Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Who Needs an American Girl Doll When You've Got These?

Remember way back in April of 2008 when Tootsie wrote about her Cousin K? Well, trust her - she did. And here is what she said:

Vanilla candles: No matter where I am when I encounter this scent, I'm immediately flooded with memories of spending time at my Cousin K's house, as a child in the 1970's. She's really my mother's cousin and has always been more of an "aunt" to me, but I've always called her "Cousin K" [there's more to her name than "K" but, you know, anonymity being what it is]. There are the copper bracelets she wore, the white four poster bed that I eventually inherited, the little Russian wooden dolls that opened to reveal a smaller doll and so on until the tiniest carved version emerged, the step down den, the fruit trees in the backyard, and the crazy jigsaw coffee table that I could crawl around in like a maze. You know how you can look back on your childhood and there was that ONE adult that stood above the rest? Yeah, it was like that. And, K, if you're reading this please will your copper bracelets to me. If they're still around. I promise to cherish them.


As noted, she is not Tootsie's first cousin, she is her mother's cousin; but Tootsie's family is not one to split hairs. So, way back when Tootsie looked like this:


...and indulged in such things as Magic Mountain African Safaris with declawed, defanged, drugged kings of the extreme petting zoo jungle; she also played with Russian nesting dolls at her cousin K's house.

Flash forward thirty-ish years later.

Cousin K came to visit over New Years:


(Everyone say hello to Tootsie's not first cousin but who is concerning themselves with lineage anyway - Cousin K!)

And Tootsie's not first cousin but who is concerning themselves with lineage anyway - Cousin K brought with her THE Russian nesting dolls. Not "some" but The. Same. Exact. Ones. If you don't know what the hell Tootsie is talking about she will walk you through the explanation step-by-step, ahem:

A little wooden doll with a secret. And that secret is inside.


What the?!?... Surprise!


And that secret has a secret.

But wait! There's more! If you act now, that secret within a secret is harboring a - you guessed it - secret of ITS own. If you're as fascinated confused as Tootsie was then it's helpful to name them.

And finally, Pickles Larue reveals the final secret in this simple complex journey through toys manufactured in the former USSR: Gorky Puddin-Pie.


...You want to know something super special? With all of her fancy baby dolls, and My Little Ponies, and advanced technological toys; Tootsie's Girl-Child is just as in awe of the Russian nesting dolls as Tootsie was herself. Thirty-ish years ago.

35 comments:

Suburban Correspondent said...

Matryoshka dolls, and our house is overrun with them. Larry gave my favorite one away though - It had Gorbachev on the outside and then you opened it and out popped Whoever ran the USSR before him, all the way down to Stalin and Lenin....

JCK said...

I had those same nesting dolls! And my mom has them now for the grandchildren to play with. They are SO fun!

Earth Girl said...

I still display the dolls my sons painted during art class (3 layers) when they were in grade school. My great niece discovered them when she was about 2 and now her 2-year-old cousin has found them. Some things are timeless.

Mommy2Twinkies-Deb said...

I had some of those dolls when I was little! I'll have to find them. I'm sure they're in mom's house... somewhere! They are fun!

Karen said...

We have 2 sets of nesting dolls that my in-laws brought back from Russia years ago. My kids have always been fascinated with them. I think they see more action than a lot of the other toys the kids have.

Anonymous said...

My younger has similar ones and she is utterly fascinated by them.

Angie @ KEEP BELIEVING said...

I LOVES ME some russian nesting dolls - but only vintage well-made ones. What is it about them that remind me so much of days gone by? I never had any myself.

KEEP BELIEVING

calicobebop said...

How wonderful that your little girl can play with the same nesting dolls that you have cherished since childhood. They are freaking awesome.

Sara Maria said...

I LOVE LOVE LOOOOVE NESTING DOLLS!!! I got a Santa one when I was about 12 and that was 10 years ago. I really want another one. Those are great!.

Angie @ Many Little Blessings said...

I played with these in my Grandma's doll room, and they always make me smile too. They have such sweet memories to me.

Tuesday Girl said...

I always wanted a set of these

Burgh Baby said...

Dude. I totally bought Alexis a set of Russian nesting dolls for her birthday. She hasn't seen them yet, but they are going to rock her world. I just know it.

Anonymous said...

That's wonderful that she likes them as much as you. I never saw nesting dolls as a kid - I'd read about them, but never actually saw them.

But there's something so wonderful about the concept, so simple and yet so complex. Wonderful to have a Cousin K.

Ringleader said...

I love these- my 6yo currently has one of the dolls from a very expensive set we bought in SF 100 years ago, sitting on the mantle of the fireplace in her dollhouse- the set has been played with so much, I'm pretty sure it is not complete anymore.. the littler dolls keep running off to play with Polly Pockets and the bigger ones keep hiding themselves away under beds full of treasures!

katydidnot said...

i always loved them. i got some for my girl once. but she just filled each one up individually with stuff. she's like a magpie.

Anonymous said...

Me thinks you are alot like those nesting dolls. One secret after another revealed.

Madge said...

that is so sweet. what a wonderful thing for you, your daughter and cousin k

Manic Mommy said...

When we were cleaning out her house after my nana died, I asked for these blue porcelin angels singing in a choir. There's even a little pipe organ. I used to stare at a it for hours when I was little.

AutoSysGene said...

How come that doesn't surprise me. The more simple the toy the more Hope loves it!!

MamaHen Em said...

My husband's auntie has these EXACT same dolls, or least they look exactly the same to me. My chickies can go to her house and play with nothing else, ever. They love them.

Anonymous said...

YES!!! My sis-in-law asked for these for my niece for Christmas--apparently they are a hot item for little girls! As I ordered them online, I didn't realize I was actually ordering them FROM RUSSIA! So fun!! :-)

LenaLoo said...

I have one that looks just like that! My grandmother gave it to me :)

Jason, as himself said...

And I bet they don't cost a bazillion dollars, either!

Baby Favorite said...

My 9yo daughter has those! Our friend brought them back when he was deployed overseas recently.

And yet? She has somehow *needed* four American Girl dolls over the past several years.

Yes, four.

MommyTime said...

I LOVE these dolls and wanted some so very badly as a child. This set is lovely.

I also just have to say that I'm delighted to see that picture of you and the lion again, which never fails to render me jaw-droppingly speechless. Of all the things that our parents let us do that we wouldn't let our own children do, THAT photo has got to take the cake.

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

It's the simple, well-made things that are always the best. It's fun to see your child enjoy one of your old toys.

Unknown said...

I love nesting dolls too. We have some from Russia from a trip and there are TEN in all. My 18-month-old lil' DUDE loves them. I'm just afraid he's gonna swallow the littlest one. So we always play with them together.

Love Cousin K, copper bracelets and happy memories!!

Anonymous said...

That is so cool that you got to see them again! And remembered all their names!
(Hope the lion didn't give you mange when you were a tiny lass.)

Saucy said...

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Some things are classic.

ms-teacher said...

I've always loved nesting dolls and I think it's really great that your daughter was able to share something that you loved as a child as well.

Melanie Sheridan said...

I was deprived of nesting dolls. *sigh* That's a real lion?! Where's that blog post? ;^)

Anglophile Football Fanatic said...

I had the same nesting dolls. I also have a little set from Canada that the boy thinks is wonderful. I cannot believe you posed with the lion.

Minnesota Matron said...

Very cool! I've seen these but haven't ever owned one. The item -- with no family member attached to it, although my sister and I sure fought over this -- that I want from my EARLY childhood: Little Kiddles! Dating the Matron.

Anonymous said...

We have a set...only they're Santa figures. I love them without shame!

Anonymous said...

Late comment on this one... and, uh... sorry I've been a lurker for a while, but I just saw http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeandgarden/ and thought about you and this post! :) I was going to link to the item at Anthropologie, but the link was way too long.