I’m pretty sure that Jaroslaw Walter knew that I was starting a diet today, and that the last thing I needed to see was a delicious, melty LEGO Italian sandwich on ciabatta bread. I know it’s made of plastic. I know those juicy sun-dried tomatoes are actually minifig fireman helmets. And I know that the ooey-gooey cheese is accumulating on the parchment paper in pools made of 3×3 and 4×4 radar dishes. And, yes, I know the paper-thin slices of Parma ham are ingeniously made of plastic dragon wings
Yearly Archives: 2022
Reminder: TBB-sponsored collab MOCing Memories at BrickCon 2022 [News]
In case you haven’t heard, BrickCon 2022 is only two and a half weeks away. That’s only 16 days left to get things in order for the Seattle area’s biggest LEGO shindig! And if you’re anything like me, you’re knee-deep in 8×8 plates and minifig utensils finishing things up. But while you’re making sure your Technic technique is perfect, your castles are adequately crenellated, and your ever-growing brick badge is properly fortified, please remember that TBB is hosting its own collaboration at the con: MOCing Memories. Any build that pays homage to LEGO sets of the past (or pieces thereof) is welcome. That’s regardless of scale, regardless of theme, and regardless of era.
“But Kyle,” you say, “there’s only 380 hours left for stacking bricks on top of plates on top of slopes before I put my beautiful masterpiece on display! How can I get something new done in time?” Well, here’s an example of something small that would fit right into MOCing Memories, based on 6190 Shark’s Crystal Cave from 1997. And as a bit of further motivation for you, this may be one of the trophies up for grabs in the theme. Hope to see you and your builds there!
A modern brick for modern times
Builder Aido Kessler wants the future of LEGO today with the brick of their dreams, as submitted to New Elementary’s Make a Wishbrick contest. While the idea presented, a headlight brick minus its foot, is something that’s been on my wish list for longer than I can remember, that’s actually not my favorite part of this build. In an effort to zhuzh up the design, Aido added a living quarters inside a technologically advanced brick. The vignette very much feels like a LEGO-themed take on The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster, my favorite bit of science-fiction. I love the clean interior juxtaposed with the technological textures on the exterior, and the subtle hints of trans-light blue really drive home the space-age look. Now will our hero continue to inhabit his little brick-built cube, or will he break free with his new part and let his creativity run wild?
Crouching motorcycle, hidden dragon
Joey Klusnick doesn’t let old DUPLO pieces take up space in his collection with no purpose. Instead of getting rid of them, he mixes DUPLO stuff with a modern best-selling theme, like Ninjago. The result is hilarious: now, it’s Lloyd’s newest vehicle/weapon. It might have no claws, teeth or wings, but it’s extremely swooshable. Just look at these wheels!
Great LEGO build may not win power, but it wins respect
Samurais and mechs mix so well. It has been proved by the LEGO designers, and now Moko confirms it one more time. His warrior in dark red armour is a sight to behold. For me, the lack of prints or patterns makes its clean, neat look really stand out. And all the chrome rings is where the design really shines.
If you’ve been following Moko’s creations, you should know that possibility is a must for a great mech model. This samurai is no exception, striking its signature stance with the sword ready to hit. What a beauty!
LEGO VIP 5007331 – Retro Tin Lunchbox: Vintage 1965 sandwich not included, thankfully [Review]
The LEGO VIP program’s reward center continues to be a roller coaster of ups and downs. We still had a few points left on our account, so we picked up the latest bit of non-brick swag up for offer – the VIP 5007331 Retro Tin Lunchbox. This blast from the past is available now, one-per-account, for 2500 points (US | CAN | UK). Is it worth the equivalent of a $20 US discount? Read on and see what we thought!
Have we developed a tin allergy?
How would you like it if someone picked YOUR apples?
Hungry? Me too. But this crab from Patrick Biggs doesn’t care about just how tasty that apple looks. None for you! Maybe try talking to that little pink frog…they might have some sway with the big grey crustacean custodian. On the building front, I like Patrick’s construction in the pincers and legs. The grey of the armor plating offsets the stark white of the tree bark and the green of the foliage. Plus, pink frog. Gotta love that.
There are plenty of other treats in our archives if you’re still feeling crabby.
General Ko-nobi! You are a bold one.
Dan Ko has been bold enough to create a bust of everyone’s favourite rheumatic cyborg. Much like Darth Maul, General Grievous is one of those villains that just oozes evil but was perhaps under-used on the big screen. Nevertheless, Dan has perfectly captured the essence of Grievous. The combination of the reptilian eyes with those wedge slopes is so perfect! The lightsabers that he famously collects (General Grievous, that is, not Dan) around the base are also a nice touch. Even villains need a hobby, I suppose. I guess it’s more exciting than collecting stamps.
Big detail to be found in this Lilliputian village
Welcome to the microscale marvel that is the LEGO village of Valendiell, created by the brilliant Peter Ilmrud. First things first, we need to address the gigantic tree at the center of this build, which towers over the village, the lighthouse, and even the neighboring castle. I like the natural shape created by the foliage, setting it apart from the minute vegetation scattered around it. Under its massive boughs, we have a darling castle design, utilizing these technic pins as turrets. It’s an ingenious bit of parts usage, but nothing compared to the outstanding implementation of the brown minifig epaulettes on the airship and the small boat. And I’m only scratching the surface of all the great secrets hidden in Valendiell. See what else you can spot below.
Staying hidden on the forest moon.
Two Rebel soldiers find themselves a little too close to the Empire for comfort in this vignette by Jonas. Thankfully, Jonas has constructed a lush amount of Endorian flora for them to hide among. The Imperial Soldiers have it easy, with their elevated walkway and a dirt road constructed from some surprisingly elaborate techniques. Hopefully they don’t look too closely at what’s hiding in the local vegetation.
Breaking Wormtongue’s spell.
With The Rings of Power debuting on Amazon Prime, it seems a fitting time to check back in on Jonas Kramm’s The Lord of the Rings vignette series. Here, Gandalf the White appears before Théoden in Meduseld and drives Sauman’s magic from the corrupted king. This cross-section style rendering of the Golden Hall is worthy of royalty, with the carved wooden horse heads being an especially nice detail.
An ambush that will bring the house down
This creation from SpaceBrick looks like it’s about to fall apart. And I mean that in the best possible sense! It’s a snapshot of a delightfully ramshackle mediaeval inn. The variation of pieces in the walls gives it a nicely weathered look, and both the roof and the bridge have some great uneven layering of tiles and plates. Note the hammers used as big stone bricks in that bridge as well! Speaking of notes – SpaceBrick says this is an “ambush in a mediaeval town”. I’m not sure if it’s the knight or the bard who is about to be ambushed. I think I know who my money’s on in a lute versus sword fight…
