Strangetown extras: Family portraits, gardening, and reader participation + sims talk

[strangetomato]

I just wanted to share a couple of photos and do some sims gabbing about CC and the Kitchen and Bath Stuff Pack.

Have you seen these recolours of the Teen Style Stuff gym wear converted for adults by cloudlessnights on MTS2? I think they're really cute. Lots of nice colours and patterns, and it makes up for the lack of gym clothes in the game. I'm a pretty big fan of conversions like that in general, and migamoo also did some really great ones, including the clothing that Ripp wears right now in this story. Imagine that - a plain black button-up shirt! It seems like something you would take for granted, but I don't, considering how specialized a lot of CC is (and the Maxis stuff too, for that matter). Basics, people, we need basics.

Speaking of basics, the new Kitchen and Bath Stuff seems awesome to me. And it has clothes! Nice clothes. Argyle sweaters with jeans (Buck and Frances just heard that and looked over), and a nice sweater and leggings outfit. Yes, actually classic and nice, not trendy (I couldn't believe it either)! They've posted the item pics at the official site, if you haven't taken a look at them yet. It seems like a good SP to me. Lots of things that have already been done pretty well by Holy Simoly, but some new things too.

I only recently started using the hula mod, and I'm really liking it. Especially the still poses from the lot loading screens. I've always wondered how other people posed sims for photo shoots like that and now I know. I'm so behind sometimes. Anyway, I thought I'd share the results of my tinkering with the poses and moveobjects/snapobjectstogrid.




A little "family" portrait. Aren't they cute? Why limit myself to Sim Couple A & B, when I can pose three together!

You can see Ophelia's garden in the background too. She already has her gold talent badge, and Ripp and Johnny are both getting there too, just from occasionally helping her (the garden got so big that she really needs some help). Here they are in action:




Sure, guys. Why bother getting dressed first? Why not?


ETA: I also just noticed this new "Cottage Garden" loveseat on Holy Simoly. How perfect for Nervous' garden one day! :D The universe just seems to be aligning for me right now.

Also, is anyone interested in some reader participation related to the next chapter? No promises that it will end up in the story, but I'm opening the floor to anything that you would like to see come up in conversation at the dinner party with Johnny, Ophelia, Ripp, Stella and Jayne (within reason and character, of course). I have plenty of my own, but is there anything that you would like to see brought up? Just curious. Maybe I'm overlooking something good...

Comments

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

This is so not dinner conversation, but how about it Ripp makes references to the whole probe thing, and the possibility that Johnny has female parts? He wouldn't need to say anything crass, but make subtle remarks that maybe only he and Stella would get.

Then there's the whole arranged marriage topic. Maybe Jayne could bring that up, and then Ophelia would chock on her food and start screaming.

I didn't realize this was a dinner party. I thought it was like a open house type thing, where ppl just stop by to see the new place, have a drink a two, and stick around if they want to. A dinner party makes things more interesting, since it forces conversation. And it would be hard to keep things quiet with everyone at the dinner table....

(Totally looking forward to the chaos that is bound to occur!)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

There might be some in-joking between Ripp and Stella, but Stella already told him that the hybrids shouldn't have alien parts. Ripp isn't entirely convinced, however.

I can see it now...

"So, Johnny, can you please pass the salt, and by the way, do you by any chance have a vagina-like object in your pants?"

Probably not a good thing to bring up at dinner. *snort* Johnny would be the one to choke on his food and die.

Johnny will do his best to avoid any scenario that involves Ophelia choking and screaming. Don't worry. But how good IS Johnny at this secret thing?

Yeah, it's a dinner party. And they do have some school topics that they can stick to (theatre & art being in the same building), and they might chat about alien stuff too. But which stuff, and in how much detail?

Heheh. Chaos ensues.

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to figure out how Johnny can get out of this evening unscathed, and I got nothing. So far, he's only said that Ophelia and Ripp are his roommates, but can he really go the whole evening without saying that they're dating? And even if he doesn't say anything, Ophelia or Ripp might. Ripp, he may be able to convince to keep his mouth shut, but Phi? Sure, they're not much for PDA, but still.

And then Jayne might make a comment about the future. One would assume she's told Stella about the arrangement, so then Stella might say something. How is it possible that he'll make it out alive!!!!!!

How soon will I see the chaos?! I NEED THE CHAOS!!!!!!!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

You're right on the mark with this comment. Johnny needs to 'fess up to at least one of them to get through it unscathed. There is no doubt about that. But which girl will he tell? That will make a difference would it. If you were Johnny, who would you tell?

Oh, there'll be some chaos. And not even just the expected stuff. It's taking a while to get this to come together. I want to post on Thursday, but we'll see. I'm hoping it doesn't end up being two chapters, but it might. I'm trying to concentrate on the dinner party half of the evening for now, so I can at least post that much.

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

I have this crazy idea, why doesn't he just come clean to both? Ain't that just the most outrageous idea you've ever heard of? I know he's scared. Obviously his father put him in this awkward position, but he time does go on, so he will graduate one day, and eventually be expected to get married........at some point. Lord knows I love pushing things back, but this is one of those things that if left alone too long, will just knock him into his next life.

But let's say that I was Johnny at this point. First, I'd have to explain it to Phi. I'd owe her that much. I'd explain everything, that my father put me up to it, but that I had never said yes, only I'd think about it. After that, I'd have to talk to Jayne, and explain the results of talking to Phi. If Phi was still up for dating me, I'd tell Jayne that I was still thinking about, but once again, never told my dad I'd agree to it.

And then I'd continue to live walking on a thin tightrope until graduation, when life would kick me in the butt. Sounds like fun!

"not even just the expected stuff."
What the hell does that mean?!?! STOP WITH THE TEASING!!!!

[http://users.livejournal.com/fileg_/]

That would be typical dinner conversation at our house! And our guests would be glad we hadn't gone on to things like medical lawsuits.

You *could* have Ripp approach Johnny as though he thinks he now knows something Johnny doesn't. For instance, my husband (when he stopped laughing) suggested: So, John, did you know Stella was a pistil-packin' mama?

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I hear you! My mother is a nurse, and we are immune to disgusting topics, even at the table. It's just the way I am now, and I'm sure that I couldn't possibly be grossed out.

*snicker* That's good. But does Ripp want Johnny to know that he knows what Ripp thinks he knows? (Man, that was tricky!)