LegoMyMamma

What a fabulous Laboratory!! The color scheme you used is certainly creative & motivating. The equipment is interesting too; is that hand-truck for tools or getting up high to inspect, or like a Segway? The way the flooring makes the aircraft stand out is just all-around super fun Best of luck to you!!

Do you mean sort of like this?

Love the silhouette of the building, the details, the diagonal floor design, and the way it appears to have bustling activity Best of Luck!

Gosh, only until I read what you wrote did I realize I mentally join Johnny Thunder and Indiana Jones as one character! LOL I always think "Adventurers" when I see this Jeep. Suppose subliminally I wish it had come out during Adventurers' reign. Both are quite "action" based Thanks for the reminder Don't know if Pep wants to 'move' this whole post to Licensed or not. Thanks -- that's probably the rough part about being linked to movie scenes. I miss the old Adventurers games on LEGO.com

On a scale of 1-to-10, how much do you reckon I, myself, am like 'Number Three'? Thank you -- it is truly a blast using my imagination on alternate uses for Friends elements! The possibilities are endless

Gunther is in the second photo, on the left, behind Rachel (oogling her as usual ) near the coffee machine. Do you see him now? --------------------- Thanks everyone for your comments and seeing MiniFigs & MiniDolls as Friends

What a wonderful Winter Village set this would be for so many fans! You have nailed every great design and realistic aspect -- I enjoy looking at the photos over & over again! Thanks. Best of Luck!

Yes, Rosario Costa is said the be the designer-in-charge of LEGO Friends. Also, Fenella Blaize Holden is one of the designers; you can see her here demonstrating how to build 'stronger' walls by interlocking bricks: Another designer is Marta (I don't know her last name) and here she is demonstrating the Treehouse set design: Also, at this year's BrickFair Virginia (Washington, DC, USA) August 2-5, both Fenella and Astrid Graabæk (Town Hall designer) will be presenting for TLG two seminars: 1) The LEGO Design Process and 2) Design Spotlight: LEGO Friends So, yes, indeed there are females in every aspect of Friends theme. In addition to the design process, Leah Weston Kaae is a Senior Digital Strategy Manager for LEGO Systems - specifically involved in the online digital experience of games for the Friends theme, which also include game apps for Apple platforms (iPod, iPad). Although I don't think the entire "team" it took to develop Friends is comprised only of females. I think the 4-year global, anthropological, interactive research involved more than just females, depending on a person's responsibility at TLG (i.e. data compiling, interviews, product test & observation sessions, etc.). Yet, overall, the answer to your question is "Yes" Friends have a female design perspective.

"14% of the respondents were women. When we compare this figure with previous studies, it indicates that more adult women are entering the LEGO hobby."

Another *Alternate* MOC build entirely with using only one set -- Butterfly Beauty Shop CND: Cats Next Door ~ Clubhouse for some Friends to keep neighborhood cats away from their hair bows & clips. You see, these aren't just ordinary hair accessories -- they're Bluetooth communication devices disguised as Fancy Hair Decorations! These Friends invented the devices to be used in their Neighborhood Watch Program -- especially next to the CITY they are located! The devices blend into everyday appearance, so no one knows they are always in communication range of a Friend. Pesky neighborhood cats keep snatching up the devices thinking they are cat toys! We all know how cats love to play with these type of objects for hours. CND: Decoy~girl can be seen from the front and all sides for 24/7 defense! CND: Going to the rooftop, while one Friend monitors the computer inside. CND: Water-sprayer defense station (ya know cats hate water, right?). Red alert light for cat detection and linked with computer inside clubhouse. CND: Relaxing on the Rooftop, after a long day protecting their inventions! [Classified Info:] blink, blink ... "These girls have a command center where they create & test the devices. There are cat deterrence gadgets at every angle: A water-spray cannon, dog-scented fur siding, entrance door waterfall mechanism, ladder with emergency hot air gun, brush and deflection mirror -- as well as a *decoy* girl always standing guard on the Rooftop! The water-cannon has a red-light alert beacon that also alerts the friend on the Clubhouse computer inside. The work table inside the clubhouse has a frequency modulator to activate each hair piece for a specific Friend." Their Number One mission: Keep cats from destroying their stuff! Any similarities to the American TV show "Kids Next Door" is completely subliminal {wink}

B-V-21F Anyone who enjoyed the TV show "Friends" may recognize this hangout: This MOC demonstrates that MiniFigs & MiniDolls can blend in a creation just fine Some characters do look good 'Friendsified' Especially since all hair pieces are compatible.

Hi Pandora, here is another set image you can add to the first post in this thread: LEGO Friends Brickmaster by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr --------------- Also, will there be a Friends MOC index as well? Thanks Edit: Oops -- Silly me! I now see the Friends MOC Index: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=69384 Along with Reviews Index & other fun stuff Thanks!

Lovely train -- my first thought was "Lady" of Thomas & Friends There actually are a few of those colors in real bricks, as you can see in my Friends Express train: Friends Express Train ~ heading down the tracks in Heartlake City! by LegoMyMamma, on Flickr Here it is posted on Eurobricks (you must have missed it): http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=67126 Azure blue also comes in many Friends sets, which seems like another color you've used in LDD for your creation. A few other fans have used the real bricks in these colors to make animal carrying trains to the delight of girls (and boys) at LEGO events. So, yeah, it's not as "insane" as you think

Nope. See this Friendsified Mindstorms video: Try again

Oh, I do wish I were a "younger" girl Loads of "older" people enjoy Friends too -- adult females have been coming out of their "dark ages" in droves, due to Friends! Even BrickWorld's FFOL event featured Friends. Also, lots of adult male fans appreciate the sets as well -- have you not seen all the creations? The future of Friends appears to be quite promising, or TLG wouldn't be adding more Designers for the Friends line: "We are looking for element designers with a design education or background that can add new creative ideas and concept approaches to our LEGO Friends product line."

Actually, girls have been asking for more girl-related LEGO products for years! So, yes, it was very much on TLG's, female Ambassador's, LEGO retail store manager's, other toy retailer's, parent's, and fan's "what if" lists! That is why TLG launched a comprehensive 4-year global interactive anthropological research project. The MiniDolls are a result of girls who imagined themselves "shrinking down" to play inside of their creations -- and most simply didn't relate to MiniFigs. That's why Friends brick sets have "Friends" and has never been about replacing MiniFigs, nor competing with them. As has been stated, Friends core purpose is to be a bridge to building with LEGO bricks for those girls who are new to the toy/hobby. It's those girls who didn't consider LEGO before Friends -- who are now gaining the same spatial, problem-solving, math & engineering skills as all LEGO fans! LEGO retail stores have had customers asking for years exactly what Friends theme represents: girl-oriented, some softer colors, new designs, sets which include role-play aspects during the building process, and a buildable figure. That this has been accomplished along with progressive modular designs, some new elements, new colors, new interactive games, new characters, new & expandable storylines, LEGO events & displays for girls to build with other girls, accompanying products (clothing, bags, accessories, etc.) -- all the while gaining loads of *new* LEGO fans is quite a "success" by any definition! Stores are sold out. Some sets were sold out of some sets within weeks of the New Year's Day launch! As for this topic of *vs* is concerned, EB is always a wonderful place for discussions, however this seems a bit like comparing apples to oranges. Of course LoTR is iconic and has generations of fans. Friends is a brand new slate -- it has zero limitations of canon, characters, licensing, or middle earth settings. What we should really be asking here is: who is building an awesome Friends-LoTR MOC for the Summer of Friends challenge!

Considering I build creations based on all 3 Categories on a regular basis this contest seems right up my alley! Way back when Friends were new, I would cross-post my creations into the theme forum my Friends blended with -- doing so with a bit of hesitation. There was concern of some fans objecting to it. Yet, now it's sanctioned by EB = awesome! Bring on the Summer of Friends!

Thanks for this early review of the Friends Adventure Camper Redhead1982! This was on top of my 'want' list when the first toy fair pics came out. I still want it (#1 on my list is the Riding Camp) and am looking forward to MOCing this set! I love the pink & lime green color scheme -- it reminds me of outfits I had as a girl. It's fairly common knowledge those too colors in a combo are appealing to many girls. However, perhaps more monotone vehicle color is desired by older fans. I do think the design is fine for a camper that needs to be playable and open up The simple, yet effective Picnic Table design will no doubt be a hit with many girls As for the bikes -- I have my Friends MiniDolls riding them sitting down and looking straight forward, like this: For all the new parts and colors & fun Friends has brought us, I suppose we can retro-fit the classic MiniFig bike just fine!

Very fun review LuxorV It takes a well-staged review to really appreciate all the nice parts in this set. Once again, for a small set, this has enough build/play aspects to be a nice first set. More orange is tempting for sure! As for Steph's "Pet Patrol" set bunny house -- well, you should see how deep that hole is into the ground that her Bunny dug under that little house! Andrea makes a good Loki too! It's great to be able to get this type of introspective of the set, along with immediate demonstration of how versatile these sets can be when Imagination is added

Hauntingly beautiful Torn sails never looked so great! The front also looks very menacing indeed - NPU all around. Thanks for sharing!

First off - thanks Pandora for the comprehensive review! Initially I hadn't thought much about this set (as I have my eye on the Summer Riding Camp) yet I think in this price range, this is a great option for some girls who can't get the larger set! At least the roof offers the all-important easy access for role-play of items inside the stables; a fixed roof would make that aspect very difficult indeed. Good to see a new torso (Katharina) that I can see becoming very popular with MOCers. I did think the set came with extra hairpieces for when the riding caps with hair are off? Perhaps it's the Summer Riding Camp I'm thinking of (toy fair pics). Still, if this happens to be a girl's first set -- she can learn to build a structure, as well as a compact design while building the Well This may be the first set of this wave to sell out. Again, thanks for nudging this onto my 'want' list Pandora

Thanks for the review Big Cam! There may be some MOCs I can think of creating by using that Speedboat for sure! It's interesting you noticed the box back depicting the actual "assembly" of the MiniDoll. I think it's another example of just how much "building" is encouraged in the entire Friends theme. Friends aren't some static, one piece, non-customizable "doll" like other toys. Even with the torso designs that are currently available, there's still a way for girls to mix & match to create their own -- plus use traditional MiniFig hairpieces, tools, capes, and other accessories too Thanks for showing the sandcastle's build steps -- even as a small structure within this set, I think it is well designed. I remember liking it from when the first set pics came out. I mean, who doesn't like a sandcastle, right?

Pretty cool that a drummer reviews a set with drums -- just another sweet thing about EB, right? The drum piece does look interesting! You may be interested to know the history of the Friends band; they had practices, meetings in the Cafe and gigs -- their band was called "Tuff Stuff" Here are pics from the original Friends concept: Also, some other sets also leave one drawer off -- it's meant to be an "open shelf" like some nightstand have -- so there's a shelf to put a book or something for easy access. Thanks for the review Erdbeereis

Friends are the would-be Pirates in a Friends Pirate Month Like this: Let's be pirates! by Jemppu M, on Flickr

What a great idea! Can it be after the summer wave sets reach everyone? I really need more parts. "Olivia" was imagining something like this when she built an alternate creation with just the Treehouse set: