Sometimes it’s the simplest things that are the most satisfying. Take this brilliant use of a white LEGO plant stem to denote champagne spray, for example. All in all, it’s a simple build and a simple composition but Erin Dempsey piece is so effective, you can pretty much hear the champagne cork pop. Sparkles behind the creation adds an unmistakable festive atmosphere. Sometimes, like in the case of this Nice Parts Usage (NPU), you got to find a reason to celebrate in your own way. Cheers!
Clearly Harry Duncan has experience cleaning a fish, as the former LEGO Masters New Zealand contestant captures every gory detail of the process in this inspired scene. A fish scaler on the right left pearlescent tiles everywhere. Ropy red parts and stacks of pink skates are gutted and cast aside so the chef can begin the delicate work of deboning the fish. And here we see the most brilliant parts usage of all: a stack of white stems serving as a perfect fish bones. Harry brilliantly hides one of the stems in the counter, exposing only the v-shape of the spine. Ski poles and wands add some variety to the bony mix. Meanwhile, on the floor, a furry friend takes an interest in tonight’s meal. Should we report this to the health inspector, or is it more of a Ratatouille situation?
This build was created for the 2025 Iron Forge competition using the seed part of plant stems.
You can tell someone has fired up the Iron Forge because of so many clever uses for their seed part. This time, we’ve got LEGO flower stems and filbrick pulls it off with style. The large cactus (or succulent) is adorned in your usual green flower stems to create its spines while its smaller prickly friend sports the same part in olive green. There’s even one flower stem in lavender. Finally, a few brown stems creates the unmistakable ruffle around the vulture’s neck. The eye looks as if you can screw that in with a flathead screwdriver but it is a clever use of the wheel bearing part. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been a fan of the pouring un-bricked parts as demonstrated here with the desert ground.
I don’t know if this thrillifying LEGO scene from Wicked was built in one short day, but considering that Bousker created it on a tight deadline for the Iron Forge contest, it couldn’t have taken much longer. Bousker brings the Emerald City to life in every shade of LEGO green, employing Castle-style techniques in a refreshingly different palette. The starring piece in this build is the flower stem, used here as climbing vines and grass, but also incorporated into the emerald architecture. As much fun as the official Emerald City set is, Bousker’s swankified minifig-scale take has me longing for more Ozian builds.
These clever LEGO build techniques are brought to you by a ton of minifig heads. Cab ~ utilizes the aforementioned minifig heads as the yellow buoys denoting the lanes in the pool and also the floaties on that one swimmer’s (or floater’s) arms. Repetitive use of 1×2 trans-blue tiles comprizes the pool water nicely. They’re not bricked directly onto the pool floor but rather suspended above it to give the illusion of depth. As for the swim or float question, for me, it’s floaties all the way. I’ll also take some washboard abs to help offset the embarrassment of using floaties.
The Iron Forge competition just concluded its second week-long sprint where twenty builders were tasked with making creations using the ubiquitous LEGO minifig head as the featured “seed part.” So many delightful builds emerged from the prompt, but one builder kept delivering smiles: Dominique Boeynaems. Each of these builds is worthy of sharing on its own, but together they’re an inspiration to builders and a showcase of what makes the Iron Forge such a wonderful part of LEGO fandom.
Leading with Dominique’s final build, this nearly lifesize accordion came together during a 10-hour sprint and incorporates no less than 44 minifig heads for the keys. Vidyo straps work great for the handles. With the competition name and year worked into the instrument, it’s both a wonderful build and the perfect memento.
Dominque’s frog uses three minifig heads – two for the eyes and one for the fly. A car hood makes for a perfect amphibian forehead.
Click to see more of Dominique’s colorful and heady builds
The Iron Builder competition pits a veteran building champion against a challenger in a LEGO twist on the Iron Chef cooking show. But how does one become a challenger? One path is the Iron Forge competition, where everyone is invited to build and share models using the “seed part,” with the pool becoming a bracketed competition until one is chosen. The free-for-all phase just wrapped up, featuring the seed part of “any mudguard with only one wheel arch.” Here are a few that caught our eye.
“Fun at the Fair” by Dominique Boeynaems – 21 mudguards
“Mud-Guarded” by Bousker – 33 mudguards (each of those traps on the wall uses 4!)
Keep on rolling to more creative mudguard builds
A lot happens every week in the world of LEGO builders. Thankfully, we can always count on ABrickDreamer to highlight the best MOCs, videos, and builder news. This week’s big story is the Iron Forge competition, currently in the free-for-all phase. We try not to choose favorites here at TBB, but best of luck ABrickDreamer! Now, on with the news…
Seeing this LEGO creation by EMazingbrix reminded me of the adage that you can’t take it with you. I mean, life can certainly hand you some very delicious lemons but it all has to go somewhere after you’ve crossed the rainbow bridge. Take this pirate captain, for example; he was so darned close to his treasure! I’m no medical expert but I also get the hunch he’s very much expired, thus leaving that luscious booty out in front of God and everybody for someone else to pillage and plunder. Plus, EMazing (can I call you Emazing?) has used twelve frogs in accordance with a build challenge over at Iron Forge, which makes it extra hoppin’. If you’ll excuse me, I need to fetch a youngster in TBB’s IT department to help me set up a TikTok account so I can see all this hoppin’ booty I’ve heard so much about.
Witches are known for, among other things, flying around on broomsticks and turning people into frogs. F.S. Leinad‘s LEGO witch has certainly got the former nailed – this particular broomstick uses some minifigure hair to mimic the bristles flapping in the wind. As for turning people into frogs… Well, her spell seems to have backfired somewhat. Her nose, hat, hands, and feet have all transformed into tiny amphibians! She’s probably not very happy about it, but surely even the grumpiest of witches can appreciate some Nice Parts Usage.
It’s not too often that the LEGO bricks line up in a way that we can do a theme day here at TBB. But when two great builders push the limits on a certain hard-to-use part, it’s tough not to write them up together. We already saw Nate’s spaceship earlier today, and now we’re treated to this delightful gnome-built cottage by Maxx Davidson, both built around this human-sized LEGO mug. Fitting with the Iron Forge challenge to use as many LEGO liquid containers as possible, the creation also features mug-turbaned gnomes with Minecraft Shulker faces, and some lovely window awnings made from latte cups.
What does it take to succeed in the Iron Forge? Well, I don’t exactly have any experience to draw on, but you can be sure that a bit of ingenuity and outside-the-box thinking will go a long way. Exhibit A: Nate Chiles‘ latest effort. In this early phase of the contest, the seed parts are not always as prescriptive as in the Iron Builder finals, so the ongoing second round challenges builders to use any LEGO piece tagged as a cup or goblet. And that does technically include the actual LEGO mug that forms the engine of this spaceship. Or at least, we’re assuming that’s what’s going on here. The alternative explanation is that this is a standard minifigure mug, and Nate has a shrink ray. Are they even allowed in this competition? Can we get a ruling on this please?!
