The Story Behind Our Collections - Maileg

We are huge fans of toys that are pieces for play that encourage a childs imagination. We believe that creativity is about coming up with something new. Seeing something through the minds eye rather than the eyes in which we see our physical world.

Maileg is the imagination and the creativity that was born from the eyes of an originative mind. A collection of pieces designed to decorate the home and a wonderful collection designed for children. The Danish design house of contemporary interior lifestyle concepts was established in 1999 and is the imaginative, tactile and visual universe of Dorthe Mailil.

Dorthe Mailil is a graphic designer from The Danish Design School where she graduated in 1996. With studies at the E´cole D´art de Marseille in France and previous stays with creative work in Paris Mailil has a unique talent for creating delightful pieces with an unusual richness and quality.

Winner of the Formland Design Award several times it comes as little surprise that the world that grew up around the bunnies and elves has become an adored collection all around the world.

The authenticity that underlines Dorthe Mailil´s touch has also made her well known as a graphic designer for both books and magazines. Dorthe Mailil´s design has among others been presented at Louvre, Paris – Caixa Forum, Barcelona and Museum of Modern Art in New York.

The Danish design house Maileg brings us a world of rabbits and bunnies with beautifully crafted accessories, mice that sleep in miniature matchboxes on soft striped pillows and woolen blankets. You'll find a charming princess with her bed piled high with mattresses and the infamous pea beneath them, skittles, rattles, and contemporary seasonal decorations for Easter and Christmas as well as storage drums for your favourite things and of course treats.

I have been a fan of maileg ever since my girls were born. My love started with the Belle Amis rattles and has grown along with my girls since. The pieces are crafted beautifully and the fabric and textiles used have such a pleasing feel to touch and play with.

The fabrics used are quite the signiature of Danish design, following a natural theme using cottons that have clear simple patterns typically including white stripes and checks and just as with the bunny collection you'll find that florals are seen too with frosty pastel petals on a white background.

The colours associated with the designs are typical of scandinavian interiors with subtle cool pastels; delicate blossoms of pink and blues that conjure up a milky sky, alongside stronger tones like royal blue, touches of red and bright green.

Natural wood is used frequently in the collection. The furntiure follows the strong designs of the Scandinavian feel for fresh and timeless pieces, where strong lines are often met with gentle curving detail.

The girls insist that the mice are private creatures that live in wardrobes and cupboards where it’s quiet and safe. I cannot count the times I’ve laughed aloud at the places I’ve discovered them hiding along with tea sets and miniature furniture where they’ve set up house.  Our mouse house is tucked in a bookshelf and has been their home for as long as I can remember. We have made a ‘townhouse’ from old shoe boxes for them too, and this is where they come to stay when they’re visiting their cousins.

It is as though they are the mystical creatures that live alongside us. The girls will make up stories too of what they get up to when we are not at home. ‘Coco’ is the sensible one whereas ‘Beau’ is a little mischievous trying to coax the others into some sort of cheeky game. ‘Coco’ and ‘Beau’ have travelled all around the world with us too, taking their suitcases and holiday must haves with them. 

I continue to love the way the girls play when they play with Maileg. Their imagination is free to create little worlds in which their bunnies or mice live in. Whereas their dolls follow a more traditional routine of role-play in which they mimic our everyday lives seeing the world as it is. I have noticed that with other ‘toys’ they are freer to ‘let go’ of this way of play.  ‘Coco’ and ‘Beau’ live in a wonderland where flowers sing, stars are sprinkles of magical powers and the world is a place of new discoveries in which nothing is at it truly is. Their creative play goes beyond thinking and feeling the world as it is and into having their own ideas about it. Interpreting their experience and imagination to give it new meaning. This is not to say that one is more important that the other but rather there is desire for both. A puzzle can only be pieced together in one way; there is an order a logic to it. A picture can use different media and be many things either as a replicated image of something known or a journey into the artists own imagination. Neither is more important than the other and both are part of a childs play. The girls have toys which are played with using their experience of the world as they have learned it and of course those that teach them about the world as it is, then there are toys in which they play with through their ‘minds eyes’. They are inventive, imaginative and turn this into creativity.

This is one of the joys of childhood; the ability to be so utterly spontaneous in thought. To create just to be creative. This is why I love the collections of Maileg. The timeless pieces that have brought a little magic to my own children, a sense of nostalgia to me and hopefully too to be handed down to their children where they can see, as mothers, the other side of play.

Thankfully The Maileg collection holds more than well designed toys for children.

There are beautiful seasonal decorations for Easter and Christmas alongside goodie tins, candle holders and bunting. The designs are instantly recognisable through their colour, design and theme.

Some of our family traditions involve Mailegs designs, the Easter egg tins are rediscovered in the garden every year with different treats inside according to their ages. It’s a tradition I hope to keep going from bunny accessories which is a current favourite and girls’ obsession to hiding a lipstick or a pair of gloves when they are (much) older.

Our pixy advent calendars come out in December to squeals of excitement and their pockets are filled with treats and surprises and ideas for the day. I’m hoping when the children are older they’ll get an advent for us too to fill with ideas, wishes and treats too. The fabric decorations are hung by the children on the lower branches of the Christmas tree and the girls feel like they have been part of the decorating affair that is Christmas. Each year I will add to the collection giving the girls a ‘special’ decoration that is ‘theirs’. Mostly they are chosen depending on the children’s ages and characters at the time. Sometimes just because I know they will adore them.

The Maileg collection grows stronger with each new season. Bringing new collections; a new range of matchbox mice with beautfiul seasonal colours and bunnies in glorious fabric clothing. Easter is just around the corner now and their collection for this special time in spring conjures up imaginings of sunny picnics, fresh spring flowers and wonderful Easter egg hunts. There are plenty of inspiring gifts to suit all ages and wonderful pieces to start your own family traditions.

You can see the best of the Maileg collection here

My favourite pieces from the spring / summer 2011 Maileg collection are the fabric tea set and patisserie cakes.  They are made with beauty and longeivity in mind and just like the whole of the Maileg collection, they are very desirable and collectable.

---

This is part of our series of blog posts that reveal the story behind the collections and why we chose them for the Sisters Guild Boutique.

Monday Makery - The Land of Me

The Land of Me is an interactive and educational programme for ages 2-6, which we shall be reviewing in full forthwith!  In the meantime we can show you all the crafts and activities which are part of each section of the DVD-Rom, and have been the main 'makery' of the weekend.

Both London & Brighton households of Sisters Guild have been gripped by the charm of the 3 adventurers Buddy Boo, Eric & Willow who are now officially part of our family!

The Land of Me has been Gabriel's first encounter with a computer and he was very excited to discover that we could print out Buddy Boo (his favourite) and 'all kinds of things' (jumping up and down).

I feel that the printable side of The Land of Me is very important as it provides something physical to create and play with beyond the screen.

Using all the printables means the story of Buddy Boo, Eric, Willow and friends can be taken to another level as they are introduced to a whole array of other playthings and new adventures ensue.

Gabe's imagination was truly sparked and he led the way with acting out lots of stories. It was great to watch and hear all the scenarios and conversations Gabe created with the characters and creatures.

All you need are scissors, colouring-in pens, pencils or paint, and some glue.  There's finger puppets of all the characters and creatures, a Buddy Boo Windmill, an Eric Castle, aWillow Teepee, vehicles, a matching pairs game, hats, masks, dioramas, story dice, flick books...and a map. Every child (and adult) loves a map!

The Land of Me provides great materials for creating and learning with your child, and it's fun too! Gabe's Dad had to go to work today in character - 'be Buddy Boo Daddy' - and we have used the map around the home this morning to discover new lands. We all know how a chair, a sofa plus a big sheet can become something amazing - it's all about the imagination!

Tip: Print all the Land of Me things onto thick paper - they will be played with a lot!

Take a look at the Made in Me blog for posts about further creative & educational possibilities with The Land of Me:

Learning with Me: Create a Sensory Environment
Learning with Me: Small World Play
Learning with Me: Language Development

Monday Makery - Shadow Puppets

Sessi (Sophia) was remembering on the way to school the days when the sun was shining brightly and we would walk along making shadow puppets on the wall, telling a story along the way. Last summer it became part of our morning routine on the walk to nursery. So much so we ended up having to leave 10 minutes early to allow time for our shadow stories. The sun isn't shining bright enough now for our morning tales so I thought we would make some puppets at home to make stories together that way. 

Shadow puppets are a great way to encourage story telling with children. This is especially true for children who have not yet learnt to read by themselves. Each story is limited only to the puppeteers' imagination. There are endless stories to imagine, endless puppets to make and hours of fun to be had retelling fairytale classics not to mention those brilliant and often comedic tales children like to tell quite often adding their own twist to a well known story.

It's fun to recreate the characters from a favourite book; Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, or The Gruffalo. Though it's equally if not more fun to create a random selection of creatures and people and let the children use them to conjure up a story of their own imagination.

As the puppets are so simple to make you will no doubt keep adding more and more characters to your collection and this is what makes these creations all the more wonderful.

Children who are too young to play puppeteer themselves will love the new way of having a story told and what a great introduction to theatre too. Oona who is not yet two is too young to be able to recount a story but she loves the way the shadows move. She walks around with a puppet in hand squealing with delight 'marmai' every time the mermaid shadow appears on the wall or floor.


What you'll need:

• card - pizza or cereal boxes are ideal
• scissors
• pencil
• pipe cleaners or lollipop sticks
• a spotlight or lamp with the shade removed
• an empty wall or a sheet to hang

Here's how:

• draw outlines for each character, animal or scene you want to use on your card and cut each out carefully.
• using sticky tape secure a pipe cleaner to the back of each shadow puppet to create your stick. If your character feels too heavy twist two pipe cleaners together before sticking.
• hang a sheet from the ceiling using small tacks or knot each corner of the sheet and tie string around the knots using the string to hang the theatre from more hidden corners of the room. If you chose you can project the shadows onto an empty wall. Though this may make it harder to give a sense of there being a stage and an audience. A very long sheet of greaseproof paper stretched across the room and taped to the wall either side also makes a great area for shadow puppet theatre. To make a more permanent theatre albeit a smaller one an opened cereal box with a rectangular frame cut from the front with greaseproof paper stuck inside the frame makes a fantastic portable theatre that won't need to be taken down.
• Sit your lamp or spotlight behind the sheet or paper leaving enough distance for the puppeteer to be able to stand and perform and let the show begin.

Once upon a time ..........................

................and they lived happily ever after.

Monday Makery - Peg Dolls

Peg dolls are a wonderful traditional part of childhood creativity. People have been making them for such a long time. Not only are they great fun to make but children will play for hours with them afterwards. I remember making these peg dolls when I was young and I think its one of those creative pleasures that will always be enjoyed.
You don't need much to get started and there are endless possibilities in the way of fashion, hairstyles and faces. You can add fairy wings using felt or card sprinkled with glitter , pirates in paper hats, make woolen pompoms for colourful tutu's, add moustaches and glasses simply with felt tip pens. Children will love being able to appoint different characters to the pegs using scraps of fabric and imagination. You can add arms. though I've always preferred the simple lines with no awkard looking pipe-cleaner limbs. If your children are too young to be able to co-ordinate wrapping wool, fixing with glue and cutting fabric then let them paint or colour them with pens instead. Its great to use lots of different materials and you'll be surprised how easily the pegs become characters with colour.

Here's what you'll need:

• good old fashioned clothes pegs
• scraps of fabric
• wool
• PVA glue
• felt tipped pens
• scissors

Here's how to get started:

Making a female peg doll.

1. Starting with the bare body draw on faces to the bobbly head. If you'd like to draw on shoes add them to the end of the prongs.
2. Take a piece of fabric and cut a 3in x 8 in (8cm x 20cm) rectangle. Using a little glue half way down the peg wrap the fabric around the middle of the peg gathering it to make a skirt.
3. Take a length of wool and tie it around the top of the skirt to hold it in place and tie a knot.
4. Keep wrapping the wool around the upper body of the peg towards the head and fix it in place with a dab of glue. You may need to hold it in place until the glue is dry but impatience often lends itself to a heavy book leaning on top!
5. Now she's dressed its time to make her hair. To make curly locks wrap loops of wool around your fingers, tie in the middle with a short piece of wool and cut the ends. Make your loops longer or shorter depending on the hairstyle desired. 
6. Secure the hair in place with a little glue and hey presto your first peg doll!

Now she'll need a friend

Making a male peg doll:

1. Start in the same way, drawing on eyes, nose, mouth and a moustache or beard if it tickles your fancy!
2. Starting from the centre of the peg wrap the wool around the peg moving towards the feet, again securing the begining of the wool with a little PVA glue. Continue wrapping the wool down one 'leg' to make a trouser leg. Cut the wool at the end and glue the end in place. Continue wrapping the woolen trousers down the other prong gluing the begining and the end of the wool in place each time.
3. Finally this gentleman needs hair! Make curls using the same technique as before or cut short pieces of wool and glue to the top of his handsome head. Alternatively you could give him a rather dashing gelled look by using felt tipped pens to create his hair. 
4. If you'd like your little man attire to be a little smarter a piece of wool tied around his neck fastened in a bow looks very fine or a bright fabric cumberband adds a dashing splash of colour!

Now they're ready to play. A shoe box house is the perfect place for them to turn into a home and they make great characters for puppet shows too. If you have a go yourself why not use them as place names, making each doll look like the expected guest. They'll look fabulous pegged onto the lip of a glass on a table or a paper cup at childrens parties.

Have a go and do send us your pictures.