Quack

It's as classic as you get when talking about the early days of LEGO, the wooden duck pull toy. I had the distinct pleasure (and lets face it, stress) of having one in the studio while shooting the animation for the Brickumentary. It had it's own special case and was kept tucked away for security. You could hear angels sing every time I pulled it out for use (ok, maybe just in my head). To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the brick builder JK Brickworks is paying tribute to the duck with this brilliant build, and you can have your own because he's released building instructions. Every true fan needs one, build yours today!

Mermaid

I want to state for the record that I do not believe in merpeople. That being said, I think there's something deep in every one of us that yearns to believe. I think it's lurking in the depths of our sub conscience, linked to our distant past when we crawled out of the ocean and turned our faces to the sun, determined to conquer the land. Then again maybe we just want to be better swimmers. 

Mermaid

Escadas Apartamentos

This is a fascinating building design. I have to assume it's divided as asymmetrically inside as it is outside. The stepped design (literally "stairs apartment") means that every story is smaller than the one under it, but if it's divided into two apartments on the lower levels, then singles, then multistory apartments on top, then it totally works. Regardless it's a beautiful building tkel86.

Escadas Apartamentos

Technique Tuesday - Weaved Branches

technique_tuesday.jpg

One of the best things about the LEGO community is that we can learn from one another.  Here at BrickNerd, we like to share techniques that we see from builders all around the world. . .

Full Plate has experimented with many unique tree designs. This month, he's adding to his growing collection of recent landscape projects. These snow covered tress (though the white leaves could be replaced with another color if you wish), are incorporating a "weaving" technique with some the individual leaf elements being held in by friction. The end result is a very realistic tree appearance which, according to the builder, is fairly solid and can even be held upside down. Very impressive!  

WIP Winter Landscape 3
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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

Ataraxis

I love builds like this one from tardisblue. You know the ones that make you go "ohh", then go "wait, what?" then go "how is that..." then go "holy moly..." You know what I mean, where you appreciate it as a whole, then you start looking at the details and find yourself all the more impressed, and increasingly so the longer you look. There's a LOT going on here, I invite you to click through and check out the high res pictures, totally worth it.

Ataraxis

Shiver Me Timbers

I don't know how many of a particular thing you have to assemble before you have a "collection", but in this case I'm going to go with two. Builder LEGO7 has added this salty old maniac gunner to his pirate collection, and the Caribbean just got a little less safe. With two pistols and a rifle, he looks ready for action, and with that look in his eye, it's happening any moment.

Maniac Gunner Pirate
Maniac Gunner Pirate

Harry Potter Magical Creatures Music Puzzle Box

I was already in a magical mood this morning, thinking about the fantastical world of Harry Potter. It must have been fate, because moments later I discovered this, an absolutely wonderful musical puzzle box by builder kjm161. Inspired by the intricate and beautiful puzzle boxes from the game The Room, Karen has crafted a gorgeous tribute to Harry Potter, with many surprises. I won't ruin the fun, just watch the video, it's amazing.

Harry Potter Magical Creatures Music Puzzle Box

Maggie & Snowball

Since The Simpsons has been on the air in some form over 30 years, does that qualify Maggie as the world's oldest baby? Builder grubaluk not only put together two spot-on caricatures, but Maggie is also fully remote controlled! Using an S-brick, two Power Functions L motors and a Power Functions servo motor, she can totally surf the sidewalks.

RC Maggie and Snowball II

"I Seem To Be Having Tremendous Difficulty With My Lifestyle."

Douglas Adams was a trailblazer of the "quirky science fiction" subgenre, especially in his display of the precise randomness of the universe — when imagining all of space, anything is possible, or in fact, likely. Iain Heath captures a corner of that qunitessentially peculiar world with his tribute to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which features, among other things, Marvin the depressed robot, a strikingly short-lived sperm whale, and a fleet of musical dolphins.

Oh no, not again...

Retro Kitchen

We blogged Chris McVeigh's retro fridge when it premiered way back in 2014. Ever since then he's been thinking about adding a matching range, and it's finally here! While I'm not sure these appliances would fit in to my existing kitchen, I'm really not opposed to redoing the whole thing around them (and we could get rid of these universally hated, tiled countertops!)

Retro Range, Refrigerator
Retro Range

Dagobah Diorama

"I'd like to keep it on manual control for a while."  Well, Luke, looks like you should have let Artoo land.  You'll NEVER get it out of that swamp...  Anyway, Jon and Catherine Stead have recreated that infamous splashdown on Master Yoda's home planet of Dagobah.  The camp, Yoda's abode, and even that scary scene with Darth Vader: it's all there.   Awesome!
 

Dagobah - 1

Dagobah - 7

I'm Going To Have To Put You On The Game Grid...

This is a fairly unconventional build, most of the parts aren't attached to each other, so it's more of an "arrangement". And those flexible Technic connectors are under considerable strain, therefor "illegal". But I don't care about any of that, it's awesome! So simple, yet so effective. It was a challenge to photograph, but Grantmaster's diligence paid off, it's a spectacular little vignette.

Lite Cycles