These charming and versatile decorative objects–woody-ruties or rūtusėliai in Lithuanian–are described as “small wooden gifts with a cosy feeling” by their creators, Lithuanian artisans Rūta and Linas Ambrasūnas of EtnoDesign. Indeed few can resists the comforting appeal of these whimsical creatures, not only for their folk-art-inspired designs, but also for the accompanying descriptions, which spell out each ruty’s distinctive charms. These light-weight, laminated, die-cut wooden figurines can be enjoyed in multiple ways, as their makers explain:
Ruties fit in the palm of your hand, are wood-scented, and easily adapt to the lifestyle of a kind-hearted person. Ruties enjoy swinging in a window; hanging from lamps; decorating walls, furniture, and doors as magnets or appliques; and peeking out from holiday bouquets and Christmas trees. They even love serving as secret messengers: Simply attach one to a cheerful note, hang it on a neighbor or friend’s door, ring the door bell, and quickly run away.