Happy Holidays from FriendsBricks!

Along for the Ride!

   Getting from point A to point B in Heartlake City requires creativity!
   With streets, parks, a lake, beaches, mountains, and skyline airspace -- Friends have lots of ways to enjoy being along for the ride.
   For our November building challenge, FriendsBricks members have built various modes of transportation to share with you.  Imagine yourself in any of these sweet rides!


We need to make sure tracks are clear from snow in this season!  Mia's rotary snow plow with motorized blades created by dr_spock_888 will certainly get the job done.  There's even a video of it in action.


Before the snow reaches another part of the city, going out for a spin we see Mia's Roadster by Bricksky.  Whether she is cruisin' by the lake or heading to the cafe, Mia always takes a friend along for the ride!


No weather, buildings or terrain are getting in the way of this Friends Heartlake Troublemecha by Toto Hermanto along the way to ... Robotics class?  Or perhaps Mechanics 101?


Olivia also took a course in mechanics as she is cruising high over Heartlake City in her stylin' Dragon Flyer by Bricksky.  Who hasn't imagined riding on a Dragonfly?


When Olivia is in a hurry, she takes her Vic Viper!  Since it's also NoVVember, a month of creations honoring the memory Nnenn, a LEGO builder missed by his fans, Bricksky created a 'Friendly' one.


Meanwhile on the heart-shaped lake ... it's not a luxury cruiser, yet a trawler built by dr_spock_888 that makes getting to the right spot for Heartlake fishing fun, safe and efficient!


Anna uses her Tractor around the yard and to help out with pulling floats in local parades!  Bricksky built this and demonstrates it pulling a float along for a ride in a collaboration build with Mrs. Sky.


Mia's attack helicopter by dr_spock_888.  It is equipped with dual 30mm auto cannons and quad flick-fire missiles.  Luckily the Dragonflyer and Friendly Viper are both impervious to ballipstick missiles.


Even ghosts travel in Heartlake City -- well, ghosts for gamers that is:  If Stephanie isn't playing Halo most likely you will find her out and about in her Ghost built by Bricksky. 


These girls like to race their Mongoose Quads at the beach for fun.  They especially love to get some air time!  Bricksky built Friends Beach Bunny Quad Race to show another way to go along for a ride!


Public transport is the way to go for those girls (and boys) who don't get to have their own car.  Heartlake Bus Company bus built by Kristel takes three passengers sitting and a few more standing.


A Smart Car is another way 'smart' Friends get where they need to go.  Jane's little car (Jane is 6 years old) created and built by wayneallen's daughter is super efficient for city parking!


Audrey's two story car (Audrey is 8 years old) was built so more friends can come along for the ride.  This car by wayneallen's daughter also gives passengers a great view of Heartlake City!


A red Mini-Cooper built by wayneallen is another way to make parking at any Heartlake City spot easy & quick.  It helps leave more room at the City Park Cafe parking lot for sure!


For when Friends are in a hurry, wayneallen created a Friends Formula One Racer.  This could also give others an idea for building a Heartlake City racetrack.  Instead of point A to B, it would be laps.


Looking like it came from the Friends Advent Calendar just in time for the seasonal snow, dr_spock_888 built a Friends Snowmobile for riding along Heartlake City areas that haven't been plowed yet.


Riding a Pegasus may be the ultimate imaginative transportation above the clouds of Heartlake City, and tonistokes529 created her vision by working through the challenges of building with LEGO bricks.
We're glad she did! :-)
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October's building challenge entries

Halloween Harvest Creations

Here are some treats from FriendsBricks Halloween building challenge -- 

the trick is to find every clever detail & technique these builders

used from their LEGO vaults.

Of course we need pumpkins for carving Jack-O-Lanterns.

This front-loading tractor by dr_spock_888 helps Friends gather them for the Harvest from a farm just outside Heartlake City.

Carving pumpkins into decorations for porches, Kristel sets the mood for the fun events on October 31st.  Emma & Mia just need to get them into the wheel barrel, then get their costumes on!  

"Ding~dong!"  You know what that means?  Bricksky has created a neighborhood home's yard packed with costumed Trick-or-Treaters!

I do wonder what's in that basement ...

Here is a view from inside the home with clever decorative lights straight from Middle Earth!

Who is dressed as Iron Man ... Stephanie perhaps?

For more views of the festive Halloween happenings in that neighborhood by Bricksky, please visit the photo set here.

In the early days, people wore masks to hide from the ghosts of those souls long past.  Now that dressing in full costume is a global cultural tradition, it's fun to see all these variants Bricksky created by using Mini-Doll Friends and bits from other LEGO themes & sets!

These combinations are candy for the eyes of any LEGO fan.

   May you harvest the spirit of building-inspiration from these creations.

~~

Corner Room Views

   A view into a room is always nice at a corner angle.  These entries for September's Building Challenge: Corner Room are certainly nice!  With so many LEGO sets offering modular construction, this a is good way to build skills to personalize any set or bucket of bricks.  Friends bricks offer a refreshing array of detailed, multi-use bricks & pieces, as well as colors found throughout our daily lives!

Creating "My Happy Place" based on her own Office/Photo Studio, Renatta_R gives us a glimpse behind-the-scenes of a LEGO fan. Building is just one aspect; getting the lighting just right for photography is another skill. Combine the two for sharing MOCs and it's creativity squared! 

At this point, the Friends bricks and other LEGO system bricks complement each other so well, it's a seamless blend.

~

"The Lego Room" is another example of how passionate fans are! The amount of resources, time & effort merely sorting bricks into accessible storage containers is dedication. Then building such a clever representation of the very activity is inspiring for all who view it. Even though fujiia was a LEGO fan before, Friends has ignited her creativity to the next level!

~

Kids and families playing with LEGO is a typical activity 

around the world, yet wayneallen's entry was built by 

his Daughter as depicting herself and her sister playing with their LEGO bricks in the middle of their Living Room floor. The wonderful details and lively scene she created is a 

perfect picture of LEGO Friends fans!

~

One great way to get ready for LEGO building is muscle-building 

as dr_spock_888 has keenly created in his "Friends Exercise Room" 

where Mia lifts weights, while Emma rides the stationary bike and Andrea can sip Lemonade 'while' lifting free-weights! This room could be part of any number of places in Heartlake City -- the school, Olivia's House, or maybe the new Beach House.

~

While building "My Favourite Room" Kristel pulled from her memory of times when she was a girl.  She shares with us how using bricks as a creative medium, we are able to transcend time and place while evoking an emotional connection to real life. It's hard to resist drifting to thoughts of our 

own room as a child when we look at all these flawless details.

~

Results from last Building Challenge: MOD Month

MOD Set MOCs

   Modifying a set with personalized builder tweaks -- as long as the original set remains easily recognized -- is a fun way to build out-of-the-box while also transitioning to a MOC (My Own Creation).  It's called a MOD.  We have creations from this month's building challenge: MOD Month.

The second story modification to Heartlake High by tikitikitembo retains the classic school look while adding more room and a solid roof.  The front pavement looks very inviting with an inlaid tile pattern and designated spaces for flora.

There are clever bike racks to keep walkways clear for students to socialize.

~

A room was built around Mia's Karate Studio by KPowers67 for easier transport as a playset, or to fit into a larger creation.  The lovely tiled floor and Ninja screens as windows carry this from mere set to MOD!

Did you notice the Sensei watching her Karate moves?

~

Several sets modified into modules by Kristel for Andrea's Place creates a playable, yet more organized way to display each design.  Since this MOD is also Modular, it's easier to enjoy the various activities!

When not visiting Marie in the City Park Cafe or hanging out in her Bedroom, Andrea can practice her piano skills near near her Stage and beautiful windows!
~
Creations from previous Building Challenge: Time~Warp

EV3-ized Dolphin Cruiser

Anika Vuurzoon motorized the LEGO Friends Dolphin Cruiser and she has created "leaping" Dolphins with the latest LEGO robotics kit "EV3" of the Mindstorms category.  Watch it in action!



Great job showing your creative and technical skills, Anika!

Time~Warp MOC parade!

   From Friends Bricks' first community Building Challenge "Time~Warp"
we have some creations to parade past you!
They are concepts (using ~150 bricks) these builders would have liked as a LEGO Friends set when they were 10 years old.

Bricksky built a Friends-style "Big Rig" truck -- which just happens to be pulling a "Beach Party Float" leading off this parade!  There's no doubt this is a fun Heartlake City event; the color-scheme is blended perfectly.  Check out all the clever ways Friends elements serve as mechanical functions.  Imagination itself is a builder's vehicle when setting out to create with all these new bricks.

Horses and Castles go together like ... well, like LEGO bricks!  In building "Emma's Fantasy Stable" kjw010 added crenelations to the parapet for a nice place to relax & view the surrounding area.  The small yard in front of the horse's stall is lovely and inviting.  This creation is playable, transportable and designed with wall techniques which would add to any girl's construction skills.  Such a fun concept for dreaming of her own pony!

Flower power is a regular style in pinkpinkandmorepink's MOC repertoire (she won best in show with a garden scene at an fan event in Australia) and so it's fitting that she would liked to have built & played with a "Flower Shop" creation as a young girl.  This shop could easily slide into Heartlake City's downtown area -- right next to the new Bakery!

Adding a second-story to showcase wedding gowns, pinkpinkandmorepink created "The Bridal Shop" for Heartlake City.  Whether girls play make-believe while wearing grown-up wedding attire, or happen to be a flower girl for a relative's wedding -- these lovely details, such as a veil hanging display, are just what a LEGO fan would want in a Bridal Shop!

"The Bat-Friend-Mobile" is Ultron32's creation for our MOC parade.  It's a version of the Batmobile with the signature Friends color Lavender added to the classic black.  We've seen many signals in current culture that purple is the new black ... this creation adds to the trend.  Besides, this is Batgirl's ride!

"Kite-Flying by the Lighthouse" is the scene LegoMyMamma created to reminisce about activities she enjoyed when she was a 10-year-old girl.  The heart-shaped lake in Heartlake City could surely use a Lighthouse.  With Friends large yacht and small speedboats enjoying the water -- we need to make sure the dock is easy to find.

We get a special sneak peek inside the Big Top during a rehearsal of the "Heartlake City Circus" built by fujiia.  This creation is super active: trapeze artists, horse-riding stunts, juggling, magic show, adorable clowns, and a "heart-ring" Master with a circus bear.  Follow the bright lights of the friendly sign to the purple curtain entrance and be inspired!

~

This parade winds down near where it began -- with a creation by Bricksky.  This awesome "Monster Truck" for Stephanie shows friendly is also strong!  Once again, a creative use of Friends elements in new & unexpected ways!  It reminds me of a Powder-Puff Derby I went to as a 10-year-old! :-)

Andrea's Race Car can surely go full-reverse and speed away!

So, remember to mind where you park near the parade route -- you don't want your vehicle run over by one of these in Heartlake City!

Join us for our next Building Challenge!

Powerful Engineering

Mahjqa shows us that the LEGO Friends and their bricks can be used in all sorts of technical ways.  Here he has deftly incorporated power functions into two large vehicles so that can drive, turn, shoot, bulldoze and bulldoze their way through anything in their path.



Check out the video to see the vehicles in action. 

From the Danish corner of Heartlake City...

Anne Mette Vestergård made this Friends-rendition of a typical Danish house, using lots of bright light orange bricks and dark red roof pieces. 

I can't help but appreciate what looks to be lots of dark red cheese slopes along the steep slope along the upper story of the house.  For extra Friends' pets fun, check out Anne's LEGO Duck Fishing model too.
 

Friendsington Castle

   Fabulous castle & super heroes collaboration build between fujiia and Kloou for the 2013 Fana'Briques event in France:

   The blending of several themes & genres, all while maintaining the overall 'Friends' design & style is wonderful!


   As you can see from additional views, creativity is quite ample in adapting scenes with "other" characters.

   To continue on this magical fantastical journey -- more images (which show more of the great details) can be found here & here.  Enjoy!

Modular for Friends set modules

   Making more room for new sets, kjw010 built a wonderful Modular for her daughter's Emma sets and calls it: Emma's Place.  She combined 3 sets into a townhouse style of building, which takes up less horizontal space, yet because it's Modular, each level can be accessed for playability.



   She has created a classic Heartlake City building that would also fit well into any LEGO town layout.  The middle section, with nearly floor-to-ceiling windows, topped with the upper level's traditional sloped roof and inset windows blends Friends style with her signature Modular design.  She did a similar build with several sets for a Modular Stable.



   In a collaboration with her daughter on this section, it houses Emma's Design Studio.  Checkout the rest of the Emma's Place to see the "action" in the top level and to be inspired for creating your own set modules!

Lovely Bright Green Friends House

   These colors together are so lovely to me.  It takes me back to my childhood and a favorite outfit with green & pink stripes and bubblegum-pink cherries.
   This house built in Friends style setting along a street of other houses fitting of Heartlake City was created by AlfredD.
 

   This is apparently from a larger layout presented at LEGOWORLD 2012.  For more inspired houses, visit the entire folder on Brickshelf.