For You

Please bring a warm drink. Sit down. Relax. Play the music below. It is for you. Enjoy.

Story Telling...

...has a function deeper than that of entertainment alone. It presents life in a new light. It can open the pathway to a wide range of vision and understanding and it can awaken the perception of beauty in things that are ordinary, put magic into days that are hum-drum.

Each Scarlet Elfcup doll or toy is inspired by something deeply meaningful and personal to me or by something that has moved me deeply and greatly. You see, long before the doll or toy is born, there is already a story that has been woven and the story will eventually conceive the being that comes to life. When I write a story for a doll or a toy it is a way for me to share a bit of my understanding of the world, a way for me to send small messages out into the world, a way for me to regard and respect the understanding of other people's perspectives and absorb that perspective back into my own world. And so, I dream, I create, I weave the words, and then I let it be. And most of the time...the story ends there.

But, on some occasions, the story will not just end there. The story will rise once again to show the wonder and mystery that are the elements of life and growth all around us. On some occasions, customers have come back to re-tell their own stories...stories that are deeply personal and meaningful to them...as close to the heart as one can get. It is when these stories are told that we know the world of imagination has come to life. The child or the child from within who has learned to look upon a doll or a toy as something more than mere sawdust and stuffing is inclined to awaken in themselves a treasury of personal tales. Much more, they are able to have respect for other people's treasures and to respect the sentiment that values them.

With all this said, for those who have shared their extraordinary, deeply meaningful and moving stories, I thank you for these stories and for adding that much more beauty into my life. You provide yet another view of the world, painted by the colors from your own.

To all, may your Christmas be filled with love, laughter, and warmth as you tell your stories and as you receive the ones told to you. And may you keep on passing the magic and wonder of it all on to the little ones in your life so that they might also share in the beauty of this wondrous world. Merry Christmas to all. And to all a good night!

Introducing Mirette Petit

Zin! Zin! Zin!...A violin! A violin! A violin!

Bach. Mondonville. Strauss. Zeitlin. Spivakovsky. And the females...Pommereul. Jourdan-Morhange. Astruc. Luzzato. Kozolupova. She stands among this league of brilliant and ingenious musicians. She is still young...and small...yes. But, she has had an ear for music from long before she was born. When she was inside the womb, her mummy would often feel the vigorous feet and shifting that occurred when music was around. At the age of 4 months, when she attended mommy-and-me music class, her teacher was impressed that a baby that small could wave her arms and bounce her feet to the rhythm of beats. At the age of one, another music teacher was surprised to see that a young toddler could shake instruments to the beat of the tunes. At the age of two, music teachers would approach her parents and tell them that they think she has an innate talent and a natural love for music and they would encourage the parents to continue nurturing this inclination. Now, at the age of 4, Mirette is a prodigy...a work of nature, in the making.

Her name is Mirette Petit, born into a family with no musical talents or even exposure. Mirette knows no better. She's a toddler, just like any other toddler...playful, imaginative, fussy at times, cries, laughs, giggles at the simplest wonders. On the surface, she's really just like any other ordinary child. But, at the age of 30 months, her extraordinary talent revealed itself when she picked up a violin and imitated the teacher by playing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Her parents and her teacher were so overwhelmed with surprise. They didn't know what was happening before their eyes. At home she would ask for music...all the time. After the introduction to instruments, she would ask to play with an instrument...all the time. Soon after this, at the age of three, her parents bought her her very first violin. And here she is today, at the age of 4...making her first Christmas solo debut on stage. This is not the first time Mirette has played solo on stage, it's her very first Christmas concert and she is so excited.

Mirette, though she's only 4, has a very talented and opinionated mind. She has a little blue coat that her mummy made her for her 3rd birthday (because she loved blue ever since time unknown). She LOVES her little blue coat and she wears her little blue coat EVERYWHERE. She also has a hand knit beret that she considers her lucky beret and she makes sure to attend every concert wearing this hat.

Mirette was inspired by my love for music. There isn't much that I wished I had experienced differently in life...the good, with the not so pleasant experiences. To me...it's all good that we experience both spectrums and that we embrace the life that we have. However, there is one piece of life that I really really wished I had more of...and that bit is the knowledge to play an instrument. I love, love, love music and I don't think there is much in life that moves a soul more than music. Music to me, is one of the miracles of life. How do sounds come together to form this intangible, indescribable thing we call music that is so beautiful and can stir so much and so many emotions? It's truly amazing...music!

Mirette is a Wee-Bee Mini Elfcup. She stands less than 6" (15 cm) tall. She is made with all natural materials. Her doll skin is made with premium quality cotton jersey imported from Europe. She is firmly stuffed with bio-wool made in Oregon.  Her seams are sewn twice for reinforcement.  Her locks are made of wefted Suri alpaca, a luxurious, ultra-soft and silky fiber.  Suri alpaca has natural crimps and waves in the fiber, hence giving Mirette a full bodied, yet wispy and silky hair. Her hair can can be tied and styled lightly. She has embroidered facial features. Her cheeks, nose and various body parts are blushed with red beeswax.  She is a sitting doll with sewn joints that are made flexible for easy movement and changing of clothes.  She has a sweet belly button and a bum.

Mirette comes dressed for her holiday concert. Her favorite blue coat is made of indigo hand-dyed cotton and lined on the inside with the most beautiful floral design by Su Blackwell (my most favorite paper sculptor artist) on Liberty of London fabric. The coat has a single pleat on the back. Her dress is made of a cream colored linen, lined on the top with a beautiful and high quality lace fabric. Her dress opens fully on the back with nickel-free hand-sewn snaps. Mirette's lucky hat is a hand knit beret made from Rowan Kidsilk Haze yarn, a mohair-silk blended yarn. Her boots are hand knit using Isager 100% alpaca yarn.

Mirette comes with a wooden violin that can be converted and hung as a Christmas ornament. Her violin bow is made from wood and thread. Her music stand is made of wood and can also be converted to a Christmas ornament. The violin and the stand both measures about 5 inches (13 cm) long.

Mirette is recommended for ages 4+ due to the nature of her delicate design and the small parts on her that may pose as choking hazards for children who still enjoy exploring with their mouths. If you are interested in bringing Mirette home, she is now available in the Etsy shop.

I Had All the Intentions...

...of calling on a magical musical forest creature to play for us the violin...or was it the cello? But, instead, I heard a little voice calling me. She was persistent this one. It was a tiny voice that I initially ignored. But, then, she made herself heard. And so, we have this little wee one. Yes, she's small. But, oh, you should hear the music she can play!

She was about to debut today. But, then she told me that I had forgotten a few things which I shouldn't have. And then she insisted that she needed her favorite coat, her lucky hat and she says she needs shoes. I guess she's right. It is cold outside and she can't, not in a million years, perform at a concert without bringing her favorite coat and her lucky hat. How unlucky would that be?

Twelve

This is the 12th day of December. Round the corner is Christmas. To be precise, 12 days. Twelve also happens to be the 12 Days of Christmas dolls that I had intended to put in the shop. After much consideration, I thought it wiser for me to stop after 8 Christmas dolls. International orders will take at least 10 days to reach home. So, after Monday, there is no guarantee that orders will arrive by Christmas time for those who are ordering from abroad, unless the shipment is done by express mail. Additionally, I wish to spend some time making my family some things for Christmas and there is still much to do to make that wish happen around here.

With that said, Ivor was given on "the 7th Day of Christmas." This means that there is one more being waiting to be created. I cannot help it. There are thousands of ideas floating in my head for characters that will come about. If only there were more hours in the day! But, all of those dreams and adventures will have to wait until the bright new year is here. For the time being, music moves my soul and Christmas time brings about many beings made from magic. So, she is there...waiting for her time...

The 8th and final Christmas creation....

Little Ivor had a car...

...E-I-E-I-O. And on his car he had some wheels. E-I-E-I-O. With a wheel, wheel here and a wheel, wheel there. Here a wheel, there a wheel, everywhere a wheel, wheel. Little Ivor had a car, E-I-E-I-O.

He's been obsessed with them since the age of 9 months. Where the attraction, the intuition to gravitate toward them came from, his parents know not. Perhaps it's the wheels, round and black. They say black and white are the colors babies see most clearly early on. Perhaps it's their mobility, their ability to move and roll fast and faster. Perhaps he was simply born to love cars and there is no other explanation needed. Whatever may be the reason, Ivor LOVES cars. Always in each hand is a car. It doesn't matter if the car is big or small, green or red, wood or metal, runs or not. He loves them all. He even loves sharing them with his sister or anyone who is willing to sit and roll them back and forth, back and forth, back and forth with him for hours on end.

You won't find Ivor going anywhere without one of his cars. He goes for naps with them, he goes for meals with them, he goes to the park with them, he goes for car rides with them. On cold winter days, when he takes his sister for sleigh rides, he even takes his cars along.

Ivor tells his mummy and daddy that when he grows up, he wants to race them or fix them or both. He's a strong-willed, keen little boy who has always known what he wants. That's Ivor...small, stubborn, bright, creative, outgoing, playful, inquisitive.

Ivor was inspired by the little man in my life, the big man in my life and a talented British auto mechanic nearest and dearest to our hearts, Mr. J.R.

Ivor is a Wee-Bee Mini Elfcup. He stands less than 6" (15 cm) tall. He is made with all natural materials. His doll skin is made with premium quality cotton jersey imported from Europe. He is firmly stuffed with bio-wool made in Oregon.  His seams are sewn twice for reinforcement.  His hair is made of mohair yarn. He has embroidered facial features. His cheeks, nose and various body parts are blushed with red beeswax.  He is a sitting doll with sewn joints that are made flexible for easy movement and changing of clothes.  He also has a belly button and a bum.

Ivor comes wearing a hand knit beanie made with Cascade Heritage yarn, a 75% merino wool/25% nylon blended yarn. His houndstooth scarf is hand knit with Isager 100% alpaca yarn. He wears a blue and white striped cotton shirt. He has on scarlet linen pants. His boots are hand knit with Cascade Heritage yarn, a 75% merino wool/25% nylon blended yarn.

Ivor comes with a wooden hand painted sled. The sled measures about 8" long (20 cm) and 1" (2.5 cm) tall. And of course, Ivor must have his car along with him. The car is needle felted with 100% wool roving and measures about 2" (5 cm) long and 1" (2.5 cm) tall.

Ivor is recommended for ages 4+ due to the nature of his delicate design and the small parts on him that may pose as choking hazards for children who still enjoy exploring with their mouths. If you are interested in bringing Ivor home, he is now available in the Etsy shop.

I Know of a Little Boy Who Loves Cars

Maelewano

means Harmony in Kiswahili.

Her name makes you wonder if she was born in Africa. Her eyes, deep dark blue, makes you ask if she has Scandinavian genes. Her hair, black and silky, makes you think that she is of Hispanic, Asian or Latino descent. The answer reveals that she is all this and more. In her, we can each identify our heritage. And no matter whether North or South of the equator, East or West in longitude, we are one....a world in Harmony...a world encapsulated in Maelewano.

She is a wish for the world...a world in conflict, a sea of humanity struggling to find it's identity as it goes to war with itself and the supporting life system surrounding it. This is a wish in magnitude ill proportionate to a small soul who stands a mere 6 inches tall and with feet no larger than half a grown thumb. Though the weight of the world is on her itty-bitty shoulders, she seems not to notice at all the burden. Look into her joyful eyes and notice her round chubby cheeks and you shall see nothing but playfulness and delight....an indication of innocence.

Today, as I frolicked around the house fretting over the state of the world, she followed at my feet asking only of things that are big and important, "can she swing on an ornament? will I push her higher and higher please?"

"do I think she can roll this ball all over the house using just her belly, no hands or feet?"

"can I help her roll the big ball around? it's too big for her to push herself."

And when she got tired of playing, she stretched up her arms and asked "if I can pick YOU up."

And when I had to disappoint her and say "no, I have a lot of things to make happen since it's Christmas time and all and can she just go play or find something else to do by herself?" she just sprawled on the floor and paid me no further mind.

Later, I came back and found her standing at the window, looking out into the world, musing at the rain and a cold, gray sky. To her, the world is in harmony when there is rain and the winds move through to unsettle the leaves that dangle by a last thread as winter sets its course and makes the seasons go round as it should.

Maelewano is a Wee-Bee Mini Elfcup. She stands less than 6" (15 cm) tall. She is made with all natural materials. Her doll skin is made with premium quality cotton jersey imported from Europe. She is firmly stuffed with bio-wool made in Oregon.  Her seams are sewn twice for reinforcement.  Her dark mane is made of wefted Suri alpaca, a luxurious, ultra-soft and silky fiber.  Suri alpaca has natural crimps and waves in the fiber, hence giving Maelewano a full bodied, yet wispy and silky hair. Her hair can can be tied and styled lightly. She has embroidered facial features and a happy go-lucky expression. Her facial structure is slightly sculpted.  Her cheeks, nose and various body parts are blushed with red beeswax.  She is a sitting doll with sewn joints that are made flexible for easy movement and changing of clothes.  She has a sweet belly button and a bum.

Maelewano comes wearing a cotton black and white striped dress with lace trim. Her dress opens fully on the back with nickel-free hand-sewn snaps. Her scarlet bonnet and Mary Janes are hand knit using Isager 100% alpaca yarn.

Maelewano comes with her favorite toy...a felted wool, black and white spiral ball, made into a Christmas tree ornament with a ribbon securely attached. The ornament ball measures 13 inches (33 cm) in circumference and 4 inches (10 cm) tall. Her ball will keep her entertained for hours as she swings on it, lays on it, rolls on it, under it, round and about.

Maelewano is recommended for ages 4+ due to the nature of her delicate design and the small parts on her that may pose as choking hazards for children who still enjoy exploring with their mouths. If you are interested in bringing Maelewano home, she is now available in the Etsy shop.