Fixer-Upper Challenge (part 2)

Rodney had barely gotten out of the car when Penelope came running out to meet him.

"So, he's a thief, right? It's all a con-job! There isn't really a ghost town, is there? Now can I call the police? The Better Business Bunch? Someone? Can we get our money back?"

"Whoa, Pen! Calm down. Lets go inside and I'll tell you everything."

"Pen, there really is a house, and a ghost town, and it's all legit. We can start moving anytime now."

"I know I really wanted to get out of this old double-wide but not like this. Rod, I've been reading that blasted contract and it looks pretty iron-clad to me. What are we going to do?"

"I guess we're going to move and make our new home something to be proud of."

"Pen, I know it seems like terrible timing with the holiday so close, but I've already started some of the rehab myself. Geoffrey was already moved in to his house and helped with the heavy stuff. Plus, since the whole village is going to be authentic we'll be able to get extra funding to help with remodeling and reconstruction."

"How much money? And what do they mean by "authentic?"

"Well, it means that the remodeling, decorations, furniture, almost everything, must be 'in the period' of the original town. And... um... Pen, that includes all decorations. Even Christmas."

"But that town has been dead for over a hundred years. What about my light display? My electric Rudolph? My "Christmas Vacation" homage?"

"Awww, Pen. I know that you can do this. You're smart and talented. I know that you can make it work."

So after a good cry, Penelope got to work. She had some research to do. Lots of research.

The Fixer-Upper (Holiday Edition)

After scrounging through many Sim-terNet sites, Penelope found what she needed to make this strange little building a home. Although she was really starting to hate the phrase 'in the period,' she had to admit that she was enjoying the research.

She found a beautiful mannequin for a small donation to someone named Sussi as well as some paintings and samplers.

A few trips to the library gave her some ideas for color 'in the period' and then a few stops to some out of the way junk and antique shops helped some more.

The parlor wasn't very large after Rod and Geoffrey put in the walls for the kitchen but she thought it was still rather cozy.

And thanks to this poster, Pen started referring to the remodeling of their new house as "ala mode" rather than "in the period."

The kitchen was small but Pen really liked the way it turned out. From the grape leaves in both the wallpaper and the cabinets...

To the little green chairs at the table.

The few decorations that Pen was able to use actually helped liven up the foyer and keep her in the spirit of the season. She had forgotten how the simplicity of garlands, ribbons and bows had a timeless style of their own.

Pen secretly thought that the downstairs bath was the most important addition to the remodeling.

She was glad that indoor plumbing was one of the few exceptions allowed in the contract. An outhouse would have been too much 'ala mode' for her to handle.

Some overhead views of the changes made to the old Haskins' Mercantile.

Parlor

Kitchen

Foyer

First floor

Worth of home is now §43,080