ChocolateFrogs

I was going to avoid this set, because I already have some cool Cuusoo sets on my shelf, but after watching this review I'm pretty convinced this is a cool collectors' thing to have. If I see this at the LEGO store I'll have to pick one up! -CF

BrickJournal is my favorite, and HispaBrick Magazine is also really well done. There are also plenty of LEGO blogs and vlogs to follow that keep you up to date with LEGO news, marketing, and interviews. -CF

I think I'll stick to instruction booklets and catalogs, as opposed to printing out pictures, because the quality of the image is higher. It all depends on what I have on hand, but the visuals you've linked to are pretty cool and things I would use depending on what I have. -CF

At $2, $5 for 3 is a deal! -CF

The LEGO button market is something that is truly lacking. I have some, I know some friends who have some, but I heard quite a few lamentations at BrickFair this year about how the lack of LEGO buttons is disappointing. It just so happens that a friend has a button maker, so we punched these out, and a few others, at WAMALUG after BrickFair: So who wants them? I think there's a real market for LEGO buttons at the BrickFair Yard Sale. $2 each, and deals if you get 5 or 10 or a large bunch. All kinds of themes, including whatever LEGO catalogs from the mid-2000s I have lying around contain. Except...what's the legality of selling these? They are LEGO's product images, yet I want to repurpose them for my own profit. Where do I start to figure it all out? (That said, PM me and I'll get you the Joker, Emmet, and Wyldsyle buttons for $5 (+ $2 shipping) and the Gandalf, Elrond, Urak-Hai and dead King for $8 (+ $2 shipping).) I have a handful of LotR/Hobbit instructions, some superhero stuff and some LEGO Movie stuff, plus a bit of Hero Factory and maybe a few other things. I also have some catalogs ranging from 2000 to 2013, including Rahkshi and Metru Nui, plus my own instructions dating back from the 90s to today and anything LUG members give me for the button endeavor. What kind of buttons do you want to see? These are an inch-and-a-quarter, which I think is perfect. -CF

Agreed. Especially since, despite "outgrowing" the magazine (it was basically just lots and lots of pictures advertising new sets), it was still great to see the new stuff and of course the free Bionicle comic. With the Bionicle rumor, I had been planning on joining the magazine again in case the comics came back. I haven't missed not having the magazine since my mid-college years, but now I would. Additionally, I'm going to echo xccj's comment about cutting off the magazine right when someone might be losing interest. Maybe receiving the magazine will keep them hooked. -CF

Price-fixing? I figure it's because of supply and demand, as Octodad posted. Maybe some price-fixing goes on at the convention vendors, but on Bricklink there are better chances of something going down because of more quantity available, otherwise everyone would have a specific fig at the same price. -CF

This would be an awesome accessory to have if/when I need to buy another flash drive. Unfortunately, I doubt these would compete monetarily with the same storage-sized normal flash drives, just because it's a special shape. I like PNY, but wouldn't spend more than $10 on a PNY or other flash drive of that capacity. -CF

I am blown away by the skill you've presented with these! I remember seeing your LotR stuff and other Castle things designed as sets, but this is even better than that! They are very believable as sets, both in build, colors, presentation and price. Furthermore, they are great MOCs in build, design, structure and appreciation for real-world examples. I'm bummed these weren't at BrickFair, especially since they would be so different next to standalone castles and the like. I'd love to see these in person. It was really fun playing with your functional trebuchets and catapults one year. This is such a unique idea--people have designed MOCs like sets, but you take it a step further. I feel like a few of those price points might be a bit off, like a $10 set with four minifigures, especially since you have some $13 sets, but one can dream. I figure sticking with the ten cents a piece ratio works well for this. Looking forward to year two! -CF (LEGO should hire you for the Castle line. You clearly know what you're doing.)

I find the speed-build segments take up time, and time is of the essence when maintaining attention on videos. At that speed, the building techniques can not be seen and it merely shows what gets built first, second, third--maybe. Text reviews usually (should) talk about any cool building techniques or tricky or cool aspects to building anyway, and may be noted in the video once examining the set once built. Does anyone else feel as I do? (Plus they eat up my camera's battery when I've done them for set reviews. Not beneficial in the review process.) I prefer the text reviews, though video reviews can be really fun too as they show the immediate reaction to a set and any play features in action. But the pictures are, IMO, the most important part of a review and then the text or video serve to enhance the review by talking about what I'm looking at. -CF

UPDATE: BrickFair display photos! It has been an ambition of mine to build as accurate of a Stargate as I could, and I'm ecstatic to finally have built one! Check out my topic in SBC to comment. My BrickShelf has a few more photos, and my Flickr has the pictures featured currently. This particular diorama is designed to fit right in with the Pharaoh's Labyrinth display at BrickFair VA 2014, as another portion of the Egyptian rooms leading to the pharaoh's tomb and treasure, such as the other two vignettes I've made. Speaking of, here is what it looked like with everything else! (And my TARDIS.) Next, I need some golf clubs to recreate the best episode ever! -CF

I'm going to have to check out this Spacesuit book. Two great sci-fi books I've read recently are Ready Player One and Redshirts, though I don't know if I'd read them again. Certainly fun, fast-paced, well-written books though, and worth the read! Maybe get them from the library instead of the bookstore. I'm with you on trying to avoid trilogies currently and enjoy some one-and-done stories. Single-stories I haven't read yet but are on my to be read list include the Star Wars book Scoundrels which is like Ocean's Eleven with Star Wars. There's The Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs which is the grandfather of Lord of the Rings and Star Wars (this might be at Barnes and Noble as a trilogy of the first three books, which might be a better deal than each one individually). I've heard Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson is amazing. Happy reading! -CF

BrickFair VA happened. You weren't there. Again. Anyway you're blog is great as usual.

So much cool stuff! This year my intent was to be more thrifty, but I'm realizing the downside to not seeking out great LEGO deals on the spot (because, aside from overpriced minifigs, there are a lot of deals). Next year will be different. -CF

It's especially neat seeing LEGO-ized versions of characters LEGO has yet to make real yet, like Frankenstein, John Stewart, and Stargirl (and Supergirl). I suppose this is what playing LEGO Batman 3 will be like! -CF

I strayed away from vendors most of the time (though next year I'm going to consciously allot some funds for sifting through parts bins for chunks of colors), but bought a few things that were on my mind and a few other things that popped out at the Yard Sale (non-vendors selling their stuff one/two evening(s)). Some of that was free, some of that was traded, and some of that was bought. Not a bad deal there though, and I'm happy with my yield. The crazy ax on the left is from Crazy Bricks' Munchkin stuff, as a prototype. Winners of my Munchkin card games Thursday afternoon also won a grey prototype piece! The specialty weapons are either from BrickArms (they have some cool sci-fi guns if you look past the young kids fawning over the military stuff), BrickForge, or BrickWarriors. I also got a Star Wars planet for a dollar, for another hot air balloon. I was also able to get a pack of the Studs trading cards which included a few favorite builders of mine, so that was a win! I don't know where that white smiley minifig head is from (help!), but I'm sure it's worth more than I paid for it. More BrickFair stuff to come! -CF

This year I've managed to build for ten different BrickFair themes. I was hoping for more, but time got the better of me. Still, I like my ten: -Bionicle -Space -Micro -Wind/ Air (this year's theme) -Pop Culture -Pharaoh's Labyrinth -Other -Mini-Con -Steampunk -Great Ball Contraption That said, my GBC module still has some kinks to work out and was not displayed. I'll continue to work on that, as well as some things for themes like Castle and Mosaic to display in even more themes next year! I better get building, but first I have some sorting to do. -CF

I've been ambiguously revealing my progress on this for the past few weeks, but here it is, my completed Great Ball Contraption module: Unfortunately it still has some kinks to work out. Luckily the GBC coordinator is a WAMALUG friend and very enthusiastic about the GBC, so is more that happy to help me and anyone else fix up their modules before the public arrives on Saturday. Will we get it fixed? I hope so, but at this point I wouldn't be surprised if we keep it hidden until next year. It's just caused me so much stress the past week trying to figure it all out, I've just stopped caring at this point and want to enjoy the Fair without dedicating my time to this. (I should have done something less ambitious for my first year.) But hey, who knows? Maybe he'll have the magic touch and help me fix it. -CF

I'd love to play Smash Up! Haven't played before, but it looks awesome! I'll be bringing Munchkin/Star Munchkin/Munchkin Apocalypse (All with various expansions), Settlers of Catan (with 6 player expansion), and Small World. In fact, I'm leading a Munchkin game at 1:30 on Thursday, with LEGO-Compatible Munchkin weapons as prizes! (Sign up on BrickFair's website.) I am very open to starting games during down time. -CF

I'm looking for the plain silver Hau from the Power Pack. The Chrome one is definitely more pricey. I'll give you both what you want for your silver Hau! See you at the Fair! -CF

Super! Excellent! The gold is a darker gold, before they switched to something lighter in 2003. You'll have to see for yourself. Yes, I'll bring all my masks to BrickFair. -CF

It has been an ambition of mine to build as accurate of a Stargate as I could, and this summer I finally had the pieces I believed necessary to complete this goal. Without further ado, I present the central object of the television franchise Stargate: SG-1 that began twenty years ago in 1994 with the movie Stargate: My BrickShelf has a few more photos, and my Flickr has the pictures featured currently. This particular diorama is designed to fit right in with the Pharaoh's Labyrinth display at BrickFair VA 2014, as another portion of the Egyptian rooms leading to the pharaoh's tomb and treasure, such as the other two vignettes I've made. Stargate SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis and Stargate Univserse were some excellent television shows that ran on Starz and Sci-Fi/Syfy channel, about military explorers that used the Stargate to open up a portal to another Stargate on a planet elsewhere in our galaxy (and later across the universe). Traveling on expeditions for 17 seasons and a few movies, they have stopped several alien threats to Earth and other civilizations. There is quite a bit of Egyptian mythology used, and later on Norse and Arthurian Legend is also revealed to have been key factors in Earth and its conflict with other races. A science fantasy show like this is worth checking out! Speaking of BrickFair, here is what it looked like with everything else! (And my TARDIS.) Next, I need some golf clubs to recreate the best episode ever! -CF

Not bad. Looks very swooshable! -CF

Hi all! I'm looking to trade some Kanohi at BrickFair! If you're going, we can do these trades in-person and save us some money shipping things to each other. (After BrickFair I may choose to keep trading online.) What I want: Red Kakama (This is my #1 priority) Green Hau Black Kakama Black Akaku Black Hau Silver Hau Silver Kakama White Pakari What I'm trading: Gold Hau Brown Miru Trans-clear Kaukau Tan Rau Lime Green Huna Brown Pakari Nuva Blue Akaku Nuva Green Akaku Nuva Silver Avohkii (x2) White Akaku Trans-blue Kaukau Red Hau Black Pakari Nuva (x2) Red Hau Nuva Dark Red Great Huna Black Great Ruru Blue (regular) Huna Black/Silver Huna from Tehutti Dark Green/Silver Matatu from Orkahm I hope to see you at BrickFair so we can make some deals! I'll be hanging out with the BZPower crowd, as well as leading the Wind/Air theme table. -CF

Ug, it just keeps getting more challenging to make this thing work. But that's the point, isn't it? -CF