So here’s a little preview from one of the other things I’m working on. (Those of you who frequent the Living Sims forum will have already seen some other shots of this project.)
In my mind I’m calling it the “Friends” project, even though these characters are nothing like the characters on the TV show. None of them are roommates or siblings, and they don’t live in the big city — they just happen to all live near each other in Sunset Valley, in a neighborhood full of shabby old houses and overgrown gardens. What they share with “Friends” is that they’re all single, and their lives will (I hope) become intertwined as they struggle with their careers, social lives, and place in the world.
That’s the plan, anyway. My Sims may have other ideas. :)
The first Sim I’ve created is Vanora Lance, who lives in a rundown old Gothic Victorian cottage (in the lot by the criminal warehouse where Mosquito Cove used to be).
Vanora is currently a painter (and a very bad one at that) but hopes to someday be a famous artist and inventor. She loves old stuff and new stuff equally, but since she’s poor at the moment, she can’t afford much new stuff. She’ll have to find a part-time job in order to pay the bills but still have time to work on her art. Here she is doing a little reading before bed:
Since her house is small, Vanora’s “studio” is in the living room. Even though she wants to eventually invent and sculpt as well as paint, she’ll have to save up for an inventing table and sculpting stand. Right now she just has her trusty easel.
The open suitcase on the table in the pic above is a Suitcase Victrola, created by the awesome Baufive at b5Studio. It’s my new favorite object, especially since Bau provided custom music tracks to go along with it. I love that my Sims (and I) can listen to scratchy 1920s music while I play!
The lighting in this game rocks sometimes:
That’s Vanora’s bedroom; it’s pretty bare at the moment, though she does have a bed (it’s just off-camera).
Here are some shots of the kitchen:
I started working on one of the guys last night — a musician (they’re all a bit artsy fartsy) — but I want to finish up Shanley Manor before I go any farther with this project. Who needs sleep, right? :D (Never mind that I still have all those other unfinished projects…like Ely Corners…Fran…that world I’m gonna build someday…sigh.)
Nice to see some more images of the house, I do love looking at your photos. They are a real treat for the eyes.
Thanks, LemonJelly. I feel the same way about your pics!
It is looking lush, and I. Love that you always have few projects on the go. It’s always a surprise to see which update comes next :)
Thank you, Speechless! That’s a very kind thing to say about my fickleness. ;)
Jen-
Just wanted to say that I absolutely adore you and your sims! I had googled sims legacy stories one day and it directed me to your blog, and I’ve read the Shanley legacy all the way through, and I realized that it was all the way from 2005! I checked around to see if you had any recent stuff, and to my delight, you posted today!!
Anyways, to wrap up my random babbling, I am VERY excited for this little Sims Friends remake!
~Raii~
Welcome, Raii! Thanks so much for your comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the Shanleys! They were a lot of fun. :)
I really like the idea of the Friends project (and I am a total geek for that show; I own all 10 seasons on DVD and watch it all through at least once a year) and I love how you’ve decorated Vanora’s house. And thank you for the link to that suitcase victrola set! My family actually had a victrola when I was growing up and they’re really neat (ours was a tall, kinda skinny thing). Looking forward to your next update (whatever it ends up being)! :)
Friends is a fun show; my sister has almost all of the seasons on DVD, too, and we used to watch it together when we were roommates. :) Your family had a victrola? That is so cool! I don’t even think I’ve seen one in an antique shop. I love that my Sims can have one, though! Bau’s suitcase one is neat. Hope you enjoy it!
That house looks amazing, any chance of a top view picture to see the layout?
I love how you decorated, that house really looks like it’s old and rustic, and needs a lot of renovation to bring it to the current century <3 I can't wait to see the rest of the friends and see how they start to interact with each other.
Thanks, ani! I’d be happy to take a pic of the house overview. I hope to get to that this weekend. I wish I had more time to play! I have so many ideas I want to try — I’ve been getting a lot of inspiration from your blog and Sandy’s. :)
This is truly beautiful! I love it! The walls in the bedroom–where are they from?
Hi Hannah! Thanks so much. The walls are actually EA walls — I can’t remember if they’re in the base game or from an expansion, but they’re in the “Wall Sets” category. There’s a left, middle, and right panel. I recolored them with a Paint texture to make them look worn out.
I love the interiors, Jen. They compliment the building itself perfectly. I find that soooo hard to do. I can have a nice quaint little cottage, and the interior is all glass and chrome… which makes everything in my head go wonky :/
Honestly can’t wait to see the other buildings that will compliment this one, it really is beautiful :)
Aw, thanks so much, Lily. I really admire your builds, so that means a lot! :)
hi Jen,
i love you site ive been following it since about 2008/09, and i dont really know why but ive never commented before :/ i love your house designs so much, you have real talent. Also i want to say thanks for inspiring me to make my own sims 3 site, it will never be as amazing as your but i can try :) but anyway i look forward to the rest of the ‘friends’ project, im sure it will be fantastic it looks great already :)
Hi Callum! Welcome, and thanks for commenting. :) Your site looks great; I’ll have to check it out and get caught up!
Woot! I love Vanora’s house! It has such a character! The house by itself tells a lot of stories! I can’t wait to meet the other “friends” and to visit their places! :)
I had made something similar in Sims 1, when Hot Date was released: 4 single women and 4 single men, and I was hoping to see them dating together. Well… it didn’t happen, and 8 years after, they’re still all single! *lol* (but I was even a slower player in Sims 1 than I am in Sims 22)
LOL, I remember Hot Date! How funny that they’re all still single…that might happen with my folks, too, because I intend to play them slowly!
Great house Jen I love how you decorate and build, its always so fitting for its occupant
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey! How come I didn’t get an email update that you’d been posting stuffs?? ;__; Anyhoo … I, too, am in love with the lighting in TS3. And you make it look all the better! I don’t know what it is about your pictures, jenba, but I absolutely adore them (and envy them). ;O) I’m gonna have to check in on that custom “radio” you’ve got there. :O)
P.S. Sims ADD Rocks!! ;O}
The house looks great! I agree with Ruby. Your homes always completely fit the personality of the Sim living there, it’s awesome. :D I hope your SimADD lets you play this group and blog them so the rest of us can enjoy these beautiful homes and pictures.