Russian Dolls?

[mudder17]

Okay, I have no idea where to find these things, but I thought I'd check here first to see if anyone has any ideas. Friends of ours just came back from 4 years in Germany and during their time there, they did a LOT of traveling. While in Russia, they picked up a few of the wooden dolls that stack inside of each other. One actually had 10 of them and the smallest one was about the size of my pinky nail! Anyway, Kaya spent an HOUR just playing with them! They did give her one they were going to donate to Goodwill and Kaya really enjoys playing with it, but it's Pokemon and only has 5 dolls. Does anyone know where I can find these things for a reasonable price? Obviously I don't want a huge amount of decoration that Kaya could accidentally break off (like decorative beads that have been glued on).

Oh, and we have a wooden apple puzzle jewelry box that has four pieces that Kaya also loves playing with. It has small inner cover, then an outer cover that slides over, then a worm that fits in to lock everything in place. She'll spend a long time playing with that as well.

TIA!


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_4_Kaya+is.png
Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[kimbe]

The dolls are called Matryoshka.

I found mine at a small little speciality gift shop in my little town. They are pretty pricey. (I don't think that I have seen authentic ones for less than $40. Do you have any Russin Orth. Churches around? Maybe they have a craft fair or bazzar where you could find them, or they might be able to point you in the right direction of where to find one in your area. HTH!

[mariza]

There were some cute & inexpensive ones at this site:
http://www.bitsandpieces.com/search.aspx

I haven't heard of the store before but when I went to the site my Ebates reminder winder popped up for a 6% Ebate. I presume if they are affiliated with Ebates the must (should) be reputable. If you aren't an Ebates member already you should sign up. www.ebates.com

Also, if you do an Ebay search for "nesting dolls" you'll get lots of options there as well. There are many online Russian gift shops that came up on my google search, but they are much pricier. HTH!

[mudder17]

Thanks! This looks like it would be perfect!! Kim, I would love some authentic ones (and actually, I think I may have one, but it's not one I want Kaya to play with), but since this is a toy for Kaya, I think the Bits and Pieces choice is a slightly better choice. :)

I love the Ladies holding the cats. I used to get puzzles from Bits and Pieces, but had no idea they had these nesting dolls! Thanks for the pointer! I knew I could count on you!


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_4_Kaya+is.png
Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[kimbe]

ITA! DD isn't going to get my good ones until she can explain them to me!!! :) (She gets stacking CUPS for now -- LOL!)

[bluestar2]

Thanks for posting this! I really like the Bits and Pieces dolls too, and may have to get one for DC to play with. I have a beautiful set my folks brought back from Russia which is probably their number one favorite thing to play with that isn't really a toy. It has to be a very special occasion for me to bring it down off the shelves for them since I cringe when they drop them on our wood floors. This will be a perfect substitute. :-)

[Corie]

This is a super awesome set of nesting dolls and it is also
insanely expensive!!
I'm just posting it for fun! :)

You can have a set of nesting dolls custom-made to look
like your family. How cool is that??

I saw them in the Dec. 05/Jan. 06 premiere issue of
Cookie magazine. They listed the price starting at
$800. Yikes!!

http://www.thisisauto.com/detail/7,1,12/


http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32057.jpg

[laral]

I saw some of them at the Home Goods/TJ Maxx stores over Christmas. Maybe, they still have some left?

Larissa
Mom to Rachael (7.5) and Alexis (almost 2)

[ctmom]

These look like Higglytown Heros!!

btw Corie, do you like Cookie magazine? I recently received a mailing from them to subscribe and never heard of it...Which other parent mags would you compare it to? It kind of reminded me of Child.

Thanks!
Mary

[Corie]

Hi Mary!

Now that you mention it, Cookie magazine does remind me
of Child. Maybe an upscale Child? It seemed to me that
many of clothes and items pictured in the magazine were
rather expensive. (like the $800 Nesting dolls, which I
thought were very cool, just wouldn't pay that much money
for them!)

I got a 2 year subscription to Cookie (12 issues, it only comes out
6 times a year) on Ebay for only $6.

I LOVE magazines!! :)

[juliasmom05]

I was just thumbing through the Sensational Beginnings catalog and saw these bunny nesting dolls and remembered that you were looking for some. Thought I would post just in case you hadn't found any yet.

http://www.sensationalbeginnings.com/search.asp?PAGLEN=10&SKW=nesting+dolls&imageField.x=0&imageField.y=0

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32415.jpg

Marci

Mom to Julia 4/05

[mudder17]

Oooh! These are cute. Yes, I got a set from BitsandPieces. It has 9 ladies, each holding a cat, and the last one is a tiny cat. Kaya loves finding the little cat and if she drops it in the mess, she'll keep looking until she finds it and she'll pick it up and say, "Ooooh, I found the cat!" Anyway, they don't fit perfectly in that some of them are loose, but that's partly because of the very low humidity in our house this winter. I tested that theory by inverting one of the bottom domes in water for a short time and then putting on the top and they where much more snug. But after being in our dry air for a couple hours, they had dried out a bit more again. I don't mind, though, because they are really a toy for Kaya and she really enjoys them. That was the point, anyway, right? :)


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[juliasmom05]

I am glad that you found some that Kaya loves to play with :-) . They are a lot of fun. I have fond memories of playing with the ones my Grandmother brought back from Russia.

Marci