An artistic lady has made incredibly detailed replicas of houses using LEGOs, including even the particulars of things found inside a house.
The lady, for whom LEGO isn’t a thing to just put away, has no doubt set difficult grounds for others to compete.
Recreating people’s homes is more than just art for Shari Austrian as the crafty designer loves and enjoys it. Her passion even led her to launch an ETSY shop.
Shari’s unparalleled models come with a price everyone can’t afford.
Replicating a square foot area is priced at $1.25, so a 3,000 square feet facility can cost almost $3,750. Based on the square feet in your home, the least price you can expect for a full model can be around $2,500.
The price also comprises of the expense of material used in replicating building.
According to Shari, thousands of LEGO pieces are used in making one project, with each piece costing around 10 cents ($0.10).
For those who want a less-costly replica, the skillful woman also offers just exterior miniature models that cost a minimum of $1,500.
“From the time I was a little girl, I have always loved creating and collecting miniatures,” Shari told Bored Panda.
“I used to build tiny home scenes out of play-doh, collect baby animal glass figures from my travels, design landscapes from the food on my dinner plate, and so on.
“While the medium I choose to create with these days is unfortunately quite a bit more expensive than the alternatives, I am drawn to the precision and cleanliness and strength of building with Lego.
“I am a perfectionist with obsessive-compulsive disorder and I could not imagine a better fit than Lego for my creative adventures.”
Describing her long-term experience with LEGO, Shari said: “While the brand was much less developed at the time, I loved building with LEGO as a child.
“I remember carrying my blue, hardshell LEGO case all over the house and creating whenever and wherever I could. Then, after a 20-year hiatus, I was reintroduced to LEGO through my children.”
She added: “I am amazed how the product line has expanded. The creative possibilities are truly endless!”
A project usually takes Shari eight to 12 weeks to complete. “I like working with LEGO both for the complexity and simplicity,” she said.
“I’m a perfectionist just as much as I’m an artist and I value the clean lines, precision and interlocking strength of the bricks.”
However, transporting such delicate models is a big problem for her.
Shari once had an unforgettable experience regarding the shipping of one of her models. The model which she had made with great effort and care got devastated while being transported.
“I pour all of my passion and energy into creating solid, tiny masterpieces for my customers to enjoy. But my efforts are only one part of the equation when having to [transport them],” she wrote in a Facebook post.
“I was a bit nervous about handing a model over to UPS but they assured me that everything would be just fine, that they package and ship lighting fixtures, etc. [However,] my model was destroyed.
“I flew out to Tennessee the following week to reassemble the model so it was as good as new but the whole experience was heartbreaking.”
After receiving tips from her fellow artists, Shari has decided not to trust everyone when it comes to shipping her models.
She said: “I now only transport my models through professional art handlers.”
Replaced!