Hello! Here we are with the second post of, "a little something lovely". This is where I share something that I love that is made for children. Something that for me, captures the magical essence of childhood and bottles it up into a simple, well-made product for the little ones.

T W O :: d o l l  k i t s

These doll kits are really quite wonderful! You can choose the size of the doll you would like to make as well as the skin tone and the hair color. The pattern for the doll's body is printed on the fabric, giving just the right amount of gentle guidance. If you are very strapped for time (oh, I hope not!) you can even order pre sewn body parts, although I must admit that there is something very special and magical about seeing the doll come into being from beginning to end with your own two hands, even if it does take days longer to make as it did for me! It always amazes me, how even while using the same pattern, no two dolls look alike. They each take on their own character!

Above is the first doll I made for my son when he was a wee little thing. I love the simplicity of their form and of their faces. There is just a gesture of eyes, mouth and rosy cheeks and the rest is left up to the child's imagination. Because they are soft rather than hard plastic they make perfect bed-time companions. It has been such a treat to watch my son's attachment to the doll grow. He is now properly stained with lavender lotion and butter and honey from being fed breakfast! Really, I wish I could ensure that every young child be blessed with a doll of any kind. They are a lovely way for children to learn about the world around them and about themselves.

I thought it might be nice if once a week, or once in awhile as the case may be, I shared a product that I love for children. Maybe an art supply, a toy, a book or a piece of clothing. For me it is an enjoyable way of bringing together two things I love::little children (I used to be a Waldorf kindergarten teacher) and lovely design (before becoming a Mama, I owned a home wares shop with a friend). They won't be things I always own and some may be rather expensive, as good quality things often are. I also hope it will not be giving the message that we need to be buying things for our little ones all of the time. Rather, it will just be a way of sharing products that inspire me because of their ability to capture the magic of childhood and bottle it up into a beautiful, simple, well-made delight for children. Maybe someone will be inspired to take an idea and make it their own, with their own hands at home, while others may just rejoice in the feeling that so many people in so many parts of the world honor and understand children enough to create lovely things for them to grow up with. We will call it, "a little something lovely"! 

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So, let's begin right away than, shall we?

from novanatural.com

I'm quite smitten with these window crayons made by the wonderful German company, Lyra. They are non-toxic and last for a long time. They may be used on any glass surface and clean up so easily with a bit of soap and water. I love how they give a child the freedom to experiment with drawing on a surface other than paper. It feels so different to draw on glass and on such a large "canvas". They also provide a lovely opportunity for children to see the play between color and light. How does orange look when it is a gray day? When there is a blanket of white snow behind it? When the sun is shining through it? We have these crayons in our home and my son enjoys cleaning up after using them with a little spray bottle of water and a towel. So, a bit of water play is involved too! What could be better!