
<p>
In this episode, Lee sits down with Elsbeth Starling — fae-coded creator, mesh-maker, scripter, and accidental caffeine-fueled entrepreneur — to talk about what it <em>
really</em>
 takes to get accepted into Second Life’s legendary <strong>
Shop &amp; Hop</strong>
 as a relatively new business owner.</p>
<p>
At just about a year and a half into her SL journey, Elsbeth breaks down the whole process:</p>
<p>
<br>
</p>
<ul>
<li>
how she applied,</li>
<li>
what the organizers look for,</li>
<li>
and why imposter syndrome is basically the unofficial application form.</li>
</ul>
<p>
Link to the last <a href="https://www.seraphimsl.com/2025/10/03/2025-halloween-shop-hop-is-spooktacular/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">
Shop and Hop</a>
 information</p>
<p>
<br>
</p>
<p>
She shares her behind-the-scenes workflow using <a href="https://www.gimp.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">
<strong>
GIMP</strong>
</a>
<strong>
, </strong>
<a href="https://www.blender.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">
<strong>
Blender</strong>
</a>
<strong>
, and </strong>
<a href="https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/LSL_Tutorial" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">
<strong>
LSL scripting</strong>
</a>
 to turn simple mesh ideas into fully interactive creations. (Spoiler: it involves equal parts stubbornness and fairy dust.)</p>
<p>
We dive into <strong>
SLRead</strong>
, the virtual HUD-based e-reader system she and Lee created — a tool that brings the joy of real-life reading into the digital world, complete with pages, collections, and a whole lot of cozy vibes.</p>
<p>
Elsbeth also reveals her newest item premiering at Shop &amp; Hop: an <strong>
interactive story-time décor piece</strong>
 that lets ANY avatar sit down, pick one of six sweet stories, and be read to in local chat. Think “campfire storytelling,” but with lag and better fashion.</p>
<p>
We wrap up by talking through the practicals:</p>
<p>
<br>
</p>
<ul>
<li>
the cost of participating,</li>
<li>
how sales work at large SL events,</li>
<li>
the realities of being a smaller creator in a massive marketplace,</li>
<li>
and why Shop &amp; Hop can be one of the best visibility boosts for emerging designers.</li>
</ul>
<p>
If you’re an SL creator dreaming of Shop &amp; Hop — or just curious how creators bring magic into the <a href="https://secondlife.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">
metaverse</a>
 — this episode is a must-listen.</p>


