Love Kokeshi?

If you love Kokeshi Dolls or Asian inspired gifts, you'll love the new range I have in store.  Japanese and Chinese dolls are very much the trend at the moment.  How can you not love them when they are this cute!

Toys will travel...

Inspired by the 2001 film Amelie, a new travel agency in the Czech Republic called "Toy Traveling" is offering a unique luxury vacation not for you, but for your toys. You send them your favorite stuffed animal and they'll take it on an escorted luxury trip all around Prague, taking photographs of it at sights like Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge.

And if you'd like your fuzzy friend to really have a great time you can even pay extra for a massage, which includes incense and candles, or the 'dearest package' that comes with a cushion and duvet to make the journey home especially comfortable on his padded little behind.  Prices start at about $120 for the basic package and get up over $200 depending on options.
http://www.toytraveling.com/

However toys have been snapped taking holidays around the world for years.  On the internet there are numerous sites devoted to travelling stuffed toys.

From News.com (April 1, 2010)
 
HOLIDAYMAKERS are shying away from their cameras, preferring to point them at their favourite toys instead as part of a new trend.

Travellers Conny and Markus Morgenroth, who set up a website devoted to amusing travel pictures of their Kermit toy, provide one of the most famous examples.   Their toy has travelled across four continents spanning 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometres) and more than 21 cities.
The website shows the Kermit toy posing in front of various famous landmarks including London’s Big Ben, the Sydney Opera House and Times Square in New York.


With most of the world facing recession and economic downturn, many have chosen not to travel to save money.  Therefore sending your beloved stuffed animal abroad is a bit of escapist fun.

What I'd like to know is whether they'll take photo's of it downing a stein or twenty of beer at October fest, doing a pub crawl in a toga, running with the bulls in Spain or lying face down in a side alley face down with his ears held back by another fluffy ted.  (Oh, that's right, it isn't run by Contiki....yet!)

What I'm trying to picture is the tour operator of travelling toys taking out each fluffy toy individually for happy snaps at each location!   To save money maybe a bunch of Australians could get together and send all their fluffy toys over for bulk group shots.  Dress them in green and gold but I'm not sure how they'll get them to say "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi".

Everything British...

As my parents are from Britain (Scotland to be exact), I do have a weakness for everything British. Particulary Scottish Tattie Scones and a good cup of English Tea (but that is a whole other story!). Therefore I simply had to have some British inspired gifts in my store.

How cute are the little soldier plush toy and the little rattle? Gorgeous with their little military jackets.

I also adore the new Scottie Dog Baby Bibs which remind me of the Scottie Dog I once owned. He was jet black and called "Lomond" (After Loch Lomond of course). Lomond was so black and furry that when he smiled all you could see was his white teeth! He was strong and stocky and was actually the offspring of the scottie dog on the Chum dog food advertisements

Not only are my artworks inspired by my experiences and memories but the gifts I sell as well. You could definitely say that the store is a reflection of me.