Congratulations to all the winners! I enjoyed participating in this competition. Thanks, Scoiattolo, for the helpful comments. And thanks to all the judges for their hard work.

Grats to all the winners Thanks KittKat for the judging - it's always good to get some feedback.

Congrats to all the winners! So many great entries this week. I had fun looking through everyone's pictures.

Glad to see things picking up again.

Congratulations on all the Foxglove Winners. This was my very first challenge and it was super fun! It is very inspiring to see so much creativity!

Congrats new winners! There have been so many great entries lately!

96-97 Cinco de Mayo Beginner Results

lilkajira82

LINK TO LOT: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=4083222

LINK TO MEDIA: http://www.thesims3.com/contentDetail.html?contentId=321417

COMMENTS:You were the only entry, thus the winner here. Even with other entries however, I think your build would have been at the top. You managed to meet all the requirements for the challenge and did a good job with the budget. The home looked nice and spacious. It had a good layout and I liked the open floor plan. The outside was nice and had the two separate gardens. It was nice and colorful.

SUGGESTIONS: You may want to experiment with the landscaping. Give the yard a mowed look or add a bit of the grass/flower spray under the plants to add a bit of texture outside. Work with the brick looking sprays for pathways. That would add a lot to your outside, at no additional cost. It’s a great way to add to your home. Otherwise my only suggestion is taking the pictures. At the beginning of each challenge are some great tips for taking pictures. You had a lot of overviews, where I’d love to see more from within the rooms. Good job and I hope to see more from you!

Results • #86-87 Lion & Lamb: Intermediate

You all seemed have a great deal of fun with this! In alphabetical order:

AnonymousMist
Link to media: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/0/333866.page#47590

Comments: The two micro houses provided a good contrast on the inside. I loved the deep reds and animal prints for Lion and the pastels for Lamb. I would have liked to see a different color scheme, however, for the outside of the Lamb house. Although the outsides of both houses were to be stylistically similar, they did not have to be identical. The landscaping, too, could have been different for each house. What you provided worked well for the Lamb house, but was somewhat too fussy for Mr. Lion. I also would have stuck with a more open floor plan for both houses. Lamb worked beautifully; Lion seemed claustrophobic. I loved the Sims and their stories that you created for the challenge. You have a wonderful sense of humor!

ciane
Link to lots:
lion: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3857183
lamb: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3857185
Link to media:
lion: http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/ciane/BNS/Lion/?albumview
=slideshow
lamb: http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/ciane/BNS/Lamb/?albumview
=slideshow
Comments: You created a wonderful contrast between the Lion and Lamb. The exteriors and landscaping of both houses work beautifully, and I especially love your use of World Adventures items in unexpected ways. The interior color scheme for each house was consistent and harmonious, and it was a great idea to include a basement for added space. Details stand out like your use of curtains over the arches and your choice of fireplaces for each house. You also demonstrate a deft use of the CAS tool. Really lovely builds!

GillianIvy
Link to lot: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3826048
Link to media: http://cid-2e7b98e0a641aebd.office.live.com/play.a...0share%20L
ion%5E4s%20Den?ref=1
Comments: This funky and fun Victorian gothic mini-mansion packs a lot into a 10 x 10 lot. Good use of lighting to create a slighty spooky atmosphere and good screenshots overall. I love the eclectic décor, the multilevel structure (including a sub-basement!) and especially your use of CAS on the rugs to make them look like part of the stone flooring. This would be a perfect house for a vampire, but other than the lion’s head fountain, I’m not sure how it relates to “Lion”. And my only other suggestion would be “restraint”. Sometimes the décor seemed chaotic, especially with your multi-colored lighting effects. I’m sorry you didn’t have time to do the Lamb house; I would have loved to see what you might come up with for that!

k2m1too
Link to lots:
The Lion: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3843259
The Lamb: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3844529
Link to media:
The Lion: http://simerdown.blogspot.com/2011/03/lot-lion.html
The Lamb: http://simerdown.blogspot.com/2011/03/lot-lamb.html
Comments: The identical exteriors of both houses are very chic and modern. I’m glad you landscaped them differently, though, to give them each an appropriate look. You created a strong contrast inside between the Lion and Lamb houses. I love the subdued, sophisticated modern interior of the Lion house. (I don’t find it at all austere!). The sunny, warm colors and mission furniture of the Lamb house work equally well. My main suggestion would be to reverse the staircases so that you could wall off the entry on the ground floor away from the garage; entering either house through the garage is probably not ideal. The wooden ceilings of both houses don’t seem to be very practical either, but they sure look great!

Kulthero777
Link to lots:
The Lion: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3824497
The Lamb: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3824496
Link to media: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCbWMJYcgQo
Comments: Two very cute contrasting castles! The Lion is a dark vampire’s castle with dark stone finishes and dim lighting. The Lamb is a fairy tale princess’s castle with light stone and white furnishings. Both are well executed and appropriately furnished. My one concern is having the bathroom on the third floor. That’s a long way to go from the basement bedrooms!

lizajbee1
Link to lots:
Lion: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3857715
Lamb: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3857716
Link to media: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/15/268759.page#4844
747
Comments: You created a charming Victorian brick house for your Lion and Lamb interiors—great curb appeal! The Lamb interior is very feminine with its white furnishings and wall covering. The accent colors of green and pale blue lend an extra sophistication. The Lion, by contrast, is masculine with its dark woods and mission décor. I would have liked to see pictures of the floor plans of each build, because I couldn’t really understand the layout. And I think the one screenshot of the exterior of the house design seemed more appropriate to the Lamb interior than to the Lion.

mryjn1976
Link to lots:
Lamb's Cove http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3845419
Lion's Lair http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3845416
Link to media: http://s738.photobucket.com/albums/xx27/mryjn1976/The%20Lion%20
and%20%20The%20Lamb/
Comments: I’m sorry you had technical issues in uploading your media for this challenge. From what I could see in the screen shots of the Lamb’s Cove, you had a very promising house to offer. I love the modern beach feel. I wish your images had been larger, however, because I had a hard time seeing what was going on. But I saw enough to know I really wanted to see the Lion’s Lair, too!

Redmae
Link to lot:
The March Lion: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3827497
The March Lamb: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3827504
Link to media: http://s1126.photobucket.com/albums/l613/Redmae3/Sims3%20Lion%2
0and%20Lamb/?albumview=slideshow&direction=reverse
Comments: I loved the sophisticated take on the Lion and Lamb using textures and materials to create subtle differences between the two. The different window treatments were appropriate and added to the contrast. The layout was very efficient—I love how the shower in bathroom is tucked behind the stairwell. (I would have liked to see overhead layout shots for the Lamb, too, even though I know it was the same layout as the Lion.) The color scheme in each is harmonious, and I especially like the subtle use of animal prints in the Lion. Great use of décor items, too! There are a few things I would fix: Be sure the grid lines are turned off when you take your pictures (a few were showing). Use the MoveObject On cheat to make sure outside plants aren’t sticking through the walls. And the double curtain on the Lion upper floor has one curtain facing toward the wall and the other hanging in space facing the other direction. Did you intend that or should both of them been facing the wall?

scorpiophoenix
Link to lot:
The Lion's Den: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3821027
The Lamb's Ear: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3821031
Link to media: http://s1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee466/Scorpiothephoenix/The
%20Lion%20%20The%20Lamb/?albumview=slideshow
Comments: The modern look of both houses provide an excellent basis for the contrasting colors and textures of the interiors. The “stepped back” architecture keeps them from being too boxy. I love the sunken kitchen in the Lion’s Den. There was an appropriate contrast in landscaping, too. Leorick’s color scheme and animal prints work very well for his rockstar lifestyle. Mary’s floral prints are nice but the colors—pink, orange and green—fight each other sometimes. Pink and green, or orange and green might have worked better. I liked very much the Sims you created to live in the houses!

Great job, everyone! First Place goes to:



Ciane

Second Place: Redmae

Third Place (tie): k2m1too and scorpiophoenix

Scoiattolo wrote:

Results • #98-99 Foxglove Starter: Advanced

So much inspired creativity is truly humbling! At this level, all five are winners, but in alphabetical order:

Anjubee
Link to lot: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=4130215
Link to media: http://simulatinganju.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/cottage-starter-
16-5k-no-cc/
Comments: This 20 x 20 starter home has excellent curb appeal. Your mix of brick and stucco with quoined edges has loads of country charm. Your choice of windows adds lots of natural light to the interior, and my favorite feature (and I’m sure Ginny would love it too!) is the big porch. The cottage garden is small but quaint. I love the vegetable garden and the stepping stones. The seafoam green and gray color scheme inside gives the house a sense of tranquility. Your mix of patterns is superlative, and the loft bedroom works beautifully. (I also love your take on Ginny herself!) I had a hard time coming up with any suggestions to make it better. This is perhaps peculiar to me, but I like the stove to be away from the refrigerator. You might have switched it with the last counter on the other wall. And I would have liked to see a detail of the bathroom—I almost thought you had forgotten it! Overall, though, a wonderful job!

ciaracaff
Link to lot: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=4108004
Link to media: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/0/374929.page#53117
34
Comments: A friendly green house welcomes Ginny (as she arrives home on her bike—love the bike!) or a visitor. The shingled section gives the exterior interest. The front bench is perfect for watching neighbors pass by, and the lush side garden shows that a real gardener lives here! I also like that you used rocks in the landscaping and to pave the front courtyard. The interior layout is efficient, and I love the corner fireplace (inglenook) with bookshelves and how you used half walls to divide up the space. The light neutral colors with red and green accents (sofa, café curtains, bed spread) and the use of natural woods make the overall space seem larger. The use of plants throughout the house brings the outdoors inside. Some things to consider: First, like I mentioned in the previous comments, I would prefer the stove and refrigerator not be next to each other. Also, the color of the front door (blue) doesn’t seem to relate to anything inside or out. I might have gone with natural wood like the windows. The rocky ground cover in the back seems a bit severe, too. I might have mixed some flowers (terrain paint) with grass to give it a softer feeling. And finally, just a practical point—although I love the café curtains in the kitchen, I might have put a curtain instead by the bed for privacy. Overall, a lovely house!

EuphorialQueen
Link to lot: *Not uploaded yet
Link to media: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/45/188428.page#5326
936
Comments: The simple, symmetrical blue 2-story house belies a rather complicated building process. You used the foundation walls brilliantly to create a lot of house for a little amount of simoleons. The lush cottage garden with whimsical statuary is everything that Ginny could want; I love the outdoor “room” you created for Ginny to paint or just sit and enjoy her garden Also, great use of terrain paints! The interior spaces are nicely decorated with buydebug items, and the overall color scheme (lavender/light woods) is harmonious throughout. The sofa and chair add just the right purple accent. You’ve created a lovely, livable house. To my eye, the swirly wallpaper is too strong; I might have softened it by lightening the lavender to almost the same value as the gray swirls. The fretwork pattern in the bedroom, because it’s a smaller pattern, work better. Also, I would have put in two more windows somewhere in the house. I realize it is a tradeoff between money for walls and windows and, perhaps, landscaping or other items. I’m glad, though, that you included a window in the bedroom!

Tfbob
Link to lot: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=4129557
Link to media: http://www.flickr.com/photos/37803355@N07/sets/7215762668252687
5/show/
Comments: What an utterly charming blue and white gingerbread Victorian! The exterior picks up on the blue and white hydrangeas, which shelter vegetables and yellow and orange flowers among them. The pond and gardening table are also great features. You color choices for the interior (light blue-gray, lavender and light wood) lend a sense of tranquility to the spaces. I love how you used a subtle pattern on the framing for the wood wall paneling—the paneling puts one in mind of a converted barn. And you used your colors and patterns beautifully. You chose a larger lot to build on and created a larger house than most, and that has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that you have a larger yard and house for living space. The disadvantage is that, at least, the house seems on the bare side because you have so much space to fill with a very limited budget. Perhaps a few free buydebug décor items would have added interest. I like that you included curtains in the bedroom. A few other curtains in the house might have been nice too.

ZYIsSims
Link to lot: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=4105454
Link to media: http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd126/silviaBroome/BnS99/?al
bumview=slideshow
Comments: There are so many charming details in this converted barn starter home. To name just a few, I love the bright red wood exterior, the greenhouse window in the kitchen, the clever use of Outdoor Stuff planters as window boxes, the flowers and plants used throughout the inside of the house, and the large porches front and back. The garden is everything it should be with lot of flowers and a vegetable garden that is just begging to be puttered in! (I also love the tree, and we have you and EuphorialQueen to thank for showing us the free purple flower planters that come with Late Night.) The interior spaces are colorful, cheerful and cozy. My only suggestion would be to play around with the color of the roof and the exterior stone. I realize there are not a lot of roof color choices, but perhaps a slate gray would have looked better with the weathered gray wood doors and windows. I think the exterior stone might have looked better in shades of gray, too, although it was perfect in the kitchen with the delightful black stove in front of it.

I knew this was going to be a hard decision to pick a winner. Any or all five houses would be a great addition to the neighborhood, because all have so much to recommend them. So by a micron, the winner is:




ZYIsSims

WoW cool ...I won!
Thanks guys that was a really fun challenge, and everyone's homes were so wonderful!

I love the architecture! It is so realistic it looks like a house in real life! Well done! The landscape is minimal but lovely. The walls in the laundry room are barren. The girl’s room is lively; the colors and patterns compliment one another. I love the master bedroom! My suggestion to you would be to play with MOO a little bit to see what creative things you can do to really give your interiors the WOW factor! Great job though! I really enjoyed looking at this build! Very inspirational!

Link to the posted asset (link to lot): <Pending>
Link to media (required for judging):
http://s1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff514/Peaches0327/Bark%20Ho

llow/McAllister/ Constructive Criticism?: Yes


The architecture is nice. I love all the windows! I really like the use of different bold patterns and bright colors! It isn’t something you would think would work but you somehow pulled it off! Well done! The bathroom is a little busy. You did a really good job on this one!

Link to posted asset: http://gb.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3877167
Link to media: http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc486/playerpo...Roundtree/
?albumview=slideshow ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA6vE28Nomc
Constructive Criticism?: yes


Fiora di Lacrime - Beautiful architecture! Love the layout! Love the patio enclosed with the windows. Well done! Apricot Stone - Once again, very beautiful architecture! Nice furniture placement. I like the color pallet! Great job!

Link to the posted asset (link to lot): Apricot Stone:
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3883646
Fiore di Lacrime:
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3877496
Link to media (required for judging): Fiore di Lacrime:
http://s1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee466/Scorpiot...ew=slidesh
ow&direction=reverse
Apricot Stone:
http://s1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee466/Scorpiot...ew=slidesh
ow&direction=reverse
Constructive Criticism?: Yes

Jeca011
Lovely landscaping. I like the winding pond which almost looks like a river. Great arched bridge (my first wasn’t nearly as nice!) and cute pathways around the lot. Like the outdoor sitting areas. Unusual shape to the house. Creative use of the two-story columns. Really like your use of terrain paint to give a “wild” look to the landscape. The walkway through the garden of marigolds, sunflowers, and agapanthus is particularly nice. Egg dying area is fantastic. Love the use of rugs to create a geometric patter. Nice use of MOO here. Like the stained glass windows and coordinating pasted color palette. Nice mix of amenities in the guest rooms. Cute to include actual flowers here. Love the floral patterns and actual greenery in the bunny’s bedroom. Very creative overall!

Suggestions: The exterior siding could have been nicer. Experiment with this. Watch your use of patterns and make sure it doesn't command all the attention in a room.

Mgolden27
Wow! The bunny shaped building and CAS from the aerial view is amazing! Oh, and that’s a basket shaped building next to it, how creative  Love the egg patterned rug in the egg dying room! Cute use of the color palette in this floor. Love the craft supply cubbies. Peeps! Such a cute room theme. Egg-shaped pool is adorable. Nice job with the landscaping, and I love how it created with an Easter egg hunt in mind. The basket with dining are and space for the bunny hop is a great touch.

Suggestions:

And the winner is...



For creativity and full embrace of the challenge: Mgolden27!! Congrats

Build-n-Share 92/93 - Spring Break - Advanced Results

And the winner is...



Scoiattolo
Great shape to the building. Love the touches of color on the exterior. Modern build, but it reminds me of the art deco hotels on the strip in Miami for some reason. Great landscaping. The combo of purple/blue flowers is striking with the blue accents on the building. Nice layout inside. Love the lobby area and the geometric tile pattern. Flying fish café is too cute! Love the wall décor and the patterns here. Great picture windows overlooking the water. Night club is awesome – the fish pattern on the walls is a genius way to make it look like a giant fishbowl or undersea paradise. Perfect hotel amenities. Great layout of the guest rooms - the design was believable without looking too generic. Really great job overall!

Suggestions: Watch color saturation levels and use patterns strategically.

Mgolden27
Love the lush, beach setting. Great fountain in the lobby. Elegant check-in desk. Like the eating options. Nice outdoor seating. Love the bar area and game room. Covered kids play area is a great idea. Lovely bedroom décor that reflects the tropical setting. Love the hot tub and lounge area just off her room. Great aquarium pool. Love all the decks and outdoor spaces for enjoying the beach views.

Suggestions: The decks had some empty space that could have been filled in with plants to add to the lush setting. Would have liked to have seem some CAS-ing of the room furnishings.

Mj1976
**Unfortunately your pictures in Photobucket were very small, and I couldn’t zoom in to see the details very well.
Very cute, vintage motel. Looks like many of the older beach motels in the area of Florida where I live. Love the railing you’ve chosen for the upstairs. Good choice of furnishings. Like the game room. Great bar area. Nice pool area. Chain-link fencing around it is a nice touch. Cute restaurant and check-in area.

Suggestions: I don’t think some of your furniture placements would have been playable. You can always plop a sim in and have them try things out to make sure.

And the winner is...



Mgolden27!!! Congrats on a lovely, tropical getaway spot

Challenge 102-103 Foster Family Beginner Results

Harm_Michelle:

Well done on this build. I like the exterior and the simplicity of the plants out in the front. You did a good job of meeting the families demands. The way you separated the Granny flat from the family home was well thought out. I liked the layout in all areas and liked the way you furnished it. Good job!

Suggestions: You put a great deck on the back above the patio. If I missed this, I'm sorry but what I thought would have added to your build was a staircase off the deck for easy access to the yard and the beach.

Thanks so much KittKat! I'm honored you chose my getaway and bunny house!

And a huge congrats to the other new winners!

Results • #102-103 Generations!: Advanced

It was a pleasure to evaluate the entries in this category. Each entrant found a unique way to incorporate the granny flat into the lot, and I was impressed by everyone’s subtle use of purple (not an easy color) in the interiors. In alphabetical order:


Link to lot: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=4241200
Link to media: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aquacatt3/sets/72157626893947507/
Comments: You’ve chosen a perfect location for this contemporary beach house. I like the warm colors and materials of the exterior, and the overall layout works really well. The landscaping is simple but effective, and you’ve provided a lovely play area for the small children and a grill area for Jack with a beach view for those “shrimps on the barbie”. The interiors show a sophisticated use of pattern and colors. I love the individuality of each bedroom. I especially like the bright colors and wild patterns you used in Nicole’s room. I would suggest more décor items in the main living spaces. You did a wonderful job in the bedrooms making them look “lived in”, but the living room, dining room and kitchen look a bit sparse. Also remember that you can CAS the edge of exposed floors (like over the entrance) to make them blend into the rest of the house. And it might have been nice to have a lighted pathway to the stairway leading to Sarah’s “granny flat”.


Link to lot: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=4244158
Link to media: https://picasaweb.google.com/114131959274906480855/BuildNShareG
enerations?authkey=Gv1sRgCO78jv3vgrOQfg#slideshow/562112730874
1259538
Optional Challenge: family is included in the lot
Comments: Where to begin? There are so many interesting details both inside and out. First of all, I love the lighthouse! The house as a whole would fit perfectly in a coastal community on either the east or west coast of the U.S. Your use of color, texture and pattern is masterful, and you have a real knack for making the interior spaces look comfortable and inviting. I’m also in awe of your use of the building cheats to create architectural features and interior items—the dresser in the master bedroom is really fun!
You’ve also created a wonderful family to live in the house. I like their personalities and how you’ve customized their spaces to fit them. My only suggestion would be to add a bit more vegetable garden for Sarah. Also, if you don’t like the look of the fire alarm over the fireplace, you can use the MOO cheat to hide behind one of the bookcases, and it will still function as a fire alarm. That way you can put a painting over the fireplace!


Link to lot: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=4221095
Link to media: http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd126/silviaBroome/101-102Ge
nerations/?albumview=slideshow
Comments: Your overall layout is really effective. I love the entrance you’ve created for the granny flat, and especially how you’ve created a two-story living space for Sarah. The architecture is eye-catching and has an intriguing footprint with the center section on the diagonal. It uses the location well. I was struck by your whimsical use of art-nouveau-like furniture in the house. That, together with your excellent color and pattern choices, give the house a friendly feeling. I love the outdoor spaces, too—especially the outdoor kitchen on that magnificent porch. The fenced-in yard is great as well, and the garden is perfect for Sarah! (By the way, I really like the stylish fence and gates.) I don’t have much to suggest. I might have put more area rugs in the house overall, especially in areas like the dining room and bedrooms.

This was another difficult challenge to pick a winner. I would have been proud to create any one of these houses. The winner of both the main and optional challenges is:




Dreamer90