Busy, Busy, Busy!

I am literally getting pressed. The GFLUGers say "Do your best", my parents say "do your best", yet I still have an unrealistic plate for October 4.

Out of 99 models, I have managed to cut it down to 35. Today was one of the most productive, as I nailed 6 Brand Ribbon models and am working on a Kingdoms set. The rest of this week? Fairly sluggish. The 10193, a tedious and horrible build, was not split into submodels and kept me working hours on end.

35 is not bad when you have Friday, Saturday, and much of Sunday. Though, two sets pass the 1,000 element mark, and I have a slow build rate for the Technic builds so the Ferrari Supercar, 1,270 elements, will take a chunk of time.

In the remainder, my folk will nail the last two Duplo models, while I take care of 4 easy hero factories, 10 more sets (3 technic total) and 10-15 super easy Brand Ribbons. Luckily the Sculpture Garden and Flowers, both in scary K5 boxes, look very easy. Minifig parade is a bit more subjective, but also in a K5.

I had friends commit to helping me, but their commitments were meaningless. Luckily one friend did help on Labor Day, and for his 2.5 hours of time, boy am I putting his name down on the credentials for the 30% Discount. Others literally forged excuses to bail out. So this breaks a number of records being a 90% solo effort. I myself took on the Unimog, the Pet Shop, Fire Brigade, and all of those horrendously frustrating Brand Ribbons. And I have never been any happier. Why? They are one of a kind builds that make you feel like a part of the company. You feel like you are building for the likes of LEGOLand, which employ the same scale that the BR involves. And what did I get out of it? Inspiration to make a macro-sigfig of myself. LEGO for display can be a fun thing after all.

So the rush is on. 4 days and 35 models. Challenge accepted.

4645 Set Review

Continuing the stream of reviews from the sets of this project, here's a long yet critical review of the Harbor.

Part 6 of the Series

The Brand Ribbon Build Project is hitting its peak now! Episode 6 is posted and I am working through the last 40 models. I have 5 days... Can I make it?

UM NOM NOM NOM

UM NOM NOM NOM, a photo by brickbuilder711 on Flickr.

;)

LEGO 2012 at a glance

I am mixed about this year's line. While I am not feeling "sold" to the Forest Police/Forest Fire lines, I am getting attracted to one police set.

http://www.miniland.nl/Nieuws/index.htm click LEGO City Van 2012 on this link.

By set (and I plead the first): (and with 2011 estimated prices)

4208 Fire truck - good but can be done with parts at home. It's got foliage though. Estimated price: 25 USD
4209 air rescue? - I'm not sold on this set but the plane's right to scale, a Saab -8 or something like that. Est Price: 70 USD
4427 ATV - Good set but key word for you advanced builders: Parts at home ;) EP 8 USD
4436 Police Car - Ugly. The blue is really tacky. EP 15 USD
4437 off road truck pull over thingamajig - Good set but again, Parts at home here my friends. EP 20 USD
4439 Helicopter - Butt ugly! But I'm happy for once the thing is not juniorized. I might actually get it for the roof elements (if it's cheap) so I can make airplanes. Est. Price: 60 USD
4441 K-9 and Sports car chase - Good set. Not crazy for the van but love the car. Looks like the first of Dark Red in a city line. Sold. EP 30 USD
4431 Ambulance - Great set, very realistic. I might get it for the windscreen and bike but otherwise, meh. EP 20 USD, and the parts should appear to be green and not Dk. Green.
4432 Garbage Truck - Sold. I will buy this one for sure. Looks splendid and like a green version of a real deal. EP 20 USD.
4433 Dirt bike transport - Great set, but Parts at home, my friends.I do like the lime bike though. EP 30 USD.
4434 cement truck - Looks great. I don't know if this is a dump or cement truck. I may buy this... EP 25 USD.
4435 Camper - Love it!!!! The caravan looks like a sale and the car, even though it resembles 7993's, is a keeper. Sold. EP 30 USD.

Creator:
Most are not keepers, but noteworthy:
6913 - a medley of blue and mdblue. I don't really have Medium blue cheese nor round slopes in my stash. EP 10 USD.
6914 - looks like a revisit to 4507, but mucchhh smaller. Liking the DkRed but I don't think he'll be sold. EP 20 USD.
7291 Motorbike - Great use of orange, but no go for me. EP 15 USD.

And as laughable as LEGO Friends is, it looks like an absolutely great resource of bizarre elements. I say GO GET IT, even to the guys; just for the parts. Trim the fat, sell the girl figs, girl parts, and even sticker sheets on BL, and make some interesting stuff with the rest. I know I will, but I guess I have to have a GF with me on my Store trips, or order them online. They're not as ridiculously juniored as the Belville was, and they have tons of odd parts. The new Azure from Spongebob might be that blue tone that's in every set. People make really cool things with these girl colors and you know it! And get this, the "Oye Papo" of Miami is all about pastel tones. Click on "LEGO Friends" on the site. There are enough interesting colors to warrant a sale, and I am known not to be a bearer of sets but to build custom models. Despite the intense number of "cooties" in any given set, the tree house, cafe, store, and dream home have hidden resources great for any builder.

Pet Shop Review

A flagship for the build project at heart, even though I prioritized the newer Super Star Destroyer at the time. This is one of my favorite sets, very playable, and has lots of sand blue.

Delta Airlines Boeing 767-400

Delta Airlines Boeing 767-400, a photo by brickbuilder711 on Flickr.

You guys will like this one. Sometimes it makes me think why LEGO didn't make better looking noses!

Cockpit Study

Cockpit Study, a photo by brickbuilder711 on Flickr.

Just a little tinkering and brain teasing I did today. No Store progress however. :( Will make up for it though.

BRBP Updates: Written Version

I'm in the modest process of documenting Episode 5 of the Brand Ribbon series. Today I have picked back up on the Brand Ribbon Models. Over the weekend and into Monday I got several sets completed:

(Sets marked in red are to be reviewed)

1. 10217 Diagon Alley
2. 3816 Glove World
3. 3833 Krusty Krab Adventures
4. 3834 Good Neighbors in Bikini Bottom
5. 7187 Escape from Dragon's Prison
6. 7498 Police Station
7. 8058 Guardian of the Deep

Not only is my hair slightly thinning ;) due to stress, but so is the queue. About 30 sets remain. A burden awaits as I have to complete the monstrous Death Star (minifig version) as well, 3803 pieces. Otherwise everything's under 2000 pieces. Milestone reached. However, this is only the easy part. Oh no!

These brand ribbon models were completed 100%:

1. Finished the Taxi Scene
2. Pool Scene
3. Beach Scene

And the Sheep herd is under construction. 10/20 sheep completed.

I'll be making the "feets" (Great grammar, LEGO) model as well as the "pretty fish" model this week. Today, Wednesday, I'm booked over Spanish and Art homework, as well as a tad bit of Physics, but I can manage the last 10 sheep and likely among the last teeny sets (Rockefeller plaza, Heroes of the deep (Spongebob), and the Deep Sea Raider. I bundled those sets together, provided they go about 500 pieces altogether (265+93+204). Much of the small sets have often been completed at the local La Carreta over Café Cubano.

Thursday can be the day to look for the Harbor to be finished up, if on schedule. I might complete the skateboard scene (it's easy) by Friday as well. Friday usually is a matter of 4-5 dedicated hours on a good day. Saturday is Death Star day and the 3,803pc. behemoth will be split over three days.The rest is on whim, and the campground (x2) will probably be constructed simultaneously.

BRBP Episode 4

The latest installment is a mainstream update of sets done in the last week current per September 9 2:30 AM. Apparently the video didn't want to upload on Thursday so I had to roll it over to today.

LEGO Store Sawgrass Opening Date

Now it will open on Oct. 6. Whew. One more week to get this "job from hell" done. :P

LEGO BRBP: Modular Buildings FTW

In a course of five or so working days Anthony V. (co-founder of the extinct and phased YLEF) and I have nabbed out the three new modular buildings. Interestingly I noticed Mr. Berard changing the style of several connections, opting for a new 1x4 with 2 stud plate instead of putting all-tile and then plates below the baseplates of the upper floors. Bravo on the method, especially as seen in the 10218.

But for me, this 2-week exhibition is really enough for a modular building, before I want to kitbash one. Maybe I suppose that is why when I own my own copy of any of these, I'll skip building it. Not worth my time when it was experienced before. :) I'm more of a creative builder. I want to build my own town and my own buildings, not adopt a bunch of sets and having a layout that looks like any other.

LEGO 10221 Set Review

One of my favorite builds within the project.

[HD] LEGO Set Reviews: Set 10197 - Fire Brigade (Modular Building Series)

FWIW....

Epic Set: 10221 Super Star Destroyer

Epic Set: 10221 Super Star Destroyer, a photo by brickbuilder711 on Flickr.

Favorite set off the build (Better than Pet Shop? What am I smoking?) and favorite photo I took!!!

Tripod

Tripod, a photo by brickbuilder711 on Flickr.

Great "lesson" from LEGO today...

Mission accomplished?

I seem to have a monopoly in the LEGO Brand Ribbon video department. Just what I like to see. :)

[HD} LEGO Brand Ribbon Build Project: Episode 3