Like a lot of other people, I fell head over heels for these little guys at Acorn Style. I know in my heart that the draw (for me) is the packaging design. I love the slightly awkward way the names are translated. (Fairy Tale Animal Band and Girl with Red Hood are personal favorites.) Of course, the really sweet expressions on the wooden people themselves can’t hurt either.

I had visions of little sets of wooden people. There would be a little handmade story book tucked inside with the history of the little wooden people. I showed my test versions to my group of creative advisers. I can have a lot of ideas in any given week, and usually 85% of them are pretty bad.

The little wooden people were met with blank stares followed by a sort of slow nodding of the head and “uh-huh.” Comments included “hmm, yes, looks like something you would like.” None of this translated into “Yes! Make them!” (I clearly expect too much.)

So I’m letting them go. I do like making things, but I don’t like giving badly made things... Things where all you can say is “it was supposed to be cooler” and “in fact, it was significantly cooler in my head.”

Good-bye, little wooden people. I will remember you fondly.