Elon's Retreat

Between the nicely done SNOT/tile walls and superb trees, this is a seriously parts heavy diorama by builder Ecclesiastes. There's loads of details everywhere you look. And I can totally relate to the need to use this splendid retreat. I'd like to have a place I could venture off to so I could decompress. I think I'll go to Disneyland tomorrow, it's the closest thing I have.

Elon's Retreat

This Chair Is Shockingly Uncomfortable

As sad as it is, there are still humans so bad, so awful, so unforgivable that the only choice is to eliminate them. And for many this is the final destination, a terribly uncomfortable chair with the sole purpose of ending human life. This piece by builder Anthony SÉJOURNÉ is a sobering reminder that we have a long way to go as a species. 

Lego Electric Chair - atana studio

Sleepless

Here's a compelling and provocative piece by builder Nuju Metro, as with all art it's up to your interpretation. For me it represents the continual distraction and compulsion our phones give us, and the deprivation sleep as we strive to not miss a thing. It's no small irony that the device that connects us so irretrievably from the world, acts as a blinder and wall to those immediately around us.

No.1 "Sleepless"

Charming Cottage, Room For Eight*

Tired of the hustle bustle life in a crowded village? Try the rural lifestyle! This charming cottage in the northern Black Forest region offers scenic views, wholesome living and easy access to a nearby mine. Many amenities including a full kitchen, carved wooden details and decorative pipe organ. See agent Cesbrick for details.

*seven of the beds are half size

Just like a doll's house

Road Trip!

If you haven't heard, the final LUGNuts Challenge is underway. Yes, after 10 years the monthly challenges are going on vacation, so it seems fitting that Mad physicist has built the ultimate vacation vehicle, the Griswold's station wagon. About the only thing more insane than a voluntary cross-country family vacation is the notion of putting fake wood on the side of cars.

Wagon Queen Family Truckster

SHIPtember 2016

No, that's not the wrong date, these are the 80 entries from last year compiled into a gigantic poster by Brixnspace. And while it's pretty nifty here, you need click through to see it in high resolution to really appreciate all the SHIPs. And if that's not enough you can download the ultra high-res file (seriously, it's 14400x8400), which can be printed at full poster size.

SHIPtember 2016 Poster

Duck Tank

Donald has long lived in Mickey's shadow. You remember during the Mickey Mouse Club song when Donald would start to lose it and scream "Donald Duck"? He's sort of tired of it. Well back then all he had was his voice and his unbridled duck rage. Well no longer thanks to Baron Julius von Brunk, check out the Duck Tank. Now I don't expect he'll target Mickey, he knows what side his bread is buttered on, but Annette and Cubby better watch their backs.

Ducktank
Ducktank (cockpit)

Barb

You'll have to excuse me while I gush, those with a sensitivity to man love and geekgasm should look away. Holy shnikes is this MOC awesome! Now everyone knows that me and Ochre Jelly are buds, but I can assure you even if Iain and I weren't friends, I would still be a solid fan, he's one of my favorite builders. And I'm a huge Stranger Things fan, so automatically this one had my attention. And everyone loves Barb, mostly because we've all been in her shoes. Let's face it there's a little Barb in all of us. Combine all that, with this stunning build, awesome lighting and excellent photography, and it's nothing less than perfect. Iain, you know where to send the check.

Barb!

"I'll Never Join You!"

Hopefully your browser and screen is just the right size that the bottom of this picture by storm TK431 is cut off, because it's a really fun reveal (yeah, those are guys holding mattresses). I don't know about you, but I've always been absolutely captivated by behind the scenes photos. Even though I've worked on dozens of movies, I still get a thrill stepping on set and seeing the sausage being made, it's just how I'm wired. This classic scene from ESB doesn't look quite so perilous huh?

Barn Find

Picture the scene (well you don't have to work that hard, here's a MOC by Norton74 to help), you and a fellow gear head get word that old man Jessup might have an "old race car" in his barn while out hunting for parts. You track him down and he agrees to show you the old beater out back. You all enter the dusty old barn and with a completely nonchalant yank of a tarp he reveals a Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix. These things happen every year, and it has to be an amazing experience.

Barn find | Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix

Castle Pyke

Game of Thrones fans should recognize this familiar castle, it's the Pyke, in the Iron Isles. The Ironborn are a hearty and gruff people, as proud as they are prone to violence. Here we see a not untypical ritual of succession, namely throwing the ruler from a great height and taking his crown. I'm usually not a fan of the mixing of old and new grey, but builder Eggy Pop pulls it off beautifully here.

Castle Pyke

Tableau Beach

I'd bet just about all of us in the AFOL community, at some point, have heard someone say that we "still play with LEGOs."  Okay, fine, I build spaceships, yes.  And occasionally swoosh them around the house.  It may be a 120 studs long with over 12K pieces, but it's still a spaceship. 

Now, Didier Burtin has created a modern artistic piece that may silence those snarky comments.  A wall mounted, wood backed, studs up rendering of an ocean view.  Using only lines of color, it's very effective, and looks quite impressive as a center piece over what appears to be a living room console.  So stunning, in fact, you may not have noticed his Saturn V Rocket over there on the left.  Zoom! 

Tableau beach

Let's Colonize This Place

David Zambito took the classic TIE fighter cockpits and put them to good use in this other worldly colonization vignette. He integrated them so well, to the point that you almost couldn't see them as anything but a glass dome on an another world. These microscale colonization style builds are a rather popular idea, and David added another great one to the mix. The terrain color choice really pops, drawing you into see this build.

Colonization
Comment

Nathaniel Stoner

     My name is Nathaniel Stoner, and I am an very active LEGO builder.  I mostly build in the themes of castle and science-fiction, but I also dabble in other genres and create occasional random MOC's (My Own Creations). 

     When I was younger, I would get and build small LEGO sets for my birthday, but I was never really into them.  When they fell apart, I would become frustrated attempting to put them back together and would throw them in a box in my closet.  I couldn't stand them!

     Then, miraculously, I became addicted to the LEGO brick later in my teen years.  Ever since, I have continued to build up (pun intended) my collection of bricks and to expand my knowledge of techniques and building skills.  LEGO is truly more than a toy, its an art form and a way to express yourself.

     For the most part, I collect LEGO Star Wars (mainly the minifigs), which is probably my favorite LEGO theme.  I have a fairly decent collection, including some of the original 1999 sets, such as the Snowspeeder, X-Wing, and Naboo starfighter.  I also collected LEGO the Lord of the Rings when those sets first came out.  The minifigs are great, and the story remains one of my favorites ever. 

     My hope is to inspire other young (and perhaps even older) LEGO builders to unleash their inner creativity!  You can find me on my Flikr here

Nerdvember Prizes From LEGO!

I was going to wait until the one week mark to post this, but I'm so excited I can't. Check out the prizes from LEGO! This year's theme is "80's" and to celebrate we're giving away three sets from iconic 80's movies, namely Ghostbusters, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. First place is going to get a Ghostbusters HQ, Second place is going to get a Snowspeeder and Third place is going to get a Speederbike! Thank you to LEGO for sponsoring Nerdvember! Check out this post for more details and get building!

nerdvember_80s_prizes.jpg

Antique Style

You know a good signal you're getting old? When furniture and artifacts of your youth start being described as antique (also, when songs from high school are being played on the "oldies" station). I almost scrolled right past this retro interior build by Heksu. I just thought it was a picture of someone's living room from the thumbnail. One of my favorite mistakes to make.

Antique Style