As our journey through 40222 Christmas build up continues, it is probably inevitable that some models got a little similar. I initially thought I was rebuilding the bridge from the 14th, however this is on fact a very different building. A castle on a mountaintop perhaps.
There are towers of differing heights, a rocky, winding road (mmmmm….rocky road), and a few trees around the foothills. So many details in a 4×4 base. Another great micro scale build.
Play Well
This is the third green and black steam train produced by the LEGO Group as part of a set over the last few years. Each has a different scale:
The first is Emerald Express(31015), a creator three in one set from 2014. With six wheels and a green and red, almost Christmas like colour scheme, you may be forgiven for thinking it was intended to be a prototype for the holiday train. One of the alternative builds is for a carriage in similar livery.
Our next train to consider is the Holiday train from 2016. This minifigure scale train is transporting a Christmas tree that spins as the train moves.
Based on the color scheme, I presume that our micro build of the day is a micro scale version of the Emerald Express. Rather than a coal filled tender however, it appears to be transporting a couple of Christmas trees. Once again reminding us of the Holiday train.
This is a fantastic micro representation of a couple of trains presented in other scales in recent years. It’s simplicity is refreshing and you exactly what is supposed to be… which, after some of the brick built animals, is a little refreshing.
Play well!
Today we have another brick built creature. I am going to make the call, and declare it a cat …or a brushtail possum. But I don’t think it really matters. If there is one thing that the Christmas buildup 40222 has reminded me, it is that there is a need to use your imagination when building with bricks. Lego city and minifigure scale is all very well when you have your creatures, pets and animals predefined with an independent mold, but to put things together from scratch, and to interpret what others have built takes a little imagination. Through the creatures that we have brick built with this set, we have seen a number of different techniques for building animal faces, years, posture, legs and tails. I love the way that the eyes position here makes you think the cat(possum?) has a great big grin on its face!
Play well.
Attention!
Toy soldiers seem to have their own place in the mythic surrounding the magic of Christmas, from tales of toys coming to life to the nutcracker suite.
This Toy Soldier (5004420) appeared as a Gift with Purchase in November 2016 in various jurisdictions. With 34 pieces, he also has a small blue bag, secured with a gold ribbon for our soldier to retire to during the off season.
This is another example of Mixel eye tiles adding great character to the figure. I also love the use of the modified plate with 2 bars as a moustache!
There is limited pose-ability in the arm. I am fond of the official LEGO Gold String included!
Another quick and easy build, which is what you need during the frantic period that defines family tree decorating.
For a simple and effective design, as well as relevance to the Christmas theme, I give this build a score of 5 out of 5 arbitrary praise units.
Play well
With around 30 pieces today’s build certainly packs a lot in. We appear to have a bridge, and if I were a betting man (I may or may not be a betting man: I will leave that to your judgement), I would put my money on it being Venice or somewhere like it. The arches provide a place for small turrets, handrails and plants to be placed. Although slightly out of scale, A duck watches on. This is a great build that which reminders what can be done with a handful of pieces.
Just a small robot. NOT a Tiny Robot™®.
This is a small build of fourteen pieces, particularly those which may be considered spare after a major build – table scrap.
Four offset plates, two SNOT bricks and a selection of small plates and tiles, it looks like the latest toy, waiting to be wrapped and tucked under the tree.
Not the most stable of the builds to dates, but it reminds us that a few interesting pieces can go together for an interesting build.
Three out of five Arbitrary Praise Units.
Play Well.
I just put together this little Christmas decoration that I picked up at Billund Airport early this year. It is 853574: Christmas Ornament Reindeer. But it just as easily be well be 850852: Christmas Ornament Reindeer from 2013. Both pieces feature a bauble containing a brick built reindeer. Both have 21 pieces. Both have a white radar dish that slots into the hemispheres of the decoration. The reindeer is simple to put together. In fact opening up the decoration took longer. The ribbon is red, with gold thread along either edge and with 2×4 bricks/plates printed along its length. I suspect they are essentially the same build.
The hemispheres are held together with three sticky dots, and contains a cardboard standup with a picture of the completed build on, an instruction leaflet and a small bag containing all the parts. There is no need to untie the ribbon to open the decoration.
Construction is simple, with use of a droid body as the basis of the head of the reindeer. The use of a reddish brown curved brick gives a feeling of movement. The default nose colour is black, but I felt contractually obliged to substitute a red one in.
It hangs nicely in the tree, but the shadows make it difficult to photograph. It will make an appearance on the @ramblingbrick Instagram feed once I capture a decent one of it on the tree.
This is a quick, simple build, which didn’t detract too much from the family activity of decorating the tree. The thematic material is good, and the final appearance is awesome. 4 out of five arbitrary praise units.
Today we have a small home to build: 4×4 studs at the base, and 4 bricks high, this red roofed house features some neat plate work, with clear plates as windows… or are they eyes? the more I look at this house, the more I think it looks like Santa Claus would look if he were a house…
It is a neat looking tidy house, and not especially wintery in appearance, but the colour scheme is just perfect.
Another nifty mini build, this one packs a lot into just 35 small pieces.
Addendum: the last step of this build is on the back page of the instruction book… I overlooked it. Now I present… house with lamp post.
Play well!
Day 11: Tree-mendous
And so I am now presenting the Christmas Buildup 40333 in real time. Today we have a Christmas Tree. I have had Christmas trees on my mind lately, due to a little side project at the scout group. So, lets review what we know:
Built around a core of bricks with studs on 4 sides, with some 1×1 round plates to fill the gaps, this is an almost entirely SNOT (Studs Not On Top) built tree.
New Christmas Tree designs are produced at a remarkable rate in LEGO® sets. Here are some of the highlights from Advent calendars. as well as other sets, over the last few years (However,I won’t include those from 2016 because…spoilers.):
Day Nine: time for a snack
Candy cane- this is a very simple build, with elegant fine red striping and a red bow. If I were to get carried away, I might try to make the cane a little more round, with some cheers slopes…. hang on
Day 10:The jokes are unbearable
I am coming to love the little creature builds- the alternative ways to detail the face: differing eye prints, ear and nose style and a new design of legs. This bear is plainly getting set for hibernation as winter sets in. I love his nose.
I think this almost has us caught up… Enjoy building up to Christmas.
Play well
