tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46742451187585620582024-02-19T23:56:38.201-05:00b5CThe universe seemed incomplete without one more blog. I have decided to mend that.bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-85888325588334385552019-10-10T08:40:00.002-04:002019-10-10T08:40:58.911-04:00Hallowhat?<div style="text-align: left;">
If you've followed me long enough, you probably know I <strike>hate</strike> strongly dislike holidays - like ... all of them. I joke that Ground Hog's day is my favorite holiday, but ... surprise - I find that holiday superfluous as well ... well, as superfluous as a ground hog in a hat can be. The irony of it all is that I am the one who has to design graphics for said holidays for work and have been for a number of years now. Take a look at two of my more recent favorites (2017 [Mardi Gras, Valentines, and Groundhog Day combined]and 2019 ... different companies, same schtick):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7fuSZ_jwNV4eDGRFYniuFypnc6KWX4OGyRfDYSRPE0voasDjYrsNh1Iav0yjciybpjeDDpEeIwIX-m5rfZZP6YnkQONXr-BYqmGLCiT5ON1Qg3R1-dL47vVyCT-fplVqOC2NIkkODAM/s1600/16999134_1213652638682049_5963412534851410194_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7fuSZ_jwNV4eDGRFYniuFypnc6KWX4OGyRfDYSRPE0voasDjYrsNh1Iav0yjciybpjeDDpEeIwIX-m5rfZZP6YnkQONXr-BYqmGLCiT5ON1Qg3R1-dL47vVyCT-fplVqOC2NIkkODAM/s1600/16999134_1213652638682049_5963412534851410194_n.png" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>That said, Sims4 released Realm of Magic and - while I am *sure* they released this in coincidence with the month of October - it has a bit of a halloween vibe. So in the spirit of that coincidence, I am making a tiny set of wallpapers and art to go with this <strike>expansion</strike> <strike>stuff pack</strike> <strike>addon</strike> game pack.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1xY6kWnuonFzcXHN6qpSnKJKRZ360gJ8ivgntOp7EevZLW6xGDyFu9rrCBTct1S9idJp0ifMF8d2tMw7OQ6Xvo2idz3S2nbWULzwM_bPC1aod_rQxNptHWbbWBcirzi6y-Djr1qtkps/s1600/three-versions-of-snake-image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1076" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1xY6kWnuonFzcXHN6qpSnKJKRZ360gJ8ivgntOp7EevZLW6xGDyFu9rrCBTct1S9idJp0ifMF8d2tMw7OQ6Xvo2idz3S2nbWULzwM_bPC1aod_rQxNptHWbbWBcirzi6y-Djr1qtkps/s640/three-versions-of-snake-image.png" width="640" /></a></div>
I have a new collection of ephemera relating to bats I need to coordinate into a new file, but I am bringing back an oldie/goodie from S3 - Nature in Parts ... mostly scientific diagrams.With S3 - it was easy to simply recolor the frame and matting however you want. With S4, I am forced to choose for you. This is both burden and blessing. You finally get to see how I might frame something in real life, but you're also stuck with that one look.<br />
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Recently I have been working on a set of frames that are identical in different shapes. These are intended to go on canvases, but for 'matted artwork' (we are just talking pixels here) it doesn't make sense to offer 'separates' ... so I am including some variation in the frame color choice.<br />
It's a strange collection of images with my status-quo <i>not</i>-maxis-match so I anticipate this will be a hot commodity as always. Feh.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFA7KA2IN3cZwW0xR-AFeBUAw5teN-iDGNmwQssdG_TNN2U_A5SHia_eCTNTYHHp5JyeXKoBKYhb1bbxxL2eSCFYdb9OzAlQwnHrDUTibnWhOAXcC5G9Xj_ighyMBOHPmn1tHWzVRGug/s1600/10-06-19_3-14-16%25C2%25A0PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFA7KA2IN3cZwW0xR-AFeBUAw5teN-iDGNmwQssdG_TNN2U_A5SHia_eCTNTYHHp5JyeXKoBKYhb1bbxxL2eSCFYdb9OzAlQwnHrDUTibnWhOAXcC5G9Xj_ighyMBOHPmn1tHWzVRGug/s640/10-06-19_3-14-16%25C2%25A0PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bella's Bats wallpaper</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDm8LYCCwLxa9zcsGLfxo-nz83B-wdTSS2dukMiJjWkLj7-6CLAusOAmJhG3h8mt0XoXwMPLsFn9bUkiSn623qUBZ2NKkrmu4_gJJRle5u3RLb_gncQpB7I-PCVUjtv2J_OCJ5EB3kF2A/s1600/10-06-19_3-23-53%25C2%25A0PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDm8LYCCwLxa9zcsGLfxo-nz83B-wdTSS2dukMiJjWkLj7-6CLAusOAmJhG3h8mt0XoXwMPLsFn9bUkiSn623qUBZ2NKkrmu4_gJJRle5u3RLb_gncQpB7I-PCVUjtv2J_OCJ5EB3kF2A/s640/10-06-19_3-23-53%25C2%25A0PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creature Feature wallpaper</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLo4IelNgrSJUG8X0RrOubYzIDyda1XXUiu3iYE7FfaxugnCyJmZO_fCIUxugeFRVQC7qpPBmS_MqHoGZWSKpuhEsUI8SfWlRnmkP-ZTgd5l_d8wKcCotmgK5YO_aiD6IOb9EbzK8n_LE/s1600/10-06-19_4-53-02%25C2%25A0PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLo4IelNgrSJUG8X0RrOubYzIDyda1XXUiu3iYE7FfaxugnCyJmZO_fCIUxugeFRVQC7qpPBmS_MqHoGZWSKpuhEsUI8SfWlRnmkP-ZTgd5l_d8wKcCotmgK5YO_aiD6IOb9EbzK8n_LE/s640/10-06-19_4-53-02%25C2%25A0PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunar Moth wallpaper</td></tr>
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Hoping to hop back on to this project this weekend for a Monday release.<br />
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There is also a set of vintage wallpapers that I have been working on that was inspired by the Nouveau feel of the build items in the Realm of Magic release. Originally intended to be exclusively Nouveau, but finding a good selection was difficult. A lot of other styles in there and really, I prefer diversity anyway.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKh_jifP15CX40rTfj2BrPdk8c2U0Mt5T_EVz1pmOKue_CdHQ9fgrvB5SjEcpxl3M3Mp-0MZebJQoOZCWLe-DQTcbE28Eb44uRVoVQEPQ2-vMrBr0Rz75I74mjG9FDmh9SbzLrBvR_0u8/s1600/10-06-19_3-39-39%25C2%25A0PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKh_jifP15CX40rTfj2BrPdk8c2U0Mt5T_EVz1pmOKue_CdHQ9fgrvB5SjEcpxl3M3Mp-0MZebJQoOZCWLe-DQTcbE28Eb44uRVoVQEPQ2-vMrBr0Rz75I74mjG9FDmh9SbzLrBvR_0u8/s640/10-06-19_3-39-39%25C2%25A0PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Need to set this back up - look at that outline. This paper was from a design sheet - finding the repeat and then making it seamless was a task!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPczBnRpoWbSjcD8-FGxo8OJohZ0C6MdEp4m1ZCuFa_77wthWmzF8jBIwS7x5J_DDuWZ0ORHyceVln1weXjPL5mW1XNJg36Wz1nePk6J7IP9tkMKuNdE2KcYFE8ZkcK_xH1F12Puy1Ag4/s1600/10-06-19_4-07-01%25C2%25A0PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPczBnRpoWbSjcD8-FGxo8OJohZ0C6MdEp4m1ZCuFa_77wthWmzF8jBIwS7x5J_DDuWZ0ORHyceVln1weXjPL5mW1XNJg36Wz1nePk6J7IP9tkMKuNdE2KcYFE8ZkcK_xH1F12Puy1Ag4/s640/10-06-19_4-07-01%25C2%25A0PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actual vintage wallpaper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I am going to end on a different note .... I tried to find a different platform with both Waterfall and NewTumbl
... both were not 'replacing tumblr' in a way that I liked. Both are
just getting off the ground and I felt like Waterfall was having a
personality complex while NewTumbl (a nice enough site) picked up all
those who were displaced in Tumblr's heavy handed handling of a complex
issue. A lot of people left because free speech seemed to be on attack
and many people who were just caught in the crossfire (like myself) and
were fed up. When I think of Tumblr, I think of a lot of creative types
posting/reposting interesting photography, art, memes, and videos. I did
not however consider all of the pornography that was displaced. Guess
where is all landed? NewTumbl. I am happy for all of those people who
have a new home. I was more hoping that all of the displaced simmers
were flocking there too. Nope. A mere handful - quality sites mind you -
but a mere handful.<br />
<br />
It reminded me that I started
alone (and in full control of my content/posts) and ultimately - was
happiest when I simply posted about what was happening in my life (as it
were) - sims and not-sims.I don't know about <i>you</i>, but I will enjoy the silence.bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-12282145377480533352019-01-19T22:52:00.000-05:002019-10-10T08:42:44.884-04:00Pardon the dust ... yo.<div style="text-align: left;">
It's been a while.</div>
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My absence almost directly coincided with my arrival at Tumblr. It was not my intention to just simply stop this blog, but trying to social and unique on the many avenues we call the internet - all while being predominantly anti-social - was a little too much to take on.</div>
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So ... Tumblr. What a fucking mess. It was fun while it lasted, but honestly - in its current state - I would say it is better to back away smiling and nodding with occasional hand gestures of 'farewell' and 'until we meet again' with the full intention of not returning. Butter wouldn't melt in my mouth.</div>
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As far as I can tell from online reports, Tumblr hosted child porn - the app stores drop' them like they hot ... they find Puritanism and suddenly we're all living in a dry county. Meanwhile they have plenty of hate sites, and they do have policies on these things - they simply don't enforce it. But a fleshy colored pixel is enough to be flagged for adult content. In my case it was black and white ... text that is. Very clean and very proper text. Not a single questionable word ... fuckers!</div>
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Annoying as it is, I don't want to second guess every time I try to make a post while feeling as though the company itself is endorsing Hate<span class="st">®</span> because, that, apparently, is free speech and harder to take down, but a 'woman presenting nipples' is offensive and unnatural and a simple algorithm can take that down in nanoseconds. </div>
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I'm slowing down - I don't have a lot of time for online stuff. I especially don't have a lot of time for bullshit. Even my Tumblr feed has been reduced to 50% sim posts and 50% complaints that their sim post was flagged for adult content (and 25% of that is people reblogging the now allowed post only to say the reblog was flagged).</div>
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It's going to take a spell to get back into the rhythm of writing a thoughtful post. Tumblr favored thoughts in short, pictures in excess. Overly edited pictures at that. I might take a more Tumblr approach some days. I have often had some additional side blog to post something about music I was listening to at the time or things that inspire me. I will keep Tumblr as an archive, but I'm limiting myself for the moment to this, and <a href="https://www.b-5studio.com/">b5Studio</a>. In the meantime ... I'm feeling ffffine. </div>
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="630" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kuv7pR0kLr8" width="1120"></iframe></div>
bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-7074577052447434182013-06-11T09:00:00.000-04:002019-10-08T22:26:50.863-04:00Couple of notes on the HOLD IT setPerhaps it's a silly name for a set - but these items hold things. The books hold information, the cabinets hold items, the mugs hold a drink (and a few, if bittersweet, memories). These cabinets will act like WA chests so they can hold your items too in game - nifty huh? Something with a door and a shelf would actually function (if not in animation, then in practice).<br />
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The books. The original was based on a cookbook so the standing ones are called Books to Cook. I realized upon their completion that they looked nothing like real cookbooks (well, not your run of the mill cookbooks - I have a few cookbooks that look like this in my collection) but their name remains. The ones that lay down are a little more tongue in cheek in their description and title.<br />
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These have two slots - one for the small book and one for the large - as so:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBh458u8-dXXNrh6wNkJb4nGwllHNxMnf0Ehy1IzI5v2ACxdmVdU8ISVk8A_14WQ0FCya4mKBgYoyOTpCAF98Fid_20CFQ9AzRg2Ks2oBgBRn81JsNTrXTwpx17vjg9cqedehvRDBZck/s1600/book+with+slots.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBh458u8-dXXNrh6wNkJb4nGwllHNxMnf0Ehy1IzI5v2ACxdmVdU8ISVk8A_14WQ0FCya4mKBgYoyOTpCAF98Fid_20CFQ9AzRg2Ks2oBgBRn81JsNTrXTwpx17vjg9cqedehvRDBZck/s640/book+with+slots.JPG" width="534" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">well wouldja look at that!</td></tr>
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You can thank <a href="http://jenba.net/sims2/">Jenba</a> for giving me the idea (albeit, what - a year an a half ago? It was about the time of the refrigerator). <a href="http://jenba.tumblr.com/">Jenba</a> has been a goddess - testing and being a sounding board for many of my creations and ideas. I was contemplating a 'studio' set - something like my office - at the time, and she said something along the lines of 'Oh - you know what would be cool ...' and there you go. The idea was born - I just couldn't seem to get off my lily white to get it done - until now.<br />
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What's cool about having an item with slots - you can put the first item onto a different slot and the items stacked on it move with it. It's sort of a cheat for getting the look you want without needing to use OMSP. The slot thinks it's one item - little does it know!<br />
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So - here's how you do it - you might already know this trick, but for those who don't:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHeqgUBboYpKuBm481oXLHm1MeBZCaCg_dD5kkogH1CJhCcfUiZiSGNLlMM1DqIBXHj2ME-vMuHxUJZ1tigohDzgsdkgceg_sBWPGs3S0fU-QGJf7ynPbuOiGZAozdxC9acAjKGmqWKc/s1600/how-to-place-a-book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHeqgUBboYpKuBm481oXLHm1MeBZCaCg_dD5kkogH1CJhCcfUiZiSGNLlMM1DqIBXHj2ME-vMuHxUJZ1tigohDzgsdkgceg_sBWPGs3S0fU-QGJf7ynPbuOiGZAozdxC9acAjKGmqWKc/s640/how-to-place-a-book.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Takes a very steady hand!</td></tr>
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Then - when you are ready to place the book row to the slot (counter, shelf, cabinet - whatever) - 'grab' the first book - the one you started with - and simply drag it to the slot - the whole row of books goes with it. Fancy, eh?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHbf3uGGfkcN4KyIMwo-Jr72__GY8qWUybGX9ytpwjAQ_WJy1_7iRrSVGEAj4P6TwZLxHMjz_ApSyO9X3jNlUsaX1OYSbCCAgXI_itGWLc5158w4BhEXY4hshw2mmwidCxikvUQkr8a4/s1600/book-moving.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHbf3uGGfkcN4KyIMwo-Jr72__GY8qWUybGX9ytpwjAQ_WJy1_7iRrSVGEAj4P6TwZLxHMjz_ApSyO9X3jNlUsaX1OYSbCCAgXI_itGWLc5158w4BhEXY4hshw2mmwidCxikvUQkr8a4/s640/book-moving.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woosh! Are these things magic? Amaze your friends!</td></tr>
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The book that lays on its side also has a slot so you can stack books - or put a fancy cup on top of your stack of books. Hmm - if only you had a fancy mug . . . you know . . . that also stacks. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh1NBca0fRx8tgF4pkgLP_3RqLZ-lOxx6lDZ6MYPHOkCyERScXcjXil6tz7S9a9fpVZCoKoJIkS1wn8qDhR1dkKDhAcJF5lZvg0xGgCPSPbLIzcU13uyA_Jx0j7l6C11Z8MFKsYk7KSpY/s1600/Screenshot-117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh1NBca0fRx8tgF4pkgLP_3RqLZ-lOxx6lDZ6MYPHOkCyERScXcjXil6tz7S9a9fpVZCoKoJIkS1wn8qDhR1dkKDhAcJF5lZvg0xGgCPSPbLIzcU13uyA_Jx0j7l6C11Z8MFKsYk7KSpY/s640/Screenshot-117.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So - the Jelly Cabinet. I haven't really ever told the story behind the cabinet. Someone owed me $80 and in lieu of giving me cash - they gave me what I coveted: stuff. So I brought home the ugly painted, cat urine stinking, broken glass door cabinet and stripped the paint. It appears to have been painted with a casein paint - or milk paint - that is almost impossible to remove . . . but who cares? It's stunning as is. Upon seeing it, my mum said that she could picture it painted a particular way, but she agreed that this was the proper finish for it - raw. I took it to someone to repair (the legs seemed to have been kicked out from under it at one point) and he dated it to 1800. Said the legs were from an early icebox probably around 1921. He said that it would be significantly nicer if the legs were removed. I said: no way. I left it with him to repair and (seriously) a year later I still didn't have my cabinet back. Upon arriving at his workshop, I notice that he was using it as his tool chest. [block your ears here if you are easily offended] Mutherfucker! [okay, cursing has stopped] My father said he'd try fixing it and then proceeded to do that same thing (but I wasn't paying him). The cabinet is in its original condition - sans the paint (and stinky cat pee) and I wouldn't change a thing today. I love it. It sits in my dining room.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKCMwueHNs-AemZA2ynSLk-ENZ9njkex6fy-XyFNr1vRyva8ZEpHgUcg601fhbEEj5SXAdi_YGwL0pRuyFW-anAQ14u_67v-tYRXNlNLx4qC5NGVRQcynVGPQ4tN_MeNqC_p8Wehv_tY/s1600/dining+room+cabinet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKCMwueHNs-AemZA2ynSLk-ENZ9njkex6fy-XyFNr1vRyva8ZEpHgUcg601fhbEEj5SXAdi_YGwL0pRuyFW-anAQ14u_67v-tYRXNlNLx4qC5NGVRQcynVGPQ4tN_MeNqC_p8Wehv_tY/s640/dining+room+cabinet.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You might recognize that tan chair and that dress form too . . . </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRm-Fffblnb6tOV5TLCKKU9huuwA6YpF5HBsxGv5-UbEyiBKdytQ2RD6y2Dgwvtjgofg1h1h26lJIYfCQdBHGLf3_VjcNp3i0M4ShsVmejDL4soT3GCPcwL4qeMMNqb1HbduT1bWBmPsI/s1600/cabinet+detail+rl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRm-Fffblnb6tOV5TLCKKU9huuwA6YpF5HBsxGv5-UbEyiBKdytQ2RD6y2Dgwvtjgofg1h1h26lJIYfCQdBHGLf3_VjcNp3i0M4ShsVmejDL4soT3GCPcwL4qeMMNqb1HbduT1bWBmPsI/s640/cabinet+detail+rl.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the crazy things I have collected (and kept) - I have a 'thing' for creepy cute.</td></tr>
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This is close to the real one. Minor changes to keep a visual balance and to keep the polys down (the hinges are different for instance). Each shelf has 9 slots. The entire piece has 47 slots - including 3 underneath (every time I went to put something under it - the item would jump to a slot on the shelf above) to help with your every need.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RcvscVho7RHrGdj5lDCdg_ngeyyNHcOWgRopWphyFhulF72BoFpAVJmEXxf3lcQrUzYL8rLHz-bALieEPWry8HwrBn3lRxRmOfkI8in9sC0Jnz-40MP_FnDNcOS6IwQIgFCNpTAmVYQ/s1600/under+the+cabinet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RcvscVho7RHrGdj5lDCdg_ngeyyNHcOWgRopWphyFhulF72BoFpAVJmEXxf3lcQrUzYL8rLHz-bALieEPWry8HwrBn3lRxRmOfkI8in9sC0Jnz-40MP_FnDNcOS6IwQIgFCNpTAmVYQ/s640/under+the+cabinet.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">best place to keep a radio - three of them in fact</td></tr>
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You'll notice that the back has minor gaps and that is intentional. I wanted this to be as close to the original as I could - so gaps were included between the boards. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLxB-zdFZILR2TpI989-63CQs7MrzefSXWZaOzTUY9SPJouH0Kub1o50YLDvAs96x_dpcRZJpKW59PvYIRxpq_QqUCL3cdBCyP1i5NTGrFeakmlJyMFRo_ItdV26FCofWdBl3ScvvmQc/s1600/jelly+cabinet2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLxB-zdFZILR2TpI989-63CQs7MrzefSXWZaOzTUY9SPJouH0Kub1o50YLDvAs96x_dpcRZJpKW59PvYIRxpq_QqUCL3cdBCyP1i5NTGrFeakmlJyMFRo_ItdV26FCofWdBl3ScvvmQc/s640/jelly+cabinet2.JPG" width="524" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In workshop</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWf0Plt901diIYN0z3CT_MovsM-jZwX1ik_Dq3SWc-KPv0Eedk5p-OX_4nET_3je6jyoj36iEnqf2BUC0-bjWRjjbrhWbAfaBjHDsWsqeHyXcUxI2W-esk05Drbei54NBkLuwQd7eL1U/s1600/Screenshot-122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWf0Plt901diIYN0z3CT_MovsM-jZwX1ik_Dq3SWc-KPv0Eedk5p-OX_4nET_3je6jyoj36iEnqf2BUC0-bjWRjjbrhWbAfaBjHDsWsqeHyXcUxI2W-esk05Drbei54NBkLuwQd7eL1U/s640/Screenshot-122.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In game</td></tr>
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Hope you enjoy this set as much as I enjoyed pulling it together. I am in the middle of another project at the moment. Some feedback on one item already has me scratching my head, but no worries . . . no no, you don't worry your pretty little face. Let me get grey for you.<br />
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xxoobauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-22560899821695870652013-06-02T09:04:00.000-04:002019-10-08T22:26:36.067-04:00A cup a cupp a cuppa cup a cup.While I might not be singing '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I3_suZ4h2U">The Java Jive</a>' I was doing a little jive revisiting the metlox mug I released in <i>2010</i>. While there was nothing 'wrong' with it - it always bothered me that I needed to release a stacked version of it when it should just stack on its own.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqaxlfmlyLdm_ZacnYNoGlfwwD326Bq9eN_4LAhxxpyz2bQvLADFwDbHbk2LhtmqDeW03a-ZjWU9xDyjngw7NmhXOfU7hipoAPb2e3aRRqrLe_Koh2or38peeR42mnaAPRjcZPBAMXGw/s1600/metlox+revisited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqaxlfmlyLdm_ZacnYNoGlfwwD326Bq9eN_4LAhxxpyz2bQvLADFwDbHbk2LhtmqDeW03a-ZjWU9xDyjngw7NmhXOfU7hipoAPb2e3aRRqrLe_Koh2or38peeR42mnaAPRjcZPBAMXGw/s640/metlox+revisited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>fig</i> 1/1a & <i>fig</i> 2 - 2010 vs 2013</td></tr>
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When doing a kitchen anything, I am always forced to remember the items that came before it. I like this item well enough, but it was never properly smoothed. You wouldn't know it - it looked good in game - but it always sort of bothered me that it's something I use in my own game a lot and it wasn't at it's best.<br />
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Revisiting an item one finds some curious things. This thing was over <i>800 polys </i>(pushing 900). Good christ I say.<br />
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The new version is 400ish poly count. It has been slightly altered to look even more like the real thing as well - the poly trim is from the interior (the interior had as many polys as the exterior). That's just crazy . . . man. Then of course, smoothing and welding helps with the look and the seams. This also has a slot so it stacks properly. Sometimes you want random stacks at varying heights. Okay - let me rephrase that . . . sometimes <i>I</i> want varying stacks . . . . It was something that I would have originally tackled had I known how to
do it, but I think at the time it was not really possible.<br />
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Where this is a 2.0 I didn't want to just 'redo' it and walk away. The original had 12 of the original pottery colors. In real life the white was in both gloss and satin. The original is still fine - you don't even really need to remove it if you don't feel like it (read - I can't be bothered to remove it from my own game [even though I don't even have all of my own items {talk about getting bored over time looking at your own stuff}]). Anyway - the new version has only four (what I will call 'Fantasy') colors that don't exist in real life. Some company should re-issue these things - they are so comfortable in ones hand I can't even tell you. <br />
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One more item to look at doing today . . . have a few errands to run, but posting a random image without explaining it just seems . . . . unlike me and my compulsive need to notate. Then photos. Lordy I hate taking photos. bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-15615537587802596792013-05-31T08:36:00.000-04:002019-10-08T22:25:28.333-04:00I wave the white flag.Apparently, texture on glass and I will not come to an agreement. Therefore, I concede. I wave my white flag, constructed with the handkerchief that I used to wipe my furrowed brow and dry my ever so bitter tears while giving it a gesture that only you and I know means 'effffffyooooooouuuuu' in some foreign land (meaning: not 'Ah-mer-KA' as my neighbor would say [while looking out 'him's win-ders' at his 'tah-may-ter' plants.] Bless his hillbilly heart.).<br />
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MEH.<br />
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So ... the glass - she is an ornery thing. While I love tinkering with the settings and am often pleased with the results - this was something I simply could no longer beat my head against the wall this thing would sit on in game. May I present the last version (unless some kind soul out there cares to offer their assistance on this matter: glow and texture [hint hint {beggin' here}]) of this wall light:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWken4Q0zTHTetDmttlTHDzKzBqeD7YqWjjlpvaNjts4z_vbKHqrUkg2h8enNYI0RRkfKt4XQmtwZHRrAxSgkwfEK-5ZXzqo2DWDR5HBD7Y_kpHgEMbi0ttuJM3mfVDU40Yni0CysQ8I/s1600/Screenshot-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWken4Q0zTHTetDmttlTHDzKzBqeD7YqWjjlpvaNjts4z_vbKHqrUkg2h8enNYI0RRkfKt4XQmtwZHRrAxSgkwfEK-5ZXzqo2DWDR5HBD7Y_kpHgEMbi0ttuJM3mfVDU40Yni0CysQ8I/s640/Screenshot-6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I heart you, you bastard</td></tr>
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The <i>real one</i> will work, I tell you. (sob) It wiiiillllllllll.<br />
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Notice the lovely logo . . . the beautiful ribbed (and textureless [not bitter]) glass . . . two styles - with and without logo. The end. Don't CASt it too light in color or you'll be "blinded by the light" and revved up like a deuce methinks - whatever the hell that means. <br />
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Onto other matters. I finally got a picture of my garden that <i>looks</i> like my garden. You'll all roll your collective eyes - I just know it - but I always go to my garden and take a photo and am wildly disappointed by the shot. It's brown. Brown and sad. While I am doing dishes or yelling "end it" out the window at the dogs who bark at pollen falling I glance over and sigh a big smile at my garden - this is year 3.5/4 of working towards a better garden - aw!<br />
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Atlanta has a very early spring and some years it is short. This year has been lovely but there has been a lot of rain so the lavender has been crushed by the rain and the weight of the water trapped in the flowers. I have two smaller plants of English lavender that I am thrilled came back - it struggles here, but it's in bloom currently and the HONEY BEES came this year to enjoy the garden. WOO. Many selections I have opted for were in hopes of helping the honey bee.<br />
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This year we will be getting plants that bloom other than in spring so that the garden isn't completely depressing by August. So while this shot still isn't that impressive - so many items did their song and dance in April.<br />
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Many of you remember the tree falling and crushing my garden. Last year we extended the garden to a full third of the back yard (after fencing in an area for the dogs). We've also extended it to the area where the tree stood to reclaim that area with life.<br />
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Okay. Now I've built up this photo like it's breathtaking. It's simply how I see my garden and it's not sparse and (completely) brown.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZKIvRN1Rc-CEOn6sbz3L5eoeXplfX4EXwYOw0HIRDUN20TM2J31J2GtPrqlUc8UHoQ1JoMX9bSI0Al5zsLuGpbbJo5iPQ-x_ppf2e20xgLanNjeLEm4GPmeqFLXmfC8UKApibzJf9CU/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZKIvRN1Rc-CEOn6sbz3L5eoeXplfX4EXwYOw0HIRDUN20TM2J31J2GtPrqlUc8UHoQ1JoMX9bSI0Al5zsLuGpbbJo5iPQ-x_ppf2e20xgLanNjeLEm4GPmeqFLXmfC8UKApibzJf9CU/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only 3.5/4 years later and it's about halfway 'there' - that silver bit will be covered by mulch (top right)</td></tr>
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Okay - off to work with me. I will be tinkering this weekend and am still working on my top secret project. If I wasn't completely grey before, this project might get me there. bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-76539037953975459822013-05-27T18:21:00.000-04:002019-10-08T22:25:59.927-04:00The set that should have been (by now)It's been a bit of a wild ride these past [many] months.<br />
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2012 I found myself on a roller coaster of good news followed by equally bad news. Work, life, et cetera. Found jobs, nearly lost jobs due to lack of work. Computer woes . . . car trouble - expensive repairs followed by more troubles. Medical problems . . . dental troubles . . . a dear friend passing away. 2012, in a word, sucked.<br />
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This year seemed to start out well - new computer - that lovely interview for SF Magazine. I was even crowned . . . well, dentally speaking of course. I was even amped up to start meshing again. So what happened?<br />
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I had this really long post ready for you to read and then I basically felt like no one really cares about that sort of intense and deeply personal introspection. So, I have edited it down to the bits about the set that should have been. <br />
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A long time ago, someone requested that I fix the shadow on my flour cabinet. It blinks and I know what the error is - I thought - I need to quickly do that. <i>That</i> was the beginning of some flawed thinking. I can't do anything 'fast' - I opened the file and saw it was a mess - it's not that it would be a problem in game, but I have learned so much since making that item that I felt it needed to be smoothed correctly and mapped better. In attempting to organize the file to smooth I realized it would be easier to start from scratch. The new one is closer in style to the one that sits in my kitchen, but the original mesh has a closer handle and more preset styles to choose from. The new one has more masks for more coloring options. The second one wins by default. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnQv24yQeIg4BkBo2DbFoWdau7rPoO9OsxhS0hHY83_96yMmOOMIABWqIvNpVGFFL_cEkcsCl2AxMw0cIN8yl7rBq9Ce-vCbUGNb5wEI4BqBwZGQOCBOvtMD8le72zzPm2iOjVTc5dBE/s1600/Screenshot-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnQv24yQeIg4BkBo2DbFoWdau7rPoO9OsxhS0hHY83_96yMmOOMIABWqIvNpVGFFL_cEkcsCl2AxMw0cIN8yl7rBq9Ce-vCbUGNb5wEI4BqBwZGQOCBOvtMD8le72zzPm2iOjVTc5dBE/s640/Screenshot-23.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old style sits center - the new ones in many variations.</td></tr>
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This, I thought, would be a great start to some new kitchen pieces.<br />
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I have a tall cabinet in my studio that I look at every day and I love it. It used to sit in my kitchen but it's such a small room. The cabinet cost me all of $5 - it's metal. I would have liked to make the handle <i>exactly</i> the same - it has a spring handle sort of like a honey dip (those spiral utensils for honey?) - tha would have pushed the poly count through the roof. My thinking was that the cabinets would be like the World Adventure chests or the Supernatural Cabinet. Sadly - the SN cabinet base caused routing issues because the original has doors which must be opened by the sim to be used correctly, so WA chests it is. I was on a roll.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBn0cMXUMQvnAVn_LVtNFUntO9lR1jgL-JZyqVyTgv1jJnbd5CnwBFMiR8jUfeulEHsgh9SjriZ6s1_XecycHUB4MR17viuwIUW9hQ7dFhorefXG_IBQU7Ac29IfgECQHmWN3eOhlHRU/s1600/Screenshot-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBn0cMXUMQvnAVn_LVtNFUntO9lR1jgL-JZyqVyTgv1jJnbd5CnwBFMiR8jUfeulEHsgh9SjriZ6s1_XecycHUB4MR17viuwIUW9hQ7dFhorefXG_IBQU7Ac29IfgECQHmWN3eOhlHRU/s640/Screenshot-31.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few presets - one with heavy distressing (which looks like my own)</td></tr>
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Then things started to dip a bit. I made a washboard wall light. This is something I want to make in real life - it wouldn't be that hard. In fact - I meshed it exactly as I would make it - take the round fluorescent fixture from my kitchen and put it behind the textured glass. The glass being textured would dapple the light which is where the problem started. How to texture glass. I borrowed the texture from the shower glass, but at the moment it's not working very well. Then no matter what I do - the whole fixture glows. I chatted with Heidi about it and I thought we found a solution, but I tried it again in game and it still glows. I have no idea how to make it NOT glow. (If you know - tell me!!) So I started to lose interest a bit in the set because I spent so much time failing at the light. I felt it was probably just better to move along to something new.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KW6zSMPhC8I9Jsvo3w3YAz27GYPVruPnHVbXBtPc6jCnXCPmr29bcj2a9iYHND5heaadEm_aD0NVpasS2aKrc-Vw4oPVIpylv97nzvQpqg1NC-qrqJKOGsu1Hc4-8dxhpnyqFLfloeE/s1600/Screenshot-50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KW6zSMPhC8I9Jsvo3w3YAz27GYPVruPnHVbXBtPc6jCnXCPmr29bcj2a9iYHND5heaadEm_aD0NVpasS2aKrc-Vw4oPVIpylv97nzvQpqg1NC-qrqJKOGsu1Hc4-8dxhpnyqFLfloeE/s640/Screenshot-50.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is CASt in a dark color so you can't see the horrible glow. Notice the lack of texture too. UG.</td></tr>
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I wanted to make another mug. The mug I did in a very short amount of time - I love it and it looks just like the real one. I even made it stackable. The real mugs belonged to my friend who passed away and while this is a memorial to a dear friend, the manner in which I obtained the mugs left me with a horrible hollow feeling. It was nearly three months after his passing that I saw them in an antique store. It was a moment before I recognized them as his and when I did the math I was left instantly angry as well as grief stricken. I walked away without them at first but called the store to request that they be held for me. It's sadly one of the few things that I have to remember him by. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJnoRUjmz9AUXRy7nvVAP4LzG_N_VtHKX1O0frxUpkqBPlYNFVYwRCn05a4vNSryn0qhycuP_NyR65QidogLncSeF1tt4Hvl2nDHMD-RDsaamBaxQdXYmVIirNEofdLNNwdKeJH_bamA/s1600/stackable-mug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJnoRUjmz9AUXRy7nvVAP4LzG_N_VtHKX1O0frxUpkqBPlYNFVYwRCn05a4vNSryn0qhycuP_NyR65QidogLncSeF1tt4Hvl2nDHMD-RDsaamBaxQdXYmVIirNEofdLNNwdKeJH_bamA/s640/stackable-mug.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five preset colors - can stack . . . finally.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then I made two books. They started as cookbooks and were made to stack next to each other. Two slots - one for the skinny and one for the wider one (I need to make one that goes on its side as well). They look so cool in game, but they look nothing like a cook book though.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bcEif2PBzLDKhKZEJTtznkNmXMxeeMIa7teFeefXFcR8UqjH6DQ9-wV50PmOVs3SjQqNqYSwmD2JfW825acpvzyyRv9jTYTvJtt77yXeVkP4MgrB-Ym0umZ9PdmIsp0IgkB3D8M59O8/s1600/Screenshot-58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bcEif2PBzLDKhKZEJTtznkNmXMxeeMIa7teFeefXFcR8UqjH6DQ9-wV50PmOVs3SjQqNqYSwmD2JfW825acpvzyyRv9jTYTvJtt77yXeVkP4MgrB-Ym0umZ9PdmIsp0IgkB3D8M59O8/s640/Screenshot-58.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spines - multiple styles with one CASt capable</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNheLEOExFEXBkluYjn_YRGjbK-hiTERkXtbHB2Io4u6UYxZhXfgaSaMuBg0HIQPvt4MNqfCeEQfhA3WBu5Vj1ocb8cRpRyK3yAR6sl8lMrMbdJ1Vn4WfgjoeJYaJJmltNVkstnl_8d9o/s1600/Screenshot-59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNheLEOExFEXBkluYjn_YRGjbK-hiTERkXtbHB2Io4u6UYxZhXfgaSaMuBg0HIQPvt4MNqfCeEQfhA3WBu5Vj1ocb8cRpRyK3yAR6sl8lMrMbdJ1Vn4WfgjoeJYaJJmltNVkstnl_8d9o/s640/Screenshot-59.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pages . . . </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When I stepped back I didn't really know what else to include in a set that would be for the kitchen. I don't want to make counters (though I did find a source image that I would like to attempt at some point) but then I was fixated on the Supernatural cabinet - I wanted to make some sort of sideboard that would work to hold items. I have a number of real life chests that I wouldn't mind making for the game for additional means to hold things. In my inability to make a decision, real life was starting to take a stranglehold on me.<br />
<br />
The garden was going to need to be attended to and then my car was making especially loud exhaust noises. What I expected to be a $100 gasket or seal was going to be a $2500 repair and, oh yeah - did I know that the underside of my car was so severely rusted out? Cah-fucking-ching. New car.<br />
<br />
So - I have a couple of things that I need to do prior to making this hodge podge release, but I will let these items go soon. My expected March release turn April is going to be a June release. Real life 1, my ass 0.<br />
<br />
If you didn't know - I started a <a href="http://baufive.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a> too. Mostly to show my support for all the amazing creators (whether that is CC, Mods, or simply stunning pictures and stories) in our community by way of the 'like' button . . . yes, a small effort I know - but I want to be able to do it. I had all of a few followers until it was made known that I had a new site and suddenly I have a ton of followers. I am seriously humbled. Check it out if you want. It's nothing you haven't just seen here.<br />
<br />
I am also getting my groove back on with some of the fun challenges over at <a href="http://www.thesimsdaily.net/index.php">The Sims Daily</a>. They have challenged members to remake some of the classic homes there with a strict budget. I am wildly out of practice - I barely know what is in my now extremely limited CC collection (by comparison to what I used to have). Many members have entered and done some stunning revamps (both inside and out) - these were my three attempts:<br />
<br />
<b>Pescadero</b> - the seaside house owned by some grumpy thief of a sim. Outchago! Wendy Darling needed a new home after her many sim years as a hand model:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZ9d6m3JdrlWn-MUKssow5yd4xUwBk5ori6tJsjj4JLJgPK9apPlH2lXE2tqRw8mAmPXW50LGoEgWuB1GFkbaNuHIGLVkE8Ahlxi8rfSbncjwNHzJSBc7PbWN5Wbrol8SG9jYBa5Gx9M/s1600/Screenshot-76.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZ9d6m3JdrlWn-MUKssow5yd4xUwBk5ori6tJsjj4JLJgPK9apPlH2lXE2tqRw8mAmPXW50LGoEgWuB1GFkbaNuHIGLVkE8Ahlxi8rfSbncjwNHzJSBc7PbWN5Wbrol8SG9jYBa5Gx9M/s640/Screenshot-76.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moderne for a not so modern lady.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then there is the home of <b>Agnes</b> Crumplebottom:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5mDhjgt_OZOkEmn0_RARON0ENeMn5qNTO-0mg9Dk-K5v7Kvyfq2kERgtXQZBdQ-hAibXcoXyh0qqFueNynpy2Su81fshERo7BaQuX8Y7l18ZiMLCE39SJI2YU8To2Cs5EMIpk5sgLek/s1600/Screenshot-161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5mDhjgt_OZOkEmn0_RARON0ENeMn5qNTO-0mg9Dk-K5v7Kvyfq2kERgtXQZBdQ-hAibXcoXyh0qqFueNynpy2Su81fshERo7BaQuX8Y7l18ZiMLCE39SJI2YU8To2Cs5EMIpk5sgLek/s640/Screenshot-161.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who needs windows?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And this weekend I attempted one of the starter homes called "<b>The Monotone</b>" - I wanted to evoke an Atlanta bungalow feeling.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQxIaXLGxauf_6YovbPLofyfoMhFCTA9PJCUWDCxd-4PYgQN4en2k8101aR__dSBkH6J_6LAcIcuXa9NGJYteYULFcE2hCoFcYlWtPc73klWnAOVuZ2mE4nTi1RdxergeIill8jlXdM0/s1600/Screenshot-170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQxIaXLGxauf_6YovbPLofyfoMhFCTA9PJCUWDCxd-4PYgQN4en2k8101aR__dSBkH6J_6LAcIcuXa9NGJYteYULFcE2hCoFcYlWtPc73klWnAOVuZ2mE4nTi1RdxergeIill8jlXdM0/s640/Screenshot-170.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rustic garden included! Hope you have your tetanus shot!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Alright bubbies . . . I am off to try my hand at a very secret project. Something I have never attempted before so wish my luck. To keep me fresh I will be finishing off this set shortly. Keep your peepers peeled either here, <a href="http://www.b-5studio.com/">there</a>, or at <a href="http://baufive.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>. bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-21873002643628064072012-04-13T16:35:00.000-04:002019-10-08T22:23:32.147-04:00all signs point to yesWe're coming up on the third anniversary for Sims 3. My personal adventures in creation is nearing its second anniversary. Officially in May, but of course, I have been dabbling for a bit longer than that. I had aspirations to do more than just recolors, but I never really thought I would get to the 'next level' of creation.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
While my creation skills have improved, I still don't really play the game to its fullest. I read at The Sims Daily about different games using mods to include a working university, functioning stores, the works. It's very impressive. Quite unlike my own game . . . never have I explored making a band or tried to Detective profession. I only recently went to a bar and while it was considered a 'dive' bar, it was entirely too clean and the wolf 'beer' sign was a little on the sad side. <br />
<br />
I lived in Boston during college and many years after. It's an old city if you've never been - one that shows it's age and feels it's age in many ways. Perhaps it is landmarks like the Citgo sign in Kenmore Square that help make it feel like it will always have its foot in the past. Whatever it is - it left a profound mark on me and perhaps that explains a lot of the way I style things.<br />
<br />
Back in March, someone at TSD made a WCIF post asking for neon signs for a Times Square sort of feel. I had drawn up some ideas in <i>August 2011</i> for what I would have loved to create for the game to improve upon my dive bar experience, save adding some passed out sims in the back alley. The problem was, I was thinking about how I wanted to create them and was stuck upon only one approach. I will confess to being rather narrow minded sometimes about a way of making something only to realize much later that I could have saved myself 40 or so steps. Live and learn. The signs, I was convinced, needed to drawn in illustrator - a program that is not the most intuitive to me - I feel like being left handed and drawing right handed with a mouse is laughable. Solution? A Wacom Bamboo tablet of course . . . or so I thought. While it's a very clever and interesting device, tracing my drawing was neither exact nor easily editable in illustrator. So, onto the back burner it went. I should mention that there are a number of ideas that I am still waiting to execute and some go back to October <i>2010</i>, so this past August is really no big deal.<br />
<br />
Hearing the request however, I realized I could simply mesh them and save myself 39 steps of the 40 I usually over take, which of course, lead to more ideas for the set. The two original drawings were of a cat and an elephant. I had wanted something like 'The Pink Pussycat' and the "Pink Elephant" The Pussycat could work for a nightclub and the Elephant a dive bar - I hadn't really sussed out uses - just had the desire for something for downtown type lots and something that spoke to a seedier side of life - a sort of anti-Sunset Valley.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4vrNm9QQqwvnznS4jzRaAIsmwxQ3K-E6NJFo4yGHm4RGyKfCbFJBaHy0D1Xg9JTW6eIyvOIpiNLgAZnNV4ZDSx1DBsrZb_NYHa2f5sz38IloKyJOIkNZL1j9rgwLQv9r23Cviuzx0ho/s1600/elephant+and+cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4vrNm9QQqwvnznS4jzRaAIsmwxQ3K-E6NJFo4yGHm4RGyKfCbFJBaHy0D1Xg9JTW6eIyvOIpiNLgAZnNV4ZDSx1DBsrZb_NYHa2f5sz38IloKyJOIkNZL1j9rgwLQv9r23Cviuzx0ho/s640/elephant+and+cat.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The drawing is possibly more clear that the tusks are a handlebar mustache<br />
and the cat's tail and ears are horns and a halo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was excited to get started and after a couple of attempts (and subsequent crashes without saving) I rethought the design. Originally I was aiming for an outline and I was not entirely impressed with how it was looking. Try three, the cat was looking pretty good. I had envisioned the cat glowing, but for the sake of realism, it made more sense to make the cat a solid with backlighting - much like a vintage sign.<br />
<br />
The elephant was definitely somewhat inspired by the Citgo sign in Kenmore Square, Boston. I wanted (within reasonable polys) neon lights across the background. I also wanted for it to have a real martini glass which again - nods back to vintage signs that were a lot more creative and fun.<br />
<br />
The problem was that these were going to be complicated meshes and being limited to three channels for coloring would seem a little on the lame side. I couldn't really make this an overlay trick and while there are ways to add many colors using the multiplier, it would have required many multipliers and no customization to the degree I still wanted a user to have. Taking a sign from the Late Night expansion would limit who could use the sign and I realized too that while you can add a light source to nearly anything, it is still not technically a light that you can fiddle with (and yes, there is a way around that too - but it would still need Late Night to work). Sometimes creating means having a hand tied behind your back . . . or does it?<br />
<br />
About the time I was finishing the meshes (and after already testing the Late Night method) I noticed at MTS that there were some new items that had four channels where before they were only three. How were people getting this to work? I noticed that people were thanking a program I had already tried working with - but this was a new version that allowed a fourth channel to be added to any object. TextureTweaker3 by Inge at SimsLogical is this brilliant little program that allows you to (exactly as the name would lead you to believe) tweak the patterns in a package file. Key words - PACKAGE FILE. In other words - plays well with S3PE and S3OC. Workshop would be a challenge. I asked around to the creators that I know if anyone had tinkered with the program and no one had really heard of it, so it was up to me to figure this out.<br />
<br />
Have I ever mentioned that I am not a tech-head? Assuming that there was some way for me to use the S3PE plugin with workshop, I inquired (after mustering up all my courage to ask [have I mentioned I am painfully shy?]) how this could work with TSRW. Always helpful, it was explained by Inge how to do it and off I went to try. Worked great - or so I thought. Once in game, the description was gone as well as the title. I make the silly assumption that this was a TT3 error. I tried again and this time it worked - well, it sort of worked. I had to edit the file one more time and now only the title remained - the description disappeared. Something was clearly wrong.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8orD0mE7GVUR0w9dlScASXQh8OMB-uCQCizpWAeunFAU59WbNZpvTJmHFOtBSl8mtr9YniqPG332l2Wksvdl2sAItpHrJ3xtMKP445TIQ2iq5vKqrrG4zp41E5iY4rBbsTDxH-1Piw-8/s1600/b5Studio+April+Sign+Set+Sneak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8orD0mE7GVUR0w9dlScASXQh8OMB-uCQCizpWAeunFAU59WbNZpvTJmHFOtBSl8mtr9YniqPG332l2Wksvdl2sAItpHrJ3xtMKP445TIQ2iq5vKqrrG4zp41E5iY4rBbsTDxH-1Piw-8/s640/b5Studio+April+Sign+Set+Sneak.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Where this was a new program, and I am familiar with TSRW, I still came to the conclusion that something was wrong with TT3. I could see the description clearly when I looked at the package file in S3PE, but it wouldn't show in game. Inge disagreed and blamed Workshop. Upon reflection, I have to agree. So, I decided to try a few tests to see if I could figure out when the problem happens.<br />
<br />
Near as I can tell (and this is not foolproof) it comes down to timing and how 'fresh' the program is feeling. If you open and clone a new object in Workshop, change the description and title initially, export to TT3, delete the contents of the file in workshop, import the file back post tweak, save and close the file only to reopen it and make all of your edits - the chances are greater (read, not great, just greater) that you'll end up getting the description and title to save to the file. If you change just the title or description first (not both) whichever you've changed has a great chance of remaining, but the other will probably not show up. If you make all of the changes including importing your mesh, changing textures and settings and then tweaking the file, there is a 50% chance (that's a guess mind you) that your file will be borked. In fact - you may not even have the mesh still attached to the file correctly. Near as I can tell, Workshop (at least for me - though so many people talk about opening a file, making corrections and exporting it as a new file and having it supposedly work) simply does not like copies of copies. To export the file you are sending out a clone (a copy). You then import this copy back into workshop and it can either love it or hate it - Workshop is borderline personality. Then to make all sorts of changes like adding groups and changing light settings - if it doesn't crash between getting it back into workshop, saving, closing, opening and editing and then exporting (a new copy of an already copied file) - then there is only a chance that it will work correctly.<br />
<br />
Now - as if it is not hard enough to judge scale and height, guess light and neon intensity, gauge pattern scale, to then add new groups, adjust all those settings and THEN export the damned thing - to have all that work be undone by a stupid glitch that cannot be fixed (even when it is clearly visible when looking at the file in S3PE) or even to find its source to correct it - all for the sake of a sim3pack that no one will let die gracefully and continue to cling to with a death-rattle grip? Aside from the obvious need for a sim3pack from EA official items (which can also be bypassed and made a package file) and countertops (that I have in my own game in great moderation due to my hatred for the sim3pack) - there is simply no need for a sim3pack for this game. NONE. (Don't even begin to tell me about CAP patterns)<br />
<br />
Did I mention too that half the time, something about the footprint borks and the signs won't snap to a wall? That's an entirely different problem and one that I simply don't understand being a non-tech-head.I am assuming it has to do with the bounding box so as along as I either don't update the footprint or use a preprogrammed size like 1x3 or 1x1 it appears to clear up the problem.<br />
<br />
So now I am left with a few options. Make these items Late Night compatible as I originally thought I would need to, lessen the number of channels to three and screw it all, or continue to try to export these files over and over again until one works correctly. Being a masochist, I have been attempting option three. I like having things be base game compatible and I like having all the channels open on these signs. However, I am at a point that I simply want to give up on this foolish set.<br />
<br />
The amount of times that one has to load these things in game to see if anything needs to be adjusted (and about 99% of the time, something does) is just tiresome - to have all these additional problem that apparently cannot be solved all for the sake of a sim3pack seems, well, cray-cray. Never have I claimed to be not crazy, so blindly I will probably continue to try.<br />
<br />
So the set started with the cat and elephant. I wanted to do a large magnifying glass and a fortune teller sign - I knew I wanted some sort of boutique sign that could be simple/clean - I also wanted some sort of marquee overhang and I really wanted some sort of tall three story type sign, but it was suggested to me a few signs that I had not considered - tattoo parlor, a salon, possibly something for the paranormal career (which I am calling the fortune teller sign - I hated the paranormal career and did not want to make a ghost buster-esque sign). A few pictures have been posted to twitter already, but here are just a few sneak peeks:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb01_5doDc6MvUU1U6Gfk1Tenx0PgzGMVjGsNeG6n8g8WJUO_tgFqd24EmDz0vOxHZV8_KhqMYm0LwFS5cUuLZpnziAW5bokgneBuXEKOxcFVNcLyXffsyYaaSgEhvYJm_iLckqrleYfg/s1600/RL+inspiration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb01_5doDc6MvUU1U6Gfk1Tenx0PgzGMVjGsNeG6n8g8WJUO_tgFqd24EmDz0vOxHZV8_KhqMYm0LwFS5cUuLZpnziAW5bokgneBuXEKOxcFVNcLyXffsyYaaSgEhvYJm_iLckqrleYfg/s640/RL+inspiration.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Based on the coffee shop down the street from my home in EAV</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hjeF1GzvSKWy8cUzlTXZr7oTjsHHTwDNQXUSJ9QkyhnmP0cWiIsCe8TKHfWhYHv62Lc2lszhgCdjg35hJpZWW9glS1Mx7Wqf5gGNFqNND2MGYoDlDfijBc3L7BMyAGKTkPx13h7Hs0w/s1600/Screenshot-127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hjeF1GzvSKWy8cUzlTXZr7oTjsHHTwDNQXUSJ9QkyhnmP0cWiIsCe8TKHfWhYHv62Lc2lszhgCdjg35hJpZWW9glS1Mx7Wqf5gGNFqNND2MGYoDlDfijBc3L7BMyAGKTkPx13h7Hs0w/s640/Screenshot-127.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A salon sign - this will also include a non-neon version</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcEPHHPcMtLdzoFFRt31DhNmyF4fu-M98JeiGuVnqdYI4_rIAMZ_SBhQt4nM0ezLtB_RfnEWBghz4j2xAH1IMtuLVf5Ub_OalcE_Uu-Yy2ZKuVNpPre8nzdXw4UpvnfG25rfucCXFhSgg/s1600/Screenshot-128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcEPHHPcMtLdzoFFRt31DhNmyF4fu-M98JeiGuVnqdYI4_rIAMZ_SBhQt4nM0ezLtB_RfnEWBghz4j2xAH1IMtuLVf5Ub_OalcE_Uu-Yy2ZKuVNpPre8nzdXw4UpvnfG25rfucCXFhSgg/s640/Screenshot-128.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The magnifying glass, the tattoo sign, the Holy Hellcat sign</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPHYEMRujAwbqB4eRJq32nF7RIRts5-9Suc8-M1rPoS8HngLfaPB-R2Lc_vWxWJADK0SyuSnXk6dBkhA6IJbUuvKhAMHsNVlH2Ev_UsdfPgQP11cVTKIFhWyt_5kGMF4kc_LBoK4HbAQ/s1600/Screenshot-129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPHYEMRujAwbqB4eRJq32nF7RIRts5-9Suc8-M1rPoS8HngLfaPB-R2Lc_vWxWJADK0SyuSnXk6dBkhA6IJbUuvKhAMHsNVlH2Ev_UsdfPgQP11cVTKIFhWyt_5kGMF4kc_LBoK4HbAQ/s640/Screenshot-129.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the other angle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLhZ7XhXIfSI-Wt5FGOFqdpAYywBOIdP_X0n_bUhDrU1xyRLFpMPv_FUjbT6DpUZiRAgP2fI2C47uywQUUvWrB1p32SdTIVWG6l7LWUvIzvudgbLXRPmh3CJVIK-iAFATao0BUngBVEo/s1600/overhead+marquee+w+art+deco+marquee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLhZ7XhXIfSI-Wt5FGOFqdpAYywBOIdP_X0n_bUhDrU1xyRLFpMPv_FUjbT6DpUZiRAgP2fI2C47uywQUUvWrB1p32SdTIVWG6l7LWUvIzvudgbLXRPmh3CJVIK-iAFATao0BUngBVEo/s640/overhead+marquee+w+art+deco+marquee.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The overhead marquee with extension side panels (one tile) to be as small or large as you want</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUEB2YPja2HwB_Np0UU_l7BgY49V6xPtVpwB6UmqPi9tizmhnrql00YHMcu8KMpUIS3BM3XXiG4_GMvYxI1d8CJbEeQTLuQKJuhtk5zixL4a1httKdQTL8utsmKJktS9xSruGR6K8s1XI/s1600/overhead+marquee+w+art+deco+marquee2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUEB2YPja2HwB_Np0UU_l7BgY49V6xPtVpwB6UmqPi9tizmhnrql00YHMcu8KMpUIS3BM3XXiG4_GMvYxI1d8CJbEeQTLuQKJuhtk5zixL4a1httKdQTL8utsmKJktS9xSruGR6K8s1XI/s640/overhead+marquee+w+art+deco+marquee2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The not as tall as I originally thought building marquee sign</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
While there are a few more, I don't want to give away all the set just yet. More problems - you can clearly see that the lighting is limited to the first floor. A major upset - I attempted to program in a light source well above the signs and sadly - it just made the first floor brighter. This is a problem with EA lights too so I am not too concerned about that. There are the buydebug lights that allow for wall lighting and room lighting and become invisible in 'live' mode. While it would be nice to have a shift-capable orb light that could be placed at any height - no one has made one and I doubt EA gives a rats ass about that.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPd48b8Kly9v8qCSWu_xwgM3wfvV0IqwmjJd5LoE3evhyphenhyphen8tDsPaVNxmJ7cYaTL7jrkaiVpEnAOIqlINBfg2I_slwfZXh47ImMZel1RkUf0UrbX8Zqa1ZlHgfN68YdZ7VQPVurWJ7ELtU0/s1600/buydebug+wall+light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPd48b8Kly9v8qCSWu_xwgM3wfvV0IqwmjJd5LoE3evhyphenhyphen8tDsPaVNxmJ7cYaTL7jrkaiVpEnAOIqlINBfg2I_slwfZXh47ImMZel1RkUf0UrbX8Zqa1ZlHgfN68YdZ7VQPVurWJ7ELtU0/s640/buydebug+wall+light.jpg" width="612" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here you can see the buydebug wall light on the left, on the right no light on the top, <br />
but the light is being used at the bottom.</td></tr>
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Getting the settings on the buydebug lights to be equal to the light settings is nearly impossible. While it is often close - that horrible line is still visible on some level. Part of the problem is that when programming a light it gets dimmer towards the 'floor' so even if you could set them exactly the same - the level of light is not the same at all heights on the floor you're lighting. <br />
<br />
One more request at TSD was for Lunar Lakes which I have not actually opened to look at. I have only observed pictures of it - I will need to take photos in LL when I release the portal marker that was requested. I need to reclone it and add some additional markers for the equestrian center, subways, the movie lot, and the sky diving center. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ejfCR28GmYK3J0doRUTn3h8RFlio4TcvjBbUObtHBoiN8H8a5t74rV0-qIQkYK8O7_Uo_hGHSf5Km-PYF8R5CwpLPen6BON4QFd10YlNr36rMtyF6-yU6g_FMiAp7KjRwmrzhtC87-k/s1600/LLpost+up+close+darker+and+CASt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ejfCR28GmYK3J0doRUTn3h8RFlio4TcvjBbUObtHBoiN8H8a5t74rV0-qIQkYK8O7_Uo_hGHSf5Km-PYF8R5CwpLPen6BON4QFd10YlNr36rMtyF6-yU6g_FMiAp7KjRwmrzhtC87-k/s640/LLpost+up+close+darker+and+CASt.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the 'neon' can be made to be any color - one blank just in case</td></tr>
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This portal marker hopefully helps those who don't appreciate the 20(?) unmarked portals that came with Lunar Lakes. I thought this was 'space age' enough that it would work nicely within that world. This will probably be recompiled and released on its own. While I wanted to release it at both MTS and TSR given that my little corner of the web is not especially popular with the entire sims community - I didn't want to take the chance that it would not be accepted at one over the other and appear to have chosen 'sides' in the community war of us vs. them. It's bad enough that there is even 'sides' to begin with but to appear to be on one of them was simply an unbearable thought. I need to thank Megativity from TSD/LS/BPS for locating the community lot icons. I was clueless and even though Inge tried to tell me where they were located, upon opening the UI.package, I couldn't find them? She tried. I am hopeless. I will continue to make pretty things and leave the programming to the pros.bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-5379058723987395372012-04-12T13:59:00.000-04:002019-10-08T22:22:45.722-04:00The evolution of a designYou probably are already aware that I have been looking for a new job. After a while of searching for another frame job (and dreading it) I came to the conclusion that I need to simply step away from that field. Not only have a significant amount of shops closed their doors during this extended economic decline, I am competing for greatly lowered waged jobs against all the displaced framers. While one would hope that talent really gets you the work, it's honestly is a personality contest and most of us see ourselves a little different than we actually project. <br />
<a name='more'></a>While I consider myself 'precise' and 'detailed' these traits can be read on my face as 'aloof' and 'distant' - 'detailed' can further be broken down to 'OCD' and 'byzantine' depending on who's doing the reading. I think we're all a little layered - what is on our surface isn't exactly what lies within, but you have a short amount of time to expose yourself to a prospective employer and sweet and jovial usually get the job. For the record, 'sweet' translates to me as 'uneducated' or 'inexperienced' and 'jovial' translates to 'slacker' - see - we all judge each other. Kudos.<br />
<br />
I had a great interview yesterday with a company I am very hopeful to join in some capacity, but I allowed the people around me to help me with some decisions. This is a job I really, <i>really</i> wanted and wanted to do it right. Every decision I made was questioned and I will stop here to say - I listened because I haven't actually had anyone call me back in such a long time it is staggering - I needed feedback. I ended up bringing very little from my portfolio because so much of the actual graphic work I have done gets laser copied (or worse - photocopied) onto maybe nice paper and that's that. All my hard work that I was badgered to do gets cheaply produced and often I don't even get a hard copy - my one stipulation for my often greatly discounted rates. The other items that did not come with me were from a number of years ago and I regret not bringing them. While this position is for mostly web work, I think seeing a wide range of style would have been a good thing.<br />
<br />
One of the items I <i>did</i> bring a printout of one card that was done and I was very proud of (I think knowing that this was such a massive struggle to get the client to see it was a good design and 'won' that argument finally in the end). This was with a long standing client and his new venture (which, sadly, as quickly as his idea seemed to swell in interest, it deflated as quickly). I explained the evolution of the designs, but none of this was presented - I actually didn't have print copies of all the changes from beginning to end. Kind of stupid on my part, but it wouldn't even occur to me to post declined concepts - they are the things that people simply don't ever get to see so in my head that was one hell of a big job, but the results come down to one post card. In fact - the amount of work that went into this particular job went almost completely unrewarded because 'it was just a postcard' that ended up being printed. There was a banner (that was cheaply printed by Kinkos [still waiting on <i>that</i> photograph]) but all the variations that were tested and declined - all solid work - has never been seen.<br />
<br />
Designing a logo is in my opinion one of the hardest things to do for someone (think of Coke and then think about when they changed their logo and people were utterly pissed - this might live with you for the rest of your businesses life, so a logo has to be solid), it has to start somewhere. Taking the name and typing it out in different typefaces is usually what I end up doing. I am trying to see what catches my eye and where patterns start to form. The company name was Coco Creamery. All natural coconut frozen dessert. For those of you who are also lactose intolerant, this stuff was so much like ice cream you'd cry (and I did) trying it for the first time. So even the name had a good sound to it and the Coco in my head being a set of redundant letters formed a pattern immediately.<br />
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The very first designs for the company - I even thought I would include a 'cap' design that could also be adapted for the front of the container. Not the most creative idea, but still - something in the direction of where it could go - an idea that could be built upon. Logo great! Label - hate it. What is that - it looks like a turd.<br />
<br />
Okay. It was just some image I found off the internet of a coconut, clearly we'd need to photograph something but you get the idea, right? No . . . I still hate it.<br />
<br />
They can't all be winners and clearly there was nothing to build upon for the client so back to the drawing board. What would the flavors be - that might inspire me some.<br />
<br />
Take two. So much of the stuff being presented to me was tropical sounding, so I decided to go with palm trees. Being a white boy from New England - if you said 'tropical' I think Palm Tree. Call me stupid, but I go there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2b26yFdQcbOJm7TL8Ub1QqroiIJ8lDB0kAgF_TeYvFoKekzyNZXXKhchHr9Tx-n0cBH4dnJr8cVYcYEjAJA9PoJSzYX2PKVJ5GNTZCUQON6MGyV1ivuo3h3noUHvWz_i_2R1xz8-DodU/s1600/coco-creamery-label-version-2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2b26yFdQcbOJm7TL8Ub1QqroiIJ8lDB0kAgF_TeYvFoKekzyNZXXKhchHr9Tx-n0cBH4dnJr8cVYcYEjAJA9PoJSzYX2PKVJ5GNTZCUQON6MGyV1ivuo3h3noUHvWz_i_2R1xz8-DodU/s640/coco-creamery-label-version-2.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
Okay - we're a little closer - this wasn't such a venomous response this time. Looks a little weird but we're getting there. Looking at it today - I think it's a lot weird and I still like the first one better, but perhaps I am desensitized to turds being a dog owner. So, back to the drawing board.<br />
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Now - this . . . this was solid. Not only was the design liked, we went through and designed every flavor. There were I think six flavors at this point - soon to be nine. While universally, everyone liked the designs, there was a new problem. There was a new rum on the market and they had a logo that was sort of the same. In researching it, I did find something that would put you to mind of it, but this was so different that it should not have been too big of a concern. No, no - let's scrap all this and go with something else. Let's start with a new logo.<br />
<br />
Right.<br />
<br />
At the time I was kind of fascinated with the periodical chart. Solid simple design. Efficient. So - I proposed I be allowed to just go a little coocoo for coco and present a completely different idea - no tropics involved - just the science.<br />
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I first presented the new logo idea and it was a passable design for the moment contingent on the whole look. I liked this new concept - it added the coconut as a subliminal in the O's and it felt contained and like a brand.<br />
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The concept was actually that the containers be completely white with this narrow little label on the front and a similar nutritional breakdown label for the back - possibly even smaller - we never got that far. This . . . now THIS was exciting. This is definitely what we are going to do. Went through the whole process of photographing everything for the business plan - bowls of icy goodness and the pints with labels.<br />
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Nearly everyone was on the same page - everyone was excited and then the little voice of doubt stepped in. Is this a chocolate product? Coco - most people think of cacao when they see coco. Maybe this isn't the best name for a company after all.<br />
<br />
Back to the drawing board.<br />
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By this time this was actually being produced here in Atlanta at a known ice creamery. Won't get into the politics of this at all - I will never quite understand it, but that company said that they wanted their logo on it if they were going to serve it. Their logo was a train wreck that attempted to have the same sort of carefree nature of Ben and Jerry's - a stupid airplane that made no sense when it comes to frozen dessert. We're changing the name to NiceCream and it needs to use this truck full of ugly incorporated into the look. <br />
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I was frustrated and the client has a friend who does really big name designs (like a Kill Bill website et cetera - highly sought after) and he liked the name and started trying different typefaces and suggested a few but really expressed an interest in one particular typeface. He also added three dots above the 'I' in Nice - so see - even a big name wanted a subliminal towards the coconut - I am not a dunce after all. <br />
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Version 5 comes along. Back to a round label for the lid of a pint.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYESbX3DezLP1izC6h-CcuH4G3YhQa1ta9NsIIWnjRN2CNNcVTTJ93WoxA6aTX4Xgo6urXjW6C3YPiX2_M0fX8lijs-P13nr-S1gDFr5_QUGR4hmz0J6GcNmwXpqs_vWtFgpgX68NKXI/s1600/v5-nicecream-label.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYESbX3DezLP1izC6h-CcuH4G3YhQa1ta9NsIIWnjRN2CNNcVTTJ93WoxA6aTX4Xgo6urXjW6C3YPiX2_M0fX8lijs-P13nr-S1gDFr5_QUGR4hmz0J6GcNmwXpqs_vWtFgpgX68NKXI/s640/v5-nicecream-label.png" width="640" /></a></div>
I decided the name needed movement to mimic the foolish banner the airplane was carrying and then a new slogan was added. I decided to create a<span dir="auto"> lemniscate (the infinity symbol) to continue that motion. Not a great layout, but it was getting there - I was feeling a little refreshed.</span><br />
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<span dir="auto">Version six and seven was a play on this. I also softened the horrible airplane design by removing the black outline and making the outlines a deeper shade of the shape they were containing. </span><br />
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<span dir="auto">I added the enjoy forever myself - I thought why have a subliminal when you can just point it out - enjoy this product forever - it's better for you. So, with seven being the tightest of the designs we moved forward with that look in concept. There were so many upsets behind the scenes and each step needed to be approved for logo trade marking, name trade marking - the works. Each step needed these graphics for the approval process. So many steps were rushed just to get an idea into the appropriate offices. </span><br />
<span dir="auto"><br /></span>
<span dir="auto">Jumping forward a bit - we were going to have a social to official introduce the product. Now a person involved in inviting the right people needed to be called in. We're sending out a postcard - I just need something by tomorrow - just make this text look good. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1gdVxV5Oi1VRn-OOgaYPXZiQCGaYqvcyrNfeZJlVfAdmXQo3J1__TlYiOl5Y84RcZqi_dKNohPfWtrkLGETi5VEo0DKJV2BXax8E2eyWVSmczM0G5AVubEgggEYvkLytOD_7o8_VoKg/s1600/nicecream+invitation3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1gdVxV5Oi1VRn-OOgaYPXZiQCGaYqvcyrNfeZJlVfAdmXQo3J1__TlYiOl5Y84RcZqi_dKNohPfWtrkLGETi5VEo0DKJV2BXax8E2eyWVSmczM0G5AVubEgggEYvkLytOD_7o8_VoKg/s640/nicecream+invitation3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span dir="auto">The text was the least of everyones problem. WTF? What is this? Powerpoint stock art? Ug! And, when someone says just throw something together it's deflating. I am not a copy editor - I don't write jingles - I make pretty things. So making this painfully dry text look interesting is not always the easiest thing, but magic can happen and I try to do my best. Something happens while I am working on it. I come up with a new way to present the logo - as though it's being dragged by the plane too. So in playing with the logo for the bowl photograph, the text just takes a back seat for version one</span><br />
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The client loves the bowl idea. Now to work on the text.<br />
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So now the design has become completely different. The colors are easily acquired from the mandatory logo and THIS is eye catching. (as an aside, it was suggested that I could get work doing this sort of thing by the promoter who cringed when I she heard by hourly rate wasn't minimum wage). While I could barely afford the suggested donation, I even attended the event and people were gobsmacked at how good this stuff was and how fun. <br />
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Business cards are designed and while the cursive text was a major sticking point with the client as being 'too feminine' everyone loved it so it stuck. We also needed labels for the case and each needed some sort of slogan.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAH4ndvGblA9J9uLFHQHmrA_uzvUijxCqAG1UfdkA9O4zHHbVQrTj02bO9hfq7spQ9H3L3wFMeshkRXtjjbbk1mJdbbq9wdi8Q9FHM1nD_MJR-RDF8YpWWcoAmsMafrm8bdphsOv7Maio/s1600/v9-business-card-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAH4ndvGblA9J9uLFHQHmrA_uzvUijxCqAG1UfdkA9O4zHHbVQrTj02bO9hfq7spQ9H3L3wFMeshkRXtjjbbk1mJdbbq9wdi8Q9FHM1nD_MJR-RDF8YpWWcoAmsMafrm8bdphsOv7Maio/s640/v9-business-card-1.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">address/names blurred for this</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4z47jf4W-9F8ahjkXF7WtRxDGYfdZcyib8R3FAm4bS9Kc1PcvzAj4DqST9h6bmojQ0nM9laPFEwwVtS5lTx39dksZK-CZiny0IhATf47z8T8E32r0dAqlEpNIFiObqtOsybogPTYP0Xk/s1600/v9-flavor-card.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4z47jf4W-9F8ahjkXF7WtRxDGYfdZcyib8R3FAm4bS9Kc1PcvzAj4DqST9h6bmojQ0nM9laPFEwwVtS5lTx39dksZK-CZiny0IhATf47z8T8E32r0dAqlEpNIFiObqtOsybogPTYP0Xk/s640/v9-flavor-card.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<span dir="auto">So things were looking really up from here, until - there is another company with a similar name. Nice Creme out of somewhere on the west coast. I say - it's a completely different name. Not only is it two words, but the spelling is completely different. Nope - we have to change it. We're going with Bella Creme now (sounds like crem, not cream). Really. Great. Let's keep this feel though. </span><span dir="auto"> </span><br />
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<span dir="auto">There comes a point when you just don't feel something anymore. I tried to find a nice way of saying I'm done, but I also wanted to help - I was promised that for the ride, when this took off I would be rewarded - but I was kind of done at this point.</span><br />
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<span dir="auto">New logos. New Labels. I will quickly say too, Bella is the name of the clients dog, so I had an idea for a label, but I am not an illustrator by trade and I need to take time to get my drawings to a place where I want them. At the time of this I was very much influenced by japanese anime. Not that I watch a lot of it, but when someone is excited or sad, the animation style changes significantly to a very caricaturist style and eye highlights can become a little whacky looking. This has now become quite a popular style on shows like Adventure Time and Gumball on the Cartoon Network - so excuse the crappy drawing - we probably would have hired someone if this idea was a hit (instead of 'this is absolutely scary - I hate it).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxKwJ7JLVIhSUrIF-xjP7OhpaNQQCN8YI8ddocjRfelOr3UHF-vMCRv4mJtTOkWKZpwhZ6meRVULZ7uuYC_vZ8TMDC_Z0rJmS1DiVXCz3lENesWTVV784kjxvIrg0WYMp_xIC-SyAK60/s1600/v10-label.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxKwJ7JLVIhSUrIF-xjP7OhpaNQQCN8YI8ddocjRfelOr3UHF-vMCRv4mJtTOkWKZpwhZ6meRVULZ7uuYC_vZ8TMDC_Z0rJmS1DiVXCz3lENesWTVV784kjxvIrg0WYMp_xIC-SyAK60/s640/v10-label.gif" width="364" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">little Bella just wants some Passion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3Bwq7tAY9eeBDAkHBS9uy1HMuC3HpZ72mXk7hVyk73GwRcgWF0vA_-9edMxeBnLPYJaJFIWHWQmyXkuWwaZWZ-ill4iLDddoxDKKWxUqST1yiHyywJrQ6fb25x7PS6SJ6tGFERJJxgI/s1600/v11-label.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3Bwq7tAY9eeBDAkHBS9uy1HMuC3HpZ72mXk7hVyk73GwRcgWF0vA_-9edMxeBnLPYJaJFIWHWQmyXkuWwaZWZ-ill4iLDddoxDKKWxUqST1yiHyywJrQ6fb25x7PS6SJ6tGFERJJxgI/s640/v11-label.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going for that farm stand look - another direction </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">trying to bring back the magic of the post card as instructed</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3cRO2s4QisB1ZlYPyjZ4uAIcVIksH42Kl52oJjUfcaDsYq_2b6eLDPQeL3o8jQ47r9Jv9W06xy0pjZAnlp_iF4c5L9Df_Zpk-lxKjQSdEc9jvXhypMBXa6B0d7Y_72y3F1gV4VeRYeY/s1600/v13-label.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3cRO2s4QisB1ZlYPyjZ4uAIcVIksH42Kl52oJjUfcaDsYq_2b6eLDPQeL3o8jQ47r9Jv9W06xy0pjZAnlp_iF4c5L9Df_Zpk-lxKjQSdEc9jvXhypMBXa6B0d7Y_72y3F1gV4VeRYeY/s640/v13-label.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Further downward spiral with the postcard ideals</td></tr>
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<span dir="auto">Then playing with the logo a bit . . . .</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrGeMfH6Y83mKu3DF1EW7e9o6PrBv353IbTdJZCmzLOaYMB40dL3z1iJW4gP8EgSudCmzKoNe3LevQYf_eGtzeu6C8G17m3J2C7n3PbCYhfS9lgcvWOUvl1oXTMElAATCIS9px-2KMi8/s1600/large+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrGeMfH6Y83mKu3DF1EW7e9o6PrBv353IbTdJZCmzLOaYMB40dL3z1iJW4gP8EgSudCmzKoNe3LevQYf_eGtzeu6C8G17m3J2C7n3PbCYhfS9lgcvWOUvl1oXTMElAATCIS9px-2KMi8/s640/large+logo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRahjvUg0Id3Sckyi7vua0Ni-s1OSyp81hnETgWqKO6-BvKSbTfGhyphenhyphenxeIqpTU9_WSpaNEloJQNQxvOTYiNADa20TQKGJjdIWC4QP4yfWONZfyMDKPPsXRoULC9u6GckX98JDhgm1FkwA/s1600/potential-1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRahjvUg0Id3Sckyi7vua0Ni-s1OSyp81hnETgWqKO6-BvKSbTfGhyphenhyphenxeIqpTU9_WSpaNEloJQNQxvOTYiNADa20TQKGJjdIWC4QP4yfWONZfyMDKPPsXRoULC9u6GckX98JDhgm1FkwA/s640/potential-1.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lord and Taylor anyone? Gah!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Zdh9cEE-2YSYFdJBJHdDA3oPLTGNamlFTnNPdXhqEIWPRu6QPIIphKzB3bCzBklR83NOMdzP_S6g1tkV2OvnoaANRjJiSMGkKRgD313Bis2ZBoQ39wFf_KHm4_zXus8j7eOEUkndP84/s640/potential-2.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OH! This one looks promising!</td></tr>
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<span dir="auto">I felt very strongly about the last one. I wasn't saying this was the best idea or the correct typeface, but my gut told me that a play on the B and the C would be the best design - it was just a matter of finding the correct typeface and this was sort of close, but not really. It severed the ideas from the past and moved forward in another direction for a fresh start. No - he couldn't see the scoops of ice cream or the bowl - no - go with the first one. The second one was hard to read and the third one I guess looked like a turd.</span><br />
<span dir="auto"><br /></span>
<span dir="auto">In regrouping, so much of this was starting to change - even the names of the flavors (notice it's now Dave's Chocolate).I just wasn't feeling this anymore and while I felt attached, I needed to be unattached from it. I asked that a new designer be brought in to carry out the rest of this project. I knew that by leaving it, I would be giving up my rights to any sort of end reward, but taking a project from its humble beginning and adding in so many upsets - it's hard to re-conceptualize that which has already been completed. </span><br />
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<span dir="auto">Ironically, things really fell apart and a great idea simply never got off the ground with the company either. So many good ideas out there simply get steamrolled. As of now - you can find a coconut milk ice cream at Whole Foods that tastes a little bit like wall paper paste. Perhaps some day this product will have new interest, but until then, it seems frozen desserts will continue to try to be something they are not.</span><br />
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<span dir="auto">Back to design - and you can apply this to most of the things that end up being seen - there are so many steps to getting that final look correct that can often make one job seem like you've done so much work when everyone only gets to see the one printed item. It's kind of sad actually. </span><br />
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<span dir="auto">Speaking of graphics, I am working on a slew of items for a new shop opening in Hapeville by my friends Jim and Carter. I'll probably mention more - grand opening is slated for Monday - after a series of (go figure) upsets that have pushed the date back from November to March to April. Fingers crossed - it's a beautiful shop and I think it will be wildly successful. </span><br />
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<span dir="auto">As for sim stuff. I have a post that I have been editing together now for a month on the trials and tribulations of the Community Sign set. What an utter nightmare it's been. So much for my foray into the world programming. </span>bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-43448216739133509982012-02-02T21:08:00.000-05:002019-10-08T22:16:39.451-04:00Inspiration Blog Outtakes . . .Just a couple of photos from the set that won't make the final post, but I liked enough to share:<br />
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<br />bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-82630711978668506582012-02-02T17:54:00.000-05:002019-10-08T22:17:48.156-04:00Blog Inspired SetI follow an exhaustive amount of blogs looking at all sorts of things from decor, to art, to food, to gardening. Everyone posts these amazing photos that I can't help but save to an inspiration folder. During the holidays (or daze as it was more accurately lived) I was able to devote a good deal of time to organizing the mess of things that I was following and consider some of the items that I was eying. The set that has been pulled together is sort of odd. <br />
<a name='more'></a>Last post I showed the bed, the bunny chair, the ghost stool and the chicken mirror. This picks up with those items again and the unexpected results, plus the rest of the set.<br />
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I'm going to tech talk for each item, so if you find yourself getting dry in the mouth or your heart is slowing down to a dangerous pace, please feel free to move forward or just look at the pretty pictures.<br />
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It had been some time since I opened the tools necessary to create - that includes the game. Pets opened this whole arena of actions that I am still not very familiar with. I put a call (a kind way of saying 'begged') for help at The Sims Daily - the set needed more than my eyes to examine it. This was especially important now that I am no longer as versed with what the game is offering. My short foray into sim pet ownership was far more frustrating than owning two dogs and a cat in real life. Worse - most CC is not designed to work with pets (for instance, the height of a couch or the length of a coffee table) specifically and is often off. So testers who are familiar with the game - have an active game - or know what they are looking for would catch things that I might not be looking for.<br />
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Testers rock my world, let me tell you. Every set I learn completely new things so these are a few notes on the objects.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXy1cVa_-yIvIOqo2c-hY3U8VPZdTAQcP-mssTun2Jm3d9aLWiMDzbmzYezDvW3YnGBHsiSsMfpggfPPAKf9Y1mtuG0TC2LT7xpD4c4iYhzM0evYBDPjYoeWAvcG-8dfrEoqEK41GEl6g/s1600/mattress+puddle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXy1cVa_-yIvIOqo2c-hY3U8VPZdTAQcP-mssTun2Jm3d9aLWiMDzbmzYezDvW3YnGBHsiSsMfpggfPPAKf9Y1mtuG0TC2LT7xpD4c4iYhzM0evYBDPjYoeWAvcG-8dfrEoqEK41GEl6g/s640/mattress+puddle.jpg" width="508" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did you wet the bed . . . <i>again</i>??</td></tr>
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<b>The bed:</b> While easy in its construct, proved to be a massive challenge. Assigning the bones correctly is not easy if you don't know the way to do it. It seems like it would be easy enough as really you are only concerned with one of about 80 bones, but it can be tricky if you've never done it before. It appeared normally - they slept well - the animations were okay with pets, but if a sim relaxed on the bed, a 'puddle' of mattress appeared. Sandy, at ATS3, and I tried to make sense of it. Heidi, at Exotic Elements, didn't seem to have the problems we were having. She wrote a tutorial and Sandy was able to figure it out pretty quickly - me? No so quick. A second tutorial from Heidi and finally, I was able to eat at the grown ups table. This has three preset styles which have each been tiled differently at 4, 6, and 8.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOw3yMHfjHPtiwwWjp5sMt4yvDa6ON8Vt9xcycYsPNp8hO_G5meoonAxSyeb96QpxLa7I-84ldeN75bwu2fIbPmumva4QlWuPNZcVR4xLjwh9LGOKzaXhZWv4fMTynCYFlNzmZXTJzAw/s1600/mirror+problems.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOw3yMHfjHPtiwwWjp5sMt4yvDa6ON8Vt9xcycYsPNp8hO_G5meoonAxSyeb96QpxLa7I-84ldeN75bwu2fIbPmumva4QlWuPNZcVR4xLjwh9LGOKzaXhZWv4fMTynCYFlNzmZXTJzAw/s640/mirror+problems.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lowered or raised, the sim would move with the mirror (photos: Dee and Laure)</td></tr>
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<b>The mirror:</b> First, a suggestion was made for an additional size and perhaps a distressed version like the venetian mirror from the Reflections set. I was concerned for poly counts but this is surprisingly low for the shape. While I thought this was a simple enough piece, there was a lot learned from this object. Mirrors, simply enough, should never be made shift-enabled. There is a reason for this: the sim interacts with a real mirror at a specific height. Therefore - the sim moves through the floor or hovers above the floor to meet this specific height for the interactions. This brought to my attention that I really don't use a mirror in game as it was intended - for me they are decor only, and really, there are two types of mirror. The object/group and the program/base. I can make any flat surface a mirror, but what makes a mirror an actual mirror is the base that is used. You've seen things like microphones or podiums applied to a mirror base so that you have the animations for the appearance of the sim talking into something or at something. A table front as a mirror is just decor. So while it would be handy to have a mirror that moved up and down it cannot be a technical mirror but only appear as one. In other words - no interaction. I am thinking that I might need to re-release all of my mirrors as decor items so they may be raised and lowered like any painting. These two, sadly, cannot be made shiftable. I do not wish to be the reason for someones game crashing! Both sizes (the small one facing the opposite direction) have a distressed and clean version.<br />
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<b>The rabbit chair:</b> Tested fine for animations, but the height was a bit off. The original reference mesh I used was not a <i>wood</i> dining chair, but a wood dining chair with <i>cushion</i>. Why is that important? Well my bentwood bunny chair is wafer thin, so a cat was seriously sliced in half when it rested on the seat. Disturbing. Normally, said cat would look all nice and cozy on that cushion. Very quick correction to make, but my test game has no animals in the household (so when I take pictures I don't have distractions in the shot). This was also released with three different tiling rates to allow for better pattern placement.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Version 2 (photo by Laure)</td></tr>
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<b>The ghost stool:</b> Lordy this thing was a bloody nightmare. Basically I am not sure what to learn from this - I don't know that I would approach it any differently than I did. When one creates a mesh, there is an order to how it is mapped. Create the shapes, map the shapes, amend the shapes, amend the map. Meaning - you map a cylinder first - don't bend it into shape and then try to map it - you'll end up with a big mess. You can however select by vertices and amend the map so the pattern is stretched correctly. This isn't 100% correct for every object, but this is the best method for a good many objects. Okay - the stool. The legs bend away from the stool so the foot rest is wider than the top. The legs themselves are wider at the top than the base and they are also narrower at the front edge than the back edge. So you end up with a sort of trapezoid looking down through the leg. Being that it was going to be set as glass - the first version needed areas removed from the seat and the footrest so they did not appear to be going 'through' but rather abutted. Being that I am looking at dots and lines, it was difficult to tell if things were intersecting or even meeting each other. Version 2 of the stool the footrest didn't even meet the leg. Version three met the leg, but the stool itself was too tall where it was see through - the sim seemed to sit right inside it. Version 4 corrected the height <span style="font-size: x-small;">(a sim still goes 'through' it, but too low and they look to be hovering above it)</span>, but it didn't appear smooth in game. Version 5 was smooth and seemed done. Nope - the footrest was too high. Version 6 and two styles later (clear and translucent) and you have the "Spirit Stool" . . . may you be haunted as I have been by it.<br />
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Right . . . onward and upward. The rest of the set. <br />
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<b><br />The radio:</b> Sometimes simple things are the hardest to get. There is glass over the dial of the radio and while I exported it five times from Milkshape, each time I neglected to include the glass in the bones, so in game - it wouldn't show up. I asked Sandy if she had any ideas and she suggested this as the solution and I thought - oh, one time maybe, but I've done it <i>five times</i> already. Right. Five times <i>wrong</i>. Live an learn. Two versions are being released, but only one can be installed. I hate the animations that cover the object - the sonic 'boom-boom' & music note animation. Sandy at ATS3 told me how to remove these animations, so I decided to offer it in either/or. Same for the record player.<br />
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<b><br />The recordplayer:</b> Okay - I have done a record player before. What can I say - I love vintage pieces. This is based on an etsy artists repurposed record player turn clock. I loved the shape of it and wanted something a little more 50s/60s. I have learned over time that hard edges sometimes look strange in game so I went about this all wrong initially. In softening the edges it looked shockingly like the first one. I was absolutely disgusted with it when I finished and hated it in game. It seriously looked like I opened the one I made, took off the lid and replaced the arm with a new one . . . not recreated the whole thing point by point. So this needed an overhaul. The inspiration piece was definitely boxy, so the body needed to be reshaped. This probably has more polys than it really needs, but it finally looks like I wanted. There are three records and a fourth style that hides that part of the mesh. I could have applied the record as an overlay only, but I wanted it to have depth. After finishing it up, Chris looks over my shoulder and says "Why is it so angular?" meaning: the record. I probably should have just done an overlay, but I am a detail freak and felt the depth of the record would be perceived. Perhaps the next one I will do a really round record. <br />
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<b><br />The coffee table:</b> Almost didn't make this. I felt it was derivative of the trolley table I made for the Green set. Heidi convinced me that this was actually a different enough piece that I should attempt it. I am glad I did. I was able to play with the mask a bit to make a craggy looking painted metal surface. I also included a modified stencil in simlish. This has two masks for a clean and dirty version - as well as each style having the stencil option.<br />
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<b>The floor lamp:</b> While I love this, I have to admit that it's a few too many polys. This runs about 1400 - 200 above the suggested limits. That said, this covers more than a square technically - so really, I didn't think it was worth fussing over. Initially the channels were the shade and feet, the post and legs, and the actual switch on the shade - we're talking minutia detail. This was lost on all that used it, so three new masks were made for coloring options. No, the switch is no longer on its own channel!!<br />
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<b><br />The wall sconce:</b> I love this piece and it came together very fluidly. While there were no technical problems with it, a few notes were submitted that if a pattern was to be used on the shade, the arm looked a bit strange. Further, one person was familiar with this lamp but the colors were reversed. So this lamp also received three masks to allow for coloration options. This is also available in both directions. <br />
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Finally, <b>the art</b> for this set might seem as disjointed as the set itself. In my head it makes sense and is actually paired off to a degree for themes so one could hang in groupings. A couple of the pieces in particular are in direct relation to the idea of the animal related objects. I love art and while this particular set was difficult to pull together for me (meaning, I was not sure how to limit myself to 12), I love each of the pieces and have covered a number of styles/techniques. You'll have to judge for yourself. This is based on the 'floater' frame mesh that has been released in both vertical and horizontal orientations. While I love 'big' art and this frame is based on a real frame (both in oversized scale and depth), this particular version is much less deep and a more modest scale. The thing that is a major drag about this art is not only is some of it not even credited on the sites they were found, but also I have no idea what sites they were found on. While I feel it is a disservice to leave these as unnamed/attributed, it is also a big shame to not share such exciting pieces. If the artists/originators of the art work are made known, I will gladly credit.bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-51363496555629940672012-01-23T12:12:00.002-05:002019-10-08T22:15:19.401-04:00News and new<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Been a while since I have had the urge to create. I credit my new found desire (read: kick in the pants) to an article that Sandy at <a href="http://www.aroundthesims3.com/index.html">ATS3</a> scanned for <span style="font-size: x-small;">(and translated too! Muy gracias mucho! [did I mention I can't speak another language??])</span> me from a French Magazine that named my site as Site of the Month. Humbling honestly, as I have this sort of fear that while I <i>hear</i> good things about my creations, it's the amazing lack of downloads that keeps my paranoia that 'none of it is good enough' or 'everyone is just being nice' active.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIeoQbL-cg57BPubnsR8XBWipj7I45lc06i0Mt8BExdHAx5ukRNepq8ZSDnIIx-Vt49YUR9TahuDAIKu8JEc-ZHP08XU7dv-OlrHno1SXdvcCruwl5qCvChsiGIOtnEBZbP5eKfvZRAA/s1600/mag_eric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIeoQbL-cg57BPubnsR8XBWipj7I45lc06i0Mt8BExdHAx5ukRNepq8ZSDnIIx-Vt49YUR9TahuDAIKu8JEc-ZHP08XU7dv-OlrHno1SXdvcCruwl5qCvChsiGIOtnEBZbP5eKfvZRAA/s400/mag_eric.jpg" width="290" /></a>"<b>B5Studio</b></div>
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<b>Bau's creations, born artist</b></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Layed out as a blog, B5Studio is one of the good URLs of the Web. Its
content is diversified, from rugs to lightings, paintings. If it's one
of the reference sites, it's because of its realism and diversity of
creations that visitors can download. From the smallest decorative item
to the massive pieces of furniture, Bau, the blog administrator, does
his best to create a content that is and useful and original. You find
your Sims' living-room a bit empty? Download the rug "Back to basics",
then choose one of the many available textures, and your room will be as
new. You're looking for accessories for a photograph studio? Choose
then the set Mementoes and become the most famous photographer of the
town. B5Studio offers as well many industrial items, that will fit
anyone who wants to decorate an artist workshop or mad scientist... To
visit without waiting!</i>"</blockquote>
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<a name='more'></a>Well, it was just enough of a kick in the panties to get me started again . . . well - a week later, but I started. Oddly, almost every creator that I am in contact with has lost the urge to create. Some, for personal reasons, needed to back away and some of us lost interest or desire to actually sit and mesh. It's curious. There are a few things I think that attributed to <i>my</i> lack of interest - of course - needing a break being one of them, but I am honestly a bit angry with the franchise at the moment. </div>
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<i><b>[If you want to bypass the rant, jump ahead two paragraphs]</b></i> After the Pets fiasco (where every slot was broken), it wore me out - I had been looking forward to that EP for such a long time and when it arrived and everything 'broke' - the community pulled together to fix everything - but I think it also destroyed a lot. I don't think it was EAs role to 'fix' everything - but it would have been nice to have been prepared for this RIG change (the root of the broken slots). It wasn't the fact that things broke or it was a lot of work to fix everything - but it <i>is</i> sort of a root problem. <i>No one</i> knew this was going to happen. I think this says a lot about the people who make the game and their parent company. I've been slowly building up steam about many things with the franchise. Over the summer they released Town Living - basically a handful of buildings. It seemed kind of small and honestly - boring, but okay - it's just an SP. Well, then they released the Goth Library with exclusive content. Another $$. Oh and a new world. $$$. The SP was $20. That's a lot of $$$$ for items that should have been (if not all, in part) in the SP. Then they give the SP away with pre-order of the next EP. Then you have the Sim Store. They keep releasing stuff only a blind child might have interest in. Then they have the nerve to charge $34 for a compilation set. What's more insulting? They then say "You asked for it!" Who asked for it?? Where is this person and why has <i>no one</i> knocked the crack pipe out of their hand? Intervention!! Worse - that set you just paid full price for? Free on facebook or 75% off on the Daily Discount. Lesson? Don't buy it - they'll eventually give it away. EA: Reward those who paid <i>first</i>.</div>
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The final straw that made me even stop reading forums was the announced release of Showtime. Not only am I completely uninterested in the expansion - I am insulted that they are trying to pull in social networking: Facebook. I abhor Facebook. I liken it to the worlds largest security risk. Before this turns into a tirade about <i>that</i> big mess, suffice it to say - while it is an optional feature - that the company insists that "You asked for it!" - seeing 'social networking' as about 15th on a list of 'wants' from the community doesn't strike me as a high priority. I also filled out a survey for the company and it's clear they have no idea what their fans want and why people buy this game. Task oriented worlds? While it might be fun to have a post apocalyptic Sunset Valley, my sims are still going to need to eat and be happy and well adjusted. This simply does not change the basic premise of the game . . . . they don't react to their surroundings, they don't take joy from building their home brick by brick. They can't even tell what the wallpaper is like on their walls. Perhaps it is me that is having this disconnect - I never did understand why people would want a Silent Hill, Anime, or Alice in Wonderland type world/game - the premise of the game is always the same. Fill their basic needs. I can turn off their age so even watching them get old is not a factor. How is the world going to change this basic programming? Even going to Egypt/China/France - they just get cranky if you don't meet these needs - tasks are a massive chore if they haven't eaten/slept/bathed.</div>
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Anyway - I could ramble on for hours about this sort of thing. We all make of this game what we want - whether that is adding in MODS to allow us to go to college or sell things in shops OR simply opening the game to decorate a room or style a sim. I think that is the beauty of the game IN SPITE of the greed and cluelessness of EA. </div>
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So on to the new items. I have spoken with Heidi and we were on a bit of the same wavelength for our upcoming sets (not sure how long either of us will actually BE mind you) - sort of a mix and match. I wasn't interested in just doing a bedroom or living room. I wanted certain items that I was inspired by when I go to the design blogs I follow on Google Reader. Truth be told a lot of sets start out this way - no real direction but there is a sort of theme that comes together (like the Reflections set) but I can't see one right now for what I am interested in meshing.</div>
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This all started with a bed. After the whole pets thing where we all needed to either wait for a fix or fix it ourselves - I decided - who needs all those beds anyway? - reduced my clutter and fixed the remaining on my own - regardless of whether the creator released their own. It allowed me to reset the patterns to ones I would use anyway - fix the tiling for a lot of the beds (you'd be surprised how many were off when using a checkerboard pattern). That took away my fear of beds - Heidi also helped quell that 'I could NEVER do one of THOSE!' fear that I was irrationally having. Beds are not especially interesting to me - you enjoy them with your eyes closed in real life and my own bed is nothing exciting - well anymore. I used to have a beautiful antique bed but now I have a queen size and for those not in the know - Queen/King are modern sizes. Full was the largest bed for a while and if you're really in the know - they you are familiar with what is called a 3/4 - the size between twin and full. My mother is also an antique collector and she owns on of these in her guest room. I guess it is a relatively recent thing that we like to sleep with someone - just not near to them. The idea of space and heat are 'new' when you consider the history of the world. So getting back to the bed - I loved this bed when I saw it and while it seems painfully simple - it was a fun project to get myself back into the swing of things.</div>
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Not entirely sure what the real one is called. I remember it being from Japan and I thought it was hysterical. I love bentwood chairs and this was just a really interesting take on one. Chris is drawn to (I jokingly refer to it as his spirit animal) the rabbit - in image - not in real life (he thought it was odd to have a rabbit as a household pet). Can't be any old rabbit - but still - when I see rabbit stuff (like <a href="http://www.bunnylicious.org/">Bunnylicious.org</a>) I think of him. Often modern can appear cold and chilly - this was a warmed up approach to an often utilitarian object.</div>
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I am a big admirer of Phillipe Starck and while I was inspired by this stool (the ghost chair has been done by a number of people) I am aware of the limitations of attempting to accurately make it. While I have not been able to get in game to examine this, I am pleased with the shape. Glass anything in game is tricky - you can't just arbitrarily make things glass and expect them to look right. With the Reflections set, I was able to learn a lot about how to make it appear more real for the game, but every object holds it's own set of rules - we'll see if this needs alterations.</div>
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I don't have any new photos of Jaxon and Laika - I did post a couple of quick movies at YouTube sort of demonstrating Laika the speed freak vs. Jaxon the reserved and how to play with a ball. Jaxon is really starting to fit in - there are milestone moments such as after his first bath Laika stopped attacking him every time he tried to get on the couch (we use a particular shampoo called Stinky Hippie that smells like lavender/patchouli and I think she recognized him as 'ours' when he smelled like her) - his first day at the dog park - his first trip to doggy daycare. Each time there is a noticeable difference in his personality as if he's realizing he is finally 'home' which really is nice. Even at bedtime he's found his space on the bed (this took surprisingly long to do) so now I am flanked by each on either side of me effectively trapping me in the bed. I no longer clutch to the edge of the bed when they both were on one side of me.
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He can't wear that harness anymore (Laika is a dragger so she must wear it) because it's causing bald spots on him. While we were told that this harness would prevent her from pulling us everywhere - she is one strong little girl and has figured out how to position her body so she still has the upper hand. She also knows to get the leash on either side of her depending on what side she's walking so she has even greater control. Jaxon needs to be walked - otherwise he won't 'go' and walk time can be very frustrating with the amount of squirrels and (you'd be surprised how piggy people are) chicken bones left by the curb by clumsy/lazy neighbors on trash day. This small bone of contention aside, they're an absolute joy. We are giving them supplements to assist in digestion and their immune system - I knew they were working well on Laika and Kaite, but it was a very rapid change for Jaxon - his coat went from a dull brown to an almost iridescent shine. He also had a strong doggy odor and bad breath and that subsided too. He's still the stronger smelling of the two of them - I think his coat is just completely different (hence the worn spots from the harness) but they're all happy and healthy!<br />
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I'll have more as I mesh it . . . working on a chicken mirror today - while I love the look from the front - the edge is proving to be <b>a drag</b> to smooth correctly using smoothing groups mostly due to the irregular shape. <br />
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[EDIT] - Just a quick update - the chicken mirror is edited together but I am seeing a small texture problem that is showing up only in workshop at the moment. I need to check it in game to see if it translates to the complete file.</div>
bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-31822184754085856992012-01-18T13:18:00.000-05:002012-01-18T13:18:37.204-05:00Gorvernment on Drugs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you think this doesn't affect you? You are completely wrong. Not an American? Visit: <a href="http://americancensorship.org/modal/state-dept-petition/index.html">American Censorship dot Org </a>. . . you can still be heard.bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-44175616147228686602011-12-21T07:33:00.000-05:002019-10-08T22:12:13.608-04:00dogs age<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a while. First, let me say 'happy holidays, yo.' Oddly, given all that has happened in the past year, this is the first year in probably 20 that I have actually felt some seasonal spirit. While the search for work continues and seems bleak, I am focused on the good things that have happened this past year and if you knew me, you'd be reaching across the table to feel my forehead to hear me say that. While I call myself a realist, most hear me describe the world as a pessimist. C'est la vie . . . you see a rainbow in the puddle, I see the oil spill from the car next to the puddle. I call it how I see it. That said - this year has been filled with tiny triumphs. Whether it was the mortgage assistance from Georgia's HomeSafe program, Chris being declared cancer free, or finding Laika in the street and giving her a home (and me a completely new take on life) - this year has been hard, but it has been good.<br />
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Speaking of Laika, she's been such a good girl this year and in preparation for my return to full time work (eventually - it's got to happen soon, right?) we have wanted to give her a little buddy to keep her company during the day. We've discussed it at length: this is absolutely the worst time to consider making our little family larger, yet - we felt that given these hard times it seemed even more reason to throw caution to the wind and rescue a dog from an uncertain fate at the pound. I can't even begin to tell you how much Laika has changed our lives for the better and bringing more love into the house seemed like really the <i>only</i> answer. Meet Jaxon.<br />
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We looked at hundreds of dogs online and had a very hard time singling out the dogs we wanted to meet in person. While I know the people who run the shelters try their best to describe these dogs in a way that will make them stand out, terms like 'energetic' and 'puppy-like' were actually detraction's due to Laika's nature. To give you a for instance, if I am sitting on the couch with Laika - she might be at one end and me the other. If the cat see's my lap is open, she'll quietly sneak across the room to get on it . . . Laika however has no intention of allowing that to happen, so she'll scootch on over and flop her head on my lap. To add salt to the wound, she'll lift her head and stare at the cat for a moment before nestling her head in my lap again and letting out a big sigh. The dog is a bit jealous of anything that might try to get my attention. Jaxon was described as being in a cage with a 'jealous type' and didn't mind being second fiddle. Sounded like a match made in heaven. The shelter being two hours from the house seemed like a long trip and there were hundreds of available dogs in our area, but he met what I felt was necessary criteria - smaller than her, a tiny bit older than her, more low key than her, but when it came right down to it - this was absolutely a gut feeling that we needed to meet this dog.<br />
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He was very nervous when we met him, but he seemed exactly as they described him. We'd need to apply for him and he'd need to be fixed, but if all worked out and we wanted him - he was ours. Laika was a little aloof with him at first but warmed up to him quickly and as nervous as he was, he exposed his belly for Chris and stepped up onto my lap to give me a little kiss on the chin. We were all sold and a week later we were driving back to get him.<br />
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Now, nothing against the shelter, but I would have rather taken him to my own vet to be fixed, but thems the rules - he could not leave there without being fixed. Shelters are often way over capacity and have limited resources so we donated a bunch of cleaning supplies and fresh sheets and blankets for the animals. Jaxon was black and blue from the neutering and it looked simply terrible. We drove back and took him to our new vet who did a therapeutic laser treatment on his 'goods' and gave us some pain pills. We also had him microchipped and checked over. Laika was also checked over and even got to meet a squirrel face to face (they have a wildlife rescue program)! If this woman would be <i>my</i> doctor I would be thrilled. One of the best vet experiences <i>ever</i>.<br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br />Cut to today . . . he's been here five days and he's </span><i style="text-align: left;">completely</i><span style="text-align: left;">
different. That's actually a good thing. He's happy, he's affectionate,
he's playful, and while Laika the first day was like 'uh, are you still
here? when are you leaving? I'm tired!' today she's happy and playful
with him. He's still learning to adapt to his new environment and
(significantly better) diet and supplements. H</span><span style="text-align: left;">e
had a very big 'accident' in the house today and I don't know that he
understands that outside is a business trip. These things take a bit of
time. He's willful and a bit of a sneak, but Laika tried to explore her
limits too when we first brought her in. Good news for them at least -
we're installing a fence in the back yard to enclose a large area for
them to roam freely. It's scheduled for the <i>24th</i>.</span><br />
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So while this year comes to a close, I hope that the new year brings bigger and better things. The many goods that came from this year were often equaled by the heartaches and its hard to not be remembered what a tough year this has been. I am often left wondering if Atlanta is a bigger challenge than Boston ever was, but had I never made the move, things would have turned out quite different for a number of parties involved. I am also reminded that this is a difficult time for many people and while my struggle seems large - in the big picture, I have enjoyed many blessings.</div>
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As for my holiday spirit this year, I enjoyed my gifts throughout the year. That wreath in the first picture I made with the pine cones from the now largest tree in my yard - my version of the giving tree I guess - it also provided enough pine straw to help with the landscaping :) Go Nature!<br />
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Hopefully I will find some inspiration soon to start meshing again, but that will be in the new year. Enjoy the last of this year and reflect on what has been. We made it.bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-13892088901708957172011-09-08T20:33:00.000-04:002019-10-08T22:06:18.128-04:00boxed breadAffectionately called: The "Is It Bigger Than A Breadbox" Breadbox, this is based on a gift from my sister. I am trying to recall the exact circumstances of how it came into my possession, but I remember seeing it at an antique store and commenting on it and suddenly it was a gift to me not too long after. I am told I am a very hard person to buy for so it is not uncommon that if I mention liking something in a shop, it will end up as a surprise for me later. Note to self: comment more on <a href="http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=diamond+tiara">big ticket items</a>. For me? Aw shucks! You shouldn't have!!<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
So, this again is not the usual run of the mill breadbox. This is actually a punched steel box with an enamel coating in a similar color to the canisters. Probably from the 30s. I have never seen one like it since. I thought this with the canisters would go well together in a set - that's the short and long of it. I will say this - I remember reading the comments on a set at MS3B where people can be wildly free with their thoughts . . . . (read: cruel) and I don't remember exactly what it was, but it was something to go on a counter or table or something and someone said something along the lines of 'well if it doesn't do anything I don't want it' . . . . fair enough. I understand the sentiment. In fact, I am very anxiously awaiting Unleashed because I am expecting that there will be a box of dog biscuits or cat treats or something that can be cloned (finally) for objects that sit on counters - like the canisters. So with this thought in mind, and remembering Sandy at <a href="http://www.aroundthesims3.com/index.html">ATS3</a> made <a href="http://www.aroundthesims3.com/objects/function_storage_misc_02.shtml">some chests</a> that were based on the WA chests - I asked her to help me with the process of making an object a chest. <span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: small;"><i>[as an aside, way back - I saw Sandy asking a question on one of the forums and as per usual it was being ignored by the moderators much like pretty much every question I ask on said forum {cough cough <a href="http://www.thesimsresource.com/">TSR</a> cough} so I messaged her and told her that at <a href="http://www.modthesims.info/browse.php?">MTS</a> they had helped me with a problem I had and from what I learned, wouldn't it be possible to apply the attributes from the object she could not clone {no textures} to the object she made . . . long story short - she figured it out well beyond my understanding and somehow I got the credit . . . but I had to ask her how to do it and she was kind enough to assist me so really - this is only working cos Sandy rocks! And what a crazy simple solution too!!]</i></span> So this breadbox DOES something! It holds <i>things </i>. . . seeds, tomb artifacts . . . anything a chest will hold - sans the animation but oddly - anyone can use it - it's not limited to those who have World Adventures. Must be in one of the patches. I am beginning to wonder if we can clone a lot more than we think with no EP/SP limitations . . .<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqW_oREmwaakk13hBmL4rpvrK9IvfiajiMZ_LC_osLapDHXQ8M5crYBwt__GPCTuZ5gArvFIvJ4mbZObSt8O9trUp2bkhfkEWf8ONgT-GLe0FRk789TAfSdfDuLmuBygBWDEyVrZEE_Xk/s1600/breadbox+with+slots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqW_oREmwaakk13hBmL4rpvrK9IvfiajiMZ_LC_osLapDHXQ8M5crYBwt__GPCTuZ5gArvFIvJ4mbZObSt8O9trUp2bkhfkEWf8ONgT-GLe0FRk789TAfSdfDuLmuBygBWDEyVrZEE_Xk/s640/breadbox+with+slots.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three slots . . . just in case . . . </td></tr>
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So, here's the funny part. Well I find it funny. I needed to use an OMSP to place it the way I wanted to on the counter. It's no secret - I am NO FAN of these things and not because they are not terribly useful, but simply because I have zero patience for working with them and trying to get my stuff where I want it . . . so many pretty pictures out there use them and god bless every last one of them who uses them well - I (seriously) got a migraine trying to use it today. BUT IT WORKED. Let me tell you - 98cm is the key to getting this puppy on a counter. The thing disappeared every time I tried to pick it up then it started spinning and I couldn't undo that - then it wouldn't move back and when I finally got the hang of using it, I couldn't get the breadbox onto it . . . then I tried the cheat moveobjects on and FINALLY it worked. Hol-lee moses that was a year off my life. I tried a lot of different OMSP and the height just wasn't right . . . this really cool one (please - do not take my SPED experience as what you will encounter - I am simply challenged in these matters) from MTS by the creator <a href="http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=428179"><b>granthes</b></a> was the only one that worked and allowed me to tuck it back into the corner . . . I wish there was a way to counter the problem without an OMSP - but this is the one to do it with.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDsS79C9v47a28zdJXr-beWTCD5S6oaSN1F013u_OxAC_3cP6GMkMb1ReKVEvU33r3EC2YrAo-KlsbFCKUNOiOGesZ3FCm8N-qcOS0nuXe4dMDuIImBY0CN-rKIqqH3P6i-DObIBfvAA/s1600/breadbox+with+omsp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDsS79C9v47a28zdJXr-beWTCD5S6oaSN1F013u_OxAC_3cP6GMkMb1ReKVEvU33r3EC2YrAo-KlsbFCKUNOiOGesZ3FCm8N-qcOS0nuXe4dMDuIImBY0CN-rKIqqH3P6i-DObIBfvAA/s640/breadbox+with+omsp.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry bubbies - you're going to have to click on this to read it . . . . </td></tr>
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<b>*EDIT* - I need to update which OMSP work. I will confess that <a href="http://mangosims2.free.fr/index.htm">Mango</a>'s OMSP are the first I always go to - they are simple and do the job. I often feel like there is truly something <i>wrong</i> with me that I cannot seem to use one well - these are that simple to use. For some reason I must have overlooked this particular height and frankly, <i>je ne parle pas anglais</i> - so I don't even know what the titles say. [<i>aside: I have to wonder if my descriptions are in any way offensive when they are translated to different languages</i>] So - if you want a <i>very easy</i> to use OMSP, download the <a href="http://mangosims2.free.fr/index.htm">Mango</a> set (<i>page two of sets, bottom set</i>). Here is a picture of it in use - a screen capture to show you the exact name and look of it as well. It has two styles - but you won't have to make this one invisible - it's inside the counter.. The advantage to the other is that it's larger than the breadbox and you can place it again if you put it in the wrong spot. CTRL Z also works for the low-fi inclined.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can thank Jenba for pointing out that this set indeed had the correct height. </td></tr>
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Every piece in this set has multiple <i>styles</i>, but each style has it's own <i>tiling</i>. I have been trying to make objects with as much versatility as possible. When I am in my own game and want to use a pattern and it looks horrible on whatever creation I am trying to CASt . . . anyway - I know it is frustrating to have an idea for your 'scene' and none of your patterns seem to look right - wood alone has such a vast array of scale . . . . well - you know - you play this game too. Anyway - I started to include different tiling sizes before, but this set every object has multiple tiling options - I am hoping that is clear to those who don't read the notes and helpful to those who do :) <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The different tiling options . . .</td></tr>
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This is the last piece to the kitchen set . . . probably won't be released until Monday or Tuesday due to the weekend being almost upon us. If I could have finished everything yesterday, it would have been nice to release the set today for the weekend. Weekend releases - I have said this before - just get lost in the mix. You kill yourself to pull together a set - release it and no one realizes you did. Soul crushing. bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-80791950873321401642011-09-06T16:34:00.000-04:002019-10-08T22:08:43.785-04:00eating time.<br />
Just a quick update. While this was not particularly difficult, I have been tinkering with the silverware on this all morning and finally got it to where I think it looks good. This is based on a real clock in my kitchen. Mine is a little rusty and worn. <br />
<a name='more'></a>I purchased three of these back in the early 90s in Cambridge Massachusetts at the Church Street Fair. I was looking for gifts and could not resist one for myself, too. I am learning to include different tiling for each style as certain patterns simply don't look good when they are too small or too large. Version 1 is set to 4,4, version 2 is set to 1,1 and version 3 is set to 2,2 on the pie tin. The silverware I have left at 4,4. This should aid in getting the right look from your own patterns.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Not entirely sure why this is in skinny vision . . .</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clocks as they appear in game . . . . </td></tr>
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EDIT - I am going to add some kitchen picture spam from <a href="http://twitter.com/jenba72">Jenba</a> at <a href="http://jenba.net/sims2/">Greetings from Mt Geneva</a> who has been kind enough to help me with testing these items. Her pictures back to me are always to amazing. The patterns she'll try out on the different objects always makes me feel like I include some of the most boring recolors! I also need to say how important her feedback has been to this set! There were some clumsy oversights in the refrigerator especially that she caught and I am not sure I would have even noticed until I went to take final photos or worse - post release! So, THANK YOU JENBA!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_Dw9o1xxrakVcpqj0otYq9hxqhu7xMVXSvllKLJX-Fi0_Ut1LCyiAxVK15363Bm9gxKgk7g6eJbgJR5oe12HIH9wL9mq26oeHpeU3alr2z6C5a4brp14e9MUHccCN_7KQSBP3AKfxZY/s1600/shakers05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_Dw9o1xxrakVcpqj0otYq9hxqhu7xMVXSvllKLJX-Fi0_Ut1LCyiAxVK15363Bm9gxKgk7g6eJbgJR5oe12HIH9wL9mq26oeHpeU3alr2z6C5a4brp14e9MUHccCN_7KQSBP3AKfxZY/s640/shakers05.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As I know these only as crackled, it had not occured to me to try a new type of base pattern!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkULW5mq8osV_AHwPPlL2kQvIZpDxTAiWSm1VjAlEtWNduoPHOWdK9sj_ejpxhWzaIXKP_2VBdKcULfOkV-m53u_HiWjlkLSIiWUsdZlgSwcdMDx_D4ba3IE-j66_Dd0at5tlk02119gY/s1600/fridge04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkULW5mq8osV_AHwPPlL2kQvIZpDxTAiWSm1VjAlEtWNduoPHOWdK9sj_ejpxhWzaIXKP_2VBdKcULfOkV-m53u_HiWjlkLSIiWUsdZlgSwcdMDx_D4ba3IE-j66_Dd0at5tlk02119gY/s640/fridge04.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was testing a wood pattern that caught a tiling oversight - this is the corrected version<br />
I had only tried metal patterns . . . custom kitchen wood panels made perfect sense!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjHquDp9WDh8EpA7O-3KFtub0gosCEJcUnh1guQ6pq9vnm90KUNLebUWSSVOaiNerHSpDj6WO4OrCqgEEc27CyZwIshs0pOu3DBcIM5N1I7kyAjFCkYu2XfI8VXxh9VWWpMSx3D5yXS8/s1600/canisters02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjHquDp9WDh8EpA7O-3KFtub0gosCEJcUnh1guQ6pq9vnm90KUNLebUWSSVOaiNerHSpDj6WO4OrCqgEEc27CyZwIshs0pOu3DBcIM5N1I7kyAjFCkYu2XfI8VXxh9VWWpMSx3D5yXS8/s640/canisters02.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I actually got a little weak kneed seeing this - I love the pattern selection!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0x6qsn4UVVQVbqgl8ip0hDvyWXxaR9_JG7LwT2vAsrL3ufNoULUTBzEsDokaD8lQ22MpcF3mk1P_p4C3yBAFFhweA0SSXJeKLXON9GC1i7Zp7PvWw_C1_IbvzTj2fkUH1yf7tucpxyc/s1600/canisters03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0x6qsn4UVVQVbqgl8ip0hDvyWXxaR9_JG7LwT2vAsrL3ufNoULUTBzEsDokaD8lQ22MpcF3mk1P_p4C3yBAFFhweA0SSXJeKLXON9GC1i7Zp7PvWw_C1_IbvzTj2fkUH1yf7tucpxyc/s640/canisters03.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SIMLISH!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdjJr8lLorL6zax7_szeP95SnKasNrL8nGA8Hus1hMkxZYE5XulMwvaMS_BsHy3FWvVnBvqlwyJG8jYE2vPbNzJpK2bJdKKrErb8zRQJsWyh2qgn2ZELBy3DxPssWSB8MZRx4DtZqZ0E/s1600/canisters01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdjJr8lLorL6zax7_szeP95SnKasNrL8nGA8Hus1hMkxZYE5XulMwvaMS_BsHy3FWvVnBvqlwyJG8jYE2vPbNzJpK2bJdKKrErb8zRQJsWyh2qgn2ZELBy3DxPssWSB8MZRx4DtZqZ0E/s640/canisters01.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is with Awesims new kitchen - I haven't even had time to try this set out myself!<br />
I am curious if the height is the same or if this is an optical illusion - looks good with that set :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUowJTh2XbZNMpCn5jsMrfT0ynZ3M01Jriqw8NvbJoK7yabTN4-uqzFuM_xuN7775Rg_QCi6400proFPhiIyxkwRIaU406W2wfW7duZW6sVBgJFil5IVkQxrFlGl-Wao2CXcyPlkSM91Q/s1600/clock01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUowJTh2XbZNMpCn5jsMrfT0ynZ3M01Jriqw8NvbJoK7yabTN4-uqzFuM_xuN7775Rg_QCi6400proFPhiIyxkwRIaU406W2wfW7duZW6sVBgJFil5IVkQxrFlGl-Wao2CXcyPlkSM91Q/s640/clock01.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clock - brilliantly patterned to be especially fun and funky!</td></tr>
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bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-32924185745072252672011-09-05T16:50:00.002-04:002019-10-08T22:10:14.488-04:00Lights and letteringYou know - if you looked at my very early meshes you'd think - meh - not a perfectionist. In reality there is the constant balancing act of doing the best one can and OCD. At any given moment one can only produce to the best of their current ability. <br />
<a name='more'></a>But abilities refine - it's how we grow and improve. Sure - it would be nice to be an expert at the beginning but we do what we can and hope that someday there is a payoff.<br />
<br />
Nope. Just more challenges.<br />
<br />
I have been working on a simple canister design. I picked these up in Cambridge, Massachusetts at the Cambridge Antique Market (my god I would give my eye teeth to fly on up there and do some therapeutic shopping). Simple Art Deco kitchen canisters . . . I hadn't seen any like these before - usually just spun or anodized aluminum, chrome stackers, or some ceramic something. These were interesting because the lid is hinged and they have a little bakelite knob and typically deco lettering reminiscent of a rail line. Easy enough, right? Well . . . sure - they meshed well, but these needed <i>options</i>.<br />
<br />
I like my sets to be designed that they can be built upon. This kitchen set is a continuation of the ideas in the Salt is the Fifth Food Group set. The flour cabinet in that set had many options with many overlays. The problem with an overlay is that you have the options but they are static - you cannot CASt them. This needed to be a little better than that - especially where the lettering was going to be more prominent. Often when you see lettering for the game it is a little blurry and almost never is it CASt-able. There was my challenge.<br />
<br />
Attempt one. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UVeWecImcmCenEZwhdeshENdE2Xcw2WFfbZ3Jsptz1j16GZn41VzhWTctee0c1QhkdypfXRqMLzVnqTaGn7RKCkYIe9QH_3kMVWwxAZ0vRFwRMX9ZIfhgRKJ1-do3ZtvSCoWS0t1D-w/s1600/canister+take+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UVeWecImcmCenEZwhdeshENdE2Xcw2WFfbZ3Jsptz1j16GZn41VzhWTctee0c1QhkdypfXRqMLzVnqTaGn7RKCkYIe9QH_3kMVWwxAZ0vRFwRMX9ZIfhgRKJ1-do3ZtvSCoWS0t1D-w/s640/canister+take+one.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
A little creative license with these. Because the flour cabinet had a band around the 'enamel' table surface - I wanted these to fit in. The real ones are simply pale yellow with black lettering and a black knob - so the <i>shape</i> is pretty much the same and the band can go away with CASting. As for the lettering . . . it was <i>okaaaaay</i> but it was blurry. I had decided to do the lettering as a multiplier alpha trick instead of using the mask. When the mask is utilized to get this affect (so, picture a red field with green words on it) changing a color within the same area will cause little white lines to appear - even EA meshes have this problem - just take a good look at the oval coffee table. I felt that it needed to be improved - back to the mesh - make the lettering larger and it will be clearer, right?<br />
<br />
Attempt two.<br />
<br />
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Well - sure - now the lettering was clearer and actually larger too on the object - not just the mesh - so it should look better. I mean - it looked better than attempt one but man - it still had a very choppy looking hard edge - nothing like how the multiplier looked. When you pan out, the letters start getting even more hard looking. Deflated, I remembered that I encountered this with the venetian mirror . . .the solution there was using Phong Alpha as the group to remedy the problem. Just change the group. Easy, right?<br />
<br />
Attempt three.<br />
<br />
Finally - the lettering okay . . . but the <i>whole object</i> became a little transparent too - the knob <b>disappeared</b> at certain angles and the band at the bottom could be seen through the object. W. T. F. . . . WTF???? Lip trembling . . . don't cry . . . drink heavily. That will solve the problem . . . <br />
<br />
Attempt four.<br />
<br />
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<br />
O. M. GHAHHHHD. It's clear, it's clean, it recolors - it shines appropriately . . . it's still legible from a distance - not choppy and hard looking. AND it comes in simlish . . . and it's not translucent! The trick in this case was making the lettering a new group. I don't know that I will ever truly understand Phong Alpha, but clearly I need to experiment with it further.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtGuLKdQWFYOgzO4i-IAkWpbIpWj0VxXEzQ9vuX94juRECKgbW4NBhRUjq5qeX6J1jqU-7NXkNZ58Dib8uD-5EDqg0R4cSxdnIodWFsgv12JyeM23h0K0vwwFPzhH1WOl4_5sDTIWXEI/s1600/canister+remake+with+slots.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtGuLKdQWFYOgzO4i-IAkWpbIpWj0VxXEzQ9vuX94juRECKgbW4NBhRUjq5qeX6J1jqU-7NXkNZ58Dib8uD-5EDqg0R4cSxdnIodWFsgv12JyeM23h0K0vwwFPzhH1WOl4_5sDTIWXEI/s640/canister+remake+with+slots.JPG" width="619" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two! Two slots! ah ah ah (my impersonation of the Count from Sesame Street)</td></tr>
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This is also the second object I have made with specific slots to allow for them to be lined up on a counter without an OMSP. I hate those things! Worse - if you had to use one - you'd need four to line all these up. The way this has been designed is the large one has two slots for both a large and a small canister - the small only has the one spaced for a small canister. Because slots are like high powered magnets sometimes - I didn't want to have them on both sides - I thought it would be overkill. I also did not want to have all four (or what you often see is three) sitting there in a row as all one mesh. That would require a significant amount of polys for one object but then you couldn't put the flour on the table next to the bowl and leave the other three behind. Same thing as the salt and pepper shakers - what if you're doing a baking scene and only want the one? So this hopefully fills a need in the game. Did I mention it also comes in simlish?? It comes in SIMLISH.<br />
<br />
This morning I was drinking coffee and looking at the light in my
kitchen and I thought - oh - this has to be made. It's one of those 50s
round fluorescent bulb fixtures that often hum and make you look a
little green around the gills . . . what better than to have that in
game too? We now have the ability to have 'neon' lights so it would be
easy enough to light it up, but also have it as light source. Full
bright (the neon effect) is akin to the refrigerator Full Bloom (the lighted interior of the fridge) only it is recolorable and
can (with the assistance of a light source) be dimmed in game which is
really a nice feature.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wz0T688xkg0k1fxrBAkgC8gDoQ5UKtlSVRHch_TB6DvDOvodVAhw2KYlm6uXW39LYL6pAYO_yKfAslT02A-wjoTryExDBf_CbmOJnlyxvgHuUKruAlzSDMqbD0yBD0KqvVRA4ma6TOc/s1600/fluorescent+light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wz0T688xkg0k1fxrBAkgC8gDoQ5UKtlSVRHch_TB6DvDOvodVAhw2KYlm6uXW39LYL6pAYO_yKfAslT02A-wjoTryExDBf_CbmOJnlyxvgHuUKruAlzSDMqbD0yBD0KqvVRA4ma6TOc/s640/fluorescent+light.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm</td></tr>
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Don't you wish you had one in your kitchen? I can't even take photos in the kitchen most of the time because of that lovely green overcast that it adds to everything. While this one is recolorable to whatever you want it to be, I thought it would be funny to include the standard colors. It's incredibly subtle, but the one on the left is green, center is blue and finally pink for the end. Just like science class in high school when you were nodding off but you looked up and noticed that there were no two bulbs alike on the ceiling and if they just moved those from over there to over here then you'd at least have all pink bulbs on this side of the room . . . no? Okay - I am OCD.<br />
<br />
One more kitchen spam:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFiIGtDF9DjMl05EZDWXO3h3oJJL016YF2R-sp0ZsNDY22GUNCOTbT_yJBnaz1-pT8e11SkAlYWL2N7xIcrprk_y6T4nf8n598cYQcmx8AKnXPpxR0wy0R1tfvBxXcgJ4AJ3oij7X5oU/s1600/kitchen+spam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFiIGtDF9DjMl05EZDWXO3h3oJJL016YF2R-sp0ZsNDY22GUNCOTbT_yJBnaz1-pT8e11SkAlYWL2N7xIcrprk_y6T4nf8n598cYQcmx8AKnXPpxR0wy0R1tfvBxXcgJ4AJ3oij7X5oU/s640/kitchen+spam.jpg" width="576" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bowl and Cookie jar from previous kitchen set - counters and stove from Exotic Elements</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2inAz3K6PvhWSegstkzQAci0oyzq33Kncl8AZUzHbj3f8BOMZuOjvENkp-bZ0ldUVzsxGLcWMPJh3eSf09lX36VmC1INVLNxPHEqvTk6HkOruPiToLk-kVzTb7eBG1DooRD2A1dgFktU/s1600/japanese+shakers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2inAz3K6PvhWSegstkzQAci0oyzq33Kncl8AZUzHbj3f8BOMZuOjvENkp-bZ0ldUVzsxGLcWMPJh3eSf09lX36VmC1INVLNxPHEqvTk6HkOruPiToLk-kVzTb7eBG1DooRD2A1dgFktU/s640/japanese+shakers.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salt and Pepper (the salt is on an included slot) and my old cookie jar</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtviwFnSkgYuMh_2x4gppljG2v1FYJ-r-rW7DJ84CsqdIGvXr5A43gLwXS9XMp-CShv34r-3kx6-fQFV40L_8YqxYFohyphenhyphenUABwXsAdf8UTmEygnkcgF4PilQuWhfgnnQa3VPaSpCT6Vtk/s1600/kitchen+overview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtviwFnSkgYuMh_2x4gppljG2v1FYJ-r-rW7DJ84CsqdIGvXr5A43gLwXS9XMp-CShv34r-3kx6-fQFV40L_8YqxYFohyphenhyphenUABwXsAdf8UTmEygnkcgF4PilQuWhfgnnQa3VPaSpCT6Vtk/s640/kitchen+overview.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kitchen so far - 2 step stools (stool and table), 2 canisters sizes, fridge, light, and shakers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdjHl1U4RXCCNe1lO5cGc0j5bwiX7yEgr7F4MNoST1UTfQuS31aygCvSrTevxnPqmryIGSMBte-lv1uh95bqsKA5c2bN6dCVLTPFKJ8449BjUZ0XSycwDo_rHYXA-lv5wZEzF5WZ7FzA/s1600/canisters+and+fridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdjHl1U4RXCCNe1lO5cGc0j5bwiX7yEgr7F4MNoST1UTfQuS31aygCvSrTevxnPqmryIGSMBte-lv1uh95bqsKA5c2bN6dCVLTPFKJ8449BjUZ0XSycwDo_rHYXA-lv5wZEzF5WZ7FzA/s640/canisters+and+fridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fridge and canisters</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8top_LtEuHrCJJlkzy61HUv2_pLahrlgQqKecpefLC6hPT0KE7U_GT9ZymB7WkJnlhBzISTBkPURILuKRivziDMZPluILPihhwiEZKhVcIdyYoOMy1-1G-lkgUx2Pff6F9-YQPEchRk/s1600/dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8top_LtEuHrCJJlkzy61HUv2_pLahrlgQqKecpefLC6hPT0KE7U_GT9ZymB7WkJnlhBzISTBkPURILuKRivziDMZPluILPihhwiEZKhVcIdyYoOMy1-1G-lkgUx2Pff6F9-YQPEchRk/s640/dinner.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's for dinner? Bleu cheese, oranges, a lemon and frozen dinners! Mom!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwt56YDzAWfoK432F_anZEdC0MgcHPx4ebQ6ouKF8xFbDW0llR3wymUoY0gYFB4HLTQ140T8ZHjVucl_HRQvMHWS4KqqvN-cvxha1NRS7_yJW2WvvlWgKtvRE8cjLFJske-0t2zaDztI/s1600/dessert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwt56YDzAWfoK432F_anZEdC0MgcHPx4ebQ6ouKF8xFbDW0llR3wymUoY0gYFB4HLTQ140T8ZHjVucl_HRQvMHWS4KqqvN-cvxha1NRS7_yJW2WvvlWgKtvRE8cjLFJske-0t2zaDztI/s640/dessert.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desert, milk and juice! . . . Look at them glass shelves (my southern inner voice comes out again)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQWJw9QrFqsD8ThumxEkihsmYJaXyrTVv7CIVeoM4D4cyBLXJNPyP5XJarqHUHW9wlfRyKWUjAFRbdGOG0jmrJZBC_iDwbgI6TnsoRGXbhcLm91Vj_t9xRJdRuJx_ygy7y62w1MB8TrE/s1600/darling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQWJw9QrFqsD8ThumxEkihsmYJaXyrTVv7CIVeoM4D4cyBLXJNPyP5XJarqHUHW9wlfRyKWUjAFRbdGOG0jmrJZBC_iDwbgI6TnsoRGXbhcLm91Vj_t9xRJdRuJx_ygy7y62w1MB8TrE/s640/darling.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well look who stopped by! Wendy Darling. She's making crow . . . god love her.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjns3Hf3W6H_XyGANPuXKKBYTiUbtzeB4qWJDlT_J5HOeEjcLCIqx76VbnTFwmKWIfp_6Fuf4i7qweRGgNwgVdjSNZJq2qhWOYSrR2mDliclUYS9IuyKqH2XfUz1myt9GxgRe7wwwTkUfQ/s1600/kitchen+stepstool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjns3Hf3W6H_XyGANPuXKKBYTiUbtzeB4qWJDlT_J5HOeEjcLCIqx76VbnTFwmKWIfp_6Fuf4i7qweRGgNwgVdjSNZJq2qhWOYSrR2mDliclUYS9IuyKqH2XfUz1myt9GxgRe7wwwTkUfQ/s640/kitchen+stepstool.jpg" width="393" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy's groceries demonstrate some of the slots. There are three slots per step and even a slot between the legs!</td></tr>
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Oh! And guess who's birthday we settled in on a date for? Laika! There's an album out there somewhere of Chris, Katie, Laika, and I all wearing party hats . . . but I'll just let you see one photo of the dear thing wearing her party hat . . . it was her big day - well her's, Katie's, and Chris' too . . .<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrTVWLv7aJDZEDYgvyuEaJR6hSxL7gsNlHhmxoNH061LDEua7EmJ_ck9e9aZXsK6l9xfCFjpNe0In23_sNW7F01F7V-wfx9L4AkAMRFlxDCaU62hFcnAdoFofmTsOHxamvwwlH8Cpyws/s1600/IMG_0585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrTVWLv7aJDZEDYgvyuEaJR6hSxL7gsNlHhmxoNH061LDEua7EmJ_ck9e9aZXsK6l9xfCFjpNe0In23_sNW7F01F7V-wfx9L4AkAMRFlxDCaU62hFcnAdoFofmTsOHxamvwwlH8Cpyws/s640/IMG_0585.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny hats for everyone!</td></tr>
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<br />bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-68757723035602139032011-08-30T10:08:00.000-04:002019-10-08T22:01:54.837-04:00Let the cold winds blowI have been thinking about the different things that one could have in their kitchen set. All sorts of counters have been created and I don't think I would have anything new to offer other than to say that 'oh - this is something I made' but the reality is - the counters that interest me have already been created by others and rather well too. <br />
<a name='more'></a>What do I want out of my dream kitchen . . . I like vintage and have always lived in vintage, but really - if I could build it from the ground up - it would be modern and industrial. Industrial is clean and functional and utilitarian. While I do like embellishments in my vintage world, an industrial stove doesn't need to have curves and architectural elements on it to make it cook better. In my humble, yet correct, opinion - Exotic Elements created <a href="http://www.exoticelements3.org/2010/11/traditional-kitchen-set-2.html"><i>the</i> stove</a> for a modern and industrial kitchen. Heidi would tell you that the poly count is high, but I say <i>polys be damned</i> - it's gorgeous and something I would expect to see in the overpriced loft of a chef. In my vintage homes I have a few stoves that I gravitate to, but for my modern homes - I don't even know why I have others in my CC folders - I simply don't use them.<br />
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I needed an industrial refrigerator though. Sub Zero is the name most people think of when they think of cool commercial refrigerator units . . . their price dangling somewhere in the area of $14,000 for a simple model. I'll take two, right? Pfft. In my dreams. Now I don't want to say that I have created a refrigerator that is <i>the</i> industrial refrigerator, but I am pleased with the outcome. I think if I were to start this project again right now I would approach it completely different, but that is the magic of meshing - you never seem to tackle something the same way - even paintings I always change the way I work one up.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymfHrcQNDBcEbPYFjM2RmnvB_rfB5ooMbFTAR59tQWnqtcV48lYgmdDOKmHKv52bdoTdYlclq8qlaoruWAyEIM5qeeV5xAI0-USlLXlyPTSsFAcjdiFt85IuXRQ59PjI0VHrk1eJ1yZs/s1600/refrigerator+and+stool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymfHrcQNDBcEbPYFjM2RmnvB_rfB5ooMbFTAR59tQWnqtcV48lYgmdDOKmHKv52bdoTdYlclq8qlaoruWAyEIM5qeeV5xAI0-USlLXlyPTSsFAcjdiFt85IuXRQ59PjI0VHrk1eJ1yZs/s640/refrigerator+and+stool.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lookie there! The step stool, the fridge, and Heidi's amazing stove</td></tr>
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This was one of the more complicated meshes but not probably for the obvious reasons. When I try a new project, I am trying to think of better and more efficient ways to lower polys and this was no different. All included this is just over 1000 polys for a full fridge. Then breaking each shape down so it can fit into one of the 32 smoothing groups was a bit confusing . . . but after all is said and done - this was relatively easy - just time consuming with a few snafus. What was the biggest challenge is how the interior of the refrigerator is lit. It's a group called 'full bloom' meaning - the whole thing glows. There is no documentation on how to alter this and that is where it can become time consuming. You cannot see the results of minor tweaks in workshop - you have to import it into the game over and over and over again. It's really soul sucking work because half the time you can't see if anything has altered and worse - with some objects you need to reclone it over and over again as the changes being made cannot be seen due to cache memory in the game. It's about now that you're thinking - oh that's easy! Just clear the cache. No. Two weeks from now I would still be generating new icons for my game and it would take four days just to find my object in game. <br />
<br />
Anyway - that said - I am pleased with the outcome - it is out for testing now and hopefully it will be well received. While I would have liked to offer variations to the interior - each overlay adds a significant amount of file size so this will have the one style option for the inside.<br />
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On a completely different topic, if you haven't heard, there is a new sims forum and I have to say - it's really a fun one at that. <a href="http://www.thesimsdaily.net/index.php">The Sims Daily</a> is a new forum from some of the <a href="http://forum.livingsims.net/">LivingSims</a> alum. While I love <a href="http://forum.livingsims.net/">LivingSims</a> for the design aspect and all things objects, sometimes you just want to let your hair down and do so in a place where you all have something in common - no restrictions on said topic. I don't have personal experience with the forums at say the <a href="http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/forums/list.page?rnd=0.6680018981034468">official site</a>, but when I have run across a problem and I am forced to deal with said forum, I find I pinch the bridge of my nose a lot while shaking my head and closing my eyes. Deep breath . . . let it out . . . another? Yup. Better? No . . . but thank god for <a href="http://www.thesimsdaily.net/index.php">The Sims Daily</a>. I know there are a number of forums out there and I can't vouch for all of them, but this one is truly fun and welcoming, so I <i>highly</i> endorse it.<br />
<br />
Okay - back to the kitchen with me - happy simmin' bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-49835194564105798982011-08-25T10:06:00.000-04:002019-10-08T22:02:18.983-04:00Modern LoveI think we're all grown ups here - so when I say I am having a love affair with my latest mesh - it shouldn't even phase you. I think reality television has pretty much made our skins a little tougher.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Well - you know I am working on kitchen stuff, and it's not moving as quickly as I had hoped, but I am really loving how things are turning out . . . well sort of. I have so far encountered a few strange problems with the shakers which have been addressed and they are out for testing, but the next item - mmm . . . when I moved this from New England to Arizona (long story) I thought it had broken as I saw raw edges, but the foot 'cap' had fallen off and the angle in which it had tilted (the whole freight car was a jumbled mess that surprisingly nothing broke) it appeared to have snapped in two. I broke out in a cold sweat and nearly burst into tears crying out like I was in some overly dramatic movie 'Nooooooooooo!' Anyway . . . I love this thing - I have never in my travels seen another like it and the simple design is really quite ingenious. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnLjH2CxqikMUyrCsBSnRSChDuyfN9QUNQFBS_bi5p-JRDSJYQ1ZRSRQPBTDqFF7bG80A4n96yFA-4Mf6BLr042-hcAAnszjeebXEXnWO1Oxgm10O2Y_0TUjEdYy8L2Ys9cjsw8788p4/s1600/step+stool+love+affair.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnLjH2CxqikMUyrCsBSnRSChDuyfN9QUNQFBS_bi5p-JRDSJYQ1ZRSRQPBTDqFF7bG80A4n96yFA-4Mf6BLr042-hcAAnszjeebXEXnWO1Oxgm10O2Y_0TUjEdYy8L2Ys9cjsw8788p4/s1600/step+stool+love+affair.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steps up - as a stool</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwnA2lOpbM8d5nmeUd6l2vYiPi5WeYaGusSJ59-sU8gT34YoDDmy7-aRy-jhpDmafYQPlWz8C9lAyGH-d1vL5zrKvpsHiizVsV5mGQOD5AbJHhYuj0m5PkQkfG38Gx5ji28CR91VpjVM/s1600/step+stool+stairs+down.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwnA2lOpbM8d5nmeUd6l2vYiPi5WeYaGusSJ59-sU8gT34YoDDmy7-aRy-jhpDmafYQPlWz8C9lAyGH-d1vL5zrKvpsHiizVsV5mGQOD5AbJHhYuj0m5PkQkfG38Gx5ji28CR91VpjVM/s1600/step+stool+stairs+down.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steps down - still testing - possibly an end table if a stool won't animate correctly.</td></tr>
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I had to take a bit of creative license to keep the polys below 1200 - the legs are slightly different in real life but pretty much it's as close as I could get it to the real McCoy. It would be really nice if we could program these things to 'work' like they are supposed to - having the steps animate would be really quite neat. I need to get a better photo of the real one, but you get the idea . . . still sorting through ideas to create for the whole set - it probably won't be a large set - more a continuation of the original kitchen set.<br />
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**Edit - it's 2:00 EST - Just in from taking Laika to the dog park - she's so damned cute!<br />
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bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-61055163143613615182011-08-22T17:44:00.000-04:002019-10-08T22:03:43.594-04:00Laika and the ShakersWhile I am busy at work on a new set(s) I am taking a tiny break to present some photos of the irrepressible Laika, whom I spend the majority of my day with now. She's a whopping 34 pounds now! She doubled in size since we found her. <br />
<a name='more'></a>When people talk about their children I am like 'I know - I found this dog and she's . . .' and they're all looking at me like 'uh, that's a dog' and I am looking back at them thinking 'you need to ditch that child and get you a dog'<br />
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My internal voice is sounding more and more southern . . . y'all's.<br />
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Let the spam commence:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiKr5cnJsAzpN1UxuP9Kc11ry0Jsm9G92QcdSOHquasQlKDZFm-NmsCB7Dz2pvYGvZYXtkVjvN6m7IehQevOONhubNoaJN7WlVYK9o4caCSMsdG8zmZVoYvzfgwU9GNbl9PXG3oWJfZc/s1600/IMG_0274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiKr5cnJsAzpN1UxuP9Kc11ry0Jsm9G92QcdSOHquasQlKDZFm-NmsCB7Dz2pvYGvZYXtkVjvN6m7IehQevOONhubNoaJN7WlVYK9o4caCSMsdG8zmZVoYvzfgwU9GNbl9PXG3oWJfZc/s640/IMG_0274.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/jul/08/myspace-angles-research">Myspace angle . . . </a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUbJVBDzrnadVZQvZU3AC8hPCyKbgLtm2VePqKeUILX7y5MPCJhTB-6N67aZp0oldvdjsa15-Df0BZtLlrpp638E2-5b1x6ED42azE_o1XCZP654wQNWNdO1xG0TLV1Gk-KGjcKKJ42k/s1600/IMG_0276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUbJVBDzrnadVZQvZU3AC8hPCyKbgLtm2VePqKeUILX7y5MPCJhTB-6N67aZp0oldvdjsa15-Df0BZtLlrpp638E2-5b1x6ED42azE_o1XCZP654wQNWNdO1xG0TLV1Gk-KGjcKKJ42k/s640/IMG_0276.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibdQGfDvMi2534ES9I_8AgDX2wtdyRSxfBiTdY_FePmUOqroN6nO_yhHz-j38AI-DfzpVIe_vI8brnxqa4nHkeRWPgcJarfvmT7zkD6LktVlwK_tHQjTZRDxS-Hq5CKcGDLxOs5y0OX8Q/s1600/IMG_0277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibdQGfDvMi2534ES9I_8AgDX2wtdyRSxfBiTdY_FePmUOqroN6nO_yhHz-j38AI-DfzpVIe_vI8brnxqa4nHkeRWPgcJarfvmT7zkD6LktVlwK_tHQjTZRDxS-Hq5CKcGDLxOs5y0OX8Q/s640/IMG_0277.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is often how I see her when she jumps at my face.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHRaXVjfczcXcy_KrGmVGckgJBKLyqih_pqIVwmpYEzSH0XRnQnkCOnk4PU752qzGqgelCFTBrSF2x-sRhkjUOAMMHggn2GnvQyGLnWFOdYZ6TFvmWXCp8_T2l6ggwIJhvMg8hVvaPjs/s1600/Laika+at+wagalot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHRaXVjfczcXcy_KrGmVGckgJBKLyqih_pqIVwmpYEzSH0XRnQnkCOnk4PU752qzGqgelCFTBrSF2x-sRhkjUOAMMHggn2GnvQyGLnWFOdYZ6TFvmWXCp8_T2l6ggwIJhvMg8hVvaPjs/s640/Laika+at+wagalot.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't this pathetic? This is when she stayed at Wag-A-Lot for the day which is great for her socially, but she does tend to follow the attendants around instead of mingling with new friends . . . </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yx6KenObZmCYJDKFJelm68lssVCVmyWVtNs_ocTNl-KD4_Vy24uCqWw1DJWYdtJVdQu8XvkFR509a_TKc_4-3XXDHV3ESKZj1SynbezIIqecu4eG9f0EiP1i3WAHi3QHveFz5_55gXQ/s1600/IMG_0446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yx6KenObZmCYJDKFJelm68lssVCVmyWVtNs_ocTNl-KD4_Vy24uCqWw1DJWYdtJVdQu8XvkFR509a_TKc_4-3XXDHV3ESKZj1SynbezIIqecu4eG9f0EiP1i3WAHi3QHveFz5_55gXQ/s640/IMG_0446.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She is about to get a treat . . . but she has to give her paw first.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CmuXq7__wEWJZ2A0oDRpnmvjqrLVKlS5uN20t7dhHCc7aapIVuLmfL8rzwHSqGql35m37TP0Jnt2OfTzQM7e3jvIKooTHTysWHzEjNhUg-caUPPbQwzf5y-_284dd5a5yvNycq5W0nI/s1600/IMG_0508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CmuXq7__wEWJZ2A0oDRpnmvjqrLVKlS5uN20t7dhHCc7aapIVuLmfL8rzwHSqGql35m37TP0Jnt2OfTzQM7e3jvIKooTHTysWHzEjNhUg-caUPPbQwzf5y-_284dd5a5yvNycq5W0nI/s640/IMG_0508.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See her marcel wave down her back?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK_LNnK6ew6l6L6CHXYl2Dp_UZhlE37FusZb-2kBdmSQa7sahKJbE3kAkcTi-w7uuDhhgAxVVCMaiXD7iCQgU1pPxL4tW8gy5dfLz9zA_gexwnnnMYTyy57BCj5deXlPfcv-gQwYDtFk/s1600/IMG_0541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK_LNnK6ew6l6L6CHXYl2Dp_UZhlE37FusZb-2kBdmSQa7sahKJbE3kAkcTi-w7uuDhhgAxVVCMaiXD7iCQgU1pPxL4tW8gy5dfLz9zA_gexwnnnMYTyy57BCj5deXlPfcv-gQwYDtFk/s640/IMG_0541.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">crazed sped child.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">zip!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">whoosh!</td></tr>
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Oh yeah - and a little sneak peek at what's to come . . . <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-0FaNaJYUOxE9GOMtJOvSLl6PYhuZxQQAnBDl06nHd1dWapjMfJCRbem_1wO4G4sgnLkf47hZaNMjmGTgtCtjBzF7CCDdOC6ohuhx8vP5hWrpTJePEv8Km2IaV8fwbNUAnU9uEbEdhg/s1600/sp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-0FaNaJYUOxE9GOMtJOvSLl6PYhuZxQQAnBDl06nHd1dWapjMfJCRbem_1wO4G4sgnLkf47hZaNMjmGTgtCtjBzF7CCDdOC6ohuhx8vP5hWrpTJePEv8Km2IaV8fwbNUAnU9uEbEdhg/s640/sp2.jpg" width="504" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Based on the real ones I found in rural GA many years ago . . . </td></tr>
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Kah-kah-kah-Kitchen! (sung to the tune of the lowly <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzY7qQFij_M">Chia pet</a> jingle)bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-83013506366599461622011-07-25T12:44:00.006-04:002019-10-08T21:59:40.195-04:00moving backwards to move forwardI've hit a point in creating that I wanted to look at what I have done in the past to see which pieces I have liked enough to go back and fix or update. You learn new tricks or interesting techniques and I feel these previously released pieces might have turned out a little different if I knew then what I know now.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
Things like the batter bowl from the <a href="http://b5studio.blogspot.com/2010/11/salt-is-fifth-food-group.html">Salt is the Fifth Food Group</a> set . . . it's cute - in fact, I have to say it's pretty darn good for where I was at in my meshing skills at the time of its inception, but the handle has well over double the necessary polys . . . it was also intended to hold something but at the time I had no idea how to do that. Well - now I do and so, I've remeshed the handle to lower the poly count so we can raise it right back up again with things for inside the bowl . . . things like lemons or tomatoes . . . having a slot inside the bowl allows one to place pretty much anything inside it - not just these five new fruits and vegetables. Old poly count just under 1500, new poly count just over 1000. **I also need to add that my understanding of smoothing groups has jumped tenfold so this actually looks nicer. It was completely remapped too so this looks <i>quite a bit</i> better.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVtVgpEUzGR2AKQHd65L1qMCAsb920xzBnq1S-2wr7yd2TFX5-6dM2HyvYpYdWOQwTg20LyArMcu63HlsgZycm9zNicw7V22WcgXDo26Ft-zwgjZ_2GqvUnetdRcrPNAEOh8MRBmIagRg/s1600/remake+batter+bowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVtVgpEUzGR2AKQHd65L1qMCAsb920xzBnq1S-2wr7yd2TFX5-6dM2HyvYpYdWOQwTg20LyArMcu63HlsgZycm9zNicw7V22WcgXDo26Ft-zwgjZ_2GqvUnetdRcrPNAEOh8MRBmIagRg/s640/remake+batter+bowl.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New handle and slot to make this object finally as it was envisioned</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzZtlmHDbfA9EkZk-7KLCxCQQ0k1EKBY5yGUKbCaYbyCzJfhMS9eXu-nK1UAC3idd_eZ1LUZ1G9RKYvQrhfosbNFVKGdJSdAnm-zBhijeZtau3mMsXbQK1Uj_AEGENxlDxI2qR8ItdDk/s1600/remake+veggies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzZtlmHDbfA9EkZk-7KLCxCQQ0k1EKBY5yGUKbCaYbyCzJfhMS9eXu-nK1UAC3idd_eZ1LUZ1G9RKYvQrhfosbNFVKGdJSdAnm-zBhijeZtau3mMsXbQK1Uj_AEGENxlDxI2qR8ItdDk/s640/remake+veggies.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five new fruits and vegetables to go into the slot (sorry for the sloppy merge of photos at different angles)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9mvXxf-K9i7OZKMBdloY7dXqB1M5mjD2-dVdQd056C-LyNpbL8PEbOo7avMQLSccGeNILWEBozj1CfcTi6S0w8kHd2yCSmqsnCffmNpJgMrwoueiFR9spIMVUAl4vM7QHwUkBobWqYE/s1600/remake+batter+bowl2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9mvXxf-K9i7OZKMBdloY7dXqB1M5mjD2-dVdQd056C-LyNpbL8PEbOo7avMQLSccGeNILWEBozj1CfcTi6S0w8kHd2yCSmqsnCffmNpJgMrwoueiFR9spIMVUAl4vM7QHwUkBobWqYE/s640/remake+batter+bowl2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comes with three styles at different tiling scales - here seen with fruits </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj95hrjSq4-bobk1TtXmbHlB7lFRFz3k8IClENyIYPe-GXV9qSXp7KlZi5Fi1xm0t_5j2GJcnyC4GT1mBJfs-VKE0mNVaBw85xyTLHXxUGpYpt_KjGLxmQi1MLlSrMJSreUM803Tr7-Ygs/s1600/remake+handle+difference.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj95hrjSq4-bobk1TtXmbHlB7lFRFz3k8IClENyIYPe-GXV9qSXp7KlZi5Fi1xm0t_5j2GJcnyC4GT1mBJfs-VKE0mNVaBw85xyTLHXxUGpYpt_KjGLxmQi1MLlSrMJSreUM803Tr7-Ygs/s640/remake+handle+difference.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'New' bowl to the left - resmoothed (properly) and the new handle.</td></tr>
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Speaking of the <a href="http://b5studio.blogspot.com/2010/11/salt-is-fifth-food-group.html">Salt</a> set . . . the water glass. While I loved it originally, I have grown to hate it. I don't like it any more upon working with it more. Accursed thing. I was requested to fill it with something. I could do that sure - but I wanted for it to look real - like a bit transparent. I'd have to go through the archives to see if I mentioned the excessive head banging I did working on the edison bulbs, but there is a problem with how the game renders transparency. You can have two transparent items - adding a third causes some problems. Well - let me rephrase this. Adding a transparency to the multiplier is the problem when working with more than two transparent items. I think (<i>think</i>) you can have glass ad nauseum, but if you want glass, recolorable glass AND a transparency of a label over the glass? Fuck you and the horse you rode in on . . . at least - that is what the program whispered in my ear - it <i>may</i> have been a pick up line - I cannot be too sure - workshop has it's issues. The glass - it drove me nuts that as the camera panned out, the pattern became worse and worse and . . . where did the glass go? Playing hide and seek during my photo shoot is unacceptable! SO. Glass - less 'real' more 'visible' - pattern - it's still a bit glitchy, but that is the nature of Drizzleware (er . . . the orange pattern) and Oh yes - we have juice. Sorry - it's not transparent as I had hoped, but . . . well, <i>you</i> reason with the game.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-q8u81K_HmMNuxcSNFTZrnBL1gUFPb1bLEsoYhWfdxZFBsO3yIYCal-Nt-hR2hE2XwAQ-8P38T1IzFEOdNJuVZuAH69vyNGyzXx2nwPCgNwnp66ZMpG0EcWs5oXgtXCDGCebNpzYhkRM/s1600/remake+waterglass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-q8u81K_HmMNuxcSNFTZrnBL1gUFPb1bLEsoYhWfdxZFBsO3yIYCal-Nt-hR2hE2XwAQ-8P38T1IzFEOdNJuVZuAH69vyNGyzXx2nwPCgNwnp66ZMpG0EcWs5oXgtXCDGCebNpzYhkRM/s640/remake+waterglass.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally visible and full - all in the same file . . . fancy dancy!</td></tr>
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The <a href="http://b5studio.blogspot.com/2010/12/surprise.html">pillow</a>. My first pillow I realized was not going to please everyone. When I went to work with it myself in game, I was so annoyed with the fact that you A: needed a cheat to place it, and B: it hovered above some chairs and sofas - worse - it could <i>never</i> be placed on the floor. I released a second version of the pillow that sat on the floor, but that still left the hell we know as OMSP. One More Slot Please. Or as I like to call them - OMGH - One More Grey Hair. Heidi showed me a nifty trick of being able to code something like a rug - so no cheats were necessary to place it. The hovering part . . . well - I have tested a number of things and to the best of my ability (currently) my findings are that while I can make it move up and down like a painting no problem, this blocks the ability to allow it to turn around fluidly. It seems the ALT key function can only be back and forth/around OR up/down - it cannot be your everything like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an_2OC2lxDg">Andy Gibb</a> could. Hell - nothing could hold a <a href="http://my1970s.tumblr.com/post/7033002730/chest-hair-by-andy-gibb">chest hair</a> to him. So after all that - it will still hover curiously over some seating. Sorry bubbies. I tried. **Further update: Even in taking the following photo I realized what a pain in the ass placing these pillows near to each other was going to be without using the cheat. So now all the pillows including the floor style in two sizes (not shown) will be recoded to not need a cheat. Why I hate the cheat - it's a necessary evil - but when you are setting up a screen shot, if you need it active, you cannot place doors and windows. Annoying to turn it on and off, on and off over and over again. My mind simply does not work that way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1rBoJqfXoO0vkM2MAmsFu-ey2I2zskK8JiZRfJXzk-wgpMdvLDMp3bVcLVleW8n9Wq9qIZmZ6y9to53epajmRkMmq5Q8sb0jlbhSRvuMS32vjIizNNN0K4FJYZ0RbQZElJhNOvh82KA/s1600/remake+pillows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1rBoJqfXoO0vkM2MAmsFu-ey2I2zskK8JiZRfJXzk-wgpMdvLDMp3bVcLVleW8n9Wq9qIZmZ6y9to53epajmRkMmq5Q8sb0jlbhSRvuMS32vjIizNNN0K4FJYZ0RbQZElJhNOvh82KA/s640/remake+pillows.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">15 new styles that go on the two different meshes - including <i>simulated</i> fur <br />
(no animals were <i>thought</i> about being harmed in their creation<br />
[you know I am an animal lover, not a fighter<br />
{Laika! Git'da squirrels! Git'em!}])</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pretty much all the 4x3 rugs that have been released (since CB2 series one) will be re-released as a 2x3 as well. That's six (6) rugs. Sadly, with image sizes and quality, rugs released before this mesh cannot be remade entirely. Some images are higher quality while others were a stretch to get on the old meshes used. It's sad, but the clarity of those rugs I have always disliked in game and I hate to abandon them, but it's been a year or more since I collected those images and it's hard to locate them again on the off chance that they can be found larger . . . . that's like finding a grain of sugar in the salt shaker. The most recent small oriental rug had small images as well so they cannot be also made large.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY12eV7d_pFbKPNfVQxLA6PAIcNlTrmaVKoP8oBkgKOs3pNrz4Xn1fJQoUivY5QaZWmX7C7t2aBJGIIM6gtA8QFgjq1HaRNdoHcAu8w7H2S0iijdiEyLh0HxqzYHQq-hxtkHS2w9xB9T8/s1600/remake+six+new+sized+rugs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY12eV7d_pFbKPNfVQxLA6PAIcNlTrmaVKoP8oBkgKOs3pNrz4Xn1fJQoUivY5QaZWmX7C7t2aBJGIIM6gtA8QFgjq1HaRNdoHcAu8w7H2S0iijdiEyLh0HxqzYHQq-hxtkHS2w9xB9T8/s640/remake+six+new+sized+rugs.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Six resized rug sets in antique, blue, green, kilim and CB-tastic flavors</td></tr>
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I am also planning on filling another request . . . the <a href="http://b5studio.blogspot.com/2011/01/pandora-boxed.html">shadow box/acrylic box sets</a> came with a light attached and while the art is pretty modern, the light fixture I think gets in the way. I am not sure if it's physically in the way or stylistically . . . regardless. This will be recompiled without the actual fixture but the light intact. If the light is not present then the glass glare is very strong and hard to see what is inside the frame. While I enjoy that sort of realism in my own game, the art really suffers - I could be putting <a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/painter-of-light-thomas-kinkade-arrested-for-dui-e,42171/">Thomas Kinkade</a> painting in there at that point. Muahahahah - there's a thought. Painter of light my fucking ass. That man should be shot for crimes against innocent retinas everywhere. Oh the humanity! I am still looking though my files to see if either one of these paintings will see a Series 2, at the moment it is not looking like they will.<br />
<br />
One of the last things that I would love to redo is the <a href="http://b5studio.blogspot.com/2010/05/life-drawing-101.html">male nude set</a>. This was one of the first recolors I did and I always promised a female nude set to follow. One of the reasons it never came to light is that it is rather difficult to find a diverse selection of female nudes that are serious art. While I am still not sure <i>why</i> that is exactly - the female nude is far more popular a subject for artists - every search for pictures would pull up either the exact same artists every time OR would pull drawings that would more be considered pornographic in nature - not fine art. While there are arguments that all nudity could be considered pornographic in nature, I think one can usually tell the difference (quickly) by the placement of the hands. Generally speaking, in fine art, they are gracefully resting on the leg, for instance, or held away from the body. This is usually not the case for pornographic drawings, and I will let you use your imagination there. While I am still considering how to approach this project again due to the irregular nature of the 'paper' each drawing is on, the original set of 9 seemed small and that frame, while at the time I was thrilled to death with because I was able to do anything different to the existing EA mesh, has always been a rather large distraction to me and seems clumsy when I look at it today. Blocky frame with squiggles upon it never really was my intention. We'll see if I can pull something new off.<br />
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Off to get the light off that picture . . . hope I can pull this off before weeks end. Between this, searching for work, and the mortgage song and dance (though, it looks like there is a program that is going to temporarily assist on the state level! Fingers crossed!!) I am not meshing as focused as I could be . . . .bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-6886537392794522172011-07-15T09:46:00.002-04:002019-10-08T22:00:22.881-04:00MergedThis post was actually started two days ago so while it seems like I am preparing you, dear reader, for my <a href="http://b5studio.blogspot.com/2011/07/all-that-glitters.html">upcoming set</a>, you've probably already downloaded it or at least wanted to find out '<i>what</i> was he <i>thinking</i>' . . . here goes:<br />
<blockquote>
Sometimes you think you have a set that will just keep going on . . . that is sort of how I felt with the mirror set (can be seen <a href="http://baufive.blogspot.com/2011/06/struggles-with-mirrors-blogger-and.html">here</a> and <a href="http://baufive.blogspot.com/2011/05/different-items-currently-being-worked.html">here</a>) that I was pulling together. <br />
<a name='more'></a>The first three were organic and I loved working on them - then I challenged myself with the Venetian Mirror. Sometimes a challenge is rewarding and everything you do makes you just want to create more and more. Then there is the <i>other</i> kind of challenge. You lose patience, you stamp your feet, you sulk and cry . . . the latter would be the Venetian Mirror. I don't know if I started it on a day that the moon was full or if Laika peed in my coffee or what . . . that mirror tore my soul up and ultimately ruined my enthusiasm for creating more mirrors for the time being. The other day I thought I would pick back up where I left off and I found myself going "I'm <i>done</i>. I'm <b>DONE</b> already." Ghaahhhd. <br />
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Luckily enough, Heidi had inspired me with a 'new' set that she has been working on, or really - reworking - she had struggled with her set <i>too</i> back in March (see - great minds <i>DO</i> think alike . . . even when it's not good). While I have this little bit of extra time on my hands, I, when not scouring the job sites for work, have been meshing to keep myself a little sane. Just a little mind you. I find myself talking to the dog a lot and expecting an answer these days.<br />
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There have been a few items that I have wanted to make and Heidi's set blended modern and classical together seamlessly that it got me thinking about those mixtures of old and new, smooth and textured, rough and refined that we both love so much. She had crafted this <i>stunning</i> backless sofa/bench that I had thought at some point I wanted to try to mesh something like that after seeing something in a picture with a gorgeous oversized painting . . . her version put my imaginary one to shame and will probably be in every single screen shot I ever do - but it triggered my memory of a table I had wanted to mesh. "C" tables, as they are called for their letter C shape, are a relatively new piece of furniture that have cropped up in the past few years. While they are an attractive side table, the idea is that they can slide up to your sofa and act almost like a TV tray (yup, I am showing my age there). Significantly cooler than the aluminum and plastic nightmares of yore, the "C" table has been crafted in any number of materials including exotic woods or stone atop a metal base as well as cool materials like heavy duty plastic and acrylic. Either they are on little gliders or wheels and pretty much any trendy/modern shop should have one. I saw a picture of one recently in all clear acrylic and having researched <a href="http://www.coolcasters.com/">casters</a> for chairs and tables a while back, I pulled one together from memory. After sending it along to Heidi to see what she thought, I found the picture of what I was trying to recreate and I was surprised to see that even they used a clear acrylic caster - kudos me, my Alzheimer's is not kicking in as soon as I projected.<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (I joke, but I am seriously preparing myself)</span><br />
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I have a serious lack of odd surfaces in my game. By odd, I mean - things not defined as side table, coffee table, dining table. When I make a surface (like the <a href="http://b5studio.blogspot.com/2010/11/salt-is-fifth-food-group.html">flour cabinet</a>) it fills a void that I have in my own game. That said, I created an acrylic console table. You know - the tables you see in your entry way or behind the sofa? Why are there not more of these in game? They are soooo handy!</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpL0XE8Hp6wgRWFy5RV29-GqeskkC01dzRPeFD7MiTRr9S69vT2XTCOrXVUmpZ75uhMKJni-NjJgqLhEH8_mAeklCECLfR7bjgcDIdxku5NA0AooS-LUmj26cwalgIE59tyEEEqSScw1uu/s1600/ref+objects+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpL0XE8Hp6wgRWFy5RV29-GqeskkC01dzRPeFD7MiTRr9S69vT2XTCOrXVUmpZ75uhMKJni-NjJgqLhEH8_mAeklCECLfR7bjgcDIdxku5NA0AooS-LUmj26cwalgIE59tyEEEqSScw1uu/s640/ref+objects+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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When Heidi showed me her very cool coffee table - it triggered a memory of a set of tables that I attempted to buy back in 2007 - well - one table of a 'set' of three types of tables all carved from Mango wood. For whatever reason, this table was back ordered for like six months and then they stopped carrying it. In researching it, I find that they ended up getting them back and putting them into their outlet store. FUCKERS! ( <span style="font-size: x-small;">Yes, I went there</span>). This trio of tables I wanted to make into chairs/stools. While I love the idea of them as a table, they felt more interesting as a functioning dining chair - sort of like a Chinese garden stool and I felt it was a nice compliment to Heidi's table. Her patience with me is truly a gift as I was not entirely sure how to texture something like this and she graciously walked me through the process.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlE6Ns8C1VX4DMJ0lZeW9warCrVenqZnhL1zFvFfA79C3GBfkSnv2fq3nCMi9d1Sh_S7dQg9cFEfafYHev1Ux9gWyyQ6EKKWj3_QDun1FNymI6gyyTHFttN5Nrttr-BO9453yNlZrJEc/s1600/041107court.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlE6Ns8C1VX4DMJ0lZeW9warCrVenqZnhL1zFvFfA79C3GBfkSnv2fq3nCMi9d1Sh_S7dQg9cFEfafYHev1Ux9gWyyQ6EKKWj3_QDun1FNymI6gyyTHFttN5Nrttr-BO9453yNlZrJEc/s1600/041107court.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The real tables - for the record, it was the one on the left I wanted.</td></tr>
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In the middle of this set, I decided I was not done with torturing myself with items like the Venetian mirror . . . I got in my head to create a piece of quartz. No. Don't even bother to ask my goes on in the cavernous thing I call a head. </blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9w3RvUClaF0KBP9fu1XmTDM6Odal9bJ3uQG7um0aDghW8wzCLeikJZjPZ_xeObZ36T3hRuFfYCHs1MHMOAZsnucHh8jk831qVjimxqfs8GvBWTbrAmmV_NwgU7CWJZVgBSTir24qsql6/s1600/ref+objects+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9w3RvUClaF0KBP9fu1XmTDM6Odal9bJ3uQG7um0aDghW8wzCLeikJZjPZ_xeObZ36T3hRuFfYCHs1MHMOAZsnucHh8jk831qVjimxqfs8GvBWTbrAmmV_NwgU7CWJZVgBSTir24qsql6/s640/ref+objects+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Finally, it seems no set is complete without something I own. In this case - two items. I have this bowl from Denmark that I have just adored. I purchased it in Cambridge, Massachusetts at one of the shops there that I used to haunt. The real one at some point someone put a plant in it and the soil left mineral marks that simply will not come off the surface - I think there has been a chemical change to the glaze as it almost appears to be 'baked' in. Then there is a lamp that I have threatened to mesh for a while now - it almost made it into the <a href="http://b5studio.blogspot.com/2011/06/like-corners-of-my-mind.html">Mementoes</a> set. It was a light that reminded me of a lamp I already owned in color . . . when I got it home, they were indeed alike - they were made by the same company and had the same base. This line of 'lamps' were actually sold as a medical device with a strange screw in 'bulb' that looked like a piece of pumice. The one I already had I purchased in Arizona and the dealer seriously hid when I screwed in a bulb to see if I could get it to work as a lamp. It worked just fine - so I was confident when I bought this one. I will say I struggle with this light as not every bulb works in it, but I love it and it's unusual. Changes were necessary to keep the poly count reasonable - mostly in the base which is an applied texture and in the clamping mechanism. While I probably could have lost 110 polys by going back in and futzing around, I decided to keep it at the 1310 poly count. Yup - lazy bones. I really would have loved to add the chord as that is one of the things that I find so interesting about this lamp, but that would have pushed the limits to a crazy number I would not have been comfortable with.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooMNhLnx1VnJl-ip55E9rUPPTnEI4Ix-YXkglSyI5nfdSyWH9PH7YLuF-PMttlfFGVFyjSgCnXlWTo2xfsD3fA3gXF_muitDZmekpdUga_w9mX0tpbz5sQg15mWszrbIQg7vUDFasrBg/s1600/floor+lamp+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooMNhLnx1VnJl-ip55E9rUPPTnEI4Ix-YXkglSyI5nfdSyWH9PH7YLuF-PMttlfFGVFyjSgCnXlWTo2xfsD3fA3gXF_muitDZmekpdUga_w9mX0tpbz5sQg15mWszrbIQg7vUDFasrBg/s640/floor+lamp+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The real lamp</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9hL5CcFiTXMqmtApqTRAjexznOnY9sosjqUK65Fr5CyreiDHraRtMA344nWI_T0MmrpAraHrpCvUlSg0EpOfLD44Saiu8GwEvul3GC8FnfEZP-wtKRkpaSCXEtciE5maXpns-9j6rgs/s1600/the+real+bowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9hL5CcFiTXMqmtApqTRAjexznOnY9sosjqUK65Fr5CyreiDHraRtMA344nWI_T0MmrpAraHrpCvUlSg0EpOfLD44Saiu8GwEvul3GC8FnfEZP-wtKRkpaSCXEtciE5maXpns-9j6rgs/s640/the+real+bowl.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The real bowl</td></tr>
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With all of the reflective surfaces between this set and Heidi's . . . it seemed okay to apply the four mirrors to this set. You wondered where I was going with all of this. Weren't you.</blockquote>
bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-2105260133873451022011-07-04T09:55:00.001-04:002019-10-08T22:00:41.372-04:00One tiny update ....Just a tiny one - I believe the set is complete and there are 16 items in it. Fingers crossed this will be a joint release - I don't want to speak out of turn and say <i>who</i> just in case the speed of life decides to render one of us a speed bump . . . but I bet you can guess who the mystery creator might be :)<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I like to challenge myself and that can verge on tormenting myself at the same time. While I am not a person who likes symmetry, I do believe in balance. Looking at the set there are a few uneven elements which I have tried to rectify. The fountain was the only water feature, so I wanted to add a bird bath to the mix. This had a number of revisions because what I did not realize is that the only base game water item I could clone and work around (for some reason fountains are a cranky object in workshop) was the small fountain - which has an animation? I was a little surprised as it is the base for the fountain in this set - but the animation is hidden inside the urn in that case so when the bird bath was imported in game I was a little surprised. The original shape was to evoke the feel of the obelisk and what I am calling the finial, but instead it just seemed awkward. Revision two found the base a little too top heavy so this is revision three - with a created group for water. In workshop this is a confusing looking object (as are plants or anything that requires transparency rendered), but it looks fine in game and has that movement of water which I wanted.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOS0Bbmj9NMqTBAx15qK2_CdZcDeMl68-DrVwRwTzuhj5TWCCdWPf3u-K3TzYVqAVPUAR1gjq413RLW2D70W1aO9qjtjH7nTI_kA_kdQ5CLZ66S8KDdKDNsKhpM_1Ptctqrz4dFxPqXas/s1600/garden+birdbath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOS0Bbmj9NMqTBAx15qK2_CdZcDeMl68-DrVwRwTzuhj5TWCCdWPf3u-K3TzYVqAVPUAR1gjq413RLW2D70W1aO9qjtjH7nTI_kA_kdQ5CLZ66S8KDdKDNsKhpM_1Ptctqrz4dFxPqXas/s640/garden+birdbath.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goldilocks' bird bath - not too top heavy, not too angular - it's juuuussstttt right.</td></tr>
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To balance the two cloches, and beef up the plant element I created another odd little plant. This is a favorite that I brought with me from New England - Sweet Woodruff. While I have a hell of a time trying to grow it here in Atlanta, it's an unusual looking little ground cover that does better in shady and moist areas like a woodland sort of setting. In real life I had this as a potted plant because I had no idea that it was a ground cover. When I planted it outside in Andover, Massachusetts it took off like gang busters . . . here it sort of whines a little and becomes a bit sparse looking. That said, I like the unusual - I bet you couldn't tell that - so I wanted to bring yet another favorite plant to game. This is a little high on the poly count and I probably would have approached it a different way if I was reading the term 'facet' as 'poly' in UVMapper . . . I was just a little glazed at the end of my meshing it and while I would prefer to see a lower number, I don't think it will be one of those things that people will have 10 of them on their lots. One or two high poly items are okay in a game - a house full of them with an OMSP holding 20 of them on one square is generally thought to be mildly reckless.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPRQIF6zvtiCAcOkibr-GAbu8DHjFv3T3gTfPCUsAvoF64Y9OU2wzrJ-kmaWMpBuf4EbtpAkYgWuBfCFayZ5htC0k-vBp5LD3JSVKxD9m3BIDg3aoc8wxrcVfhGeRECVY7CdUZQX-Smk/s1600/garden+sweet+woodruff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPRQIF6zvtiCAcOkibr-GAbu8DHjFv3T3gTfPCUsAvoF64Y9OU2wzrJ-kmaWMpBuf4EbtpAkYgWuBfCFayZ5htC0k-vBp5LD3JSVKxD9m3BIDg3aoc8wxrcVfhGeRECVY7CdUZQX-Smk/s640/garden+sweet+woodruff.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two styles of clay pot - clean and mossy</td></tr>
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Now we'll see if I can stop myself from adding something else. These large sets are sometimes a downer for people I think - like 'too much' to process and initially it can backfire and be a low download set. Hopefully that won't be the case this time around.bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-10183329462616920542011-06-30T21:31:00.001-04:002019-10-08T21:40:40.813-04:00okay - even more.<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
I need to just apologize for posting so much about a set that has yet to be released. It is often that I have the game in pause mode for hours when I set up a screen shot. For whatever reason I did not this time and I got to see these items at dusk - it's crazy beautiful the lighting and how the glass just about glows in game . . . so . . . more (moar) picture spam.<br />
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You are also going to see a new object that I am absolutely nuts about. NUTS.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzP7qdSraZ-0Vu_cEQ6UCAcIxo1kHbiLGLRItxaBe-Y4IiRyn-ndQqpkTMr28ACaoxVGtFhQESwpktRTpStlOLGWr2eIeILH8EsvsGDamj8F6-XnAeNGTtG7P6e2LxJ_Haw0317rhgjY/s1600/garden+night1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzP7qdSraZ-0Vu_cEQ6UCAcIxo1kHbiLGLRItxaBe-Y4IiRyn-ndQqpkTMr28ACaoxVGtFhQESwpktRTpStlOLGWr2eIeILH8EsvsGDamj8F6-XnAeNGTtG7P6e2LxJ_Haw0317rhgjY/s640/garden+night1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The glow on the glass took me entirely by surprise</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRW7OSiZRtxionISF3FrTRsdd0l50HgamQj5FJf6ISuerSrdBeU1IfnEizrTzf5W4-nLucKAWCSyMEQCi82zekEcMFxKD0sfm7NwXS-ohFNv03tozVl6y4G83fLtolRrKoZQNTP0jIn8/s1600/garden+night+fountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRW7OSiZRtxionISF3FrTRsdd0l50HgamQj5FJf6ISuerSrdBeU1IfnEizrTzf5W4-nLucKAWCSyMEQCi82zekEcMFxKD0sfm7NwXS-ohFNv03tozVl6y4G83fLtolRrKoZQNTP0jIn8/s640/garden+night+fountain.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the subtle sheen on the front fountain</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohQ643RSZINmLcY8evhHIV5sIskPnEjJha44aE4mOLI6tiEB63I6vkQp7N2JmNrt6p7hmhJEHnqSmZcPMZooAeGEQoL87uzd_68_nzry7QmLl1vDwh9omPdhF6Dqim7OKTrSA0rT6Zww/s1600/garden+night+sculpture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohQ643RSZINmLcY8evhHIV5sIskPnEjJha44aE4mOLI6tiEB63I6vkQp7N2JmNrt6p7hmhJEHnqSmZcPMZooAeGEQoL87uzd_68_nzry7QmLl1vDwh9omPdhF6Dqim7OKTrSA0rT6Zww/s640/garden+night+sculpture.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay! Glowing!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3kCDQypzJokym2AJE3B9AyPjbHbPg2PjA1XR_TocY8Qc1JR71t0oFMG8L3Ceffc-Gz_QLtQYbFoCIBWcU-0ktuq9O8zjJfnWMilDa-F75EhhYrXP3d7UdN89_xIVuOVfrllWDbTFLtw/s1600/garden+night+star+lantern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3kCDQypzJokym2AJE3B9AyPjbHbPg2PjA1XR_TocY8Qc1JR71t0oFMG8L3Ceffc-Gz_QLtQYbFoCIBWcU-0ktuq9O8zjJfnWMilDa-F75EhhYrXP3d7UdN89_xIVuOVfrllWDbTFLtw/s640/garden+night+star+lantern.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A star lantern </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJ3riDhEx3EtFBMGIrUgKFXtu0q-bkun0gxVoxd5jFjvu_pE3dgJtakyXhHErKug-ndpC0k_yLqHbdBisJNzA4ib-KhpXyWJRKCI0c72e0gARPvXIFusNFL5vMu9LkZcZMpJlt9YFklo/s1600/garden+star+lantern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJ3riDhEx3EtFBMGIrUgKFXtu0q-bkun0gxVoxd5jFjvu_pE3dgJtakyXhHErKug-ndpC0k_yLqHbdBisJNzA4ib-KhpXyWJRKCI0c72e0gARPvXIFusNFL5vMu9LkZcZMpJlt9YFklo/s640/garden+star+lantern.jpg" width="572" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is something I never thought I could actually mesh due to the strange angles </td></tr>
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bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-16159535432780374822011-06-30T10:06:00.000-04:002019-10-08T21:42:30.643-04:00More . . . or moar.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Okay. This is me - what the fuck is moar? So I googled it. More and Roar. MOAR! Okay - enough said. I stand edjumakated. While I have never professed to be cool, I am usually a little more on the ball when it comes to fancy lingo. I'm a hep cat . . . right? (snapping my fingers 1,2 . . . . 3 . . 4). Look at me go. That's me on the dance floor too. So smooth.<br />
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This is just a little more picture spam of the upcoming set. I have redone some textures on the fountain, though the tiling of the patterns needs a bit more work. Each of the larger sculptural items has a 'mossy' texture too so I needed to update the fountain. This fountain is actually inspired by a real fountain at the garden center I go to <a href="http://gardenhoodatlanta.com/">Garden Hood</a>. It's in the hood, <i>yo</i>. Very cool shop if you are ever here - unique plants and the staff are extremely sweet and knowledgeable, but I digress . . . while my fountain looks basically <i>nothing</i> like their cool fountain (it had to fit the feel of this set too), the idea is the same. Center pottery urn with a low force bubbler in the center . . . which I could not replicate given the fountains in the game - the animations simply do not exist. Nor can you add a bubbler to the center with the fountain pieces - they need to be on the <i>ground</i>. They will not sit on an OMSP. How utterly useless.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwDQceubm-m-gekJ2VOlKjp6DA2OLj37zI7fFg0STLpSIVW8did0F4-Wt49tP0P8JYOjJjAQhSZZpnPlEzTOAR34FmhTG71WTwilSiFQHM8pTSyKjg_W-4JVaJ7KckUD9g3Y6DWlZpbk/s1600/garden+fountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwDQceubm-m-gekJ2VOlKjp6DA2OLj37zI7fFg0STLpSIVW8did0F4-Wt49tP0P8JYOjJjAQhSZZpnPlEzTOAR34FmhTG71WTwilSiFQHM8pTSyKjg_W-4JVaJ7KckUD9g3Y6DWlZpbk/s640/garden+fountain.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three styles of the fountain - the front one looks closest to the real thing</td></tr>
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So the lantern was looking a little heavy from what I had thought I wanted - it has had a very simple modification and this is how I envisioned it in my head.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEj-dAbEFKmJsB5Cr5jPlmuhLEwHdWt58a1FXr1iq0rHkFO2c8EgCCwC58saXHduuFeUY5Ah8Z4zsDhVuUVd4Mj2hHeiudOtLuhcHW7AJ7uvLyPFCrtN-emajkGq-VzQDG7ND9Y9x4l8/s1600/garden+lantern+revised.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEj-dAbEFKmJsB5Cr5jPlmuhLEwHdWt58a1FXr1iq0rHkFO2c8EgCCwC58saXHduuFeUY5Ah8Z4zsDhVuUVd4Mj2hHeiudOtLuhcHW7AJ7uvLyPFCrtN-emajkGq-VzQDG7ND9Y9x4l8/s640/garden+lantern+revised.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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MOAR pics. Please know that I will not be using the term moar <i>seriously</i> until it enters the Oxford English Dictionary - OED for those in the know - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27oh!">D'OH</a>!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92UfkWJTb3ejpL0b17QunCP9P4BSwnc6md2S_SFRQtQ-h3y3jwrzUT0zUrssiNc-DBW3cLvxsDo7AIVRZCQOF-b_y7EGyvI55UQO19QvcN_CCAlYU0eT8LRfzarsM5SCdm0HSCgh1vyk/s1600/garden+clock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92UfkWJTb3ejpL0b17QunCP9P4BSwnc6md2S_SFRQtQ-h3y3jwrzUT0zUrssiNc-DBW3cLvxsDo7AIVRZCQOF-b_y7EGyvI55UQO19QvcN_CCAlYU0eT8LRfzarsM5SCdm0HSCgh1vyk/s640/garden+clock.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better image of the clock</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUVKMJPEOZWdQEqCYhL1FxcJlXQvgRNWNHMN1O6Q7gyzylDQphkhNHZQWkGWwcOeGqfwxuvSc5ZDKruNnv5gt2_h6SWQZ3ApQcU1Mu3k0jZA7LxA8t_GjbMEmglrNm0OYr935hH1Gp9E/s1600/garden+steer+cloche+obelisk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUVKMJPEOZWdQEqCYhL1FxcJlXQvgRNWNHMN1O6Q7gyzylDQphkhNHZQWkGWwcOeGqfwxuvSc5ZDKruNnv5gt2_h6SWQZ3ApQcU1Mu3k0jZA7LxA8t_GjbMEmglrNm0OYr935hH1Gp9E/s640/garden+steer+cloche+obelisk.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better image of the steer sculpture outside among other objects</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Azd5yrw1C1LROOIuQnNsi47aOV2TKfQL59pmSUsHydphpq5TTYsIMi-kFfxPuo9uyxFo_Dk-UT-0S47JLzZOzKYbLWMtJmUXfKHlmPLF97q-rAaM61qb2ZEixjXDFTx1FwA2oXXcQNI/s1600/garden+objects+inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Azd5yrw1C1LROOIuQnNsi47aOV2TKfQL59pmSUsHydphpq5TTYsIMi-kFfxPuo9uyxFo_Dk-UT-0S47JLzZOzKYbLWMtJmUXfKHlmPLF97q-rAaM61qb2ZEixjXDFTx1FwA2oXXcQNI/s640/garden+objects+inside.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wanted to see what the cloche would sit on - surprise - it's the table from the salvaged set.<br />
I do love the glass effect in game - it's pretty stunning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji6CUyY8sOhRI4W-EH_e6OZJm2tmJy59Ac4-jI4rWsyWRplA6qVSGZp5wFJeXT0hNqUJi7B7NzLyG13IUbyyVnwxkyOBD1mwA5kz86rel_3hOWHsamn6hxz-Q-W8KgYcD5H3asXeoxSVg/s1600/sculptures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji6CUyY8sOhRI4W-EH_e6OZJm2tmJy59Ac4-jI4rWsyWRplA6qVSGZp5wFJeXT0hNqUJi7B7NzLyG13IUbyyVnwxkyOBD1mwA5kz86rel_3hOWHsamn6hxz-Q-W8KgYcD5H3asXeoxSVg/s640/sculptures.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Photo Credit: <a href="http://alexpilgrimts3.blogspot.com/">Alex Pilgrim</a> - Alex has been kind enough to test a lot of these items in game for me.</td></tr>
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bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674245118758562058.post-62340768320698557752011-06-29T16:35:00.001-04:002019-10-08T21:43:58.199-04:00In the Garden remastered<br />
Err . . . you do know Eurythmics first official album was In the Garden, right? Probably my favorite, truth be told. Anyway - I am getting closer to finishing the garden set - I have a few more ideas but I don't know exactly what I will end up including just yet. Sometimes you have an idea and for whatever reason it's crap. <br />
<a name='more'></a>I tried forever to get this egg finial - sort of looked like a stylized artichoke - it's actually pretty traditional fare - but my god it was impossible to get the scale right to my eye so I ended up recycling it in a bit of a snit. What can I say . . .<br />
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So, last we left off I showed two obelisk - these have not changed much - just tightened up a bit - the broken statue as well. I never did actually show you what the famous sculpture was that started this whole thing off. You'll probably laugh . . . well, maybe not.<br />
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You are probably familiar with Picasso's steer sculpture - make from a bike seat and handlebars? I had a flash in my head of it and thought it would be funny to have it in the game, so I dismantled an EA bike and created one. Not exactly a garden sculpture but that's how this set started.<br />
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We have so far two obelisk, the broken statue, the 'steer' head sculpture, two glass cloche (for those of you who may not be familiar with the term, it's also called a bell jar - used as a portable green house for seedlings and now, more seen as decor), an oxalis seedling, a gazing sphere, a tall garden (what I am calling a) finial, a tree specimen plaque (also good for museums and sculpture), a clock that not only works - it glows, a glowing sphere sculpture, a fountain . . . . today I worked on a lantern . . . . I have a few more ideas . . . . picture spam to follow in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . .<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHElxSv9mO3-3ULifSs7FGRtUN0BsMAm2GH4YrG4JNKDN5xUf1uAUyJ5iIxePxZbUN2K8lXJvT7Kdj8Er7aK95kADlNi1u8IWIJ0RFGPA1s5nL4Q4gzki-ejLUAdBcydQ6r50bv6FPtP0/s1600/garden+obelisk+plaque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHElxSv9mO3-3ULifSs7FGRtUN0BsMAm2GH4YrG4JNKDN5xUf1uAUyJ5iIxePxZbUN2K8lXJvT7Kdj8Er7aK95kADlNi1u8IWIJ0RFGPA1s5nL4Q4gzki-ejLUAdBcydQ6r50bv6FPtP0/s640/garden+obelisk+plaque.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of the obelisk and specimen plaque</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYGdMfcvC2DUClP2BWr7XOrq5V3F2wfBgbBUkOoyvp9VRTrCOkye89cZOMCog8Nz4u7aZgBtOy3fBA7blF-pvwHmslret16NWScV2BpN3R8lil8bzsldPD0EA7AHp4rRQrLr0WAHMFdQ/s1600/garden+modern+sculpture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYGdMfcvC2DUClP2BWr7XOrq5V3F2wfBgbBUkOoyvp9VRTrCOkye89cZOMCog8Nz4u7aZgBtOy3fBA7blF-pvwHmslret16NWScV2BpN3R8lil8bzsldPD0EA7AHp4rRQrLr0WAHMFdQ/s640/garden+modern+sculpture2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So this is the modern sculpture with glowing side - it's based on a real sculpture</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlU1jDPyXFpIu3VXjM1gUBMVYya6DH_2-e5-DfcSVUqmBPOCNjWv1p0D6VeFP5HzH2S37jcpBUAt_Spk3KN1dUz1qr6s_Pb7dP1myU7SfNiSnELq-omjt2mYL1TbP4ChkfI7Mw5YGgsKE/s1600/garden+modern+sculpture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlU1jDPyXFpIu3VXjM1gUBMVYya6DH_2-e5-DfcSVUqmBPOCNjWv1p0D6VeFP5HzH2S37jcpBUAt_Spk3KN1dUz1qr6s_Pb7dP1myU7SfNiSnELq-omjt2mYL1TbP4ChkfI7Mw5YGgsKE/s640/garden+modern+sculpture.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the clock better in this shot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFNTMTWQrpQvwPnJLantct5NPo79FtYc1qAYAS_IKBjhb5ftkPztVKPasBVUXBZbXr4yi9rExTCIJw5NCSSCWMMbaB9KkUCr50r540yrsjVwgQpCJxqrs2rVZyDLjeGKdOhyphenhyphenp0NF8G1w/s1600/garden+cloche+plaque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFNTMTWQrpQvwPnJLantct5NPo79FtYc1qAYAS_IKBjhb5ftkPztVKPasBVUXBZbXr4yi9rExTCIJw5NCSSCWMMbaB9KkUCr50r540yrsjVwgQpCJxqrs2rVZyDLjeGKdOhyphenhyphenp0NF8G1w/s640/garden+cloche+plaque.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fountain, cloches, specimen plaque</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-84hi-vF13tcYIsNWThCR6v8xY0zgTlpK8pkKTrDCeXipgPKcM2B08taB-wrgk9YP7inSz2TCa5YoQRdB_8WfHssW7FAqpKndbLYMghiqfXWKZMqAt60NvLX4cG791yRXsgS50U3yu_o/s1600/garden+finial+and+gazing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-84hi-vF13tcYIsNWThCR6v8xY0zgTlpK8pkKTrDCeXipgPKcM2B08taB-wrgk9YP7inSz2TCa5YoQRdB_8WfHssW7FAqpKndbLYMghiqfXWKZMqAt60NvLX4cG791yRXsgS50U3yu_o/s640/garden+finial+and+gazing.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obelisk, specimen plaque, sphere finial, gazing sphere, part of the fountain</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HGxLuX7yrmo0ubxupW3kd38YahyphenhyphensFTkx3TXg9pXOq7mc8CR_IU14Biikb8tc0ziX7HjxI3yBDvK1gZsr8sol8kaAtx5dQPXslSD-FvuYitmN5MiVGO6B5a_EjAW9j0cni_H9K3lvFgQ/s1600/garden+garden+lantern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HGxLuX7yrmo0ubxupW3kd38YahyphenhyphensFTkx3TXg9pXOq7mc8CR_IU14Biikb8tc0ziX7HjxI3yBDvK1gZsr8sol8kaAtx5dQPXslSD-FvuYitmN5MiVGO6B5a_EjAW9j0cni_H9K3lvFgQ/s640/garden+garden+lantern.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New as of today, this is during the trials . . . . </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7sVL-9lBaHjRXOJzTb1xOTYZezuhS-Ua60JQYT6jZ8ScSoNkrth1MkcJPeLtZxDR25E5s2DTQ-Gi3FVBK0k6WD8hZmL0L2jrCTlwEJaoCHBa4oPPPkc-tZBgqCADJw4hGSgo_3Y5qSE/s1600/garden+mossy+items.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7sVL-9lBaHjRXOJzTb1xOTYZezuhS-Ua60JQYT6jZ8ScSoNkrth1MkcJPeLtZxDR25E5s2DTQ-Gi3FVBK0k6WD8hZmL0L2jrCTlwEJaoCHBa4oPPPkc-tZBgqCADJw4hGSgo_3Y5qSE/s640/garden+mossy+items.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most of the objects also have a mossy distressed style - you can just see the steer head too</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLS5hdjjEM3fxfLeLLc_bgt54rw_EZ4yVg4tHOtIyIiTDZR8XfiKfirpwAXk_Nzayjqj0Gik7sPefc0bfU5TU6qWl1CqkvTak8eR64khgIBlZg2nAtGV3vqzosOM9LXNT8S7nlN7meZ4M/s1600/garden+steer+head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLS5hdjjEM3fxfLeLLc_bgt54rw_EZ4yVg4tHOtIyIiTDZR8XfiKfirpwAXk_Nzayjqj0Gik7sPefc0bfU5TU6qWl1CqkvTak8eR64khgIBlZg2nAtGV3vqzosOM9LXNT8S7nlN7meZ4M/s640/garden+steer+head.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keep in mind - this is from an EA mesh - it's relatively small</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHu2LT3DWo28XzdBbM-RR9WC_UQb_jZxTLcEeSJ0loUkkGIG0ZTaq80NLyqEXfVExnMTsJmUMs2JVfzyXIUhoqP0o3seRtdDJNDDayfBbcDpFESxAWyPPH0Fts3fW1hu1zlxztnP7fvmo/s1600/garden+oxalis+seedling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHu2LT3DWo28XzdBbM-RR9WC_UQb_jZxTLcEeSJ0loUkkGIG0ZTaq80NLyqEXfVExnMTsJmUMs2JVfzyXIUhoqP0o3seRtdDJNDDayfBbcDpFESxAWyPPH0Fts3fW1hu1zlxztnP7fvmo/s640/garden+oxalis+seedling.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite plants in real life - a purple oxalis with a cloche</td></tr>
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So you can see it's a mixture of new and old - much like how I have things in my real life. For the longest time I could say my newest possession was my computer. Prior to that it would have been my stereo. So I have a couple more ideas - I have had this idea for a door for the longest time and I have been collecting images to work from but it has been done a couple of times already - the most recent would be by the good folks over at Land of Woe - it's a warehouse door that slides - often seen in barns or old industrial buildings. The one that I have been wanting to make is a fire door - the track is actually at an angle and it's counter-weighted. Generally speaking - these would be seen more as two doors to prevent any sort of fire getting through.<br />
<br />
While it really doesn't seem to have much to do with a garden and it was just recently done by someone else, it may go into a future build set. I have a lot of doors that I think are missing from the game. Not so much a window person - other people have done them better, but eventually I will get to meshing a door set. So many sets are just sitting in wait while I finish this latest one. The mirror set took the back shelf as I was getting frustrated with the oxidation problem of the Venetian mirror. I also have the 2x3 rugs that need to be re-released that are the smaller versions of the 4x3 rug sets and I have picture sets that are just sitting around waiting for 'finishing' meshes that will be along the lines of the 'Ephemera' set only a little larger in scale (at least in part - remember the fish picture?).<br />
<br />
What? Laika? She's fine. The little darling peed all over my beautiful yellow sofa and then proceeded to sit in it while she nibbled at her rope toy. So to the tune of $262 we had it cleaned and guess what? She pissed all over it again. Fun stuff that. I have to drive the cushions up to Marietta tomorrow so they can soak for ten days in a solution. I can't wait. You know how much I love driving in this city. So - here's some Laika picture spam, cos I know how much you love it:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkNGxDe2Xeoh4CN-VmPgeL1_ReCf7ULNIHFEQKGp0Zf_GyR5-acXO3h684P9yJ8uOqu7xL258jSrQ2q-xyJeyMNr9wYErH1RIw3eXaeOYP2meAVEaA81jktWUZblcMFSHry9Ths-OPEc/s1600/IMG_0385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkNGxDe2Xeoh4CN-VmPgeL1_ReCf7ULNIHFEQKGp0Zf_GyR5-acXO3h684P9yJ8uOqu7xL258jSrQ2q-xyJeyMNr9wYErH1RIw3eXaeOYP2meAVEaA81jktWUZblcMFSHry9Ths-OPEc/s640/IMG_0385.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretzel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NjenU4am00BbOKe8kgVs9G_IxJDHuROubAU2CkI2iUDRwRrCOBCtSPnCXZdE4qjpUqZDKd7Yc_Mvjdfw1poH7oLUiZZgouU-vROlmFCo2gcT_LEkJwvA_u-Kcu26IMc4Zh128SMterM/s1600/IMG_0404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NjenU4am00BbOKe8kgVs9G_IxJDHuROubAU2CkI2iUDRwRrCOBCtSPnCXZdE4qjpUqZDKd7Yc_Mvjdfw1poH7oLUiZZgouU-vROlmFCo2gcT_LEkJwvA_u-Kcu26IMc4Zh128SMterM/s640/IMG_0404.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arty</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIohv7KUdQinsshUE2lLxyVYm56T2gKT52o5-PsuzIZAdHQDR9zbX0DcfCCROZIwY6FSApINU3L4wfG0arJtR6civ2EslFUwzEdsnpZhOarRkFGNsFzmT5N5fLRacXI8uwY-m_lF4qxw/s1600/IMG_0405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIohv7KUdQinsshUE2lLxyVYm56T2gKT52o5-PsuzIZAdHQDR9zbX0DcfCCROZIwY6FSApINU3L4wfG0arJtR6civ2EslFUwzEdsnpZhOarRkFGNsFzmT5N5fLRacXI8uwY-m_lF4qxw/s640/IMG_0405.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arty 2</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpSXGjk9UmNlrOnxA4p94zBnA_L5XgRoX3YQEBRTa8Ffj_5S82s-DGfld-mnpwXaxNG6OQp7vp59aEjyUFGQpWL09mj6850XyIwcoAxzmDXDAlNGKdNghK2OqcYAthmwBy0VzgZLvKEo/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpSXGjk9UmNlrOnxA4p94zBnA_L5XgRoX3YQEBRTa8Ffj_5S82s-DGfld-mnpwXaxNG6OQp7vp59aEjyUFGQpWL09mj6850XyIwcoAxzmDXDAlNGKdNghK2OqcYAthmwBy0VzgZLvKEo/s640/IMG_0406.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this picture - she was half asleep if you can't tell.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_TlqI3IK7A0edHW1h19HQ9ddY5e112e3Z4tLKlAnsBzLLGGDYdm5SYeqyhSs3tTxSOXgN0emQ1AikNYehtHYYtuywy0jMhIuZBz2uOuRiqbawMsSgm-kh8thWtS4kjy4JZ-46p6Smi8/s1600/IMG_0395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_TlqI3IK7A0edHW1h19HQ9ddY5e112e3Z4tLKlAnsBzLLGGDYdm5SYeqyhSs3tTxSOXgN0emQ1AikNYehtHYYtuywy0jMhIuZBz2uOuRiqbawMsSgm-kh8thWtS4kjy4JZ-46p6Smi8/s640/IMG_0395.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, that's her tongue . . . she'll probably start drooling next. <br />
Did you know she runs to me after eating and burps in my face?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPh6HIabmvh0PzHh2Y9XY5qHrcCQ_lLDaDVNevkJ7yv7Xtkkf25BRp1dARtB9L70sfOUVi0G9lTbZ3SGObYPCbnS8IhWu4_H7qvSuvVUVHcW2S03dEfa7prrDLwhc5YJEgnzTZBzJb5Mk/s1600/IMG_0428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPh6HIabmvh0PzHh2Y9XY5qHrcCQ_lLDaDVNevkJ7yv7Xtkkf25BRp1dARtB9L70sfOUVi0G9lTbZ3SGObYPCbnS8IhWu4_H7qvSuvVUVHcW2S03dEfa7prrDLwhc5YJEgnzTZBzJb5Mk/s640/IMG_0428.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OH! It's Katie at the vets . . . she had a nasty ear infection poor thing. Doesn't she look thrilled?</td></tr>
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bauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137235643541057428noreply@blogger.com0