Meet a member: Melan_E
Posted by MeganL,
Today we're chatting with Mel Finelli, aka Melan_E, from Canada:
What is your first LEGO memory?
There are photos of me as a child playing with random bricks and pieces but my earliest memory would be getting the Harry Potter 4756 Shrieking Shack and being blown away with the magic box that switches Professor Lupin back and forth from a werewolf!
Did you have a dark age and if so what caused you to emerge from it?
Yeah, like most teens I focused on school and my friends. When I was 20 I got a part-time job with LEGO Brand Retail and that's how I got back into the hobby.
Which set or theme has been most influential upon you, as a LEGO fan?
I would say the Creator Expert sets have taught me the most about cool NPUs (nice/neat part usage) and techniques. They are the only sets I collect now because their details are just amazing.
What are you building right now?
I’ve been on a bit of a building break as I just moved back to Canada after living abroad for 3 years. My collection is on its way back to Canada from Scotland so in the meantime I’ve been just planning the next model in my bicycle series, as well as some new projects I’m excited to work on.
How do you store your LEGO?
Before putting my collection in crates to be shipped, I usually have a LEGO room and my collection sorted by colour and then by parts. My collection isn’t very large though and I try to use the pieces I have in fun, unique ways.
Do you build MOCs? If, so what?
I do, I have been building my own creations for almost 10 years now. I have dabbled in a few different themes but my focus in the last 4 years have been creating 1:3 scale detailed vintage bicycles. I have 4 models in the series so far.
What is your favourite part?
My favourite LEGO part would be the Unikitty tail, I’ve created some vignettes that used that part in very fun ways.
What sets would you like LEGO to produce?
I would love for LEGO to create more sets similar to LEGO Forma. Beautiful sculptures that are targeted towards adult fans and used as unique decor in homes or offices.
Do you have a presence on Instagram, YouTube or elsewhere?
What is the availability of LEGO like where you live?
LEGO is pretty easy to attain in Canada, as we’re so close to some of the American distribution centres. When I lived in the UK it was easy as well. Australia was probably the most difficult, and most expensive. I didn’t buy much LEGO at all while living there which was easy since I was starting my physical building break and mostly playing around with LDD.
Do you have any interests or hobbies other than LEGO?
Yes, maybe too many! I like reading, video games, boardgames, puzzles, teaching myself to knit/crochet/embroider. I am a painter, I also practise tattooing, and have been writing a graphic memoir. I have a puppy as well and spend a lot of time training and playing with her, as well as making her puzzles and toys.
How long have you been visiting Brickset?
Since I became an AFOL in 2011.
What's your favourite/most used feature of the site?
I loved being able to see what certain LEGO designers built, a portfolio of their work.
Are you a member of a LUG?
I am predominantly part of ToroLUG, however I have attended meetings for London AFOLS when I lived in England, TartanLUG when I lived in Scotland and MUGs when I lived in Australia. GamerLUG is also a lug I display with in Chicago at BrickWorld.
Have you been to a LEGO event?
Yes! I’ve been to LEGO events in North America, UK, Europe and Australia. My favourite events are BrickCan in Vancouver, Canada; BrickWorld in Chicago, USA and mostly recently Brickvention in Melbourne, Australia.
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15 comments on this article
The classic that is the Raleigh Chopper!
Nice work, Melan_E
When I think that I'm in my early 50's and have only lived in one town, and then read about someone like Mel who has lived all over the world, it does make me think "Am I doing this 'life' thing properly?"
Sorry - bit off topic there...
Wow, Mel, are you single? Asking for a friend.
Love the chopper too.
I still can't believe how many people had dark ages. I never had one, and even my 17-20 years were one of my MOST active Lego years.
Curiously, my dark ages were the worst years of my life...
Coincidence?
Don't think so...
It’s fun to get to know members I follow on Flickr. Everyone has an interesting story! Thanks for sharing yours!
These articles are a great insight that there’s so many different AFOLs out there other than geeky mid-30 guys like me. Everybody loves Lego!
Mel is a cool and talented AFOL! I had the pleasure of meeting her at several events when she was in Europe a year or so ago.
Nice interview!
That bike is pretty epic, nice work!
That bike is awesome! It doesn't even look like LEGO which is neat.
Yes, the bikes!! The sand green one with the picnic basket is my favorite.
@lordofdragonss said:
"I still can't believe how many people had dark ages. I never had one, and even my 17-20 years were one of my MOST active Lego years."
Ugh...I feel myself being pulled in to what might become a Second Age of Darkness if I don’t figure out some way to stop the slide toward the abyss...
Course, could just be the world right now...but I’ve purchased maybe 2 sets in 2020. 2. And we’re 1/4 done. And I haven’t built anything. As we started to get to late February things just got stranger and stranger...
This is...so not the place for this, is it? My bad.
I love your work, OP. It’s really, really good.
(EDIT: Memories going...I picked up more in 2020 than I thought, around 20 sets...last 2 were fresh in my mind from April. Thought the others were from 2019. Time is SO weird right now with everyone it home and no work and junk.)
I didn't know there was a phrase for that weird time in my life! It's so rare that I don't know of or recognize a specific set but they are always from the Dark Age!
Excellent interview. I'm curious how on earth she moved her Lego collection all around the world?
Amazing interview!! I loved her instalments in the Harry's Magical Journey series.
I love that bicycle MOC!