W.I.P. #10 - New obstacles
Nancy Part 4 is officially in the works and I couldn't be happier to finally share some WIPs with you! Today I wanted to talk a little about the collection, show you what I've been working on and also share a few concerns I've been having along the way.
This time around, Nancy Part 4 is all about the living room. My goal is to create pieces that capture a timeless, cozy aesthetic you always see in Nancy Meyers movies.
While browsing Pinterest for inspiration, one particular image kept showing up over and over again: the most gorgeous lamp I've ever seen. I eventually gave in and decided we absolutely needed it in The Sims! It's the lamp you can see in the top-left corner of the image: a beautiful table lamp with a hand-painted chinoiserie vase as its base.
This piece is actually very special to me because it reminds me of my childhood home. My mom owns a stunning hand-painted blue-and-white chinoiserie vase and ever since I was about ten years old I've been joking that it's already mine once she decides to pass it down. It's become a running joke in my family, so when I go back home I'll try to take a picture of it and share it on Instagram. But don't get any ideas... nobody is stealing that vase from me. 😂
The lamp itself will include around five or six chinoiserie swatches, along with plenty of solid-color versions so it'll fit into all kinds of interiors. I also already made a standalone vase version!
Funny enough, this is the first collection where I started with the clutter instead of the main furniture and I honestly feel like I've been all over the place because of it. I also asked the wonderful SwanetteSims if I could use some of her beautiful Sim photography to create decorative picture frames for side tables and she kindly said yes!
The frame will probably come in both horizontal and vertical versions. I'm still deciding whether both should use the same photos or if I'd like to create an entirely new set, since making these little pictures is surprisingly one of the most time-consuming parts of the process. I included a few examples for you today and I really hope you like them! The overall theme is family life, seaside landscapes, flowers and, of course, pets.
Now... let's talk about the sofa.
For the past few days I've been battling with a design that simply refuses to look the way I imagine it in my head and I won't lie it has been hitting my motivation pretty hard.
I found this incredibly soft, comfortable-looking sofa on Pinterest and immediately knew it was perfect for the collection. But every time I recreate it in Blender, it ends up looking stiff and strangely similar to one of the base game sofas... which is exactly what's driving me crazy.
I'd genuinely love your opinion on this one. Do you like how it's turning out? Should I keep refining it, or do you think I should scrap it and go for a completely different design? I'd love to hear what you think!
As a little side quest, one of my dear friends also asked me to create some travel-themed CC for her and I've been slowly working on that as well. The idea is a small luggage collection that's perfect for traveling Sims or even airline-themed builds.
So far I've finished the suitcase and, surprise, surprise, I'm currently fighting with a large travel bag that's once again refusing to look soft enough. Apparently "making things look cozy" is becoming my greatest enemy this month. 😂
This mini collection will also be released publicly and I'm hoping to share it sometime in early August.
Unfortunately, between the Nixta collection releasing a little later than expected and me going on vacation this month, my schedule is much tighter than I had planned. Because of that, Nancy Part 4 may take a little longer than I originally hoped. That said, I'd much rather release a slightly smaller collection that's polished and high quality than rush out something bigger that I'm not completely happy with.
Outside of CC, I've also been thinking a lot about my branding as Lukheya.
As much as I've loved the off-white aesthetic over the past few months, it's slowly starting to feel a little lifeless to me. I've been experimenting with all sorts of colors and styles, but nothing has really clicked yet. I'm even considering reaching out to a graphic designer for some help, I just have absolutely no idea where to find someone I can trust with such an important project!
Today's WIP post was also a little experiment. I really like the new mosaic layout, but because I'm still unsure about the branding and colors, everything still feels a bit... soulless. Hopefully that's something I'll be able to improve over the coming months.
Either way, I want to thank you all so, so much for the incredible support you've shown both me and Valia on the Nixta collection. Seeing your excitement and all of your beautiful builds honestly makes all the hard work worth it, and I couldn't be more grateful. 🥰❤️
Now it's time for me to head back into Blender and continue my ongoing battle with that sofa.
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