon Quine, July 23, 2006 standing on the ramp to the dance floor.

Haedon built a dance floor off the front and we had a party planned. I can't remember now if that party ever happened. The thing I remember most about that build is it was the first time Hae returned all my stuff by accident. We learned a lot about auto-return in those days.

We quickly ran out of prim space, and with several styles, Hae decided it was time to move. We ended up buying a little plot of land in Philereme just outside the entrance of the old club, The Angry Ant. Some of you oldies might remember it.



Tigerlily Koi Aug 2, 2006 at the store in Philereme, wearing Buttercup, originally named "UGH."

We had the cutest little shop, and it was so much bigger than the sky box. We went to black, white and red patterns with zebra stripe accents. We had a whopping 25 colors and horrific ads.

It was great for a while. We were right outside a popular club. And then...the lag hit. We'd only been there a few weeks. It was mainland, with a club, lots of gigantic XXX spinning, flashing, blinging signs all around us. Those of you who remember the lag in Kappa, trust me, this was worse. People were coming, and if they stayed the requisite 15 minutes for anything to rez, they usually bought something. Either because they liked it, or because we jumped them and kept talking to them so they wouldn't leave, who knows? But at that point we realized we might get somewhere if we could just get rid of the lag.

I finally convinced Haedon to try making hair, she excelled at everything else she'd tried. There was no doubt in my mind that she'd be able to do it. After a lot of cussing (on her part) and pep talking (on my part) and working and talking it through, she had her first style. She did awesome, just like I knew she would.

The lag was killing us, we couldn't move, we couldn't work. The hunt for a new place began. I found a little plot in a quiet low-lag sim, and then fell in love with the piece on the other side that was three times the size. It had water on two sides, no sims attaching to either side, and a beautiful canal on the third side. It was huge. It was expensive, way over our budget. It was perfect. There was plenty of room to grow and expand and make lots of new things. So we took the plunge, spent more money (you should have seen me trying to explain to my husband why I had to spend real money on virtual land) and jumped in with both feet.

We weren't well established as TLC and by this point I really felt that we needed to change the name to something that reflected both of us in some way. In our ever so awesome ability of coming up with names for stuff, we brainstormed and kicked things around for a week or two, finally decided that we had to pick something before it was too late to change and Calla was born.

Haedon finished our fantastic build, complete with columns and a front overhang, glass ceiling panels and three entrances, the front with a red carpet rolled out to welcome our customers.

We had a fabulous Grand Opening party on September 29, 2006, complete with DJ, flashing dance floor, a zebra striped disco ball, a "best in Calla demo" contest and a money 'sploder. We had a fabulous time, and were so excited that we had to have a Post Grand Opening party the following night.



Tigerlily Koi and Haedon Quine dancing the Charleston at the Grand Opening of Calla, September 29, 2006, in Plush Kappa.



Customers wearing "Demo" hair and dancing at the Grand Opening of Calla. The bright yellow galoshes are worn by Marleen Vaughan.



The "money 'sploder" raining on the Grand Opening attendees.



Tigerlily Koi wearing a "Pink Rose" demo and dancing like a fool.



Haedon Quine playing air guitar and wearing a "Barberry" demo.


We kept making hair, we spent Saturday mornings on the couch with coffee talking to customers as they came in. We'd sit and go through the painfully long process of coloring hair by hand. Eventually, our walls got more full and we needed more room. Haedon rebuilt the store.



Unknown noob boy desperately trying to pick up an obviously uninterested Haedon Quine in the newly rebuilt Calla, circa November, 2006.


The classified ad image used after the new build was completed.

We had fabulous wood floors, gigantic walls (that eventually got us into some trouble) with plenty of space. The Plush sims grew up around us. Our two sides that previously looked out into the open seas were now bordered by the back of a mall and another sim that was in development. The lag kept getting worse, we kept filling up those huge walls, we gained more customers, the lag was near impossible to deal with. We knew we had to move out, not only for our own benefit, but for our customer's. To an island.

That was scary. I think I asked Hae about 50 times if we really needed to do it. She was right. She usually is.



Haedon Quine and Tigerlily Koi enjoying the serenity of their new home, Callatropia, February 1, 2007.



Haedon welcoming the first unsuspecting visitor to Callatropia.

And now, Callatropia is our home and I wouldn't trade it for anything. The island is beautiful, with little coves and nooks to relax in, or dance with your sweetheart in, or just sit and meditate.



Calla's new build on Callatropia, prior to moving in.

I look around at all we've done, at how far we've come. When looking at it now, it's hard to believe we started out in a sky box with just a few things. Our hard work and determination, and our ability to work together through it all has been the key. I am proud of what we've accomplished in the last year. I'm so proud of Haedon, for so many reasons. I'm grateful to her for seeing the potential we had and for continuing to give me that little shove (or big kick in the rear) when I need it. I'm thankful for her support, her understanding, and her insistence on perfection that pushes me to be better. I love my job. My business partner is my best friend and my rock - the single person I know I can count on no matter what happens. It doesn't get much better, and I am so blessed. (Sorry, Hae, I tried not to get teary and emotional, that obviously didn't work.)

We love our customers, "our girls" are among the best people I've had the pleasure to meet. I speak for myself and Haedon when I say that we truly appreciate all the support, the advice, the criticism, the suggestions and the friendships that all of you have brought into our lives. You help us make Calla a better place. This weekend's for you!