The 52-year-old said it really was not that difficult to recall, because it only happened a few years ago.
She is a relative newcomer to Lego, and since she first laid hands on the plastic bricks, she has not been able to let them go.
Now the Dunedin woman has made it to the final of nationwide Lego-building contest Lego My Own Creation, organised by Tūhura Otago Museum.
‘‘I was surprised I made it this far,’’ she said.
‘‘I’m just happy to be here.’’
The competition coincides with the museum’s opening of the ‘‘Relics: A New World Rises’’ exhibition, a series of scenes combining retro relics with Lego, which opens later this month.
For the Lego competition, enthusiasts from around the country were invited to create scenes inspired by New Zealand’s history.
Ms Richards said the things she loved about Lego were that it never went to landfill, it created, recreated and entertained many generations and never lost its value.
The ‘‘Relics’’ exhibition emphasised that by repurposing objects that might have ended up in landfill, she said.
She was inspired to enter the competition because it would be a challenge and a chance to be creative.
The exhibition itself also attracted her to the contest.
At first she was worried she was the only adult entering.
‘‘I always thought Lego was for kids.’’
Her entry in the competition is a scene from a working sheep farm, which she completed in a day.
She had to rebuild it several times because some elements were too heavy and would fall off and go ‘‘smashing into pieces’’, she said.
‘‘It can be frustrating.’’
She was looking forward to seeing the works of the other four finalists from around the country, including one other southerner, Tienkie Venter, of Invercargill.
The contest winner will be decided by the exhibition curators and the 2020 Lego Masters Australia competition winners Jackson Harvey and Alex Towler.
The winner will receive $2000 worth of prizes and the title of New Zealand’s best historic Lego builder.
The ‘‘Relics’’ exhibition will open to the public at the end of this month and the finalists’ builds will be on display in Atrium 2 until the end of March.
- Ella Jenkins
