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Y’orchidding me, another one? 10343 Mini Orchid Review

BrankotheFather 18+, Botanical Collection, Lego, Review , , , , , , ,

A couple of weeks ago, Branko took a look at a set featuring an orchid, albeit with a Disney Flavour. Today, he takes a look at another….

It feels like I have just recently written about a LEGO set with orchids, comparing it with the original, gold standard for brick-built orchids, the aptly named 10311 Orchid. And yet here we are, about to embark on building yet another orchid and comparing it against the other LEGO® orchids. After all, why not?

The LEGO Group has generously provided us with this particular rendition called 10343 Mini Orchid. All opinions are our own. This is part of four sets related to ‘The Four Gentlemen’ or ‘The Noble Ones’; four flowers often associated with each other in Asian cultures. The set contains 274 pieces and retails for AU$49.99/£24.99/US$29.99/€29.99.

Join me as we have a look at this light-weight botanical build, and determine how it stacks up in the world of LEGO flowers.

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10363 Leonardo Da Vinci’s Flying Machine Revealed

ramblingbrick 18+, ICONS, News, Reveal , , , , , , ,

Among the many creative ideas that Leonardo Da Vinci Experimented with was the idea of human flight. Taking inspiration from seeds and birds, he developed his ideas in over 500 sketches. Today, the LEGO Group has revealed 10363, Leonardo da Vinci’s Flying Machine. With 493 pieces, this set also features a minifigure of the man himself.

The set was previewed at the Fan Media Days this year, and we saw the model and minifigure close up.

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ICONS 1992Williams and Technic Ferrari F1 cars revealed!

ramblingbrick 18+, F1, ICONS, Lego, Reveal, technic , , , , , , , , ,

LEGO and F1 are racing into 2025 with a slew of product reveals overnight in Las Vegas. On top of the Duplo, City and Speed Champions sets, more sets have been revealed:

First is the set 10353 LEGO® Icons Williams Racing FW14B & Nigel Mansell. The set has 799 pieces and will be released March 1 2025 with an RRP of $AUD129.99/ €79.99 / $USD79.99 / £69.99.

Next up is the 42207 Technic Ferrari SF 24 F1 – this 1361 piece Technic set will also go on sale on March the 1st 2025, with a price of $AUD349.99 / €229.99 EUR / $USD229.99 / £199.99 .

Both sets, along with the Speed Champions, are now open to pre-order in some markets. Unfortunately, not Australia.

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Heres your first taste of LEGO x F1: 2025 Duplo, City, Speed Champions and 12 Collectable Cars revealed

ramblingbrick 18+, F1, Lego, News, Reveal , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The LEGO Group and Formula 1 revealed their upcoming multiyear collaboration earlier in the year. Today, as the Sun Rises on the Las Vegas Grand Prix, we see the first batch of sets to be released as part of this team up. There are sets from Duplo, LEGO City, Speed Champion and a set of collectible F1 Cars that will be just the perfect size for a pocket money set. In the mean time, there will be new ‘Build the Thrill’ activities on and off the Track. Next year, 2025, sees the 75th anniversary of Formula 1, so these sets will be released just in time for the party!

The DUPLO and City Sets are due for Release on 1st January 2025, while the Speed Champions are set to hit the streets on 1st March 2025. The collectable race cars will be released 1st May 2025.

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Four New Botanical Sets Revealed for 2025

ramblingbrick 18+, Botanical Collection, Reveal , , , , , , , , , , ,

One of the most popular ranges for adult newcomers to LEGO has been the Botanical Collection which has now broken free of its ICONS co-branding. Today, four new sets have been revealed. First, there are the 10343 Mini Orchid (274 Pieces) and 10344 Lucky Bamboo (325 pieces). Both are due for release on the 1st of January 2025. Together with last year’s Chrysanthemum and Plum Blossom, they make up the ‘Four Gentlemen.’ These plants are frequently depicted together in Chinese Art. These sets both retail at $AUD49.99/€29.99/£24.99/$USD29.99

There are also two of the more traditional bouquet/flower arrangements. Set 10342 Pretty Pink Flower Bouquet has 749 pieces and will be released on January 1st 2025, priced at $AUD99.99/€59.99/£ 54.99/$USD59.99. We will need to wait for February 1, 2025 for the 10345 Flower Arrangement. It has 1161 pieces and is priced at $AUD179.99/€109.99/£94.99/$USD109.99.

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Book Review: The LEGO® Builder’s Handbook – Become a Master Builder [Win a copy]

ramblingbrick 18+, Book, Review , , , , , , ,

The publisher provided this book for review, as well as prizes for the draw, but all opinions are my own.

Deepak Shenoy is well known in the online LEGO Community as Deepshen6 on Instagram, or for his Facebook page, formerly Towering LEGO Creations (now Brick Builder’s Handbook), to say nothing of his contributions posted at Bricknerd.com. His massive LEGO Towers, both real and virtual, have astounded thousands of AFOLs over the past 8 years. In The LEGO Builder’s Handbook – just released through No Starch  Press – he takes the lessons he has learned in creating these magnificent structures and clearly communicates them to the reader. He uses worked examples to explain how we too can ensure that our models will take on the shapes that we wish.

This book will not provide you instructions for a massive creation. It will give you a background in sophisticated techniques that will help you achieve your goals!

Read to the end to find out about our giveaway, and our exclusive 25% off code, valid until the new year!

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10335 Shackleton’s Endurance Revealed for Black Friday Release

ramblingbrick 18+, ICONS, News, Reveal , , , , , , , , ,

The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-17 was probably the final expedition of the Golden Age of Antarctic Exploration. Led by third time Antarctic Explorer Ernest Shackleton, the goal was to cross the icy continent from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea, via the South Pole. What actually happened was a feat of human survival that could be summed up in a single word: than name of the ship they had set sail on: Endurance.

Overnight, the LEGO Group has revealed a 3011 piece replica model of the Wooden Brigantine Endurance. This set will be released on 29th November 2024, priced at $AUD399.99/£229.99 / €269.99/ $USD269.99. There will be a gift with purchase at release featuring Minifigures of Ernest Shackleton and photographer William Hurley, along with one of the lifeboats used to ensure the survival of the crew.

I’m a little excited by this set…

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What Plant is That? Exploring Minifigure-Scale Flowers and the 21353 LEGO Ideas Botanical Gardens

ramblingbrick 18+, feature, Lego, Review , , , , , , , , ,

The new LEGO IDEAS set 21353 The Botanical Garden boasts over 3700 pieces, 12 minifigures as well as 4 birds and 4 other animals. But its main claim to fame is the fact that it includes 35 different species of plant. With some interesting recolours already available via the existing Botanicals Collection, I thought it might be worth scouring the images of the set, and matching up the flowers with a list provided by the LEGO Ambassadors Network.

Although… That list might not quite be complete…

This won’t be a comprehensive review, as I don’t actually have the set in my hands, rather a tour in search of the plants matching the description. Once we are done, we will take a quick review of floral elements appearing in minifigure scaled sets over the years.

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LEGO® IDEAS 21353 Botanical Garden Revealed

ramblingbrick 18+, Botanical Collection, GWP, IDEAS, Lego, Modular building, Reveal , , , , , , , ,

Plants are blooming for LEGO® Enthusiasts: since the introduction of the Botanical Range back in 2020, we have seen the arrival of 14 ICONs botanicals sets, 6 creator sets and two gifts with purchase. We have seen the 1000 piece LEGO Friends Botanical Garden, a set that was for many adults, their first Friends set.

Today, the LEGO Group unveiled 21353 – The LEGO Ideas Botanical Gardens. With 3792 pieces, this set has 12 unique minifigures. It has four birds, a dog, a frog, a bunny and a squirrel. It is two baseplates wide, 64 bricks wide, and it contains over 35 brick built species of plants. It will go on sale on November 4th (November 1 for LEGO Insiders), at LEGO Branded retail outlets, priced at $AUD499.99/ €329.99 / £289.99 / $USD329.99 / 429.99 CAD

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76294 The X-Mansion: New Marvel Modular Revealed

ramblingbrick 18+, Lego, Marvel Superheroes , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Its been rumored for some time now, and now it is finally here: 76294 The X- Mansion. The most iconic location in Marvel’s X-Men Universe and home to the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, this is the fourth in the range of ‘Marvel Modular’ sets and only the eighth LEGO® set in the 12 year history of LEGO® Marvel Superheroes to feature the X-Men.

Priced at $AUD499.99/ €329.99/ £289.99/ $USD 329.99, set 76294 has 3093 pieces and comes with 10 minifigures. The new minifigures include Professor X, a new variation of Jean Grey, Gambit, Iceman and Bishop.

Unveiling the set at the 2024 Recognised LEGO Fan Media Days, Senior Designer Justin Ramsden described the set as “…our love letter to the X-Men Universe”

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