Zuru 5 Surprise Mini Brands *and other small stuff

[maywong]

I have the Valentine's set.

[DollyKim]

See if your local Target has discounted the Harry Potter Potions, and perhaps some others, just paid half price. And the pinhole hack works, especially on the rares. I also used it for the Honeydukes but I messed up on two, some of them are a bit tricky and the rare ones aren't out yet.

The molds in the Honeydukes are the same stuff as other resin molds I have so they're reusable. The resin works a lot better, best if it's something thin and it gets a bit of sun, you can make several batches of sweets from each bottle of resin. Stick a wooden toothpick in the nozzle to act as a bit of a lid, kept my bottles liquid at least overnight.

I have a feeling the Lord of the Rings might be going soon too. I saw the hack to that is to feel the shape of the container, it's exact for some, narrows down the choices in others. Did not have a pleasant experience with that resin but it does have nice blacksmith tools for the dolls and again what could be an amount to make several pieces depending on the size. The resin containers look cool.

[Kattriella]

Does anyone know if they've just STOPPED making Mini Brands that DON'T have resin anymore? Like, I haven't seen the regular ones that don't have a DIY element in a long time. No Foodies, no regular ones, no toys, no books, the only exception is the Fashion balls. Have the resin ones just taken over and we're not getting the originals anymore???

[DollyKim]

The Home (blue ball), Netflix (red ball), Disney toy store, books, and babies are the only ones I've seen that don't have resin.

I have a couple of the Target exclusive and Hello Kitty, you don't have to use the resin for them. They, or at least the ones I have, look like groceries and the resin is like the maple syrup for the waffles or milk in the cereal bowl. I ordered the HK waffles display because I didn't want resin.

For my regular Harry Potter sets I'm not using the resin at all. I just ended up with some doubles or triples and decided to see what happens. When I get there I'll probably drain the cauldrons in to some of my regular molds and clean them out. Lay the cauldron face down on a paper towel to drain, set open end up in the sun for a few hours and it should be dry. Take a paper towel with rubbing alcohol to anywhere you're not sure.

[Kattriella]

I just don't like the resin ones. I've basically stopped buying Mini Brands of any kinds because none of the ones that don't have resin interest me.

[DollyKim]

Ended up with both sets of cat tea cups to mold. I looked up a tutorial online, got to remember to get the resin in to the pointy ears. On one hand I have some casual experience with resin so I don't mind making the occasional thing, especially if it's a cute mold I can use later, but I wouldn't want to do it for all the sets.

If it's something like the potions clear glue or acrylic sealer can do the trick. I did make up a cauldron cakes set and the resin for that is like a frosting you add sprinkles to, otherwise it's four cupcakes, four little cauldrons, and sprinkles in a jar.

And if anyone is getting the Honeydukes I have a spare potions tea set and sleeping cakes, looking for a mandrake, to trade for Honeydukes rares.

[DollyKim]

The pinhole hack for Lifestyle 2, the one with the cat tea pots and cups, is very hard to see. You have to feel if some sort of mark is there or turn the packaging to see if it catches the light. Somehow I got both sets of tea cups, same mold for both, but doubles for the orange tea pot when I thought I was getting both, again it's the same mold.

If you do find any spare Halloween or Christmas ones still rolling around the inner wrappers are a give away, but dirt cups and the special one have the same, the special one will have a green container.