sonicstarlight Posted January 19, 2013 Hello all! I finally got my act together in time to enter a contest on Eurobricks! Here is my entry to the "Expand the Winter Village Contest III" - a Jewelry Shop with a carriage and fountain. This actually took me a little less than 3 weeks to do and over 90% of the bricks came from whatever I had laying around - easily my most efficient build to date. The hardest thing for me was not over doing it. Everything I've done at minifig scale has been CC-style modulars, and the Winter Village line is much more simplistic. I had plans to do a really ornate Queen Anne Victorian with all the trimmings, but eventually I realized I needed to strip it way down to keep my part count right (this is roughly the same as the Winter Village Cottage) and to carry forward the styles of the sets already part of the line. Maybe I'll do a proper modular to scratch my Victorian itch... Anyway, on to the entry. Here are all three parts together. The store looks larger than it is because of the porch - it is actually about the same footprint as the Toy Shop if you were to take it away. The floors don't come off normally, but I pulled them apart in order to get better pictures. Here is the ground floor. On the left is a vitrine with a priceless ruby and the gold display, while on the right is the main counter with several gems in the window. Upstairs is the workshop with a place to cut gems as well as appraise them thanks to a microscope. Extra inventory and cash is stored in the safe. This man just couldn't wait to show off the shiny rock he just got and is popping the question to his girlfriend in front of the nearby fountain. Meanwhile, another happy couple takes a carriage ride. I modeled this off of the carriages that are found in New York's Central Park. This was hard to pick just five images. Many more can be found on my flickr account, including more details of the exterior of the shop and a shot with my building among the official sets. Click here to see them! Thanks for looking, and don't forget to vote! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
soundwave_sw Posted January 19, 2013 Fantastic job! All componants are well done. I like the guy kneeling to propose. keep up the good work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningtiger Posted January 19, 2013 AWESOME creation 'sonicstarlight' and it would also fit Feb 14th too easy ! Excellent shop with workshop upstairs......good luck and Brick On 'sonicstarlight' ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Redhead1982 Posted January 19, 2013 Oh, another great entry. I like your idea/style of building. You actually managed to keep the build in style with other WV series, but made it very unique anyways. To start, the shape of the house is lovely, with a rounded corner and a porch. The interiors is again ful, but not crowded. The colour scheme with some warm colours really fits in the winter atmosphere. Also, the top floor is very functional. I mean, you can't run a jewelery store without proper equipment for checks ups and safe storage. The additional sub-sets clearly show you're a romantic soul. The carriage is very sweet, and I totally wouldn't mind being proposed in a setting similar to your photo no. 4. What I like about your entry the most (beside being a great model), is a pretty original idea of a jewelery store and what happens before and after shopping there (a romantic carriage ride, and proposal). Good luck in the contest! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wedge09 Posted January 19, 2013 (edited) Nice work :thumbup: In particularly the interior and the style of the building Edited January 19, 2013 by Wedge09 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phazon Posted January 19, 2013 (edited) Amazing, everything fits so well together! This is an inspiring build, the microscope and the ringcase with the carriage, well done. I would rather buy this one than the Bakery or the Cottage. It seems like the roof was built with snow. Good luck in the contest, this is definitely one of the best entries so far. Edited January 19, 2013 by Phazon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kristel Posted January 19, 2013 Gorgeous! I love the wrap around porch and the shape of the building, and the colour combination is just perfect. The interior detailing is great as well, particularly the tiling downstairs and the whole work area upstairs. The carriage is gorgeous too. I like how you have included the little bucket on the side! The guy proposing to his girlfriend rounds out the set nicely. Well done! Can't wait to see the Victorian modular! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlcoEmmen Posted January 19, 2013 One word: wow!!! This looks like a preview to next year's winter village set. Love the cariage, the building is great with an original roofline and plenty nice sprcialties to keep lookin at. Keep up the good work. You don't work at Lega by any change? :-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vecchiasignoraceppo Posted January 20, 2013 very very nice. I love the jeweler checking the diamonds upstairs!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theDeanoRama Posted January 20, 2013 I cant help but to back to flickr repeatedly to admire what you've done here The store would also make for a nice country house, love both the interior and exterior treatments. The carriage and fountain are also worth mentioning here, so consider them admired as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eurotrash Posted January 20, 2013 Wow! The standard of entries in this competition is amazing. There's so much to take in and enjoy in your creation Sonicstarlight. Simply amazing! Thanks for sharing it with us! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Train 12 Volts Posted January 20, 2013 This could be an original LEGO set! There are too many beautiful details in the shop The carriage is perfect and "the gift" scene very original! Superb work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmynick Posted January 20, 2013 Beautiful! The winter village contest seems to have brought out some really great MOCs. The upstairs office has so many details - I love the microscope. Do you have a shot of the building with the light brick activated? Great work, sonicstarlight! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
exis Posted January 20, 2013 Bravo! really looks great. The fight in the contest will be a serious Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sonicstarlight Posted January 20, 2013 The additional sub-sets clearly show you're a romantic soul. The carriage is very sweet, and I totally wouldn't mind being proposed in a setting similar to your photo no. 4. What I like about your entry the most (beside being a great model), is a pretty original idea of a jewelery store and what happens before and after shopping there (a romantic carriage ride, and proposal). Good luck in the contest! I'm not sure my wife would agree . It was my intention to try and tie all three parts together to help tell a story. Vehicles aren't my thing, and I struggled to think of a mode of transportation that would work with a jeweler - I nearly made an armored truck, which is far less romantic... Can't wait to see the Victorian modular! It might be a while. Still need to finish my lingering cast iron builds, and I have an idea for another 2 baseplate modular that I may or may not want to try and tackle next. The store would also make for a nice country house, love both the interior and exterior treatments. The carriage and fountain are also worth mentioning here, so consider them admired as well. I did want something more residential than commercial, even if it was always intended to be a store. I love it when old Victorians see a second life as a little shop, sometimes with the owners living on the upper floors. Beautiful! The winter village contest seems to have brought out some really great MOCs. The upstairs office has so many details - I love the microscope. Do you have a shot of the building with the light brick activated? Just took one. I tried last night but I think it was too dark - had some decent morning light that still let the light brick shine through. Don't want to break the 5 image limit for the contest so click here to see it in my flickr photostream. Thanks to everyone else that posted some great comments. I really enjoy reading them all! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg3 Posted January 20, 2013 Really nice!! Love all the little and the guy proposing is just brilliant!! The only small niggle I might have is the colour of the carriage - I think it might stand out better if not white (the design of it is perfect!). Despite that though I think this is a great model! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Priovit70 Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) I love everything of this MOC... I wish I had made it! Awesome details inside (the safe, the microscope) and outside the store! I agree with greg3: the proposing guy is brilliant! Good look in the contest, but I think we found a winner here! Edited January 20, 2013 by Priovit70 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheLegoDr Posted January 20, 2013 Another fantastic build! There are too many great entries in this contest. Where to begin... The shape is great. The story you are telling fits well with the theme. The interior detailing hits the spot. The carriage is superb. I've been meaning to try one myself. I also like the shops that were once a house with some neat architecture. There is a little town outside Bloomington, IN (where I went to school) that is basically all shop-house lined streets. Good luck in the contest, not like you'll need it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RunnersDad Posted January 20, 2013 Another amazing build for this contest. I really enjoy the combination of detail and simplicity. Good work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
L@go Posted January 20, 2013 Yeah, there are some amazing entries here and this is one of the best. I love the porch, it's a detail that sets it apart from the other entries and the official buildings in the series thus far. The interior is great, and the while idea of a jeweler's store is very good. And the proposal is a great touch! Well done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Player Nº1 Posted January 21, 2013 Amazing MOC. One of the best I saw!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
uberbricker Posted January 21, 2013 This is fantastic. I especially love the little details like the microscope and jewellery box. Really simple to execute but most people just wouldn't think of them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sonicstarlight Posted January 21, 2013 Really nice!! Love all the little and the guy proposing is just brilliant!! The only small niggle I might have is the colour of the carriage - I think it might stand out better if not white (the design of it is perfect!). Despite that though I think this is a great model! I did struggle a bit with this, but in the end I liked the classic look of the black on white. Most of the carriages I used as inspiration were either all white or all black, but I stumbled upon this photo that I thought looked really nice. I did add a little dark red to help break it up, but it's hard to see when minifigs are in it. Good look in the contest, but I think we found a winner here! I'm not so sure - I'm voting for your entry. I love the porch, it's a detail that sets it apart from the other entries and the official buildings in the series thus far. The porch was actually the first thing I built - the building was really just something for it to fit around. The concept of making it a jewelry store actually came much later. This is fantastic. I especially love the little details like the microscope and jewellery box. Really simple to execute but most people just wouldn't think of them. I took a few detail shots, including the microscope - click here to see them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
