Welcome To A New Era Of BrickNerd!

Happy New Year!

Hello dear readers, it’s been a while. While I announced on Facebook that I was taking a bit of a break from BrickNerd many months ago, I never really made an official post. But it only took a few visits over those months to figure that out I suppose. The main reason why is simple, burn out. And it’s not just the blog, I’ve barely touched my bricks at the studio, or visited Flickr, or anything else really. Between getting friend-zoned by TLG, COPPA crippling the YouTube channel, negativity in the Ambassador program and general apathy in the builder community, I needed a break. Then COVID happened, and a whole new level of distraction was heaped on. I’ve been totally absent, for that I apologize. I did get a 2020 advent calendar and thoroughly enjoyed a little playtime every day of December, so there’s hope for me.

But there’s good news to announce, while there hasn’t been much activity here at BrickNerd.com, behind the scenes some crazy cool stuff has been happening. The amazing Dave Schefcik is going to be taking over as Nerd-in-Chief! Not only that, he’s assembled an elite squad of contributors you’ll get to know in the coming weeks and months. And don’t worry, I’ll still be around (you’re not getting rid of me that easy). Hopefully soon I’ll shed this brick-funk and start building and blogging again. I’m staying on as a contributor, and changing my title to Founding Nerd. In the meantime there are spiffy things brewing, so stay tuned!

You all mean a whole lot to me, and since the creation of BrickNerd in 2013 it’s the readers and viewers that have made it worth it. You all rock, I’d give you a hug, but we can’t do that right now, maybe soon.

Jurassic Plastic

Those makers of injected molded magnificence Crazy Bricks are back with another marvelous lineup. This one is 65 million years in the making, Dino Dudes! Yes, fans of LEGO and dinosaurs rejoice, these spiffy dudes are ready for some prehistoric mayhem. Like previously successful offerings such as Mouse Guard and Munchkin, these are currently on Kickstarter. You can select from multiple tiers (with stretch goals already being unlocked) and the figures are spectacular, including custom molded parts and full custom printing. Head on over and support this NOW!

A Refreshing Splash Of Color

I don’t know what I find more surprising about this space station by builder CheesyStudios, the vibrant color pallet or the fact that it was built, photographed and edited in under 24 hours, impressive.

Prairie Doggin'

Yes, it’s been a while since I’ve posted, I won’t go into details why (but you can read a bit about it here). And while I’m not promising to be as prolific as I was before, I do intend to blog more. In fact, this MOC by builder JK Brickworks was the first creation I’d seen in a while that made me go “hey, that’s cool”, and I actually wanted to blog it. I’m going to call that progress. Anyway, this thing standing still is adorable, but the fact that’s it’s mechanical, and all the critters have their own personality just makes it irresistible. Check out the video below to see it in action.

#Swag

Long time readers know how much we love swag around here. From the very early days of BrickNerd there’s always been plenty of custom printed badge and Nerdly bricks on hand to give away. And through the years we’ve had t-shirts, glasses, lanyards and all manner of silliness printed specifically to give away. Some say it’s promotion (and for tax purposes it is) but I’ve personally always thought of them as “thank-you’s”. Thanks for reading, thanks for saying hi, thanks for watching our videos, thanks for sharing your stuff, thanks for putting up with me. And it all goes back to a single fateful day when I happened on an ad for a fairly new sticker company called Sticker Mule. They were offering custom die-cut stickers and that sounded pretty nifty to me so I ordered some. I was blown away by the quality, the speed, the order experience and the customer service. I quickly ran out at BrickCon that year and didn’t hesitate to order more. Since then they’ve expanded their services and we have jumped on board with just about everything they offer. We have multiple buttons, magnets, coasters, poly bags and even packing tape, all with our mascot on them and all of it makes this supposedly grown man far too giddy. Since I started my other endeavor Nerds&Makers I’ve been adding to the pile of fun swag in the studio. In fact I just got new circle stickers yesterday and I’m expecting a new offering from them any day now, charms! So if you’re in the market for some cool custom stickers or any one of their other offerings head over to their website. And I look forward to saying “thank you” to you all soon.

Etch A Sketch

So you’re drawing a camel, and you’re about half done when a commercial comes on for the Kenner Star Wars Death Star playset so naturally you look up and watch. Now it’s time to continue, but which way to turn the knob? You know this one does the up and down, but which way? Oh, c’mon, you were just doing it, it’s supposed to be natural by now! Ok, let’s go clockwise…GAH!

Welcome to my childhood, thanks for a dose of nostalgia derjoe.

Just A Robot Dog Pulling Adam Savage In A Rickshaw...You Know, Like Usual

Yeah, it’s just that again, a Boston Dynamics Spot pulling Mythbuster Adam Savage in his custom made rickshaw. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen this, I could afford a scratcher. Builder and mechanical genius JK Brickworks is back with a wondrous creation inspired by a recent video from Tested.com. Check the video out and confirm for yourself this is a wonderful time to be alive.

Somebody Stop Me!

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen The Mask, but after seeing this awesome build by Pistash I have to admit I’m thinking of screening it again. This was the role that Jim Carrey was born to play, and I can’t imagine the part with any other actor. Yes, he chews up the scenery, but that was sort of the point wasn’t it? And the over-the-top Tex Avery style cartoony visual effects by ILM were a treat.

Mass Effect Disciple Shotgun

You’ll no doubt be shocked to learn that I haven’t played Mass Effect (I say that about every game, maybe I should game more) but that doesn’t keep me from appreciating a sweet bit of sci-fi weaponry. This state of the art pew pew by Sheo looks like it leapt right off the screen, and is ready to mow down some baddies.

The Mouse Guard Returns

The wildly popular Mouse Guard from Crazybricks is making a return thanks to a successfully funded Kickstarter. The good news is there’s plenty of time left to get your own awesome Mouse Guard figs, and several stretch goals have already been unlocked. Head on over to this link and get in on this!

Shedding Light And Casting Shadows

From the moment I learned about the products from Brickstuff I was intrigued. From the moment I used the products they graciously sent I was a fan. And from the moment I met the founder Rob, I had a friend. Brickstuff lighting products have been our go-to here at the animation studio and have played a critical role in our scale lighting needs. I’ve reviewed several of their kits and have never been less than totally impressed. Just watch either of these videos and you’ll see the care, quality and creativity that went into them.

Today I learned that LEGO was partnering with Light My Bricks, the company that outright pirated Brickstuff’s designs, for their exploration of LEGO branded lighting products. You can read more about it in this article by Brickstuff. I don’t want to don the hat of social justice warrior, but I feel this is just way out of line, and while my reach is admittedly limited, I want this to be known. Please take some time to read the article, and if you are so inclined, let LEGO know this is just not cool.

The Magic Bus In The Wild

What do you do when you’ve trekked hundreds of miles and you stumble upon an abandoned bus in the Alaskan wilderness? Well you move into it of course. This is the way over simplified version of the fascinating tale of Chris McCandless, and his ill fated quest to reject society and live off the land. Builder Norton74 has crafted this awesome recreation of the “Magic Bus” as Chris dubbed it.

Because These Balls Aren't Going To Move Themselves

I’ve always been fascinated by great ball contraptions, or GBCs. They’re wonderfully complex design to do a wonderfully useless action tickles my Rube Goldberg fancy. Builder and mechanical evil genius (ok, not so evil) JK Brickworks has crafted his very first GBC, and of course it’s a wonder to behold. Watch the video to see it in action.

Were You Ready For Some Football?

Football season officially ended Sunday with the super-est of bowls, and while I’m not really into sports, I can appreciate how much my friends are. Take for instance my buddy Brandon Griffith, who crafted this beautiful replica of the Vince Lombardy trophy. Brandon’s team the Titans didn’t make it this year (so close) but I’m sure he was still watching the game with enthusiasm.

Outhouse

There have been countless technological advances in the past century, but few are as taken for granted as the modern bathroom/toilet. Within as few as three or four generations, less depending on just how rural you are, an outhouse, like this one by SuckMyBrick, was simply the place to do your business. And it just takes a short visit to a outdoor event or construction site to relive just how terrible it was as you are forced to use a “modern” porta-potty.

Sorcerer's Apprentice

We’re big into Disney at our house, and while we’re not the biggest fans of Fantasia, the iconic image of Mickey as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice has always been a favorite. This sculpture by builder alanboar captures not only the look of Mickey in this classic role, but also the whimsy and attitude.

Assault-Teddy

It’s a well established fact that kids sleep better with a teddybear. What’s less known is the fact that the reason they can sleep well is the diligence and perseverance of the humble teddy. When the lights go off and the eyes close, teddy’s watch begins, and thanks to builder Moko we can get a glimpse into the secret world of kid defense.

Dwelf Tales

I love the imagination and whimsy of this CCC entry by builder LittleJohn. It features a working trap designed to separate travelers on a forest road from their treasure in a wonderful little scene cleverly sandwiched between two books.

Bob's Kabobs

This looks right out of 5th element or maybe Blade Runner, so naturally I’m instantly smitten. Welcome to Bob’s Kabobs, a hover equipped food truck by builder lokiloki29. This solves one of the main problems I’ve seen with food trucks (besides them never being where you are when you’re hungry) is sorting out where to park.