By: CANDICE REED - For the North County Times

CARLSBAD ---- Twenty-seven contestants from around the country hit the bricks early Friday at LEGOland California to build their finest creations in hopes of winning a coveted job as master model builder for the 128-acre children's theme park.

The person with the job as LEGOland's master builder gets to design, build and repair the park's models and animated features. Which is another way of saying that the winner will get to play with toys all day and get paid for it.

Before the competition, each LEGO-builder wannabe received 4,000 plastic bricks and a plastic bag to fill with more of their own favorite colors of bricks, plates, knobs. The toy architects ---- some who already have jobs as teachers, lawyers and architects ---- had two hours to build something with a LEGOland theme.

A few of the participants breathed a sigh of relief when they heard the announcement that not one, but three people would be chosen for the coveted position. At 10 a.m. the group ---- which had been whittled down to a field of 27 from nine regional competitions nationwide ---- marched outside into the sunny park, armed with water bottles and a few power snacks and began building.

The feeling in the roped-off area was a little tense as the group drew inspiration from their surroundings and began snapping pieces from their piles of toys. A few pieces went flying onto the sidewalk as friends and family stood nearby snapping photographs. Occasionally a song such as "Hey There, You're a Rock Star," could be heard blaring over the public-address system. As the artists concocted their creations, they kept stealing glances at each other's works of LEGO art.

After two hours of creating, building and sweating in the sun, the contest was over. The builders milled around while the judges made their final decisions on the dragons, roller coasters, sneakers and theme lands that sat on the tables.

"These guys are good," said contestant Mathew Watkins of Vista. "I don't think it's going to happen for me, but I'll just keep doing my graphic designs. I think maybe it's time to put away my LEGOs now and save them for my kids." Finally, officials announced the names of the winners who will join the park's current team of six master builders, who design, create and maintain the more than 5,000 models in the park.

Kristi Klein of Los Angeles was the first winner to be called to the podium. She looked ready to cry.

"I'm so excited that I'm shaking," said the 28-year-old art student. "I think I won because I've just had so much fun this week. I'm so happy, this is the craziest thing that's ever happened to me." Klein built a design of an octopus's garden with a giant goldfish as her centerpiece.

Nathan Sawaya of New York was also a winner. The 30-year-old attorney said he has no qualms about leaving the Big Apple and taking a slight pay cut; the job pays about $15 an hour to start.

"I'm ready, it's my dream come true, as far as the money goes, I'll just make it work" said the corporate lawyer. "I always wanted to do this. I only became a lawyer really because I didn't know what else I wanted to do. This is it though. This is what I wanted to do with my life." Sawaya's prototype was two LEGO people sawing a log of wood.

When Aaron Sneary's wife heard his name called, she started to cry and hugged him tight.

"I actually found some places to live already, so this is great," said Megan Sneary. "I'm so happy for my husband. This is what he has dreamed about forever." Aaron Sneary will be giving notice next week at Diamond Comic Distributors in Washington, D.C., and moving to Carlsbad, but that's after the group heads to "The Jimmy Kimmel Show" and most of the morning news programs.

"My creation was inspired by my desire to help kids create," said Sneary, 28. "I heard that the master builder would get to spend time showing children how the creations are built, and that's what cinched the deal and my idea. This is something that people dream about. I am so ready to move to California and start my new job."