Jump to content
  • entries
    1,486
  • comments
    7,215
  • views
    436,539

Entries in this blog

BrickLink Store Back Open!

Hey! Long time no blog.   After a short hiatus, my BrickLink store is back open!   Mention BZPower and get 10% off!   More stock coming next week!   -CF

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Meeting the CEO of LEGO

BrickFair New England (AKA Massachusetts) happened a few weeks ago, and hoo boy was there much going on! I easily doubled the amount of sets in my "to be built" pile--and didn't pay for any of them! That's the power of playing games and volunteering. I also met a few new people that will be good to see again at BFVA. Plenty of inspiring MOCs and fun ideas.   But what really stood out was meeting all the LEGO Group folks that came to visit from Enfield, CT, which is pretty close by. I met a few p

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Anniversary AMA

Almost let this slip by... but my BZPower anniversary is here! I've been on BZPower for more than half my life. Wow!   So, ask me anything.   -CF

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Getting Rid of Bionicle Canisters

I've had my Bionicle pieces stored in bags for years now, and the canisters they came in are taking up space. Does anyone want them? Let's say $1 each plus shipping.       Message me.   -CF

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Half my Life is on BZPower

I've heard a few other members talk about this important milestone, and at BrickFair VA this year I realized I had accomplished the same thing: Over half of my life has been on BZPower.   How ridiculous is that?!?! For the amount of time I've been alive, more than half of that time has been deeply invested in the discussion of a particular LEGO theme, connecting with others who share that passion, meeting them, keeping in touch, and caring for everyone that has made an impression. Half. Of. My.

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Baltimore Comic Con '16

Baltimore Comic Con happened last weekend, and I went with 55555 to join in comic merriment, find some deals on comics, and meet Bionicle comic artists Stuart Sayger and Pop Mhan.   We succeeded in all three.     When it comes to the comics, I found some deals on Skottie Young variant covers! I didn't think I'd be able to afford the Young variant for Doctor Strange, but it was only $3.33! I also got Charles Soule to sign the She-Hulk variant, which was an awesome run and ended too soon. And whe

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

BrickFair by the Numbers

Number of sets obtained for little to no money: 8 (give or take)   Number of half-filled gallon bags holding free/cheap parts: 5   Number of free assorted Zamor obtained: 221   Amount of money made at the yard sale: More than I expected, honestly. And then I spent 2/3 of it that same night!   Number of photos taken: 365   Average cost per meal: $10 (Breakfast cereal is your friend)   Amount of MOCs brought: Lost count. At least 12.   Times I won Fibbage: 1   Times I absolutely lost it playing Qu

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Meet the Fleet

Quite a while ago I posted about all the tiny spaceship sets I have that LEGO has made. Micro-sized (and one midi-scale) starfighters, pod racers, and more adorn my shelf. That collection has grown, and it's time I show off my extended fleet of micro-models. They are mostly Star Wars, with the Tumbler being the exception. I also didn't put the midi-scale Star Destroyer in the picture because it doesn't technically count, plus it is hard to get to at the moment.     But I was in a filming mood w

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Mosaic Evolution

I've been doing Bionicle-themed mosaics ever since I collaborated with xccj and Nukaya back in 2010. At that point we had a handful of members on our side, mailing in pieces even if they weren't attending BrickFair.     We've since made a few more mosaics via collaboration, but a constant has been the base I've displayed them on.   In 2010 it was two plywood boards that would fit 3 baseplates by 3 baseplates.   In 2011 it was combined and trimmed into a long 2x6 board:     Then in 2013 it was

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Big Fig Invasion

I seem to have accidentally amassed a small collection of LEGO big figs:     It's an odd bunch, towering over minifigs. But man, they look so cool! It's almost enough to make me want Mungus, Dogshank, and a Wampa, though not enough to make me shell out the cash. But it might be a new addiction.   -CF

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Famous for a Day

Ever see tabloid headlines or hear a gossip news clip about some celebrity you normally would never hear of because they aren't in a band or movie? Somehow "celebrities" get all the press without having done anything to garner your attention? Yet somehow they get followed around and sometimes paid for all the focus.   Now, I can just as easily ignore gossip as the next person who doesn't care, but sometimes things enter my field of vision. Which gets me thinking, why them? Who decided that this

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Death Star Roll II

Remember quite a few years ago when Binkmeister did a Death Star Roll at BrickCon?*   Let's do that again at BrickFair VA! Except it won't be someone's sacrificed Death Star set. We'll build a sphere out of Stay and Play bricks and find a slope somewhere to roll it down. Maybe put the finishing touches on it at Adult Swim when everyone is already riled up and ready to see something wild.   Let's remember this post in July right as we're ready for BFVA.   -CF *IDK if it was even his or at BrickC

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Dust Free

Displaying LEGO is always tricky, because dust is very annoying. It's something I constantly worry about with my displays on my shelf, because it is so very annoying to remove. It just looks ugly on display. While my plan is to use model car cases for things like the DeLorean and Curiosity Rover, and some big clear cases for minifigs to grandstand on, I would rather have a few figs stand out. I have some cases, but that's still not good enough. Things can be touched easily, and I am always rotat

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Best Sets of 2015

It's still early enough in 2016 to reflect on 2015, so let's talk about great LEGO sets from last year.   Specifically, I will be drawing from my own building experiences. Admittedly, regrettably, I still have a few 2015 sets unbuilt. I don't want to become the AFOL stereotype of having hordes of boxes of unbuilt sets. These are not yet built because I thought I'd review them and then I never did and then I realized that Jurassic World sets and Quicksilver's Avengers set would never be on store

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Posing Heroically

LEGO sure has a great thing going on with the new Nexo Knights line. I've already bought $110 worth of sets, and I don't think I even spent that much on Chima and I certainly didn't on Ninjago. But these Knights are something different entirely: They've got the sci-fi aspect which I love mixed in with the Castle theme I respect and want to eventually build. Plus all the new parts look fantastic! I would have bought more Ninjago and Chima sets if I wanted their parts (I might get some steampunk n

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Christmas Carols

I enjoy hearing some festive songs on the radio for about a month every year. But what I am getting tired of is the feel of the same old Christmas standards sung by the same standard artists from a few decades ago. I know there is a larger variety out there, just look at my Christmas music collection, but I wish the radio would realize this too.   Now, I realize the radio has some newer things. Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights is a good laugh whenever it's played. The Waitresses have their Chri

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Spoils of War

And by "war" I mean running a Bionicle event by myself for 30 children.     Unfortunately, I didn't get any leftover purple limbs. But I got plenty of trans-green and keetorange shells, which means I won't have to buy a second Protector of Jungle (though should BrickLink some of his swords).   Of course, parting out this grab-bag of leftovers makes me think I need to sort out my Bionicle collection again before I actually put these to use. I've got a box full of scrapped MOCs to disassemble b

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Filler Words

Working retail, I interact with a lot of people. More than I'd care to on a daily basis. And people, as a whole, seem to like to talk a lot. Again, more than I'd care to let my ears hear. So, the less words said the better, right?   One thing that I really can not stand is the phrase "you know" when describing something. It's as bad as "like," "um," and "uh," when it comes to filler. Something involuntary to cause a pause when your brain can't quite put the right words in order in conversation.

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Imagination Situation

Today I participated in a LUG display at a local museum's Halloween event (I went as The Eleventh Doctor, btw). It was plenty fun displaying MOCs and interacting with the public, as it always is. But there was something about the way people looked at the creations that seemed a little short-sighted: They couldn't reach their creativity past licensed themes.   Example One: The Rancor. I displayed a six-module long Pharaoh's Labyrinth, including a hollow pyramid with a tomb and an excavation attac

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Costume Time!

Help! I can't choose what costumes to wear for Halloween celebrations!   I'll be wearing one on Saturday for a Halloween LEGO event, and then I'll need two costumes for BrickFair public hours next week.   I've got three options: Eleventh Doctor, Indiana Jones, and Jayne Cobb. Jayne works best for Saturday because I know I'll be more comfortable in a t-shirt. It works best overall because I have a trimmed/maintained beard, but I'll ignore that feature for the other two. But the Eleventh is also e

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Comic Con of Weekends Past

Last weekend was Baltimore Comic Con, and I attended with a BZPower Press Pass on my shirt and comics in my backpack. I hung out with 55555 on Friday and went solo on Saturday. Both days I had a blast, got many autographs, bought some stuff, and attended some fun panels. (And I interviewed Bionicle's Pop Mhan.)   And just as I was hoping, I got to meet Charles Soule again, and Greg Pak and Mark Waid finally. They're all really cool, and some of the panels I attended featured them.   Unlike New Y

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Baltimore Comic Con Cometh

Baltimore Comic Con is coming this weekend, and I am getting more and more pumped with anticipation with each day!   On Friday I'll be hanging out with 55555, and on Saturday I'll be going solo unless a friend actually replies to my texts.   There are plenty of exciting panels happening, so it's just a matter of if I can get in to see the awesome comic creators talk. So I guess it's a matter of getting in line in time. There's a talk about the 90s X-Men series New Mutants, one about comics as my

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Buy in My BrickLink!

I've had a BrickLink account for quite some time, and a BrickLink store for a few years too, but now I can confidently say I have an intriguing amount of parts to make something of it.   Not like huge, just a respectable size for my needs and parts.   So please, check out Chocolate Froggy Pieces and buy buy buy!   I've just added some Bionicle parts there and hope to add some more System parts soon. And I've recently put in some Star Wars figs that are marked as NEW--heck, I still haven't taken

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

Rhymes with Bubble

Great things come in pairs. (That's a thing, right?) This year has been a good year for doubles for me. Double Green Lantern sets in January (for this), double Jurassic World helicopters in July (one a gift!), and most recently double San Diego Comic Con Trans-Neon Green Skull Scorpio masks!     Yes, they all looked super-cool at BrickFair (my second convention of the year, but that double might turn into a triple in October), so I checked eBay again and found a great deal on two! (I'll be sell

ChocolateFrogs

ChocolateFrogs

×
×
  • Create New...