Friendshiptember is that wonderful time of the year where builders of all experience levels come together to create a ship (space, sky, or seafaring, all are fine!) inspired by the colors and minidolls of LEGO Friends. With another successful Friendshiptember in the rear view mirror, we rounded up some of our favorite entries to share. We also sat down with the event organizer Aubree (moctura) to reflect, so scroll to the end to read our interview. But first, let’s see these fabulous friendships! Brilliantly capturing both the aesthetic and the color palette of the Friends theme, Chad Rhodes first-ever entry is a sight to behold. This ship is smooth and sleek, yet feels like a true crossover for Friends and Space. The Star and Heart tucked away in the top of the ship is a perfect touch. With another impressively sleek design, Jason Bourassa shows off this colorful ship adorned with embellishments....

I discovered Jean-Yves’ motorcycle customization work on a small LEGO Facebook group. I was amazed to discover this one—it’s original, very stylish, and superbly crafted. I immediately thought of sharing this unique creation on BrickNerd while trying to find out a little more about this project. Meet Jean-Yves Sam: Hello Jean-Yves, can you introduce yourself to our BrickNerd readers? Are you a motorcycle fan and a LEGO fan? Jean-Yves: Hello, I am 61 years old and retired in 2023, so I now have all my time to devote to personal projects. I used to work at the National School of Architecture, where I was in charge of the students’ prototyping and model-making workshops. In addition to that, I am a freelance board game designer. My hobbies include amateur painting, riding motorcycles since I was 16, and playing in a gaming club. A fan? I wouldn’t use that word, but motorcycles, gaming,...

It’s Wednesday! With October well on its way and Halloween just around the corner, what better time to cover sets from the new Wednesday season! So, first things first, or more accurately 76786 Morticia’s Cottage will be first, and 76785 Thing’s Apartment will be second. And yes, roll your eyes all you like, but I will be making this “Thing” thing a thing. A Close Look at the Cottage Let’s start with a high-level overview. 76786 Morticia’s Cottage retails for around US $110 and comes with 1,002 pieces. ”Business, business, business. Numbers... Is this working?” With those things out of the way, let’s take a closer look. “Yay!” Instructions Genuinely, these are a few of my favorite things. Morticia’s Cottage immediately struck me as similar to many winter village sets. It fits the familiar vibe of family seasonal décor. And if you’re anything like several of my LEGO friends with families,...

“The Conversation Piece” is a monthly BrickNerd series about creativity and building with LEGO authored by our friends over at the Builder Improvement Initiative (BII), a Discord-based community that helps LEGO builders of all levels get better at their craft through knowledge-sharing and constructive feedback. Have a question you would like us to consider for a future article? You can submit it here. Enjoy! Developing Style FS Leinad asks: “How does a builder's style develop? How does style develop? Is it better to strive for a consistent style or to branch out?” As discussed in last month’s article, style is the way we define our builds and design language. Through the use of specific genres, colour theory, texturing, shape language, and parts usage, we can add our own unique touch to set our creations apart from those of the rest of the community. But what does developing a building style look...

A new month is upon us which means more competitive building! Are you ready? Here’s the latest bunch of LEGO contests and challenges from all around the AFOL community for October 2025 to help you find some inspiration and motivation to build! There’s nothing quite like a theme or a prompt to take you out of your comfort zone and give you something new to try. Besides, contests are the perfect place to interact with other contestants and judges and get to know your fellow builders. And if you’re like me, a deadline helps make sure you actually finish! We’ve listed them in order of deadline so you can plan your building time to the best advantage. Make sure to check the LEGO activity calendar for local challenges and events near you. Here at BrickNerd, some of our fondest memories, greatest building achievements, coolest trophies, and best friendships came from LEGO...