Review - Rolife Miniature House Kit - Corner Bookstore

I was sent this kit in exchange for a review

I love working on Rolife miniature kits, and when I was given the chance to choose another kit to complete I knew straightaway which one I would like to try. The Corner Bookstore miniature house kit is a tiny bookstore, crammed with books and other knick-knacks along with cosy corners and intriguing little nooks. 

This kit is perfect for book lovers, and just like the Silent Corner Study it's a great model to display on a bookshelf. I really like the muted colours, and I love the piles of books and plants.  

The miniature kit comes with everything that you need for assembly, you just need to add two AAA batteries for the lighting kit. Small strips of double sided tape are provided, but I found that it was helpful to have glue on hand, just to make sure that everything was stuck down firmly enough to withstand slight knocks. 

The Corner Bookstore kit has a difficulty rating of 2 1/2 stars and I assembled it in a few hours over about a week. It's always worth checking the difficulty rating of Rolife kits as they do vary, and this is a medium difficulty kit. There are a lot of tiny wooden and cardboard components to slot together and some gentle force was required to get everything into place, there is also a small amount of measuring and modification of parts.

I felt that this was one of the more open-ended kits that I've worked on - you can move away from the instructions a little and really make it your own by arranging the pieces to suit you. Although there is some plastic in the kit, many of the components are made with more natural materials like wood and paper.

The first step is to lay out all the pieces, but don't remove items from the bags as you will use the bag number to find a piece. If you do this by accident there is a materials list and part guide to identify similar looking pieces.

The instructions are really easy to follow and guide you through the assembly process. Each section has a clearly labelled list of the parts required and step-by-step directions. I found it helpful to set aside an area for components after I had finished them - the box works well for this. I also removed rubbish as I went along to keep my workspace clear.

With these kits I try to make sure that I don't rush, I slow down and enjoy the process of putting them together. It's a very meditative activity, and a wonderful way to switch off as you concentrate on what you are doing.

It's a great moment when you can fix the walls in place and the whole thing begins to take its final shape. I really like the way that this kit fits into a corner, and all the tiny props are really imaginative and full of detail.

As you would expect, even a miniature bookstore is going to be filled with books, and I had a lot of fun making the heaps of tiny books to stock the store. This is just a handful of them! They are made by covering a tiny wooden piece with a printed sticker - these books each measure around 1cm across. There are many familiar titles - Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre and The Old Man and the Sea - as well as non-fiction books and a variety of interesting and attractive covers. It seems such a shame that when assembled many of the covers are hidden! 

There is a suggested way to arrange the books, but I found it much easier to just work it out for myself, especially making sure that my favourite books had more prominent positions. But one tip for this kit in particular - take care to keep the different sized books separately as they can appear quite similar.

When the assembly is complete, it's lovely to take a step back and have a proper look at what you've just built - sometimes it's difficult to appreciate the whole when you've been concentrating hard on all the tiny details! I loved assembling the Corner Bookstore kit, and it is a wonderful addition to my miniature house kit collection.

You may like to see my other Rolife Miniature Craft Kit reviews:

Super Creator Kits - Fascinating Bookstore, Lovely Pink Bedroom and Sweet Sips Tea

Cathy's Flower House

Silent Corner Study

Elsa's Tailoring

Gingerbread House

Christmas 3D Frames

Double-sided Impossipuzzle - Golf Balls and Tees - Solving tips

Having enjoyed The World's Most Difficult Jigsaw Puzzle - Kittens edition so much, I enlisted my Mum to help me search for similar puzzles on our charity shop trawls. 

I was delighted when she recently found this one for me - Impossipuzzle - Golf Balls and Tees!

This jigsaw puzzle has 550 pieces. The pieces are large, so when assembled it is almost the same size as a standard 1000 piece puzzle. It's double-sided with a different image on each side - one side has repeating rows of layered golf balls, the other a scattering of different coloured tees. It seemed pretty obvious to me that the golf balls would be the easiest side, so this is where I started.

It was very easy to sort the pieces and assemble the edges, but this is when I got stuck. I just didn't know where to start! I spent several sessions just sitting and staring at the pieces trying to work out a strategy. I was initially thinking that I was going to have to do the whole puzzle just by piece shape.

But then I realised that you can use the shadows on the balls to work out which way many of the pieces should go. There are also white diamonds in the spaces between balls, and these always the same way up. I also noticed that many of the individual pieces had the same design on them, and I think this is the key thing to notice when it comes to solving jigsaws with a repeating pattern.

I began to group together pieces which looked the same, in particular those that formed the bottoms of the golf balls, using the dark shadow at the bottom to help. I was able to match up centre, left and right side pieces to make blocks of three which formed the base of a ball. These could then be linked to form an entire row across the puzzle.

I used the same strategy to add in a few more rows, sorting the pieces by the height of the black shadow on the piece. Each ball fits neatly across three pieces.

Once I had worked out this strategy I was flying! As you can see from the picture above, every remaining piece will attach to a piece of the puzzle that is already in position. It was pretty quick to solve the puzzle from here, using a mixture of shape sorting the pieces and the knowledge of the puzzle that I'd acquired so far.

There were very few false fits, and these were easily checked by flipping the pieces over and checking that they line up on the other side. Because of course the puzzle has another side, which to my eyes looks much more tricky! 

I flipped the puzzle over to take this picture, but I'm not sure I'll be attempting it from scratch any time soon!

There is a repeating pattern, with clumps of tees that are the same colour. But although the pattern is obvious when you see the completed image, it's much more difficult to see when you are looking at the individual pieces. I'll be hanging on to this jigsaw with the intention of giving it a go at some point in the future!

The most dramatic thing that happened on Mount Everest this 2026 Season

I've mentioned a few times about my somewhat niche and unusual (for someone in my demographic at least!) interest in Mount Everest. I've been reading about it on and off over the years, but this year I've really grown my interest. I've built a collection of new and second-hand books, I've watched documentaries, I've listed to podcasts, and this year I followed along with the 2026 Everest climbing season.

There is a very short window for an Everest summit attempt. The main route (on the South/Nepal side) only opens once a team of local climbers have cleared a path and fixed ropes to the camps and summit. This year it was delayed, with the first Nepali climbers on the rope fixing team only reaching the summit on 13th May. Then the ropes and ladders were removed on the 29th May, meaning that everyone had to be down from the mountain by this date. With frequent periods of bad weather on the mountain, there are only a few days during this already short period when a safe summit can be attempted.

The reason that the mountain closes around this date every year is because this is when the monsoon arrives, and conditions because extremely dangerous. There have been a few risky summits later in the year in September or October time after the monsoon when it is less crowded, but it's not something that is undertaken by many climbers.

I spent a month following along with the season, in particular watching a daily dispatch video from Everest Live, reading articles, and making some notes in my Everest notebook. I enjoyed learning more about the different people attempting the summit this year, and marvelling at the sheer numbers of people that were on the mountain. I love finding out about the logistics of an expedition.

Photo credit Tom Cleary via Unsplash

The 2026 season came to a particularly dramatic end this year with the story of Hillary Dawa Sherpa. A local guide, he was part of a small team attempting a very late summit just before the mountain closed on the 29th May accompanying British climber Chris Thrall and a Polish climber. The information is sketchy, but it looks as though they were descending when they all got into difficulties. Chris Thrall went ahead to help the struggling Polish climber, leaving Dawa Sherpa lying high up on the mountain.

Thrall believed that the sherpa was dead, or very close, and knew that if he attempted to rescue him there was a very high chance that all three would die. They would all have been aware that the chances of a descent would be next to impossible once the mountain closed and the ropes and ladders through the icefall were removed. He had to make an impossible decision, affected of course also by his own deteriorating condition.

Dawa Sherpa was presumed dead and his family had begun funeral rites when he was spotted crawling down the base of the icefall. Miraculously he survived six days on the mountain, much of it in the 'death zone' without sufficient oxygen. He spent two days trapped in a crevasse and was only able to escape after an avalanche brought enough snow down to enable him to climb out. He had very little food, and only ice for water. 

This is a story that I'm definitely going to be following over the next weeks and months as more information is released. As well as the story of his survival there are many questions to be answered, not least why a helicopter rescue wasn't implemented and whether the rescue efforts would have been more efficient for a foreign climber. He was involved with two expedition companies, neither of which seemed prepared to take any responsibility for him when it came to paying for a rescue. 

Disclaimer - I'm in no way an expert on this subject. If you are looking for more detailed information I'd definitely recommend doing some further reading from people that are far more knowledgeable!

Find out more:

BBC News - Watch: Guide stranded on Everest for six days rescued

BBC News - Everest guide survived six-day ordeal by eating chocolate and 'chewing ice'

Everest Live - Hillary Dawa Update (video)

The Tourism Times - Everest survivor Dawa Sherpa stable as HAMS Hospital confirms frostbite, fracture and severe dehydration

Everest Chronicle - Miracle and Shame: The two faces of Everest

From me:

Five excellent long-form Everest documentaries on YouTube

My "Odd Shelf', inspired by Anne Fadiman - my growing collection of Everest themed books

The things that I've been doing instead of blogging

It's been ages since I wrote a proper blog post, so here's a quick look at what has been keeping me busy:

Gardening

I love this time of year, when the garden starts to take off. We had our garden landscaped last year and it was still looking bare at the start of the year. We've added a few new plants, and I'm really enjoying seeing the things that we planted last year come back to life. One area of the garden that we had neglected was at the front where we had removed a large, overgrown hedge. We intended to replant it last year, and then decided that actually we preferred the more open plan look. But the long border that we had left for the hedge was filled with knee high weeds, and it looked terrible.

So I spent a long day giving it a thorough weed, and I cut the grass on the council owned patch at the front. Then I took a trip to the garden centre and stocked up on trays of bedding plants which I've planted all the way along, as well as uncovering some gorgeous poppies which had self-seeded. It looks so much better now, and I'm sure that our neighbours will appreciate having something prettier to look at as it all fills out!

Enjoying being outside

I always try to make the most of good weather, and it was so lovely that this year we were treated to hot sunshine over the Bank Holiday weekend. I stocked up on ice creams for the freezer, then every morning I got the garden ready with our garden furniture. I moved chairs around during the day, starting off in the sun and then moving to the shade mid-morning and afternoon. We had a barbecue every day, and spent the evening around the fire pit with marshmallows.

Following the Everest climbing season

I've written several times about my niche interest in Everest, and this was the first year that I followed along in real time. I found Everest Live on YouTube which produced daily video dispatches throughout the climbing season from around the beginning of May. I sat down every evening to watch the latest dispatch and make notes in my Everest journal. I also enjoyed reading the less frequent but detailed articles from the Alan Arnette Blog like this Everest 2026 Season Summary. 

It was really exciting, the season started later than usual with a few problems but it was a record year for summits, with 274 on a single day! I even found a live Everest webcam, and on one clear evening at the height of the season I was watching rivers of torches make their way up the mountain in the early hours in Nepal. Now the climbing is over for another year, but I have a playlist of long Everest documentaries to work through which always give me something new to research.

Photo credit Rajan Dahal via Unsplash

Hosting tradesmen

For the last couple of months we have been having our ancient bathrooms replaced, and the work is nearly finished. They look amazing! But it's been quite disruptive, and I don't cope well when there are people in the house. Having to park the car down the road, worrying about the neighbours being annoyed, wondering whether I'm offering enough drinks and being constantly available in the house in case I'm needed to check something. I find it difficult to focus on anything too complicated.

Reading

However I have been doing very well lately at working through my to be read list, even the hidden one on my Kindle! I've been going through some of the 'filler' books, which are the ones that I download for free on to my Kindle. They are usually quick reads and not that memorable, although I've found a few that stood out - I recently really enjoyed Follow Her by Anna Stothard. 

I have a long Everest book which I'm finding a bit of a slog - Into the Silence by Wade Davis. It's always named as being one of the best on the subject, but I'm finding it hard going. I bought it as a cheap second hand copy so I think I'm going to do some annotating and sticky labelling to make it more like a reference book that I can dip in and out of.

How to Find Urgent Care Wait Times Before Leaving the House?

This is a collaborative post

Nobody wants to drive across town, drag a sick child through the parking lot, and then sit in a waiting room for two hours. The good news? It's not some secret. Most people just don't know where to look. Wait times at urgent care centers are more accessible now than they've ever been.

This article covers exactly how to find urgent care wait times before you leave home, which tools actually work, and what to do if the numbers aren't posted anywhere.

Where to Check Urgent Care Wait Times Online

Urgent Care hours and locations are a natural starting point when you're planning a visit, since many clinic pages now list current or estimated wait times alongside their address and hours. Here's the thing: you need to know which sources give you real-time data versus rough estimates from a week ago.

The Clinic's Own Website

Most regional and national urgent care groups publish live wait times on their own websites. Look for a "Current Wait" or "Hold My Spot" button near the location finder. If you see a number that updates as you refresh the page, that's a live feed tied to the clinic's check-in system. A flat "typically 15 minutes" message, though? That's static; useful, but not accurate right now.

Symptom Checker Tools That Surface Nearby Clinics

Platforms like Ubie Health let you check your symptoms first, then connect you to nearby care options with availability information. This two-step approach actually saves time. You confirm the right level of care before you commit to a location, so you're not showing up to urgent care for something the ER should handle, or paying urgent care prices for a problem your doctor could handle tomorrow.

Search Engines and Map Apps

A Google search for "urgent care near me" pulls up a local pack that sometimes shows estimated wait times pulled directly from clinic systems. Apple Maps does the same. These figures aren't always current, treat them as a ballpark, but they're fast to check and require no app download.

How to Reserve Your Spot Before You Arrive

Checking wait times is half the battle. The smarter move? Reserve your spot in line while you're still at home.

Online Check-In Systems

Many urgent care groups now run online check-in through their own websites or through third-party scheduling platforms. You pick a time window, enter your information, and the clinic holds a spot in the queue. Your actual wait drops to almost nothing. Look for this feature on the clinic's homepage, usually labeled "Save My Spot" or "Online Check-In."

Phone-Based Queue Options

And don't overlook the phone. Calling the clinic directly takes about 90 seconds and gets you a real wait estimate from staff who can see the current room status. Some clinics will take your name over the phone and add you to the queue before you even get in the car. Low-tech, yes, but it works better than staring at a static webpage.

Timing Your Visit Around Peak Hours

Urgent care centers see the most traffic on Monday mornings, weekend afternoons, and the two hours after most offices close on weekdays (roughly 5 PM to 7 PM). The 2023 industry report from the Urgent Care Association found that midday Tuesday through Thursday consistently shows the shortest wait times nationally. If your situation isn't time-sensitive? A midweek morning visit reduces your wait without any app or reservation.

What to Do When Wait Times Aren't Listed

Not every clinic posts wait data online. Frustrating, yes. But you've still got options.

Call and Ask a Specific Question

Don't ask "how busy are you?" Ask "how many patients are currently ahead of a walk-in?" That specific question gets a more honest, useful answer from whoever picks up the phone. Front desk staff know the room count. They just don't always volunteer it unprompted.

Use a Symptom Checker to Weigh Your Options

If you can't get a read on wait times, use that gap to run a quick symptom check. Ubie Health's free symptom checker takes about three minutes and tells you whether your symptoms point toward urgent care, the ER, or a telehealth visit. That context changes the decision entirely. You might not need urgent care at all.

Consider Telehealth for Lower-Acuity Issues

Telehealth visits have no waiting room. For non-emergency issues like rashes, minor infections, sinus symptoms, or prescription refills, a same-day telehealth appointment is often faster than any in-person option. Most major insurers cover telehealth at the same rate as an in-office visit, so cost usually isn't the barrier people expect.

Conclusion

The fastest way to find urgent care wait times before leaving the house is to check the clinic's website for a live queue; use a symptom checker platform to match your care level to the right location; and call the front desk if nothing is posted online. You'll save yourself from wasted trips and long waits. Reserve your spot online where possible, aim for midweek mornings, and don't rule out telehealth for minor issues; it's often the fastest option of all.

How mission style furniture fits into modern interior design

This is a collaborative post

Modern interior design has shifted toward cleaner and less cluttered spaces because many homeowners want their homes to feel calmer and easier to live in. But minimalism today no longer means cold white rooms with barely any personality. More people now prefer spaces that still feel simple while also looking warm, welcoming, and comfortable enough for everyday living.

That shift has also changed how many homeowners view furniture. Pieces once seen as too traditional for modern interiors are now finding unexpected places in minimalist homes. Mission-style furniture is one of them.

So why does furniture inspired by traditional craftsmanship work so well inside today's modern minimalist homes?

What Defines Mission Style Furniture?

Mission-style furniture is known for its straight lines, solid wood construction, and simple handcrafted appearance. Instead of heavy ornamentation or decorative details, it focuses on practical design and clean structure. Many mission furniture pieces also highlight natural wood grain, sturdy frames, and functional craftsmanship, which is why the style remains timeless in modern homes.

That simplicity is also why mission furniture fits naturally into today's warm minimalist interiors. Modern minimalism now leans more toward comfort and balance than toward cold, overly sleek spaces. Neutral colors, natural materials, and less visual clutter have become more common in modern homes. According to The Spruce, warm minimalism "instantly warms any space, making it comforting and welcoming without losing a sense of simplicity." Mission furniture supports that look by adding warmth and texture without making your space feel crowded.

Why Mission Style Works in Modern Homes

The physical attributes of mission-style furniture mentioned earlier match the clean look many modern homeowners prefer today. Even though this style dates back to the late 19th century, it doesn't feel old-fashioned when paired with modern interiors.

Wood furniture also helps soften minimalist spaces that use a lot of metal, glass, and white surfaces. A mission dining table can make a modern dining area feel warmer and more inviting without adding unnecessary decoration. The same goes for a mission bed frame with neutral bedding or a mission sideboard placed below a wall-mounted TV. These pieces add texture and balance while still keeping the room open and visually clean.

Best Mission Style Furniture Pieces for Minimalist Homes

These mission furniture pieces work especially well in minimalist homes because they add function and warmth without making the space feel crowded:

Dining Tables

A mission-style dining table can easily become the focal point of a minimalist dining area without looking too decorative. Its clean shape keeps the room feeling well-organized, while the natural wood prevents the space from looking too cold. This works especially well in open layouts where you want the dining area to feel connected to the rest of the home.

Bed Frames

Mission bed frames work well in minimalist bedrooms because they keep the space looking clean without feeling empty. The slatted headboard adds just enough detail to break up plain walls. Since the design is simple, your bedroom projects a relaxing and easy-on-the-eye atmosphere.

Sideboards and Cabinets

Storage matters in minimalist homes because too many items lying around can instantly make any room look messy. Mission sideboards and cabinets give you a place to keep everyday things tucked away while keeping the room neat and organized. Their clean wood design also works easily with modern living rooms and dining areas without looking too formal or heavy.

Photo credit Alberto Bigoni via Unsplash

Coffee Tables and Accent Pieces

Smaller mission-craftsman furniture pieces can make any modern room feel more welcoming without modifying the home's overall minimalist look. A coffee table or accent piece made from solid wood adds warmth and texture, while the whole space still exudes a contemporary feel.

How to Blend Mission Furniture Into a Modern Minimalist Home

If you want mission furniture to work in a minimalist home, keep the rest of the space clean and simple. Neutral wall colors and softer lighting help solid wood furniture feel lighter and more natural inside the room. It also helps to avoid placing too many wood pieces together. A single mission dining table, cabinet, or bed frame usually creates a stronger look than an entire matching furniture set.

Mixing and matching different materials can also keep the space from feeling too outdated. Linen fabrics, matte black accessories, soft textiles, or even glass accents pair well with mission-style furniture. They add contrast without making the room's overall design feel off. Lastly, leave an open space around the furniture. When everything is not placed too closely together, the room feels brighter.

Conclusion: Traditional Furniture Can Still Feel Modern

Mission-style furniture works well in modern minimalist homes because it helps your space feel simple without an empty feel. The clean lines and solid wood construction fit naturally into modern interiors, while the wood adds warmth and texture that many minimalist homes lack.

Your home doesn't need glossy finishes or overly modern furniture to feel contemporary. Sometimes, a well-made wood dining table, bed frame, or cabinet can make your space feel more comfortable and lived in. If you want that kind of warmth in your modern home, Amish Furniture Factory offers handcrafted mission-style furniture that blends naturally into beautiful, minimalist spaces.

Why I've fallen out of love with Goodreads

I've been using Goodreads to track my reading for years now. Not for community aspect or for the book recommendations - it's purely a way to keep track of the books that I've read. It has come in useful - a couple of times I've logged a 'new' book only to discover that I've already read it, and several times it has helped me to notice when I've enjoyed several books by the same author.

But I've always had one big problem with it. Once I log a book as finished, I can't help myself swiping down to read the reviews. Not only does that send me into an unwanted scroll fest, it can also really colour my thoughts about the book that I've just read. Many times I've loved a book, only to see that most of Goodreads apparently hated it.

I understand that people write negative reviews on Goodreads for attention - and attracting a lot of comments on a long and provocative review pushes it well up the rankings. Similarly, books that receive a lot of positive reviews are often labelled as having been review copies which is bound to have affected the score.

So I do understand that the review system is skewed and I shouldn't place too much faith in it, especially for more recently published or controversial books.

Photo credit NegiPho via Unsplash

But I really hate having the way that I feel about a book being tampered with by the reviews. It leaves me thinking - am I somehow inferior to other readers because I missed all the shortcomings of this terrible book? Or am I a superior reader when I don't enjoy a book that is loved by the masses, because of course my own tastes are much more highbrow?

So I'm going to take a step back from Goodreads. I still want to track the books that I've read, and so I've been looking into some other options. I recently wrote about how terrible I am at remembering the books that I've read and so I would like to come up with a solution that somehow helps the basic information about a book stick in my head. I don't want to commit to writing long reviews in a journal, but just writing down the author, title and a few notes might be the way to go.

I'll share what I come up with! 

Review - Super Creator miniature house kits from Rolife

I was sent three kits from Rolife in exchange for a review

Regular readers of the blog will know how much I enjoy working on miniature craft kits, especially those from Rolife, and I've linked to some of my previous reviews at the end of this article. 

Recently I've been building some kits from the Super Creator series. This series is a miniature house kit series, with each kit being a modular, stackable scene that can either stand alone or be combined with other sets to make a larger miniature world.

There is a huge range in the Super Creator series to choose from which you can see here - The Super Creator series from Rolife. These kits are aimed at beginners and can be assembled in around an hour, but of course you can take your time on them and then go on to personalise them as you like. 

Today I'm sharing three kits from the series.

Fascinating Book Store

This miniature creation is not just a book store - there are also records, toys and all sorts of trinkets on sale in this lovely shop! 

All the Super Creator kits contain everything that you need to build the miniature world. These are beginner kits, so most of the items are pre-made and are easy to put together. The materials include plastic pieces which slot together to make the furniture, then a selection of cardboard and plastic press-outs to assemble along with colourful stickers to decorate. 

The basic structure is the same for each kit - a floor and two corner walls which slot easily together, then a floor covering and inner and outer wall prints which are unique to the style of the individual kit.

Obviously a Book Store kit is going to contain lots of books, but fortunately these didn't take too long to put together. They have a plastic base, and form stacks of either three or five books, along with lots of individual books. The covers are a simple sticker which is easily applied. They look really effective when they are placed together!

I love the detail in the kits, and although I'm quite minimalist when it comes to my own decor I really enjoy the maximalist vibe with crowded shelves and packed surfaces. There are so many hidden parts that you only see when you are assembling - like the records inside the record sleeves and the covers of some of the books. This is a great kit for a book lover and will look fantastic displayed on my bookshelf.

Lovely Pink Bedroom

My daughter (age 14) has her own lovely pink bedroom, and as soon as she saw me browsing the kits she jumped in to say how much she would love to build this set. So this kit was chosen for her to work on and display in her room. I started one of my own kits first so that I had some familiarity with how the kits fit together, but I needn't have worried - she was perfectly capable of making it herself.

She had so much fun with this kit. She loved all the little details - the cute cushions, the little bags of sweets, the tiny hangers in the wardrobe. Although it's designed as a kit to put on display the pieces are sturdy, so it could be used as a dolls house for an older child to play with and rearrange at will. She thought that the placement of some of the items in the original design was a bit messy, so she tidied it up a bit! It will look beautiful on display in her own room.

Sweet Sips Tea

This was my personal favourite of the three sets. It's a little tea shop, complete with pretty table and chairs and a gorgeous little tea trolley. I love the drinks dispensers and all the tiny little cakes and treats. I could happily spend an afternoon here!

Once again it was simple to put together. Some of the pieces are a little fiddly, but there are always spares for anything that might get lost or broken. The attention to detail is spot on, and I love all the tiny little pictures and labels. Even though not everything is visible once you've assembled the set, as the maker you know that it's there!

Some notes on the kits:

I have always found Rolife kits to be of excellent quality. I've never had any missing pieces, the instructions are very clear, and the parts fit together well without any problems. 

Although the Super Creator kits work beautifully as standalone sets, they are designed to be stackable. You can buy complete kits which contain a selection of 6 or 9 sets, or you can buy the sets individually that appeal to you and fit them together. They would make a really fun display if you collect dolls or other miniature items - for example I love this excellent review from a doll collector who has styled her Super Creator set with all sorts of different sized dolls - Super Creator Happy Meals Kitchen Kit. 

Although each kit contains the electrical fittings for an overhead lamp, in order to install this you will need to either buy the additional roof accessory or install it underneath the floor of another kit which has been stacked on top. Some of the kits do have extra lighting which can be used without any extra purchase, for example in my sets the Book Store has a wall lamp. The lighting is powered by a USB-C cable rather than batteries, so you will need consider how to reach a cable (not included) to your display. 

Rolife kits have a great deal of variation in complexity, so when purchasing a kit pay careful attention to the clearly stated difficulty level. The kits in the Super Creator range are very easy and quick to assemble as many of the parts are pre-made and easily snap together. There are some much more difficult kits (for example I've worked on Cathy's Flower House and Elsa's Tailoring) in different ranges which require you to glue together more fiddly pieces and to cut out pieces which you have measured yourself. These kits take a lot longer to complete.

The Super Creator kits are designed to be assembled without glue, and so you are provided with sticky dots and strips. Most of the time these do the job, but I did find it helpful to have some glue on hand just to make sure that everything was stuck firmly. It's particularly important for the larger pieces of furniture, just to make sure that nothing will move if they are accidentally knocked.

These kits are produced in China which isn't a problem as the translation in the instructions is excellent. But it can make for some amusing uses of language if you look closely, for example the titles of the books in the book store kit! 

If you enjoy assembling and displaying sweet little miniature worlds then you really can't go wrong with these sets!

My other Rolife reviews:

Cathy's Flower House

Silent Corner Study

Elsa's Tailoring

Gingerbread House

Christmas 3D Frames

Seafood Showdown: Italy vs. Portugal's Must-Try Coastal Spots

This is a collaborative post

Both countries border serious stretches of water and have built entire food cultures around what comes out of them. Italy and Portugal approach seafood differently - in preparation, in occasion, in what they consider worth celebrating - and visiting both with that contrast in mind makes the eating more interesting.

Photo credit Luis Castro via Unsplash

Portugal's Southern Coast

The Algarve is where most visitors to Portugal encounter seafood for the first time, and the region delivers reliably if you know where to look. The coastal towns between Lagos and Tavira have the widest range: grilled sea bream, cataplana (a copper-pot stew of clams, chouriço, and white wine), percebes (barnacles eaten by pulling them apart with your fingers), and the ubiquitous grilled sardines that appear everywhere from June onward. The further you get from the main tourist strips, the better the ratio of quality to price. Olhão is the main fishing port in the eastern Algarve and its market - two iron-and-tile pavilions by the waterfront, one for fish and one for fruit and vegetables - sells the catch directly from the boats that landed it that morning.

The train from Lisbon to Faro takes around two and a half hours and deposits you at the gateway to the eastern Algarve, with Olhão, Tavira, and the barrier islands of the Ria Formosa natural park all within easy reach. The park itself - a system of tidal lagoons, salt marshes, and sand islands stretching 60 kilometres along the coast - is where a significant portion of Portugal's clams and oysters are farmed. Boat trips into the lagoon from Faro or Olhão end at islands with seafood restaurants that have no road access and receive their supplies entirely by water. The clams eaten there, pulled from beds a hundred metres away, are among the most straightforward and satisfying things you can eat anywhere on the Iberian Peninsula.

Photo credit Lisha Riabinina via Unsplash

Portugal's Atlantic North

Porto and the northern Minho coast operate on different seafood principles from the Algarve. The Atlantic here is colder and rougher, the fishing culture older, and the cooking less influenced by tourism. Bacalhau - salt cod - is the defining preparation, with estimates suggesting Portugal has over 365 recipes for it, one for each day of the year. Whether that figure is accurate doesn't matter; what matters is that in Porto, bacalhau com broa (salt cod with cornbread) or bacalhau à Gomes de Sá (with potatoes, olives, and hard-boiled egg) appears on menus that have been cooking it the same way for generations. The Mercado do Bolhão in central Porto, recently restored, sells dried and salted fish alongside fresh produce and is a useful introduction to how the city actually eats.

The coast north of Porto around Viana do Castelo and Caminha has a different character again - wide estuaries, green hills dropping to beaches, and fishing villages that receive visitors but haven't been reorganised around them. Lamprey from the Lima river is the seasonal obsession between January and April; it's not for everyone, but the preparation here - braised in its own blood with rice - has a directness that serious eaters find hard to ignore. The Minho region also produces the vinho verde that pairs with local seafood better than anything imported, and the combination of mineral white wine and whatever came off the boats that week is the simplest argument for eating in northern Portugal.

Italy's Cinque terre and Ligurian Coast

The train from Florence to Rome connects two of the cities that most visitors use as bases for coastal day trips. From Florence, the coast at Viareggio and the Cinque Terre are reachable in under two hours; from Rome, the Lazio coast at Anzio and the fishing port of Fiumicino sit within 45 minutes by train. The point is that Italy's seafood geography is accessible by rail from almost anywhere, and planning coastal eating around train connections rather than driving gives you more flexibility and better access to the port towns where the fish actually lands.

Liguria runs along the northwestern Italian coast between France and Tuscany, and its relationship with the sea is embedded in the food in ways that aren't immediately obvious. The region is best known for pesto, but the fishing tradition here is old and specific: anchovies from Monterosso, salt-cured and pressed in terracotta jars, are a different product from anything sold in tins elsewhere. The Cinque Terre villages - Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore - are heavily visited, but the seafood in Monterosso and Vernazza is genuinely good if you eat at the places that have been there for decades rather than those catering to the day-trip crowd. Acciughe al limone (anchovies in lemon) and stuffed mussels are the dishes most specific to this stretch of coast.

Italy's Adriatic Shore

The Adriatic coast offers a different seafood culture from the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian sides - flatter, more industrial in its fishing operations, and less photogenic, but with a directness in the cooking that the more touristy western coast sometimes loses. Ancona in the Marche region is the main port on the central Adriatic and the birthplace of brodetto, a fish stew that varies in its exact composition town by town but always involves multiple species cooked together with vinegar and sometimes saffron. The market at Ancona's port is one of the best fish markets in Italy and worth arriving for at 7am before the professional buyers have cleared the best of the catch.

Further south, Puglia's long heel of coastline produces some of Italy's best raw seafood. Taranto's Mar Piccolo lagoon is where much of Italy's mussel production is concentrated, and eating cozze crude (raw mussels with lemon) at the waterfront in Taranto is the kind of experience that doesn't translate into a restaurant elsewhere. Gallipoli on the Ionian coast and Otranto on the Adriatic both have historic old towns on promontories above the water, and the combination of architecture and seafood eating makes either one a reasonable base for several days. The ricci di mare (sea urchins) available from April to August in this region, eaten simply on bread, are the thing visitors come back for specifically.

The Verdict

Choosing between Italian and Portuguese seafood misses the point - they're answering different questions. Portugal cooks from a tradition of long voyages and preservation: salt cod, cured anchovies, wine-braised shellfish. Italy fragments into regional micro-traditions where the preparation depends entirely on what the local boats land and what the inland larder contributes. Both reward eating close to the water, eating early, and ignoring menus that try too hard to impress.

Conclusion

The best coastal eating in either country tends to happen in places that aren't trying to be destinations - fishing ports, market towns, villages where the restaurant has been in the same family since before tourism arrived. Italy and Portugal both have those places in abundance, and the seafood there is better not because the fish is different but because the kitchen isn't cooking for anyone it needs to impress.

When moving house starts affecting your sleep

This is a collaborative post

Most people expect the stress that comes with moving house. Packing boxes, changing addresses, arranging utilities, and trying to stay organised all become part of the process. Sleep disruption, however, is something many people do not anticipate until they are lying awake in an unfamiliar bedroom, listening to different sounds outside the window and wondering why they still cannot properly settle.

Even after the move is complete, sleep can remain unsettled for days or weeks. Bedrooms feel unfamiliar, routines disappear temporarily, and a mattress that once felt comfortable can suddenly seem unsupportive in a different environment. Getting the bedroom organised early often makes a noticeable difference during the adjustment period.

Why Sleep Often Changes After a Move

Moving into a new home affects more than daily routines. The brain responds to unfamiliar surroundings by becoming more alert, even when you are physically exhausted. New lighting, different sounds, and temperature changes all contribute to that feeling of restlessness many people experience after relocating.

The disruption can feel frustrating because tiredness does not always lead to better sleep. Instead, the mind often stays active long after bedtime, particularly when there are temperature changes, particularly while there are still unpacked boxes and unfinished jobs throughout the house.

Unfamiliar Sounds and Surroundings

Noise is one of the biggest adjustments after moving house. A new area comes with completely different sound patterns, whether that means traffic outside, neighbours moving around later at night, or simply a quieter environment than before. Even small changes can keep the brain more alert than usual.

Lighting can also affect how quickly people settle into a new bedroom. Streetlights shining through curtains, different window positions, or brighter mornings can all interrupt natural sleep patterns without immediately seeming obvious.

Stress and Routine Changes

Moving also disrupts normal routines. Meal times change, evenings become less structured, and the pressure of unpacking often continues long after moving day itself. That ongoing stress can make it harder to properly relax once the day ends.

Many people find it helpful to focus on the bedroom first instead of trying to unpack the entire house at once. Having the bed properly assembled, familiar bedding in place, and the room feeling organised creates a calmer environment much sooner.

Photo credit Spacejoy via Unsplash

The First-Night Effect in a New Home

Researchers often refer to the “first-night effect” when discussing sleep in unfamiliar places. The brain naturally stays more alert in a new environment, which makes it harder to fully switch off during the first few nights.

Although this response is normal, it can still feel exhausting when you are already tired from the move itself.

Why Bedrooms Feel Different at Night

Bedrooms often change dramatically once evening arrives. A room that felt warm during the afternoon may become colder overnight. Sounds become more noticeable once the house is quiet, and empty walls or wooden flooring can make noises echo more than expected.

Unfurnished bedrooms can make this adjustment harder because they lack the soft furnishings that normally absorb sound and create comfort. Sleeping in a half-finished room for several nights often extends the settling-in process unnecessarily.

Creating Familiarity Faster

Small details help a bedroom feel more familiar surprisingly quickly. Using the same bedding, pillows, and room layout from the previous house gives the brain familiar cues that encourage relaxation.

Scents and textures also play a part. Familiar blankets, cushions, or even the usual washing detergent can help the space feel more comfortable while everything else around it still feels new.

When Your Mattress Stops Feeling Comfortable

Moving house sometimes highlights mattress problems that were already developing beforehand. In a familiar room, people often adapt without noticing. They naturally avoid uncomfortable areas of the mattress or adjust their sleeping position over time.

Once the mattress is placed in a completely different setup, those adjustments may no longer work as well.

How Bedroom Layouts Affect Comfort

Different property types can completely change what feels practical or comfortable in a bedroom. Older homes often include alcoves, sloped ceilings, or tighter layouts that limit where the bed can realistically go.

Modern homes usually offer more straightforward room layouts, although narrow staircases and awkward corners can still complicate deliveries or furniture placement.

Flats introduce different concerns altogether. Noise transfer between floors becomes more noticeable, which means mattress support and motion isolation may matter more than before.

Choosing the Right Mattress for a New Space

A mattress that worked perfectly in one property may not suit another bedroom in the same way. Room size, layout, temperature, and even flooring can change how comfortable the setup feels overall.

Visiting a bed shop like Bed Store before moving day allows homeowners to compare mattress styles, test firmness levels, and choose options that properly suit the new space. Trying mattresses in person often provides a far clearer understanding of comfort and support than relying entirely on online descriptions.

Taking time to choose the right setup early can help avoid weeks of unsettled sleep after the move.

Making the Bedroom Feel Settled Again

Adjusting to a new home takes time, but restoring good sleep usually begins with creating a bedroom that feels calm, familiar, and comfortable again.

Moving house will always feel disruptive for a while. The surroundings are different, routines change, and the brain takes time to adapt. Focusing on the bedroom first does not remove every challenge that comes with relocating, though it does make the adjustment period far easier while the rest of the house gradually comes together.

How I decide which books to keep on my shelves

A few years ago I wrote a blog post called A look at my fiction bookshelf. Looking back, I can't believe that I owned so few fiction books! It was a very heavily curated collection, and while it does contain many of my favourites, let's just say that things have moved on a great deal in the last decade or so.

While I am still choosy about the books that I keep, and I do pass on many, I now have a large bookshelf for fiction books in our living room piled high with books that I've loved. Most have been read multiple times, and the others are ones that I know I will re-read. 

My collection began to increase a few years ago when I discovered the joy of second-hand book shopping. I re-purchased books which I had previously decluttered, I bought my own copies of books that I had borrowed, and I took a chance on authors that I had enjoyed. I have a lot more time for reading now, and online life constantly exposes me to new and tempting books. 

I love displaying my book collection. I am very proud of it, and although these books are my favourites I do still sort through it regularly. There comes a time when I need to make space for new books! Every book on my shelves is one that has earned its place for the time being, and looking over it makes me feel happy. I enjoy when bookish friends come to visit and I'm always happy to lend out books to anyone that might be interested.

This is how a book finds a place in my permanent fiction collection:

Many of my books are sentimental. I have a collection of Enid Blyton and similar books from my Dad, and old editions of books from both my Grandmas. I just love old books, and I can't resist taking them if someone in the family is passing them on. 

It speaks to me. I read a wide range of books, and I can usually tell at once whether a book will fit this category. It's really difficult to describe, but while there are many books that I enjoy while I'm reading them there are some books which touch something in me more deeply. These are the ones that I keep because I know that I'll want to read them again some day. I've had regrets in the past after I've passed on books, so I'm a little more careful now because I know that I'll only end up buying them again!

It's part of a series. This is a difficult one for me, because I find it difficult to break up a series even if I only like some of the books. At the moment I'm struggling with the Book of Dust trilogy by Philip Pullman. I loved the first book, La Belle Sauvage, but I found the second and third very difficult to get through. They are big books, and it would save me some space if I passed them along, but I can't bear to get rid of the matching set!

You will notice that I've only been referring to my fiction book collection and I must confess that this is just a part of it. I also have a bookshelf containing children's fiction books, both originals from my childhood and reprints that I've purchased. Not to mention my non-fiction bookshelf. Maybe I'll share those one day too!

How to read long books

In general I read quickly, but every now and then I enjoy taking my time with a longer book that will keep me company for many weeks. 

Opinions may vary on what counts as a "long book", but to me it's one that's over 1000 pages, is a weighty tome, and has a complex plot with many interlinked characters and situations.

In terms of my own reading, my most recent long read was the three volumes of 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami which I enjoyed very much. Over the years, some other longer books that I've enjoyed have been The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy and Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. 

Still on my reading list - War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy!

I thought I'd share some tips, in case you too fancy immersing yourself in a longer read.

Tips for reading a long book

* Do some research into the book that you are interested in reading, as it's going to be your companion for a while. Read a sample chapter and look for online reviews. Maybe choose a book that you've seen as a film or television series so that you are familiar with the characters and story.

* Don't jump into a longer book unless you already have a reading habit in place - build up to it with less challenging books and planning out time in your daily schedule for reading. 

* Aim for reading in regular small chunks rather than less frequent longer reading sessions. That way you won't lose track of what's going on.

* Consider having a lighter book on the go at the same time - both lighter in terms of content and also physically lighter in case you want to take a book out and about. You just have to be careful not to get too engrossed at the expense of your longer book!

* If you can, purchase your own copy of the book so that you don't have to worry about library fines or having a deadline to return it to a friend. Think of it as investment - you can either buy a couple of drinks which you'll finish in an evening, or spend the money on a chunky book which will keep you entertained for months!

* If you have an e-reader then you might want to consider a digital copy of the book. Larger books can be physically difficult to read, especially in paperback, as they can be heavy and awkward to hold open. 

* Audiobooks can be a useful tool to incorporate reading into your daily life. Some people find reading easier if they listen to the audiobook at the same time as they are reading a physical book. Just make sure that your audiobook is not an abridged version. 

* Keep an eye out for a group read along like A Year of War and Peace - search on Reddit, Substack and other social media. Often starting in January, you can join a group of other people that are reading the same book and sharing their thoughts. A moderator will often share background information or historical context to increase your enjoyment of the book.

* Find additional resources to help you with a complicated text. For example, chapter summaries to make sure that you've understood everything. Look for guides like a family tree for a complicated family saga, or historical timelines to give you some background information. You might find it helpful to annotate your book, or add sticky notes to mark important pages.

* Don't feel the urge to rush through the book - make the most of the experience of reading it and really enjoy it. Try not to get hung up on the size of the book, just work your way through it a little at a time.

* It might help to understand the structure of the book, and work out how much you can read in one go to help come up with a reading target. For example, War and Peace is formed of around 365 chapters, depending on the translation, which makes it perfect for reading a chapter each day over the year. 

* Plan to reward yourself with a viewing of the film or television series, of which there is bound to be at least one if you are reading a classic book. 

* When I've finished a book I'm terrible at remembering the books I've read a few months later. So if it's a book that has made a particular impression on me I will make some notes in my journal, and perhaps even print out a synopsis that I can stick in and refer back to - make sure that it's a full synopsis which includes the ending! 

* Finally don't force it - if you really aren't enjoying the book then it's perfectly fine to put it aside for something else. There are so many books out there and so little time - it's not worth wasting it on the books that aren't for you.

Happy reading!

Why sewing feels so rewarding - and what makes it worth starting by Franklins Group

This is a collaborative post

Photo credit Vitaly Gariev via Unsplash

Sewing is a hobby that manages to balance creativity, hands-on skill, and a generous dash of satisfaction. Lately it's enjoyed a real comeback, drawing in everyone from curious beginners to those who've been at it for decades.

One of sewing's biggest draws is the freedom to turn simple fabric into something that matches your style—a cosy quilt, your own clothes, or a thoughtful gift with real meaning. Each project is a blank canvas, and you’re in charge.

Beyond the creative buzz, sewing can be good for your mind. There’s something quietly calming about the steady rhythm of needle and thread, helping you unwind and focus on the moment instead of everything else on your mind. That sense of flow makes it much more than just a way to pass the time.

Learning to sew means you pick up skills that come in handy for daily life, from fixing a button to making something entirely new. There’s a sense of independence that grows each time you complete a project, and it often gets people thinking about using what they have more wisely.

For many, sewing isn’t just another hobby—it’s a lifelong companion that connects you to a wider community, to tradition, and to your own sense of accomplishment.

Creative Expression Through Sewing

Sewing sits comfortably alongside painting or sculpture as a form of creative expression. Instead of paint and canvas, you’ve got fabric, a trusty sewing machine, and patterns that guide your hand, with Franklins Group offering resources and equipment for sewing projects. What sets sewing apart is its mix of practicality and imagination—your creative ideas become things you can actually use or wear, not just admire from across a room.

The delight in sewing comes from making each project your own. Choosing fabric is a bit like picking ingredients for a recipe; it sets the mood, whether you go bold with prints or subtle with soft shades. There’s more to it than just looks, too—how a fabric feels, its thickness, and how long it lasts all matter when picking out what works best.

Patterns aren’t set in stone. Adjust them, blend different ideas, or start from scratch if you fancy a challenge, especially if you want something that simply isn’t in the shops. Then there are all the ways you can make a piece stand out: hand-stitching, adding appliqué, or a dash of embroidery. These touches can turn even the simplest item into something with real character.

Sewing gives you full freedom to turn your ideas into reality. Whether it’s a favourite dress that fits perfectly or a quilt bursting with meaning, you end up with creations as individual as you are.

The Practical Benefits of Sewing

Sewing can be a real money-saver. By learning just a few basic skills, you can start making or mending your own clothes, which means you skip the high price tags of shop-bought items or paying someone else to do alterations. Fancy something a bit more original? Sewing lets you put your own spin on each piece, making your wardrobe feel truly yours—no designer label required.

For those just starting out, you don’t need to go all in right away. Mastering simple stitches and practicing on things like tops or shorts is enough. Over time, you’ll pick up more skills and grow your homemade collection bit by bit.

Sewing is also a smart choice for anyone who wants to be kinder to the environment. Making your own clothes puts you in charge of the materials and means you’re not feeding into the cycle of fast fashion. This industry is known for its huge amount of waste and the toll it takes on the planet.

By sewing what you need, you avoid buying clothes that might end up in landfill after a short stint in your wardrobe. Choosing better quality fabrics and taking care over how things are made helps each piece last longer, cutting down on waste and supporting a more thoughtful way of living.

Cognitive and Mental Health Advantages

Sewing really gives your brain a good workout. Each project comes with its own set of problems to solve—deciding how to master a new technique, or figuring out a clever fix for that seam gone wrong. Every time you tackle a tricky pattern, you’re helping your mind stay sharp and adaptable. Picking up new skills and working with your hands keeps those mental gears spinning, not unlike the challenge you get from a puzzle or a game of Sudoku, especially when working on projects inspired by Franklins Group.

On top of that, sewing has a well-earned reputation for calming frazzled nerves. There’s something about the steady rhythm of stitching that helps your thoughts settle. Focusing on the movement of the needle and fabric acts almost like a reset button for your mind. Many people find that the stress of the day fades as they get lost in their project, with each mindful stitch helping to put worries to one side. Sewing often becomes a peaceful ritual—a quiet spot in a busy week where you can breathe out and feel a little lighter.

Community Building and Social Interaction

Photo credit Vitaly Gariev via Unsplash

Joining a sewing group has plenty of perks, especially when it comes to swapping knowledge and getting support. Spending time with others who share your passion means you can pick up handy tips, swap stories about what’s worked (and what’s gone wrong), and help each other fix those stubborn sewing mishaps. For additional help outside of group sessions, there are also many resources for sewing enthusiasts available online.

Whether you’re catching up in person or chatting online, these groups become a treasure trove of advice and lived experience. You’ll find tutorials for beginners, clever hacks for tricky patterns, and plenty of encouragement to try something new.

The social side is a big bonus, too. Regular meet-ups, group sewing sessions, and online discussions help people connect with others who get just as excited about a new fabric find. Over time, these connections grow into real friendships, making the hobby much more rewarding.

Events, workshops, and even simple coffee catch-ups become chances to share your latest projects, get involved in group challenges, or just celebrate each other’s finished work. Instead of sewing in isolation, you’ll become part of a cheerful network that keeps you learning, motivated, and inspired.

Turning Sewing into a Sustainable Business

Turning your sewing hobby into a business is easier than ever, thanks to all the ways you can share your creativity with others. Plenty of people start by making things they love and selling them online through places like Etsy, or at craft fairs where shoppers are on the hunt for something one-of-a-kind. Unique, handmade items have a special appeal—buyers these days are looking for great quality and personal touches they won’t spot in a big chain store. This kind of craft often fetches a better price too, as people value the individuality and care that goes into every stitch.

Teaching is another smart way to grow your income. If you know your way around a needle and thread, you’ll notice more people keen to pick up sewing skills—whether it’s making new clothes, repairing old favourites, or simply learning the basics. Running classes or workshops in your community, or posting video tutorials online, lets you connect with those eager to learn. Personal lessons and easy-to-follow videos give learners the guidance they want, without the overwhelm.

By making a business out of sewing—through selling, teaching, or a bit of both—you’re not just earning money. You’re encouraging others to ditch fast fashion for more thoughtful shopping, inspiring new crafters, and playing your part in a more eco-friendly, creative world.