Sweet as Honey: A LEGO Friends Beekeeping Story
I previously looked at the Friends’ Heartlake City Apartments and reimagined their many rooms as scenes from iconic movies. Friends’ reflections of the real world, whether in the city or the suburbs, allow builders to use their imagination to create entire worlds for their characters’ adventures.
One of the ways that the Friends product line reflects the real world is by showcasing unique hobbies and professions that haven’t often appeared in LEGO form. Today, I’ll be exploring the Friends’ building style through a minifigure perspective, looking at the life of a family and their beekeeping hobby in 42669 Beekeepers’ House and Flower Garden.
Get ready for a few sweet surprises and new possibilities for your LEGO adventures. Our story begins…
Morning in the Garden
Rob and his dad woke with the sun, as they always do, ready to enjoy the beauty of summer. But their beloved pet bees woke up even earlier. Donning their protective gear, they headed out. Just take a look at the garden—what realism!
It’s wonderful to see LEGO’s collection of insects continuing to grow. The new 1x1 bee print is very at home in this set. The new bee print feels perfectly at home in this set. You’ll also find a member of the bee family on every page of the beekeepers’ report, captured on a printed 1x2 tile.
Now it’s time to collect the rewards of the tiny honey makers’ hard work. The smoker is ready at hand to help complete any honey-harvesting scene.
It’s time for the beekeepers to inspect the honeycombs, featuring those brand-new prints in this set! (Though I must say, the use of the inverted tile for bee house is truly un-bee-lievable.)
The honey has been collected. But look! We have a new visitor, the classic bumblebee minifigure has come to visit. Let’s head inside and make some tea.
From Hive to Table
The honey for tea is ready, and the family begins preparing for a meal in the open air. It’s an idyllic moment, with the garden providing the best ingredients for dinner. This meal has been eagerly awaited since the harvest began.
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Just look at this little olive garden! Rob takes special pride in his fine olive oil, made alongside the family’s honey. Truly, the setting is a paradise for nature-lovers and gardeners alike. At last, after a long day’s work, the family gathers together for dinner.
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The added flowering trees and bushes I made for these photos bring a gentle burst of color to the garden scene. They frame the bee-themed shop and its interior, making the whole setting feel even more alive and inviting. It’s as if the blossoms themselves are sharing in the family’s harvest celebration.
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Have you noticed there are eight hidden real bees in the photos? Here’s a list of all the ones I snuck into the scenes throughout the article. Did you manage to spot them all?
Without a doubt, the Beekeeper’s House is one of the most charming and distinctive sets in the Friends line. While the set succeeds on many levels, its greatest strengths are the spotlight it shines on a niche profession like beekeeping, the careful attention to detail in the garden and tools, and the way it celebrates nature.
In the end, 42669 Beekeepers’ House and Flower Garden is the real buzz, full of storytelling potential that’s sweet as honey.
LEGO Friends 42669 Beekeepers’ House and Flower Garden is available now for around $90 US | $120 CA | €100 EU | £90 UK | $150 AU.
What do you think of the new beekeeper set? Let us know in the comments below!
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