Mayberry Street Miniatures’ DIY Dollhouse Miniature Bowser Joe Coffee Shop Kit was more than just my introduction to a small second world. When I was 8 years old, I received a Barbie Dream House for Christmas. (I spoiled the surprise by peeking into my parents’ closet on the 24th. I couldn’t wait.)
My impatient tendencies have always remained and I have always gotten things done quickly. Barbie’s dreamhouse ambitions didn’t go away either. I spent my early adulthood avoiding unpleasant inevitabilities, flitting from goal to goal in constant search of an elusive dream. Things like mindfulness and emotional processing are for people who have the time, and I had unfulfilled expectations. It wasn’t until I fell headlong into grief that what I once thought was a cliche became my humbling reality: the only way out is through.
Barbie’s dream house was shattered when she said goodbye to the person she loved so very much. My penance was to spend a balmy June afternoon at a craft store in central Florida. Suddenly I had a lot of time on my hands, and I thought a new hobby would be the least destructive way to fill it.
That’s when I saw it. The box was simple, inflexible cardboard with a blue border with a picture of a small coffee shop, but a flashy yellow mark randomly punched into the corner indicating its value was $13. The down sticker was even more attractive. My ever-indecisive seesaw tipped with price. Even if I ended up hating it, I only lost $13, which was the least of my losses.
The first miniature I made was a coffee shop that was 1/24 the size of a regular one. Photo: Kathryn Russ
Inside the box was everything I needed to build a miniature coffee shop scene, not unlike the one I worked at in my early twenties. The loose-leaf instructions showed how to glue the unassembled wooden furniture and separated it into plastic bags labeled with the corresponding letters. Flower pots were made from beads, book and cereal boxes were made from folded paper, and walls and furniture were made from pre-cut wood, complete with paper designs that looked like real floors and wallpaper. In the end, I used many of the tools I made myself, but Mayberry also included alcohol, white glue, scissors, tweezers, a ruler, a small screwdriver, and a utility knife in the box.
It took three weeks to complete. The battery pack hangs off the back, has spots of extra dried glue that shouldn’t be there, and is missing a few parts that I couldn’t bring myself to fold.
I’m very proud.
staff pick
This miniature coffee shop is 1/24th the size of a regular coffee shop and requires gluing the furniture together rather than snapping it into place.
As well as my sadness, my intense love for these kits caught me off guard. Unlike Barbie’s Dreamhouse, these dollhouses must be assembled by yourself. During this period of personal upheaval, there wasn’t much I could do creatively, but these kits gave me a quick sense of satisfaction. I have since completed two more and am currently working on two more.
There are those satisfying moments when you pinch together two pieces of soft balsa wood to create the perfect little plant table, or when you go back to your project and see that the little bookshelf you glued together is starting to look like the real thing. , there’s something magical about it. Filling a bookshelf with paper books folded to 1/24th their normal size feels like a much greater accomplishment. Each piece of furniture is its own personal milestone, and each completion gives you a hit of dopamine, much like crossing an item off your to-do list.
Each small task creates a rhythm of natural starting and stopping points. The timing of my build sessions varied. It can be as long as several hours or as short as 15 minutes.
Photo: Kathryn Russ
Photo: Kathryn Russ
Some kits glue pieces of furniture together. Others are constructed from pre-cut wooden sheets, with pieces broken off and then pressed together. Photo: Kathryn Russ
I spent a craft session just folding small paper books. Photo: Kathryn Russ
The process of building is relaxing yet productive, giving you a chance to be creative without being physically or emotionally taxing. Although instruction manuals are provided, these miniature kits allow for personal enjoyment. You can customize small items such as flowerpots using the materials provided. Also, don’t limit yourself to example photos. You can glue the furniture wherever you want as long as you keep the walls and floor in place. . I sometimes place items in unexpected places, as if to decorate my room. And in that moment, I was able to break free from my own rigid perfectionism.
I have completed three DIY miniature kits so far, all of which are expressions of my personal talent. Photo: Kathryn Russ
The gentle process naturally develops skills such as patience and mindfulness. Believe it or not, folding a 1cm high paper milk carton requires a deliberately light touch, and these kits contain more parts than you might think. Nothing can happen quickly. If you run your fingers through it, anything that isn’t dry will fall apart. If you use too much force, the snap closure may break. How my hands were so busy gluing wood and bending wire for my imaginary barista coffee station that my mind often wandered and finally slowed down enough to confront the ugly inevitability I had once avoided. I noticed that.
I started with the big ones, but miniature kits come in a variety of sizes. This little study took only a few days. Photo: Kathryn Russ
Although unrelated to my experience, there’s also the practicality that makes these kits great. These can be used as small group activities, are relatively inexpensive, and are readily available. Miniatures can be found at most craft stores, and TikTok and Instagram are also starting to appreciate miniatures. Plus, they’re super cute.
Like most things, this kit has quite a few imperfections. The glue-based Mayberry Street Miniatures kit required the purchase of additional supplies such as an X-Acto knife and fabric glue. I also tried Rolife’s similar but different snap-on kit. Craft glue is required, unless you don’t mind the included double-sided tape. For both companies’ kits, I had to use my own cutting board.
I had to use my X-Acto knife to cut through the books and papers in this small room. Photo: Kathryn Russ
Additionally, the wires in the lighting scene were so small that I couldn’t get them to work properly. Many small parts are also easy to lose, and these kits are calibrated at half scale, where 0.5 inch equals 1 foot, making them very difficult to handle. Finally, although these scenes are miniature, they require quite a bit of space to complete. For the past few months, I haven’t been using my kitchen table for its intended purpose.
In my mini greenhouse the lights are purely decorative. I couldn’t get them to work. Photo: Kathryn Russ
Despite these hassles, putting together my first miniature scene was, I have the courage to admit, a tear-jerking experience. I’ve never been one to appreciate travel, but as I carefully glued all the loose furniture into place and the coffee shop appeared before me, every small step became part of something bigger. I realized that part of it. Ultimately, this creative experience forced me to be present, and that’s when my healing finally began. Maybe the purpose of life is not to live in Barbie’s dream house, but to build one yourself.
This article was edited by Hannah Rimm and Maxine Builder.
