#Decorative Concrete Market

[meghanester]

Decorative Concrete Market Growth with a CAGR of ~8.90% During 2024-2036 and Attain ~USD 53 Billion

Research Nester’s recent market research analysis on “Decorative Concrete Market: Global Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2036” delivers a detailed competitors analysis and a detailed overview of the global decorative concrete market in terms of market segmentation by type, application, end-user industry, and by region.

The surge in Spending for the Construction of Walkways by the Government to Boost the Growth of the Global Decorative Concrete Market

The global decorative concrete industry is expected to expand due to an eco-friendly advantage. Concrete is a more durable material than marble, and as environmental and climate change concerns grow, so does demand for green, beautiful concrete. When marble is formed, around 39% of the waste produced equals the manufactured volume, which is created when the rock debris is deposited nearby in fields, agricultural lands, and river bottoms, posing environmental dangers.

Over the past few years, there has been tremendous growth in the middle class, and as a result, their living conditions have changed to meet the demands of their shifting lifestyles. With socioeconomic advancement, many middle-class areas now own completely unique styles and essences. The middle class has given up using traditional building techniques owing to a lack of resources and a desire to make a life for the least amount of money possible. Additionally, the number of architectures has increased, which is anticipated to support the market's growth over the forecast period. For instance, there were around 1,16,077 architects in India as of 2022, and this number is continuing to rise.

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Some of the major growth factors and challenges that are associated with the growth of the global decorative concrete market are:

Growth Drivers:

Rising Constructive Activities

Growth in Spending on Renovation

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Challenges:

It is anticipated that the irregular nature of the prices for the energy and raw materials used to produce ornamental concrete would continue over the projected time. The price of raw materials, which includes cement, adhesives, sealants, colour pigments, and coatings for ornamental concrete, could increase owing to shifting crude oil and petroleum prices. As a result, the price of these parts directly affects the price of ornamental concrete. In reaction to growing raw material costs, vendors raise the price of their products or reduce their profit margins, which would be detrimental to the market's ability to grow.

By end-user industry, the market for decorative concrete is segmented into residential, and non-residential. By the end of 2036, it is predicted that the non-residential segment would generate the most revenue. The segment's expansion may be attributable to rising non-residential building investment. In the United States, it was predicted that spending on nonresidential building construction would rise by about 4% in 2022 and then by another 2% to about 5% in 2023. The segment's revenue growth is also predicted to be boosted by rising demand for decorative concrete in non-residential projects for flooring applications. Additionally, growth in the use of decorative concrete to make surfaces in parking lots, retail stores, and pool decks less slippery is predicted to boost the segment's revenue.

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By region, the North American decorative concrete market is anticipated to garner the largest revenue by the end of 2036, bolstered by a rise in regional government investment in erecting commercial structures, as well as a growing presence of important firms in this area. This region's metropolitan population is growing, and it is anticipated that this would accelerate market growth over the coming years. North America's urban population reached 306,343,264 in 2021, up 0.4% from 2020. Two other significant factors that are expected to drive market revenue growth are the tendency of nuclear families and the development of residential construction activities as a result of the urban population boom.

This report also provides the existing competitive scenario of some of the key players of the global decorative concrete market which includes company profiling of RPM International Inc., DuPont de Numours, Inc., 3M, PPG Industries, Inc., BASF SE, Huntsman International LLC, The Sherwin-Williams Company, Boral Limited, CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V., Sika AG, and others.

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[marketsndata]

[abhigmi]

Decorative Concrete Market Research Observes Strong CAGR Demand and Development by 2028

The decorative concrete market is estimated to grow exponentially through 2028 driven by surging demand for aesthetic, modern, and durable architectural designs in the product. In addition, rising disposable income, coupled with growing focus on environmentally friendly construction and building materials to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions, is projected to further augment industry outlook over the forecast period.

Recently, key players in the sector have been investing in including more sustainable products in their offerings to cater to rising climate consciousness among consumers, thereby enhancing overall market dynamics. For instance, in January 2022, HeidelbergCement unveiled a suite of sustainable concrete portfolio under its sustainable concrete brand, EcoCrete. The sustainable decorative concretes offer CO2 reduction within a range of 30-66%. In March 2022, the company also launched a LEILAC 2 (Low Emissions Intensity Lime & Cement) carbon capture initiative with the aim of capturing 20% of carbon emissions, nearly 100,000 tons, annually by 2025.

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The global decorative concrete market has been classified into product, application, end-user, and region. Based on product, the market has been further fragmented into stamped, exposed, engraved, stained, polished, and others.

The stamped segment is expected to grow at approximately 6.4% CAGR between 2022 and 2028. Stamped concrete is available in a variety of design patterns and offers customization options for enhanced visual appeal with conventional as well as personalized designs, which is set to augment product growth through the review timeline.

The decorative concrete market share from the stained segment is anticipated to exhibit around 5.3% CAGR with respect to volume over the study timeframe. Over the forecast period, stained concrete consumption is estimated to increase due to surging demand for patios, commercial roads, parking lots, driveways, and other commercial spaces, such as offices, restaurants, breweries, retail stores, schools and so forth.

Stained concrete floors are widely used in indoor settings for their various benefits like durability, higher flexibility and eco-friendliness. Moreover, the process allows layering colors for a dramatic effect with variegated or marbled effects in light of the current home decor and architectural trends backed by increasing expenditure on renovation activities by consumers. Surging consumer interest in stained concrete floors is foreseen to positively influence segment development.

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In terms of region, the Middle East & Africa decorative concrete industry is slated to witness substantial growth at about 5% CAGR in terms of revenue from 2022 to 2028. Rapidly escalating project development initiatives focused on long-term advancements in the transportation and tourism infrastructures are primed to promote product adoption in the MEA region.

Moreover, the Middle East & Africa (MENA) region is observing a massive shift towards public transport services with mounting investments to boost public transport and infrastructure projects. The region has also emerged as a lucrative landscape for sustainability-focused mobility services, which is speculated to boost regional decorative concrete market development in the future.

Table of Contents (ToC) of the report:

Chapter 1   Methodology & Scope

1.1    Scope & definitions

1.2    Methodology & forecast parameters

1.3    Region-wise COVID-19 impact analysis

1.3.1    North America

1.3.2    Europe

1.3.3    Asia Pacific

1.3.4    Latin America

1.3.5    Middle East & Africa

1.4    Regional Trends

1.5    Data Sources

1.5.1    Secondary

1.5.2    Primary

Chapter 2   Executive Summary

2.1    Global Decorative Concrete industry 360° synopsis, 2018 – 2028

2.2    Business trends

2.3    Product trends

2.4    Application trends

2.5    End-user trends

2.6    Regional trends

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[hometoursandotherstuff]

Well, the $65m brutalist/industrial house of Beverly Hills, CA has been on the market since June and still counting. 5bds, 10ba, 18,000 sq ft of pure concrete. Let's refresh our memories, and if you haven't seen it before, you're in for a treat. Oh, it's called a work of art that will never be duplicated (who would want to?) and only pre-qualified buyers can make an appt. to see it. No lookie-loos who don't have $65m to spend.

The front doors.

The only color you will see in this house is thru the windows. I wonder if the bike conveys. So, here we are in the living room.

Here we have the view from the living room. Such harsh lighting, though.

We're looking out at the pool. Would colorful furniture kill the vibe, do you think?

The fireplace is a work of art. It looks like an industrial furnace to me.

You can't really tell how deep this pool is.

The view of the living room from outside.

Here, you've got a dining table and a very cool looking bar. Look at the size of the foot rail. I guess stools would ruin the view.

Very large stainless steel kitchen. The only wood counter is on the island, and only 2 other little pops of color.

Curved cement walls lead around to the primary bedroom. Notice the lights around the bottom.

The primary bedroom is so large, it makes that piano look small. There's a wall of glass with a great view and doors to the patio.

Very industrial ensuite. Everything must've been custom made in this home. You can't go to Home Depot and pick up a sink like that.

Check out the tub. It looks like some kind of chemical vat. Murder tub vibes.

The home office has a warmer look b/c it incorporates wood into the decor. I like the desk. Is that a cat perch by the window?

Here we have the home theater. Looks like they have acoustic panels between the cement columns and in the ceiling.

This bar matches the other one. I guess guests have to stand.

More curved hallway walls.

Down here they have some sort of an art shop. I guess that this room could be a studio or rec room.

Very large center courtyard looks like an arena. There are small lights in the floor, but I can't tell what that circle in the middle is.

Looks almost like a space ship or military building from above. The lot is 1.99 acres.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/410-Trousdale-Pl-Beverly-Hills-CA-90210/20534468_zpid/

[f3mme-f4tale]

which witch

part one

word count: 4k potential warnings: potential depictions of violence, sexual content, fingering (r! receiving) adult themes (explicit language), tension, angst, world building, more to come... pairing: rebel!ellie x princess!reader (categorized within the knight!ellie aesthetic)

authors note: there are some influences from game of thrones! :))

A cloud of gray smoke lingered above the vine-infested concrete walls of the booming city, machinery roaring to life and wildering conversations floating in the thick air. A war was looming over the Sovereign City, an invading force from the south eagerly plowing through the skin-biting tundra. The hundreds of guilds within the city's walls fed the economy, although some whisper that underground trading of magic folk is what really fuels the financial state. A spy for the rebellion circled the local market, running her hands over the bruised fruit and eyeing the common folk cautiously, trying her best to go undetected. The city center was preparing for the Sun Festival, ironic given the smog that shielded nearly all sunlight.  

A local fruit stand was at the center of the market, an older gentleman staffing the exotic fruit from outside the city walls. Bright, intricate starfruit and jelly-filled strawberry papayas littered the concrete mosaic ground. A small goat with a blue bell was tied haphazardly to a post, the yarn fraying with every slight tug from the animal. A group of children dressed in muted shades of brown and green played a game of dice on the other side of the courtyard, daring each other to steal blackberries. The butcher’s son was pushing a small wagon of discarded meat and small fish bones towards an alley, likely to discard the leftovers.  

The spy was adorned in local fabrics, muted mismatched stitching holding together a quilt-like material that resembled a shawl. Her deep maple hair cascaded down her neck with a simple silver pin holding some pieces out of her face. Her fingertips were stained with nightshade, her left-hand concealing a small dagger. The weapon was known for immediately striking down any foe, its metal laced with poison. Magic folk and creatures were no exception, despite their enchantments. An abstract fox decorated the handle, a symbol of the rebellion against the empire. On her hip was a small satchel containing various assortments of herbs, sliced plum mushrooms, and powdered oleander seeds. Being a spy, a magic one at that, had its benefits.  

The spy detected a woman pocketing something from a guard across the courtyard. She watched her scurry away down an alley, not before stealing a fig from one of the stands. With the day being as slow as it had been, she reasoned that any mischief became her mischief. As she made her way towards where the other woman went, her grip tightened on the weapon. Upon turning down the alley, she seemingly vanished. It was not often that the spy’s prey escaped her sight, not since she was a child at least. At the last possible moment, a speck of red disappeared through a doorway fifty feet in front of her. Swallowing a sigh, she followed. 

Inside was a desolate old factory, broken machinery sprawled across the floor and spray paint covering the walls. Sigils were marked on the concrete ground – emblems and allegories from The Blackmoor Book. She questioned how someone within the walls could have such knowledge, risking the high court finding such symbolism.  

What was this place?  

  She did not dwindle on this apprehension long, sinking into the shadows and scanning the place for that woman. A crackly, high-pitched laugh erupted from the other side of the room. Before thinking twice, the spy was across the room in mere seconds, her knife pressed firmly against the mystery woman’s throat, as if in reflex.  

“Ya know for as skilled as you are, I figured you’d recognize me,” the woman pestered, her dialect thick. The spy could place the voice, but the face was distant from her mind. The blade stayed against her throat, the pressure never wavering.  

“Ellie,” she cooed, “it’s me.”  

There was nothing I could do. My feet were lodged between the large stones that decorated the bottom of the fast river, the murky sand blinding my vision and setting my lungs on fire. I was becoming weak, fighting a losing battle with the force of the water. I wanted to give up, to let the depths swallow me whole and my mind run blank. My fingers just barely reached the surface, scratching at the sliver of life that was never fully mine. The anxiety was bubbling up from my stomach and began to make me tremble with complete fear; I wasn’t getting out of this.  

Once, when I was young, I would swim in streams and small rivers just like this one. Uncle would be back at the village, father out with the council. My older foster brother would often join me, teaching me how to catch the fish and which plants could be used for medicine. When it was a quiet day, we would read books to the frogs and small insects. Now, at the precipice of death, I can only focus on the day he showed me how to fashion an arrowhead. On how his fingers made sharp movements and the glimmer in his eyes was its purest. He was the mouth of God; I took his words as religion. But he wasn’t there.  

My arms grew numb, my body losing sensation. This was it. This was how I was finally going. I screamed against the current and inhaled the river. As my vision darkened and I began to accept defeat, I remembered the reason I was trying to traverse across in the first place; the heaviness of the guilt weighing me down. I made a promise, I swore to him. They were going to die, and it was all my fault. It was a mistake to think I could perform this journey alone, inexperienced.  

And then I could breathe again. My fingers dug at my chest, eagerly gasping for air. My eyes burned from the sunlight, my right ankle adorning a jagged cut from the rock that once imprisoned me. My savior hovered above me, breathing just as heavily as I was. Where did they come from?  

“T-thank you,” I managed to get out once the anxiety subsided, my throat still burning.  

Hesitantly, I glanced up in their direction. They were drenched in luminance, a godliness highlighting their physique, black paint dancing across their nose. Meeting their enticing eyes, I realized I recognized them. A local girl a year older than me from the village, her hair tied tight against her head and half of her body soaking wet. She offered me a curt nod, adjusting the straps on her satchel and securing a few stray pieces of hair. The outfit she wore was jarring, nothing like the large tunics the women wore at home. The breeches and sleek overcoat were skin-tight, a throwing knife strapped securely to her thigh. She did not say anything back, leaving me as fast as she appeared.  

“Dina,” Ellie mumbled, her voice rough against the soothing nature of Dina’s. Her eyes scanned the other's face, the memories of her childhood friend rushing back to her like a tidal wave. The same black paint was decorated across her nose, symbolizing her coven. Ellie let her guard down, the blade dropping to her side. The sigils made sense then – she grew up in the same village beyond this city within the Withering Woods, learned from the same potions master, and drank the same Mistmoor river water. Their village Jackson’s Crossing, surrounded by the White Mountains and often disregarded on official cartographer maps, was a cloister of small families from varied ethnicities. 

Dina’s fingers were also stained a dark purple – evidence of witchcraft. The last time they had seen each other was years prior, back when Ellie was recruited to fight against the tyranny of the High Ruler, who came into power with varying degrees of support from the public. The last she heard of Dina was that she had joined a coven, practicing magic in secret.  

She had grown a lot since their last encounter, her scarlet hair now many inches longer and herself several inches taller. They spared each other the formalities in catching up, Ellie reaching for the item Dina snatched from the unsuspecting general just beyond the door. She let her, Ellie’s mind working through possibilities as she brought the ring of keys closer. She should have known; such an item was predictable. Although, what did Dina need them for?  

“Trying to sneak someone out of the dungeons, hmm?” she finally spoke, placing her dagger back into the depths of her clothing. Dina smiled at Ellie again, raising her eyebrows and letting her face do the talking. “Ah, well, sneaking into prison seems more your speed anyways.” 

“The council has been very unyielding in my request for an audience,” she began, walking a few steps away from Ellie. “So, I’ve had to find my own ways.” 

“Why do you wish to speak to them?” Ellie questioned, puzzled as to what her companion could want with them. Dina’s gaze meant nothing but trickery, her smile growing wider and wider. Whatever her intentions, Ellie considered leeching on, her own assignment from the Rebellion creating a need to be inside those palace walls – although for a quite different reason.

“Remember Jesse?” she smirks, running a hand through her locks. Ellie snorts at this – because of course she remembers Jesse, how could she not? They were practically joined at the hip before Ellie left Jackson. 

“He’s gotta learn to keep his mouth shut in front of the guards. He’s so pretty, but he can be pretty thick headed sometimes,” Dina scolds, shaking her head. “So, naturally, they’ve finally decided to sentence him after years of causing mayhem.”  

“Well, I want in,” Ellie says coldly, adjusting with the fabric that covers her shoulder. Dina squints at her friend, questioning her motivations. “I’ve got orders to relocate a member of the royal family, per the Rebellion's bequest.” 

-

Deep viridian ivy covers the cobblestones and beige pillars of the courtyard, dark shadows stretching up the walls. Rain litters the ground, the damp air an inviting aroma. Billowing clouds darken the sky, the thunder a welcoming presence. 

You’re sitting at a desk, candlelight framing your face as you attempt to read the book in your hands. It’s no use however, as your mind is swirling with a million different thoughts. The betrayal of your father cuts deep; all that remains is the stark reality of your pain. You trace the outline of the candle's flame with trembling fingers, its flickering dance mirroring your thundering heartbeat. 

A knock at the door interrupts your spiral, haphazardly setting down your book and the weight of the chair creaking as you stand. A woman is on the other side, her curly black hair cascading down her back. The servant's uniform does her no justice, her figure cloaked in a tunic two sizes too big. You raise an eyebrow, questioning the intruder at such a late hour. 

“Yes?” you ask, voice wavering slightly. You know she can see the dismay in your face, your eyes all too forgiving. You instinctively hunch your shoulders, nails pushing into the meat of your palm, knuckles turning white.

“Lord David sent me to draw you a bath, my lady. He wants you to be clean and fresh for your engagement tomorrow,” she responds, bowing her head. She holds clean linens and a sponge in her hand, a slight look of sorrow crossing her face that you almost miss. You step aside begrudgingly, letting her through. 

Large buckets of water make their rounds over the fire as the servant works to untie the laces of your bodice, making quick work of the material. The cool air filtering through the partially opened window makes your skin grow cold, the woman helping you out your chemise, body bare to her wandering gaze. Her hands were warm, a stir emerging within your gut. You always disliked having other people bath you, yet you found yourself straightening your back, showing off. She made eye contact with you, half slitted pupils devouring your form. You welcomed this, using your left hand to remove a pin that was keeping your braids in place. She steps behind you to begin dumping the contents of the bucket into a metal tub. 

And then suddenly the servant is several inches away, hands agonizingly tracing your shoulders, her breath hot on your neck. She places a small kiss just underneath your ear, a shudder escaping your lips as you tentatively close your eyes. You’d never had someone approach you this way, not unless you count the several forty-something year old male suitors that you had declined since you turned sixteen years ago.

The servant uses one hand to pull your hair over to one shoulder as the other palms your bare stomach. You suck in a breath, not pushing her away. You knew this was wrong, save for the fact that she was another woman. What would your father say? What would the maids whisper to each other when they thought no one was looking?

Despite protests shouting against your very core, you remained still, leaning into her frame. You could feel her breasts pressing into your back, her right hand dancing dangerously close to the space between your legs. Her left hand dragged across your chest, fingers grazing and pulling. When her right hand plunged into your slick, you leaned your head back against her shoulder. 

“Lay down, my lady,” she murmured, gently moving your already wrecked body towards the bed in the corner. You obliged, sitting on the edge. She pushed you down, immediately dropping down to her knees. You were new to this, not even daring to touch yourself. Her mouth felt foreign on your pelvis, but you bucked up into her face regardless. 

Her tongue slid across you, pink bud becoming raw from the friction. When she pushed two fingers inside of you, a borderline scream escaped your delicate lips. The swell of your breasts bounced as she began to pick up her pace, rocking your body against the frame of the bed and adding another slender digit. Her tongue continues its assault on your clit, forcing you to take it, to take all of it. 

It’s over before you realize, her face covered in you. You pull her up by the collar of her uniform, forcing her lips against yours. She’s taken aback at first, but then melts into the embrace. She’s sticking her tongue into your mouth, the taste of you invading and arousing. 

“As much as I’d love to continue Princess,” the woman says suddenly, breaking the kiss. “I did come here to bathe you.” You nod, suddenly extremely aware of your surroundings and how easily you folded under her touch – a woman’s touch. 

As she dumped another bucket of hot water into the metal tub, you gazed off absentmindedly. Her coarse fingers work through your locks, detangling the pieces that frame your face.

“You’re so beautiful, but you have to keep him happy. He gets bored easily.”

You glance over at her, noticing the way the fireplace behind her makes her skin glow. 

“I don’t want you to end up, well, like the others,” she sighs, moving to grab a rag to clean your skin with. You were so used to the mindless handling of your body that sometimes you forgot how vulnerable you could be. 

“W-what others?” you croaked, tension once again creeping up your spine and through your fingers. You felt her movements stiffen, realizing she spoke out of turn. 

“Oh, I shouldn’t, it’s all hearsay. I apologize, my lady,” she replies, her actions becoming more disorderly. You watch her closely, her sudden discomfort adding another layer of unease to the already heavy atmosphere. Despite her attempt to backtrack, your curiosity is piqued, and you press further.

"No, please, tell me," you insist, your voice barely above a whisper. She hesitates, torn between loyalty to her lord and a desire to warn you. Finally, she speaks, her voice barely audible over the crackling of the fire.

"There have been others before you," she begins, her words careful and measured. "Women who were... chosen, like you." Your heart pounds in your chest, the implications of her words sinking in. You swallow hard, pushing down the rising sense of dread threatening to overwhelm you.

"What happened to them?" you ask, your voice trembling despite your efforts to remain composed. She hesitates again, her gaze dropping to the floor as if unable to meet your eyes.

"They... disappeared," she murmurs, her voice barely audible. "Some say that he grows tired of his playthings, discarding them when they no longer amuse him, banished to distant lands never to return. Others whisper darker tales of rituals and… well," she clarifies, her hands shaking as she runs her nimble fingers through your hair once more. 

You struggle to process the implications of her revelation, the realization dawning on you with sickening clarity. "You mean... they're dead?" you whisper, the words feeling foreign and surreal on your tongue. You turn to her fully, putting on a show of false confidence. “This is my home. He can’t frighten me.”

“Of course, my lady. Forgive me.”

You nod, still reeling from her earlier words. As she finishes bathing you, you're left alone with your thoughts once more. The warmth of the water does little to soothe the chill in your bones, the weight of impending responsibilities pressing down on you like a suffocating blanket.

“Will I see you again?” You mumble, eyes pleading with the woman as she’s half way out of your chamber, a robe now draped around your figure. A frown catches her lips, a sigh is all the answer you need.

“I’m afraid not,” she finally answers, yet doesn’t move from her place at the door. You feel your stomach drop, reaching out to catch her lips in a kiss once more. This one is less aggressive, a plea for more. She cups your cheek softly, kissing you back. “It’s not safe. We live in a world where desires are often sacrificed for duty.”

As she finally steps away, you watch her silhouette fade into the dimly lit corridor beyond your chamber. A sense of loss washes over you, as you're left in the silence of your chambers. The flames of the candles flicker ominously, casting dancing shadows on the walls. You try to shake off the unease settling in your chest, but the seed of doubt planted by the woman’s words grows with each passing moment.

You know you should rest, to prepare yourself for the challenges that lie ahead, but sleep eludes you. Instead, you find yourself pacing the room, the echoes of your footsteps mingling with the whispers of your own fears.

This union is a death sentence, a promise made to satisfy your fathers requests. Your older sister was the next in line to rule, your brother already married off to a Duchess in the East. You would never sit on the throne; the pressure of said title always out of reach but forever a taunt. You could taste the longing for power – a snake wrapping around your heart, squeezing. 

By marrying Lord David, you help ease the emerging tensions between the East and South kingdoms within the empire. It had long been kept secret that you were a bastard, a lie living a life of luxury. Guilt ate away at you from every inch of your skin, your real mother a ghost of your past. Of course, maids and servants talked. That said, the effort to uphold the ruler's dignity and honor reigned supreme; Those who were caught gossiping would meet a punishment worse than castration. 

You understand the importance of maintaining stability within the empire, of ensuring peace between rival factions. But on the other hand, there's the gnawing fear that grips you, the fear of being trapped in a loveless marriage, of becoming just another casualty in the game of power and ambition.

You remember the stories you heard as a child, tales of kings and queens whose lives were dictated by duty rather than desire. You used to dream of a different fate for yourself, of finding love and happiness on your own terms. But now, as the reality of your situation sinks in, those dreams seem like distant echoes of a naive past.

Tomorrow, you will be betrothed to a man you hardly know; a union forged by politics and alliances. When morning comes, you will rise with a sense of resignation, steeling yourself for the path laid out before you.

-

Dawn breaks upon a canvas of melancholy, the sky adorned in swathes of slate-hued clouds. You dress in a gown of regal elegance, each layer of silk and lace feeling like a shroud closing in around you. Your reflection in the mirror is a stranger's face, masked behind a facade of composure that belies the turmoil within. As you fasten the intricate clasps of your necklace – a delicate chain of platinum interwoven with strands of glistening rhodonite and sunstone – you can't help but wonder if you're adorning yourself for a wedding or a funeral.

Downstairs, guests mingle in clusters of polished nobility. Their smiles are as artificial as the flowers adorning the tables, masking the alliances and rivalries that simmer beneath the surface. You navigate the crowd with practiced grace, exchanging pleasantries and feigned enthusiasm.

In the grand hall, where sunlight filters through stained glass, illuminating the opulence of the surroundings, you stand amidst a sea of faces, each one a mask concealing clandestine desires. At the center of it all stands Lord David, a towering figure of authority and ambition. His gaze finds yours across the room, a flicker of something unreadable passing between you before he turns to greet another guest. 

His eyes, like shards of obsidian, pierce through the veneer of social niceties. As he acknowledges your presence with a nod of his head, you offer a polite smile, concealing the turmoil churning within your breast. His lips curve in response, but there is a hardness in his gaze. With unspoken haste, the sea of guests transitioned into the next room, organizing into rows. 

Sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows, casting kaleidoscopic patterns of color upon the assembled guests. The delicate lace of your veil cascaded like a waterfall around you, framing your face in a halo of soft radiance. Lord David, regal and imposing, awaited you at the altar. 

As you drew near, the murmurs of the crowd fell silent, and all that remained was the steady rhythm of your heartbeat echoing in your ears. With each step, you felt the weight of expectation pressing down upon you, the gravity of the moment settling like a cloak upon your shoulders.

At last, you stood face to face with Lord David, your hands trembling slightly as you clasped his in yours. The officiant's voice filled the air, the solemn words of the vows binding you together. His grip tightened at your wrists, thumb pressing into your pressure point. You fought against the sinking feeling in your chest, the fear washing over your features. 

Concealed behind a pillar, at the room's farthest edge, stood a guest with a blade, its hilt adorned with an abstract fox; A silent sentinel amidst the opulent chaos. Their gaze, like a river's current, flows over your form, lingering on each curve and contour with a cautious reverence. The bodice of the gown hugs your frame, accentuating the gentle curve of your waist before giving way to a voluminous skirt that pools around your feet in a sea of soft fabric. Layers upon layers of tulle and organza lend an air of weightless beauty to the ensemble, each fold and pleat catching the light in a mesmerizing dance.

The spy stole a final glance at the princess, and for a brief moment, she could've sworn she saw a glimmer of fear entrenched in your gaze. Rancorously, Ellie envisioned taking a blade to Lord David's throat and smiling as the congealed mess of his arteries betrayed him. She shoved the wrinkled piece of parchment into the confines of her satchel. Her mission began.

Secure the youngest daughter of the sovereign. 

taglist: @seraphicsentences @onlinelesbo @yumimak @elliewilliamsblunt @bready101

[simstorian-blog]

Residential Floorplan Suggestions

New York City: TWO

(CC List + Links)

World Map: San Myshuno

Area: Spice Market – Waterside Warble

Lot Size:  30 x 30

Capacity:

A Dive Bar

An Internet Café

A Pizzeria

A Tattoo Parlor

Bonus: 6 residential rental units floorplans completed – not assigned

Gallery ID: Simstorian-ish

Packs Needed

Expansion Packs

Cats & Dogs

City Living

Discover University

For Rent

Get Together

Get To Work

Growing Together

High School Years

Horse Ranch

Snowy Escape

Game Packs

Dine Out

Dream Home Decorator

Jungle Adventure

Outdoor Retreat

Parenthood

Spa Day

Star Wars: Journey to Batuu

Strangerville

Vampires

Stuff Packs

Crystal Creations

Home chef Hustle

Laundry Day

Moschino

Kits

Castle Estate

Courtyard Oasis

Cozy Bistro

Desert Luxe

Recommended Gameplay Mods

(Please read through what each mod has to offer before deciding if it fits your gameplay style or not.)

Carl’s Dine Out Reloaded

City Vibes Lot Traits

Functional Tattoo Parlor

Functional Venue Lot Traits

Lock/Unlock Doors for Any Lot

Spawn Refresh

Use Residential Rentals shared areas as Community Lots & Create Multi-Purpose Community Lots

Build Mode

CharlyPancakes

Chalk Pt.2 (Tiles)

Felixandre

Chateau Pt. 1 (Stone Foundation)

Chateau Pt. 2 (Doors, Metal Pieces, Tiles, Walls)

Colonial Pt. 3 (Fence 2, Plaster Foundation 2, Railing 2)

Florence Pt. 1 (Fresco Mural)

Grove Pt. 4 (Plaster Column, Plaster Floor)

London Interior (Dining Chair, Stool, Walls)

Paris (Cartouche Large, Corbel, Swag)

Schwerin (Terracotta Female)

SOHO Pt. 2

SOHO Pt. 3

SOHO Pt. 4

Harrie

Brownstone Pt. 2 (Traditional Door Frame – Med, Traditional Door – Med, Traditional Window 2 - Med)

Coastal Pt. 2 (Column)

Klean Pt. 3 (Concrete Floor, Painted Walls)

Kwatei Pt. 1 (3x1 BiFold, Double Arch, Single Interior Door)

Mutske

Stairs Add-on

Lijoue

Louer Collection (Iron Fence, Railing, Stone Stairs)

Peacemaker

Bistro Expanded (Awning 1x1)

Graffiti Mural 01

Pierisim

Winter Garden Pt. 2 (Double Door High, High Window w Bottom x2)

Sooky88

Checkered Marble Floor

English Country Wall Set (Subway Tiles, Subway Tiles w Wallpaper)

Scandinavian Wall Set (Plain w Tiles)

Syboubou

Neighborly 1 (Ceiling Outdoor Light, Mailbox)

Neighborly 2 (Interphone)

Buy Mode

AroundTheSims4

Laundromat (Seating x3 – Metal Base)

Tattoo Parlor (First Aid Kits, Gloves, Ink, Ink Display, Light, Saddle Stool, Tattoo Gun)

Cepzid

Functional Tattoo Chair

Felixandre

Berlin Pt. 1 (Curtain – Tall)

SOHO Pt. 1

Harlix

Baysic (Coffee Table, container, End Table, Kitchen Cabinet, Kitchen Counter, Kitchen Island, Kitchen Sink, Kitchen Trolley, Kitchen Accent Counter 1-3, Sofa)

Jardane (Leather Pouffe)

Kichen (Cabinet, Cups, Glasses, Plant, Shelf)

Kichen 2.0 Pt. 2 (Glasses 2 & 4)

Harrie

Shop The Look 1 (Armchair, Coffee Table)

Shop The Look 2 (Ceramic Side Table)

Shop The Look 3 (Circular Cushion)

Spoons Pt. 2 (2 Tile Glass Pedastal- Short & Tall, Counters, Espresso Bar, Island, Pastry Platter, Pizza Board, Shelving)

Kiwisims4

Blockhouse Dining (Booth Seating)

KKB

The Chilling Home (Module Bar Stool)

LittlleDica

Greasy Foods (Napkins, Salt Shaker, Stalls Door, Stalls Wall, Vents, Wet Floor Sign)

Modern Kitchen Stuff (Soft Breeze)

Rise & Grind (Décor Mural 2, Décor Syrup Bottle, Décor Wall Painting Menu, Dining Tables – All, Wastebun Counter)

Max20

Happily Ever After (Sign of Attention)

NANDO

Fashion Store (Ceiling Lamp)

Pierisim

Coldbrew Coffee Shop Pt. 3 (Menu, Paper Cup, Tea Box, Tips Jar)

MCM Pt. 1 (Simstudio Display)

MCM Pt. 4 (Kitchen Island)

Ravasheen

Shake and Shimmy Dance Floor

Shop Chef (Drink Dispenser)

Severinka

Industrial Light II

Simkoos

Clutter Dump Pt. 2  (Boba Notepad, Boba Stacked Cups V1, Cafeteria Straw Dispenser)

SimspirationBuilds

Toffee Pt. 1 (Art)

Syboubou

Catherine Sushi Restaurant (Wall Shelf 1 & 3)

Contemporary Haven (Armchair, Artworks, End Table, Sofa 3P Left)

Macaron (Counter Display)

TaurusDesign

Lilith Chilling Area Pt. 1 (Bartender Kit, All Drinks, SulSul Sign)

Tuds

Cave (Panel Light 2 x 4)

IND 01

IND 03

Turn Couch

Wondymoon

Fraxinus AIO Computer (DL on Patreon)

DO NOT REUPLOAD MY LOTS.

DO NOT CLAIM THEM AS YOUR OWN.

DO NOT PLACE BEHIND A PAYWALL.

Tray Files: DOWNLOAD

[germanpostwarmodern]

Together with DADA Concrete Art today is considered to most significant Swiss contribution to art history, represented by the quadriga Max Bill, Richard Paul Lohse, Verena Loewensberg and Camille Graeser. But although the life and work of each of the protagonists has been comprehensively researched and published, the actual history of the Concrete Avant-garde based in Zurich in all of its different ramifications has remained somewhat opaque. The director and journalist Thomas Haemmerli and journalist colleague Brigitte Ulmer used this blank space in Swiss art history as point of departure for a complete history of the Zurich Concretists and their complex environment. The result is „Circle! Square! Progress! - Zurich’s Concrete Avant-Garde. Max Bill, Camille Graeser, Verena Loewensberg, Richard Paul Lohse and Their Times“, recently published by Scheidegger & Spiess. The book starts with a history of Concrete Art as coined by Dutch artist Theo van Doesburg and sheds light on the Zurich group’s forefathers and mothers, among them Georges Vantongerloo, Johannes Itten and Sophie Taeuber-Arp but also dedicated patrons like Leo Leuppi. Subsequently Zurich’s „Fantastic Four“, as the Haus Konstruktiv called them in a 2011 exhibition, are portrayed and contextualized in very concise dossiers that portray the artists in their entirety.

But what is particularly noteworthy and interesting is how the authors map the sources of inspiration as well as the network of people and places surrounding the Zurich artists: from mathematics, Bach’s „Art of Fugue“ to Twelve-Tone-Music the manifold influences are carved out and institutions like the Galerie des Eaux Vives, the Bel Etage or the Corso music club are portrayed as meeting points and party locations of the art scene. Beyond this the authors also discuss the afterlife of the artists as omnipresent decorations and players on the art market, an addendum that nicely concludes the book.

As a result „Circle! Square! Progress!“ Provides an equally complete and lively account of the Zurich Concretes’ history as well as their personal network and afterlife. A highly recommended and diverting piece of art history!

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hi Raven! Have you seen the Disney 100 Jack birthday card art that has been circulating around yet? Any thoughts on the paintings? I think I remember you mentioning that the portraits would be good for figuring out what inspirations more ambiguous characters like Jack were twisted from.

The idea that the background frames for the new birthday series would reveal the explicit Disney reference for each TWST boy was popular fandom speculation when Platinum Suit Jamil was initially teased, NOT something actually ever confirmed, stated, or even implied by official TWST sources. Some people were also speculating that maybe the background frames were just the respective G7 of each boy's dormitory. We only had Jamil to go off of at the time, which didn't give us a lot of clear information since Jamil is both very clearly twisted from Jafar but is also in Scarabia, a dorm which has also has Jafar as its representative from the Great 7.

Then Platinum Jacket Ace came out in late September and seemed to continue the pattern of "the background shows one image that shows direct inspiration for the TWST boy"; there were heart card soldiers in one frame, which is what Ace seems to be twisted from. This made a lot of fans hype to finally get character inspiration confirmation for more ambiguous characters like Jack (which has been an ongoing debate in the fandom for years now).

***Spoilers for the main story, as well as Jack's Platinum Suit initial art + related discussion below the cut!***

... However, that ended up not being the case as soon as Jack's Platinum Suit card preview was released. Which brings us to today 😅 I think you see what the "issue" here is, right??? How can Jack, a wolf beastman, possibly be based on Rafiki, a baboon??? Mmmm, I don't have really anything to add regarding the actual frames? It is what it is, and though I will admit it got my hopes up when Jamil was first revealed, I also suspected it would be a long shot given how eclectic ("borrowing from many sources") some of the characters are.

I guess it was presumptuous for us to jump to a conclusion when we only knew about Jamil and even when we also knew about Ace; the problem is that two in a row doesn't make a pattern, just a coincidence. We need at least three to establish a pattern, and Jack here disrupts it. What we actually see here is that the frame to our left (the character's right) is likely just the painting the birthday boy chooses as a decoration for the Guest Room. (It is listed as “[Character’s] chosen painting” in Sam’s shop.) Alternatively, maybe some boys will have their character inspo if it is very clear (like how Jamil is twisted from Jafar) while the non-determinant characters like Ortho will get some other Disney character from the same film (ie Pain/Panic, the Fates, etc.) rather than a single specific inspo.

I think the TWST fandom is like... very fixated on picking ONE exact character that corresponds to each TWST boy just because the dorm leaders (ie the most iconic group in marketing) have clear inspirations. That expectation then gets extended to the rest of the cast, even though it's not true that everyone only takes inspiration from their own films--even the dorm leaders make references to and allude to various Disney properties. There's no harm in debating, having your own interpretation, or drawing parallels for fun, but it gets to a point where it's... fruitless??? To try to come to a firm conclusion on the subject. It may be less contentious to accept that some of the cast are a blend of inspirations, ideas, and motifs. Even the more "concrete" characters can functionally serve in multiple different roles or as correlates to many different Disney characters. Azul is twisted from Ursula, but he is also able to be Jamil's "Genie in the Lamp" (a line which Jamil actually uses to refer to Azul) for book 4. Vil is twisted from the Evil Queen, but he is the hero Hercules when he sacrifices his youth to rescue Idia from Tartarus. At the same time, you could argue that Ortho (who is very Pinocchio-esque, going from robot to "real boy"), also has Hercules traits and Vil is serving as a dual role as Megara, the damsel in distress. (More on that in this post!)

None of the TWST characters are bound to one movie or to the characters they're supposedly based off of, and this works to the IP's advantage. It allows each character to feel like their own person, not just a copy of or a reinvention of one Disney counterpart.

[bomberqueen17]

farm life

Am at the farm. Just gonna witter on uninterestingly about that behind the cut because I"m too tired to be interesting.

Initially we were going to make chicken sausage this week but BIL decided not to, but then when I said I was coming anyway, he decided to cut up some chickens.

In past years they've always sold out of chicken parts way before they've sold out of whole chickens. But a couple of years ago a chef friend told him there was nothing really wrong with thawing a chicken, cutting it up, and refreezing the parts, and initially we were just thawing whole chickens to cut up to grind into sausage, but we did some tests and determined that actually, no, there's really no discernible loss of quality in the parts. So now we don't sell out of chicken breasts in December anymore, but can keep bringing them to market all winter.

So this year we took the whole chickens out of the store, stopped bringing them to market, and are *only* selling the parts, and are saving the whole chickens to thaw and cut up and refreeze as parts. It's working great. It's more work, but it's more profit, and also more sales. People just don't buy whole chickens that much.

So anyway we cut up 88 chickens, and saved like 60 of the carcasses into a pair of huge stock pots. Packaged all the parts up, labeled and weighed them, then put the stock pots on to boil. Today we packaged 89 quarts of chicken stock. I was going to deep-clean the commercial kitchen, but it's not ready for the full spring treatment: we're still washing eggs in there, which means baskets full of chicken-shitty eggs are coming in and getting set on the floor. So I just cleaned and sanitized the heck out of the stuff we were using, and also the floor drain, but have held off. In April when the temps don't go below freezing at night anymore, when the vegetable washing station can move out of the eviscerating room so the egg washing can move back in there, *then* I will haul all the big equipment out and wash the whole room from the ceiling to the walls to the floors to the back of the grinder, under the mixer, under the fridge, under the freezer, all of it is getting powerwashed within an inch of its life.

But not this trip.

Next week we're making pork sausage.

I have been taking my dose of adderall at 8am immediately before I go out to work. It's hard to judge the efficacy, actually, because I'm so busy and so rarely totally self-directed. The real test would be to have me have a day of idleness and half a dozen things I need to accomplish. But I can concretely observe that I don't get a sort of dizzy head rush when it kicks in anymore, and I don't crash around 3 or 4 pm anymore. No, instead I'm just physically exhausted at that time, but it's understandable that I would be, because despite my best efforts to work out all winter, I am in no way prepared for the amounts of heavy lifting, repetitive movements, and sheer mileage you have to walk around here.

Today I finished cleaning the kitchen and then spent a couple of hours with my trusty old pruners, helping Farmsister and Veg Man harvest pussy willows to sell at market in decorative bundles. They just chainsawed the trees off a couple inches above the ground, and then we went at them with pruners and only took the nice branches, and the rest are going through the woodchipper to be mulch. VegMan pointed out the line they'd cut back to last year: this is how you coppice willows, and you can harvest them like this every year. They were fifteen feet tall, all new growth.

Soon we'll have daffodils. Mom had too many at her house, and a couple years ago she and Dad dug up buckets and buckets of them and brought them over and we dug a trench in the hillside and tipped them in. And now they're about ready to be divided again, LOL.

We have pullet eggs too. The chickens are laying pretty well, manageable amounts. We've started packing the eggs by weight, which is a little time-consuming.

OK that's enough wittering. Have I got any photos? Hmm.

the view from the little creek down into the Quackenkill, alongside the back of the old granary. Morning, sun coming through the trees and lighting up the red-stained old siding, the neighbor's house visible at the other end of the cut.

2. A pig friend, muddy snoot questing toward the camera in the sunshine of the winter livestock barn, which has a plastic south-facing roof to let in all the light it can.

3. Farmsister, in her chainsaw chaps and safety gear, chainsawing down the pussy willows in front of the solar panels. (They measured, before they planted the little trees; they'd have to be 40 feet tall to block the light on the solar panels in any season, which I don't think a pussy willow would do, but it's still important to prune them back whether we harvest them for the catkins or not.)

That's all, happy spring. I'm so tired.

[cafemilk-tea]

[SVT Record] EVELYN’s trip to LA | Time with Grandma Park #2X

❒ word count - 1.2K

🏷️ : @justmochi @ateezjuliet @itzy-eve @cosmicwintr @billboard-singer @kimhyejin3108 @cixrosie @enhacolor @allthings-fandoms @mingis-wrld @kmgfeels @peachyaeger @choihaneul @alixnsuperstxr

[ ] are on screen captions // BOLD is spoken in english

[(Starting the vlog off at the Farmers Market)] [(It’s a bright and sunny day in Los Angeles)]

“Carats, hello,” Evelyn smiled brightly at the camera with a wave, fixing her bangs in the viewfinder until she was satisfied with their placement, “I’m at the Farmers Market today with my grandmother and she’s all the way up there.” She took her sunglasses off and settled them on top of her head before flipping the camera around and pointing it at her grandmother, zooming in on the woman as she was several stalls in front of Evelyn.

“She always walks so fast that I can’t ever keep up.”

She zoomed out and turned the camera back on herself as she walked down the pathway, greeting each vendor as she passed by their stalls. It had always amazed her at all of the fresh produce and goods that were brought to the market every week.

“I would come here often with my grandmother when I was younger and she would always buy me such delicious fruits during the summertime.” The image of little Evelyn with her pink summer dress and pigtails, running down the pathway, picking out peaches and always getting a sample from the vendors flooded her brain.

She adjusted the tote bag on her shoulder as the weight from the produce inside weighed down on her bone, bordering on being a little too painful to bear for much longer. She made a face at the camera, widening her eyes with a smile before turning it around and pointing it down at the pavement as she walked through the market.

[(Protecting our artists’ feet)] [(Here’s a picture of Eunji instead)]

“Carats, look at the puppy!,” Evelyn practically squealed, tilting the camera up to show a small puppy walking ahead of a couple on a leash, “She reminds me of Winnie with her little legs and fluffy tail.” The puppy got excited and tugged on the leash, yipping and wagging her tail rapidly when she spotted something and pulled the couple along.

[(An animal lover at heart)]

“Speaking of Winnie, I wanna bring her along next time I travel,” Evelyn turned the camera back onto herself, pulling her sunglasses over her eyes, “Especially when we come to LA again so my grandma can finally meet her in person.”

She continued to ramble on to the camera until she had finally caught up to her grandmother, shouldering off the tote bag down to the crease of her elbow, allowing room for it to open. She watched carefully as her grandmother handed over the correct amount of change before handling the basket of oranges into the tote bag. They smiled at the vendor before heading down the aisle together.

“Gram, say hi to the vlog,” Evelyn made sure to keep the camera on herself to protect her grandmother’s privacy. A frail hand snuck its way into the view of the camera, dainty fingers fluttering in a wave.

[(A happy greeting from Grandma Park)]

[(A curious swan out in the wild)] [(She is one with nature)]

“My grandma works so hard on her garden every year for it to bloom like this,” Evelyn had the camera facing the garden, panning around the entirety of the space. Every inch was filled with such luscious greenery and an assortment of different flowers to bring in some color, all adorned with little garden trinkets sprinkled around.

[(What has caught the swan’s attention?)]

She crouched down next to a few stepping stones scattered throughout the dirt, pointing out a specific one to the camera. Embedded into the concrete stone was a tiny handprint left behind by a seven year-old Evelyn, painted what is now a duller shade of purple from sun exposure, the words ‘To: Grandma’ painted at the top in different colors and ‘From: Evelyn’ painted wonky at the bottom to match. Little gems and sequins decorated in between to fill up the extra space.

“This stone I made at camp,” She brought the camera in closer to be able to make out the words, “Look how small my hand was back then compared to now.” She switched the camera into her right hand, moving to place her left hand down beside the much smaller one pressed into the stone.

[(Eunji your hands are still small)] [(Let’s keep it a secret between us)]

Evelyn straightened herself up, pointing the camera over to the swing set pushed towards the back of the fence. “My grandpa built that swing set before I was even born. He was so happy to finally have a grandchild that it was first project.” She walked the rest of the stone pathway through the garden until she reached the grass, moving in closer to the swing set.

“He had carved his name and a little message into the wood,” She zoomed in on what was chipped into the wood, making sure the camera was in focus.

‘for my little bee, love grandpa’

“I even carved my name next to his with a pair of scissors,” She smiled at the memory, moving over so the camera could see the indent of her name, “I got in trouble for using my grandma’s fabric scissors to carve my name but-,” She turned the camera around to face her, crinkling her eyes into a wide smile, “She couldn’t stay mad at me.”

[(Eunji has been a little troublemaker since the very beginning, oh my)]

[(Ending the vlog with food)] [(Everything looks so delicious)]

Evelyn had the camera propped up on the table, angled up at herself as she ate her dinner. She cut a piece of her steak off and brought it close to the camera, pretending like she was feeding a baby as she opened her mouth in the background.

[(Open wide carats)]

A giggled left her as she bit the piece off the fork, doing a little happy dance in her seat. It was her favorite steakhouse to come to any time they’re in LA, so naturally when her grandmother asked what she wanted for dinner, of course this was on top of her list.

“Is it good?” Her grandmother’s voice came from behind the camera.

Evelyn hummed as she took another bite, mouth watering for more, “So good! I’m practically starving for another one.” She continued eating and playing with the camera every now and then, ending the vlog with blowing a kiss towards the camera.

[(Evelyn’s trip to LA ended very happily)]

[mariacallous]

Nina Marchenko was in her kitchen when a bomb fell on her cottage. It blew off the roof, demolished the concrete summer house in the garden, and killed her dog, Tulik. Bits of fence were tossed into the air. “There was smoke and that was it,” she said. “A woman died in another strike nearby. I can only curse Vladimir Putin. He’s driven us from our house.”

Last week, Marchenko and her disabled husband, Misha, fled their home in Kupiansk, in the north-east of Ukraine. The Russian army seized the city in the early days of Putin’s 2022 invasion. Ukrainian soldiers took it back eight months later. For most of the last two years the frontline – across the Oskil River and a series of rustic hamlets – barely changed.

In recent weeks, however, the Russians have been advancing. Across the frontline, Ukrainian defences are crumbling at the fastest rate since 2022. In October, Russia swallowed nearly 310 miles (500km) of Ukrainian territory including more than 15 sq miles around Kupiansk. Two-thirds of these losses of territory have been in the neighbouring Donetsk region. Ukraine’s southern sector there is close to collapse.

Russian combat units are now less than two miles from Kupiansk. A little to the south, troops have already reached the Oskil River, turning Ukrainian-controlled territory on the left bank into two separate and shrinking bulges. Bridges across the river are relentlessly bombed. Moscow’s apparent plan is to flatten Kupiansk and then reoccupy it.

Speaking from an office bunker, Kupiansk’s military-civilian mayor, Andriy Besedin, described the situation on the eastern side of the Oskil as “critical”. He said 1,400 people were refusing to evacuate from their homes, despite having no electricity, water or gas. Most were elderly people. They were not pro-Russian, Besedin suggested, but simply unwilling to move out or listen to anxious relatives.

“We are going flat to flat and driving around with loudspeakers. We say: ‘Please leave. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow,’” he said. “The pensioners think the Russians won’t hurt them. We tell them the situation is different from 2022 and that they will get killed.”

“I hope when the weather changes and it’s cold they will finally exit,” Besedin added.

Since the beginning of October the situation in Kupiansk became dramatically worse, the mayor said. Russian kamikaze drones were flying above the city, targeting people waiting at bus stops. “We can’t deliver humanitarian aid. They see a pick-up and hit it with a drone. You can’t outrun them,” Besedin said. About 2,200 residents remained, as missiles crashed around them.

Recently a Russian warplane dropped a 1,500kg guided bomb on the civic building next to Besedin’s office, killing three people. The decorative brick structure was a sprawling mess. Was the Kremlin trying to target the mayor personally? “Yes,” Besedin said. “They’ve tried several times.” Other missiles have struck Kupiansk’s museum, football ground, meat factory, market and palace of culture.

Ukraine was battling against terrorism and dictatorship, Besedin said, and a malevolent axis of countries that included Russia, North Korea and Iran.

“Our guys are fighting for every centimetre. Unfortunately the civilised world isn’t giving us enough weapons. What about democratic values? Stopping Russia is our collective responsibility. If we fail, Putin will attack the Baltic states and Poland,” he said.

Soldiers said conditions on the frontline were tough. “We don’t have enough to shoot with. They fire 10 shells for our one,” said Oleksandr Isaiev, a 59-year-old sapper. The Russians had more personnel and armoured vehicles, he said, and dropped between eight and 12 KAB glided bombs a day on his position. “If one lands on you, you’re dead. They make a hole 5 metres deep and 10 metres’ across,” he said.

Isaiev expressed frustration at the west’s so-called “red lines” and the Biden administration’s persistent refusal to allow Kyiv to hit targets deep inside Russia with US-supplied munitions. The UK and France have not lifted restrictions either. “We have the rockets. But we can’t use them to wallop Russian airfields,” Isaiev said. “Until the US gets over its nervousness, we will lose territory.”

With too few conventional weapons, Ukraine is trying to hold the line using drones. Oleksandr Ivantsov, a drone operator with the 3rd Assault Brigade, said the situation on the left bank was tense. The Russians were constantly trying to storm Ukrainian positions, he said, adding: “There are battles everywhere. Sometimes they succeed. Sometimes they don’t. There are no easy places. They have huge resources.”

This week, streets in Kupiansk were largely deserted. A handful of elderly residents could be seen carrying shopping bags and pushing trolleys. Police on patrol wore body armour. Besedin said he would provide municipal services for as long as possible. “We are fighting on every front: military, administrative and social,” he said. “Everybody is doing what they can. Kupiansk isn’t lost yet.”

Some residents, however, acknowledged it was only a matter of time before the Russians came back. Ksenia Lukyanova said her home city was strategically important and a railway hub. From Kupiansk, a road went south to the town of Izium – occupied and liberated in 2022 – and the garrison city of Sloviansk. Another led to Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city. To the north was the Russian province of Belgorod.

“During the second world war, Kupiansk was seized and liberated four times. It switched between Soviets and Nazis,” Lukyanova said. Last year a bomb wrecked her home. In September, shrapnel shattered the window of her new apartment in the village of Hrushivka, just outside Kupiansk. “We carry on, keep smiling and try and help each other. Inside we are crying and screaming,” she said. “Our souls hurt.”

Her friend Natalya Surko said most residents in the suburb of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi were packing up to leave. “At night it’s terrible. You hear a siren and three seconds later an explosion. There’s no time to get dressed. After the first bang, you think: ‘Do I get up or not?’ You don’t.” Surko said she lost her job as Kupiansk’s railway station duty manager when the full-scale war arrived. “I’m paid £40 a month,” she said.

Evacuees from the Kupiansk region are taken to a processing centre in Kharkiv, where they are registered and given medical checkups. Some arrive in their own vehicles; others are brought by minibus or ambulance. So far this month 1,800 people have turned up. Local charities, the UNHCR and the Red Cross dole out emergency parcels. Many of the displaced stay with relatives. Others are allocated dormitories.

The regional administration had issued compulsory evacuation notices to families with children. Lilya Shevchenko, 16, and Nadia Shynkarenko, 14, said they had come from Barove, a left-bank village south of Kupiansk. Every other house was smashed, they said. “The Russians were 30kms away. Now it’s 15 to 20kms. There are a few old ladies left. At night people drive to Izyum and sleep there, because it’s safer,” Lilya said.

She described bombardment as scary but said Russia’s eight-month occupation in 2022 was far worse. “For the first few weeks we had no internet connection. We didn’t know what was happening in Kharkiv. The Russians stole everything. They were drunk. We were afraid to go out on the street.” She last attended school on the day before the invasion, and was studying online, she said.

Queuing up to register, Marchenko said she had left all her belongings behind. “We had a garden with fruit trees and vegetables. But this year it was only weeds because it was impossible to plant anything. As soon as you stepped foot outside they start to shell,” the 72-year-old said. Would she ever go back? “I don’t know. If my house still stands, maybe I will.”

[merrock]

HAPPY (unofficial) THIRD BIRTHDAY, MERROCK!

While our group technically has two anniversaries, this is the first of them! We opened for roleplaying on August 29, 2021 under a 'trial and error' phase with some friends who wanted to come along for the ride. Many of you are still with us today, whether you've never left, or happily found your way back, and we're so appreciative of that!

To celebrate, my little birthday gift to you guys is a few new locations for you to enjoy. Have fun with them!

TRINKETS -- a coastal shop with everything you could look for as a tourist. Find seashells, souvenir t-shirts, water bottles, wind chimes, photo frames, everything that you could ever dream of finding in a quaint little gift shop near the piers.

THE HOLIDAY SHOPPE -- located downtown, a new store is opening in time for Halloween! The Holiday Shoppe specializes in all of your holiday needs, and changes for the seasons! They will start by carrying Halloween decor & costumes, so check them out!

THE WHEEL -- a ceramics and pottery workshop, where you can head out with your friends to make a vase, or take a class! They also sell ceramics, concrete statuary, and pottery made by the artists on site, so if you're looking to make or buy, head to the countryside and check them out!

THE SKATE PARK -- while it might not have the most fancy name, the Skate Park is located in the suburbs, a space carefully crafted for kids and adults alike, where everyone is welcome to bring their bikes and boards. snacks and refreshments on the weekends!

GREAT ESCAPE -- located next door to The Fun Spot, the Great Escape is a combination escape room and rage room, a perfect place to work out any frustration... after you frustrate yourself trying to get out of the escape room, of course!

SNACK SHACK -- find yourself shopping in Hideaway Market and need something to eat or drink? The Shack offers seasonal drinks (think refreshers, juices, smoothies, frappes) and light foods like nachos, cheeseburgers, quesadillas and more!

We will also be starting a seasonal interest check tomorrow, in lieu of the activity check, as I know that it's a holiday weekend. Please keep an eye on main, but remember to still be active! A check will be run alongside it next week, so don't earn yourself any strikes, since we'll be doing a clean slate.

If you're looking for a way to really dive in and celebrate our anniversary, take some time to reach out to those you haven't plotted with yet, or maybe haven't written with in a while. Take a look at our open starters and reply to any you haven't yet, just spread a little bit of love around and let's enjoy Merrock! xx

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Frank Lloyd Wright's own 1927 home & studio is on the market in West Hollywood, California. The theme of the 3bd, 2ba home is desert/cacti and the textured sculptural cement is an abstraction of the cacti. $5.995M.

The interior concrete cacti is tinted green, as you can see in the entrance hall.

The living room opens to a private walled courtyard with furniture, matching the house, made out of cement.

The current owners have placed a sofa in front of the fireplace that is is a simple design framed in a green cactus strip.

Closeups of the cement work.

This room appears to be the studio.

As you can see, the decorative cement covers the windows and is also on the vents in the ceiling.

Next to the dining room is an interior atrium space with a door to the courtyard.

There is another, differently decorated, fireplace in the dining room.

The kitchen cabinetry is painted green to further the home's motif. Note the little cactus painted on the sink doors.

In the primary bedroom there are 3 garden doors, but they probably just function as windows, b/c the cement work is blocking them.

Very simple MCM bath in shades of green.

Bedroom #2 is similar to the primary bedroom.

There isn't much outdoor space b/c the home is built on a 3,580 sq. ft. lot.

[k-hippie]

CHAMPIGNAC CC and STUFF PART 1

Before the upload of Champignac, let's talk about the CC used in the World ...

Let's face it, there is a little bit more CC used in Champignac than in our other Sims 3 Worlds, because we really wanted to create a French ambiance for a French flavored world :)

Don't worry : except 2 or 3 things, we still use the same creators stuff aka mainly ATS ( Around the Sims 3 ) and Cyclone Sue ( from TSR ) for the build part. And of course, our own stuff which is not huge :D like our Rabbit Holes you may find here on Tumblr ...

Before any further, the fantastic towers you need to get in order to fully enjoy Champignac come from MTS ( Mod the Sims ) and have been converted from The Sims Medieval by Votenga ( MEDIEVAL TOWERS & BUILDINGS ) you may find there :)

I hope you'll enjoy discover all these gems in Champignac ;)

our "Stadium" is the Football Club by Norn @ MTS and tumblr

the Junk Yard is based on : Old Art Deco gas station yard by flora2 @ MTS :)

le Marché Bio ( Bio Market ) is based on Farmers Market by efolger997 @ MTS

the Supernatural Tavern is based on Old Tomes bookstore by Vera J @ MTS

the Bistro of Champignac is based on Rattlesnake Juice by bellakenobi @ MTS

the Vampire Lounge is fully based on Pastor John's Church by Diwtay @ MTS

the beautiful City Hall of Champignac is a simplified version of a community lot by Jeanpass ( here on tumblr )

the Museum of Champignac we named : Villa Medicis is a creation of Petalbot ( Palazzo Venezia )

Let's talk now about the CC ...

As you already know ;) ATS made a lot of French stuff for the Sims 3. In fact, it's even THE Place to find everything you need to create a French flavored World :D so, here everything we used in Champignac

Set Exhibition & Museum Shop

Book - laying | Livre - couché Panel | Panneau Information panel | Panneau d'informations Label - standing | Informations Posters - rolls | Posters - rouleaux

Set Eco Café

High Stool | Tabouret de bar Tree Guard | Protection pour arbre Bar | Bar Counter | Comptoir Counter Island | Ilôt

Set Grocery - Fresh product displays - add-ons

Market display | Présentoir de marché Asian fruits | Fruits d'Asie Market display | Présentoir de marché Asian vegetables | Légumes d'Asie Market display | Présentoir de marché Autumn crops | Récolte d'automne Market display | Présentoir de marché Empty | Vide

Set Bakery Shop Part 2

Baguettes Display | Baguettes Baguette | Baguette Bread | Pain Shelf | Etagère

Set Bistrot Part 2

Price List | Tarifs des consommations Wall Menu | Menu Shelf | Etagère

Set City Urban Objects

Community Trash Can | Poubelle Communautaire Mail box (decorative) | Boîte aux lettres Phone Cabin (mirror) | Cabine téléphonique

Set City Newspapers Kiosque

Magazine Wall Rack | Stand de magazines mural Magazine Rack | Stand de magazines Newspaper Stand | Stand de journaux Newspapers Stand | Stand de journaux Stack of Newspapers | Pile de journaux Magazine - Arts | Magazine - Arts Magazine - House | Magazine - Maison

Set Beach Activity Add-ons

Beach cabin | Cabine de plage (Decorative | Décor) Beach cabin | Cabine de plage (Toilets | Toilettes)

Set Uglify your Town

Concrete bench | Banc en béton Park bench | Banc de parc

Set Canal Locks

Canal / Street Light | Lampadaire Canal / Box of books | Coffre de livres Canal / Box of artwork | Coffre d'art Canal / Counter | Comptoir Canal / Stand Canal / Bollard Canal / Fence | Barrière Canal / Gate | Portillon

Set Church : ALL Items

Set The Dailies Café : Coffee Bar | Bar à café University Set Gardening Shop : Painted Crate | Cageot peint

Set Scuba diving & Surf Club : Surf board | Planche de surf

Set Electric Scooters : ALL Items

Set Misc Vehicles : Scooter with slot

Set Bakery 4to3 : Baking Pan - Bread | Moule - Pain/Cake + Bread | Pain

Sims 4 to 3 - City Living Landmarks #2 : Telephone pole | Poteau téléphonique x 2

Set Chocolate & Tea Shop : Chocolate Box | Boîte de chocolats ( ATS3-object-chocolatier-chocolatebox-heart-open )

In theory, all those items are .sims3pack files and should be encapsulated in the different lots. Anyway, we shall provide a folder with the .package files we used, just in case ;)

As said in the Road Map previous post, the tech-hippie website is already online and running fine. And the Sims 3 Lounge is mostly back too :) oh ! and Champignac will be uploaded later into the night or tomorrow maximum ...

Welcome in France :D