If it has a LEGO logo… it can NPU! Many an AFOL started with humble beginnings. LEGO Duplo is a theme intended for the littlest of LEGO fans, the future of the hobby. But if you dig out that old Duplo part bin, you may find yourself with a great deal of Nifty Parts Usage (NPU) potential! You know it, you love it. Duplo The Duplo parts catalog is pretty vast, ranging from animals to aliens, food to furniture, and anything in between! And, of course, it’s primarily within the same system as any LEGO piece, although you gotta get creative here and there. Standard bricks can sit atop most Duplo b ..read more

Why look at the clouds from below when you have a much better view up above! Carter (Carter Witz) and Hadden (Roanoke Handybuck) prove this to be true with their wonderful collaborative MOC, Cloud Life. I was able to catch up with the builders and find out how such a collaboration happens—and get an insight into their creative process. Cloud Life Planning and Collaborating Chris: Hey guys, it was great to see this in person at Bricks Cascade. Thanks for taking the time to dig a little deeper and nerd out over this fantastic MOC! First up, this was a team effort between the two of you—how did ..read more

In not-so breaking-news, something that has flown mostly under the radar of most in the brick-osphere—LEGO has updated their brand identity in partnership with Interbrand. You may now be thinking “What is a brand identity?” and that’s totally fair because it likely won’t have much of an effect on you as seasoned hobbyists already loyal to the brand. A brand identity is a term that collectively describes all of the visual elements that make up a brand. The colours and shapes of advertising, the typefaces chosen for written material, the word-choices used to craft a certain personality or ‘voic ..read more

Welcome back all you beautiful builders! Today it´s time to look at a few techniques for building textured LEGO walls. I know, sounds amazing right? I mean, when looking at a building, is there really anything more exciting than the walls? More exciting than drying paint! (Um, never mind, don´t think about that too much…) Let´s just dive in and see what MOC examples are out there of cool LEGO wall techniques! There are, of course, a variety of ways one can construct a LEGO wall, so let´s start with the more basic and work our way from there. Stacking Bricks First off, the most classic way is ..read more

While it is turning to spring in many parts of the world, there are still places where snow covers the land. In those northern reaches, you can find a rich history of survival and ingenuity, manifested in small shelters made of snow. These domed creations, known as igloos, can be both gorgeous objects of a tourist’s interest and real homes for people living in cold regions of the planet. LEGO has designed its own versions of these iconic architectural creations to include in sets through the years, with each having a unique form and function. I invite you to enjoy these great LEGO versions of ..read more

On a recent trip to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, I made a stop at the Butterfly Conservatory. I’m a sucker for a butterfly exhibit and this not only offered beautiful butterflies, but also some much-appreciated warmth on a stunning-but-freezing February afternoon. Amongst the inhabitants were some stunning Blue Morphos, which reminded me that they were one of the newish printed butterflies that came in the Friends Botanical Garden set (41757). View fullsize View fullsize We have been especially spoiled recently with new butterflies, and for the first time ever, decorated moulded butt ..read more

Ever since I first heard about Bricks Cascade in late 2019, it’s been on my list of go-to LEGO fan events. The excitement of getting to interact with fellow fans in person rather than just on digital platforms was palpable and would only get more intense as the next few years went by. After moving much closer to the Portland area in late 2022, my dream became a reality, and Bricks Cascade is now my “home” convention! Bricks Cascade is an annual event located in downtown Portland, Oregon. The Oregon Convention Center is a beautiful location that allows enthusiasts of the LEGO brick from across ..read more

Original MOC from lokiloki At BrickNerd, we love writing and we love LEGO! Bailey Fullarton has already explored the different fonts and typography used by our favorite brick brand in a series of three fascinating articles, and just yesterday we read about a LUG collab that brings people together with a similar plan. So what would happen if you combine them into a challenge? In March, builders in the French forum Brickpirate took part in a new BPchallenge. Members had to build a creation that contained brick-built letters, i.e., letters composed of LEGO parts. They were free to choose the the ..read more

Today’s guest article comes from Charlie Stephens, an AFOL from Virginia and a member of NOVA-LUG known for building GBCs and mosaics. You can find him online on Instagram. When forming a collaborative LEGO build, you don’t always need to have a standard. For efforts that are smaller, involve fewer builders, or are more character-focused, you can definitely get by with a few discussions on how large the builds will be and what scale you’ll be working in. But if you’re looking to have a larger, consistent display, you’ll definitely want to form a building standard. Members of NOVA-LUG recently ..read more

The AdoraBuild is almost over! You only have a few weeks left to enter the ultimate LEGO contest of all things cute and cuddly. Bring to life your most adorable creations that make us go “Awww!” and you might just win some amazing prizes. Don’t hold back—build something so cute you wanna die! What Makes Something Adorable? The AdoraBuild isn’t just a LEGO contest; it’s a journey into the whimsical, the endearing, and the outright precious. From fluffy creatures to heart-melting scenes, your mission is to capture the essence of cuteness in brick-built form. Here’s a random sampling of some of ..read more