Would it be cool to have your MOC made into a LEGO set? Most of use will never have that happen, but through the Bricklink Designer Program, it’s made it one step more accessible for a lot of AFOLs to achieve.

Bricklink just launched their 5th iteration of their Designer Program and one of our VLC directors, Derek Brameyer has two that you can vote for till June 14th.

The first is based on the story of The Old Lady in the Shoe which would make a fabulous play set for kids or maybe at the end of your street of LEGO modular buildings.

Click on the link below to find out more about the build, the backstory and most importantly, if you would like this design to become a set to please give your vote to it.

https://www.bricklink.com/v3/designer-program/series-5/1686/The-Old-Lady-Who-Lived-In-a-Shoe

The second is The Jingle Jet which may just hold the answer to how Santa visits so many households every year on Christmas Eve.

Santa’s sleigh got a sweet upgrade! Hop aboard The Jingle Jet and witness the fastest gift giving in the galaxy!

Click on the link below to find out more about the story of this Vic Viper inspired build and exactly what powers it up. Consider giving it your vote, if it’s one that you want to swoosh over your Christmas LEGO winter village.

https://www.bricklink.com/v3/designer-program/series-5/1793/The-Jingle-Jet

Derek is an avid and prolific LEGO builder, constantly coming up with ever more creative ideas for his next build. He’s also a very fast, winning the Elite Speed build at BrickCan for the past two years.

Last year at BrickCan 2023, our membership introduced a VLC Choice Award to the many awards that are handed out over the weekend. We wanted to recognize a MOC (My Own Creation) that isn’t the biggest nor splashiest and that isn’t likely to win the Best in Show. We’re wanting to award it to a LEGO build that is small to medium size, that shows creativity, great parts usage, aesthetics, and/or just something that sets it apart from the rest. Our members nominate MOCs to be considered and then a panel of five makes the final decision.

This year the VLC Choice Award at BrickCan 2024 went to Sundae Joyride – Ice Cream Kids “Go Kart” – TsunamiK (Todd K). Way to go!

“We were happy to select Sundae Joyride by Todd K as our VLC Choice winner this year. It had a super fun story, great aesthetics, and wonderful use of color and varied techniques. We felt that it was an iconic and family friendly build that encapsulated so much fun and whimsy. Congrats Todd!” – Derek Brameyer, designer of the VLC Choice award trophy.

Wouldn’t you like to a own a little piece of Vancouver? Maybe a Vancouver Special, the Rio Theatre, Science World, New Town Bakery? Well, now you can. Just in miniature… and in LEGO.

Meet Alex, Constructor-in-Chief at Heritage Bricks. Alex started Heritage Bricks back in 2020 as a way to share their love for LEGO and Vancouver.  They design and package their own custom micro-scale models of local landmarks using genuine LEGO® pieces.

Perhaps you’ve seen these Vancouver centric LEGO built works featured in Vancouver is Awesome or in Vancouver Magazine.

If you want to purchase one of these fantastic models, you can see what is currently available for purchase or pre-order on their website https://www.heritagebricks.ca/s/shop. Alex will be re-issuing many limited edition models this holiday season. You will be able to find them at the Eastside Flea holiday market again this year.

Perhaps you have an iconic building or landmark that you want recreated. Feel free to inquire and engage Alex for a commission build. https://www.heritagebricks.ca/customprojects

Follow Heritage Bricks on Instagram @heritagebricks

Thank you to those of you who visited us at this year’s Cloverdale Rodeo and Fair. Hopefully you were there for one of the sunny days, but even if you were one who were escaping the rain by ducking into the Buckaroo Barn, we appreciate your coming to see our train, city and farm display.

Throughout the course of the four days, Robin Sather, one of Canada’s two Lego Certified Professionals and the BrickMaster (judge) of LEGO Masters New Zealand, built this massive cowboy boot out of LEGO Duplo elements.

Here are some photos of our biggest train display that we’ve built to date at the 2024 Cloverdale Rodeo & Fair. We brought over 548 baseplates or 380 sq ft for you all to enjoy. Thanks to all our members who organized, planned, contributed and built for this display, it truly is a group effort.

photos: Allan Corbeil

photos: Deanna Martins

Hope we’ll see you next time at the London Farms Family Farm Day in Richmond in August.

It’s always fascinating to see how people use LEGO in different ways to create art. This CBC article was posted last December, but I’ve only come across it now. You should definitely learn more about how Vancouverite Katherine Duclos sees and uses colour and its tactile nature through the art medium of the LEGO brick.

https://www.cbc.ca/arts/katherine-duclos-vancouver-lego-artist-interview-1.7056592

You can read more about her collaboration with the LEGO Group and her showing at Miami Art week at Art Basel on her website www.katherineduclos.com

And check out all of her fantastic LEGO Color Constructions also on her website.

A number of our VLC members are contributing writers for the blog website BrickNerd. This blog caters to those who really want a deep dive to know everything about the LEGO brick in all its shapes and forms, this is the place for you. Their readers true to the name are Brick Nerds, as we all are. Please do check their website out.

If you have ever attended BrickCan at the River Rock Casino in Richmond, BC, Canada, you may have wondered a little bit about what goes on behind the scenes. Who are these smiling faces that greet you at the door and in line while you’re waiting? VLC member, Melissa Revke, did an interview with Miles Finlay and Stephen Joo and there alter egos, Miffy and Yo-Yo, as the B Boys promoting AFOBLife. Read more about what makes these two tick and why BrickCan is so special to them and why they are so special to BrickCan.

https://bricknerd.com/home/the-b-boys-of-canada-creating-community-through-afoblife-5-13-24

I know Throwback Thursdays is usually for a longer wayback period than eight months, but since we missed posting this at that time, I figured I’d share this with you now.

After a long absence due to Covid closures and uncertainties, the Vancouver Train Expo finally returned to the Vancouver PNE fairgrounds in late 2023. The VLC has been exhibiting at this show each year since the early 2000’s. We were pleased to be there with our MILS (Modular Integrated Landscaping System) layout which we feel makes more cohesive and better planned out displays. I hope you notice the upgraded look the past few years has made and changed our collaborative builds.

If you couldn’t see the layout in person last year, then the next best thing is to watch VLC Member Daniel Watson’s wonderful almost 15 min video. Enjoy!

While it takes many members to bring a display together and all are valuable to us, Daniel has been a great contributor in building for, and helping to plan and coordinate future VLC train based displays, such as the upcoming one later this month at the Cloverdale Rodeo and Fair 2023. And then to take the time to actually make and edit a video of it is above and beyond. Thank you, Daniel.

I remember when Joel joined the VLC, I asked him what he likes to build. He said that he liked to design really, really accurate LEGO Star Wars vehicle MOCs. Well, he certainly delivers.

18 months ago, Joel set out to build the most accurate possible minifig-scale X-Wing, based on the Red 5 studio model in A New Hope. He also added a few details from the X-Wing cockpit and hanger sets.

Highlights include:

• Cylindrical laser cannons with side greebles
• Wing stripes
• Engine intakes and inner wing details
• Lit exhaust nozzles
• 9-sided tail
• Top greebles with integrated S-foil control knob
• Detailed cockpit with lighting
• Custom canopy
• Photon torpedo tubes
• Nose cone
• So many hull angles

More to come! May the Fourth be with you.

Original link: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6iZKzuuR17/?igsh=MWE3b3B5dGZpcDBtZQ==

You can see more of his MOCs on his Flickr. If you like what he does, please follow him.

You may also know Joel as the builder of modded LEGO set 21340 Tales of the Space Age giving it a more “recognizable” flavour and named it Wars of the Star Age. Nudge nudge, wink wink.

Joel has kindly made the instructions for this modification available for free on Rebrickable, so that you can build it for yourself. Note: The red binoculars representing the cloud car only come in one set, the CMF S12 Lifeguard and are a little pricey.

Each March the VLC members vote for the MOC of the Year. We ask that our members submit to our private forums when a MOC is completed in the calendar year for consideration for this award. As always, there were a lot of outstanding entries, as there are every year.

The 2023 Award for X Marks the Stud Map Mosaic goes to Dave Windhorst and Paola Felisatti

Note: The Pirates Logo above the map was done by Melinda Moar.

The map is based on a LEGO 2×2 printed tile, that’s been available in 25 sets as of 2023.

It’s definitely better to see this MOC in person to get a sense of the size and texture to this build, in relation to its source material. He used LEGO nets combined with studs to create the wavy look of an ancient map and give it some depth. It contains over 25,000 pieces, and is about 112 studs by 112 studs. For more information about the build and how it was created: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BxIKsJpaloswyKGbttuYnMO2c3sxMN1I/view

The Dean Lovell award is named after a member who sadly passed away many years ago, and it’s our tribute to remember him and the builder he was.

This MOC also won the BrickCan Director’s Choice at BrickCan 2024.

The VLC and Fraser Valley LUG are pleased to again be joining together for a train and city layout at the Cloverdale Country Fair from May 17-20, 2024. We hope that you can come out and see it! Please mark it down in your calendar. This will be our largest train layout to date.

Over the course of the weekend, Certified Lego™ Professional, Robin Sather, will construct a “big build” on a rodeo theme at the Brick Corral. Stop in regularly to see the progress, pick up your own takeaway kit, and don’t miss the “quick deconstruction” at the end.

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With five pro rodeo performances, an indigenous village, live music performances, 40+ food trucks, 30+ carnival rides, family-friendly events, and more than a little bit of action—The 2024 Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair is bigger and bolder than ever!

With admission starting at just $12 (kids 12 & under are free), your Country Fair ticket provides access to the fairgrounds where you can enjoy a variety of attractions.
Ticket packages are also available to secure your spot at a rodeo performance, dance the night away at Longhorn Saloon, or spend a full day on the rides with an All Day Ride Pass.

Get your tickets and join us for a day of exploration and enjoyment at the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair!

Friday, May 17, 2024
4pm-11pm (no entry after 10pm)
Saturday, May 18, 2024
10am – 11pm (no entry after 10:00pm)
Sunday, May 19, 2024
10am – 11pm (no entry after 10:00pm)
Monday, May 20, 2024
10am – 6pm (no entry after 5pm)

You can find us at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds located off of 176th Street, between 60th Avenue and 64th Avenue.