About Bre Burns

After living in the LEGO mecca of Seattle for 9 years, Bre is now home in her native state of Oregon. She briefly worked for the LEGO Group as a Brick Specialist before she left to pursue her career in Zoology, and LEGO remains a huge part of her life. She and her partner Jessie are active members of SEALUG, SPSLUG, FabuLUG and SquatchLUG, and enjoy building creations big and small that span across many themes. Their build handle is Renegade Bricks. Both are also members of the Event Team for BrickCon, and Bre has previously been the Theme Coordinator for Technic/Mindstorms.

Posts by Bre Burns

Mutation looks pretty good in purple

While Despicable Me is a great series of quotable movies in general, we all know that the true stars are the banana-obsessed Minions. That’s why they have their own titled movie, of course! The recent line of sets has been a popular addition to the LEGO family. One builder, Palixa And The Bricks, has had so much fun with the giant brick-build Minions, that she felt an evil mutated Minion had to be made. True to the movie, this guy is freaking awesome in purple. I love the caveman-style dragging hands and the chains for suspenders!

If you’re a fan of the movies, check out all of our other Despicable Me and Minion news, reviews, and custom creations! You can also see more builds by Palixa in our archives.

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LEGO Technic BMW M 1000 RR K66 – A massive motorcycle for ultimate collectors! [Review]

LEGO has been making buildable motorcycles for ages. The first one, in fact, came in 1978 with 603 Motorbike, a 26-piece, minifigure-scale System model. Suffice to say, the company has come a long way since then. Sets are becoming decisively more giant and complex with each passing year. And the 44-year-old Technic theme has worked its way into a significant portion of all current sets. Flagship models in this theme have been fancy for a while, but now the theme is giving the “adult” VIP treatment to a collectors-style motorcycle. The company has teamed up with BMW Motorrad to bring their new superbike into homes everywhere with LEGO Technic 42130 BMW M 1000 RR. The 1920-piece set will be available January 1st and will retail for US $229.99 | CAN $299.00 | UK £174.99. Come along as we run it through its paces!

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Click to see the full, hands on review!

LEGO BrickHeadz Chinese New Year 40540 Lion Dance Guy – #151 is a tribute to tradition [Review]

Last year, LEGO released 80104 Chinese New Year Lion Dance, a colorful, playful display set. Many of you already know that the Lion Dance is a tradition performed by acrobats to bring good fortune. The legendary lions make their appearance on various occasions, but none more impressive than during Chinese New Year. This year LEGO continues their tribute to the holiday, starting with a new BrickHeadz. Number 151 in the line is aptly named LEGO BrickHeadz Chinese New Year 40540 Lion Dance Guy. The 239-piece set will be available January 1st and retail for US $9.99 | CAN $12.99 | UK £9.99. Join us as we take a closer look at this special little character.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Click to continue reading.

Reinventing the printing press, LEGO style

One of the most influential inventions of all time is the printing press. First created in Germany circa 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg, it revolutionized communication. The ability to quickly produce copies of literature made information dramatically more accessible and shaped the future of society. And in honor of that original machine, LEGO builder Mate Szabo (fan designer of LEGO Ideas 21317 Steamboat Willie) has recreated the press in minifigure scale. The build shows the early process of creating print.

What’s even better is that this little guy actually works! Load up the tile “dies” and press them to a plate to create words! Clever, right?!

These days, while printed newspapers and books still certainly exist, those machines are a lot more automated. We also obviously get most information digitally. But we continue to call news outlets “the press” and perhaps always will — a small nod to the birth of modern, widespread communication. While you’re here, enjoy the fruits of Gutenberg’s efforts by taking a look at some of the recent LEGO “press releases” and other news we have to offer.

This lovely aurora has the aura of Christmas magic

The Northern Lights (aurora borealis) are one of nature’s most beautiful miracles. Recreating it in LEGO is difficult, but I can’t think of a more marvelous idea than dragon wings. Yep, Malin Kylinger has used multiple sets of marbled dragon wings to recreate this lovely phenomena. The rest of her night sky is beautiful too, with raised diamond tiles used for stars. The scene is made complete with an adorable elf cottage, a fire, reindeer, and a decorated Christmas tree.

It’s that time of year where we start to see lots of great Christmas builds. Check out some past wintery creations we’ve featured, and stay tuned for more!

A look at the next Harry Potter GWP set: 40252 Hogwarts Gryffindor Dorms [Review]

Any fan of the Harry Potter movies can recall the iconic scene where he is introduced to his first chocolate frog. Unfortunately, it jumps out the train window before he can taste it, but the real focal point is the included trading card. All at once, Harry is introduced to wizarding candy, a hobby, moving portraits, and, of course, Professor Dumbledore. (Plus, as we recall later, the existence Dumbledore’s important friend, Nicolas Flamel.) These trading cards have now become a “collect them all” feature of recent sets – a smart move by LEGO. If you’re hunting for the cards (2×2 tiles), or completing a Hogwarts castle, you may want to consider planning your next LEGO shopping trip between October 25th and November 7th, where you can get 40452 Hogwarts Gryffindor Dorms as a free gift with any Harry Potter themed purchase over US $100 | CAN $100 | UK £100.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Click to take a closer look!

Rising from the ash and fog is this incredible collection of LEGO buildings

If you’re looking for a LEGO masterclass in weathered architecture, Ralf Langer is your guy. He’s created a plethora of beautifully detailed buildings, structures, and scenes. He also kindly shares tips on how to achieve the techniques on his social media. This exquisite group of conjoined buildings is his latest addition, and it doesn’t disappoint! With a gothic vibe, they transform from a crumbling base into a colorful block you might like to visit.

Right now, Ralf doesn’t have many pictures available for this build. But as you can see, he uses a variety of cool techniques and color combos to achieve the vibe he’s looking for. These structures include great shaping tools, like hinges, hoses, arches, and even some minifigure posing handles. Even the sides less visible are stunning! There are loads of random tidbits that are worth a zoom-in, but one of my favorite part usages is the unique design created with mini copper Exo-Force legs. Gorgeous!

While you’re here, stick around for more of Ralf’s work. And if this isn’t your style, try out some other great architectural builds we’ve featured!

In the belly of the bass

Okay, so maybe it’s not a bass – it’s a European perch. But I couldn’t help using the alliteration there. This LEGO recreation of the perch, built by Jannis Mavrostomos, has some nice body-shaping and a good use of parts. But it’s really what’s on the inside (or flipside) that makes this build unique!

Click to see what the other side looks like!

Who knew a dragon could be so gorgeous?

I have to say, as a writer for TBB, I’ve seen A LOT of custom builds. I spend far too much of my time scanning Flickr and Instagram for the next awesome piece of art to share with you all. Maybe it’s the fantasy nerd in me, but this… is exceptional. This dragon, built by talented LEGO designer, Wes Talbott, is all sorts of awesome. The ombre, rainbow-esque coloring is so perfectly executed! Making it for The LEGO House collection, he fittingly calls it, “Chromalagous” but the beauty goes beyond the color palette.

The placement of the scales is so organic and detailed, it truly looks like the skin of a giant reptile. It certainly doesn’t look like LEGO at first glance. And I don’t know about you, but I find myself with my mouth agape, muttering “how?” questions. Those horns?! I’d love to get a look at the internal structure, but this has to take a great deal of sculpting talent. What techniques does he use to make all those odd angles? Your guess is as good as mine.

Wes is a prolific artist, both in LEGO and graphically. Check out some of his official work in our archives, including reviews of the new 21327 Typewriter and 21325 Blacksmith Shop.

The delicate hum of nature

Hummingbirds are truly miraculous little creatures. It’s incredible how something so small and delicate can achieve such monumental tasks. For example, they can migrate hundreds of miles between the summer and winter seasons. Builder LEGO Monkey pays tribute to these little guys with this great vignette, and the composition is nicely done. The tall blades of grass, “large” flower, and broken stick set the scale well. I’m particularly fond of the little ladybug, created using the minifigure costume element attached to a stud with Black Panther ears to cap it off.

If you like this, check out our other nature related builds! In particular, we have loads of examples of excellent LEGO birds.

Getting a LEGO makeover with Creator Expert 10291 Queer Eye – The Fab 5 Loft [Review]

In 2003, a bold new reality TV show was making major waves. Originally called Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, it followed five gay men as they provided a full lifestyle makeover to straight guys in need of a fresh take. After a massively popular start, the focus on only heterosexual males was dropped. Eventually the show ran its course, but as you may already know, Netflix rebooted Queer Eye in 2018 with an entirely new “Fab 5” cast. Even more successful than the original, it has now won multiple Emmy awards. The creative, playful show seeks to celebrate love, expression, and acceptance, not only for others, but yourself as well. Its values are echoed by the LEGO Group, which decided to honor the series with LEGO Creator Expert 10291 Queer Eye – The Fab 5 Loft. Joining a growing subtheme of TV-based sets, this is the first reality show appearance.

Come along as we take a closer look at the 974-piece kit, which includes 7 minifigures (with 3 additional torsos) and Bruley the French bulldog. It will be available starting Oct. 1 for US $99.99 | CAN $139.99 | UK £89.99

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Click to read the full review!

LEGO reveals 10291 Queer Eye – The Fab 5 Loft featuring the Netflix series’ iconic studio [News]

LEGO has taken the wraps off the next set based on a television series, 10291 Queer Eye – The Fab 5 Loft. Featuring the iconic team of “more than a makeover” experts from the hit Netflix series, the set pays homage to the unique personalities and talents of each member. Join Tan, Karamo, Jonathan, Antoni, and Bobby in a tour of their Atlanta apartment! The 974-piece set also showcases one of their most beloved heroes, Kathi Dooley, and their favorite pupperoni, Bruley the dog. The set will be available starting Oct. 1 for US $99.99 | CAN $139.99 | UK £89.99

Click to see all the pictures of Queer Eye – The Fab 5 Loft