The Countree Toy Shoppe

by Sarah James (Subscribe to Sarah James's posts)
Apr 1st 2008 11:00AM

Filed under: Toys

I've spent many pennies at Etsy on baby clothes and accessories, but I've never spent much time looking at toys. Until now. These awesome wooden toys created by Brian Driscoll at Countree Toy Shoppe are some of the best-looking and imaginative toys I've seen anywhere.

Based in Northern Michigan, Brian works primarily with mixed hardwoods that he hand selects from a local sawmill to produce his creations. All paints are 100% lead-free, and he uses pure mineral oil for a good non-toxic finish. As he says at his shop, "It has to be safe for children or I won't sell it."

Take a look at some of his hand-crafted and animated designs. Some of my favorites are the Caterpillar Pull Toy and the Car Carrier. I'm so glad people like Brian are able to utilize the internet to get their fantastic products to the mainstream public.