slovakiasteph

Dakujem! You're up early... or late. I hadn't noticed the antennas and satellites! When I'm in Slovakia, I spend two weeks in Lucenec, but that's a larger town than I want to represent... and too far south. I prefer a more country-based setting. Here's the apartment building I was using as inspiration:

Yes, it could go either way. I didn't want to limit each apartment to being one room, as it should be, but for playability, each apartment could be a column or row. Yes, I've been working on my town houses today! I also built a church last week, a chalet, and have a school in the works...

Thanks! I'm a bit of an 80s traditionalist ... no modulars for me! (yet). They use too many bricks!

B-RM-10A I've been working on building a LEGO Slovak town. It's meant to be a small town, perhaps on the edge of the mountains (lower Tatras?) because I have plans/am working on several country buildings as well. It's a combination of buildings that are typical in Slovak towns I've seen and pictures I've found that have inspired me. Keep in mind, this is not your typical American town. Many of the buildings are simple (and older!) with a few architectural details; in the downtown area you may find some more unusual or architecturally interesting buildings. Of course, what town would be complete without a panelak (apartment building from the Commuunist era). Yes, I used panels to build it. The front of the apartment. Had I more white bricks, I would have gone up another level as it's common to see these 7+ stories/floors high (my friends live on the 6th story). Open from the back. Ground floor living room with a TV, couch, and potted plant. Nicely tiled floors as well. The ground floor kitchen with a refrigerator, stovetop (hidden back in the shadows), sink, counter space, and table with two chairs. Second floor, another kitchen/dining room with a small table and stools, oven, and small sink. Also the computer desk. A "master bedroom" (sorry it's a bit blurry) with a bed, table with lamp, and wardrobe. I was trying to make the wardrobe doors open but the hinges are all so large... Top floor bedroom: two beds and a table with lamp. Many Slovaks have flowers on their balcony railings. They also hang their clothes to dry on the balconies. And, another living area. I need to build one of those large shelving units that I've seen in every Slovak living room: it usually holds a TV, books, and their crystal. Not sure if I have enough room for that in a LEGO house. Planned yet for the town: a school, church, campground, chalet, cottage or two, farmhouse, and a few town houses. Stay tuned!

Love your sunflowers! I must make some of those for my Slovak town. The wall is a cool build too... I want one!

They live in my LEGO houses, of course. That said, I don't really collect them, just pick up the ones I like and fit well with a town theme.

Thanks, I've started doing that! Just in case... I want to go back and recreate a project. I'm glad that photos are free nowadays! Whenever we wanted to take pictures of our LEGO creations when we were kids, I think my mom thought we were crazy...

I like that maintenance truck! Sigh, classic LEGO... I've built a few of the classic LEGO houses... 6372, 6370, and 560. Got the instructions off Peeron.

As I'm driving around, I find myself thinking "could I build that out of LEGO?" Yay, someone else who likes classic LEGO! I find many of my buildings end up looking like they were built in the 1980s...

Thanks, everyone! I changed various details on the porch multiple times. As for the torsos, I wanted to replicate the structured jackets women often wore in the 1880s-90s. Pair with a skirt and voila! Originally I was going to create an apron for Amelia, but she wouldn't have worn an apron with company! So, that's why she's wearing her good shirtwaist and jacket and not work clothes.

Thanks for your comments, everyone! That first night I posted, I remembered a few pictures I'd saved and went off to build one of those! Cecilie, I was just looking at your vignettes yesterday! I took down a few buildings (gasp!) and have started to work on a Slovak town-- so anything that doesn't fit my interpretation has been demolished. Well, I guess I should say Slovak town and countryside because most of the projects fit into that category. :)

Happy Birthday! I was just looking at your entries in the Spaghetti Western contest-- glad to see there's another woman who's entered! With a female figure in Category 3.

I love love love this entry-- it appeals to my interest in the Oregon Trail and my darker side. Well built (good work with the covered wagon) and yet simple and clean...

I think, also, that I prefer challenges to completely open building. I just finished an entry for the spaghetti western contest; that gave me something specific to build. I also made an entry for the LEGO winter contest, but now I'm out of contests. I like a prohibition or two to my freedom; I think it actually inspires creativity (inspiration born through necessity) rather than inhibits it. What challenges have/do you set for yourselves?

I'm stuck. I want to build, I keep going into the room where I have my LEGO set up, and I want to build, but I'm not sure what to build. Instead, I tinker around a bit, adding a few pieces to an on-going project that's really mostly done. So, where do you get your inspiration and building ideas? There's certainly plenty of inspiration here, but how does that end up as building? I see projects I love every day, but that doesn't make me sit down and say "I want to build a lighthouse" or "I want to build a city modular." How do you translate general inspiration into specific building ideas? Do you keep a mental list of things you'd like to build? Part of my problem might be that I'm limited in pieces; in order to build something cool, I'll have to take apart a building or two that I really love. Another issue might be that I haven't been at this very long. Also, I mostly like to build buildings, but I feel that limits me sometimes. Last night I took one of my favorite architecture styles, Greek Revival, and attempted a house in that style. It turned out okay, but certainly not great: in fact, I demolished it already. Any ideas to help me out of this slump?

Homestead Heroine While admiring the flower garden from the side porch, our heroine Amelia and her city friend Suzanne’s chat was interrupted by a bandit trying to rob the house. Unafraid and determined to protect her homestead, Amelia pulls out her gun to confront their attacker as her friend cowers behind. Although told to go in the house, Amelia’s son looks on from his hiding spot. Taken aback the unexpected display of bravery, the bandit turns tail and gallops off, leaving the trio to relax on the porch. Perhaps a round of lemonade is in order… Brickshelf gallery... I’m excited to enter my first contest! I’ve been back from my dark ages for about three months and had fun building this vignette. I’d have loved to do a town, but with my lack of bricks, it’s best to start small scale. I learned so much from building this anyway!

Oh, I love these! I just watched a sea turtle nest being excavated and there was a little one still in it...

Very nice! You can fit a lot on that little island! I like the door (the hinges) and the lighthouse dome (top). Everything fits together perfectly!

Love these! I'd just built them the other day (rather boringly, according to the instruction) Good work on the interior... I love the murphy bed and the kitchen details.

7/8 Slovak, 1/8 Polish. My mom is 100% Slovak (3rd generation)... my great-grandpa on my dad's side was Andy Warhol's cousin. Not many claims to fame if you're Slovak... at least not ones that Americans have heard of. ;)

Nice work! If I ever get the lighthouse, I'd love to do something like this!

On some of the older camper versions, there's a C-clip on the back to attach the fork of the bike. Not sure what else you could do with the surfboard, though. Time to get creative! :)

Looking forward to seeing what this becomes! Great work so far, and I love the details!

I was thinking the same thing! I mean, it's a village-- apparently all their buildings come from different towns? I do like the post office, but it doesn't impress me as much a the previous two buildings. I think the bakery is my favorite so far, but I do like the interior of the toy shop.

Woot, forest rangers! As my "town" currently includes a ranch, pig farm, farmhouse, and log cabin, and a campground in-the-works, that will fit in well! I'm excited about the car and camper, too, for the same reason. The last car and camper was in 88! I wonder if this will be a 4-wide or 6-wide like the more recent camper.