Using diabetic medicine cap for legos

I found a neat lego hack by mistake when taking Trulicity.  The cap base was a nice drak stone gray with a shape that looked like what people use to add texture to hangar walls of space creations or landing gear on a model

My lego box was sitting next to me on the floor and that cap fell in to it.  I took a lego and it connected perfectly.

Technic pins and connectors feel snug

But studs fit with mild looseness that might need glued

I had been reading people saying they needed landing gear under the galaxy explorer models that has come out.  I plan to try these when I get my galaxy explorer together.  It's just hard to unbox, carry to table, sit and build.

Examples of landing gear in the old and new galaxy explorer

Above, sources New Elementary and the Brothers brick 

My "grate" adventure

 So, one day about 6 years ago I came across a garage sale.  The stuff was in an old barn

My idea has always been like the block box that separated small pieces...a light diffuser with squares.  I found this flourrecent light diffuser in this barn filthy and no price tag.  

So I was able to clean off the grate later, but when I took it up to buy it the lady yelled at me when I offered 50 cents saying WE'RE HAVING A GARAGE SALE FOR THE  _______CHARITY ASSOCIATION AND THAT'S ALL YOU'RE OFFERING...

I had no way of knowing this as there wasn't any sign ot any marking

So I paid $4 and left, feeling Ashamed 

The grate worked perfect for pouring legos out and sorting the small pieces out!

Then one morning I went to my lego room and the sun reflected on it and the light from colored drawer cabinets made it a piece of art...

So it is functional for sorting and a piece of art!!

Where to get ideas for MOCS part 2

 I forgot to put some other places that give ideas for mocs (I had done another post recently on this topic, so I'm making this part 2!)

1) Board game boxes (box art)

At target there are board games with good art and ideas.  Last year there was a Pan Am board game with a really neat car idea 

The Hasbro u build connect 4 above kept appearing at thrift stores.  I was able to build a great collection of the blue beams.  They have good clutch power and are good for making a model base or I'm hoping to make a neoclassic space building..even though the blue is lighter than I would prefer

2) Similar building sets..(non Lego)

3) puzzles/box art for puzzles

4) paintings

In being out to furniture stores, hotels, nursing homes, there are multiple paintings I've seen with potential ideas in them

This painting is taken from a model seen at Hobby Lobby.  It's a good view of a cockpit from the side.

 

5) toy aisles...hard to do with TRU (toys r us) gone!

 

I like the style of levels/different rooms and levels!

I think the use of small wheels on the giant truck is a good concept

6) kids books..mainly seek and find or encyclopedia 

Below is a pull out poster from an encyclopedia..love the bus and tanker truck!

7) seek and find computer games subway airport

8) cross section books

These give great ideas on the inner structure of objects...i.e. for the Titanic released by Lego

My favorite cross section came from a book when I was young...it is from Richard Scarry's book "What do people do all day"

9) The Nasa channel 

10) model train or airport layouts

11) Towers or unique structures in area

12) Encyclopedias or children encyclopedias...often in thrift store books i.e. trains, aviation

13) seasonal displays or inventory 

Every year, Menards has cool o scale buildings...my favorite is a salt factory and power plant.  Love the colors and rails!

14) model toy catalogs 

15) Playmobil 

I like their airport sets for the open parts in the back i.e. hospital and the airport designs

I love the observation deck idea!

So all of these pictures show my favorite places to get ideas!

And be a kid again!!!