From Russia With Love

Hello, Dear Ones! Are you a collector? I have to confess I've been a collector of many different things through my olden years! :) Well, in the late 1970s, you know the time of polyester and disco dancing, I took a tiny trip to Copenhagen, Denmark and another little collection was started.

Matryoskha dolls.

So sweet. So cute. So childlike. Hey, I'm olden but I'm very childlike. Did you know that? :)

All are wearing scarves on their tiny heads. Well, painted on scarves.

These little 'nesting dolls' were made in Russia! The above picture is a bit fuzzy, but this is a paper sticker on the bottom of one my doll sets. Most have been stamped 'USSR' but this one is the only one I have that has the paper sticker on the bottom.

Here is a photo of the stamp. Oops! I took a bad picture and it's even missing the 'U"! I suppose the stamper was in a hurry! ;)

What nice posture these little dolls have.

Do these groups of dolls remind you of anything? Why of course they do! Mommies! Okay, now this leads me to the perfect spot to tell you the story of Matryoshka Dolls!


Matryoshkas are a set of dolls of decreasing sizes placed on the inside of the other! My first glimpse of these little cuties was when my son used to watch Sesame Street and these little dolls would dance around hopping in and out of each other teaching young ones to count. Oh, I got side tracked, on with the story...

The name "Matryoshka" is from a word that is closely related to the word "Mother". The name was associated with the image of a mother of a big family who was very healthy and had a portly (don't cha love that word) figure - in other words, she was rather fat! ;)

These dolls are considered to be a symbol of motherhood and fertility. A mother doll with lots of doll-children inside her! If you look closely at the dolls you'll see a line across her middle - this is where you pull the doll apart and there is another one hiding inside. Peek a boo - I see you! :) Take a look at the tiny tiny baby. Some of the last dolls are so tiny that I'm really surprised I've never lost one!

Every set of dolls is hand carved and hand painted. Some are painted very simply like these while other sets are decorated with Russian fairy tales. Some even tell entire stories.

The set on the left was my very first ones that I bought in Copenhagen. These two sets are painted in the very traditional village look with red, black and a touch of yellow.

It was rather hard to get a good picture of some of these. They're very very shiny and the glare made it hard to get a good shot. These are painted very simply.

Notice, all the dolls have the traditional scarf wrapped around her little head! This set is painted to show snow in the evening.

You don't have to go to Russia to purchase Matryoshkas. I've found them in many different countries. These precious little ones I found in Florence, Italy painted with different scenes of agriculture and the seasons.

Look at a close up of this little lovely's face! Isn't she sweet? Again, they are lacquered so heavily! Do you think it would help with the shine, if little Mother powdered her most tiny nose? ;0

A friend brought this little red set to me from India. Now they weren't made in Russia. So there are impostors in Matryoshkas just like they are in Bathroom Divas! ;)

But with a beautiful little face like this...I had to include them in my collection.

Here are my little silly faced ones and they're painted very flowery.

I think this is my favorite set of Matryoshka dolls. We bought these in the Czech Republic. Maybe I like them so much because Mr. Precious thinks they look like me! You know what? Do you think Mr. Precious thinks I look like a cartoon!!

Oh, but she's so beautiful and painted so elaborately! I'm sure this is what he sees and thinks of moi! :)

You may wonder where I keep all my little Matryoshkas! I keep them in my "Edra" cabinet (another piece of furniture which I've given a name) at the top of the stairs on the landing...for now. They do move around a bit. Next week I may have them sitting somewhere else.

I certainly hoped you've enjoyed seeing my Russian Matryoshka Dolls.

Be a bunch of sweeties,

Shelia :)

I'll leave you with a little Note Song ~

Back in the U.S.S.R.

Flew in from miami beach b.o.a.c.,

didn't get to bed last night

On the way the paper bag was on my knee,

man I had a dreadful flight

I'm back in the ussr,

you don't know how lucky you are boy

Back in the ussr

Been away so long I hardly new the place,

gee it's good to be back home

Leave it til tomorrow to unpack my case,

honey disconnect the phone

I'm back in the ussr,

you don't know how lucky you are boy

Back in us, back in the us, back in the ussr

Well, the ukraine girls really knock me out,

they leave the west behind

And moscow girls make me sing and shout

That georgias always on my mi-mi-mi-mi-mind

I'm back in the ussr,

you don't know how lucky you are boy

Back in us, back in the us,

back in the ussr

Well, the ukraine girls really knock me out,

they leave the west behind

And moscow girls make me sing and shout

That georgias always on my mi-mi-mi-mi-mind

Show me round your snow peaked mountains way down south

Take me to your daddys car

Let me hear your balalaikas ringing out,

come and keep your comrade warm

I'm back in the ussr,

you dont know how lucky you are boy

Back in the ussr

~sung by Paul McCartney