Lego 4 Privet Drive 75968

 Do not be fooled - I kept saying I didn't fancy this kit as it was "just a house" and I figured it would be a really boring build.  There is SO much going on in this set that it is a really engrossing build and full of surprises.  It manages to merge Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets beautifully.

You can post little lego letters through the fireplace.  The back of the letterbox in the door is blocked up.  Harry has his cupboard under the stairs.  Harry also has his bedroom from the second book and the inclusion of a Ford Anglia (not as nice a modelling as the one in the Whomping Willow Set) that really does pull the window out to set Harry free.

The inclusion of Dobby is such a great idea.  I don't have him from any other set so that made me very happy.

Plenty of play value and the build itself is far more enjoyable than I really expected.

Number Of Pieces: 797

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.08

Build Time: 2 Hours 40 Minutes

 

Lego Quidditch Match 75956

 I loved the bright colours of the towers for the supporters but kept putting off purchasing this kit as I thought it was going to be a repetitive build.  Not so, each tower is built slightly differently which surprised me in a very good way.

Even better, you can attach Oliver Wood to a clear plastic strut that allows him to properly guard the hoops.  Yes, I sat controlling Mr Wood whilst the other half flicked tiny scrunched up paper balls at the hoops.  I am pleased to report nothing got past me (but that could have just been because his aim was atrocious).

Lots of little details on the build that surprised me.  You can even fly through the Gryffindor tower.

Number Of Pieces: 500

Average Price Per Piece: £0.07

Build Time: 1 Hour 40 Minutes

 

Lego Hungarian Horntail Triwizard Challenge 75946

 The main focus of this kit is the dragon itself.  I have to admit it is a great looking dragon that is truly poseable.  The problem I have is the spines on the head kept falling out every time I posed him.  Not a massive problem for me as it is ultimately going in my display cabinet with the rest of my Lego Wizarding World Of Harry Potter constructions.  In fact, I only really got this because I am up to date with the larger builds and decided to start getting the smaller kits for completeness sake.

I did like the reproduction of the challenge tent, especially as it folds away so looks just like a little square until you open it up.  Even have the little cot where they treat Cedric Diggory for his burns from his attempt at the challenge.

Apart from the spine shedding it does have loads of play value.

Number of Pieces: 265

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.11

Build Time: 1 Hour

 

Lockdown Changes You

 Well, this started out as a blog about book reviews but I haven't posted one in months.  Then again I haven't picked up a book or my Kindle in nearly 2 weeks.  Admittedly, I do have about 30 book reviews to write just haven't got the will.

Since lockdown started I started baking again and developed a serious Lego habit.  To be honest I'm enjoying doing rather than just vegetating on the couch with someone else's adventures in my hands.  I know I'll get back to devouring a book a day but for now it's create, create, create with either Urbex videos or True Crime videos running on You Tube to keep me company.

My favourites at present are:

Bailey Sarian - Started with the Murder, Mystery and Make Up series that she posts every Monday after seeing a couple of episodes on my Facebook feed and got completely hooked.  She has the most wonderful voice and can really tell a story!  So much so I've even watched some of her make up tutorials and I don't even own a lipstick (no, really, I don't even own lipstick!).  About to start relistening/watching that series as I'm almost all caught up

 The Proper People - Urbex done RIGHT.  They go to some wonderful places and are really honest - if a place more or less sucks they admit it.  No click bait thumbnails and no needless bigging up of what they find.  Learnt some cool stuff off them and seen some stunning interiors.

Exploring With Josh - Vaguely respectful Urbex and Josh is like an overexcited puppy.  He does have a tendency for clickbait thumbnails and to jumping to conclusions BUT no planted stuff or weird claims.  He's just fun and was my introduction to the world of Urbex.

Bernadette Banner - Sewing channel but with the making of historical garments as accurately as she can.  There is something so soothing and hopeful about Bernadette that I just love watching her create these beautiful clothes that I am so jealous of.  I think it is a nostalgia thing as my mum made 90% of our clothes and I was the designated pattern cutter because I cannot sew.  I can get by with handsewing but me and a machine don't mix and handsewing a whole garment just takes far too long for me.

So, with restrictions still in place and a decided disinterest in going out for more than a weekly shop it's back to Lego and You Tube for me - well, for today.  Tomorrow is a baking day!

Lego The Royal Drawbridge 6078

 This old Lego Creator kit was languishing on the old toys shelf in the bedroom and seeing as I had success with the Lego Adventurer's Kit we didn't even know we owned I went and grabbed it and tried to build it.

Sadly some pieces were missing but the main sections for the drawbridge and castle entrance were there baring one l-Shape and three thin 2 x 1s.  No big problem, bucket of random bricks that also languished on the shelving unit to the rescue and I have a functioning castle moat and drawbridge.

One minifigure is missing but so are most of the pieces for his raft.  I could have probably cobbled it together from the Bucket O'Bricks but as the little guy to ride it is gone I didn't see the point.  Strangely his paddle was in the box.

I think this dates back to trying to get the brat interested in Lego when he was small but it was a failed experiment.  He preferred video games.  Different story now though he is collecting the Minecraft series and only has 2 builds left from the current cycle and is moving in to Star Wars ships.  Yes, we have a house full of Lego and it isn't cheap and we can't really afford it but with no holidays on the horizon I figure I'm only repurposing that funding and the other half is letting me so long may it reign!

Lego Temple of Anubis 5988

 We're in the middle of a very slow clear out here and part of that is opening cupboards that we haven't actually been into for, without a word of a lie or exaggeration, 5 years and probably longer.  In my mind this means just put it all in bin bags and stash them in the small lean to in the back until we have a skip full and then get said skip - we can apologise to the neighbours afterwards for opening a branch of Steptoe's Yard.  Turns out there is going to be less thrown out than we thought as there are some genuine collectable items stuffed in there - probably why they are stuffed in there to be honest.  Some of it we could likely list and sell on eBay but neither of us has the patience even if the cash would be good so back in the cupboard it goes.

However, one little gem we stumbled on was a huge metal tin full to the brim with some Lego pieces that very definitely looked like a set and a really cool one with large pieces printed with faux-Egyptian hieroglyphs and murals.  No instruction booklet and no idea which kit it is but lets use the power of Google for good.  Lo and behold we found the kit and thanks to Lego being the geniuses they are I could download the pdf of the build instructions direct from their website for free.

So, instead of starting on the London Bus that was pencilled in as yesterday's build of choice here's what I really made:

Talk about a FIND!

I am thrilled with it and I only wish it was still in production as I would definitely be buying the whole range.

Only problem I have is where to put it now it's built - my display cabinet is full of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter kits.  The only big shelf in the living room just has room for the Roller Coaster and I have vehicles crammed in to the shelf underneath it that are more dumped than displayed.  For now it is languishing on the shelf under the telephone but that means you can't really see it so rethink due on that one.

Lego Attack On The Burrow 75980

To date this has to be one of my favourite Lego Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Kits that I've built.  There are so many little details included in The Burrow that I was constantly going "oooohhhhh" as I built it.  My particular favourite is the fireplace because you can change it from orange flames to green flames for when they use those all important pinches of Floo Powder.

The only downsides to it that I could find where the number of stickers included with the kit - I have sausage fingers and trying to put stickers on accurately just doesn't happen so my builds never look as good as they could.  The second one (and final) was that the clock is a standard clock and not the magical one detailed in the books and films.

 I thoroughly enjoyed the build from start to finish and was actually quite disappointed when I finished it.  There is a lot of play value with all the little rooms and included figures but you need to be careful as it is a little fragile unless you glue it together as you build.

Number Of Pieces: 1047

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.09

Build Time: 33/4 Hours