Review - Miniature Gingerbread House craft kit from Rolife

I received this kit in exchange for a review

Last week I shared some gorgeous Christmas themed miniature craft kits from Rolife, and today I'm featuring another miniature craft kit from the Christmas collection, the Gingerbread House. 

With this kit you can assemble a Gingerbread House bakery, filled with festive treats that include gingerbread men, candy canes, cocoa and chocolate boxes. It's a 3 star kit which means that it isn't too difficult, but it will take a little more time than the basic kits. Suggested assembly time is around six hours, and I would say that is about right.

The kit contains everything that you need apart from two AAA batteries for the lighting kit, however I did find it useful to have some glue on hand just to make sure that everything is firmly stuck together. Inside the kit you will find plain and coloured wooden boards with snap out pieces, paper cuts and stickers, tiny plastic components, a lighting kit, screwdriver, tweezers, double sided adhesive strips and of course full instructions.

I have to say that I really loved assembling this kit, and I think that it may be my favourite Rolife kit so far. I really enjoyed the festive vibes, and all of the miniature components were really sweet.

One thing that I particularly enjoyed about this kit was that I felt the assembly order worked really well. First you assemble the larger pieces that fit inside the bakery - the dresser, cupboards and so on. I found it a good idea to use one the box lid to store the pieces as I finished them.

 

Then you assemble the structure of the house, putting the walls and door in place (this was a bit like building a real gingerbread house!) and installing the simple lighting kit. Finally you put together the very small pieces and glue them into place on and around the furniture to complete the bakery.

I found the assembly of the kit straightforward and the instructions easy and logical to follow. There were a few times when I felt that I needed some extra glue, although the adhesive strips provided are very sticky. The instructions lead you clearly through each step, and this kit didn't require any measuring or cutting pieces to size which you find in some of the more difficult kits.

I loved all the tiny details in the kit. The little coffee machine with a mug of hot chocolate to go, the tiny cakes and biscuits, the miniature boxes of chocolates in all shapes and sizes. It takes time to spot everything that is packed inside the shop as there is so much attention to detail.

The kit includes a lighting kit which lights up the inside of the shop. The battery box and on/off switch is accessed from the back of the house, it cleverly slots inside one of the cupboards. It looks so good when the light is on, especially on a dark winter's evening when you need a bit of festive cheer.

I can see this Gingerbread House being part of a larger Christmas village, which is something that I've always wanted. You could buy and assemble a kit each year as a festive tradition that builds up into something really spectacular that is much more personal than buying the pieces readymade. There are a few other kits which would fit the theme really well, like the Christmas Candy Stand or the Honey Dessert Talk Miniature House.

I know that this Gingerbread House is going to be a part of our Christmas decor tradition for a long while to come!

Review - Christmas 3D frame miniature kits from Rolife

I received these kits in exchange for a review

A few weeks ago I shared some gorgeous Christmas themed miniature kits from Rolife, and now that I've made a start on my Christmas crafting I'm delighted to share the results of these two kits from the DIY Miniature House Story Frames Series.

These kits are titled Christmas Eve Party and Santa's Toy Shop. Each kit contains everything that you need to assemble a miniature world which is fitted inside a deep frame. All you need to add are two AAA batteries so that you can light up the scene. I chose to work first on the Christmas Eve Party kit.

Inside the box you will find the plastic frame which holds it all together and a selection of materials including wooden pieces to press out, stickers, paper cut pieces, the lighting kit, a variety of small themed accessories and full instructions. There is also a small screwdriver for the battery box, plastic tweezers, and tiny double sided tape strips.

Christmas Eve Party depicts a dining room filled with Christmas treats. There is a dresser with shelves filled with festive articles, a display of Christmas plates, a table piled high with delicious food and drink, and a Christmas tree in the corner. The first step is to assemble all of the tiny items that sit inside the scene.

Then the lighting kit is placed into position, and all the tiny items are stuck firmly in place before a plastic dust cover is added to the front. The picture below is taken before the front of the frame was added so that it can be photographed without a reflection. I'd recommend leaving it a day or so before adding the dust cover just so that you can check everything inside is stuck firmly - although it is possible to remove the front to make changes it might risk upsetting everything inside!

The dust cover is a great way to make sure that everything inside stays nice and clean, especially as this is something that you will want to bring out from year to year. I love all the detail in this kit, especially the tiny cake and mug of cocoa!

Next I worked on Santa's Toy Shop. This kit is slightly different because it is in portrait rather than landscape format. It also doesn't have a dust cover, instead the elements of the kit extend outside the frame, making a tiny world that you can imagine walking into. It features the entrance to the toy shop, with a front door that can be pushed open to reveal more decorations inside. Piled up outside the shop is a heap of gift wrapped boxes, one filled with sparkling baubles, and the shop window displays more festive delights. 

Once again the assembly of the kit was simple and enjoyable. Both kits did have their fiddly parts, in particular the tree in Christmas Eve Party and the lamp post in Santa's Toy Shop. Some of the wooden pieces are very delicate and I did have a couple that snapped when I pushed them together too firmly. It was easily fixed with some superglue, but it's a reminder to be careful and not get impatient. I used glue (not supplied) in some places just to make sure that everything was stuck firmly.

I also messed up slightly when I installed the battery box on this kit, I slotted it in backwards and then found it very difficult to remove. It's very important to read the instructions and check the pictures very carefully, all the information is there if you look properly!

The finished frame kits have a plastic hook at the back so they can be hung from the wall, or else they can be displayed free standing. I can't even decide which is my favourite! 

The lighting for the kits is very simple and easy to install. The battery box is accessed from the back, and two AAA batteries are required. There is a light sensitive button for the lights which is on the outside of the frame, and a light touch is enough to turn them on.

Here are the frames displayed proudly on my bookcase so you can see the scale, they each measure approximately 16cm by 21cm. They look lovely together but would also make great individual kits. They would be a lovely gift for a crafty friend, or something that the family can work on together to create something that will decorate the home at Christmas for years.

These kits are not too difficult to put together, and it's a very satisfying process. Each one takes about two hours to make so you can complete in an evening, but I'd recommend taking your time and enjoying the assembly, as well as making sure that each step is firmly stuck before moving on to the next. 

These kits would make a lovely addition to your Christmas decor, as well as giving you a lot of enjoyment when you work on completing them. Next I'm going to be working on the Gingerbread House miniature kit, and I'll be sharing my progress soon!

A look at some Christmas themed kits from Rolife

I received these kits in exchange for a review

I love crafting for Christmas - mainly for the enjoyment of completing a craft project but also having some unique finished festive decor that I can bring out every Christmas and admire for many years.

I've been sent some gorgeous miniature crafting kits from Rolife to try this Christmas, and so I'm going to share a quick preview before I start my crafting and share the finished results!

First is this DIY Miniature House - Gingerbread House. This lovely kit comes with all sorts of tiny accessories to build a light-up Gingerbread Bakery shop filled with delicious Christmas goodies. I've always wanted a miniature Christmas village and this looks like it could be the perfect start - I can't wait to begin putting it all together! This kit is a 3 star kit so I'm expecting it to be a little more complex than the basic sets, and I know that I'm going to really enjoy assembling it.

Secondly I will be working on these two kits from the Story Frames Series - Christmas Eve Party and Santa's Toy Shop. These two kits are built inside a deep plastic frame which holds the contents and also a lighting kit. Christmas Eve Party features a lovely little Christmas themed interior with a table set with treats, a Christmas tree, and lots of tiny festive decorations. Santa's Toy Shop is the exterior of a toy shop filled with Christmas treasures including decor and toys.

These Christmas frame kits are both 2 star difficulty kits with an estimated build time of two hours, so I could probably complete these in one sitting. But I'll be working on them a little slower because I want to enjoy every minute of the build process! 

I'll be sharing a full review of the kits when I've completed them, but in the meantime I've made a start on the Christmas Eve Party frame kit. I just love the idea of these frames which can be hung on the wall or displayed standing as part of your Christmas decor. They are packed with tiny details, just look at all these sweet little accessories that will be carefully placed into position. I expecially love the tiny gingerbread house!

Assembling the kit is straightforward with clear instructions to follow. The assembly is broken down into individual stages for each component, so you need to gather everything that you need for that step and then carefully follow the guidance to put it together. The kit is designed to be assembled without glue, with the pieces being adhered using small strips of double sided tape. However I liked to keep some glue handy as I wanted the extra security of knowing that things were firmly glued together.

So far I've build a little display case filled with festive plates, a corner display shelf, a chair holding a wooden teddy and a couple of small gifts. The thing I love about these kits is that you can work on them when you have time available, as the short steps mean that you can stop and start at any point. I like to keep everything ready, and then when I have a few spare minutes I can put a few pieces together ready to be placed inside the main frame.

I'm going to be very busy working on these kits, ready to have them on display as part of my Christmas decor!

Review - Rolife miniature kit - Elsa's Tailoring

I received this miniature kit in exchange for a review

Last week I shared an in progress look at the Rolife miniature kit Elsa's Tailoring, and this week I am delighted to share a full review of the completed kit! Elsa's Tailoring is graded with a five star difficulty level, meaning that it is one of the more complex kits available from Rolife. It takes around 8-10 hours to complete, but because it is assembled in small sections you can work on it in short or longer crafting sessions.

The kit contains everything that you need, apart from two AAA batteries. There is no painting and no glue required, as all pieces are adhered using small double sided sticky tape. A display box is available to purchase to keep your creation dust free, and detailed instructions are included.

This is what you receive in the box. As a more advanced kit, I noticed that the wooden pieces are thinner. This makes them a little more delicate when putting them together, but it also means that the overall impression of the finished build becomes more detailed and lifelike. 

Most of the work involves building is all the tiny bits and pieces that are put together to form the complete sewing shop. It's a combination of wooden pieces which are slotted together, cardboard pieces to press out and stick together, stickers, fabric and ribbon pieces to cut to size and some clear plastic windows.

There is a light in the shop which has some simple wiring to a battery box which is hidden in the bottom of the dresser and accessed from the back. 

I found the assembly instructions very clear and easy to follow. The assembly is broken down into lots of small sections, and each part is identified using labelled wooden sheets or stickered plastic bags. I had no problems working out which piece to use, and no missing pieces. 

Some of the assembly in this kit is a little more complicated than the simpler kits that I've worked on. For example this kit has a lot of fabric pieces which need to be cut to size. The size is given in the instructions, and in some cases I found it easier to create a cardboard template which I could use to cut the fabric. It's important to be accurate because the pieces need to fit together exactly.

Although no glue is needed to assemble the kit, I did use some of my own glue. Sometimes just to make sure that pieces were stuck firmly together, sometimes because I just found it easier as the little strips of tape can be a little fiddly. The tape was however excellent for sticking together any fabric pieces, for example the display dress on the stand which has ribbon around the base. The included tweezers were also very helpful, especially for the final positioning of pieces.

I love all the tiny details in the kit. I think that my favourite accessory is the ribbon holder display with miniature rolls of ribbon. I also love the little sewing machine and tiny scissors. Some elements are put together yourself, like the rolls of ribbon and the bundles of fabric, others are provided readymade, like the scissors and the necklace. The gold accent pieces really make the kit sparkle.

I loved completing this kit. Like all the Rolife kits, it's a really relaxing activity that you can work on whenever you have a few moments to sit down at it, and when complete it looks great on display.

If you are interested in trying a Rolife kit for yourself, you can receive a 10% discount on the Rolife website by using my code Jennifer10.

Review - Rolife miniature kit Elsa's Tailoring - a progress post

I received this miniature craft kit in exchange for a review

A couple of weeks ago I shared my review of the Rolife Miniature Kit Silent Corner Study. I loved putting this kit together, it didn't take too long but it was complicated enough to keep my interested and the finished miniature book nook is gorgeous. 

Now I'm moving on to the second kit which I received to review - Elsa's Tailoring.  

The Elsa's Tailoring kit is graded with a five star difficulty level. This means that it is more intricate and will take a little longer to complete. Opening the kit I could see that it contained a wider range of materials - as well as the wooden pieces, stickers, card cutouts and plastic accessories there is also ribbon and fabric pieces. The wooden sheets are thinner and the pieces are finer and more delicate.

This kit begins with the assembly of many small components. I just love all the tiny details! My favourite part so far is the little ribbon spool holder which you can see on the left of the white display case in the photograph below. It's so tiny and perfect! The display case and the dresser will be filled with accessories when the kit is completed.

There is definitely more work required when assembling this kit. All of the fabric pieces need to be cut to size, so I needed to make a template using a ruler before cutting. It requires a bit more thought and concentration than just slotting together wooden pieces.

The instructions are easy to follow and comprehensive, but you do often need to pay attention to the direction a piece is facing or the order in which to put parts together. No glue is required for this kit as pieces are stuck together using the supplied double sided tape.

My favourite part when putting together a miniature house kit is getting the main structure together! You can see that the light fixture is in place on the left side wall, this was really easy to assemble. The battery box is hidden at the back, it cleverly slots inside the base of the dresser. You need to provide two AAA batteries and there is a very small amount of simple wiring to do, just connecting two sets of wires and threading it through at the back to keep it secure.

The next steps are to build lots more tiny components, and then it's a case of putting everything in the correct place and making sure that it is all firmly stuck together ready for display.

I love that these Rolife kits are broken down into many small sections, so as long as you have some space to leave everything out you can come easily back to it after a break and add a little more. It's perfect for people that don't have the chance to sit down with a craft for hours, but have odd moments throughout the day when they can spend a few minutes working on it.

I will share a full update and review when I've completed the kit!

Review - The Cutebee Mrs Hunt Bakery miniature wooden craft kit

I received this craft kit in exchange for a review

Today I'm sharing a review of the Cutebee miniature craft kit Mrs Hunt Bakery. This kit is completed by slotting small wooden components together to produce a sweet little bakery shop filled with breads, cakes and other delicious goods. It's a part of the City Walk series which contains a number of different shops, and the miniature kit is recommended for ages 14+.

The craft kit comes neatly packaged and contains everything that you need apart from glue and batteries. 

Inside the box is a selection of wooden sheets with press out parts, as well as some moulded plastic pieces, the electrical components for the lights, a screwdriver and hinges and the instruction booklet.

The first thing to do is to find some batteries and check that the lights are working, then you can start to work through the instructions. I found them clear and easy to follow, with a logical progression through the kit. You just press out the pieces that you need for each part and slot them together. Some of the pieces require glue so you may need to wait for things to dry, but you can always skip ahead and come back when it's ready.

I loved watching the bakery come together. The little pieces are so sweet! The printing on the wooden sheets is really good quality and looks very realistic. I didn't have any problems with pieces not fitting together. There are spares for some of the more fiddly pieces in case you break them, but that wasn't a problem for me.

The pieces fit together well and look really good. You can work on the kit a little bit at a time as each section only takes a few minutes to put together, so you can pick it up and put it down as you get chance.

The finished bakery has a hinged part to the side which can open up to reveal the side wall which I thought was a lovely part of the design. The front door also opens and closes.

The bakery is perfect for displaying on a bookcase, and the solid construction and plastic windows keep the inside free from dust. The kit also contains a lighting kit to highlight different parts of the construction which is easily accessed from outside the casing.

I've put together a few tips in case you are considering working on one of these kits!

Tips for completing a Cutebee wooden miniature craft kit

Before starting, set up your work area. Find a tray or box to keep pieces that aren't needed yet, and make space to spread out all the wooden sheets so you can easily find the one that you need as sometimes a component requires pieces from several different sheets.

Press out the pieces as you need them so that you don't lose track

If a piece doesn't pop out straight away there is a small wooden piece that you can use as a tool to help. As you get going with the kit it becomes easier as you get the hang of it, so don't force it.

You need to provide your own glue, and batteries for the lights.

When slotting pieces together, double check the orientation because some are designed to be viewed from only one angle and you need to make sure the printed side is facing the right way.

Take time to follow the instructions carefully and check the assembly order.

Don't throw anything away until the end as some of the pieces are tiny and easily missed.

Don't rush, take the time to enjoy the process as well as the finished product.

If you enjoyed this review you might also like to see my review of the Christmas Wish Store Book Nook - Review - The CuteBee Christmas Wish Store Book Nook craft kit.

Timelapse video of our orangery build and garden landscaping

The dust has finally settled on our orangery extension, and now that the garden is really taking shape we feel ready to share it properly with the world through the medium of time lapse video!

My husband worked very hard on putting the video together, not just the final editing but the constant positioning and checking of cameras as the work was carried out, downloading hundreds of video clips, and planning the best angles to fully showcase what was going on. We even used a drone for the final shots.

The building work started in August 2024 and took just under four months, finishing just before Christmas 2024. Then the garden landscaping began at the end of March 2025 and took just over a month. The garden is still a work in progress - we've been making regular visits to the garden centre and slowly filling out the borders. I'll be sharing a few pictures once it gets going!

So if you enjoy a good time lapse, click below to watch as our house is pulled apart and then put back together to create something amazing that we are so pleased with.

Review - The CuteBee Christmas Wish Store Book Nook craft kit

I received this craft kit in exchange for a review

Earlier this year I shared a preview review for the CuteBee Book Nook craft kit with a Christmas theme, and I'm delighted to say that I have now finished this lovely kit and I can share a full review!

The Christmas Wish Store Book Nook is designed to sit on a bookshelf and offer a glimpse into a magical world nestled within. This kit has a Christmas theme, and not only does it feature Christmas toys, gifts and decorations it also has interactive elements - there are cleverly positioned lights which can be turned on and off, the Christmas tree can be rotated using a cog at the back, and there is even a music box tucked inside for some Christmas music!

The kit contains almost everything that you need to create the book nook - all that you need to supply is some glue and batteries. The kit is very well packaged in a handy box which you can use to keep everything together while you are working on it. 

You complete the kit by carefully working through the instruction booklet. Most of the elements that you need for the construction are small wooden pieces which are pressed out from clearly labelled wooden sheets. It's best to pop them out as you need them, otherwise you would easily get into a muddle! I found that all the pieces were easy to remove from the backing. Some of the very tiny or fragile parts have a spare in case you have any problems with removal or build.

I found it very straightforward to work through the instructions and assemble each component at a time. Some of the parts aren't needed until later on, so it's helpful to have a box or somewhere to keep pieces as you build them, and make sure that you don't miss the step to add them later on! You do need to be quite firm when it comes to pressing the pieces out and slotting them together, sometimes I was a little timid but you do need to use a small amount of force. 

I didn't add much extra glue apart from where it was recommended, but if a piece felt a little loose I added a small amount just to make sure it remained sturdy. You need to make sure to follow the instructions very carefully - for example the pieces are printed on one side and you need to make sure that the printed side will be the one facing outwards when complete.

There are several lightbulbs that need to be secured in the correct places. There is no wiring involved but you do need to be careful to make sure that you are working with the right piece of wire as they are all different lengths. This was a little fiddy in places but not too complicated.

When finished the book nook forms a sealed unit with a plastic sheet at the front to keep it dust free. I did have to make one modification, because I found that the sensor for the lights didn't work through the wood as it is supposed to. I ended up cutting a small corner from the top of the box and posting the wires through so that the switch is accessible from the outside. It's not the prettiest solution, but it's much easier than having to remove the front each time to turn the lights on and off.

Below is a photograph with the plastic front removed so that you can see the inside fully without reflectio. There is a lot of detail inside, and I love the bright colours and cute elements. The printing on the pieces is really clear. There are also some plastic pieces which are glued in place, like the tree and snowman at the front. Several of the elements are accessorised with shiny tinsel, for some sparkle when the lights are turned on.

I really enjoyed putting this kit together - it was complicated enough to be challenging but still fun to put together. I assembled it over several evenings and I found it an absorbing craft that I wanted to keep working on. I loved clipping together all the tiny pieces and seeing how it all fitted together so beautifully to make a really sweet little festive decoration.

There are lots more of these craft kits in the series and they would make a great gift for the crafty person in your life.