My Russian Dolls

I first came across a set of Russian dolls at my very good friend Owlyn's house. When I saw this set in Sentosa Singapore, in a Tourist shop in Asian Village, I knew I must have it. There was only one set, and I was so pleased to have it.

Owlyn had been with me through thick and thin. She uplifted me during my most difficult times of my life. My mum and my son's death, both premature ones.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll

A matryoshka doll, a Babushka doll or a Russian nested doll, also called a stacking doll, is a set of dolls of decreasing sizes placed one inside the other. "Matryoshka" (Матрёшка) is a derivative of the Russian female first name "Matryona", which is traditionally associated with a fat, robust Russian woman.Contents [hide]

A set of matryoshkas consists of a wooden figure which can be pulled apart to reveal another figure of the same sort inside. It has, in turn, another figure inside, and so on. The number of nested figures is usually five or more. The shape is mostly cylindrical, rounded at the top for the head and tapered towards the bottom, but little else; the dolls have no hands (except those that are painted). Traditionally the outer layer is a woman, dressed in a sarafan. Inside, it contains other figures that may be of both genders, usually ending in a baby that does not open. The artistry is in the painting of each doll, which can be extremely elaborate.

Matryoshkas are often designed to follow a particular theme, for instance peasant girls in traditional dress, but the theme can be anything, from fairy tale characters to Soviet leaders.