Beautiful artisan dolls individually created and made for play. Lydia Stonely has a passion to spark children’s imaginations and encourage creative play through her dolls. Reconnecting with nature is a theme in her work and her leaf baby collection encourages children to venture out of doors in search of woodland magic.
Her dolls are made using pure British wool and draw upon traditional Waldorf dollmaking techniques. Member of the British Toymakers Guild and the Heritage Crafts Association.
Focus:
Heritage, waldorf-inspired dollmaking : I aim to capture imaginations, spark creativity and encourage children to connect with the natural world.
Visiting really drilled home the importance telling my story. Artisan, one of a kind, dolls are still available and people don’t know. I really care about the environment, about not greenwashing you, and being better every day. As a designer I also care about creating dolls that children actually want to play with, rather than selling to the parents… a tricky story to market! How can I tell this story, that’s the challenge I need to take up this year.
Depending on your mindset you will either love to discover what tree you are - and be interested to hear what characteristics can be assigned to it, or you’ll think it’s nonsense!
Nestled under the arches, near the station, is a gem of a museum dedicated to toys. By slipping back in time I am able to see what previous generations treasured, what ideas have been forgotten, and gain insight into play.
Sustainability is at the core and influences every decision. The whole of the lifecycle of the business is considered - the sustainable materials used to make the dolls only tell part of the story. The bank used, the paper based packaging materials, walking to the post office to avoid using the car, all these elements add up. Every doll also can be returned to be repaired as many times as necessary - extending the lifespan and teaching the next generation that things can be fixed!
Beautiful artisan dolls individually created and made for play. Lydia Stonely has a passion to spark children’s imaginations and encourage creative play through her dolls. Reconnecting with nature is a theme in her work and her leaf baby collection encourages children to venture out of doors in search of woodland magic.
Her dolls are made using pure British wool and draw upon traditional Waldorf dollmaking techniques. Member of the British Toymakers Guild and the Heritage Crafts Association.
Focus:
Heritage, waldorf-inspired dollmaking : I aim to capture imaginations, spark creativity and encourage children to connect with the natural world.
Visiting really drilled home the importance telling my story. Artisan, one of a kind, dolls are still available and people don’t know. I really care about the environment, about not greenwashing you, and being better every day. As a designer I also care about creating dolls that children actually want to play with, rather than selling to the parents… a tricky story to market! How can I tell this story, that’s the challenge I need to take up this year.
Depending on your mindset you will either love to discover what tree you are - and be interested to hear what characteristics can be assigned to it, or you’ll think it’s nonsense!
Nestled under the arches, near the station, is a gem of a museum dedicated to toys. By slipping back in time I am able to see what previous generations treasured, what ideas have been forgotten, and gain insight into play.
Sustainability is at the core and influences every decision. The whole of the lifecycle of the business is considered - the sustainable materials used to make the dolls only tell part of the story. The bank used, the paper based packaging materials, walking to the post office to avoid using the car, all these elements add up. Every doll also can be returned to be repaired as many times as necessary - extending the lifespan and teaching the next generation that things can be fixed!
