Luthien's Firefly Hollow Thread

Coming back after many months and catching up with the thread is so much fun. I feel like I need some popcorn.

 

Your farm looks so very lovely. I love the Idea of focusing on the Cherry trees as a main source since that makes the map look so special.
Got a little question thou. Does the twocutefarm mod still work for you? I have read so many different reports that I was worried if it still works with the actual game version.

 

It's working just fine for me. I think possibly people are having issues with how it's installed, since you not only replace the farm cave file but also add the 2cute file to the main content folder. I haven't seen the posts though so I'm not sure if that's what's going on or if it's something else (an incompatible file perhaps). Also worth mentioning I only use the cave mod, not the one that changes the rest of the farm.

While I'm here, wanted to let you guys know I'm finished with Fall but I won't be able to post the update until next week, as I'm away from home currently. Once I'm back at my desktop I'll get the new pics up right away, I think you guys will be quite impressed with how many cherry trees Mara managed to plant before winter rolled in. ^_^

 

Thank you so much. Yes I was planning on only using the cave mod because I thought it was so adorable.

Update: I installed it and it works just fine Thank you again for your quick reply.
Can't wait to see how many cherry trees Mara has now.

 

Your farm is so beautiful

 

Hello again everyone! Sorry this last update has taken me so long, I was actually away from home last week which meant I couldn't finish putting together the images on my computer. By the time I got back home, I was already close to finishing Winter, so I decided to just wait and do both the Fall and Winter year 1 updates together! I just wrapped up the end of Mara's first year on Ambrosia Vale and I'm pleased to report things are going much more smoothly now. n_n

Lets begin with the humble farmhouse.

Resources were limited, so decorating wasn't very easy, but Mara managed to at least grab a few items befitting the seasons and use them to give her little home a festive air. She's been mining like a madwoman all winter to save up money for the catalog, and she's already put in her order with Robin for the first house upgrade, so come early Spring she'll finally be able to decorate to her heart's content! I'm excited to show off the furniture I made for her in it's full glory.


(Sorry about the black space on the Fall picture, I'm still learning where to stand when I take my screenshots.)

The farm filled out quite a bit over the last couple seasons. Mara spent every last piece of gold all through Autumn buying and planting Cherry saplings, right up to the last day. Throughout Winter, they grew and grew, and now the farm is about halfway filled with beautiful trees ready to bloom proudly when Spring arrives. She also built her brewery, and it's just about filled with all the kegs and jars she'll need to make delicious cherry wine and preserves from the fruit she'll collect from all those cherry trees. She also got her livestock area set up - it's ready to hold a couple of chickens, a couple of cows, and a whole bunch of truffle-digging pink Junimo when the time comes for her to buy them.


Her artisan shed awaits decoration, and she'll use it for processing all the wine and preserves from everything other than cherries. (Some of the kegs and jars have been removed since this photo was taken, I don't really need *too* many in there and I have more plans for the decor, so I need lots of room.)

Her end-of-year stats, closing out year 1:

Still hasn't reached level 10 on Farming yet, but I think it's because she's been fairly modest with her crops so far, growing mostly forage. The savings goal for the end of winter was 250,000 gold, and she managed to hit it right at the end of winter. I wanted to make sure she'd have enough for her house upgrade, her stable, and both catalogs once Spring hit, and luckily she has already exceeded it.

And because no Ambrosia Vale update is complete without it, here's my sketch offerings for the last two seasons!


Notable events for Fall were:
~ Reached level 100 in the mines and found her first Stardrop
~ Completed the Fishtank Bundles and got the copper pan from Willy...it was promptly stored in a chest, like always. (I never pan for ore.)
~ Won 1st Place at the Stardew Valley Fair, allowing the purchase of the second Stardrop
~ Completed the Pantry Bundles and got the greenhouse repaired, just in time for Winter
~ Reached the bottom of the mines and obtained the Skull Key
~ Fed a sweet gem berry to the statue in the Secret Woods, giving her the third Stardrop

Notable events for Winter were:
~ Completed the Crafts Room Bundles and unlocked the quarry
~ Built the Slime Hutch-turned-Brewery and filled it with many kegs and preserves jars, to have it ready for Spring
~ Built a barn and set up the livestock area in the south end of the farm
~ Won the Ice-Fishing contest...promptly sold all prizes because she needed the cash more than the tackle
~ Completed the Vault Bundles (what do Junimo want with so much gold anyway?) and got the bus fixed for Pam (has not gone to the desert yet though)
~ Received a lovely bottle of wine from Jodi at the Feast of the Winter Star


And that's it for Year 1! I think most of the money troubles are behind her now, since the trees will give her a steady supply of cherries all through Spring and that will give her a great start for the rest of the year. Once she gets her "pigs" and they start digging up truffles, I think her earnings will skyrocket. I'm hoping to find a duck feather and possibly a truffle at the traveling cart so I can complete the Community Center, as those are the only two items holding me back at this point. For now, I'm very much looking forward to seeing how the farm looks covered in pink cherry trees.

See you again at the end of Spring, and as always, thanks for reading!

 

Looking good! I always look forward to your updates

 

Really fun to read trough this, you are really talented

 

Your farm has made a crazy amount of progress in just the first year. How do you get so much money during winter? That is impressive.
The little sketches are so adorable. Makes me want to start enough map and try to be just as creative as you are.

 

Timespeed helps a lot, longer days means I can spend more time in the mines. I'm able to collect quite a bit of ore and geodes, and then sell most of it (as ingots and gems/minerals). I basically just went mining every day during winter and also grew the winter forage crops outside, that helps the money stack up quickly.

 

Oh! Yes I should have thought of that.
Beside from the 2cute cave my game is basically vanilla version. Maybe I should give Timespeed a try.

 

It feels sort of weird giving an update on Spring since I'm about halfway into Summer now, but the sketches took me forever to get done so I'm slightly late getting this posted. I hope you guys can forgive me. lol Anyway, let me see if I can give a proper update from Spring without accidentally giving away anything I've accomplished so far in Summer, so as not to spoil things for the next update.

First things first, I'm pleased to finally be able to show you the furniture I made for Mara, in all it's glory. Much of this was taken from other mods, mostly the lovely work of Mi and Eemie. I just recolored and made alterations where needed. The inspiration for Mara's furniture comes from the decadent French Boudoir style. (Go ahead, google that, I'll wait.) There wasn't a single piece of furniture I didn't touch when I was making my personal set, whether I was replacing it with a piece I liked better from another furniture mod, or changing it to suit my own tastes. Even the beds got a makeover.

I wanted to have a set for each season, with a different color scheme and overall look for each one. For spring, soft pinks were the main color, calling to mind lovely pink roses. Feminine and elegant, well-suited for Mara's bachelorette pad. n_n

The house, upgraded as per usual for the beginning of a new year:


The sheds (I had to add a second one to make room for everything) are now properly decorated as well. I wanted them to be both practical and comfortable, so I included little sitting areas to relax and sample the yummy things produced on the farm, and also areas where it looks like some work is being done. Shelves and cabinets with empty bottles or jars, desks covered in finished products, and the machines making them. One shed is for wine, and one is for preserves - these are basically used for anything other than cherries, which are all processed in the big brewery.


Moving on to the farm - as I expected, it looked quite pretty with all the cherry trees in full bloom. Next year I'll have the whole thing covered! Mara also added several animals to the farm, filling out the livestock area that she set up in Winter.


My sketches for this season were all based on the addition of the new animals. I tried to take my time on them and make them a little nicer, which is why this update took so long. But here they are:

The bottom panel is a bit of story I made up to suit a mod I use that turns the pigs into Junimo. (Mod is here, if you're interested: https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/823/?
Mara found a basket in her barn one morning, full of little pink Junimo that were ready to scatter about and make themselves at home. A note was attached, but she has no idea who left it. Very mysterious! ;D

Spring also brought more socializing for Mara, as she has now begun giving gifts on birthdays to non-marriageable npc's and actively romancing all the marriageable ones. The plan is to get all 10 of them to 10 hearts before proposing to her intended mate for this playthrough, who is Sam if I haven't mentioned it before. She's also taking quests and using certain events to help gain friendship points with everyone. Things are going well so far.

That's more or less it for Spring. I do have news for Summer but I'll save it for the next update, which hopefully won't take so long to put out. >u<

 

I completely forgot to tell you guys, I finally had a Faerie visit my farm! This is my 5th save and I've never had this particular event before, so I was pretty excited to finally see her. She gave her blessing to a little patch of kale and went on her way. ^u^

 

Well lucky you was.

 

Your farm is coming along so stunningly beautiful. I find myself struggling with ideas but the Idea of making (or using) a character and doodle up their adventures may just be the spark I actually need to finally move past year one again and not restart over and over.
Also congratulations on the fairy. She blessed my pumpkins last time. Such a cute event.

 

Hey guys, this is going to be kind of a half-update. I finished Summer and I have farm and house pics for you, but I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to do any more of the little sketches, sadly. Unfortunately, I've had too many side-projects and distractions going on in rl (some of it art-related, some of it not), and I've noticed it's tiring me out so bad I'm unable to stay focused and energized for my actual, paid commissions. Seeing as those pay my bills and keep me fed, they have to be the priority, so after a lot of thought I've decided it would be best for me to retire this thread.

I feel like now is probably the best time as I've got a move coming up next month, which will just add more to an already full plate, and after the move I may not play as often, so updates would be even further between. I also have noticed fewer replies when I do post, so I feel like maybe everyone's just tired of seeing my stuff. >u< Which is fine - it's had a good run, and I've really loved sharing my farm pics with you guys and seeing how it has inspired others to decorate more. I will of course still lurk the forum and occasionally offer advice or input to things, I still very much enjoy the community here and helping new players, or just discussing strategies with experienced players. This has been a great outlet for my little Stardew obsession! n_n

So, with all that said, here's what I do have for you. One last farm and house pic from Ambrosia Vale. I still have plans for the farm - I'll be adding the rest of the cherry trees at the end of Fall and of course my house will get some upgrades. Since you guys haven't seen my Fall and Winter setups yet, there's a chance I may come back after I finish this save and do one last post with everything completed, just for closure, but we'll see.

Thank you again for all the kind words and encouragement, may all your current and future farms prosper!

 

Farm looks great! It's a bit bittersweet to see the (mostly) end of this thread, but I've enjoyed it nontheless~

 

Oh that does make me sad. I joined the forum because I wanted to keep up with your farms and you inspired me to do a lot more with my game and give me back the joy after I ran out of ideas but I totally understand that life with bills comes first.
It is lovely to know you will still be around even if it might not be as often. I am happy to see all those cherry trees coming along so greatly. Marachinos farm sure looks like it will smell so great in spring and her decorations are always so well matched and fitting.
I hope you come and show us fall and winter, as those are seasons I enjoy a lot too in real life and I love fall in Pelican Town.
May your move go well and don't overwhelm yourself to much. Best wishes and thank you for your lovely threat!

 

I am glad you have put so much effort as you did on this, I dont think I would have ever managed to keep such a pace and passion for so long, and always so creatively! its so inspiring, and saddening to see you go at the same time. However, I am glad for your work and wish you best for the future! may everything you do be as passionate and creative as you did with all these lands!