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Hello everyone!
My family is actually from Syracuse, NY, but I did get the opportunity to meet several of you last year at Philly Brick Fest where we displayed our A LEGO Christmas Story models and gave a talk about the LEGO Ideas process. We do not have a local active LUG in Syracuse, and at this year’s event I met Krista K again, who suggested the Steel City LUG. I thought that this was a great idea, and although I am remote, I hope that I can bring something to the table with my family’s LEGO experience.
Firstly, our family project started as just that. I had come up with the idea to create and submit the house from A Christmas Story to LEGO Ideas as a teaching moment for my daughter, and our project went all the way to the official LEGO review board (where unfortunately it was not selected as the next LEGO set). The whole experience has been surreal. We are actually trying once again and here is a little compilation of some news stories that I put together last year.
Here is the new project on LEGO Ideas and for those who may not know how LEGO Ideas works, a project requires 10,000 votes to get to the LEGO product review stage.
Anyway, I so appreciate the suggestion to join the LUG, and I hope that as our family continues its journey through the LEGO Ideas process, that we can contribute in some beneficial way the LUG even with our being so remote. I am also happy to relate anything and everything that I know about LEGO Ideas for those who may be considering their own projects, or anyone who may just be curious. After all, our focus and the lesson for my 10-year-old daughter this second time around is all about giving back.
Besides just the model that was submitted to LEGO Ideas, we also have several other A Christmas Story builds for which I created a Flickr page.
I don’t have any great photos yet, but in addition (just for fun), we have created the Bailey Building and Loan from ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’, along with Mushnik’s Flower Shop from ‘Little Shop of Horror’s’ and the Notre Dame Cathedral (which we did prior to the recent tragedy).
I just wanted to say thanks for the suggestion to join, and I am very happy to be a remote member looking forward to contributing.
Hello Jason, and welcome. I’ve seen plenty of Beyond the Brick videos where they do a collaborative, and somebody from Europe or something isn’t able to be there but sends their contribution by mail, or sends them instructions, so it can be done. And according to Google, it’s only 5.5 hours from Syracuse to Pittsburgh.
You are correct! We will be able to make it work one way or another, and I would love to try an make the occasional event. Thank you for the welcome!
Hi Jason, and welcome from another (well at least former) Upstate New Yorker!! I grew up in Geneva, and my wife is from the Utica area, so we’ve got you covered on both sides!! After college we relocated to Pittsburgh and have been here ever since. I joined Steel City LUG about 2 1/2 years ago, and it’s been a great experience for me. Lots of diverse interests, and plenty of people willing to help with collaborative ideas and problem solving. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you have questions on how the LUG works, and don’t let the distance discourage you in terms of participating in some of our displays and contests. We have a member who moved to Columbus, OH but still continues to participate!!
Wow! Thanks so much! The family and I had a chance to visit Pittsburg last summer and we had a great time. We even were able to see a David Freese walk-off hit with the bases loaded @ P&C Park. This seems like a really close group, and reading through everything, it also seems to welcome all things LEGO, which is a great philosophy. I am sure that I will be reaching out to folks, and others can definitely reach out to me as well. Thanks again, and hopefully we can meet in person before too long.
Not to discourage you, but Rochester also has a LUG, although I don’t know much about it. Sometimes their LUG displays at the Strong Museum of Play, which is kind of an indoor playground downstairs and a toy museum upstairs. Its 5 hours from the ‘burgh, but my two boys have gravitated there for college. Rochester also has its own LEGO store. 🙂
Thanks Greg. You are correct. There is a Rochester LUG (and coincidentally I met some of them when we both were displaying at the Strong Museum). However, because I have a LEGO Ideas project, they seem hesitant and I just have never ultimately been able to get a definitive response from them. The Steel City LUG seems great, because it is truly ALL things LEGO. You are also correct about the LEGO store there… We have also done some displays in the mall just outside the store while to collecting support as well. Out of curiosity, where did your boys go to school? My wife and I both graduated from SUNY Geneseo (just south of Rochester). Anyway, great meeting you and thanks for the feedback.
…and thanks again Krista. I have some ideas for my next build. I just need to find the time.
where did your boys go to school? My wife and I both graduated from SUNY Geneseo
One finished undergrad at U of Rochester and the other is starting Rochester Inst of Tech in the fall. Both are Mech E, they must get it from their mother. 😀
Well, one of the great things about this LUG is that most members, over the years, has had their moment to shine, where their unique specialty blows up into something awesome. In some cases, one builder with one idea blooms into an entire display that’s so open and so much fun that others get excited about and leap on. I’ve built for other people and given away MOCs as prizes too, and I like sharing what excites me to build within others’ work.
Submitting to LEGO Ideas is an awesome attempt to create something great for a multitude of builders. It makes me wonder what build I’d want to have made into a set. It seems that most LEGO Idea winners are either pop culture licenses or building architecture styles that are so far outside the LEGO standard that its image leaps off the shelf. I dunno, I’d like the challenge of designing maybe a Space polybag set, or maybe something a bit bigger, 60-80 parts or so. It sounds like a long road to design anything professionally with more restrictions than are present in MOCs.
Anyway, welcome to the LUG, and I hope to see you at Q3.
Wow! Thanks so much for the warm welcome! I doubt that I will be able to make it back down for the Q3 meeting, but we are going to bring our models for the Fayette County Fair display with the LUG this weekend. It is a bit of a drive, so we will arrive after lunch. However, it should be a ton of fun and I hope that we can meet you and other members of the LUG there. This really seems like a great group of people.
That is great! I heard this was coming, but this is actually my first official notification that it is open… guess I need to make a trip now.
Welcome to the LUG Jason!
I forget if we met at PBF (I normally go, but did miss it this year).
Maybe we can explore setting up a live stream for the meetings – we’ve got a few members who might benefit.
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