2022 Skærbæk Workshop

In September, it was such a thrill to return to the wonderful Skærbæk Fan Weekend in Denmark, 3 years on... like nothing had happened... and run another of our popular LEGO® building workshops! 50 participants from around the world were given 100 minutes to build whatever they liked – they simply had to include one or more of the special selection of 2022  elements that we provided. Bucketloads of random parts were also provided, and as you can imagine it's quite the challenge. Especially first thing on a Sunday morning after a Saturday night in Skærbæk.

Get a closer look at what they came up with later in the article - and we hope that it inspires your own building!

LEGO® NINJAGO® review & MOC: 71770 Zane’s Golden Dragon Jet

In this review, I take a look at one of the smaller sized sets from the most recent LEGO® NINJAGO® wave, 71770 Zane’s Golden Dragon Jet. It comprises the eponymous jet along with minifigures of Zane, Golden Dragon Cole and their foe, General Vangelis. 

LEGO® Ideas review + MOC: 21333 Vincent van Gogh - The Starry Night

Vincent van Gogh is undeniably one of the most beloved painters in history. His paintings are adored by both the art professionals and the greater public, and the tragic aspects of his life affect the way they are perceived. Nonetheless, due to huge popularity his paintings adorn a mass of memorabilia from fridge magnets to calendars and lunch boxes, and via LEGO® Ideas program, a buildable miniature set.

Space Tools Parts Fest: Kev Levell

We're challenging our team of astro-engineers to create original LEGO® models using 'Space Tools' - the minifigure accessories found in Classic Space sets - and today is the final instalment!

As the Chief Flight Director of this exploration it falls to me to bring our mission to an end. The team has safely returned home, I've completed their debriefing, and once I present my findings I'll round out these proceedings with a few words of thanks.

From the selected tools I chose the Metal Detectors 4479 & 93106 and Radios 3962a, 3962b and 19220 as well as the 'T' Bar 84868.

LEGO® Star Wars™ parts review: 75331 The Razor Crest

LEGO® Star Wars™ 75331 The Razor Crest is the latest addition to the Ultimate Collector Series line and the first UCS set to be based on a Star Wars TV show. It comprises 6187 pieces, making it the third-largest LEGO Star Wars set, narrowly beaten by last year’s 75313 AT-AT which contained 6749 parts and 75192 Millennium Falcon which still reigns supreme at a whopping 7513 pieces.  In this first of two articles reviewing the set, we will look at all the new and interesting parts it contains.

Space Tools Parts Fest: Ryan Harkin

The second of our two Glorious Galactic Guests joins our Parts Festival today to present some wonderful MOCs using a selection of the minifigure accessories found in Classic Space sets. Ryan Harkin is @brickmasterryan on Instagram.

New Elementary asked me to build something “not space” using a couple of the Classic Space tools from their seed selection. I chose the Axe (3835) and the Robot Arm (4735). Like Benny, my instant reaction was, “Spaceship?”. My next reaction was… well, I’m guessing you’ve seen the movie so you know how this ends.

Space Tools Parts Fest: Dana Knudson

The first of two Glorious Galactic Guests joins our Parts Festival today to present some wonderful MOCs using a selection of the minifigure accessories found in Classic Space sets. Dana Knudson is @Troublesbricking on Instagram.

Dana chose to utilise 3835 Axe from 1978 which has been made available in 3 colours, 3959 Space Gun/ Torch from 1979 which has been available in 11 colours, 4735 Robot Arm from 1985 which has been available in 9 colours, and 4349 Megaphone from 1982 which has been available in 10 colours. 

Our contest winners: Make a Wishbrick

It's time to announce the winners of our Make a Wishbrick contest, where we asked readers to dream up  ideas for a new LEGO® element - and then build it out of existing LEGO parts. We received an astonishing 276 entries, making this a tough one for our judges to decide as there could only be three recipients of a 10497 Galaxy Explorer and one winner of the top prize - 76218 Sanctum Sanctorum!

Space Tools Parts Fest: Thomas Jenkins

We're challenging our team of astro-engineers to create original LEGO® models using 'Space Tools' - the minifigure accessories found in Classic Space sets. 

Our parts festival continues this week as I examine two elements: 3838 Air Tanks and 3837 Shovel, both released in 1978, although it seems space shovels were only required for very large ships like 6929 Starfleet Voyager from 1981 and 6985 Cosmic Fleet Voyager from 1986.

Space Tools Parts Fest: Tim Goddard

Tim Goddard tools up as guest author this week, in our challenge to create original LEGO® models using 'Space Tools' - the minifigure accessories found in Classic Space sets.

In this instalment of New Elementary's exploration of minifig Space utensils, I look at the space guns / torches / loudhailers / blasters / megaphones. Call them what you will, they are certainly classic parts and are still using in LEGO sets today. Here is my collection!

Space Tools Parts Fest: Tom Loftus

We're challenging our team of astro-engineers to create original LEGO® models using 'Space Tools' - the minifigure accessories found in Classic Space sets.

For the next leg of our look at minifig space utensils, I'm exploring two elements: Chainsaw Body (2516) from 1990 and Control Panel (2342) introduced in 1986. 

Space Tools Parts Fest: Caz Mockett

We're challenging our team of astro-engineers to create original LEGO® models using 'Space Tools' - the minifigure accessories found in Classic Space sets.

I chose to take a look at part 4360: Minifigure, Utensil Camera with Side Sight (Space Gun) which made its debut in black in two 1982 space-related releases, 6880 Surface Explorer and 6950 Mobile Rocket Transport.

The LEGO® 1x1x2/3 Plate with Open Stud

Is it a brick? Is it a plate? No, it's…both? 

Last December we were introduced to a new member of the 1x1 family: the LEGO® Minecraft candle, aka Plate 1 x 1 x 2/3 with Open Stud (86996). My initial reaction to this stocky newcomer was that it would undoubtedly be useful, but how exactly? Today it's my task to find out.

LEGO® City parts review and MOCs: 60351 Rocket Launch Centre

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

The largest set in the new LEGO® City space range is a rocket launch site. You'll already have seen many reviews of 60351 Rocket Launch Centre I imagine, so highlighted here are all the new, exclusive and rare parts you'll find in the set. 

 

Then I threw all the new parts on a table and tried to see if I could fit a square peg in a round hole, before finally coming up with a couple of MOCs. The set is available right now priced £124.99 / $149.99 / 139.99€; if you're buying please consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'.

LEGO® Cloth Fest: Eero Okkonen

Some products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

In the first part of New Elementary's Cloth Fest, Áron Gerencsér - now a set designer, congrats Áron! - dived deep into the history of cloth parts in LEGO® sets. In this final part, I'll have a look at the connections of these parts, also presenting three new MOCs that use them as, well, clothing.

LEGO® Technic review and MOCs: 42137 Porsche Formula E 99x Electric

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

42137 Porsche Formula E 99X Electric is the third LEGOⓇ Technic Porsche and the first Technic model to be based on an electric vehicle. The set contains 422 pieces and launched at the start of 2022 priced at $49.99 / £44.99 / €49.99. If you're buying this set, consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'. 

 

Admittedly, I’m not a motorsport fan but I do enjoy interesting and unusual new LEGO pieces, and there are a few goodies contained within this set.

LEGO® Friends parts review & MOCs: 41704 Main Street Building

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

41704 Main Street Building is the largest LEGO® Friends release ever, beating the previous incumbent 41101 Heartlake Grand Hotel by 110 pieces, which had held the top spot since 2015. This new set retails at £129.99 / $149.99 / 149,99 € for 1682 pieces, which gives a reasonable price per part value of 7.7p / 8.9c. If you're buying this set, consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'. 

 

I will take a closer look at the new and rare elements, the minidolls and make a couple of MOCs from some of the pieces.

LEGO® DOTS Parts review + MOC: 41945 Neon Tiger Bracelet & Bag Tag

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

The LEGO® DOTS bag tag range was launched in 2021 and returned in January 2022 with two sets combining a bag tag with a bracelet. I've taken a closer look at the parts of one of these, 41945 Neon Tiger Bracelet & Bag Tag (AU$22.99/ CA$16.99/ DE€14.99/ FI€16.95/ £12.99/ US$14.99). The set also features some pieces in the new Neon Yellow colour introduced this year. At the end of this article I'll also share a new MOC of mine inspired by these parts.

LEGO® Cloth Fest: Áron Gerencsér

Some products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

Editor's note: It is with sadness and joy that we announce this is Áron Gerencsér's final article for New Elementary, as he will soon join the LEGO Group as a designer! We can't thank Aron enough for the immense energy and creativity he has brought to us these last couple of years and trust that New E chums Sven, Lee, Markus and Chris will welcome him warmly in Billund. We can't wait to review his first product!

What with diving deep into the world of LEGO® pieces on a regular basis, we often find ourselves up to our necks in plastic of all shapes and sizes - it’s what we do after all. However, taking closer looks at all the various new elements does also result in us handling other materials as well - albeit rarely! 

Back in 2020, fellow New Elementary contributor Tom Loftus took a look at the inner cardboard packaging you get with some sets, but this time around Eero Okkonen and I will be taking a look at another non-plastic LEGO® material: cloth!

LEGO® Monkie Kid parts review + MOCs: 80036 The City of Lanterns

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

2022 brought us a whole new wave of LEGO® Monkie Kid sets, a theme that caught our attention several times before with its creative builds and interesting pieces. Today we are shining a light on the inventory of LEGO® Monkie Kid 80036 The City of Lanterns, which launched January 1st.