Gabrielė B. grew up in Lithuania surrounded by women who made things with their hands: She learned to knit and embroider at a young age, under the guidance of her grandmother and mother (who still sends her hand-knitted socks in the mail). Soon after, Gabrielė’s aunt began teaching her to felt wool, and as her expertise grew, her sculpted creations shrank in size. In 2009, she opened Mistr Sandman, a charming repository for an adorable zoo of felted wool pocket-sized animals, and more recently, baby mobiles.
Today, when she isn’t at school studying to become a music director in Berlin, Gabrielė grounds herself with what she describes as the time-consuming but deeply fulfilling process of felting wool. She never sketches, but simply goes straight to her materials and lets them speak to her. To pass the time, she often finds herself inventing little stories about her creatures, which she sometimes posts in her listing descriptions. “It’s a fun way to kick start the imagination of my customers, thinking about what kind of world my little creatures would live in,” she says.
Read on to discover Gabrielė’s touching connection to her tiniest customers and what inspires her designs—then shop the Mistr Sandman collection.
Do you see any link between your music studies and this kind of creative work? Does one ever influence the other?
For me, these are two clearly separate worlds. I am a musician, but I’m also a director, and that requires very intensive mental and physical labor. When I come home to work with felt, with wool, to make these animals, it completely grounds me. I really need that in my life. Working with my hands isn’t about metaphysical ideas, dramaturgy, or philosophy. It’s just about making people happy.
Have you always been drawn to miniatures?
When I was younger and first started working with wool, my sculptures were on a much larger scale. But felting is very time consuming. Now, my animals are about four inches tall. I think they just look cuter when they’re small—you have the whole world of this little animal in your hands. It’s graspable cuteness!
Do you carry around any of your bears or animals in your own pocket?
I do, yes! When I know that I’m going to see a person who may need a gift. Or when I work with children in the theater, instead of carrying candies, I might have a bear in my pocket. When I take it out, it suddenly, instantly, relaxes the atmosphere. They are just little felted things, but people find and create real meaning in them.
You also sell seasonal items and particularly adorable holiday designs like pocket-sized reindeers and tree ornaments.
Some people buy my animals for themselves, but most people buy them as gifts. It’s part of the family bonding experience. I always make the reindeers for this time of year, but penguins are also very in. I also create pumpkin bears for Thanksgiving, and candy cane bears for the holidays.
Tell me about your relationship with your customers. What makes creating these tiny, felted creatures and sending them out into the world so fulfilling?
I’ll get the longest letters from people telling me how their loved ones reacted to receiving an animal, or how a little bear helped them remember a person they lost recently. I once got an order for a custom set of breast cancer awareness bears for a whole family; they wanted to support a relative who was going through a difficult time.
Most of the letters that I get now are from families who recently had babies. I’ll make a mobile before the baby comes to life, and then suddenly there is a connection between me and this little person coming into the world. The mobiles were a turning point for my shop. Why not share this magic from the very beginning of a life? You instinctively want to surround the one you unbelievably love with the tenderest things.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love to see people’s reactions to my bears. They are just so silly and cute, and I think that’s what’s missing in a lot of people’s lives. My customers tell me that my little animals touch the child in the body of every grown up. That’s what gives me the drive to keep making them.
When do you feel most inspired?
I read a lot for my studies, and in my daily life, but I’m absolutely obsessed with really well illustrated children’s books. I also love animals. The animals in my shop are a crafted likeness of real animals. Real animals have childishness to them—they’re not complicated, they just live. I think you see a glimpse of that when you see my little felted creatures.
So, what’s next for Mistr Sandman?
I want to develop an idea that I’ve had for years: a line of do-it-yourself kits so that people can learn to felt and make their own little creatures. I know how important it was for me to learn a craft, and how much joy it brought me. Learning and teaching, for me, are very important. There’s also a new safari animal mobile that’s waiting for me to finish!
Follow Mistr Sandman on Instagram.
Photographs courtesy of Mistr Sandman.
58 comments
DeUno from DeUno said 3 years ago
So cute! Love your shop! Congratulations on the feature!
Rhonda Stubbs from RhondaCorner said 3 years ago
OH my! What great little creatures and your story is amazing. Yes! your animals do bring out the joy in adults. Thank you for sharing and I wish you the very best on your future endeavors.
TropicalGarden from TropicalGarden said 3 years ago
So adorable! Congratulations on the feature:)
Donna Roberge from DonnaRobergePhoto said 3 years ago
I love your creations! Congratulations on the feature and good luck with your shop!
Megan from MegansMenagerie said 3 years ago
Absolutely adorable shop! Congratulations on the feature!
Mary Robertson from MaggiesInn said 3 years ago
What a wonderful story to start off the week. You have a happy shop and beautiful items!
Niki from JandEdoodles said 3 years ago
So. Stinkin. Cute! Love all of your tiny, adorable creations!
Monika Moroz from NickoArts said 3 years ago
Such a lovely shop :) Thank you for sharing your interesting story. Congratulations on the feature. I wish you much success.
Yadaluk from Muntra said 3 years ago
Love love your work!! Congrats. I love your gorgeous shop!
Loribeth from MomentsOfArt said 3 years ago
These are adorable! I love them! Congratulations on your feature!
renee and gerardo from GTDesigns said 3 years ago
Adorbs!!! Darling line - love the bees!!! Congrats on a charming feature!!
mari from frighten said 3 years ago
The ones with the duckie inner tubes are so cute!
Sherri from ButterflyFeetDigital said 3 years ago
Seriously cute critters! Congrats on the feature!
ClassicMemories from ClassicMemories said 3 years ago
What an adorable shop. Great items and so cute. Congrats on the feature.
accentonvintage from accentonvintage said 3 years ago
Adorable work! Congrats!
Olga from CupkeeperStore said 3 years ago
Oh her creations are SO cute! I couldn't imagine that felted miniatures were able to impress me this much! Now I found the PERFECT gift for a pregnant friend of mine :)
Kashuen Collectibles from Kashuen said 3 years ago
Such an adorable shop. I love all of the miniatures. Congratulations on the feature.
Vintage Gypsy Studios from BohemianGypsyCaravan said 3 years ago
What cute little critters !
Priscilla from Gardenmis said 3 years ago
Your creatures are so adorable! Congrats on the feature and best wishes for achieving all your goals and dreams :)
Jennifer and Gary Pierce from LoftAtticEarth said 3 years ago
Your creations are delightful. Love the idea of "graspable cuteness." Best wishes as your business grows! Looking forward to the do it yourself kits.
Tim and Brigita Cornwell from jacobswoodentoys said 3 years ago
So sweet! Congratulations on the feature. Well deserved.
Marusya Love from MarusyaFinds said 3 years ago
Good job. your story is amazing
Jennifer Tyson from LadyInPurpleBoutique said 3 years ago
Your shop is so lovely and I love the candy cane bear! Congrats on the feature and wishing you and your shop continued success!
Patti Trostle from PattiTrostle said 3 years ago
So cute! Congrats on the feature!
One Stop Steampunk Shoppe from OneStopSteamShoppe said 3 years ago
Adorable creations! Congratulations on the feature! : )
Dig Deep Vintage from digdeepvintage said 3 years ago
I am amazed at the careful delicate details of your work-such artistry and skill! Congrats on your success-the cutest!
Elena from BetulaPainting said 3 years ago
Love all of your creations! Congratulations on the feature!
Anna from FairyToysWorld said 3 years ago
Your items are so beautiful! Good luck!!!
Maria from StyleGraphicDesign said 3 years ago
Soooo adorable!!!!!
Vadim Moroz from VadimMorozArt said 3 years ago
Wonderful little creatures! Congratulations on the feature! All the Best!
Flair Nouri from FlairPaintings said 3 years ago
Very nice and creative!!!
Bozhena Fuchs from FuchsArtStudio said 3 years ago
It's amazing! I love this collection! ❤
Marina Palovaara from LaPetiteNina said 3 years ago
Adorable little creations..
Asha Hill from TinyTinyBeads said 3 years ago
Adorable little things, but what really made me happy is seeing a smiling face of the maker. Congratulations on being featured, your items are so cute!
Wendy from DrevanM said 3 years ago
Adorable! I love that you make up stories about them while working on them. Congrats on the feature!
Jan Lerum from SandhillHouseVintage said 3 years ago
Creations of pure joy--bravo and thank you!
Pardar Chia from NaturaSilver said 3 years ago
Wonderful cozy creation. Creative & lovely. Congrats for your feature!!
Cathy White from msbijouxjewelry said 3 years ago
Super cute and you look SO happy, congratulations on the feature!
Nicole from KarmaCodeOne said 3 years ago
Absolutely a heartwarming story ~ Creative and adorable inside and out ! Cheers much continued success ~!~
Yuri Pysar from Pysar said 3 years ago
these little creatures are extremely sweet. Congrats on the feature and lots of success to you :)
Rada Danilovic from RadArtaDesign said 3 years ago
So cute and adorable...shop with soul :)
Rada Danilovic from RadArtaDesign said 3 years ago
I am in love with your lovely shop!
anapedraza5761 from Angels22Things said 3 years ago
Beautiful Creations! Unique...Love them..You are just awesome. Keep up the good work.
Sujata from TreasuredMemoryLane said 3 years ago
Sooo Cute and adorable creations! Congratulations on the feature!
Diane Nelson from DianeNelsonCreates said 3 years ago
These are the cutest little figures I have ever seen. I am so glad you were featured here or I might never have seen them.
Blue Bella Beads from BlueBellaBeads said 3 years ago
Very cute shop
Rosemary Lambert from cardhugs said 3 years ago
So sweet! Keep up the lovely work! My favorite was the bear with the inner tube, ready to go for a swim!
Renee from RandMhandmade said 3 years ago
Very Cute!! Congratulations!!!
Debra Gilstrap from gilstrapdesigns said 3 years ago
They are so adorable I just love your mobiles much continued success!!!
Estela Delgado said 3 years ago
Hi my name is Estela I'm going to be a Glamma my daughter is having a baby, we still don't know the gender however I saw the Baby Mobile you make and they are beautiful. I wanted to know if you can make me one of butterflies, my daughter and mom were very close and she loved butterflies, even my daughters bridal shower and wedding had butterflies. can you make one as soon as I find out the gender, or the color of the room, is there anything that I can see how it would look? also I Love the Reindeer, how big is it? I would like to get one for her for xmas as a starter baby gift, please let me know assoon as you can. thanks Estela
Kim Cole from BeachDaisyJewelry said 3 years ago
So cute, what a lovely shop! Congrats on the feature, love all your sweet creatures. The reindeer, the bears with the duck swimming ring and the bears with a flower belly are my favorites!!
AnitasPottery.com from potterybyAnita said 3 years ago
Oh, how I love tiny things! And your adorable animals are SO CUTE! I also play piano, so we have a lot in common! Glad to "meet" you and wish you much success with your shop! ♥♥♥
Jennifer Church from PeachesNCreamQuilts said 3 years ago
Oh! I'm so happy to see all these creative people making what they love to make. Being an artist, and quilt maker myself it just reassures me that there are other people out there in the world who just love to live and make things that truly make them happy and others too! Jennifer PeachesNCreamQuilts Martinez, CA
Jerry and Opal from ApronStringsOwlLady said 3 years ago
Adorable, love your art and your wonderful smile :) congratulations on your special feature. Blessings, Opal
Amy Gunderson from amysfunkyfibers said 3 years ago
sweet little creatures! Love the mobiles- the best to you and your success!
Jeannie from MysticalRaindrops said 3 years ago
Your items are so cute. They give a warm and fuzzy feeling.
foofoogal54 from GracefulVtgClothing said 3 years ago
So gifted. These are adorable. foo
Mary Hanner said 2 years ago
Oh, I am in love!!!!!!