❦blueshistorysims❦

Shelley stood quite awkwardly in front of the address the poster had given. It was a small house—to what Shelley was at least used to, but she’d quickly learned not to brag about her upbringing lest she be accused of being a spoiled brat. The garage door was open, and she could hear music playing, and when she got closer, she could clearly see the band was practicing. Did they expect her to sing? Explain why she wanted to join? The only name and number on the poster was for someone named Jude Paulson. Was he the bandleader, or the frontman? Shelley swallowed as she walked up the driveway. She hoped it wasn’t obvious that she was still seventeen. 

The music was good, and the boy who was singing had a wonderful voice, equally melodic and sharp. They all looked her age, a year or two older. She noted that the lead guitarist and bass player looked like siblings, and the drummer was quite good-looking. They stopped playing the moment Shelley awkwardly waved her hand. 

“Hi, sorry, but which one of you is Jude? I saw the flyer for a female vocalist and thought I’d pop by. Sorry, I probably should’ve called.”

The man playing electric guitar nodded as the rest of the group surrounded her. “I’m Jude,” he answered, scratching the back of his head. “You British?”

“I am. I’m Shelley.”

“Neil,” the drummer replied in a Southern drawl. “Ginger’s Jean-Aurélien, and that’s Sandy. Where you from?”

“Henford-on-Bagley. Uh, it’s between Liverpool and Nottingham.”

“Like Robin Hood?” Jude asked. “It’s a real town.”

Shelley giggled awkwardly. She felt embarrassed for no reason. “Very real. But I wanted to ask about the vocalist role, if it’s been taken or not. I can play piano and guitar very well, I sing, and I write my own music. I’d be happy to give a demonstration.”

“Why do you wanna join a band?” Jean-Aurélien asked.

“I’m a music major, and I’ve always loved music, been writing my own songs since I was young, and I came to UC Foxbury for the music program specifically, so the chance to be part of a band with peers my age sounds like a bloody good deal.”

The four college students eyed each other carefully as a sinking pit grew in Shelley’s stomach. Finally, after what felt like hours, Jude smiled and held out his hand.

“Well, if you managed to get into the program, I have no doubt that you can sing. We practice 6 to 8 thrice week in my mom’s garage. Maybe a Brit in the band will get us more money. Welcome to Lazarus, Shelley.”

Shelley grinned as they shook hands. “I like the name.”

Shelley stood quite awkwardly in front of the address the poster had given. It was a small house—to what Shelley was at least used to, but she’d quickly learned not to brag about her upbringing lest she be accused of being a spoiled brat. The garage door was open, and she could hear music playing, and when she got closer, she could clearly see the band was practicing. Did they expect her to sing? Explain why she wanted to join? The only name and number on the poster was for someone named Jude Paulson. Was he the bandleader, or the frontman? Shelley swallowed as she walked up the driveway. She hoped it wasn’t obvious that she was still seventeen. 

The music was good, and the boy who was singing had a wonderful voice, equally melodic and sharp. They all looked her age, a year or two older. She noted that the lead guitarist and bass player looked like siblings, and the drummer was quite good-looking. They stopped playing the moment Shelley awkwardly waved her hand. 

“Hi, sorry, but which one of you is Jude? I saw the flyer for a female vocalist and thought I’d pop by. Sorry, I probably should’ve called.”

The man playing electric guitar nodded as the rest of the group surrounded her. “I’m Jude,” he answered, scratching the back of his head. “You British?”

“I am. I’m Shelley.”

“Neil,” the drummer replied in a Southern drawl. “Ginger’s Jean-Aurélien, and that’s Sandy. Where you from?”

“Henford-on-Bagley. Uh, it’s between Liverpool and Nottingham.”

“Like Robin Hood?” Jude asked. “It’s a real town.”

Shelley giggled awkwardly. She felt embarrassed for no reason. “Very real. But I wanted to ask about the vocalist role, if it’s been taken or not. I can play piano and guitar very well, I sing, and I write my own music. I’d be happy to give a demonstration.”

“Why do you wanna join a band?” Jean-Aurélien asked.

“I’m a music major, and I’ve always loved music, been writing my own songs since I was young, and I came to UC Foxbury for the music program specifically, so the chance to be part of a band with peers my age sounds like a bloody good deal.”

The four college students eyed each other carefully as a sinking pit grew in Shelley’s stomach. Finally, after what felt like hours, Jude smiled and held out his hand.

“Well, if you managed to get into the program, I have no doubt that you can sing. We practice 6 to 8 thrice week in my mom’s garage. Maybe a Brit in the band will get us more money. Welcome to Lazarus, Shelley.”

Shelley grinned as they shook hands. “I like the name.”

Shelley loved uni, or college, as how the Americans called it. She loved the anonymity she had on a big campus, surrounded by young people of all different creeds and colors, nothing like her school at Bramblewood or the people her father associated with as a member of the aristocracy. At UC Foxbury, she wasn’t Lady Shelley, youngest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Feldsbury, but just Shelley, a freshman music major. 

Almost two weeks into Shelley’s new life, a poster on a bulletin board caught her eye. It was a homemade poster, an advertisement for a female vocalist adding that knowing piano and guitar was a must. Underneath the phone number listed their practice times and address. Shelley felt like she’d won a trip to the moon and back. A band! That was exactly what Shelley had hoped for when she left England, to find people her age who loved making music. Shelley ripped the poster off the board and neatly folded the paper into her pocket. She knew what she was doing next weekend. 

Shelley was eager to tell Ludivine about the poster when she came home from her classes, almost running to the front door and letting herself in the spare key, eager to blab to Ludivine about the poster, but when she stepped into the living room, she found Ludivine sitting very sullenly. 

“Ludivine, you’ll never guess what I’m doing this wee—what happened? Are you alright?” She asked, stopping her previous statement.

The older woman sighed. “I got a phone from Lenny. From the Cook County Jail in Chicago.”

“Jail?!”

“You’ve seen the news, right? The protests in Chicago turned violent when the bloody fucking cops showed and beat the shit out the people there. It’s a riot now, and you know Lenny went to speak on behalf of the Yippies and MOBE, but a whole bunch were arrested. God, this country makes me so angry sometimes. They beat them on television. The telly’s on, you can see for yourself. The whole world is watching.”

Shelley shut her mouth, shocked by her cousin’s words. She’d known that the police had responded violently against the protesters, but Lenny getting arrested again? Christ.

Shelley loved uni, or college, as how the Americans called it. She loved the anonymity she had on a big campus, surrounded by young people of all different creeds and colors, nothing like her school at Bramblewood or the people her father associated with as a member of the aristocracy. At UC Foxbury, she wasn’t Lady Shelley, youngest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Feldsbury, but just Shelley, a freshman music major. 

Almost two weeks into Shelley’s new life, a poster on a bulletin board caught her eye. It was a homemade poster, an advertisement for a female vocalist adding that knowing piano and guitar was a must. Underneath the phone number listed their practice times and address. Shelley felt like she’d won a trip to the moon and back. A band! That was exactly what Shelley had hoped for when she left England, to find people her age who loved making music. Shelley ripped the poster off the board and neatly folded the paper into her pocket. She knew what she was doing next weekend. 

Shelley was eager to tell Ludivine about the poster when she came home from her classes, almost running to the front door and letting herself in the spare key, eager to blab to Ludivine about the poster, but when she stepped into the living room, she found Ludivine sitting very sullenly. 

“Ludivine, you’ll never guess what I’m doing this wee—what happened? Are you alright?” She asked, stopping her previous statement.

The older woman sighed. “I got a phone from Lenny. From the Cook County Jail in Chicago.”

“Jail?!”

“You’ve seen the news, right? The protests in Chicago turned violent when the bloody fucking cops showed and beat the shit out the people there. It’s a riot now, and you know Lenny went to speak on behalf of the Yippies and MOBE, but a whole bunch were arrested. God, this country makes me so angry sometimes. They beat them on television. The telly’s on, you can see for yourself. The whole world is watching.”

Shelley shut her mouth, shocked by her cousin’s words. She’d known that the police had responded violently against the protesters, but Lenny getting arrested again? Christ.

Shelley loved uni, or college, as how the Americans called it. She loved the anonymity she had on a big campus, surrounded by young people of all different creeds and colors, nothing like her school at Bramblewood or the people her father associated with as a member of the aristocracy. At UC Foxbury, she wasn’t Lady Shelley, youngest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Feldsbury, but just Shelley, a freshman music major. 

Almost two weeks into Shelley’s new life, a poster on a bulletin board caught her eye. It was a homemade poster, an advertisement for a female vocalist adding that knowing piano and guitar was a must. Underneath the phone number listed their practice times and address. Shelley felt like she’d won a trip to the moon and back. A band! That was exactly what Shelley had hoped for when she left England, to find people her age who loved making music. Shelley ripped the poster off the board and neatly folded the paper into her pocket. She knew what she was doing next weekend. 

Shelley was eager to tell Ludivine about the poster when she came home from her classes, almost running to the front door and letting herself in the spare key, eager to blab to Ludivine about the poster, but when she stepped into the living room, she found Ludivine sitting very sullenly. 

“Ludivine, you’ll never guess what I’m doing this wee—what happened? Are you alright?” She asked, stopping her previous statement.

The older woman sighed. “I got a phone from Lenny. From the Cook County Jail in Chicago.”

“Jail?!”

“You’ve seen the news, right? The protests in Chicago turned violent when the bloody fucking cops showed and beat the shit out the people there. It’s a riot now, and you know Lenny went to speak on behalf of the Yippies and MOBE, but a whole bunch were arrested. God, this country makes me so angry sometimes. They beat them on television. The telly’s on, you can see for yourself. The whole world is watching.”

Shelley shut her mouth, shocked by her cousin’s words. She’d known that the police had responded violently against the protesters, but Lenny getting arrested again? Christ.

Tartosan Holiday - Part 1 ⛵

Hello Sailor! 😏 I'm so SO excited to introduce you to this CAS set I've wanted to make for years! Inspired by vintage swimwear from the 30s-70s, Tartosan Holiday is a set of 25 coastal pieces for Masc and Femme frames to cap off your summer. And it's only the first part! Yes, that's right. This set was getting so unwieldy that I decided to split the swimwear off from the daywear. (So you could play with these at least before the summer ended 🤗)

PER LA DONNA:

🔆 Beach Bum Swimsuit: A sheer knit swimsuit with a delightfully low back inspired by the work of Rudi Gernreich. 🔆 Bond Girl Bikini: A two piece set with belted bottoms perfect for walking out of the ocean with a big hunting knife strapped to your leg. 🔆 Buttoned Up Bikini: A sweet, sporty, two piece set with high waisted buttoned briefs and matching bikini top. 🔆 Marianas Plunge: A 70s inspired belted one piece with a daring deep V and decorative stitching. Also available as a bodysuit, located in tops. 🔆 Royal Tease Swimsuit: Like the royalty and legacy one, but not shit. A strapless. classy one piece. 🔆 Squared Stiff Swimsuit: An elegant square necked swimsuit with a button closure back. Also available as a bodysuit, located in tops.

PER L'UOMO:

🔆 Luv2Knit Wool Trunks and Briefs: Inspired by mens swimming costumes of the late 30s, these knitted wool trunks have a high waistband and white cotton belt to keep them secured in place. 🔆 Workplace Violation Top: Also inspired by mens swimming costumes of the late 30s, this is a shirt that was originally designed to zip on to the trunks. Taking it one step further to make it more versatile and notably sillier (and even a little 80s), this piece is available as a Top, Base Layer, and slutty full body Mankini. ( I also tagged the base layer as available for the femme frame, mostly because I find it useful. It gets a little weird around the crotch though so just a heads up ) 🔆 Man Talk Trunks: As elastic became cheaper and more readily available, menswear moved away from the wool trunks of the previous decades and introduced cotton as a lighter less scratchy alternative. These trunks come in 20 patterns, in addition to the stock standard 35 solids. 🔆 Paid Time Off Shirt: A beachy cotton shirt to match the trunks, available in business (buttoned up) and pleasure (open). With wooden buttons and matching patterns, these shirts certainly top off one of the Cabana Sets of all time.

ACCESSORIES:

🔆 Cover Story Accessory Robes: Located in RINGS, these terrycloth robes are perfect options for covering any open cracks. The UVs are located in all the places the robe covers, so if the CC is UVed weird it will conflict, but it should not conflict with most sane, well made things. (or hats) 🔆 Incognito Sunglasses Hat: It's the stupidest thing I've ever made, what more do you want from me? Will clip with most hairs, it's just the nature of the thing, good luck! (Also works with Masc frames, just uncheck the Masc tag to see, since it's hidden for them by default) 🔆 Brosnan Sunglasses: A pair of Tom Ford glasses that tickled my brain in a very 80s way. For your eyes and for your head, tagged for both Masc and Femme. 🔆 Ryder Sunglasses: Sharp, cunty and fun. Sunglasses for femme fatales and rich widows that own boats. For your eyes and for your head, tagged for both Masc and Femme.

Everything is hand crafted with proper LODs, Maps, and at least 35 colors swatches per piece. She's classy AND high quality. I hope you enjoy!

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

TERMS OF USE

SIMBLR | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER  | BLUESKY

DOWNLOAD ON PATREON 🌊

Spring had always been John’s favorite season. Little baby lambs on the ranch, the birds singing again, the flowers blooming. It made it harder to sneak away from the flock though, but when his father saw how anxious he was to get away for an evening, it took very little convincing on John’s part to be allowed to leave.

He took his horse straight down to their usual meeting spot by the river, expecting to find his friends waiting. But it was just Oliver today, the others likely busy with studies or their jobs, and John couldn’t deny that he was fine with that. 

They chatted idly for a while, then Oliver asked, “what do you plan to do next year, when we turn 18?”

“Stay at the ranch, I suppose,” John said with a shrug. “My parents have grown used to having the help, and Tommy isn’t old enough to fill in yet.”

Oliver lowered his gaze, “Find a nice woman to marry, settle down then?”

“Maybe not,” John said, trying to impart his intentions without directly saying them, in case Oliver didn’t feel the same. “Not a woman,” he wanted to say. “You, if you’ll have me.” But John couldn’t say that aloud, not without risking his closest friendship, the person who knew him best.

But Oliver looked up sharply, as if hearing everything John had left unsaid. “I don’t want to settle down either.” Oliver said, then added, in a rush, “not with a woman at least.” Hope swept over John like a wave.

“Me either.” John murmured, leaning in closer, then Oliver was leaning in, and before he could think any further about what he was about to do, John was kissing him.

AAAAHHHHHHHHH

Moving in with Ludivine and Lenny was very different from what Shelley expected. She was amazed that they had set up a room just for her, bought her furniture, a new guitar, and a keyboard so she could keep playing music. It was in her favorite colors—green, blue, and turquoise. The house itself was so different from Walshstone Park; it was bright, full of odd colors and patterns and newly designed furniture that felt very modern. They had a hot dog couch, which Shelley still didn’t understand why, other than Lenny’s answer of ‘why not’, and the fact that he also had all of his mugshots framed was weirder, but Shelley soon figured that there was a lot she didn’t know about the actor couple. 

Even with her newfound freedom, the biggest thing she had learned since moving to America was that Ludivine Balass and Lenny Kremensky were not only the darlings of French and American cinema, but they were also the most volatile couple Shelley had ever met. They argued constantly, over the stupidest things all the bloody time. And if they weren’t doing that, Shelley had quickly learned, they were fucking. Bloody hell, Shelley didn’t even know it was that possible to have sex so frequently on top of fighting all the time. They fought, they had sex, they did both at the same time—it was driving Shelley nuts. She really wished her room didn’t share a wall with hers.

As for the pets, Shelley had very differing opinions. Valentyn was adorable and an absolute sweetheart, and she loved to play with him. Because Ludivine and Lenny were evil in terms of language, they had decided to only speak to the borzoi in French and Ukrainian to practice their native languages, meaning the dog didn’t understand a word of English, and French was the one course Shelley in school nearly flunked. Unfortunately, there was also Yeva, which Shelley decided was an evil demon from hell or whatever because the raccoon had decided that she hated the teenager on sight. Since Yeva only understood Ukrainian, Ludivine hadn’t been much help either, though it didn’t matter since Yeva adored her for some reason. At least there was a heart-shaped hot tub.  

Moving in with Ludivine and Lenny was very different from what Shelley expected. She was amazed that they had set up a room just for her, bought her furniture, a new guitar, and a keyboard so she could keep playing music. It was in her favorite colors—green, blue, and turquoise. The house itself was so different from Walshstone Park; it was bright, full of odd colors and patterns and newly designed furniture that felt very modern. They had a hot dog couch, which Shelley still didn’t understand why, other than Lenny’s answer of ‘why not’, and the fact that he also had all of his mugshots framed was weirder, but Shelley soon figured that there was a lot she didn’t know about the actor couple. 

Even with her newfound freedom, the biggest thing she had learned since moving to America was that Ludivine Balass and Lenny Kremensky were not only the darlings of French and American cinema, but they were also the most volatile couple Shelley had ever met. They argued constantly, over the stupidest things all the bloody time. And if they weren’t doing that, Shelley had quickly learned, they were fucking. Bloody hell, Shelley didn’t even know it was that possible to have sex so frequently on top of fighting all the time. They fought, they had sex, they did both at the same time—it was driving Shelley nuts. She really wished her room didn’t share a wall with hers.

As for the pets, Shelley had very differing opinions. Valentyn was adorable and an absolute sweetheart, and she loved to play with him. Because Ludivine and Lenny were evil in terms of language, they had decided to only speak to the borzoi in French and Ukrainian to practice their native languages, meaning the dog didn’t understand a word of English, and French was the one course Shelley in school nearly flunked. Unfortunately, there was also Yeva, which Shelley decided was an evil demon from hell or whatever because the raccoon had decided that she hated the teenager on sight. Since Yeva only understood Ukrainian, Ludivine hadn’t been much help either, though it didn’t matter since Yeva adored her for some reason. At least there was a heart-shaped hot tub.  

Moving in with Ludivine and Lenny was very different from what Shelley expected. She was amazed that they had set up a room just for her, bought her furniture, a new guitar, and a keyboard so she could keep playing music. It was in her favorite colors—green, blue, and turquoise. The house itself was so different from Walshstone Park; it was bright, full of odd colors and patterns and newly designed furniture that felt very modern. They had a hot dog couch, which Shelley still didn’t understand why, other than Lenny’s answer of ‘why not’, and the fact that he also had all of his mugshots framed was weirder, but Shelley soon figured that there was a lot she didn’t know about the actor couple. 

Even with her newfound freedom, the biggest thing she had learned since moving to America was that Ludivine Balass and Lenny Kremensky were not only the darlings of French and American cinema, but they were also the most volatile couple Shelley had ever met. They argued constantly, over the stupidest things all the bloody time. And if they weren’t doing that, Shelley had quickly learned, they were fucking. Bloody hell, Shelley didn’t even know it was that possible to have sex so frequently on top of fighting all the time. They fought, they had sex, they did both at the same time—it was driving Shelley nuts. She really wished her room didn’t share a wall with hers.

As for the pets, Shelley had very differing opinions. Valentyn was adorable and an absolute sweetheart, and she loved to play with him. Because Ludivine and Lenny were evil in terms of language, they had decided to only speak to the borzoi in French and Ukrainian to practice their native languages, meaning the dog didn’t understand a word of English, and French was the one course Shelley in school nearly flunked. Unfortunately, there was also Yeva, which Shelley decided was an evil demon from hell or whatever because the raccoon had decided that she hated the teenager on sight. Since Yeva only understood Ukrainian, Ludivine hadn’t been much help either, though it didn’t matter since Yeva adored her for some reason. At least there was a heart-shaped hot tub.  

Shelley finished Bramblewood College without much fanfare. She dressed up, as did her parents, taking photos outside in the garden. She still couldn’t believe that in almost two months, she would be in America, starting her first year at college at the age of seventeen. It wasn’t anything major, and she’d even told Kit and Miranda not to bother with visiting Henford. What Shelley wasn’t expecting was to see a young couple all dressed up standing on the balcony, smiling at the family unit below. It took less than a second for Shelley to realize who they were, laughing in delight as she ran up the balcony and engulfed her cousin in a big hug.

It had been forever since Shelley had seen Lenny, and she was so excited that he came with Ludivine to celebrate the occasion, though he admitted surprise at how casual people in Britain were about finishing sixth form, explaining that a high school graduation in America was always a big deal. Later, Shelley had asked Ludivine how she’d gotten Byron and Eleora to let Lenny visit Walshstone Park, to which Ludivine just shrugged and smirked mischievously before saying something about Lenny’s award-winning charm. 

During dinner, Ludivine regaled her with her return to France in the last three months, filming two movies back to back. Lenny had joined her in May to support the youth involved with the May ‘68 Movement, joking that he was a good luck streak since he hadn’t been arrested during the March on the Pentagon or in Paris. Shelley was shocked he was able to joke about being arrested and serving time, but humor was a coping method she supposed. Byron and Eleora clearly liked Lenny more, now as the veteran, political activist, and actor than when they first met him. Dinner hadn’t been this lively in years, and when Lenny and Ludivine revealed that they would be taking Shelley back to America with them, she couldn’t help but giggle in delight—everything she’d dreamed was coming true!