Etsy Around the World takes us to our neighbor to the north this time to visit with a wonderful shop for kids. Merrydale Dolls are inspired by the Steiner/Waldorf education tradition of dollmaking, are designed and handmade from natural materials.
Where are you located?
I live in Toronto, Canada
What do you create?
I make cloth dolls.
Have you ever visited North Carolina?
Unfortunately, no, but I have heard there are some beautiful places to visit there.
What is your favorite place to visit in your hometown?
One of my favourite places in Toronto is the Music Garden on the waterfront. The cellist, Yo-Yo Ma and landscape designer, Julie Moir Messervy, worked together to create a garden inspired by a Bach suite. It is a beautiful and peaceful place to sit in away from the bustle of the city.
What inspires you?
I‘m inspired by the wonders of the world of nature, by the imagination of the child (however old!) and by stories.
Why did you choose your shop name?
As I create “little people”, elves and fairies and gnomes, I wanted a merry fairytale place where they could live, and what better than an imaginary place in my native country of Yorkshire, a valley below heatherclad moors, with a bluebell wood of course. One of my sons painted a picture of Merrydale for me and my other son used bits of it to create my etsy shop banner.
What is the most time consuming part of your craft?
Most of my work requires handsewing and that takes time -especially the eyes of my dolls!
How do you envision your creations being used by your customers?
I hope that my dolls are used by children in imaginative play and that they will be good companions.
Why did you choose your medium?
I try to use natural materials – especially wool for stuffing- so that the dolls are pleasant and safe for children to handle. I love working with the textures and colours of cotton velour and wool.
What is your favorite or most cherished handmade item that you own?
I cannot choose one between these three:
A handmade book of poems, chosen and beautifully illustrated by one son as a gift to me, when he was 11. A wooden box made by my second son when he was 15. It has a painting of me as a queen on the front! I cherish these two because I know how much patience, creativity and love went into making them. And they remind me so much of the individual character of their makers.
A silver and malachite bracelet my dear late husband brought me from Prague. I know he was really thinking of what I would like when he chose this and, of course, it will always remind me of him.
Chris is a proud member of the etsy Natural Kids Street Team too!
What inspires you?I‘m inspired by the wonders of the world of nature, by the imagination of the child (however old!) and by stories.
Why did you choose your shop name?
As I create “little people”, elves and fairies and gnomes, I wanted a merry fairytale place where they could live, and what better than an imaginary place in my native country of Yorkshire, a valley below heatherclad moors, with a bluebell wood of course. One of my sons painted a picture of Merrydale for me and my other son used bits of it to create my etsy shop banner.
What is the most time consuming part of your craft?
Most of my work requires handsewing and that takes time -especially the eyes of my dolls!
How do you envision your creations being used by your customers?
I hope that my dolls are used by children in imaginative play and that they will be good companions.
Why did you choose your medium?
I try to use natural materials – especially wool for stuffing- so that the dolls are pleasant and safe for children to handle. I love working with the textures and colours of cotton velour and wool.
What is your favorite or most cherished handmade item that you own?I cannot choose one between these three:
A handmade book of poems, chosen and beautifully illustrated by one son as a gift to me, when he was 11. A wooden box made by my second son when he was 15. It has a painting of me as a queen on the front! I cherish these two because I know how much patience, creativity and love went into making them. And they remind me so much of the individual character of their makers.
A silver and malachite bracelet my dear late husband brought me from Prague. I know he was really thinking of what I would like when he chose this and, of course, it will always remind me of him.
Chris is a proud member of the etsy Natural Kids Street Team too!
Attention NCTriangle members: If you've spotted a wonderful Etsy shop else where in the world, contact me for the questions to interview them with and you can get them in the spotlight or on our blog!
ooh, those are such cute dolls!
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