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Interview with Marian McClelland for the Aruna Designs team
When people ask for the secret of Aruna Designs’ extraordinary success, we have to admit that we don’t really know! Our team feels privileged to participate in this wonderful collaboration with Premalaya Handicrafts, and we often find ourselves in awe of the way projects unfold. Sometimes Premalaya initiates product ideas, sometimes ideas come from us. Sometimes ideas are given to us in surprising ways.
Marian woke up one morning with a technicolor vision of a new Lion Scrappie….
Marian imagined a lion that was 12” tall, clothed in pajamas and a block print robe, to add to the line up of bunnies, elephants and horses made from scrap material. She tried to draw her idea, but dystonia makes it hard now to hold a pen. All she could manage was a lopsided sketch of the Lion’s head, so she called Celia to explain what she had in mind and emailed the sketch to her. Somehow Celia caught the spirit of this charming little creature and brought him to life in a product sketch for Premalaya. The widows in India sent back samples that were wonderful on the first try, with delightful expressions and beautifully tailored miniature block print robes.
Next came a Lioness to join her partner.
Encouraged by this success, Marian and Celia worked together to design a Lioness partner for the Lion. She looked a little plain at first, until we tried a small white rose tucked beside her ear.
Of course they needed a full wardrobe.
We designed handwoven and block-print overalls & dresses as accessories for the dolls. Each Lion or Lioness is made of material handwoven by widows at Premalaya and has a tiny heart embroidered on the right side of its chest, signifying the spiritual heart.
“I LOVE the Lions!!! Everyone who sees our Lion comments on it. They tug on the heartstrings for some indescribable reason.”
Sarah, mother of a 3 year old
Having had such fun with the Lions, Celia and Marian began to develop a little Mouse, too, one in gray and one in white. Again, Celia sent drawings to India and the ladies sent samples back in the mail. These were not so successful. Production of a 6″ mouse requires working in a tiny world where every stitch has to be perfect. The slightest deviation can make a mouse look angry or sad, with a face too round or ears too small.
Production of a 6″ mouse requires working in a tiny world where every stitch has to be perfect.
How to get more consistent production on something this small without driving our producers to distraction? Deborah pondered this problem when she went to India and watched their production. She felt that there needed to be more personal responsibility, a sense of ownership and pride in each intricate piece.
Deborah asked each of the 4 women producing the mice to make one perfect sample to show her. She then worked with them individually, identifying the difficulties and helping the artisans figure out how to solve them.
Each woman then used her approved sample as a guide, showing and discussing her piece with Deborah along the way. Marian and Celia stayed in close touch during this process, emphasizing that the big ears and wide foreheads are part of the appeal. This approach worked like a charm! Although each mouse is slightly different, they are consistently sized and happily expressive.
Each one is distinctive and charming.
“The Mice are beyond adorable! Thank you! Thank you!!!”
Jane Chandler, The Beach House, Martha’s Vineyard
Mr. Phillips, who speaks both Tamil and English, acted as translator and project manager. He was also able to convey the spirit of what both the Premalaya artisans and the Aruna Designs team needed, keeping everyone on schedule.
“How PRECIOUS!!! How many can I order?”
Carol Lee, Carol Lee’s Cottage, Rockport, MA
Feedback from stores and other supporters has been overwhelmingly positive. Our first shipment of Mice from India sold out immediately. A second shipment, double the size, is moving quickly. We still have good inventory of Lions for the holidays because we ordered so many, although a smaller ocean shipment of Lionesses has already almost completely sold out. More are on the way. This winter we’re hoping to develop cubs for the Lion family, and maybe a newborn baby Lion!
Carol Lee’s Cottage, Rockport, MA
Common Crow, Gloucester, MA
DeBanville’s General Store, Bloomfield, VT
LeRoux Home, Vineyard Haven, MA
LeRoux Kitchen, Falmouth, MA
Lula’s Pantry, Rockport, MA
Maria Luisa Boutique, Nyack, NY
The Beach House, Vineyard Haven, MA
The Dedham Exchange, Dedham, MA
The Shop Around the Corner, Stockbridge, MA
For more info: handcrafts@arunapartnership.org
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