Christmas MOC - opinions wanted!

LegoPondswald

Hi guys!

I worked on a small MOC for my winter village tonight. Inspiration came partly from the Lego Gingerbread House, but of course I went my own way with it. Now I'm looking for opinions. What do you guys think of it? Should I change anything?

Note: the clips on the inside of the building and the small hole in the wall are there to get rid of some wires, since I'm going to put a light inside. This way, you'll hardly see it. 

eMJeeNL

Really nice! Cool how you already made provisions for lights etc.

Some points I'd maybe improve: The multicoloured "beading" along the window in the front could be all the way round the window (like on the side). Maybe make the entire house 2 studs wider, so that the red/white/green pillar next to the door (cool feature!) and the "beading" also can have a nougat-coloured 1x1 pillar in between?

The top of the front wall could maybe use a little decoration? I'm thinking of a pretzel, maybe? Also, a 1x4 (maybe reddish brown) tile on top of the cabinets inside would finish them off, i'd reckon.

And, if you make the base a little bigger, you could make a little path out of "sweets" to the front door?

LegoPondswald

Great suggestions! Thanks :)

I was indeed thinking about making it a little bit bigger, so the beading can go all around the window. So I guess I'll do that! 

LegoPondswald

So I edited the MOC after @eMJeeNL's suggestions. I think it looks way better now. You guys agree or do you have more suggestions?

LegoPondswald

Also managed to close the gap on top, thanks to a tip on a different forum (one for Dutch AFOL's).

datsunrobbie

That's a great looking little house. I've got a bunch of battery powered "fairy lights" due to arrive today, and the thought that came to my mind when I saw this was to replace the "beading" around the window with clear parts, maybe mounted on headlight bricks, so they could be lighted. I'll give it a try when the lights arrive and post a pic of the results.

LegoPondswald

datsunrobbie said:

That's a great looking little house. I've got a bunch of battery powered "fairy lights" due to arrive today, and the thought that came to my mind when I saw this was to replace the "beading" around the window with clear parts, maybe mounted on headlight bricks, so they could be lighted. I'll give it a try when the lights arrive and post a pic of the results.

Cool idea! Let me know how it works out!

eMJeeNL

Cool you used my suggestions :)

Think you could centralise the pretzel with another headlight brick and a 1x2 jumper plate + https://brickset.com/parts/design-2555 . 

Good job on "closing" the roof, that was the only thing I was stumped on how to do without actually holding some bricks/plates myself.

Final tip: maybe a curved window instead of the 2 2x2x3s? This one, for example? https://brickset.com/parts/design-20309

LegoPondswald

eMJeeNL said:

Cool you used my suggestions :)

Think you could centralise the pretzel with another headlight brick and a 1x2 jumper plate + https://brickset.com/parts/design-2555 . 

Good job on "closing" the roof, that was the only thing I was stumped on how to do without actually holding some bricks/plates myself.

Final tip: maybe a curved window instead of the 2 2x2x3s? This one, for example? https://brickset.com/parts/design-20309

I tried the jumper plate, but the one thing I didn't like was it being so far away from the wall (even with the headlight brick). That's why I decided to do it like this. 

And yeah, I could do a window like that, but I actually also kind of like this effect. So I think I'll keep the windows this way.

Thanks for the tips!

brickmatt

Perhaps a 1x2 brick with axle hole would work for the pretzel.

Cyberdragon

Don't they have a 1×2 brick with a clip? Use that for the prezal.

LegoPondswald

brickmatt said:

Perhaps a 1x2 brick with axle hole would work for the pretzel.

That's genius! It works! Why didn't I think of that? 

Cyberdragon

Wait...an axle hole? How does a pretzal fit into an axel hole?

eMJeeNL

Or one with the + in the middle? That would hold the clip you are currently using.
The one with an axle hole would also require a Technic pin.

To me, best solution would be this one: https://brickset.com/parts/design-30237, as @Cyberdragon mentioned.

brickmatt

The black piece that's currently holding the pretzel will also fit in the axle hole.

eMJeeNL

Wouldn't it be to small and not stay there?

Another thing I'd came up with: Did you consider using mason bricks (see my sig)?

Cyberdragon

eMJeeNL said:

Wouldn't it be to small and not stay there?

Another thing I'd came up with: Did you consider using mason bricks (see my sig)?

That's why I suggested a 1x2 brick with clip. It would also be just one piece instead of two.

brickmatt

This is the piece I meant, but in brown: https://brickset.com/parts/6178922/brick-1x2-with-cross-hole

The 1x2 brick with clip would also work.

LegoPondswald

Let's put it this way: stud.io says it works and I think it does too. So I'm gonna go with this solution! :)

@Cyberdragon Yes, I did. But I already did that with a MOC I finished just today, and I don't want to use it too much. Otherwise the entire town will be filled with mason bricks buildings ;) 

datsunrobbie

http://bricksetforum.com/discussion/27369/led-christmas-tree-lights

Posted pics of the lights in another thread. Wire is not quite thin enough to allow bricks to seat properly, but I don't expect to find any lights with thinner wires. The LEDs fit through the holes in headlight bricks and #3062 1x1 round bricks quite easily. The LEDs are "soft white", meaning slightly yellow tinted.

LegoPondswald

Looks very cool! Thanks!

the_creative_box

It looks great! It think it would look even better if you added some texture to the side walls, like profile/masonry 1x2 bricks.

Switchfoot55

@datsunrobbie, I have a package of those heading my way currently. Thanks for the ideas on how to incorporate them!

LegoPondswald

@the_creative_box Actually, I didn't do that on purpose. I recently made a MOC with almost only masonry bricks and I don't want too much of those in my town. Otherwise, it'll all have the same look and feel in my opinion. But thanks for the feedback!