ADVERT
Lifestyle1 min(s) read
Published 15:42 16 Dec 2019 GMT
There is no better toy on this planet than LEGO. Whether you're a child or an adult, there's no controlling your hands when there's LEGO in front of you. There's just no denying that the fun you can have with LEGO is endless, as you are only limited by your imagination.
Since the Lego Group began manufacturing the interlocking toy bricks all the way back in 1949, the brand has seen toys, movies, video games, and six Legoland amusement parks improve life as we know it.
This disabled doggo had a custom-built wheelchair made out of LEGO:
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Now, one company on Etsy is offering what could be the greatest personalized gift you can buy this Christmas!
That's right, LittleBrickLane is offering a custom-built miniature version of your home made out of LEGO.
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Writing on her Etsy profile, the online store's owner Shari Austrian says: "Architectural design and Lego construction complement each other so nicely. I thank my children for reintroducing me to Lego and my husband for supporting my creative passions. I thank you for allowing me to help build your dreams."
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And with a 5/5 customer review rating, you know you're going to be getting a decent product. One happy customer wrote:
"We were so pleased with Little Brick Lane and its proprietor. The model, a replica of our beach house, exceeded expectations. The composition, scale and detail were perfect. She was in contact with us throughout the process, confirming details and updating on status, and understood that the replica was as much sentimental as it was fun. She was so invested in making its unveiling a memorable experience. She is just one of those very special people that wanted her customer experience to be extraordinary, and it was! The entire process was the best it could be. I would hire her again in a minute and recommend her highly to everyone!"
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And another five-star reviewer typed:
"The end product was amazing. It came out even better than expected. Shari's attention to detail and professionalism was beyond reproach. It is such a unique and special gift idea. It was so awesome to see what our home is going to look like."
I don't know about you, but I know exactly what I'm asking for this Christmas! Check out Shari's online store HERE.
uncategorised3 min(s) read
Published 12:51 02 Nov 2017 GMT
lifestyle2 min(s) read
Published 15:02 12 Jun 2020 GMT
When I was a kid, I dreamed of having my own playhouse or treehouse - reminiscent of the ones I'd see in my favorite TV shows. Somewhere I could escape to and build my own life - maybe get the wiring sorted and hook up my game consoles.
Sadly the furthest I ever got was having sleep in my grandparents' garage one Christmas... Nodding off next to my grandad's power tools was hardly the Richie Rich experience I was after.
However, if you're looking to spoil your little ones, why not treat them to their very own mini-mansion for the backyard?
Introducing the Grand Portico Mansion playhouse for children.
This lavish playhouse was created by The Little Cottage Company, who are experts at creating miniature play homes for children. And seriously, the Grand Portico Mansion is so extra, I'd genuinely live in it if I could.
Per the product's official description, the playhouse boasts a "rich architectural design" and "has the classic styling of today's most notable homes, scaled down to the perfect size for kids."
The mini-mansion is constructed in the US with Amish craftsmanship and comes in a panelized kit that is primed and ready for paint.
The Grand Portico Mansion playhouse also includes 22 fully-working 14 x 21 windows with safety glass and screens; 4 stately columns, a loft area with ladder, a child-sized front door, an adult-sized French door at back, and 10 flower boxes.
But this premium gift does come with a premium price tag, and will set you back $11,235 (which is nothing compared to my inner-city rent, so I genuinely may just buy one for myself).
But if this is a little out of your budget, The Little Cottage Company has plenty of incredible playhouses, such as:
The Little Cottage Chapel for $2,454:
The Stratford Schoolhouse for $2,898:
And the incredible Sara's Victorian Mansion for $6,115:
Seriously, where were these incredibly playhouses when I was a kid! I never would have moved out!
lifestyle2 min(s) read
Published 19:26 12 May 2019 GMT
Pretty much all of us played with Lego at some point during our childhood, from small shapes and experiments to larger, more intricate structures that left parents cursing as they stepped on the pieces. But some people kept going well past that point, until they started to build some incredibly complicated creations.
Two men recently spent weeks making a full-size replica of a Volkswagen T2 Bulli camper van, and it looks incredible. Legobuilder Rene Hoffmeister (of of the 12 certified LEGOmodel builders across the world) and his colleague Pascal Lenhard painstakingly put it together using 400,000 Lego bricks - ensuring the finished product was insanely detailed.
The duo reportedly spent six weeks straight working on the project, before it was revealed at the German leisure and tourism fair F.re.e last week in Munich. The incredible creation includes working headlights, an easy access step and a kitchen unit inside - coming with its own resident Lego spider.
The details go so far there's even a toothbrush and toothpaste set in a washbag, and pictures adorning the walls inside.
The 1,543 lb campervan matches the dimensions of 1967 original, and even includes that classic pop-up roof. It also beat the world record for largest Lego camper van ever made, hitting 197 inches long, 75 inches wide, and 118 inches tall. Yet the project didn't go ahead quite as planned, project manager Daniel Keppler revealed.
"With the help of 3D programs, the two builders created a construction plan in advance, from which the exact quantity of bricks required was calculated. The stiffness of the side walls and windows was decisive in order to guarantee stability later.
"The first brick was set quickly, and the start went without a hitch. However, around three weeks into the project 20,000 transparent bricks for the windows of the Bulli were missing and all constructions were stopped for a short time. In spite of the exact pre-planning the two model builders got into time stress, so that the missing time could only be made up by night shifts and weekend work."
"Essentially, we would have needed a nine-day week," Hoffmeister said of the hectic schedule "However, as they don't exist, the only option was night shifts."
"For the model builders, this meant 'playing' with LEGO bricks from morning to night and on weekends. The effort was worth it," Keppler continued. "In the end, the LEGO camper van was on time. The details of the camper van are mind blowing. Even the refrigerator is filled with things of daily camper life - of course made of LEGO."
With this level of craftmanship on display, who knows what this Lego builder team could create in the future!
lifestyle1 min(s) read
Published 14:31 05 Sep 2020 GMT
Lego and Harry Potter go together very much hand-in-glove these days, thanks largely to the altogether excellent - albeit a little bizarre - Lego Harry Potter video games.
Yes, put the boy wizard's name in front of seemingly anything and Potter heads the world over - this one included - will flock to get involved with whatever is on offer.
It may have been more than 20 years since the first Harry Potter book was released, but passion for the series and the wider wizarding world remains undimmed even after all this time.
These grandparents built an incredible Harry Potter-themed fortress:
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Seven books, eight movies, a spinoff franchise and numerous theme parks later, Harry Potter mania is ubiquitous and shows no real signs of slowing down anytime soon.
And if you can't get enough of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Hogwarts, then this Christmas you could be in for a real treat, as Lego is selling a Harry Potter advent calendar to help you celebrate the run up to the festivities.
Featuring 335 Lego pieces that combine to make 24 magical gift builds, alongside six mini figurines and other well known objects from the movies.
The mini figures include Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Padma Patil, Parvati Patil and Cho Chang.
As Christmas Day draws closer, your creation will get more and more impressive and well populated, and eventually you'll be able to bring iconic scenes like the Yule Ball to life.
A product description for the advent calendar reads:
"Celebrate Christmas in the Wizarding World with this magical LEGO Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2020 (75981) Christmas gift set. Behind each of the 24 doors is a different toy or figure from the Harry Potter series. As the big day gets closer, kids can recreate increasingly larger Hogwarts holiday scenes – including the amazing Yule Ball!
"Combine the 24 advent calendar gifts to relive favourite scenes from the Harry Potter movies, role-play stories and create new adventures. The calendar contains minifigures – including Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Padma Patil, Parvati Patil and Cho Chang – and buildable models, such as a miniature Beauxbaton’s carriage and a dining table with ice castle centrepiece."
The age recommendation for the product is 7+, but that doesn't stop older Potter fans getting involved.
design2 min(s) read
Published 18:32 29 Dec 2018 GMT
There's no doubt that Lego is one of the best toys ever made; it's versatile, cute, accessible, and continues to appeal to kids and adults alike. When I was a child it was my favourite toy, and I could spend hours raking through my large box of assorted brick and pieces, trying to find just the right one to construct some complex project or other. And as an adult? Well, I'll let you guys in on a little secret: I love it just as much.
Seriously, I wasn't worried about being judged for playing with a toy, I would probably spend my money on even more of those sets - and probably bankrupt myself because it doesn't come cheap. Still, I know it would ultimately be worth it: there are some new Star Wars sets that my past self would have killed to play with, and the new Lego movies have been pretty damn decent as well (with a sequel on the way soon).
But one of the bad things about Lego is that, like many toys, they're almost entirely made of plastic, which is a bit of a sticking point for environmentalists. As we know, the oceans are currently filling up with plastic waste, to the point where the bellies of many sea creatures are filled with plastic garbage.
However, now the Lego company has announced their plans to help to save the planet in their own way, and have pledged that all of their products will be manufactured from sustainable, green materials or recycled sources by the year 2030. The Danish company took steps towards this goal this year, by introducing plastic blocks made of plant-based materials in the shape of plants, out of 98 per cent biodegradable polyethylene, made from sugar cane.
Commenting on the eco-friendly move, Tim Brooks, Vice President, Environmental Responsibility at the LEGO Group, stated: "At the LEGO Group we want to make a positive impact on the world around us, and are working hard to make great play products for children using sustainable materials. We are proud that the first LEGO elements made from sustainably sourced plastic are in production and will be in LEGO boxes this year. This is a great first step in our ambitious commitment of making all LEGO bricks using sustainable materials."
He added: "LEGO products have always been about providing high-quality play experiences giving every child the chance to shape their own world through inventive play. Children and parents will not notice any difference in the quality or appearance of the new elements, because plant-based polyethylene has the same properties as conventional polyethylene."
It's good that future generations of kids will be able to play with Lego blocks guilt-free, knowing that the planet will be that little bit safer. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an X-Wing fighter to go construct.