Cloveapple

I'm clearly not the target audience :-D That said, I could see these selling well. Fart super powers are exactly the sort of humor that appeals to kids.

The cat looks fascinated by all that dairy. :-) It's shaping up to be a charming shop. Will the sign/sticker be in the old fashioned picture style? Or will it be words?

I wonder how she chose the winner. They all look good to me! :-)

I like this interpretation!

I like the mini-minifigures a good deal. I'm actually hoping I can find somebody who only wants the carrier and doesn't want any of the figures, so that we can split the set up.

Wonderfully creepy and spot on.

Uh... I... It... *stares open mouthed* That is incredible. Did the real building survive?

So much love for this. Such un-blocky structures with such a blocky medium. I keep looking at the swampy water. Is it actually a different shade at the edges? Or is than an illusion of the photograph?

I don't have kids, but I do have two sets of Lego. When my parents retired, I cleared out the last of my childhood things that they had in storage. There was a huge garbage bag full of Lego that I cleaned (in the dishwasher) and brought to my job. I work with people with intellectual disabilities. Some of them are mentally three or four or ten years old in how they see the world. They had so much fun with Lego that it was impossible not to join in. They pulled me right out of my dark ages. So now I have newer Lego at home, but my childhood big-fig Lego stuff is at work. It's taken a heck of a beating. They play rough. Sometimes I wince when I see the printing getting scratched off and pieces being broken. But there's no way I could take back that Lego. It wouldn't be fair. So I remind myself that we are having a blast, and that the point of toys is to play.

This theme is slowly starting to grow on me. I want those winged horses.

I am enjoying this whole thread. Some of your animals (like the cat) are so full of motion. He looks like he's ready to pounce. And you are so good at finding the key features that make each animal look like itself.

The gift box looks like a nice touch. The sheep itself somehow looks a little bit dazed or confused, maybe because the mouth is hanging open? Still, I like the idea of the set. I hope they keep doing the yearly theme.

This is so much fun. I love the bright wake-you-up colors, and everywhere I look there are details that make me smile: the scarecrow being wheeled out, the lawnmower on the roof to catch people's eye, the great bits of machinery everywhere...

Again, this is fantastic, and again I feel as though I stumbled into a story. I love it all: the high-stepping soldiers, the bag over the prisoner's head, the tiny cells (complete with escapee), the cross section of rock and dirt on the sides... Is that blood on the dirt where they are leading the head-covered prisoner? I take it it's his last walk? Fabulous.

Wow. This scene is so alive. It doesn't feel static at all. Instead it's full of life and intrigue, like a glimpse of a deeper story.

*shudders* That is one grim, foreboding tower. Forgive me if I don't visit, but I will admire it from afar.

Has Lego taken over your brain? What signs have you noticed? I'll start: I was looking at a photo of an actual building and thought: "Wow, that's a really nice build." Then I realized it was not Lego. Apparently my brain can no longer conceive of structures that are not made of ABS.

Oh, I know Lego wouldn't even consider any characters from Sandman. They're just the ones I want most.

Marvel: I'm pretty happy with my Loki, but I'd be thrilled if they ever made more versions. I'd also like a Sif, Odin, or any of the Warriors Three. DC: My DC wish list is more unlikely, but hey, we're dreaming here, right? I'd go completely nuts for any of the character's from Gaiman's Sandman. (Surely Vertigo counts as DC?) -Dream of the Endless -Dream of the Endless/Daniel -Death -Delirium -Desire -Lucien -the Clurican *stops before listing entire cast of characters*

The colored sheets of craft foam in this link might work for you: http://www.amazon.com/Foam-Sheets-2-Inch-2-Inch-50-Pack-Rainbow/dp/B00284NN82 I haven't tried them, but they are only 2mm thick, and if you scroll down to the customer questions and answers section somebody is talking about using heat to mold them to a shape.

Maybe a cleverly crafted Ideas set could call the magical goats back to us? PS. Is that a goat icon/badge you are wearing? Are you secretly one of them?!?

I love this. Definitely better than the official set showing Lupin's classroom.

I'd say that it is pretty common and natural for kids toys to carry a message. For example the Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings stories all have messages about morality. Likewise, I'd expect that many superhero sets give messages about heroism or right and wrong. I don't think it's possible to entirely avoid statements or messages, but Lego generally seems to do a pretty good job of picking themes and story lines that most of us are comfortable with. It's got to be a tricky balancing act for them.

For those in the United States, reseller AFK My Homework (on Bricklink) has the new capes, shawls, and hoods in stock. I ordered some and now I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas. (I've always ordered direct from Arealight in the past, but they are temporarily closed for a local holiday, and I was much too impatient to wait.)

I really like this. First the outside: The bit of gray brick in the middle of the red is a nice touch, and the stained glass over the door gives it that historic flavor. Then I look inside, and it just cracks me up. Minifigs must be the cleanest people ever.