YOU NEVER GROW OUT OF IT
WHEN Callum and Alison Clayton married last year it was fitting that their cake had Lego replicas of them on top.
Primary teacher Alison, 30, and software developer Callum, 29, from Aberdeen are big Lego fans – and are happily spending their first wedding anniversary at Bricklive in Glasgow.
Alison said: “We married outside, under a tree, so we built a Lego version of the tree with a version of us in our wedding clothes and Lego figures around the outside with hints of the things we do and enjoy in our lives for our cake.”
They’re expecting their first child and have moved to a four-bedroom house so they have room not only for their baby – but also a room each for their Lego and doll’s house craft collections.
“The baby will probably have quite a lot of Lego because that’s what we’ll be buying,” said Alison. “And eventually when baby understands how precious our Lego is, then it will get into our Lego room – when it learns not to break stuff basically.”
The couple have kept their wedding Lego versions of themselves – but have another pair of figures to take to events which they put in front of their displays. And when their baby comes along they’ll create a Lego version to add to the family group.
Alison added: “I have always made doll’s houses and miniatures all my life. I had my first doll’s house from my grandparents when I was three. When I was in my teenage years I started to make more myself.
“The Lego was another way to escape into this tiny world.”
Alison only had a few Lego bricks as a child – and never had sets. And it was only after she’d been working for a few years, she decided she would treat herself to a Lego caravan set she spotted in a shop. It reignited her interest.
She said: “Then when I met Callum he was interested in the miniature stuff and the few Lego things I had and we’ve slowly enabled each other over the years to buy more.
“He would say, ‘Do you think I should buy this set? And I would say ‘Yes’. Then, in exchange, I would get to buy a set too.
“You can’t grow out of Lego because there’s so much you can do with it – it’s so versatile.”
Now Alison and Callum can spend hours on their Lego creations and are members of The Tartan Lug (Lego Users Group), who share their passion.
“People have said to us at Lego shows, ‘But you built all that from a kit, you followed instructions.’ We have to take time and explain to people, ‘No. Most of what we do is that we have the raw materials and we build it from the ideas in our heads.’ We do buy sets but they’re heavily customised if we’re going to use them for shows.”
Alison can’t bear to dismantle any of her Lego creations. She said: “Eventually, in 20 years’ time I’m going to need an extra house for all the Lego.
“I like to keep mine set up and I keep adding to them.”
Lego was always Callum’s favourite toy as a child. He would build sets then a couple of days later would break them up to make other things.
He said: “Whereas Alison prefers building the more real-life based stuff, I tend to like to pick a genre and make something for it such as fantasy, sci-fi or western. It’s the little details that make things interesting. .
“I did stop with Lego going into my teens – I maybe had just a few pieces on my desk. But I got back into it again at the same time as getting together with Alison and we spurred the interest on in each other.”