A savvy DIY mum has revealed how she transformed her kids' old playhouse into an incredible gingerbread grotto for only £50.
Stevie Gadsby, 30, partnered up with her husband, Benjamin, 32, to transform their kids' neglected toy into a festive home decoration.
The couple's son, Kye, nine, received the £500 playhouse as a fourth birthday present from his grandparents, but he lost interest in it a few years ago and it quickly became neglected.
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Stevie had a stroke of inspiration when she was thinking about how she was going to decorate the family home in Lakenheath, Suffolk, for this Christmas.
The transformation began with a bit of white spray paint and some chopped in half balls from their ball pit, making them look like gumdrops.
Once they were glued to the roof, she sprayed on some expanding foam to create a snowy effect.
To top it all off, Stevie drilled a 'Santa's letters' post box to the front, glued on some sweet decoration and attached some Christmas lights.
The DIY project took her about a week and only cost £50 for the supplies, which impressed her friends on Facebook.
While Kye and Rayne, four, are now banned from playing in the 4x4 foot grotto, it has got them all in the Christmas spirit.
Dental nurse Stevie said: "I love it, it screams Christmas!
"It’s different, you don’t see it everywhere.
"I’ve had parents ask me if they can take pictures outside of it with their children which I love.
"Rather than throw it away we made it into something we can use each Christmas.
"I decorate the outside of my house with candy canes.
"Last year I made a candy-themed Christmas Garland for outside the door and thought it would be nice to have a gingerbread house with it.
"The day I finished it, picked my little boy up from school and he loved it.
"It’s fun to be creative and make memories with family especially around Christmas."
"The new decoration has definitely added to the Christmas spirit it’s made a lot of people smile and that’s what it’s all about."
