With an impish grin and a bottle of unknown potion, builder Matt Hew's "Potion Master's Hut," conjures images of a "simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes," and "the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses." Either that or there's some crazy coot waiting on the other side of the door with no idea what's on page 394.   Original linkOriginal author: Will Nickelson

The LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle (71043) was just announced yesterday morning and it’ll be available on August 15 for VIP members and September 1 for the general public. I’ve been told by a source that LEGO Stores may be taking pre-orders for this set as there was a sign in the front stating “Ask us about how to Pre-Order our new Exclusive.” I was also told that the deposit for it was $39.99. I’m not sure if all LEGO Stores are doing pre-orders but it’s interesting to see LEGO trying something new for their exclusive sets as there will be a high demand for the Hogwarts Castle when it comes out in a few short weeks. I suggest contact your store to see if they are indeed taking pre-orders for it. I haven’t been down to my store yet to check but if someone did do it, let us know...

No, that's not lens distortion or some trick of the eye, this castle by Swan Dutchman is actually slightly angled outward. It's a subtle effect that had to make construction exceedingly difficult, which makes me love it even more. The temptation would be to emphasize the effect, since it was so difficult to accomplish, but Koen resisted that urge and the results are absolutely stunning. Original linkOriginal author: Tommy

It's always amazing to me when a builder simulates soft or unusual textures. The first impression you get when you see this figure by builder Djokson is "feathers", and clearly that was the intention. It's not until you really look close at the elements that make up this figure's costume that you can visually break it down, but even knowing that when you step back it's still feathers. Original linkOriginal author: Tommy

In a complete surprise, LEGO has revealed the newest LEGO Wizarding World Harry Potter set with the Hogwarts Castle (71043). LEGO failed to provide the official images or press release beforehand and I just received the files right before I had to go to work so I’ll upload the rest of the images later today. As expected, it is a microscale set that stays pretty true to the design of the castle. 71043 Hogwarts Castle Ages 16+. 6,020 pieces US $399.99 – CA $499.99 – DE 399.99€ – UK £349.99 – FR 419.99€ – DK 3499DK *Euro pricing varies by country. Please visit shop.LEGO.com for regional pricing. Explore the magic of Hogwarts Castle! Make the magic come alive at the LEGO® Harry Potter 71043 Hogwarts Castle! This highly detailed LEGO Harry Potter collectible has over 6,000 pieces and offers a rewarding build experience. It comes packed with highlights from the Harry...

This peaceful temple with a charming landscape by rsmbricks depicts the daily labor that goes with maintaining an ancient temple. The use of vibrant reds and blues makes this relatively small scene very interesting and the roof has some intriguing techniques as well. But wait... Are those stickers! How could they!?! Calm down everyone, put your torches and pitchforks down. Stickers aren't always bad (most of the time). I personally think that the stickers create a layer of depth and detail that really brings this build together. Original linkOriginal author: Andrew Eden

When I lived in London my commute took me through Chinatown every day, it was just a few blocks south of where I worked in Soho. One night, which just happened to be Chinese New Year, I rounded a corner just as the celebration started. My timing couldn't have been better, it went from normal London hustle bustle noise to sudden cacophony as drums started playing, fire crackers went off and the crowd cheered. And in the middle of it all, was a dragon, not unlike this outstanding depiction by builder Rhymes_Shelter. This was the first time I'd seen a legitimate dragon, and I was transfixed. I stopped dead in my tracks, the pressing need to get back to my tiny flat suddenly erased, and I watched. Original linkOriginal author: Tommy

I grew up in restaurants. My dad was a restauranteur and we had a few, he liked the process of starting them, but would get bored soon after and sell it to start a new one, some are still going today. When I looked at this brilliant interior vignette by builder MarcelV I was reminded of those mornings when the place was quiet, there was a bit of a mess from the night before and it was time to start the day. After a bit of clean up and kitchen prep, it would be time to open the doors once again, but for now it was quiet. It was a peaceful time, with wonderful smells, good stories and camaraderie. Original linkOriginal author: Tommy

I love seeing Bionicle and constraction parts used outside of character builds, in scenery. Wildlife is an uncommon treat with those parts, and the outlandish plants in Grayson's Extraterrestrial Garden are a lovely example. I wonder if the robot gardener has to water them, or oil them? Original linkOriginal author: Kodiak Sanders

One of the highlights of San Diego Comic Con for me was the Laika Experience. The stop motion movie studio Laika took over a space a couple blocks from the convention center in the historic Gaslamp District and converted it into a miniature version of their studio in Portland. In addition to tons of excellent displays of props, sets and figures from many of their films, they had a functioning model shop and shooting stage, with artists on hand to demonstrate and answer questions. They even had free themed ice cream when you exited. But I'm here to tell you about something at the beginning of the tour, visitors waiting in the queue got a great view of this fabulous LEGO Ideas hopeful from Laika's very own Holly Webster, Coraline's Pink Palace. Yes, it is generally the policy of BrickNerd not to feature LEGO Ideas campaigns unless it's very special circumstances....