Cuckoo Clock

what do you do when your plastic cuckoo clock breaks? Build a new, better one out of LEGO of course! That's exactly what builder Miro78 has done and as you can see the results are brilliant. There's no little birdie, and the weights are just for show, but it's still a functioning clock, and a fine looking one I might add.

Strike Any Key When Ready

This brings back memories. The first computer in regular use in my life was my wife's college computer, a Packard Bell 386, not unlike this brilliant MOC by powerpig. Among it's many impressive specs was a whopping 20MB hard drive. Yes, that was cutting edge back then, about the size of three mp3's these days. And what's amusing is we wondered how we could EVER fill it.

Kerak Telor Cart

I've never tasted Kerak Telor (ok, to be honest I've never even heard of Kerak Telor) but after hearing the description, it sounds like it would be totally my speed (minus the shallots perhaps). And this traditional cart MOC by KOSbricks makes me even more fascinated and curious.

Where Do You Store Your Gold Bricks?

This is really cool. builder JK Brickworks has created a working combination safe out of our favorite bricks. If you've ever wondered about how combination safes work, or just needed a nice secure place to store your gold brick, check out this fantastic MOC and video.

Dino-Grabber

We've all had one, you might still have one, the classic dinosaur grabber. They're handy for grabbing things just out of reach, terrorizing family cats, menacing fish (just watch E.T.) and with the addition of a fun costume, entertaining puppet shows. This one by Takamichi Irie doesn't function like a real one, but then again the real one isn't made of LEGO now is it?

Pretty Sneaky Sis

I know I played Connect Four as a kid, but I don't remember owning it, so it must have been at a friends house. I vividly remember the commercial though, and that kid's tragic haircut. Builder jtheels is on a roll with these brilliant little doses of nostalgia. Makes me want to break out my plaid pants and play with GiJoe while eating a peanut butter and relish sandwich (the 70's weren't pretty)

The Device That Stole My Childhood

When I look back on 1977 it's with fondness and awe. In that one pivotal and influential year we got the Commodore PET, CHiPs, Jimmy Carter, Atari 2600, Three's Company, Saturday Night Fever and of course Star Wars. And then there's this device. Prior to Electronic Football we were quite content to just go outside and throw dirt clods at each other. But that all changed, our thumbs grew new and interesting calluses and we never saw the sun again. Hey Gameboy, 3DS, PSP and all other handheld gaming devices, meet your grandfather. Nice build jtheels.

Lincoln Logs

I have mixed feelings for this toy from my youth. I remember having Lincoln Logs, and they were fun...to a point. There's only so many times you can built the same little cabin over and over before you start looking for other uses, like battlefield decorations for GiJoe. But Lincoln Logs built out of LEGO, like these from jtheels? Sign me up! 

Marker! *thwack!*

There was no way I wasn't going to blog this. Since the invention of "talkies" filmmakers have needed a way to synchronize picture to sound, since generally they are recorded separately. There have been a number of ways of doing this, and several technological advances through the years, but when it comes down to it, nothing beats a good old classic clapboard. Nice build Cole.

Simon

Red, blue, red, red, yellow, green, blue, red, blue... In the early 80's electronic gaming was huge. And between this device, Electronic Football and Merlin the future was clear, electronic gaming was here to stay. Sure the beginnings were crude, just flashing lights and buzzing (practically neolithic by todays standards) but we LOVED them. Thanks for the dose of nostalgia jtheels.

Toss Across

Just last night my wife and I were talking about toys from our childhood. Though I should point out the discussion started about the most dangerous toys (we actually had lawn darts, amazing) soon the conversation drifted to toys in general. I had Toss Across as a kid, and seeing this brilliant recreation by jtheels brought back a lot of memories. Mostly of how we used to wet the bean bags and put them on a lightbulb to cook the beans, it smelled oddly appetizing.

Burger, Fries, Lemon Coke Please...

I've stated my weakness for a classic greasy spoon diner here before. So it's no mystery why I find this latest Iron Builder MOC from Pepa Quin so appealing. But this goes beyond just sentiment here, this is an outstanding build. Look at the simulated seams in the upholstery done with half stud offsets, the classic metal bands around the benches, the bolts on the base of the table and the condiments, this is stunning work.

Take Note

It took me a second to find the seed part in this latest Iron Builder MOC from One More Brick. And then after I spotted them, it took me another second to figure out how he built with them in this way. Not to mention the fact that from a thumbnail, you'd pass right over this picture, thinking it was real. That all adds up to a pretty impressive MOC.

Jack-In-The-Box

I never had a jack-in-the-box as a kid, but I remember my cousin having one and it scared the crap out of me. You would crank the handle to a somewhat creepy rendition of Pop Goes The Weasel, at least for the first three measures. Then it was almost time for the "Pop", and the timing was always just a little off. Sometimes it was a full crank, sometimes 3/4, sometimes 1 1/2. I don't know if it was intentional, but it sure caused a lot of child anguish and stress. Then the damn clown would pop out and it was time to change your shorts. This version by ~Likus~ doesn't "pop" up, but the crank does make the clown go up and down, which is *almost* as creepy.

Fuel Up

I have mixed feelings on this. First, it's fossil fuel, which we really need to get beyond. But, how many times have you been rescued by the side of the road with one of these? This is also exactly like the gas can I used as a kid to fuel up the lawnmower I hated using. But then again it's also the one we would "borrow" when we needed to set something on fire for a super-8 movie (kids, don't set stuff on fire, it's dumb like I was). And lastly this one's built with LEGO by Pepa Quin, so overall it has to be a positive.

Lawn Pwner

It's been many years since I've used, let alone owned one of these machines. I loathe yard work, I really do, so I pay someone else to do it for me. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate the wonder that is the modern lawnmower. There's something very satisfying in a machine who's sole purpose is to spin a whirring blade of death and decapitate blades of grass. This version by Pepa Quin is more my speed though, small, quiet and made of bricks.

Rad Robots

I'm a kid of the 80's. You guys read about what it was like when the arcade was king, I was there. You hear Adam Ant on the Spotify, I bought the record. You mock break dancing, I did it (did I just say that out loud?) And when we thought 'robot', we thought of the likes of these MOCs by breaksbricks72 (and of course Star Wars). They're inspired by the Tomy Omnibots series, and they're totally bitchin' dude.

Ramen

I've only been to Japan once, but some of my more vivid memories were of the food. One afternoon we went to a noodle house, and I had some of the best noodles I've ever had. This MOC by Legorookie took me instantly back to that moment. And of course, now I'm craving noodles.

It's Nerf Or Nothing

Fans of bricks and foam projectiles rejoice! Builder Proudlove has recreated my favorite all-time Nerf gun with my favorite bricks. It's so well done I almost passed it over thinking it was real. No creative cubicle environment is complete without proper dart warfare, and this pistol was always my weapon of choice, simple, effective, reliable and stylish.

Got A Quarter?

I don't know why, but one of my first vivid memories is my dad loading me and my brother into the back of the family car at some ungodly hour of the morning to set out cross county. Once we were safely loaded in, he handed us two giant handfuls of those prizes you get from machines like this one from Gilcélio. They kept us occupied until at least the city limit as we headed off to Topeka...in a beetle.