LEGO Lifestyle

A LEGO lamp? What a bright idea!

As awareness of LEGO blog has been growing amongst my friends, I am finding more and more people coming up with fun LEGO links for me.  Thanks to my friend Jessica Q-G, I have two more items to share!

Assemble LEGO Avengers as the Avengers Assemble!

Marvel.com has put up several images of the new LEGO Avengers line that they are putting out later this year as part of their new super heroes line.

Most of the new Avengers line looks great.  Most of it. My only beef with the line?

LEGO CUUSOO Minecraft Update! (And Full Details Revealed!)

Image courtesy of LEGO CUUSOO Blog

So in my previous Minecraft related post, I said the product would be announced "Monday, February 15th" - well nobody corrected me, but it was actually announced WEDNESDAY, February 15th - come on readership, step up, I can't do this blog all on my own, ya know! So today is Thursday, and it is time to post about it!

LEGO Minecraft has now not only been revealed, but you can place your pre-orders now as well!

The LEGO Sorting Dilemma

A LEGO Sorting Dream!

So I recently joined Pinterest.  It has been, for lack of a better pun, a Pinteresting experience (I couldn't resist such an awful and uninspired pun, I'm sorry).

As a part of my journey through this new facet of social media, I have begun a Pinterest board for LEGO Storage and sorting methods.  This is something that has plagued me for years - and in multiple ways.  For one, what type of devices are best for sorting LEGO (giant bins, small drawers, sealed bins or open air/access bins, etc), and secondly, what method to sort the LEGO itself.

Confirmed: LEGO Lord of the Rings + Images

Image courtesy of From Bricks to Bothans

So, it appears that as of Toy Fair this past weekend, images are now being released of the Lord of the Rings sets without the confidential watermarks emblazoned upon them.  These boxes also have more complete details, such as number of pieces and full set numbering documentation.

LEGO Minecraft Launch Date Info... Er... Info!

LEGO Minecraft is coming - this much has already been established.  But when can we expect it?

LEGO LOTR Leak?

Yes I am aware that some people have leaked images of alleged LEGO Lord of the Rings sets - watermarked with "confidential" across them.  But out of respect to the LEGO Group's wishes, then, I have decided not to post pictures of them.  I believe that it is important to honour the LEGO Group in this matter, and in all honesty, I still wouldn't rule out that these aren't well made mock-ups.

Friends or Foes: LEGO and Play for Girls Part 3: It's All About Choice

This is the third part in a three part series of articles written to explore the current controversy brewing over the LEGO Friends line launched this year by The Lego Group.

So far in this examination of the LEGO Friends line, we have looked at the sets on their own, and also the history of how LEGO came to develop the line and the research behind the line.  In this final segment, we will look at LEGO's decisions surrounding marketing to girls and

Friends or Foes: LEGO and Play for Girls Part 2: LEGO's Strategic Shifts

This is the second part in a three part series of articles written to explore the current controversy brewing over the LEGO Friends line launched this year by The Lego Group.


Yesterday we looked at the basics of the LEGO Friends line - what the sets looked like, and how they stood on their own merits.

Today, we are going to look at the research, the marketing, and communications side of the story.

Friends or Foes: LEGO and Play for Girls Part 1: The Basics

This is the first in a three part series of articles written to explore the current controversy brewing over the LEGO Friends line launched this year by The Lego Group.

There's a LEGO war of bricks brewing - and this time, it's not the Pirates versus the Imperial Armada, Blacktron versus M-Tron, nor is it the Lion Knights versus the Dragon Knights.

This time the stakes are much higher, and the battleground is the play space of young girls and the new LEGO Friends line.  It is a topic I have been asked about frequently since the line was announced, as people, knowing my interest in LEGO, have approached me asking my opinion of 'why would LEGO do this?'

I have relented from writing about it because it is such a loaded subject.  There are so many facets to consider, and so many myths to untangle.  Further, I am somewhat removed from the discussion, in as much as I am not directly 'repressed' by the accusations, nor  do not work for LEGO, so I can not speak for LEGO, and I can not pretend that I know all of LEGO's reasons for developing this line.  But there has been much discussion and debate regarding this subject over the last month, so join me, if you are interested, in unpacking this dilemma.

LEGO Parliament Hill

For this year's Brickfete convention (Canada's LEGO convention), I have submitted the following structure - a LEGO version of Parliament Hill!  I was inspired to make a model of Parliament Hill for many reasons - mostly though, because I think it is a beautiful building, and an important Canadian landmark!More info (and photos) after the jump!

Some New Changes

So I have been making some adjustments around here.  This post is designed to test a couple of things out, as well as list what has been modified

The End of the Universe

After merely 15 months, LEGO Universe, the brick-themed MMO, shut down last night at midnight, citing too small of a subscriber base to support the costs and maintenance of the gaming world. In typical LEGO fashion, a very sensitively written and caringly worded response has been posted as an F.A.Q. to why the MMO is coming to a close.

My... Precious!

Thanks to the folks at Collider for putting together these excellent pics! Words are failing me right now...

More beneath the jump!

What A Cool Idea!

Although I already have quite a collection of humorous ice cube trays, there is always room for a LEGO themed tray as well.  Enter the image above!

Some Sweet LEGO Wheels

I Can't Think of a More Customizable Ride

Forwarded to me by a friend of mine - I think the source is here.  Perhaps James May from Top Gear has finally let his LEGO addiction take over the show entirely?

A New Champion

Capt. Kyle Ugone's LEGO Collection

So, according to a pair of articles, US Marine Captain Kyle Ugone has set a new LEGO world record.  But, not to diminish his collection, there is a catch!

LEGO Wedding

So after some prompting from a coworker/blogger friend of mine, I am putting up some photos of creations I have made in the past.  Specifically requested was this castle I had made.

Not only is it a castle, but also, a box for wedding cards (from my very own wedding, of course!)

Minecraft

Image credit: Michael Thoms flickr user: supermacho - by way of Wired!

So it looks like LEGO Minecraft is coming!

Yes, the game that has sucked hundreds thousands millions of hours of productivity away from men and women around the globe and fostered virtual engineering skills/undead battling finesse is making the transition from the screen to plastic.

'Figs In Spaaaaaaace!

Like the Muppets reference?

Okay - so this was something so amazing, that it has inspired me to create a second blog post today.

Two teenaged kids from my neck of the woods - well, Toronto area at least - have managed to send a LEGO minifigure to space!

Now, this isn't the first LEGO minifigure to be sent to space - as NASA had done this last year.  But to have such an amazing feat done by amateurs (and I mean that in the kindest, most professional way) is amazing!

You can find the source for  the video from the Toronto Star to see more, including actual footage from Near Space!

Man - now I REALLY feel like a LEGO slacker!

I Must Be Insane

Series 6 Minifigures

Why did I set that challenge for myself, this year of all years!?

Why's this year going to be more challenging for me?  Well, there's the awesome Series 6 and 7 minfigs being released this year, for one.  Those alone are making me envious of all the other collectors out there.

But even more than that - there are other sets coming out later this year that are going to drive me mad.

The 2012 Gramblorg Challenge

So as 2011 came to a close, my wife and I began a budgeting process.  Part of this process identified areas where we felt we had spent too much money in 2011.

My wife found her area, and me, I found mine.  LEGO.This did not create an argument, but a good discussion about how much LEGO does one person really need?