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Inspired by LEGO set 6044 : King's Carriage The king and the queen are visiting the town in a brand new carriage. The design is pretty basic by the way. Brickshelf folder (when public)

The stairs, the chimney, some walls : the stone effect it's really impressive. I'm also very impressed by all the tiny details in the house especially all the wood structure (including the exposed beams just below the roof) (OK I've just realized I've spent the last hour starring as Derfel Cardarn's Flickr gallery)

Thank for the feedbacks. I need to work on the background to make it more 'medieval' in terms of cleanness (maybe give up the tiles for the floor) or streets design. @Captain Blackmoor : Unfortunately it's not modular (you can't open the carriage), the wheels can turn but that's it. I will work on it (cause I really like to see 'inside' the buildings, coaches,...to see all the details)

The Most Popular Toy Ever Made Is Lego: Survey Firebox.com, an online toy and gizmo gift store, and toy news website Toyology.com just announced the results of their survey of over 3,000 adults aged 20 to 40. The clear winner of the title of most popular toy across all ages and sexes was Lego--it was the top choice for men, and the second choice for women (beaten by the inflatable wonder, Barbie herself). - Read the full article : The Most Popular Toy Ever Made Is Lego: Survey - French translation (Slate): Le Lego, jeu le plus populaire de tous les temps

Some news in the french newspapers First of all, an article in 'les Echos' (first daily french financial newspaper) published "Lego ne connaît pas la crise". Thanks to an interview with Joergen Vig Knudstorp (TLC CEO), you can see that LEGO benefits raised by 31.5% in 2008 (181 millions of euros) while the sells raised by 18.7%. Furthermore he fells confident for 2009, despite the global crisis, and expect LEGO to progress again this year (and this is currently happening, thanks to the first figures of 2009). The second article is also interesting. Two years ago, The "Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes (DGCCRF)" in France (the French administration in charge of various missions such as consumers protection, fraud investigation, competition in economics...) launched an investigation about the toys prices in various shops. The results were quite surprising, toys-makers and retailers got an 'informal agreement' on the toys prices in order to have the same prices everywhere in France (not all of them but the main toys brands and retailers such as Carrefour, Intermarché, Casino, Systeme U, Auchan...). After the first process (trial), various toys markers and retailers were condemend to pay fees (including TLC for a 10.500.000 euros fee, yeah a 10 million fee during the first process, only for TLC for the french market). But they decided to appeal the decision, and they've lost again! So finally they have to paid the fees which are the following: Retailers - Carrefour (27.400.000 euros) - Maxi-Toys (1.800.000 euros) - Jouéclub (300.000 euros ... Toys makers - Hasbro (5.100.000 euros) - Lego (1.600.000 euros 'only') ... Link to the article Les condamnations réaffirmées Thus Lego got the second biggest fee for toys makers, so ok we got the explanation for why the prices are differents between the US and Europe, now perhaps we got the explanation why the prices are differents between France and the rest of Europe (LEGO are more expensive in France than in the rest of Europe, up to 10%).

Germany 99.99 EUR Austria 99.99 EUR Belgium 99.99 EUR Spain 99.95 EUR Finland 99.99 EUR France 109.99 EUR Ireland 116.99 EUR Italy 99.99 EUR Luxembourg 99.99 EUR Netherland 99.99 EUR Portugal 99.95 EUR EUR countries only (avoid change rates), why do France and Ireland have to pay more? By the way buying the set from an UK Ebay seller will be cheaper than ordering it from shop at home France obviously. I know that TLC has already explained the price differences between US and the rest of the world, but i guess the reasons for Europe are a little bit different (Taxes perhaps?).

New pirate sets are available in Paris at Jouéclub boulevard des italiens - 75002, the display is near the cashier, all sets are available except the impulse sets. Perfect surprise for all pirates fans for christmas =) (A selection of the new city sets including 7631 are also available as well as the 2009 catalog in front of the shop)

1- Lord King of Everything - Die for the King! 2- Capt. Kirk - Le Quartier Brique 3- The Pillaging of Neptune's Noggin Lagoon I really like the 'skull' hull of Lord King of Everything MOC

Another set available for ANA 2928 ANA セレクトショップ (quite similar to Lufthansa promo set) Retail price : 3,675 yen (~21 euros) (can be found at ANA shop, click here) (you can found a review here) I'm going to Japan next week, so if any of you has any idea where i can find these sets please tell me :) I really like them. PS : Can't be found on ANA flights obviously, the passenger plane and airport are too big for on flight dutyfree shop (by the way i'm travelling with KLM)

The Imperial trading post is under maintenance, pictures -after work in progress- are scheduled. Links have been repaired in the two posts by the way.

Here some demo pics Here are the rest : BS folder (waiting for moderation on BS)

First of all i like to thanks all the contributors to the Great Torso Library for the custom torsos. A large part of my pirate minifigs are based on it. So here are some pics, not only my crew but also other pirate minifigs involved in my imperial trading post (ok ok the pics are taken in front of the corner coffee because my imperial trading post is under maintenance for a while). The brickshelf link is waiting for moderation

The Brickshelf gallery is here (normal size) and for the lazy birds (some pics resized for the thread) : Just a little MOC based on set 6278 (Enchanted Island), i add a little pyramid and two little ruined towers for making a temple ready for sacrifices 8-o . War drums are already into action and the islanders are waiting for victims (perhaps these imperials soldiers which have just landed on the beach). I try to make some various islanders minifigs by using parts such as a pirate hat (the guy is a former explorer), or an the new exoforce haircut (for the "champion") and a beastmaster (with the two whips).There is the guy "emperor Achu" because i really like the minifig :-D (the guy in the dark jail is a from a castle set, wolfpack i guess, thank to the insigna on his torso). Well just a tiny MOC, not a big deal. PS : correct Mister Phes i'm french.

Islanders aren't my favourite theme, but you can expect to see another islanders based MOC, currently I don't have much time to spend for Lego but i will reply to the post as soon as i have new things to show. Well for the "history" debate i don't care about it, islanders are just islanders, they aren't aztecs, mayas or incas. So it's quite difficult to talk about "history" thing for islanders. In my opinion Islanders are quite a mix of these civilisations with ideas from Africa tribes such as the crocodiles, the masks (like voodoo masks?) and Rapa Nui for the big statues. Islanders represent an impressive mix of civilisations. I haven't think about the King Kahuka duplication, perhaps i'm gonna create an elite troop based on the red masks including a powerful shaman (beware of curses & voodoo dolls :-D ).

He is a former explorer or perhaps he just killed the explorer and took his hat :-D (or worst, he ate him but i like the idea that islanders are vegetarians)

Well, at the begining i was thinking of making an islanders city including a temple (with a sacrifice altar), various house (with canvas roof and palm tree roof) and a shipyard (for making canoe only) but it was too ambitious (i don't have enough bricks :-D) so i only made this temple. The city is still in project, i'm only waiting for ebay auction. I will update the threat with pictures and comment with the new features. [edit] i can't edit the name of the thread, only my post, but fell free to rename it as you want Mister Phes. (sorry but i'm not used to IPB)

Le temple perdu (Lost Temple) A tiny temple, lost in the jungle. i'm waiting for the moderation on brickshelf. (link incoming) by the way excuse my english this isn't my mother tongue.