Craft Buddy has shed light on Li’l Worlds – a new range of miniature model kits and book nooks.

Available from September 2026, Li’l Worlds delivers ‘premium-quality, display-led designs’ across accessible £7 to £39 price points. Builds range from five-minute creations to immersive eight-hour plus projects, for kids aged six and up through to adults.

With products designed for ages 6+ through to adult, Li’l Worlds uniquely bridges kids and kidult audiences. It has a clear ladder for entry, progression, repeat purchase, and collection. This makes it a truly mass-market proposition, with broad retail appeal.

Series 1 includes IP like Harry Potter, Hello Kitty and Anne Stokes, alongside original Craft Buddy concepts, across Mini Rooms, Scene Boxes and Book Nooks.

“We saw a clear opportunity to evolve this category,” said Gary Wadhwani, Co-Founder of Craft Buddy.

“There is strong consumer demand for miniature worlds and Book Nooks, but much of the current market is either too complex or too expensive for mass appeal. With Li’l Worlds, we’ve combined premium design with accessible pricing to create something that can scale – both commercially and creatively. We’re delighted to have our major license partners on board too!”

Dan Ward, Head of Sales at Craft Buddy, added:
”Retailer reaction to Li’l Worlds at the start of the year has been extremely strong. Based on the level of interest and the breadth of the range, we expect this to be one of our biggest launches of 2026.”

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Craft Buddy is launching its Hello Kitty Crystal Art collection this month.

Launching in three stages, the first wave includes the Hello Kitty and Friends Crystal Art Sticker Album – featuring 102 stickers to collect and crystalise in a 20-page album. Also available are blind bag sticker packs, each containing three stickers.

Craft Buddy will follow this range with Crystal Art Buddies and Crystal Art Bag Charms featuring characters like Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll and Kuromi, as well as Crystal Art Scrolls.

The final wave includes Crystal Art Secret Diaries, a Mega Activity Set and Crystal Art Cards.

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Last year saw Craft Buddy celebrate its 15th anniversary and the company wrapped up 2025 with new international growth, expanded retail partnerships, fresh distributor appointments and award wins.

“Our 15th anniversary year was exciting in numerous ways including innovation, strategic planning, forecasting key sales pivot points, as well as being recognised for our creativity and PD through multiple industry awards,” said Gary Wadhwani, Co-Founder of Craft Buddy.

“Despite well documented industry market challenges, we delivered growth across several areas of the business. With a strong product pipeline, new licensing partners and optimum operational capability, we’re welcoming 2026 with sparkling positivity!”

Product highlights included the multiple award-winning Harry Potter Crystal Art Sticker Album, award-winning Disney Crystal Art 2-in-1 Pin Badges and the introduction of Crystal Art Junior, alongside the educational Wildlife Buddies range and the Disney Crystal Art Magnetic Advent Calendar.

2025 also saw Craft Buddy’s Head of Product Development – Sergio Anna – named Toy Designer of the Year (Licensed Product) for his work on the Crystal Art Disney 2-in-1 pin badges.

Retail momentum was also a key feature of 2025 as Craft Buddy welcomed over 60 new trade accounts and strengthened relationships with major partners including Tesco and Asda. A notable milestone was the signing of the Crayola distribution for Spain and Italy, as well as investment in a new multi-story 2,300m² distribution UK warehouse.

Up next is strong visibility at three major trade shows in January and February, followed by a soft launch into the USA and a slate of new license signings.

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Craft Buddy has launched its first Disney Crystal Art Magnetic Advent Calendar.

Inside each of the 24 compartments is a 6cm Crystal Art surprise magnet featuring Disney characters, ranging from Mickey Mouse and Elsa to Buzz Lightyear and Woody. Each comes in a festive design to be crafted and decorated with gems. Once completed, they can be added to the magnetic calendar.

The advent calendar kit includes a 32 x 45cm festive tree-shaped magnetic display stand and frame to showcase the characters once they’ve been transformed into Crystal Art.

“This is a major innovation for both Craft Buddy and Disney,” said Gary Wadhwani, Director at Craft Buddy.

“The calendar uplifts the advent tradition by giving consumers something meaningful to make and keep, whilst offering new seasonal sales opportunities for retailers. We expect it to become a long-term hero line as part of our annual festive range.”

The Disney Crystal Art Magnetic Advent Calendar is available now.

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Craft Buddy has signed a multi-territory, multi-year licensing agreement with Sanrio to bring Hello Kitty and Friends into its crafting portfolio.

The collaboration covers all of Europe and the Middle East and launches Spring/Summer 2026. The ranges will span DIY collectibles, wearables, gifting and home display lines.

“Following Hello Kitty and Friends’ milestone 50th anniversary in 2024, the brand remains at the top of consumer wish lists worldwide,” said Gary Wadhwani, Co-Founder and Director of Craft Buddy.

“This partnership will bring something fresh to Sanrio’s portfolio and aligns perfectly with our creative ethos. We see exciting opportunities across both specialist and mass retail, and look forward to inspiring crafters, collectors and fans well into 2026 and beyond.”

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Craft Buddy has secured a new licensing agreement with Fuzzballs, the kawaii-inspired brand created by Marc Sach.

The collaboration will see Fuzzballs translated into the award-winning Crystal Art ranges.

“Fuzzballs is a fantastic addition to our licensing line-up, and our first foray into kawaii pop culture,” said Gary Wadhwani, Co-Founder of Craft Buddy.

“Marc’s vision and dedication to the brand mirrors the way Dino and I have built Craft Buddy – with passion, creativity, and a close connection to our audience. We believe Fuzzballs will resonate ‘fuzz-tastically’ with our customers, while also introducing new fans to both crafting and the Fuzzballs universe.”

Marc Sach added: “Fuzzballs has always been about fun, positivity and cuteness overload, and I couldn’t be more excited to see that energy sparkle through Craft Buddy’s award-winning Crystal Art ranges.

“The brand’s relatable characters give fans a way to connect on a personal level, and now this collaboration lets them get even closer by being creative with the characters they love. It’s a wonderful way to expand the Fuzzballs universe, giving fans the chance to not only collect but also create their own pieces of Fuzzballs magic.”

Initial concepts for the range will be unveiled at Craft Buddy’s in-house SS26 showcase at its UK head office and the LA Previews.

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Craft Buddy is partnering with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to bring The Grinch and The Cat in the Hat to life through a range of Crystal Art products.

The partnership, brokered by WildBrain CPLG on behalf of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, covers multiple markets across Europe and the Middle East, as well as worldwide sales via craftbuddyshop.com.

The range will feature several of Craft Buddy’s most popular lines, including Crystal Art Buddies and Buddies XL formats, as well as the Mega Activity Set and Scroll Kit.

“We’re incredibly excited to be working with Dr. Seuss Enterprises on this new creative journey,” said Gary Wadhwani, Co-Founder at Craft Buddy.

“The Grinch and The Cat in the Hat are iconic characters with global fan bases and amazing visual storytelling appeal. Our Crystal Art range will give crafting fans of all ages a new way to interact with and celebrate these much-loved characters through hands-on, artistic experiences, and particularly during the gifting season at Christmas.”

Products will be available in early Autumn.

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Craft Buddy has launched a Harry Potter Crystal Art Sticker Album.

Developed in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery and designed by Craft Buddy’s in-house team, the album allows fans to bring moments from the books to life through crystal art.

The Starter Pack includes a 102-sticker album and two blind bags, each containing three stickers ready to be adorned with crystal gems. The 20-page Harry Potter Crystal Art Sticker collectors’ album features iconic locations from the franchise, providing the backdrop for fans to showcase their handcrafted stickers.

To support the launch, Craft Buddy’s marketing team have also created a set up the HP102 Crystal Art Sticker Album Facebook group, where fans can share inspiration, swap stickers and connect.

“We are delighted to be launching our new Crystal Art sticker album globally today and were inspired by the enthusiasm of the toy and crafting industries when we showcased it to buyers for the first time at London Toy Fair, Spielwarenmesse and Creative World,” said Gary Wadhwani, Co-Founder at Craft Buddy.

“This product is one-of-a-kind and not only celebrates the magic of Harry Potter but also embodies the relaxation of crafting for all ages and we can’t wait for retailers to get it into the hands of fans worldwide from today onwards.”

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Craft Buddy has launched a new line of Crystal Art Wildlife Buddies kits.

Developed by Crystal Buddy’s in-house team, the 20 animal kits see kids bring wooden,11cm-tall collectibles to life with sparkling crystal art and an educational twist.

The launch range features five themed wildlife locations – Safari, Jungle, Ocean, Down Under and Misunderstood, each featuring four creatures to make and collect. Each also comes with an “Edu-card,” packed with facts and a QR code which links to the Craft Buddy website for further interactive learning.

“Wildlife Buddies are the latest innovation in growing the enormously popular Buddies range,” said Gary Wadhwani, Director at Craft Buddy.

“As a parent I appreciate not only the importance of creative play but the added value when it’s combined with fun learning. Wildlife Buddies are our first step into ‘edutainment’ and we received such enthusiasm for this range from all ages when we showcased them at trade shows earlier this year.”

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Craft Buddy has launched a line of Disney Crystal Art Pin Badges, designed and developed in-house.

The collection features 15 designs, each celebrating beloved Disney characters in pin badge form. Each Disney Crystal Art Pin Badge is individually and randomly packaged in a blind bag.

The 2-in-1 Pin Badge can be worn or showcased as a collection using the strut that comes within the blind bag along with the crystals, pick-up pen and instructions.

“We’re thrilled to bring the magic of Disney to life in a fresh and exciting way,’ said Gary Wadhwani, Co-Founder at Craft Buddy.

“Our Crystal Art pin badge collection is not only visually stunning but also incredibly versatile, allowing Disney fans of all ages to wear or display their favourite characters with pride.”

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