In a world full of mass-produced plastic junk, the Portugal-based Marli Toys crafts unique handmade items with tons of character. The company name is a shortening of Lidiya Marinchuk, the artist’s name, and she has her hand in every design. Marinchuk and husband Tim Smirnov design and hand craft each piece with great care and love. Their aim is to make people smile, and they’ve certainly done that for me!

Their toys begin as fabric sculptures which eventually goes up for sale on their website. The design is then translated into a smaller version, many which are turned into brooches. At their price point, I would hesitate to buy one for use as an actual toy, but they really are charming as works of art.

You can follow Marli Toys on their website and on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Etsy.