@Kesminlix Thank you so much, the house looks great and is exactly what I need in my current save. It will definitely fit right into the neighborhood. I can already tell my Loves the Outdoors sims will love living there. Now I just have to decide who among them get the honor. The gender-neutral colors in the kids' bedrooms are also a nice touch; that's how I decorate most of my sims' houses too.
I'll download it and take a closer look (and some screenshots) when I have the chance to load my game in a couple hours. I can already see the pink flamingo in the screenshot though. It's a cute little dash of character.
You really don't need to apologize for posting today instead of yesterday, at least not from my perspective. 24 hours ago, I was so frazzled from wrestling with my own gift that I needed a break anyway, and I'm sure I'll enjoy unwrapping my gift even more today than I would have yesterday. So it worked out perfectly well on my end.
@MiaSkywalker
Aww they all look great! and love their bios, love that you included
Dustin, he's one of my favorites, I'm missing a few store items, but that's okay
my game replaced them with similar items.=)
Edit: OMG! you included the song grim grinning ghost! that's my cryptonite lol
Just for everyone's enjoyment, muppets made a haunted mansion movie
one of the songs includes some of the graves that are at the haunted mansion disneyland
Perfect song to fit Mia's graveyard!
I finally, finally, had the time to download my gift and take a good look in-game (it's been one of those days), and I want to say thank you again @Kesminlix for the lovely gift. I really appreciate how you took the time to incorporate everything I was looking for and made it work in Dragon Valley too. The house and yard are so versatile, I think I could put just about any combination of sims in it and they'd all have space to develop their separate interests. I also like how it's not overly expensive—while not a starter home, it's something my sim parents could afford to buy when it's time for one of their kids to move out. I never use money cheats for sims I play; they have to earn everything they get, including housing.
I have a few kids that are about to age up to young adult and partner up, so I haven't decided who's moving in yet. I've been playing rotationally, and my town had a bit of a baby boom, so there are plenty of candidates.
And you're right, this is the first time I've ever participated in a gift exchange. I almost didn't, I mean I went back and forth for days and posted a buddy letter about an hour before the deadline. But I'm very glad I joined: it's a lot more fun to participate than to watch from the sidelines.
Thank you to everyone for the positive feedback. I was actually pretty nervous about how my gift would be received, but you all made me feel so good about the process and my contribution. It's very much appreciated.
I've just caught up on recs and downloads on the Exchange, and I'll be checking out everyone's gifts while I still have all my packs and store stuff installed. I'm thinking I'll add some of them to my current limited-content save too, even with the missing items, because they're just so pretty and it makes me happy to look at them.
@ADWilson Have you come across thejigsawpuzzles.com ? I've used it on occasion while sort of paying attention to other things or people. (On Zoom, no one can see your screen, thank goodness.) What I like about it, aside from the fact that it's free, is that I can choose not only the puzzle but the number of pieces and the style of cut. It's certainly not the same as handling a physical puzzle, but the pieces do give a satisfying thwack when connected, so that's something.
Better late than never, I hope. @MiaSkywalker , your second gift is my first attempt at building a Victorian. I know there are many different styles, and I think I managed to capture the essence of none of them, but it was still fun to try.
In what I like to imagine is true oversized-Victorian-house-owner fashion, the house has three formal living rooms and one tiny guest bedroom in case someone gets stuck hosting the in-laws. The bedroom could be converted to a child's room easily enough. I also left a little empty space so that the sims living there would have room to add their own stuff.
What I said about learning new stuff about the game applies more to the other thing, which you'll see tomorrow, or later today, or whatever day it is once I pass out and wake up again.
@Kesminlix Dragon's Roost is a gorgeous build with plenty of things to keep a family with kids happy. This home will fit perfectly into Dragon Valley or any other rural world Love the use of the flamingo as your signature
@MiaSkywalker here goes another WOW! You must have spent ages creating that many sims, turning them into the appropriate ghosts and thinking about and writing all those bios. It's pretty incredible really!!! I'm sure we will all have fun adding them to our games and seeing them float about
@puzzlezaddict your renovated Victorian looks very grand indeed! Can't believe this is your first attempt at creating this style. The interior is very elegant. Love the spacious bathroom and the four poster bedroom. I will have lots of fun checking it out in game
Your Victorian is elegant! Great furnishing choices as well as color palette definitely give this the feel of having been around for generations to cherish. I especially like the sunroom located off the kitchen, easy to imagine curling up there with a good book.
@puzzlezaddict:
That's your first time making a Victorian? Wow, you did a great job! You even used one of the rugs from Grandpa's Grove - I love those! (I was sad not to be able to use them in my own build - they're the perfect size/shape for under a four-person table - because GM unfortunately doesn't own that store set; I wish I could gift her that set, but I've gifted away the last simpoints I had in my profile years ago.)
Looking over your pictures, I couldn't help smiling. I love the details; it's a combination of homey and elegant, and I love it. The alchemy and crystal ball stations make it perfect for a witch, and I love playing witches.
I adore the Edwardian Expressions windows that you used, although I almost never think of using them myself, for some reason. There are a lot of things you've used in that build that I love using myself; some of the wallpapers, decos, flooring, and rugs that you used are among my favorites.
Decorating for Christmas is always a good thing, at least to me.
@all:
To those who have commented on my build and Sims, thank you. I'd like to respond to everyone individually, but I've been fighting a cold for the past while (probably about a week), and I just succumbed yesterday. I'm feeling very ugh today, and probably will be for a while. I do thank everyone for the nice comments; thank you all very much.
@GraceyManor:
I forgot to mention something: All the bookshelves in the build are filled, with different kinds of books, especially in the library. One bookshelf has all the fishing books, another all the recipe books, another all the skilling books, another all the alchemy books. (Well, "all" being a relative term. I selected that option, but there were only seven or eight alchemy books in the shelf afterwards, so I don't know why the game - or else Nraas - thinks that's all of them. When I have all my mods installed, a lot more than that will populate the shelf, so I suspect it's the game.) The bookshelves in the third floor hallway all have a bunch of "general" books; they're the books that get populated when you use Nraas DebugEnabler, and tell it to fill them with "proper" books. I glanced over the inventories, and while they seem pretty similar, I think there is some randomness, so I don't think they're all exactly the same. (Although I could be wrong about that.) I think two of those bookshelves I also included skill books, but I can't swear to it.
The only upgrades I made to anything were making all the fireplaces on the third floor fireproof, and making the stove fireproof. Don't want your Sims starting fires before you can buy that fireproof homestead lifetime reward! I also upgraded the wardrobe in the Master Suite (take a trip to Narnia!), and one other item that you can't see yet. (Shhh! Not telling until you find the secrets yourself!)
Hello @Charlottekn it is time to unwrap your last gift which comes in 2 parts.
Here is gift No 4:
Cape-Ability is a small Cape Cod style home with 1 bedroom, 1 bath, eat-in kitchen and lounge with fireplace providing a comfortable living space for a single sim or couple with plenty of entertainment and skill building opportunities. It also has a BBQ area and a small garden for a few homegrown veg. Built at 551 Dogwood Street, Storybrook County.
In your Buddy letter you've mentioned that you like sims based on book or TV characters which was the inspiration for gift No 5:
Hieronymus - also known as Harry - Bosch is one of my personal favourite LAPD homicide detectives from the books of Michael Connelly. Harry has finally decided to retire and leave LA in favour of peace and quiet in the countryside but he can't help assisting the local police department as a private investigator. Will he be able to solve all the cold cases that have baffled the locals for decades?
I'm afraid creating sims to look like celebrities (in this case Titus Welliver who plays Bosch in the Amazon TV series) is not my forte however hard I try but I hope Harry can be a fun addition to your sim population nonetheless
The Cape Cod is charmingly cute and Harry is handsome! Methinks I shall have to download Storybrook County and do a close inspection of your gifts. Am sure @Charlottekn won't mind sharing
@Hidehi:
What a marvelous house! That would fit in so well in almost any world. Great details!
Heironymous looks awesome. I've never watched that series myself, but you've given him some pretty unique looks, so he'll stand out in any crowd. He definitely looks like a hard-boiled detective! (Have you ever played the private eye career? It's a hoot!)
My dearest @seaben , you have been so very thoughtful choosing and making the perfect gift for me! Love, love and love it some more
I have finally had a chance to have a closer look and I'm quite blown away as you have created such an adorable family with the Locklears and their cosy Fairy Hut is absolutely beautiful!!!
Perfect for Supernatural Island in every way!
Wood and green look fab in the lounge
Love the atmosphere in the dining room!
Scary encounters on the first night ... but what did you expect Abby? You've moved to Supernatural Island
Thank you ever so much seaben I will treasure this gift always!!
Hi @ADWilson and @MiaSkywalker
You both have been so supportive throughout every Gift Exchange that I can't really thank you enough
I don't think I've ever finished the Private Eye career but testing the build with Harry made me really want to try again. The sleuthing behind the pom-pom bushes is just hilarious
Hello @Charlottekn it is time to unwrap your last gift which comes in 2 parts.
Here is gift No 4:
Cape-Ability is a small Cape Cod style home with 1 bedroom, 1 bath, eat-in kitchen and lounge with fireplace providing a comfortable living space for a single sim or couple with plenty of entertainment and skill building opportunities. It also has a BBQ area and a small garden for a few homegrown veg. Built at 551 Dogwood Street, Storybrook County.
In your Buddy letter you've mentioned that you like sims based on book or TV characters which was the inspiration for gift No 5:
Hieronymus - also known as Harry - Bosch is one of my personal favourite LAPD homicide detectives from the books of Michael Connelly. Harry has finally decided to retire and leave LA in favour of peace and quiet in the countryside but he can't help assisting the local police department as a private investigator. Will he be able to solve all the cold cases that have baffled the locals for decades?
I'm afraid creating sims to look like celebrities (in this case Titus Welliver who plays Bosch in the Amazon TV series) is not my forte however hard I try but I hope Harry can be a fun addition to your sim population nonetheless
I love that you've gone hard on the New England thing. I love this Cape Cod and I especially love the bookcase filled bedroom (I'm a librarian IRL so, I have a few books around!). I've never read the Bosch books, but I am a mystery and noir fan. I played a Hester & William Monk playthrough back when I first got Ambitions. The PI job is so fun. I love Harry's snazzy hat, too. Thank you so much!
@Kesminlix Dragon's Roost looks like it should be in Skyrim (or Dragon Valley, of course). What a great medieval/fantasy feel and very cozy.
@MiaSkywalker All those ghosts! I can imagine them all floating around Gracey Manor (maybe doing laundry). Hopefully scaring some cowardly Sims as well.
@puzzlezaddict Your first Victorian is a really pretty one! You did a good job with it. It is a bit of a mix of styles, but that in itself was an architectural style.
@Charlottekn Thank you so much for my gifts!! (I totally forgot to say this the other day ) I can't wait to check them out in game! I've never had a ghost in my household before so I'm looking forward to all the chaos Grandpa will add to busy farm life.
@puzzlezaddict I'm glad you're enjoying your gift and I'm thrilled you decided to join us this year!
@MiaSkywalker Those ghosts and their names and their bios are so funny...Very inventive!
@puzzlezaddict That's a gorgeous victorian house, and I particularly love the stained glass windows in the bathroom. And the whole of the bathroom, in fact...
@Hidehi I love the house and Harry is great - and I'm going to have to check out Storybrook County as well...
Good morning everyone. Is it morning? I'm not entirely sure.
Thanks for the feedback, @Hidehi@ADWilson@Charlottekn and @SamelaRita . I have to admit, I had my doubts multiple times during the process of building it, but when I got stuck a couple times, I decided to do the sensible thing and ask my mom. She knows things about architecture (I absolutely do not), and she looked at some screenshots and gave me a few helpful ideas. The only downside was how often I had to explain that certain things just can't be done in Sims 3, but luckily she started to catch on.
@MiaSkywalker , I'm so glad you like it. I guessed on the furnishings a little bit, but your buddy letter gave me a great place to start, and whenever I wondered what to do next I went over it again. So you made the process a lot easier for me.
I somehow forgot to post feedback about a couple other gifts, so I'll do it now.
@Hidehi The general store is adorable and also quite useful. It feels like somewhere I've been once or twice, in the kinds of places where the rural people "come into town." I've never played Storybook County myself, but from what I've seen in other people's games, I think it will fit in beautifully.
@MiaSkywalker I'm so impressed all over again with your attention to detail, this time on the ghosts. They look and read like they were fully developed sims at one point, not just window dressing. And of course a proper centuries-old manor needs a whole collection of ghosts to haunt the current visitors.
@Hidehi Your Cape Cod home is also adorable. It feels spacious despite its small footprint, and it seems perfect for a sim like Harry Bosch. I actually think your sim looks a little more the part, from the books' perspective, than the actor does.
Here are my final gifts for @MiaSkywalker . I made a house and a sim, and a bit of a backstory, because they all seemed to work better together than separately. This is a witch's cottage:
I started to make it look like it had been abandoned for a long time but didn't want to cover the place with dead plants and the like. The inside does need a bit of work though:
More screenshots:
This particular witch left a bit of a... puzzle... for the cottage's next owner. I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out. I did run through it a couple times in its final version, and I promise it worked correctly. You'll need to pick up and put back the bookcase hidden door, but that's all. The lot has spawners, and I'm hoping the TCE set front of lot sticks so it doesn't need to be spun around at all. Oh, and no peeking in Build/Buy.
Backstory for the cottage:
The cottage had been abandoned for years, slowly decaying past the far edge of town, as the residents were starting to wonder whether anyone would come forward to claim it. It wouldn't surprise them if no one ever did. The children liked to tell each other stories about how it had once been the site of powerful magic, when they were sure they could not be overheard. The parents dismissed the lore but nevertheless kept a conspicuous distance. The teens typically scoffed at the outlandish tales, but even the most rebellious among them never seemed to have the courage to visit. Why exactly, none could quite say. Even the oldest residents, when asked outright, could only remember a sweet old lady who read the occasional fortune but otherwise kept to herself. Still, they would share their stories haltingly, in hushed tones, as if they weren't quite sure themselves anymore. The one thing everyone agreed on was that the cottage was for someone else, not for them, and they would do best to leave it be.
Her traits are Animal Lover, Eco-Friendly, Gatherer, Loves the Outdoors, and Over-Emotional. (I was going to make her a Loner, but I wasn't sure whether you were a fan of the trait, as some people aren't.) Her lifetime wish is Alchemy Artisan. I saved her with exactly enough money to buy the cottage. I know you love playing with witches, but I deliberately made her human for the backstory and the puzzle. I'm sure she'll figure it out sooner or later.
Backstory for Serena:
Serena never met her great-grandmother Willow, who died before Serena was born. So she was startled and a little unnerved to learn, once she came of age, that she had inherited Willows's cottage in the country. And she initially wasn't sure what to do about it either: to be honest, visions of rural life didn't exactly capture her imagination.
But the more she thought about it, the more the idea started to intrigue her. As the third child and only girl sandwiched between two pairs of rowdy brothers, Serena had often struggled to find her way. She'd always felt somewhat alone, disconnected and a bit out of place in a world overfull with her brothers' forceful personalities and her parents' packed social schedules. Dreams of taking off for the city had flitted through her teenage years, but to be honest, she wasn't much of a city girl: too much noise, too many towering buildings, and far too many people. Yet suburban life was so stifling sometimes she felt she could hardly breathe. There had to be a more fulfilling path… somewhere.
Her mother, on the other hand, could not be more adamant: Serena should sell the cottage without ever having set foot on the property and put it out of her mind. There's nothing and no one for you there, no good would come out of it. There's no discussion. Do the sensible thing, and you'll appreciate having a little extra money when you're starting your own family. It wasn't surprising, after all Serena's mother had always refused to talk about her own mother's side of the family; Serena didn't even know how many relatives she had. She long ago learned to stop asking questions.
Now though, Serena felt an urge to push back. Why won't you tell me anything about my great-grandmother? How do you know there's nothing for me at her cottage—my cottage? What if I want to learn about my family? Her mother's typical dismissiveness seemed to falter. Be reasonable, sweetie. You don't know the first thing about living in the country, you've never been good at making friends, you wouldn't have any idea what to do there. Get a job, learn a trade, go back to school, do something— She abruptly cut herself off. Serena couldn't help finishing the thought. "Normal"? Her mother's face was a mix of emotions Serena couldn't entirely identify; was that a hint of desperation? Why on earth would you want to be like HER?
Like her… The words had been barely a whisper, but they struck Serena with a force of a scream. Was this why her mother had never encouraged her unusual interests? Was this why she so often seemed inexplicably frustrated with her only daughter? Did she hate her own grandmother that much… or was it something else? Serena's head spun as she retreated to her room. But late that night, when the quiet had settled over the street, she put the writhing tangle of thoughts out of her mind and came to a decision. She gathered a few belongings and her meager savings. There was no need to fight, or to push her mother for more information than she was willing to give. In the morning, she would set out for the cottage and see what it had to offer her. Serena felt a flutter in her stomach as she imagined truly walking her own path for the first time. Whatever was in store for her, whether she succeeded or fell flat on her face, she would embrace the opportunity her great-grandmother had left her. She was not going back.
Oh, @puzzlezaddict, I LOVE a good story and a challenge. As soon as I finish with @SamelaRita's renovation challenge, I think your latest gift will be next on my play list, though I had another one from here lined up next. These gift exchanges always offer so many new stories to play out.
@puzzlezaddict
Oh, it sounds like you made a small tomb or hidden room in there! I love those! Yeah, I'm going to have to explore that little cottage with Serena as soon as I'm feeling better. She looks wonderful, and the home looks delightful! You do a much better job with landscaping than I do; I struggle with it. I can see all the care you took with the yard, with the pond and all the trees.
The hidden bookcases always need to be replaced, for some reason; it's a bug with them. Whenever you place a lot with them, those won't work until they're replaced. It's a known bug, so we just have to deal with it. I won't peek in build buy mode. There are a few other items like those bookcases that need replacing as soon as a build is placed, but I don't remember what all of them are. The game does have a few known bugs.
Her bio is wonderful. Such detail! I already feel like I know her, and I can't wait to play her! She's both cute and pretty, and I love her purple eyes! (Yeah, I don't feel the need for "realistic" eye colors when I'm playing the Sims. I just want them pretty!) It sounds like she's going to become a witch, so I see the future is going to be good for her, despite her mother.
Comments
I'll download it and take a closer look (and some screenshots) when I have the chance to load my game in a couple hours. I can already see the pink flamingo in the screenshot though. It's a cute little dash of character.
You really don't need to apologize for posting today instead of yesterday, at least not from my perspective. 24 hours ago, I was so frazzled from wrestling with my own gift that I needed a break anyway, and I'm sure I'll enjoy unwrapping my gift even more today than I would have yesterday. So it worked out perfectly well on my end.
Aww they all look great! and love their bios, love that you included
Dustin, he's one of my favorites, I'm missing a few store items, but that's okay
my game replaced them with similar items.=)
Edit: OMG! you included the song grim grinning ghost! that's my cryptonite lol
Just for everyone's enjoyment, muppets made a haunted mansion movie
one of the songs includes some of the graves that are at the haunted mansion disneyland
Perfect song to fit Mia's graveyard!
https://graceymanorsims3.tumblr.com/
Store Install
Unlocked Stencils
random legacy
A lot of work went into the bios and it really makes them stand out from the crowd! Well that and the fact that they're all ghosts. Great job!!
Sims 3 Blog: Have I Got A Story For You!
Sims 4 Blog: Addy Plays Sims 4
I have a few kids that are about to age up to young adult and partner up, so I haven't decided who's moving in yet. I've been playing rotationally, and my town had a bit of a baby boom, so there are plenty of candidates.
And you're right, this is the first time I've ever participated in a gift exchange. I almost didn't, I mean I went back and forth for days and posted a buddy letter about an hour before the deadline. But I'm very glad I joined: it's a lot more fun to participate than to watch from the sidelines.
I've just caught up on recs and downloads on the Exchange, and I'll be checking out everyone's gifts while I still have all my packs and store stuff installed. I'm thinking I'll add some of them to my current limited-content save too, even with the missing items, because they're just so pretty and it makes me happy to look at them.
@ADWilson Have you come across thejigsawpuzzles.com ? I've used it on occasion while sort of paying attention to other things or people. (On Zoom, no one can see your screen, thank goodness.) What I like about it, aside from the fact that it's free, is that I can choose not only the puzzle but the number of pieces and the style of cut. It's certainly not the same as handling a physical puzzle, but the pieces do give a satisfying thwack when connected, so that's something.
In what I like to imagine is true oversized-Victorian-house-owner fashion, the house has three formal living rooms and one tiny guest bedroom in case someone gets stuck hosting the in-laws. The bedroom could be converted to a child's room easily enough. I also left a little empty space so that the sims living there would have room to add their own stuff.
More screenshots:
I decorated a bit for Christmas, because why not.
What I said about learning new stuff about the game applies more to the other thing, which you'll see tomorrow, or later today, or whatever day it is once I pass out and wake up again.
@Kesminlix Dragon's Roost is a gorgeous build with plenty of things to keep a family with kids happy. This home will fit perfectly into Dragon Valley or any other rural world
@MiaSkywalker here goes another WOW! You must have spent ages creating that many sims, turning them into the appropriate ghosts and thinking about and writing all those bios. It's pretty incredible really!!! I'm sure we will all have fun adding them to our games and seeing them float about
@puzzlezaddict your renovated Victorian looks very grand indeed! Can't believe this is your first attempt at creating this style. The interior is very elegant. Love the spacious bathroom and the four poster bedroom. I will have lots of fun checking it out in game
Your Victorian is elegant! Great furnishing choices as well as color palette definitely give this the feel of having been around for generations to cherish. I especially like the sunroom located off the kitchen, easy to imagine curling up there with a good book.
Sims 3 Blog: Have I Got A Story For You!
Sims 4 Blog: Addy Plays Sims 4
That's your first time making a Victorian? Wow, you did a great job! You even used one of the rugs from Grandpa's Grove - I love those! (I was sad not to be able to use them in my own build - they're the perfect size/shape for under a four-person table - because GM unfortunately doesn't own that store set; I wish I could gift her that set, but I've gifted away the last simpoints I had in my profile years ago.)
Looking over your pictures, I couldn't help smiling. I love the details; it's a combination of homey and elegant, and I love it. The alchemy and crystal ball stations make it perfect for a witch, and I love playing witches.
I adore the Edwardian Expressions windows that you used, although I almost never think of using them myself, for some reason. There are a lot of things you've used in that build that I love using myself; some of the wallpapers, decos, flooring, and rugs that you used are among my favorites.
Decorating for Christmas is always a good thing, at least to me.
@all:
To those who have commented on my build and Sims, thank you. I'd like to respond to everyone individually, but I've been fighting a cold for the past while (probably about a week), and I just succumbed yesterday. I'm feeling very ugh today, and probably will be for a while. I do thank everyone for the nice comments; thank you all very much.
@GraceyManor:
I forgot to mention something: All the bookshelves in the build are filled, with different kinds of books, especially in the library. One bookshelf has all the fishing books, another all the recipe books, another all the skilling books, another all the alchemy books. (Well, "all" being a relative term. I selected that option, but there were only seven or eight alchemy books in the shelf afterwards, so I don't know why the game - or else Nraas - thinks that's all of them. When I have all my mods installed, a lot more than that will populate the shelf, so I suspect it's the game.) The bookshelves in the third floor hallway all have a bunch of "general" books; they're the books that get populated when you use Nraas DebugEnabler, and tell it to fill them with "proper" books. I glanced over the inventories, and while they seem pretty similar, I think there is some randomness, so I don't think they're all exactly the same. (Although I could be wrong about that.) I think two of those bookshelves I also included skill books, but I can't swear to it.
The only upgrades I made to anything were making all the fireplaces on the third floor fireproof, and making the stove fireproof. Don't want your Sims starting fires before you can buy that fireproof homestead lifetime reward! I also upgraded the wardrobe in the Master Suite (take a trip to Narnia!), and one other item that you can't see yet. (Shhh! Not telling until you find the secrets yourself!)
The only kind of garden I can grow is a virtual one.
Dragons - must haz dragons!
Hello @Charlottekn it is time to unwrap your last gift which comes in 2 parts.
Here is gift No 4:
Cape-Ability is a small Cape Cod style home with 1 bedroom, 1 bath, eat-in kitchen and lounge with fireplace providing a comfortable living space for a single sim or couple with plenty of entertainment and skill building opportunities. It also has a BBQ area and a small garden for a few homegrown veg. Built at 551 Dogwood Street, Storybrook County.
In your Buddy letter you've mentioned that you like sims based on book or TV characters which was the inspiration for gift No 5:
Hieronymus - also known as Harry - Bosch is one of my personal favourite LAPD homicide detectives from the books of Michael Connelly. Harry has finally decided to retire and leave LA in favour of peace and quiet in the countryside but he can't help assisting the local police department as a private investigator. Will he be able to solve all the cold cases that have baffled the locals for decades?
I'm afraid creating sims to look like celebrities (in this case Titus Welliver who plays Bosch in the Amazon TV series) is not my forte however hard I try
The Cape Cod is charmingly cute and Harry is handsome! Methinks I shall have to download Storybrook County and do a close inspection of your gifts. Am sure @Charlottekn won't mind sharing
Sims 3 Blog: Have I Got A Story For You!
Sims 4 Blog: Addy Plays Sims 4
What a marvelous house! That would fit in so well in almost any world. Great details!
Heironymous looks awesome. I've never watched that series myself, but you've given him some pretty unique looks, so he'll stand out in any crowd. He definitely looks like a hard-boiled detective! (Have you ever played the private eye career? It's a hoot!)
The only kind of garden I can grow is a virtual one.
Dragons - must haz dragons!
My dearest @seaben
I have finally had a chance to have a closer look and I'm quite blown away as you have created such an adorable family with the Locklears and their cosy Fairy Hut is absolutely beautiful!!!
Perfect for Supernatural Island in every way!
Wood and green look fab in the lounge
Love the atmosphere in the dining room!
Scary encounters on the first night ... but what did you expect Abby? You've moved to Supernatural Island
Thank you ever so much seaben I will treasure this gift always!!
Happy holidays and have fun simming 🤗
Hi @ADWilson and @MiaSkywalker
You both have been so supportive throughout every Gift Exchange that I can't really thank you enough
I don't think I've ever finished the Private Eye career but testing the build with Harry made me really want to try again. The sleuthing behind the pom-pom bushes is just hilarious
Store Install
Unlocked Stencils
random legacy
I love that you've gone hard on the New England thing.
@MiaSkywalker All those ghosts! I can imagine them all floating around Gracey Manor (maybe doing laundry). Hopefully scaring some cowardly Sims as well.
@puzzlezaddict Your first Victorian is a really pretty one! You did a good job with it. It is a bit of a mix of styles, but that in itself was an architectural style.
@puzzlezaddict I'm glad you're enjoying your gift and I'm thrilled you decided to join us this year!
@puzzlezaddict That's a gorgeous victorian house, and I particularly love the stained glass windows in the bathroom. And the whole of the bathroom, in fact...
@Hidehi I love the house and Harry is great - and I'm going to have to check out Storybrook County as well...
Thanks for the feedback, @Hidehi @ADWilson @Charlottekn and @SamelaRita . I have to admit, I had my doubts multiple times during the process of building it, but when I got stuck a couple times, I decided to do the sensible thing and ask my mom. She knows things about architecture (I absolutely do not), and she looked at some screenshots and gave me a few helpful ideas. The only downside was how often I had to explain that certain things just can't be done in Sims 3, but luckily she started to catch on.
@MiaSkywalker , I'm so glad you like it. I guessed on the furnishings a little bit, but your buddy letter gave me a great place to start, and whenever I wondered what to do next I went over it again. So you made the process a lot easier for me.
I somehow forgot to post feedback about a couple other gifts, so I'll do it now.
@Hidehi The general store is adorable and also quite useful. It feels like somewhere I've been once or twice, in the kinds of places where the rural people "come into town." I've never played Storybook County myself, but from what I've seen in other people's games, I think it will fit in beautifully.
@MiaSkywalker I'm so impressed all over again with your attention to detail, this time on the ghosts. They look and read like they were fully developed sims at one point, not just window dressing. And of course a proper centuries-old manor needs a whole collection of ghosts to haunt the current visitors.
@Hidehi Your Cape Cod home is also adorable. It feels spacious despite its small footprint, and it seems perfect for a sim like Harry Bosch. I actually think your sim looks a little more the part, from the books' perspective, than the actor does.
I started to make it look like it had been abandoned for a long time but didn't want to cover the place with dead plants and the like. The inside does need a bit of work though:
More screenshots:
Backstory for the cottage:
This is Serena Borough:
Her traits are Animal Lover, Eco-Friendly, Gatherer, Loves the Outdoors, and Over-Emotional. (I was going to make her a Loner, but I wasn't sure whether you were a fan of the trait, as some people aren't.) Her lifetime wish is Alchemy Artisan. I saved her with exactly enough money to buy the cottage. I know you love playing with witches, but I deliberately made her human for the backstory and the puzzle. I'm sure she'll figure it out sooner or later.
Backstory for Serena:
But the more she thought about it, the more the idea started to intrigue her. As the third child and only girl sandwiched between two pairs of rowdy brothers, Serena had often struggled to find her way. She'd always felt somewhat alone, disconnected and a bit out of place in a world overfull with her brothers' forceful personalities and her parents' packed social schedules. Dreams of taking off for the city had flitted through her teenage years, but to be honest, she wasn't much of a city girl: too much noise, too many towering buildings, and far too many people. Yet suburban life was so stifling sometimes she felt she could hardly breathe. There had to be a more fulfilling path… somewhere.
Her mother, on the other hand, could not be more adamant: Serena should sell the cottage without ever having set foot on the property and put it out of her mind. There's nothing and no one for you there, no good would come out of it. There's no discussion. Do the sensible thing, and you'll appreciate having a little extra money when you're starting your own family. It wasn't surprising, after all Serena's mother had always refused to talk about her own mother's side of the family; Serena didn't even know how many relatives she had. She long ago learned to stop asking questions.
Now though, Serena felt an urge to push back. Why won't you tell me anything about my great-grandmother? How do you know there's nothing for me at her cottage—my cottage? What if I want to learn about my family? Her mother's typical dismissiveness seemed to falter. Be reasonable, sweetie. You don't know the first thing about living in the country, you've never been good at making friends, you wouldn't have any idea what to do there. Get a job, learn a trade, go back to school, do something— She abruptly cut herself off. Serena couldn't help finishing the thought. "Normal"? Her mother's face was a mix of emotions Serena couldn't entirely identify; was that a hint of desperation? Why on earth would you want to be like HER?
Like her… The words had been barely a whisper, but they struck Serena with a force of a scream. Was this why her mother had never encouraged her unusual interests? Was this why she so often seemed inexplicably frustrated with her only daughter? Did she hate her own grandmother that much… or was it something else? Serena's head spun as she retreated to her room. But late that night, when the quiet had settled over the street, she put the writhing tangle of thoughts out of her mind and came to a decision. She gathered a few belongings and her meager savings. There was no need to fight, or to push her mother for more information than she was willing to give. In the morning, she would set out for the cottage and see what it had to offer her. Serena felt a flutter in her stomach as she imagined truly walking her own path for the first time. Whatever was in store for her, whether she succeeded or fell flat on her face, she would embrace the opportunity her great-grandmother had left her. She was not going back.
I have to say, I very much enjoyed being your buddy. Your letter gave me so many interesting ideas, the biggest challenge was reining myself in.
Store Install
Unlocked Stencils
random legacy
Oh, it sounds like you made a small tomb or hidden room in there! I love those! Yeah, I'm going to have to explore that little cottage with Serena as soon as I'm feeling better. She looks wonderful, and the home looks delightful! You do a much better job with landscaping than I do; I struggle with it. I can see all the care you took with the yard, with the pond and all the trees.
The hidden bookcases always need to be replaced, for some reason; it's a bug with them. Whenever you place a lot with them, those won't work until they're replaced. It's a known bug, so we just have to deal with it. I won't peek in build buy mode.
Her bio is wonderful. Such detail! I already feel like I know her, and I can't wait to play her! She's both cute and pretty, and I love her purple eyes! (Yeah, I don't feel the need for "realistic" eye colors when I'm playing the Sims. I just want them pretty!) It sounds like she's going to become a witch, so I see the future is going to be good for her, despite her mother.
The only kind of garden I can grow is a virtual one.
Dragons - must haz dragons!