I went to a matryoshka doll painting class this afternoon, paid 250R for the wooden doll and use of the pattern, brushes, and paints. Unfortunately, we only had an hour to finish it. This was fun but I wish we would of had more time to get it done as mine needs at least another hour to finish the base coat and add the decorations. So here she is before she gets dolled up, a little girl dressed in blue jeans and holding a heart. It isn't nearly as artistic as the dolls they sell here, but it was painted in Russia and will make a great memory. I bought two sets of Matryoshka nesting dolls, the first set is painted in the style of the first nesting dolls made in 1892 (it has five dolls) and the second set is based on the Russian folk tale "The Turnip." (It has 6 dolls, grandpa holding a turnip, grandma, granddaughter, dog, cat, and mouse.) The dolls were originally exhibited at the Paris Exposition in 1890 where they earned a bronze medal and after that people all over Russia began making them.