(Update) We did it!!! And, with a few days to spare, so...
New goal: $12,000!
All additional funds raised will go to buying even more bricks (Yay!), and the various expenses related to starting a business (Less yay). When my stuff goes into stores it will surely be more expensive, so now is the time to get your "grownup" brick on at the best price! HUGE thanks to all the backers, sharers, likers, and posters.
Now Back to our regularly scheduled fund-raising...
My Brick-Story
I have been building things with Legos since I was three years old. That's over twenty five years. That's longer than I've done basically anything that's not a bodily function. As a kid, much like "Zach" I was a major "Lego Maniac," but I never stopped being one. Even then, I didn't think of them as "toys" or "kid stuff." I just thought they were awesome and for everyone. And I think I knew a little something about awesome...
(props to my cousin Jonathan on the left. I am on the right)
I was not alone in my brick obsession. It seemed like everyone I knew was riding the Lego train. When I got a bit older though, all my friends hopped off. They told me Legos were for kids, nerds, nerdy kids, and kiddy nerds. They mocked my hobby a lot. Teenagers are mean. So, my Lego creations went from being proudly displayed on my bookshelves to being banished to a warped cabinet in my basement which had red shag carpet that dyed your socks.
I wasn't done with Legos—not by a long shot. I'd head downstairs all the time to build (I have the red socks to prove it). Whenever there was a creative project for school, Legos were my medium of choice. I even kept on building through college (abstract stuff mostly), but it wasn't until recently that I shifted my focus to making everyday items out of Legos. This epiphany boosted my building spirit to levels I hadn't experienced since the early 90's. It was the dawn of my Lego-naissance.
I looked at everything I owned and imagined the Lego versions. It was a way to simultaneously bring my beloved bricks back into the conversation & replace boring items, with artistic ones. I was no longer making ships for time travel or robots to fight ninja-sharks hell bent on world domination. I built slightly more practical things: a stand for my Gillette razor, a coin bank, a key chain, a Scrabble board, a jewelry box, & quite a bit more.
I starting sharing some ideas and posted a few galleries of creations online to test the waters. They were warm. Over the next year I refined my designs and created dozens of new concepts. I turned practically every brick from my childhood into something for my adulthood.
I updated my key fob design and carried it with me all the time.
I couldn't think of a good reason to carry a coin bank or a razor stand with me, so the key fob was basically the, "I make stuff for grownups out of Legos" icebreaker. I shared my work with a wide variety of people from all over. The overwhelming response – "I want one." So I've decided to bring my stuff to a larger and more discerning audience...
Hello larger and more discerning audience.
These designs are only a fraction of what I have built and they are just the beginning of what I hope will soon become a rather extensive and varied line of products.
So, um...why exactly do you need money?
Legos are expensive to buy new and I have basically exhausted all my old brick stock. I have tried buying used Legos off craigslist and eBay, but too often the bricks are super dirty, damaged, or not even Legos. Also, I've cleaned enough silverfish skeletons out of 2x4 bricks for 5 lifetimes.
More than anything, I want to be able to dedicate lots of my time and energy to designing and building new pieces. Many of my designs here are relatively small, but I have started making larger things now like lamps and end tables, I just don't have the bricks to make more than one "large" item at a time.
(Side Table Prototype.)
(Square Light Box Prototype)
I just need more bricks to turn more of my ideas into a reality. The money I raise from this project will first go to covering the costs associated with the rewards. After that, all additional funds will go to buying more bricks.
My project's successful completion will indicate two awesome things:
1) A bunch of great folks will have original pieces I created.
and
2) I will have a sizable brick stock I can use to make new pieces.
I am talking to several LA-based boutiques as well as online companies like, Fab.com about carrying my items after my Kickstarter run. The only place they are available right now however, is right here.
Some things to think about when selecting your reward. + A pre-emptive strike on FAQs
- All pieces come perma-glued (except for the moving parts) with a safe, strong, and transparent adhesive.
- I will not perma-glue the very top/outer layer on pieces like the picture frame or bank so you may play with the design if you please. If you would like the whole thing perma-glued, due to a baby in the house or something, just let me know.
- I'm happy to help you with color selection. If you're not sure feel free to say "you choose" or simply give me a general vibe like, "It's for a dude with a lot of cast-iron skillets." Or "It's going in an aromatherapy office's waiting room." I promise to make it look not dumb.
- All pieces will be built from brand new, genuine Lego bricks and are guaranteed to not house the skeletons of silverfish.
- Standard Lego colors are Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Black, White & Medium Gray. Pastels & Earth tones are typically available in basic shapes (but do run out from time to time). If you'd like them used in your pieces, just specify. There may be a slight additional fee for some items. The color schemes are suggestions based on what has worked in the past and what I feel looks good.
- "Finishing tiles" or "flat tiles" mean that there are no "bumps" on the pieces. I use them frequently in my designs to give them a sleek appearance and feel. Sometimes you can opt into them, but I feel that the pieces they come standard on, are best not tinkered with.
- SHIPPING. If you could win round trip tickets to where you live on the Carmen Sandiego TV show (aka the lower 48) It's included. For other areas, note the bumps in the pledge descriptions.
- If you have any remaining questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
- If you're planning on dismantling the pieces just so you can reverse-engineer them & sell them yourself–don't do that. That's ruder than burping in a baby's face...while it's sleeping. And far less funny.
Neither this project nor any of my work is endorsed, supported, sponsored, or any other synonym of those words by LEGO.
Huge thanks to Lee Levin & Selfish Entertainment for the video selfishentertainment.com
Huge thanks to Saint Motel & Russ Rubin @ Fresh MGMT for song usage saintmotel.com
peace&bricks
-Adam
p.s.
If you dig the concept, please help me spread it. Thanks
Questions about this project? Check out the FAQ
Support
Funding period
- (36 days)