Dalinda's Plonkas Matryoshka purse

Matryoshka dolls are those cute Russian nesting dolls that are both a traditional folk craft and a modern design theme. Allegedly inspired by a set of nesting figures from Japan (does everything cool come from Japan?!), a folk artist made the first set of Matryoshka dolls in the late 1800s, sparking a national trend. The popularity of the nesting dolls continued through the twentieth century, and today the dolls can be found in any number of incarnations: politicians, celebrities, animals and more. Many craft outlets now sell “blanks”: unpainted wooden nesting dolls for crafters to customize as desired.

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Recently, the nesting doll theme has turned up in unlikely places: jewelry, tote bags, dishes, pillows and plushies. The cute, round shape of the dolls lends itself to reinterpretation across a number of media, especially cute accessories, housewares and plush. The popularity of the theme is surging, and is picking up media coverage as well.  Jars of Cute has a feature on Matryoshka-themed items today.

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