LEGO

Funwhole Ski Lodge Building Block review

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REVIEW – Winter is fast approaching, which means I’ll be outside less and inside more.  I should have more time for building fun while listening to the sounds of Christmas music.  Funwhole’s newest box of building blocks, the Ski Lodge, is the perfect seasonal set to spent a couple afternoons constructing away. What is it? […]

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JMBricklayer Western Train Station Bookend model review – a cheap or just cheaper Lego option?

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REVIEW – Like most 80’s kids I grew up addicted to Lego bricks and now that I have a 9 year old boy, building Lego sets are a way of life for us but I have noticed they have gotten a bit pricey lately. If you are interested in a cheaper building block set that

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JMBricklayer Steampunk Marble Run review – The most ambitious set ever?

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REVIEW – JMBricklayer designs, distributes, and sells building block sets that are a cheaper alternative to LEGO-brand sets.  They are no stranger to The Gadgeteer, as we’ve reviewed everything from spacemen to chameleons to pirate ships to lighthouses.  JMBricklayer is back with their most ambitious set ever, a massive marble run that in their own

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JMBricklayer Mechanical Parrot Building Block Set review

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REVIEW – JMBricklayer has released several sets in their Fantastic Idea line, like the chameleon and the panda, often with creatures that are part animal and part machine.  Their latest addition is a mechanical parrot.  Though the manual for this one doesn’t provide any backstory, I bet his robotic half is a smart device capable

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Play Easily Now (PEN) Wargame – lots of fun with your (mini) figures

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CROWDFUNDING NEWS – Last year I reviewed Bag End, a building block set from Webrick. While I liked the set, it didn’t come with any mini figures. I already had a few from some LEGO sets, but not enough to fill out this hobbit home. I went to AliExpress to buy a few more, and

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LEGO Botanical Almanac book review – Beautiful addition to our LEGO Botanical collection!

LEGO Botanical Almanac with LEGO bouquet behind it

REVIEW – We have several of the LEGO Botanical sets in our home. They’re great! Flowers that don’t wilt, don’t require water, and are an eye-catching addition to the mantel. It’s also a fun exercise to pick out the different LEGO pieces that are used to make up the flowers. You’ll see dinosaur wings, pieces

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JMBricklayer Space Astronaut Panda Building Block Set review – Pandas in space!

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REVIEW – Mankind has explored most of our planet, but there are still vast regions of space that we have never been to.  What better way could there be to explore space than to mechanize pandas, provide them with armored space suits, and send them out!  This is a review of Space Astronaut Panda, a

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Funwhole A-Frame Cabin Building Block Set review – an old-fashioned house with lights

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REVIEW – Last year I reviewed Funwhole’s Lakeside Lodge, and it is probably my favorite building block set.  It’s amazing how a good set of lights can really enhance the quality of a set, and no one knows how to light a set like Funwhole.  I decided to review another set in this same genre

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Jmbricklayer Glowing Pirate Ship model review – LED lights and a thematic design

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REVIEW – I’m a lifelong fan of building bricks, whether they’re from the big-name company or the rapidly growing selection of other brick companies out there. I’ve definitely noticed a quality difference between some companies, ranging from “almost-identical to the well-known brand” to “I’m throwing out this whole set before I’m even halfway done because

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JMBricklayer Botanical Collection The Sunflower review

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REVIEW – After having the opportunity to review the JMBricklayer Orchid, I was excited to be asked to review the brand new addition to their Botanical Collection.  The JMBricklayer Sunflower set takes the floral building to the next level by creating a 3D display piece inspired by one of the greatest artists of all time, Vincent

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JMBricklayer Mechanical Octopus building block set review – destroy a UFO and save the planet

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REVIEW – Aliens have arrived, and their UFOs are the gravest threat that our planet has ever seen!  Mankind’s answer?  Convert the giant octopi of our oceans into half mollusk, half machine monstrosities and turn them loose against the flying saucers!  The crazy thing is that it seems to be working.  Join me for this

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Webrick Bag End Building Block Set review – the hobbit-hole comes to life

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REVIEW – “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.  Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat:  it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”  Thus

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Get your brick on with these fun LEGO themed mugs!

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NEWS – Here are some fun coffee (or tea!) mugs for all of the aspiring brickmasters out there. The one above is ceramic, microwave-safe, and has a capacity of 8.6 oz. It’s available in several minifig head styles including a skeleton which would be great for Halloween! They are priced from $15.99 for the one

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JMBricklayer Money Tree Building Block Set review – bring the legend home

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REVIEW – According to legend, the money tree signifies abundance, prosperity, and good luck.  If someone can grow and take care of such a tree, they will have good luck.  This is a new belief as far as legends go, having been started in the 1980’s after a truck driver first cultivated a money tree

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JEKCA building brick dog sculptures for “Kidults”

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NEWS – Do you love dogs? If you do, do you ever imagine having a brick sculpture of your dog? Well, now you can with JEKCA building blocks for “Kidults.” Unlike other building blocks, JEKCA uses a patent locking technology to ensure you can build these sculptures sturdily without glue. Assembly is easy using the

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JMBricklayer T-Rex Dinosaur Building Block Set review – large and in charge

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REVIEW – Is it possible to have too many building block sets?  I doubt it.  I’m looking for another fantastic set to join my lakeside lodge and my massive lighthouse.  I’m hoping that the new T-Rex from JMBricklayer will find a home on my bookshelf. What is it? The JMBricklayer T-Rex Dinosaur is a LEGO-compatible

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JMBricklayer Chameleon Building Block Set review – a bionic reptile from the future

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REVIEW – Although our kids are grown and gone, we often have families with kids over to our house.  I thought it would be cool to have a building brick set or two available for them play with while they are here.  In this review, I’m looking at the JMBricklayer Chameleon set to see if

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Lego unleashes PAC-MAN Arcade Set for retro gaming fans – no quarters needed

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NEWS – I’m a big fan of nostalgia, especially 80’s nostalgia. Lego recently introduced the LEGO Icons PAC-MAN Arcade building set for adults. The 2651-piece set is a non-functional gaming system loaded with retro game details. And although it is non-functional, you can still simulate the chase with the mechanical maze and watch PAC-MAN try

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