Life in Christophe Harbour

Thank you Claire! Tickled pink that you're following my simmies' shenanigans and are liking my story telling! I'm having tons of fun sharing...I'm playing in a whole different way now...paying attention to every little thing and taking waaay too many pictures!

Will have another update on Carolyn and Marco soon. I've been building a house from scratch. Something I rarely do. I prefer to download and tweak. But I needed something specific for my story-telling, and so just thought I'd build it myself. It's taking aaaaages.

I've just got the layout done. I'm thinking once I landscape, I'd upload it (unfurnished) if anyone's interested. It's a rather large lot though, 3x4. Here's the outside...freshly built, no landscaping yet (that's very important to me), and subject to change, because I'm like that. lol!

FRONT


BACK


EDIT: Thought I'd do a bit of landscaping before I hit the sack. Here's what I've got so far...

My gosh, Toni, it's just beautiful. I am so in awe of builders/landscapers/decorators - I just don't have the patience or will to do it. 3x4 isn't too bad, it's a large medium but not so big that it's terribly cumbersome. You've done a great job so far and I look forward to seeing the rest of it.

And Toni and Andre! Wowza! They are really zipping their relationship right along. They are quite cute together. Now bring on the babies! What? I like blending sim genes - and I'm betting these two will have adorable babies. Is it too soon to hope for sim spawn?

Oh wow that´s a nice estate!
Big and spaceus More pics Please!




Congartulations to sims Toni, Andre looks jummy!
Or is it Andre I have to congratulate...?

Ullwera wrote:

Or is it Andre I have to congratulate...?

You got that right!

He is lovely though, isn't he?

Thank you ladies for your generous comments on my foray into the wild world of building bigger houses.

Guess what? I've got a Carolyn and Marco update (Ulli, you may notice something familiar in one of these photos). The last time we saw Marco, he was heading back to the city after a visit with his mommy....

-----

He turned on his cell as he sat in his car in front of the building where he lived.


Carolyn had sent a couple of texts. "Please call." He sent his mother a text to tell her he was home, then turned off the phone again. He took it inside, dropping it among the cushions on a sofa...


...and then climbed the stairs to his bedroom.


He stayed in bed all day the next day watching TV...


...Finally dragging himself up at dusk to take a shower. He had a dinner meeting with the producers of his new film.


"You can get through this D'Angelo," he said looking at himself in the large mirror that took up the entire length of his bathroom wall.


His face looked pinched, but in Simmiewood most young actors looked a little rough around the edges. He figured he could get away with it.

It wasn't a long meeting, the two producers (Mike and Stan) were catching a late night flight to Seattle en route to Vancouver. They seemed impressed that Marco was a serious but gracious young man and not the wild, self-absorbed type they had become resigned to having to deal with.


Marco didn't have much of an appetite, but managed though to get through soup and a salad, and felt a bit better for it, but his heart was aching dully.


He couldn't wait to get out of the city, and as he stood with them outside waiting for their driver he asked if they'd mind if he joined them a bit sooner in Vancouver.

"Sure, sure!" Stan said, slapping his back. "Good to see some enthusiasm from our star," he said grinning.


Marco forced a smile, praying his acting ability would pass it off as genuine. They agreed he would come up in a few days instead of at the end of the month, and they shook hands and bid him farewell. Marco handed his keys to the valet, and as he waited for him to bring his car around, he glanced idly at the taxi that had pulled up at the French Bistro next door.

Out stepped Kyle Harrelson, who turned as someone else stepped from the cab. It was Carolyn. She was facing away from where Marco stood, less than twenty feet away.


Kyle smiled at her lovingly and brushed her cheek, and as Marco watched unobserved, he leaned forward


...And kissed her...


...kissed the same mouth that had explored his so fiercely less than forty eight hours ago.

Marco felt like the breath was knocked out of him, and he turned away, and headed to the parking lot, where he flagged down the valet.


"I'll take it from here," he said, handing the man an outrageous tip and swapped places with him.


He pulled onto the street and drove away from the Bistro.


"I love him." His mother's words ricocheted in his head.

Oh wow. Oh man. Just...jeez. I just can't believe what I just saw. I can so identify with how Marco must be feeling. I know there are two sides to every coin, and we haven't heard Carolyn's side of the story, but at the moment I'm grasping for possibilities and it certainly looks to as hurtful as it seems.

Your screenshot! Omigosh! I love that there is a couple making out on a bench right outside where Marco is sitting with the producers! You have put so much detail into each and every picture with all the little 'extras' that change it from a static shot to an action shot. It's all so real. I know how time consuming it is to call in all the extras and assign duties and wardrobes to them for a picture - I'm always blown away by how awesome your pics are. Fabulous update.

OOoooh Ari! I love that you notice all the little details!

It means so much to me, and I know that as a story-teller yourself, you're all too familiar with the wacky world of simmie pictorial production, eh?!

You rock!

Sooo.......I've been tweaking my new house lot. Here's the finished front view. I put a traveller's palm in the front roundabout. I thought it more dramatic than the papaya tree and I though its shape better mirrored that of the doors and windows (you can't see the top of the upper floor windows in the shot, but they too are arched)...

And it compliments also the curved security gate that I've added between the car port and the front door. I'm uneasy about any-old-body just being able to waltz right up to a front door unimpeded. And as you'll come to see eventually, the simmie destined to live in this lot, needs security.


Here's my new and improved pool deck


And the living room so far. I always make my walls white, until I've finished decorating, and then I decide what, if any colour/texture I should make them, based on the furniture and decorations.

Well, that's all for now...my lunch-break's over...back to work!

It's beautiful so far! I am loving the colors of the furniture. How clever to decorate first and then color walls. How did you get the pool that shape? It's such a pretty pool it looks like I could dive right in! I love the palm outside, too - very pretty!

Astral Faery wrote:

I am loving the colors of the furniture.

It's a decorative edge-shaper (all one piece) that comes in various colours. You make the pool and with the 'moveobjects on' and the 'snap-objects off' cheats you just lay it over. It doesn't block simmies. The stairs are just decorative, but I've plopped an invisible recolour of the pool ladder where they are, so simmies can still get in and out on that side.

I'm at work right now, but when I get home I'll check to see who made the pool edge shaper and post it here. One of the recolours is stone...which I think would look particularly effective in a Medieval hood like yours with an invisible pool ladder and diving board

Glad you like. I've saved a landscaped only version of the house (with the decorated pool deck) in my lot bin, so I can offer it up for future download here.

PS) Oh, and my heart is totally breaking for poor Marco. I mean, what sort of twisted mind would torture a sweet (and gorgeous) simmie like that?! :muahaha:

looking good Toni!!

That pool really looks nice!

Poor Marco..

I hope he will find some peace soon.

I don´t have the patience to do much of screenshots. I really admire you Toni for yours

Nice painting!!

Ullwera wrote:

I don´t have the patience to do much of screenshots. I really admire you Toni for yours

Thanks Ulli! I'm weird that way! lol! Even when I'm just using a newly generated neighbourhod to test a new mod or CC, I spend a view minutes fixing up and adding character to a lot...even if I'm only testing! What can I say?! My eyes need it!

Ullwera wrote:

Nice painting!!

It sure is! It's gawjus! As soon as I saw it, I knew it had to be in the home of a special simmie. I decorated his whole loft around it. Thanks for the inspiration!

I'll have a quick update on Marco tonight or in the morning...and FINALLY the quiz! Just a reminder...the first person to answer correctly, will get a link to download Marco and Carolyn!

Stay tuned.....

Ari I found the pool borders! They're by Taroo at the Tarox site. You have to go into the 'Mobel' link, and it's about half way down the page in the Garden set ie. the Garten Set. In looking for it, I also stumbled across some recolours HERE, but they're more modern and not suitable I don't think for a Medieval hood.

The originals though, include some awesome stone borders that can make a swimming pool look like a natural rock pool. Very nice indeed!



Here's an old photo of Kyle from a few summers back at his grandparents with his sister and cousins. It's the same pool border...I just changed the colour of the pool walls to a stone finish, and tah dah! Got me a nice swimming hole.



Note: The sloped pool bottom in the 2nd photo is by Stylist sim, but it's a donation set.

Weeeelllllll........not sure if anyone's following the happenings recently, but I'm going to go ahead and post anyway. And if anyone's interested...it's 'win yourself Carolyn and Marco' time!

I'm sorry Jackie is away, he's been hankering to get his hands on Carolyn!

Anyway, to today's update. We last left Marco reeling, after spotting Carolyn with Kyle...

---

He drove around town for a couple of hours and then headed back to his loft, feeling numb and cold. He listened to his voice mail.

There were two hang ups from Carolyn, a message from his agent, Vinnie, his mother, and Ciara Peters. He and Ciara had met in Italy last summer after he finished university on the set of an Indie film, and had been friends since then.

Ciara was focused on her career and enjoyed the company of good looking men, but she made no bones about the fact that Marco was particularly 'special' to her. She was in town for a couple of days. What was he doing. "Call me."

He didn't feel like leaving home, so he called and invited her over, and an hour later she was at the door with a bottle of wine in her hand, wearing high-heeled boots and a leather coat...



...And as he found out very shortly afterward, nothing else.

Okay...it's finally quiz time! The first person to answer this correctly will be sent a a link to download both Carolyn and Marco.

Here we go:

Who is Ciara Peters and when did she first make her appearance in the saga?

Oh...that's a really good question and I have no idea. I'm wondering if Jackie would know - he seems to have a pretty good memory.

Lovely chapter - it will be interesting to see what Marco does next with this morsel right in front of him. I really say I can't blame him if he goes for it, seeing things through his eyes and all. I support him whatever he decides. Marco's loft is pretty cool looking.

Also, the pools you posted pics of - those are gorgeous and I could so totally see something like that for my medieval hood. Sometimes I want a pool and I'm stuck with the maxis ones, which look sadly modern. I grabbed a bunch of other medi goodies from that site, too! Thanks! If you come across any other natural looking recolors for the pool, be sure to let me know!

Astral Faery wrote:

Oh...that's a really good question and I have no idea. I'm wondering if Jackie would know - he seems to have a pretty good memory.

And he really, really wanted to download Carolyn! lol! Well...I'll will wait for a few days, see if anyone remembers, or wants them so badly they go trawling the thread to find out!

If no one gets it right by the end of the week, I'll let you guys know who she is.

Astral Faery wrote:

it will be interesting to see what Marco does next with this morsel right in front of him. I really say I can't blame him if he goes for it, seeing things through his eyes and all. I support him whatever he decides.

Exactly! He's 24 and hurtin'...notice when she's coming into the apartment, he's thinking about Carolyn.

But Ciara is quite a morsel, isn't she?

Astral Faery wrote:

Marco's loft is pretty cool looking.

I an really proud of it.

Astral Faery wrote:

Sometimes I want a pool and I'm stuck with the maxis ones, which look sadly modern. I grabbed a bunch of other medi goodies from that site, too! Thanks! If you come across any other natural looking recolors for the pool, be sure to let me know!

Another option for Medieval-ing up a swimming pool, is my using the" moveobjects on" and "snapobjects off" cheats to cover up the edges with rocks and foliage. Just make sure you leave space for the diving board and ladder.

You can either use invisible ladders and diving boards (just search 'invisible' in build mode at MTS) or Buntah's freebie rock ladder and diving board. One of the later EPs lets you recolor pool walls, but there is a build cheat that works with the base game if you don't have that EP...BUT, as I recall it's a bit complex. I suggest just using stuff as much as possible around the edges, and the pond lilies and water reeds that come with the base game can be placed on the water (simmies swim right thorough it).

Here's a link for Marvine's pond rocks's and waterfall if you don't already have them.

And Mickyss has done some amazing plants that simmies can walk right through! Again, ideal for camouflaging modern stuff, like the edges of pools! Most of the plants are here, but click on his name and you'll find a few more.

Here's some pool magic that uses some/all of the techniques above

Oops, sorry I'm so far behind on commenting. I read, I just get too busy to take time to reply.

Your new house looks great! And so do the natural style pools. I love those and will have to try them sometime myself.

I'm going to be optimistic and hope that was a goodbye, let's still be friend's kiss between Kyle and Carolyn, but it doesn't look good does it. Even so, don't do it, Marco! You'll probably regret it.

Quote :

or wants them so badly they go trawling the thread to find out!

I was going to ask if that was allowed, because I don't think I remember. The name sounds familiar. I may have to think about it awhile or try to go back and look, if I have time. My guess is that she used to date somebody, maybe one of the guys in Kyle's band back in college. The black and white picture looks like the pool party where Kyle and Carolyn saw each other again in college. I'm just guessing, vaguely. Maybe someone else will remember better than I do.

SimEm wrote:

Your new house looks great! And so do the natural style pools. I love those and will have to try them sometime myself.

Thanks Em! I make these 'natural' swimming holes for my simmies, who I figure can't afford a pool. There're a ton of looks you can get with the rocks (which come in different colours) and plants and invisible ladder and diving board.

SimEm wrote:

I'm going to be optimistic and hope that was a goodbye, let's still be friend's kiss between Kyle and Carolyn, but it doesn't look good does it. Even so, don't do it, Marco! You'll probably regret it.

Marco doesn't have a good track record for thinking straight when Carolyn hurts him. He's so melodramatic. God bless his overly-emotional little heart!

SimEm wrote:

Quote :

or wants them so badly they go trawling the thread to find out!

I was going to ask if that was allowed, because I don't think I remember.

Of course you can. But AFTER you finish your report young lady! *points Em back to her computer*

SimEm wrote:

....maybe one of the guys in Kyle's band back in college.

You're warm...very warm.

Quote :

Of course you can. But AFTER you finish your report young lady! *points Em back to her computer*

Yes, ma'am! I think you need to point me away from the part of my computer with fun and games and towards the part with info on microbiology.

I will wait. It's due tomorrow by noon after all.

SimEm wrote:

Yes, ma'am! I think you need to point me away from the part of my computer with fun and games and towards the part with info on microbiology.

I will wait. It's due tomorrow by noon after all.

You know Missy, I noticed while you were supposed to be finishing your report you were all over this forum, posting in every thread...sharing shots of your simmies' adventures, and all manner of activity that suggested wild procrastination! I trust that somehow you miraculously managed to get it completed on time, yes?


Well...I popped in to see if anyone was ambitious enough to wade through pages and pages of story to find out who Ciara Peters was...but I guess it was a bit too much to ask!


So...I'll do the big reveal. Perhaps down the road, I'll toss out an easier quiz for that Carolyn-Marco giveaway.

Anywhooooo....Ciara, is the mother of Max's daughter Samantha.

She first showed up on his parents' doorstep back in his final year of high school, with baby in hand.


Sam was raised by Max's parents so Ciara could pursue her acting career, but she does spend time with her daughter when she's in town.


I'm rather relieved she handed her over to her grandparents, as it seems based on her topics of conversation with her seven year old daughter, she's not really cut out for this motherhood thing.

Oh yeah, I remember now. That was a good question.

LOL at the shot of Ciara discussing her interesting life with her daughter. She also has a lovely skin tone.

Quote :

You know Missy, I noticed while you were supposed to be finishing your report you were all over this forum, posting in every thread...sharing shots of your simmies' adventures, and all manner of activity that suggested wild procrastination!

Nuh uh! Nuh uh! My report was due on Tuesday and I didn't do all that posting until Wednesday, after it was turned in. not that I didn't do my share of procrastinating or that I didn't have a test and a lab practical I could have been studying for on Wednesday

That was a good question. I think we need some updates on those sim too. They sound interesing. Hopefully next time you come up with a quiz some more members (with better memories) will be able to jump in with the answer. I know Jackie's away and Jen has been really busy lately.

Tricky one Toni! I did remember Max´s baby but not the mothers name.

Give us an easier one you know my memory is good but short.

SimEm wrote:

not that I didn't do my share of procrastinating or that I didn't have a test and a lab practical I could have been studying for on Wednesday

Oh Em,' I have so been there! In my residence at uni, we used to have annual awards, and I won the 'Lifetime Achievement Award for Procrastination.'

The certificate read: "Person who has elevated to a fine art, putting off for tomorrow, what was due yesterday." I wore my title proudly!

I swear I graduated through luck and my mother's prayers!

Will have to try another 'win Carolyn and Marco' quiz soon. I was plotting that one for a long time!

So I'm here playing with a frat house at Fiesta Tech, and just took this shot of Marco's kid brother Tony because he just looked so breathtakingly handsome. *happy sigh*

Maaaan, Carlo and Maria D'Angelo make pretty boys. The girls don't look quite as pretty with the too strong chins and noses...but man those boys! Hubba, hubba!

GASP!! Hooray hooray! I'm so happy for them! And what a lovely picture!

Now bring on the cute babies Oh come on - you knew I was going to ask.

I forgot to comment on Tony. I think this about sums it up:

UGH! Toni, how do you put up with me being so behind in your thread all the time?
I humbly apologize for not being able to keep up, as always.

Ari wrote:

Touching, but so sweet how mama takes care of her boy. Even when they're grown up, sometimes they still need their mommy.
Oh, Toni! Your simmie is so beautiful in that picture where she just got promoted. I love her hair.

I was so moved by the tenderness between Marco and his mom. SIMply lovely.
And that snapshot of SimToni when she got promoted WAS stunning. I thought the same thing!

Toni and Andre make a gorgeous couple.
I love that ensemble she has on in her promotion pic, btw...very chic.
Congrats on their engagement. Talk about your whirlwind romance!

Lady A wrote:

A beautiful dog is still a dog.

Em wrote:

But Kyle . . . he's not just a dog, but a two faced dog . . . Pretty as he is, he gets no sympathy from me.

Toni wrote:

Kyle is just immature and selfish. He so doesn't deserve Carolyn!

You got that right, ladies. Well said!

Your house is SIMply gorgeous! I love it so far and all the beautiful landscaping.
How fantastic, Toni! WOW!!!
The pool area is stunning as is living area.

Lady T wrote:

I've saved a landscaped only version of the house (with the decorated pool deck) in my lot bin, so I can offer it up for future download here.

WOOHOO! YESSSSS!

Toni wrote:

It's the same pool border...I just changed the colour of the pool walls to a stone finish, and tah dah! Got me a nice swimming hole.

Awesome! Love it!

Toni wrote:

I'm sorry Jackie is away, he's been hankering to get his hands on Carolyn!

Jackie actually returned to us a couple of days ago.

My memory is absolutely horrible. The older I get, the worse it is.
I could not remember when sexy Ciara entered the picture.
The mother of Max's daughter (who was raised by Max's parents)? ... Okay, it all comes back to me now.
Too late for Jackie to join in on the guessing game, but I wonder if he wouldn't have remembered that?

Btw, I think Marco's abode is fabulous, dahling.

You have such a talent for decorating and taking such marvelous screenshots.
I always enjoy your storytelling, too.
Thank you so much for sharing Life in Christophe Harbour with us.