LegoMyMamma

The use of red in this creation as the backdrop, rather than red elements (like used in gunshot MOCs) is just visually stunning! I want to keep looking at it. Also, that rubics-cubish thing is way mesmerizing -- what is it, and can I have one? As a vignette MOC, it seems so very complete. Thanks for sharing!

Yes, it is "lightningtiger" thanks for the inspiration I couldn't fit a table (bench) saw or a Jigsaw, and certainly no room for a planer. She just gets her wood planed at the Lumberyard. Did you even notice the sawdust exhaust-pull manifold? It's why there's a chimney on the wood-shop roof To: JackJonespaw, Thanks & yes, it is. To: Legocrazy81, Nah, the prices aren't too bad, similar to other Village shops. The duck is probably my fave thing about my MOC, did you see the video of it rolling on its wheels? Obviously Emma's brother is Jack Stone To: dho7622u, Thanks!

Any perceived "grouping" in my comments are not arbitrary; just because Goldman says in that one transcript she has nothing against pink bricks does not by default make her not involved with the petitioners. Like I wrote, it's her overall participation in the backlash. The way I even became aware of the NPR session in which she participated, was via the core "No pink aisle, bring back beautiful" campaign partners' sites: Hardy Girls (Lyn Mikel Brown), PBG - Powered by Girls (Lyn Mikel Brown), and SPARK (Lyn Mikel Brown). They had thanked Goldman for her part in the NPR interview and proceeded to promote a link to it. Before our esteemed fellow-member "the enigma that is badger" posted a link on this thread about the first NPR interview involving Bailey Shoemaker Richards (SPARK, PBG) I had already read & listened to it the day after it aired -- due to the fact she tweeted she was driving in the snow to get to the station. What most concerned me about her interview was the part about her "supposedly" talking with workers who stock the sets and them saying they are not on par with other LEGO sets. Clearly a fabrication or some stock person at a big box store who is clueless. So, just today, when I was going to gather the link for you, as to how Goldman is a de facto spokesperson for the "No pink aisles, bring back beautiful" campaign, low & behold, she has been congratulated for representing the campaign again: "Thank you to Carrie Goldman for this great explanation of the real issues behind the PBG and SPARK Summit protest of the new LEGO Friends line!" Yet again, except this time in a brand new article. Also once again, an article filled with misleading information -- including false statements, such as Friends being more like DUPLO than other LEGO bricks, etc., etc. Here is a sampling: "Unlike the “boy” sets, the Lego Friends do not require complete assembly of the whole model before girls can begin to play with them, removing the chance for girls to feel a sense of accomplishment at following the building instructions. Parents are left to wonder, why are the Legos for Girls dumbed down?" But, hey don't take my word for it -- read it yourself! Without re-creating the entire FFOOLF blog here, I will add a more detailed over-view of what I have followed since Dec 25th: Before the campaign encouraged spam on the LEGO fan page on FB, Spark reps engaged TLG's twitter account. I say "engaged" when really it was more like "blind-sided" when they first tweeted to TLG an article Stephanie Cole put on Spark's site. Then, having TLG's twitter account's attention, they attempted to extract the actual "research" data TLG concluded. Reluntant, TLG said not for publishing, yet could e-mail some information. Contact e-mails were provided (Dana Edell, Spark) and once they had whatever TLG gave them on the anthropological research, they then went full-steam ahead with their campaign. Bailey wrote her own article, then proceeded to promote spamming the 1981 ad on the LEGO FB page, spreading their "social-media campaign" information (which we now know is filled with misleading information) and networking with other feminist and girl empowerment groups. The petition was originally created by Dana Edell of Spark (yes, I have that screencap) and I have no idea how they can change sponsor names on petitions. The best place to see who the "no pink" campaign partners are is by viewing the letter they sent to TLG. You might also like to read the foul language one "partner" (Pigtail Pals 'aka' Melissa Atkins Wardy) uses toward TLG in reference to their hard-copy petitions signatures mailed to TLG. (scroll to the FedEx pkg image) The Mary Sue is another site of those spreading misleading information (not just the one article you link to). This entire situation is alarming to me, as to how these "networks" operate. Part of the reason I began following this campaign is to understand it for myself. I decided to organize it on a blog -- and if anyone else who stops by gains an understanding, then well, gravy. Although I have tried to be brief on this thread -- since I am past that now -- let me add: I find it a bit confusing that you call yourself a feminist (on your blog post) as my understanding you are a male. I can see how men can be feminist supporters/sympathizers -- yet I do not think (even via a sister) you have experienced life as to what it is like being a girl/woman. If you don't think marginalizing the Friends sets by calling them created for the "lowest common denominator" is criticizing the people who buy Friends, then what is it? As for the marketing of the theme -- it's all subjective. Opinions on the way it's marketed are as different as each person viewing. Geo-sociological factors, familiarity with construction toy industry, being a parent, not being a parent, occupation, access to TV or Internet, and susceptibility to persuasion, all come into play. As for me lumping anyone who doesn't like the Friends theme into the "no pink" camp -- nope, I have not done that at all. I think this thread has been enlightening for everyone! Although I don't see it as only a 2-sided-table; it is as multi-faceted as the people who partake. Also, I already agreed on this very thread about the LEGO Girls magazine probably being better if an opt-in had been provided, rather than opt-out. Yet, the campaigners have spread false information about it too -- saying such things as: girls' photos with their creations are never allowed in the "regular" Club magazine. I know I have seen girls with creations in the Club magazine. Those are unsolicited, user-sent, so it's hardly fair to blame TLG anyway. At the end of the day, it's another new theme. Buy it or not, it's a choice. However, spreading false information about its aspects is reckless on the Internet, which can have a sound-byte-attention-span. So here we are full-circle; Goldman's new article contains misleading information, such as Friends being more like DUPLO than other LEGO bricks. The damage is self-evident in readers' comments, which reflect that people are still believing the hyperbole -- even though they could simply go to a local store (in the USA) and look at Olivia's House in a display. Heck, they don't even have to buy Friends to see it's comprised of the same bricks as any other LEGO set or bucket. The house is even Modular. The mini-dolls are barely bigger than a classic MiniFig. They are located at the end of the "construction aisle" in many stores. In this topic thread, someone points out the backlash will be moot if the Friends theme succeeds; I have personally heard from some LEGO store employees that Friends is selling well -- and that it is filling a long-time void in which customers have been asking for exactly what Friends sets provide: Another option for some girls who may not already build with bricks. My own personal non-scientific polling at the stores I went to buy my sets resulted in many customers laughing at the notion someone was petitioning TLG regarding Friends. I asked a young woman wearing a pink shirt in the clothing area what she thought about Olivia & Emma's sets -- she thought they were fine, adding if it gets girls to build, then why should anyone complain. An older woman buying for her grand-niece thought they were a nice option, as she was searching for a requested mermaid toy. A mom, who was at the Friends display at the end of the construction toy aisle, buying City & Friends sets for her daughter said her daughter is thrilled with Friends. She added, she loves them, even considering her daughter just built the Robie House (yes, and she's only 8). Finally, the checkout clerk seemed truly annoyed that I even asked if anyone complained about the sets. My only bias comes from Friends easing me out of my "grey ages" and actually being brave enough to photograph my own creations. I bought sets to see for myself, before projecting any conjecture online. I still am dealing with the mental-to-manipulation conversion of just how small the mini-dolls really are! That Bloomberg photo haunts me. Kinda like the campaigners are haunting the Internet with lies.

Yes, this is what I have come to realize too. The more I read of their "campaign" and the way they pat each other on the back for coming up with cute little slogans to demoralize the Friends theme (like saying it targets the "lowest common denominator" and creating a wordle graphic to represent it) the more it is apparent they are barely casual LEGO consumers. Their passive-aggressive tactic of putting TLG up on a pedestal ("oh, LEGO, you're our go-to toy") for then, what seems like, the purpose of knocking them off that pedestal with a campaign, skewing information, and a petition (demanding a meeting) it obvious to me. ---------- To: fallentomato, I referred to the hypocrisy of Goldman's participation in the conversation, since she is a de facto spokesperson for the "no pink" campaigners. I didn't say she harassed anyone -- yet I have read her comments on other sites in regard to Friends, so I am aggregating her overall intent. The campaign fails to realize (as 'the enigma that is badger' pointed out) that Friends is merely one new option. Why should they get to criticize my option, if they don't want their option criticized? I was already aware of her child's story way before this controversy erupted. Yet, was she actually "bullied" or just teased? (I do think there is a difference in the two actions.) I wholly support her daughter's choice to have a Star Wars themed item; when I heard the story last year about the actress who voices Ahsoka in Clone Wars sending her support and even some cool SW items (light sabers) -- I thought it was great! So, the flip side is that I would hope Goldman would embrace my daughter's choice to have LEGO Friends themed items without recourse (bullying/teasing) too!! It's all about having options. While I like SW, although am not a massive LEGO SW fan, I do respect those who are 100% and am happy for them when they are happy, ya know? It only occurred to me while posting about that NPR transcript that there could be some cajoling of girls who do choose Friends. I certainly hope not! Yet, the way this campaign has been plastered online, it is possible. For all their concern of girls' psyche damage, in regard to being stereotyped -- they seems to have dismissed the possible damage to the psyche of girls who the Friends aspects represent. Girls who do like pink, who like Polly Pocket, who like to build houses with bricks, who comb their hair, who like animals, etc., have equal standing in society as girls who like Star Wars. Plus, SW & Friends themes are not mutually-exclusive anyway -------- To: L@go, Thanks for translating & posting that! No doubt the article was printed before the Danish Equality Minister actually retracted his criticism of LEGO Friends! Perhaps you can provide that link in a comment to the article online, or the authors could print it as a follow-up/correction to the story

Oh, for sure, I was not asking for one. It's just something I've been curious about for years -- yet only now asked about (after my search results proved evasive). So, Big Cam, what does the skeleton head "Special Tag" represent under your Avatar?

Thanks for all your nice comments I am thinking of adding steam "smoke" vapors coming out of the engine exhaust and animating it somehow, because the main rotor & tail rotor "wheel" do rotate. Any ideas?

Take your blood pressure meds Here's the follow-up NPR interview with Michel Martin transcripts -- "Whether Pink Legos Are Just Building Stereotypes" -- in which 3 guests talk: one is a former Mattel employee, one is the mom of a girl who was (supposedly) teased for having a Star Wars water bottle at school, and the third has a male & female child. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=145705192 My personal take-away from it is the hypocrisy of Goldman, because if she demands her child be allowed Star Wars toys without recourse, then why can't another parent be able to buy LEGO Friends without harassment -- if that's what their child wants? I am now realizing the damage this "backlash" may cause to the psyche of the millions of girls who are thrilled with the new theme. Something even more important to point out here is that the main "czar" behind the petition against TLG, Lyn Mikel Brown, is also against "macho" toys, along with her partner, who also teaches at Colby College (article with photos): http://www.colby.edu/colby.mag/issues/51/article/994/the-making-of-machismo/ So, it seems, only a grey blob toy will suffice

Thanks Rick, Big Cam and Pandora for taking time to enlighten me. So, who is this uber-god, um, I mean mortal, called Hinckley who is keeping me barefoot & preggo in the kitchen I mean really, why can't I be blocky like all you sophisticated EB non-average members?? I just wanna follow the pretty ... oh, lookie a butterfly ... um, I just wanna follow the pretty graphics to what cool creations gained the respect of the "Special Tag" cuz I like special & precious

Well, I did look in that pinned topic -- and I saw all the tags & titles, but what I am seeking is a master chart for "Special Tags" so as to know what they represent. I think you're right in that I did scan past the listing of "Special Tags" while scrolling by, since they are listed in the regular "status" & groups tag List (between Classic-Castle Forum graphic & Taking a Break user tag). Yet, that pinned topic does not include what each graphic "Special Tag" represents. All it does is explain that average members can have only 4, etc. While some of the "Special Tags" are self explanatory, with text built into the graphics, many do not have any text. So, unless a member participated in the event/contest by entering and/or voting, I can't see where a member can look up as to what, say, the snowflake "Special Tag" means, or the ghost "Special Tag" and so forth. Can you point me to that chart? Thanks!

Those fun & creative little graphics seem to correlate to badges/awards for contests and/or participation in contests or events. Not the Group Tags, or member Titles -- but the graphics under the country of origin. I am wondering if there is a way to either have text-when-hover-over as to what they represent, or a master chart explaining what they represent. It seems like all the effort into creating & obtaining them is a bit lost if the average EB user/visitor doesn't know what they signify. Before posting this, I did read through all 22 pages in this category: Website & Forums. However, if I over-looked it, I apologize, and ask if someone can point me to a topic thread or pinned topic covering these? Thanks! LegoMyMamma "average EB member"

B-OV-21E Come on in and browse the Woodcraft Shoppe ~ Winter Village: Woodcraft Shoppe by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr In the winter village, there is a woodcraft shoppe where villagers can buy furniture & toys for their Friends. Winter Village: Woodcraft Shoppe ~ open view by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr The store's showroom is on the right, and the wood-shop is on the left -- so villagers know every item is carefully hand-crafted on-site. Winter Village: Woodcraft Shoppe ~ view from store by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr Olivia can keep an eye on the store and customers can observe her busy with new projects. A counter and floor grills with laser-beams keeps villagers out of the wood-shop area & away from the machines Winter Village: Woodcraft Shoppe ~ view from store into wood-shop by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr A Friend makes a lumberyard delivery at the Shoppe's back door. I wonder who it is? Winter Village: Woodcraft Shoppe ~ Emma gets the duck by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr Thrilled to see one of Olivia's creations, Emma decides to take it home for her little brother! The village quack Be sure to stop by next time you're in the Winter Village, and bring your Friends! As always, more photos in the Woodcraft Shoppe set on Flickr -- thanks for visiting!

Since I made the comment, I felt compelled to follow-through with a photo for detail comparison

An interesting correlation to the color purple in relation to gender, girls, Friends, etc: Angela Zhang of Cupertino, California, the girl who won the national Siemens science contest with her project on designing a way to cure cancer by attacking only the cancerous cells, not healthy ones, spent the first bit of her $100,000 prize money on purple shoes! Ditto on Olivia's house.

If they offend you as an AFOL, well, that is your issue -- because they weren't developed for AFOLs, they were developed for kids. That you say fallentomato is the first source to pinpoint the source origin of the so-called controversy demonstrates to me you over-looked my posting on December 26th http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=63559&st=180&p=1153221entry1153221 and the amount of care I have taken to compile & document the sources of the campaign, and their offspring of activity. In their current actions, they are insisting TLG set up a meeting with them: http://www.sparksummit.com/2012/01/20/our-letter-to-lego/ Besides, in order for you to "figure out if their claim is outrageous," you need to see the contents of the letter sent to change.dot.org members: http://www.paganomation.com/2012/01/the-ongoing-lego-friends-controversy/ Which I also included in the compilation blog, about a week ago. Am I invisible to you?

Updated information on current actions by "No Pink aisle" campaign -- their letter to TLG dated Jan 20, 2012 To: Legocrazy81 -- I did notice someone has created some type of petition (certainly not me, for I think they are not the most effective means) and placed a link to it in several response comments to some of the many blog & web site articles they have plastered online. Here is the link: http://www.change.org/petitions/save-the-pink-legos-pro-choice-on-lego-colors --------------- FWIW, I did not blindly accept the new theme simply because it's aimed at girls -- I was skeptical too. Then after seeing some people put TLG on a pedestal, merely for the purpose of knocking them off, well, I bought some sets. I instantly liked the new mini-dolls. My only problem at first was building to their scale, since I still had that gigantic Bloomberg photo-shopped image of Stephanie stuck in my head. In the meantime, this is eating into my Friends building time

They're mailing the printed-out signatures of their petition: How many reams of paper can Dunder Mifflin turn 48,000 separate sheets into anyway? I would do the math, but, ya know, hey, I'm a girl Maybe TLG could turn them over to the blank side and use as scratch paper. Also, they are beginning what they call their "next phase" against LEGO: http://www.sparksummit.com/2012/01/19/lego-the-good-the-bad-and-the-frilly/ IMO, they read only the comments 'they' want to read, not the hundreds of comments by people who have taken the time to provide correct information, or simply provide another viewpoint of how their daughter is happy to have an option in Friends. http://www.pressherald.com/news/mainer-no-friend-of-new-lego-characters_2012-01-08.html In her follow-up opinion piece, http://www.onlinesentinel.com/opinion/why-is-the-organized-protest-against-lego-and-why-now__2012-01-18.html the main instigator, Lyn Mikel Brown, gets catalogs & Club Magazines confused. They've also had to admit their campaign message was muddled by back-tracking to clarify a misconception they apparently unintentionally spread that their goal was to stop the Friends line from entering the market place. (read bottom message about "corrected info") http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/15/lego-friends-girls-gender-toy-marketing_n_1206293.html?view=print&comm_ref=false They are now telling their "followers" on FB to stay tuned ... Really?

You are so funny! Lovely and succinct -- showing the MiniFig / mini-doll hair-piece options is such a great aspect of this review. Thanks! I was trying to get Andrea's Stage as a review up in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday holiday in the USA Jan 17th, yet you guys beat me to the spotlight Oh well, I'm not sure I'm quite ready to do such elaborate EB-style reviews. Remember, I'm a girl, and we don't really like to take pics while building -- too busy imagining what else could be built Plus, all the singing gets distracting In regard to your last comment, is there a youtube video of that, cuz I really want to see it!!!

Now that is a very generous comment indeed - thanks To: JackJonespaw, Thank you for noticing color integration -- I am becoming fond of the new blue (medium azure) To: Lightningtiger, Thanks, again. "Is Olivia 'planing' something else?" You framed a very good question and possibly hit the nail on the head To: Redhead1982, I really like your comment about more "friendly MOCs" -- thank you; at first I thought you meant no basement scenes ( = AndyC) yet I think now you mean MOCs comprised of Friends mini-dolls and new brick colors

Actually, other people did make the argument, which I did not fictitiously "frame" because I read it in other peoples' comments on several other sites before coming to this thread, when you had posted the front-cover only of the new mag. And, yes I have read quite a large amount of discussion all over the Internet, for the purpose of documenting for a blog: http://feminists-freak-out-over-lego-friends.blogspot.com/ (which of course you already know about when you told me it had already been discussed to death) when I initially posted about it. Why you are taking such a defensive tone with everyone is a mystery to me. I have several Friends sets; so far my issue is continually having to *mentally* overcome that they really are not HUGE dolls like Bloomberg's photo-shopped image showed

Nope. They never die ------------------------------------------- Thanks, everyone, for your comments and enjoying the sci-fi fantasy of mine. I had seen a documentary about the ants being infected by fungus (who knew fungi were so wicked) years ago, and with all the current issues with honeybees & pollen sources in honey -- it just buzzed me this way

Olivia pilots her SteamPunkopter! [/url] Into the world of fantastical flying machines ~ Main rotors and tail rotor wheel rotate. Olivia, one of the Friends, just sitting in her helicopter, like a proper mini-doll - checking the flight controls. After the Friends CD-Rom game gig in 1999, Olivia took some time off to pursue building a SteamPunk creation. I wonder what Olivia will build next ...

B-V-14D Arts & Science Academy Friends in the Music Cafe Arts & Science Academy Friends in the Music Cafe by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr Andrea gets to hone her math skills while practicing piano, with technology available for her to access the Internet. She can utilize programs to compose her own music. Emma and Olivia get to enjoy Andrea's music while sharing ideas on some math equations. Pink Lemonade provides a fruity refreshment for these busy Friends! Andrea's Piano by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr Andrea's piano solo. Emma & Olivia sharing ideas in the Arts & Science Academy Cafe by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr Emma & Olivia sharing ideas in the Arts & Science Academy Cafe Emma is working on a project involving new fibers in clothing for kids who are allergic to some synthetic fibers. Olivia is getting Emma's feedback on dimensions for expanding her wood-shop. Music ~ Math, Science & Technology engineered to make good Friends by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr Music ~ Math, Science & Technology engineered to make good Friends Music cafe has wi-fi so Andrea can download music programs with her laptop to help her learn to compose her own music. Music Studio in Arts & Science Academy Cafe by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr Music Studio in Arts & Science Academy Cafe Andrea gets to practice piano & vocals in the cafe. Enjoy some music with your friends

ZomBees are infected and want your honeez for their hive. ZomBees by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr ZomBees & ZomBeez can't be killed. Pesticides don't work on them. ZomBeeQueen by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr Hive-mind-controlled by the ZomBeeQueen. When darknezz falls, she infects honey bees & controls their mindz. ZomBeeHive by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr Their hive is infected too. Don't swat at it. You will feel stingzzzz. ZomBuzz by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr Next time you hear a bee, look out for ZomBeez. Their stingz worse than their flight. B-Z-Z-Z-z-z-zzzzzz

Thanks! The tan wood grain printed tiles come in these 2 sets: Shrieking Shack http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=4756-1 and Temple of The Mountain http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=7417-1 Well, I think it's a good use of parts

That's a great idea! It reminds me of this video of a Friends launch event in France: So many of the less than favorable comments have come from people who have never held the mini-dolls between 2 fingers or realize the amount of bricks & pieces in the sets. They blend with all the rest of LEGO well. Club members would have to request a set like you suggest though, since some people became irritated with getting the new girl Club magazine without being given the option to receive it. Maybe polybag sets will come along soon.