Farewell TSR, Hello Patreon
Some of you may know this already, but back in August 2024 a whole bunch of TSR Artists were removed from the program. At the time I had just come back from maternity, having just had my second little boy a few months before. So when I logged on and saw a message in my inbox talking about inactivity and removal of badge I nearly freaked out, until I carried on reading and saw that actually I was being offered a Featured Artist Position as long as I could keep up with my posting and prove myself. I of course felt very guilty and conflicted seeing so many artists removed in the manner it happened that I felt an almost survivors guilt. I did accept the position however as I had dreamt of being a FA for so long and now was my chance.
I promised I would upload more regularly, make it worth them keeping me on when clearly there had been some discussion as to if I was worth saving.
Then I got ill. I won't go into the details, but let's just put it this way....one whole year later I still do not have a solid answer/diagnosis and although I'm currently having a good spell, I am still suffering with my health issues. On top of all that I was postpartum and my mental health took a serious hit.
I tried to create and tried to upload, but it was a struggle and keeping on top of TSR whilst being ill and looking after 2 children under 2, it became a bit impossible. In the space of a year I only managed to make and upload just under 100 pieces.
At the start of September 2025 with my health slowly feeling a bit better, I decided it was time to try and improve my mental health. Something I have really struggled with, still do, is finding time to do things for me. To do things I want to do and that bring me joy and make me feel like Charlie, not just a shattered mum with no time for herself. One of the things I wanted to do was start focusing on my sims creations again. Ironically the night I logged back into the Artist Discord for the first time in ages to see what the current project everyone was working on so I could get creating, I saw I had a DM from management which had only been sent a few hours before.
They informed me that I was being removed as an artist from TSR. I was told it wasn't to do with my inactivity, but actually a decision to not pay artists for 'Recolours' anymore. Whilst I understand their decision, there is much more talented creators out there, I cannot lie my heart honestly sunk into my stomach. I burst into tears, the irony of receiving that message on the day I logged back in to restart my posting after such a hard personal time, I felt like the final thing in my life was being torn away from me and it 'broke the camels back' a bit. I'm not ashamed to say I did cry myself to sleep that night.
I have all the love for my fellow creators over on the TSR and its such a huge part of the Sims community that I will of course continue to share my work there and support those that remain. For me however, it's also time to try something new.
I created a Patreon page a long time ago, but not many simmers knew about my page and at the time I found it easier to reach my audience via TSR. Now I have decided to join back the Patreon community. I wish to be more active and build a direct community where simmers who wish to download my stuff can have more input and say.
I hope you can all join me on this new journey whilst I find not only myself again but also my love for the Sims.
jacobvanloon
prguitarman
janainaart
annaxmalina
gummygunk