Keepsake Heart, storage box, special parts container, or shelf display ... just some of the uses for this set's Large Heart Box after building it. Of course, after first exploring all the fun accessories included!
Olivia and Vicky are showing us how much fun a Treasure Chest can be!
This set was provided by the AFOL Engagement of The LEGO Group for the purpose of sharing set details with fans. Opinions provided here solely reflect those of our reviewer. Photographs are property of FriendsBricks and are not directed by TLG in any fashion.
Box front shows the smaller heart box resting on its stand and the larger box with some fun role-play options. The upper right heart graphic indicates core Friends theme, while the lower left insert shows real girls building and playing.
Box back shows more ways to play with the element accessories included -- after building the heart boxes.
"Scene slice" side shows box boxes built and on display stands. The product description says the larger is Olivia's, while the smaller belongs to Vicky. So I guess they're guarding each other's hearts.
Box side with Lady the poodle and Olivia demonstrating the use of astronaut accessories, plus the mini-doll size-ratio.
Box side showing a flower in Olivia's color on top the side of a gear, which is her signature motif. Plus, Lady again, and a LEGO Life ad.
Box contents: 55-page instructions booklet and 2 bags of parts
Bag 1 parts:
New of note:
- Flame Yellowish Orange 6x6 heart-shaped plate, only in this set
- 1x4 plate with 2 knobs in medium Lilac is somewhat rare, only in Emma's Mobile Vet Clinic
- not new, yet hasn't appeared for over ten years is the mini grey suitcase
[Hairpieces aren't in smaller bags, just laid on top]
After first building Olivia and Vicky, we "assemble" all the parts that go onto elements per groupings of each theme.
Then we add the tiles to make the small heart box bottom layer. Hmm, kinda reminds me of a certain movie just out ;-)
We build the sides and Lid to finish building the small heart box. Instructions tell us to put Lady and her accessories inside.
Everything built from bag 1 parts:
With the Small Heart Box on its display stand, Vicky and Olivia survey all the fun LEGO accessories.
- Lavender storage chest and storybook await dress-up and make-believe time. The poodle Lady has her crown, bone, and party hat.
The rest of the groups are:
- Medical equipment with aspirin pill in a mini grey suitcase, lab testing flask, ear otoscope, syringe, and a microscope.
- Magic hat with frog and wand.
- Police hat with stop sign and megaphone (or you could pretend it to be a speed radar detector).
- Firefighter's gold helmet, fire extinguisher and hatchet.
- Pirate hat with plumage, a heart-shaped "plundered" gem, and a Titanium Metallic Mini Flintlock Pistol, which is somewhat rare; first found in Pirates of the Caribbean Silent Mary set.
- Helmet with air bottles for space role-play, with computer tablet and wrench.
The other display stand is built and waiting for the Large Heart Box.
Spare parts! I usually place this image near the end of my reviews, however, there are so many goodies here (22) and they definitely add to the play scene possibilities.
Vicky is using some medical accessories on top of the Small Heart Box. In re-creating this scene from the box art, I had to place her standing on a frosted clear slope brick.
The microscope design is really good, especially considering the scale.
Bag 2 parts:
New of note:
- 4x4 Tile with Bow (curvy tile) in pale pink (TLG calls Light Purple) is somewhat rare; otherwise only in Stephanie's Horse Jumping 41367, and Creator Downtown Diner
- 1/4 circle tile in bright purple (bubblegum pink) is new for 2019, only in Friends and TLM2 sets
- Bow brick 1/4 4x4x1 (curvy) in Medium Lavender only in this set
- 4x8 plate with 1/2 circle in Medium Lilac
- Printed 4x6 plate with 12 knobs (graphic of the Lavender treasure chest, book, heart and astronaut helmet)
All bag 2 parts used: Large Heart Box bottom layer, and completely built. The very bottom and top smooth tiles are both medium Lilac.
Underside of box gets the 7 white shoe slides (inner baggie) to make it easier to move around and not scratch a surface you place it on. Plus, they add extra connection stability between the plates used in constructing the bottom.
Those 2 pink 1x1 square tiles are the only spare parts for bag 2; which makes sense because -- other than the flowers -- the parts are big and not easily "lost" when building.
Large Heart Box on its stand, and an insert image of the bottom with the smooth shoe slides; they also provide connection strength to all those bottom plates.
My first story-time has Vicky reading to the frog about Olivia blasting into space to visit the Systar System.
Now Vicky is pretending to be a Pirate Fairy saving Lady from Witch Doctor Olivia's curse of bows ... yet the magic wand only managed to teach the frog how to read!
Olivia is wearing a new top with some sort of light blue "ghosts" graphics lined up ... hmm, maybe Pac-man ghosts -- with a cool yellow zig-zag pattern. Her metallic silver/blue vest is new, yet similar to several that have appeared before. This outfit is unique to this set and contains her signature colors: bright purple (bubblegum pink), cool yellow, and dark azure.
Even though I liked her previous hair, the v2 style is lovely in the front and back.
Vicky is wearing a new outfit too. A solid red shirt under her red, black, and bright yellow plaid wrap (her signature colors), with a red belt. Her necklace is a red rose -- her signature motif. The red and gold strap-buckle boots are a contrast to Olivia's simple shoes. Her eyes are still grey-green; yet her facial expression is a new friendly smile, rather than a smirk from previous sets. I also love the back of her hair, and overall, her hairpiece is quite substantial and soft in comparison to other Friends.
Finally we have both Heart Boxes built and presented on their stands.
This would certainly make a nice gift set!
The last page of the instructions shows everything tucked away into the Large Heart Box -- minus the small Heart Box of course, which still holds Lady.
With so many wonderful accessory parts in the LEGO spectrum, I could get used to storing some this way. They look more inviting than just bunched-up in a container drawer.
Before I write my ending summary, I have to experiment with modifying the Large Heart Box. A few ideas popped into my head while connecting all these lovely parts!
A Valentine's Heart Box of Chocolates! My modification of the Large Heart Box. I switched out the dark Lilac plates from the bottom to use as the lid. I added a few solid tiles, and created a "bubblegum colored" tiled heart for the top. There are so many ways to decorate, I had a hard time deciding!
The bottom medium azure plates used to be on top; as the new bottom, I didn't need all the smooth tiles, because I wanted to insert brick-built chocolates. I separated the double layer of Lavender bricks so the underside of the lid also has a recess -- so the fancy tops don't get squashed.
When Friends first came out in 2012, they inspired me to build beyond set instructions. I built my first ever Valentine's Heart Box with "brick" chocolates :-) Obviously, back before so many curvy bricks and tiles.
Then, two years ago, for a storage box Building Challenge, I built a small Heart Box.
I'm so glad there are lots more curvy bricks, plates, and tiles now-a-days!
Here is my old small heart box on the left -- photographed with my modified large heart box, and the small heart box from this set. I think the individual Friends heart boxes might be more similar in size to mine. Hopefully this set will inspire loads of new ways to build a heart!
Summary:
Friends fans have enjoyed many "gear" items of brick-built containers, other life-size accessories and decor. This set does well to combine both a traditional set with mini-dolls, accessories *and* a brick-built container. Whether it's used for storage or display, the Large Heart Box especially can inspire other shapes. The small heart box has TLG doing most of the hard part by manufacturing the heart-shaped 6x6 plates. I like them too though, and hope to get more colors.
After all the past Friends storage container shapes: square, butterfly, rectangle, and hedgehog -- it warms my *heart* to have the Friends signature shape.
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