I AM IN...

...the garden, looking to "shed" some light on how I'm going to go about building a garden shed that'll please the Shadowy Figure! My guess is that he won't settle for simplicity. His garden shed must be shrouded in a foreboding aura that screams "ominous" and "green thumb", simultaneously.

Before I begin, I send the circus tent to the local laundromat. Amazingly, they've got machines large enough for circus tents. I request that they completely ignore the washing instructions stated on its label and instead, execute the washing in very hot water and same for the drying cycle. The point is to shrink that tent. They made me sign a liability waiver.

While I wait for that to pass, I get to work on building the garden shed. I begin by painting some of the life size legos using the red clown paint. Then, I slice those life size legos in half, but lengthwise. I disregard their bottom halves and lay them side by side to form a generous red rectangle. This will serve as the floor of the garden shed, but because the legos are smooth on the sides, I will need to glue them together to create a sturdy floor. I pop my first sour lemon bubblegum into my mouth. And then another. And yet another. I apply the chewed up gum to glue those red legos together until they form a solid floor. Then, I chew more sour lemon bubblegum and apply that gummy glue to the floor's surface so that I can attach a fluffy red carpet made from clown wigs. It's the perfect garden shed nightmare: imagine dropping a mini garden spade onto that wiggy floor and never finding it again! It would drive one to complete madness! I chose the sour lemon as a binding agent for a purpose too. The Shadowy Figure may love his evil antics, but if there's one thing he hates, it's mosquitos. The lemony fragrance should take care of that. By now, I've gone completely toothless and diabetic from all that bubblegum I've chewed. The Shadowy Figure would be proud of my dedication.

I then mount that red floor onto four clown car tires, because a garden shed without wheels is simply not a garden shed. Plus, it gives it great mobility. The irony being that once I surround that garden shed with a menacing waterless moat, it won't be able to wheel itself anywhere, anyways. But, before the moat, I've still got to finish the shed!

I apply clown paint to coat the remaining life size legos: some white, some black, some red. I use these plastic bricks to build the garden shed walls. I then construct a circular door using a blend of popcorn bricks, licorice logs, sour grape bubblegum and some wood chips, giving this round door a texture not pleasant to the touch. The round door has been painted to look like an open mouth, with a show of sharp teeth. Stepping back, I observe my creation: a white garden shed with a red circular door painted as an open mouth and two lego eyes integrated into the white lego wall, right above that mouth door. I attached a red clown nose onto the door knob and when my shrunken tent arrived back from the laundromat service, it was added to complete the roof of the garden shed, almost like it was wearing a hat. Perfect protection against the rain. It also added an ominous edge to the garden shed, that pointed tent with its red and white spiral design.

Now... the time has come to break all city bylaws by digging a deep moat around the garden shed. This is to prevent unwanted visitors from stealing gardening tools from the shed (yes, the garden shed is now stacked with awesome gardening tools!). It's a waterless moat, too wide to jump over. But, I wanted to design a moat that was both menacing and alluring. It's a deep drop, but if you were to peer below, you'd notice that the moat was filled with bright pink cotton candy! Plenty of it!! Enough to cushion one's fall and supply a lifetime of sugar if trapped below, eternally. But at a price. Scattered and shattered about this huge pink pillow of cotton candy goodness are sharp cracked teacups. The drop down the moat may indeed be cushioned, but not without a few cuts and scrapes.

I realize that the Shadowy Figure is not without a heart. He's not all about evil antics, you know. He does indeed love to offer a ray of hope unto others and I planned to show this side of him when designing this waterless moat around his beloved garden shed. I've attached a couple of tightropes that span across the moat, all the way to the where the garden shed stands, to give visitors the "hope" that they too have a chance to walk across the cotton candy canyon to squeeze that clown nose door knob. And for that extra hope, I've attached some balloon animals on the tightropes, to let visitors know that if "heavy" mammals such as balloon circus elephants and balloon circus lions can safely walk the tightropes, so could anyone! For obvious reasons, however, those tightropes were never securely fastened to the ground to begin with.

To truly gain access the Shadowy Figure's garden shed, one needed to activate the hidden lego drawbridge that would slide from the ground beneath and stretch across the moat to where the garden shed stood. In the grass, before one reaches the cotton candy moat, there stands a clown garden gnome. All one needs to do is to squat down and look the gnome in his high-tech, facial-recognition camera eyes while tugging at his clown squirting bow tie and wait to get water squirted inside one's open mouth. This last detail is most important or the activation won't work. Plus, it's a nod to the garden shed's round door design! My way of adding a hidden Easter egg to my creation. ;)

Hope the Shadowy Figure loves his garden shed! :P



My preferred choices of builder awards:

- Banished
- First Feudal
- Chambers of Devious Design
- Aven Colony
- Loop Hero
- Craft The World + Craft the World - Abandoned Mines


Edit: Thanks, bjgamer, for yet another fun giveaway! I love how you try to bring out the creative side in us with these amusing challenges. ;) Have fun everyone!

We have some very creative builders here with wonderful, imaginative and even diabolical garden sheds! :D I'm sure the Shadowy Figure could appreciate these.

There is still a week left for prospective shed builders to submit their creative designs. Come party and have some imaginative fun!

**Materials Needed:**
- Obsidian stones (for the foundation), or Life Size Legos if none available
- Heavy, cursed timber—yew, or oak (Popcorn Bricks will do at a pinch)
- Iron bands and chains (Tightropes work too)
- Seals for the doorway (Surf Ninjas, Gazza's Super Soccer and Human Killing Machine floppies recommended)
- A pentagram carved into the floor, etched in silver or other rare metals, or Black Clown Paint if desperate

**Construction Steps:**

1. **Selecting the Site:**
Choose a secluded, shadowed glen where the veil between worlds is thinnest.

2. **Laying the Foundation:**
Construct the base upon the obsidian stones, arranged in a pentagram pattern.

3. **Erecting the Walls:**
The walls must be thick enough to withstand the fabric of reality tearing apart.

4. **Securing the Entrance:**
Forge a door from a single slab of silver, inscribed with seals of binding and warding.

5. **Anchoring the Containment:**
Install chains and bands of iron, wrapping them around the structure and anchoring them into the earth.

6. **Sealing the Sanctuary:**
Inscribe the interior with runes of silence, wards of forgetfulness, and seals of eternal imprisonment.

7. **Final Blessing:**
At the midnight hour, invoking the silent, watchful stars and the darkened moon. If the nameless one somehow escapes, please contact IKEA Returns Department immediately. You will be issued an RMA number and your family will be informed of the address and room number of your asylum.

(I'm in for: synergy, core keeper, settlers2 10th anni, civ3, emperor, zeus+poseidon, pharaoh+cleopatra, loop hero)

LOL! Good information to know!
Please don't forget to post an award list for yourself. :)

Yeah, I can totally picture the Shadowy Figure doing that. XD

Thank you, I'm in! :)

The shed needs strong walls to repel the circus Strongman. So to follow the advice of one of the three piglets the walls are made of Popcorn Bricks. To seal them together we'll be using Sour Lemon Bubblegum. Due to the strong nature of bricks, but the light weight of popcorn, we can make the shed easily movable. This is really convenient. All the stuff can be packed in the shed and start moving. To achieve this the roof is made of Circus Tenting to turn the shed into a hot air balloon.

In the interior we have some unique design items that even Guggenheim envies. All the space isn't used for storage, but there is also enough area for a woodwork bench and other tools for handcrafts. The ceiling fan is built of the Clown Shoes and the Clown Car Boot is so cool that it works as a fridge! To lend a hand (or maybe a paw) the shed is filled with Balloon Animals.

The porch is filled with Clown Flower Bouquets so one can't pass through without stomping atleast a flower or two. A nice touch that I've made was to hire a Clown Garden Gnome as a doorman. To finish the job the outerior is painted with candy paint that is mixed of all the Clown Paint colours. Odd enough, the color looks perfectly black, afterall salty liquorice and salmiak are my favourite candies!

--------------------

For the builder awards my list from starting from preferred:
- Synergy
- Core Keeper
- Terraria
- War Hospital
- SimCity™ 3000 Unlimited
- Pharaoh + Cleopatra
- Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom
- Everdream Valley
- Banished
- Loop Hero
- World of Goo
- Majesty Gold HD

LOL! :)

thank you very much for this giveaway! and for reminding about the great clown school, I really miss it.

count me in for Zeus + Poseidon (Acropolis) or SimCity 3000.

okay. the shed.
for a foundation I'll take three garden gnomes, put them onto unicycles and make them look in all the world directions. you know, NNE, SEE and NWW.
then I'll put a "Big Top" top hat onto their shoulders. a reeeal big one. like, HUUUGE. and of course, upside down. 'cuz it's only natural to hop into using a pogo stick, amirite? then I'll put a layer on top of layer of clown paint. layer on top of layer. laaayer on top of layyyer. until it looks like a proper purple with shed with a salad-green stripes and a cyan polka dots. so noone guesses.
hmmm...
we miss something, right?
ah! the roof!
I'll take a huge tea brick, attach five animal balloons and set it above the entrance. high enough (don't forget about the pogo stick!).
inside, I'll put a clown wig on the floor and randomly spread cracked teacups. so whenever it's raining outside there's always some funny tea inside to enjoy the weather.
oh, and clown car seats. one less than teacups, so there's always a fun fight for one!
yay?

IN. Materials: "Big Top" Top Hat, Clown Nose - Red, Clown Wig, Licorice Logs, Balloon Animals/Monsters, Clown Car Boot, Garden Glow Lanterns.

A mysterious garden library built entirely from Licorice Logs, with a roof shaped like a giant "Big Top" Top Hat. A playful sanctuary for garden lovers to read, dream, and be inspired by nature and stories, blending whimsy with peaceful retreat. The entrance door is the Clown Car Boot, opening like a treasure chest. Inside, Balloon Animals/Monsters float gently, guiding visitors to cozy reading nooks. Garden Glow Lanterns hang from the ceiling, casting soft, warm light perfect for reading. The Clown Wig acts as whimsical sound mufflers, creating a quiet, magical atmosphere. Windows shaped like Clown Nose - Red open to let in fresh garden air and the scent of flowers.

I'd like:
- Aven Colony
- War for the Overworld: Underlord Edition
- War Hospital
- Sid Meier's Civilization® III Complete

Thanks for the giveaway bjgamer and Doc0075, enjoy gardens and nature!

This garden shack is going to double as a unicycle training track. Due to space limitations, the track will be one circle, but it won't be a huge deal as Doc at the moment is not that good at keeping a straight line. In order to practice spectacular maneuvers, Life Size Legos will be used as colorful obstacles; in time, these will be supplemented by helium propelled moving balloon animals. A circus tenting will provide cover from harsh weather conditions. Moderately sized stacks of Cotton Candy and Licorice Logs will be used as a healthy source of energy to withstanding the rigourous training programs.

Finally, to help with balance and provide extra safety and a sense of fashion, a "Big Top" top hat is to be worn at all times.

--‐---------------------------

Thank you for the giveaway. I would like to be in for:

Sid Meier's Civilization® III Complete
Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom
The Settlers® 2: 10th Anniversary

Thank you very much bjgamer for this creative giveaway! I'm in for Sid Meier's Civilization® III Complete. Let's see what we can do here.
We'll build four walls of Tea Bricks cementing with Сotton Сandy (everyone who ate it knows how sticky it is), cover them with Clown Paint of Red, Blue and Yellow colors (not only for fun but for being waterproof too), and place Trapese Rig inside with bunch of Balloon Animals/Monsters tied to it (the shed should please our eye no only outside but inside too).
Then we'll pump up Red Clown Nose to the size of a balloon and put it onto the top of the walls, it'll serve us as a roof. After that, we'll tie it with the hole down to already mentioned Trapese Rig, so the wind won't take it away.
In the end, we'll put two things near the entrance: Clown Garden Gnome (to guard the shed from tea lovers who want to steal any brick) and give him Unicycle (in case this happens).
Enjoy!

We have a dozen wonderfully wacky and imaginative garden sheds built ... but there is room for more! There are still 2 days left to build Doc a "wicked cool" garden shed for UK Garden Day! Come on, GOG builders, show us what kind of clown crazy shed your mind can come up with! :D

IN. Thank you bjgamer and Doc0075 for another Just for Fun Giveaway!

—Accessories: Cracked Teacups, Old Iron Teapot, Clown Nose - Pink, Clown Flower Bouquet
—Building Supplies: Tea Bricks, Clown Paint - Blue and White, Bubblegum (Sour Grape)
—Furnishings: Clown Tea Cart, Unicycle

Built from fragrant Tea Bricks stacked like giant sugar cubes, this shed provides a calming tea garden vibe. The walls are painted with soft Clown Paint - Blue and White clouds, and Bubblegum (Sour Grape) seals the joints with a sweet aroma. Inside, a Clown Tea Cart holds an array of Cracked Teacups and an Old Iron Teapot for tea parties. The shed entrance features a Clown Nose - Pink mounted above the door as a quirky welcome. A Clown Flower Bouquet brightens a corner, while a Unicycle leans nearby, ready for a quick ride around the garden

Builder awards:
- War for the Overworld: Underlord Edition
* War Hospital
- Aven Colony
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 2: Triple Thrill Pack
- Majesty Gold HD
- Sid Meier's Civilization® III Complete

I am IN

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The build~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Building supplies:
Life size legos, clown tenting, clown paint, bubblegum (sour lemon), licorice logs

Accessory:
Clown garden gnome and flower bouquet

Furnishing:
Clown car boot

I shall build a garden shed using these materials.

The walls of the shed will be built with the legos, there will be a single pillar in the middle of the shed that goes several bricks about the height of the walls. Using the clown tenting the roof will be made, the pillar providing a tent like shape, and the roof being secured to the wall by the chewing gum (sour lemon) for a nice strong hold. Using the clown paint designs of the students from the school will be painted. The licorice logs used as fencing for a small garden plot right beside the door. Using the flower bouquet and taking the individual flowers to make the flowers in the plot and placing the gnome to protect the flowers. The clown car boot is put into the shed to have a nice safe place to keep small garden tools and clown tools.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Games I enter for~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. First Feudal
2. Core keeper
3. Synergy
4. Majesty Gold HD
5. The last spell
6. Islanders
7. War for the Overworld: Underlord Edition

I am IN

Stranger looked intently at the sandy square in the corner of the garden. He concentrated and slowly began to weave reality with his hands in the empty space in front of him. First, huge licorice logs appeared in the air, slowly settling on foundations made of a white substance flowing from under the sand, which immediately hardened and petrified like Arctic snow upon contact with the air. In the blink of an eye, the beams formed the four walls of a large shed, and the sweet smell of chocolate and whipped cream wafted around the structure.
Now it was the roof's turn – flat, heavily compressed tea bricks swirled above the building, and moved by the skillful hands of the white clown, they quickly formed - like a deck of cards laid out for solitaire - successive rows of roof tiles covering the top of the shed. And indeed, the freshly laid tea bricks had patterns of pip cards and face cards embossed on them.
Stranger went to the window opening, took a sour lemon bubblegum out of his mouth and stuck it to the window frame. One quick movement of his hand and the bubblegum stretched like liquid glass across the entire surface of the window, waved, shrank to the size of the frame, vibrated and hardened, creating a hard, transparent sheet with a slightly yellow tint.
Now the clown entered the shed and looked at the walls, lit with acidic yellow light. He reached out his hand: from the top to the bottom of the longest wall opposite the entrance, clown car trunks began to jump out, creating rows and columns of variously sized drawers, cabinets and hiding places for gardening tools and supplies. Stranger moved into the middle of the room and took a Lego table out of his pocket; he put it on the ground, took two steps back and waved his hand – the tiny table began to grow rapidly, enlarge and in a split second became a life-size Lego table. In the same way, two chairs and a rocking chair appeared next to the table.
Stranger walked out in front of the building, turned towards the entrance, and in his hands appeared a cotton candy door – which he expertly placed on hinges – light, airy, yet durable and keeping the shed warm. The descendant of Space Yetis looked at the house with satisfaction. With a shy smile, he placed the Clown Garden Gnome next to the door and said to him: ‘You will keep tidiness here and illuminate the entrance to the shed with a small moon lantern.’ In response, the Clown Garden Gnome nodded and put the lantern in the pocket of his clown outfit, then froze motionless, returning to a lifeless state.
Stranger fixed the Clown Flower Bouquet on the dwarf-height figure, then took the unicycle leaning against the shed wall and rode it along the path to the garden exit. Suddenly he noticed a centipede crossing the pedestrian lanes on the path, braked sharply and shot like from a slingshot straight into the nearest bed of rainbow Galactic Azaleas…

Accessories: Clown Garden Gnome, Clown Flower Bouquet
Building Supplies: Bubblegum (Sour Lemon), Tea Bricks, Cotton Candy, Licorice Logs, Life Size Legos
Furnishings: Clown Car Trunk, Unicycle

Builder Award prize – games in order of preference:

1) Synergy
2) Chambers of Devious Design
3) ISLANDERS
4) Dungeon Keeper Gold™ + Dungeon Keeper™ 2
5) Craft The World + Craft the World - Abandoned Mines