Amie Kanengeiser’s hand-painted peg dolls might seem like “back in my day” toys compared to iPads, drones or Fortnite, but playthings such as the Space Peg Doll Set ($20) can be used as home decor, game pieces and more. After hearing her 3-, 5- and 12-year-old sons obsessing about space travel and imagining what lives among the stars, she created this three-piece set, featuring a just-landed astronaut and a green wide-eyed alien sitting in its UFO, out of wooden pegs that are traditionally used for hanging objects on a pegboard. While little kids will love taking the removable alien in and out of his spaceship, parents can marvel at steady-handed details Kanengeiser puts in each doll, such as the tiny American flag on the astronaut’s suit and the lights ringing the UFO. “They’re really tiny, and yet you can pack a whole lot of details into these dolls,” says Kanengeiser. “I am crazy about detail. I love the challenge.” etsy.com/shop/pintsizedpegs
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