Ballad Builders - *Finished*

It’s time… to discover the story behind the words of songs from across the board. It’s time… to put your creativity to the test as you search for ulterior messages within the lyrics. It’s time… to prove to the world that your talent is nothing to be ignored!

1. Abide by the general contest rules
2. Minimal photo-editing only, and all photo-editing MUST be approved by me before you submit it. No exceptions.
3. Follow the rules laid down each round




Times
The contest will last one month, as do all contests. Each of the four rounds is supposed to last five days, which allows an adequate amount of time for mess-ups and judging. However, if everyone is able to get their submissions in earlier or if the judging goes extra-quickly, we may have time for a fifth round, which I think will be great fun!

Eliminations, Drop-outs, and Missed Rounds
Formally, there will be no eliminations. If you miss one round, you will not be eliminated, but you will receive a zero for that round. If you miss two rounds, you will no longer be accepted in the contest. If you drop out, you will be sorely missed, but nothing else. I hope that no one drops out, though!

Stress
I want this contest to be a stress-free, fun-filled activity for everyone. If at any point you think you may have to drop out because the demand is too great, please PM me and we will sort it out.

Applications
There will be no “application round” in this contest – instead, we will jump right in with the first round. This will give us the chance to possibly fit a fifth round in at the end if we have enough time.

Bonus Round
There will be a bonus round, but it will not operate like the other bonus rounds. You will have the duration of four rounds in which to complete the bonus round, should you choose to do so. You may continue to edit your bonus round until the end of the fourth round, after which point you may no longer change it. The bonus round will be explained just after the first round is explained, and will be worth 20 points.

Judging Criteria

Followed rules: /10
Self-explanatory
Pictures: /15
Reasonable quality, enhances story, taken from a good angle, etc
Smooth incorporation of ye lyrics: /25
Did they fit well into the story? Did they feel like they belonged? Did they not stick out like sore thumbs?
Original story: /25
Is the story unique? Does it provide a new insight or a new take on the lyrics?
Emotion: /25
Does the emotion of the story fit? Does it create a powerful mood? Is it strong?


Followed rules: /2
Pictures: /3
Smooth incorporation: /5
Original story: /5
Emotion: /5




Round One – April 5th to April 10th
Results

Round Two – April 10th to April 15th
Results

Round Three – April 16th to April 22nd
Results

Round Four – April 23rd to May 5th
Results

Bonus Round - April 23th to May 5th
Results



Judges:
1. DollyRot
2. sleepalldaypartyallnight
3. deatherella
Emergency Judges: (if judges don’t respond within 18 hours)
1. Calline
2. wgroome
3. Jewaukeela



ghost sdoj - One | Two | Three | Four | Bonus
ForeverCamp - One | Two | Three | Four | Bonus
freelala - One | Two | Three | Four | Bonus


Easypeaze - One | Two | Three
warouri2 - One | Two | Three
Redhead4ever6 - One | Two
PixCii - One | Two | Three
happyasabunny - One
prosthetics - One
Hyghtyme - One
ghostgirl - One




If I count correctly, five more in the works. If you have a prize to contribute, please PM me! Thanks!

The Sims 2
One female teen, by me


One female adult, by me


The two beautiful dresses, by the talented thedivineone!


The Sims 3
Two patterns, by AmazingSims:



A gorgeous male adult, by sleepalldaypartyallnight:


This mansion house, by the wonderful 8BlackBat8


This wonderful music-themed pattern, by Spryte:


And these three paintings, also by Spryte:

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Contest Approved
Begins 4.4.10
Ends 5.4.10

Leaves, by Army of Freshmen

Turn off the lights
pull the sheets down tight,
We’re being watched by satellite.
Put my ring under loose floorboards, they
can’t know my life before.
Every lie I have ever said to you was just a wish.
You have to understand I didn’t think it’d come to this.
Change in weather, gone forever;
You won’t understand.
If you never think of me again,
Just remember when the leaves on the trees start to fall.
Cover me like I cover you and I swear that we’ll get through.
This is what you have to do when the questions turn to you.
If I can I’ll send for you, if I can’t don’t look for me.
I live in a place I hope you’ll never have to see.
Change in the weather, gone forever;
You won’t understand.
If you never think of me again,
Just remember when the leaves on the trees start to fall.
It’s not fair, but I’m not scared, I’m just not ready to die.
Please know I love you and I try.
Change in the weather, gone forever;
You won’t understand.
If you never think of me again,
Just remember when the leaves on the trees start to fall

Ordinary Day
Just an ordinary day.
Just trying to get by.
Just an ordinary boy, but he
was looking to the sky.
he asked if I would come along
I started to realize that every day he
Finds just what he's looking for,
Like a shooting star he shines.
He said take my hand,
Live while you can
Don't you see your dreams
lie right in the palm of your hand
And as he spoke, he
spoke ordinary words
Although they did not feel
For I felt what I had not felt before
You'd swear those words could heal.
And as I looked up into those eyes
His vision borrows mine.
And I know he's no stranger,
For I feel I've held him for all of time.
And he said take my hand,
Live while you can
Don't you see your dreams lie
right in the palm of your hand
In the palm of your hand.
Please come with me,
See what I see.
Touch the stars for time will not flee.
Time will not flee.
Just an ordinary dream.
As I wake in bed
And that ordinary boy
Or was it all in my head?
Did he ask if I would come along
It all seemed so real.
But as I looked to the door,
I saw that boy standing there with a deal.
And he said take my hand,
Live while you can,
Don't you see all your dreams
right in the palm of your hand
In the palm of your hand,
Just a day, just an ordinary day
Just trying to get by.
Just a boy, just an ordinary boy.
But he was looking to the sky.

A Thousand Miles
Making my way downtown
Walking fast, faces pass
I'm home bound
Staring blankly ahead
Just making my way
Making a way through the crowd
And I need you, and I miss you, and now I wonder
If I could fall
Into the sky
Do you think time
Would pass me by
'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles
If I could just see you tonight
It's always times like these
When I think of you and I wonder
If you ever think of me
'Cause everything's so wrong
And I don't belong
Living in your
Precious memories
'Cause I need you and I miss you and now I wonder....
If I could fall
Into the sky
Do you think time
Would pass me by
'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles
If I could just see you
And I don't want to let you know
Drown in your memory
I don't want to let this go
Making my way downtown walking fast
Faces pass
And I'm home bound
Staring blankly ahead
Just making my way through the crowd
And I still need you, and I still miss you
And now I wonder....
If I could fall
Into the sky
Do you think time
Would pass us by
'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles
If I could just see you
If I could fall
Into the sky
Do you think time
Would pass me by
'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles
If I could just see you
If I could just hold you

Pretty Baby
You light me up and then I fall for you
You lay me down and then I call for you
Stumbling on reasons that
far and few
I'd let it all come down and then some for you
Pretty baby
don't you leave me
I have been saving smiles for you
Pretty baby
why can't you see
You're the one that I belong to
I'll be the embrace that keeps you warm
You're the sun that breaks the storm
I'll be alright and I'll sleep sound
As long as you keep comin' around
I know things can't last forever
there are lessons that you'll never learn
just the scent of you it makes me hurt
how's it you that makes me better
Why can't you hold me and never let go
When you touch me it is me that you own
the place that you hold in my heart
Would you break it apart again
Pretty baby
why can't you see
Pretty baby
don't you leave me
Pretty baby
why can't you see
Pretty baby
don't you leave me,

Paradise
once upon a
year gone by
she saw herself give in
every time she closed her eyes
she saw what could have been
nothing hurts and nothing bleeds
when covers tucked in tight
funny when the bottom drops
how she forgets to fight
one more day in paradise
darkness quickly steals the light
shined within her eyes
slowly swallows all her fear
soothes her mind with lies
all she wants and all she needs
reasons to survive
a day in which the sun will take
her artificial light
it's one more day in paradise
one more day in paradise
last chance to feel alright
don't pretend to hold it in
just let it out
don't pretend to hold it in
just push it out
don't you try to hold it in
just let it out and
don't you try to hold it in

Twilight
I was stained with a role
a day not my own
as you walked into my life
you showed what needed to be shown
I always knew,what was right
I just didn't know that I might
choose to see with such a different sight
I will never see the sky the same way
I will learn to say good-bye to yesterday
I will never cease to fly if held down
I will always reach too high
Never cared never wanted
Never sought to see what flaunted
So on purpose
so in my face
Couldn't see beyond my own place
And it was so easy not to
behold what I could hold
But you taught me I could change
Whatever came within
these shallow days
I will never see the sky the same way
I will learn to say good-bye to yesterday
I will never cease to fly if held down
I will always reach too high
As the sun shines through
it pushes away and pushes ahead
It fills the warmth of blue
leaves a chill instead
I didn't know that I could be so blind to all that is so real
illusion dies I see there is so much to be revealed
And I will never see the sky the same way and
I will never see the sky the same way
I will learn to say good-bye to yesterday
I will never cease to fly if held down
I will always reach too high

Letters to Albany

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HyghTyme - Round 1

PixCii Round 1

If I had known that this was how it would be, I would not have agreed. I wouldn’t have orchestrated this whole childish plan to begin with. I’m leaving my husband, my children, my home. My everything. I don’t want to, but I have to. I put clothes in a bag. Put my ring under loose floorboards, they can’t know my life before. If they ever found out about my husband, my children, we would all be dead. This is all so surreal. It wasn’t meant to happen like this. It just did. I never thought my past would catch up with me, but I suppose skeletons cannot stay in the closet forever. My family isn’t home. The kids are at school, my husband at work. That makes it easier, I suppose. The goodbyes would always have been the worst part. How do you say goodbye to the man you have loved for twenty years with no explanation? And your children. How could I tell them they would never see their mother again?

The doorbell rings. They’re waiting for me. I know I have to go, I just don’t know if I can bring myself to say goodbye to my life. So I take my time. I fold and refold my clothes. The doorbell rings again and again, the melodic sound echoing in my head. I ignore it. They bang on the door. I call out to them, begging for a few minutes more. They give a non-committal grunt and heavy footfalls sound as they climb down the front steps. Their car door slams, and I’m alone again. I survey the clothes in my bag. They’re not ordered. I pull them all out and start again.

I wonder if I should write a note. What could I say? There are so many things I want to say, so few that I can. I need to tell them not to look for me, but I need to tell them I will see them again. No matter what, I will find them. Despite myself I let out a humourless chuckle. I will never see them again. This is the end of the road for me. I fumble for a pen within the depths of my bag and find a notepad.

I’m so sorry.
If I can I’ll send for you, if I can’t don’t look for me. Please. It isn’t safe for you.
Forgive me. I love you.


I rest the note on my husband’s pillow. He’ll find it when he returns from work. But I can’t think of that. I can’t think of him. If I do, I’ll do something stupid. A car horn blares through the open window. I zip my bag up and turn to leave, feeling heat prickling at my eyes. Swallowing my fear I walk out the front door. The driver nods at me from the car and I return the gesture with a slight wave. He climbs out and takes my bag from me, throwing it unceremoniously into the back before opening the passenger door for me. I thank him quietly and look out the window. Mr. Curtis’ hedge needs to be trimmed, but his roses are looking sublime.

“You orright, love?” the driver questions, his voice oozing with fake concern.
“Absolutely smashing,” I mutter. “Let’s go.”
“Whatever you say, love. You’re the boss.”
“If I’m the boss then why aren’t we moving?”
“Right, sorry.”

He floors the accelerator and we drive off, leaving my life behind.

easypeaze-Round 1