Author: ramblingbrick

Botanicals Interview and Review II: 11503 Peace Lily

ramblingbrick 18+, Botanical Collection, interview, Lego, Review , , , , , , , , ,
A LEGO model of the 11504 Peace Lily, featuring green leaves and white flowers, displayed on a wooden shelf with a plain background.

Earlier in the month I was visiting Denmark, and had the opportunity to visit the LEGO Campus and have a conversation with LEGO Botanicals senior designer, Theo Bonner. In part one, we discussed recolours and the rationale behind new elements being developed in the Botanical theme. Last time, we spoke recolours and the introduction of new elements in Botanical sets.

Today, we discuss the flowerpot design in the 11503 Peace Lily, the fan base for LEGO Botanicals, designing 18+ sets for builders who have never built a LEGO set in their lives before and discover something what LEGO Star Wars and Botanicals have in common.

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Botanical Insights: Interview and Review – 11501 Tulip Bouquet

ramblingbrick 18+, Botanical Collection, interview, Lego, Review , , , , , , , ,
A vibrant display of a LEGO Tulip Bouquet set, featuring colorful tulip flowers in various shades, arranged in a clear glass vase on a wooden surface. The image includes text indicating a review of the set and mentions an interview with designer Theo Bonner.
A smiling person with glasses and a beard, wearing a plaid shirt, is seated against a backdrop of textured fabric and tree-themed artwork.
Theo Bonner, Senior Designer, LEGO Botanicals

In December, 2025 I had the good fortune to visit LEGO Campus in Billund, Denmark. While there, I had the chance to talk with Theo Bonner – One of the Senior Designers working on LEGO’s Botanicals Theme. During the 45 minutes that we spoke, we covered a variety of topics including the challenges of flowerpots, new colours, storytelling the Botanicals consumer base, storytelling and the lack of Spinjitzu in Botanical sets.

Today, in the first of our four reviews of upcoming Botanical releases, we will take a look at the 11501 Tulip Bouquet, and in our interview extract, we talk about the challenges of recolouring certain elements, the new curved slope element and its connection to a space theme from around the turn of the century.

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20 years of LEGO® Santa Claus in LEGO City Advent Calendars: An Incomplete History

ramblingbrick editorial, Lego, Retro Review , , , , , ,
Three LEGO minifigures depicting various versions of Santa Claus and holiday characters, with the title 'Twenty Years of LEGO® Santa Claus: An Incomplete History' in the background.

If you happened to drop by a Build a Mini station in a LEGO® Store during the run up to Christmas in 2025, you may well have found the parts for a Golden Santa Claus. If you were lucky, the staff had already assembled them for you. If you have been following some of the long-running minifigure play sets, you have probably seen the tendency of golden minifigures to turn up in commemorative sets during anniversary years, in both Ninjago (10 years, 2022) and Harry Potter sets (20 years,2021).

Three LEGO Santa minifigures displayed against a dark background: one in a traditional red suit, one in a golden suit, and one in a modern red suit with a bag.

While golden Santa appears very similar to the current Santa minifigure, which debuted in 2024, he didn’t always look so fine. Read on to find out more.

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Creator 2026: 31376 Cute Hamster and Designer Insights

ramblingbrick Creator, interview, Lego, Review , , , , , , , ,
A display of LEGO Creator 3in1 set 31376 featuring a cute hamster, a small bird, and a purple flower, all on a light green background.

The 2026 Creator 3in1 sets are due for release on January 1 2026, and I have the full range to review, thanks to the LEGO Group. (All opinions are my own) Among the nine sets due for release, seven depict fish animals or birds in some shape or form, and only only 3 have more than 300 parts. Hopefully, we can get them reviewed in a timely fashion. Today, we will start with 31376 Cute Hamster with Flower.

BUT THAT’S not all. On my recent trip to Denmark, I had the chance to visit the LEGO Campus and catch up with Lennart DuPont Cort, one of the Creator 3in1 designers.

Two smiling individuals posing for a selfie indoors, with large windows displaying a modern building in the background.
Richard on the left; Lennart Dupont Cort – Creator 3in1 designer on the right.

We had a chat about all sorts of aspects of the Creator 3in1 process, and I will include these details through the 3in1 reviews. We rarely get the chance to talk to members of the Creator 3in1 team, so this was a really exciting opportunity. Special thanks to the Community Engagement team at the LEGO Group for making this happen.

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Go Off the Grid with LEGO ICONS 11371 Shopping Street. [Review]

ramblingbrick 18+, ICONS, Lego, Modular building, Review , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I have to admit, I have a rather soft spot for the annual modular set. When our family discovered that Adult Fans were a thing, back in 2009, we may well have picked up the modulars sets that were available at the time. Things have certainly changed over the years: faces have changed, flowers have changed, colours have exploded, and printed elements are more likely to replace a brick-built font on the building’s facade.

I was quite excited when the LEGO Group sent 11371 Shopping Street over for review, ahead of its January 1 2026 release. The set has 7 minifigures, 3456 pieces and will be priced at AUD 399.99/
£229.99/US$249.99/€249.99.

This new Shopping Street – incorporating a musical instrument store and a furniture store/carpenter – brings a few features that left me feeling nostalgic for the early days of modular buildings, while at the same time, feeling fresh and innovative. Let’s take a closer look.

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11371 Shopping Street is our Next Modular Building – January 1 2026 for LEGO® Insiders

ramblingbrick 18+, ICONS, Lego, Reveal , , , , , ,

It’s an annual highlight in the LEGO Fan’s calendar: the reveal of the Modular Building. Once part of Creator Expert, and now ICONS, Modular buildings were my gateway drug, deranging me down a slippery slope into accepting life as an Adult Fan of a Children’s toy, over 15 years ago.

This year’s model does not disappoint me.

We have two buildings-!- music shop and a furniture store (with an upstairs workshop), separated by an angled alleyway. They are joined by connecting walkways at the first and second floors.

LEGO ICONS SET 11371 Shopping Street will be priced at $AUD399.99/ $USD249.99 / 249,99 EUR / £229.99 The set will be released on January 1 2026 has 3456 pieces and seven minifigures- two of whom are twins.

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The Great LEGO Puzzle Book [Review]

ramblingbrick Book, Lego, Review , , , , , , ,
Cover of 'The Great LEGO Puzzle Book' by Jacob Berg featuring illustrations of puzzles and a variety of colorful LEGO bricks.

The folks over at No Starch Press have sent a new book over for review. Jacob Berg’s The Great LEGO Puzzle book does just what it says on the cover: It brings 120 building challenges using just a handful of basic bricks. Is this the perfect way to while away time during the holiday season?

Let’s take a closer look.

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LEGO® Art, Icons and Architecture are aiming to decorate your home in 2026

ramblingbrick 18+, Architecture, Art, ICONS, Lego, Reveal , , , , , , , , , ,
A collage image featuring three LEGO sets: a Japanese Cherry Blossom landscape scene on the left, an Autumn Cottage Garden in the center, and a Paris architectural model on the right. Text overlay reads 'Art, Icons and Architecture: Dominating Your Home Decor in 2026'.
LEGO Art set featuring a Japanese Cherry Blossom Landscape with Mount Fuji, a teahouse, a bridge, and waterfalls crafted from colorful bricks, framed in a black lacquer shadow box.
LEGO Art set depicting the Eiffel Tower and iconic Parisian architecture against a dark blue background, labeled 'City of Love'.
A colorful LEGO set featuring a quaint cottage surrounded by autumn trees, a river, and garden elements. The scene includes a weeping willow, orange and yellow trees, flowers, and decorative details like a cart and a garden gnome.

LEGO® Art, Icons and Architecture are themes that are transforming LEGO Bricks from a construction toy to a decorative medium, and each theme has just revealed a new piece for January 2026. Let’s take a wander around these upcoming sets, set for a January 2026 release:

Read On for More

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New 2026 Botanicals Revealed.

ramblingbrick Botanical Collection, preview, Reveal , , , , , , , , , , ,
A digital illustration of three LEGO® botanical arrangements: a Peace Lily in a brown pot, a bouquet of white daisies and lavender, and a flowering cactus with pink flowers in a blue pot, set against a dark blue background with the text 'More 2026 Botanicals Revealed.'

After last week’s reveal of the 11501 Bunch of Tulips at the Chinese International Import Expo, another three Botanical sets in the 2026 lineup have been revealed.

These sets will be released on January 1, 2026, and cover the range of sets we are becoming accustomed to seeing in the Botanicals Range: a small cute bouquet, a potted succulent and a traditional indoor plant. Some sets are aimed at adults, while some aretargetted at younger builders. Read on for more.

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LEGO® ICONS Prepares to Boldly Go. 10365

ramblingbrick 18+, ICONS, Lego , , , , , , ,
A large model of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701D from LEGO, showcased in space with a starry background and text promoting the set.

Normally a picture release of a large grey spaceship heralds the arrival of something from the LEGO Star Wars team. But this is much more exciting. After moving around a series of alternative toy brick companies over the years, the Star Trek License has finally come to rest with the LEGO Group, and I have to admit I am just a little bit excited.

Box art of the LEGO Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set highlighting its detailed design and features.
LEGO Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set box featuring the starship model and included mini figures against a dark background.

The 10356 USS Enterprise NCC-1701 D has 3600 pieces and will be released in time for Black Friday, on 28th November 2025 at LEGO.com/Star-Trek and LEGO Stores priced at $AUD599.99 /€379.99 / £349.99 / $USD399.99. The set comes with nine mini figures, and the line up is just about perfect.

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