Want a toy from a Danish company that isn't Lego? Well, meet Maileg!

One of our favorite new lines for 2013, Maileg isn't really a new line at all!  Maileg is the creation of Dorthe Mailil, who first began designing her line in 1999 in Denmark.  With its classic approach to design combined with some contemporary flourishes, Maileg stands out as a line that is difficult to define, but the words 'adorable' and 'precious'  seem to be the most common amongst out customers.  My personal favorite is the little lamb rag blankies (shown above on the right), which are the perfect size for little hands yearning to clutch something comforting and soft.  But the items that seem to be garnering the most oohs and ahhs are the cigar box and match box mice.  Now this is a classic approach to playing... children would often use items given to them by their parents that would otherwise have worn out their usefulness and turn them into makeshift toys.  Cigar boxes and match boxes were an ideal room/bed for dolls thanks to their size and obvious suitability for storing small treasures.  While the ones from Maileg are not actual re-purposed cigar/matchboxes, they are charming replicas of an era nearly forgotten by many, and they do come with some especially sweet mice nestled inside. Whether on a shelf as a collectible or in a small child's arms, these plush creatures, dolls, and doll accessories are sure to bring a smile to anyone's face.