Lately, I haven’t been diving into big projects, but a thoughtful gift from a friend reminded me that creativity can show up in unexpected ways. They gave me a Mini Orchid Lego building set, and while it’s not what I’d normally call “creative,” I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

I’ve never been a Lego gal. As a kid, they were fun to play with, but I never collected them or got into the sets. Fast forward to today, and Lego has expanded into so many unique designs — including flowers, artwork, and even famous paintings. I love that there are options now that feel more grown-up and artistic, and this orchid quickly became a new favorite.

A Gift That Lasts Forever

The Mini Orchid only took me a couple of hours to build, with a clear instruction book to guide me. Piece by piece, I watched it come to life. It wasn’t just fun — it was relaxing. And unlike real flowers, this one will never wilt or fade. It’s now a beautiful keepsake that sits on display, reminding me of both the gift and the joy of building something with my hands.

While streaming the process, my audience even told me about other sets — like the Van Gogh Lego painting, which blew my mind! It made me realize this could become another creative outlet I never expected to add to my list of interests.

Knolling or Chaos: Which One Are You?

While learning the Lego world, I also discovered a new word: Knolling. Knollers organize all their pieces neatly before they start, while non-knollers thrive off chaos and grab pieces from the pile as they go.

My friend (and fellow streamer) Panda proudly calls herself a non-knoller. Me? I learned pretty quickly that I’m 100% a knoller. With so many tiny, similar-looking pieces, keeping things organized made the process smoother and less stressful.

What I Learned Along the Way

For anyone new to Lego building, here are a few things I discovered:

• One bag at a time – I stuck to the instructions and only opened one bag of pieces at a time. Mixing them together would’ve been confusing.

• A clean workspace is key – There are super tiny pieces, and keeping my space tidy saved me from losing them.

• Take your time – Even while streaming, I resisted the urge to rush. Slowing down meant fewer mistakes, and ironically, I finished faster than I thought.

A New Outlet I Didn’t See Coming

This Lego orchid changed my mind about what counts as “creative.” It was fun, mindful, and left me with something beautiful I’ll keep forever. I can already see myself trying more builds in the future — maybe even one of Lego’s other flower sets or an art-inspired design.

Creativity has no limits, and sometimes the most unexpected outlets bring the most joy.

So tell me: are you a knoller or a non-knoller?