2012 LEGO Model Review

Happy New Year Everyone! As I reflect on this past year of 2012 I decided to make a compilation of all the models I created this year. To be totally honest, this isn’t all of them. I made over 30 wedding cake toppers and literally hundreds of earrings, necklaces and key chains. But this gives you a pretty good idea.

This has been a whirlwind of a year. I went to ten Conventions this year — five LEGO Conventions, three Comic Conventions, the McDonald’s Worldwide Convention and Focus 12 Convention. I had six large project (even if one of them was microscale) — 3 ft x 3 ft Statoil logo mosaic, 4 ft long McDonald’s building, a giant Harting Connector (the big black thing on the left), a 2 1/2 ft microscale replica of a home, 4 ft x 2 ft John Hancock logo and 10 giant bricks, and a 5 ft x 5 ft Google Chrome logo. I flew to Portland, Orlando, Chicago, Virginia, and Seattle. I drove to northern California twice, Phoenix and Vegas — while building the top of the Harting model the whole way in the car (I wasn’t driving ).

Who knows what I’ll be building next year. I’m certainly excited.

Hopefully you had a wonderful 2012 and welcome 2013!

Be Brave

I made this about a week ago, but didn’t think to post it on Flickr till last night after I posted it as my Facebook picture. I was surprised to see such a huge response, both on Facebook and Flickr. Brothers Brick even posted it this morning.

What’s really getting a lot of people’s attention are the curls and the bow. Pixar’s Merida is known for her wild frizzy hair and I wanted to capture it as close as I could in a 4 inch figure.

I have to admit though, this technique isn’t new — at least in Miniland building — this has been a technique for creating curly hair for as long as I can remember at the LEGOLAND parks and I have used variations of it many times on several of my Superhero figures like Wonder Woman and for my Wedding Cake Topper Brides.

And of course what is Merida without her bow? I thought about using the new elf long bow from the Hobbit sets, but I realized it would still be too short. So I did the next best thing, I made one out of pearl cotton thread and a bit of copper flex tubing. The quiver might be a tad too short, but it was just to perfect not to use verses trying to design my own.

If you would like your own Miniland Merida either as a figurine or a Christmas ornament, I have them for sale on my Folded Fancy Creations Etsy Shop.

Folded Fancy Sale

I don’t often plug my Etsy shop Folded Fancy Creations here on my blog. But I am having a sale this weekend in time for Chrismas shopping. Just use coupon code THANKS2012 for 10% off your order. Coupon valid Nov 24 – 26th. Click the picture to go to my Etsy shop.

Sleepy Fisherman

I like this cute little Miniland scene created by Nick Abalov. I think my favorite part is the clear antenna used as the fishing line.

I don’t normally feature digital models, as I prefer the real thing, but this one struck me as particularly cute and the fact that its Miniland scale, a scale that still isn’t as popular a building style as I’d like.

It reminded me a lot of my own Miniland fishing scene I created a couple years ago

Miniland Bag End

Although this model was created about a year ago, I just recently discovered it. Now if you’ve been following me for a while you know that I love Miniland scale, so this one got me extra excited because not only was it the Hobbit, but it’s a Miniland Hobbit

I love how well both Gandolf and Bilbo are characterized so well. It only makes me more excited for the official sets that will be available later this year.

Scooby dooby doo!

Nathan Proudlove has not only created the Mystery Machine and all of the Scooby Do gang, but he’s put it into a comic strip.

I think my favorite part of it is the skunk costume. And of course I like all the miniland figs too.

Here’s a close up of the whole gang

BrickCon 2012 is around the corner

This is the last week to register for BrickCon and be guaranteed an engraved brick badge and all the goodies in the swag bag. This is the last full LEGO Con of the year and one that I look forward to going to every year.

You can bring a model to display on its own or join one of the collaborative displays like last year’s Cube Dude display.

If you’ve never gone, this is definitely one of my favorites and the largest one on the West Coast.

Hope to see you there! But for all of you who can’t make it, I’ll do my best to cover all the BrickCon fun.

Miniland Class of 2012

As it is Graduation season I whipped up some Class of 2012 Miniland scale Graduates

Although I’m not in school any more, this is a sort of graduation year for me. My business Model Building Secrets is 5 years old this year. I’ve always heard that if a business can last 5 years than it has a good chance of lasting in the long run. And starting my business in 2007 — right before the economic crash — while not necessarily the best time to start a business, was the right choice for me.

Its been a long, bumpy road these past five years with its ups and downs. This year has also seen me becoming much busier than in previous years. Its a good / bad thing to be more successful. Good because my business is growing, bad because I have been working over a year straight with very little downtime and I don’t see it stopping any time soon. I’m very grateful for all the amazing things I’ve gotten to do and all the fun things I’ll be doing the rest of this year.

And of course, if you would like your very own LEGO Graduate, you can find them for purchase on my Etsy shop.

Wil Weaton signing a model of Wil Weaton…

Although some people are into April Fool’s jokes, I’m not one of them. So I avoid the silliness all together. I did however post this on my Facebook page yesterday. I would have posted it here too, but Iain Heath hadn’t posted it on Flickr yet.

While I was hanging out with the guys of FBTB, SandLUG, and LUGOLA at LEGOLAND California Star Wars Days, Iain and the rest of SeaLUG was at Emerald City Comicon in Seattle.

I will be posting a follow up to Star Wars Days, but until then check this out.

Since Iain is Iain (you have to know him, or at least his models, to understand that one ) he created a LEGO model of Wil Weaton signing a LEGO model of himself and then he had the actual Wil Weaton sign it. Its so meta, it almost blows my mind!

Here’s a close up of the model

Of course there were other, much larger, models on display. I know Scott Fowler’s MOC certainly deserves its own post. But I’ll be visiting those another day. For now, live long and prosper! — Hey, I had to get a Star Trek reference in there somewhere!

One week till Bricks by the Bay!

As you’ve probably noticed. I’ve been a little MIA here on my blog recently. Well, as you can see from the photo, I’ve had a good reason. I’ve been making all of these earrings, necklaces and key chains for Bricks by the Bay.

I’m rolling out a lot of new designs and thanks to the Friends line (see all the pinks and pastels?), lots of new colors, that will be seen for the first time this month.

Not only did I make all the items you see listed, I made twice that much! My products will also be at BrickWorld Indy this weekend.

I even made new display racks, as my old ones were too small. Even with these new ones, I have to double up on some pegs or I just wouldn’t be able to fit it all. And yes, the display rack is LEGO too naturally. I mean why buy one when I have all these perfectly good LEGO elements I can make one out of?

Despite the hundreds (and I literally mean hundreds) of items I’ve already made I still have a few dozen or two to go. But the big push to get them all made, labeled and ready is easing off.

Of course I still have to finish the Art theme trophies, update my power point presentations I’ll be giving, and work on several other projects, but at least I’ve got a little less to do now.

I plan on being at a lot of LEGO Cons and two Comicons this year. Its going to be pretty busy and a heck of a lot of fun! I am totally looking forward to all of it!