Hey friend—it’s me, Jules. I’ve always believed the best children’s things feel like a warm hug. They’re friendly, a little bit cheeky, and they invite toddlers to play without all the noise. They sit on the shelf and softly say, “Will you play with me?”
That’s the spirit behind our new assortment of toys, softies, and sweet decor that grew out of the Pet House wall decals you welcomed into nurseries and playrooms last year. And now, our furry friends are leaping off the wall and into cute little hands. I’ll show you how we made them, our inspiration, and a few gift ideas for showers, toddler birthdays, and Nana’s just-because days.
P.S. If you are in the carpool line and the line is about to start moving, just click the button to go directly to our fun new offerings. :-) Or skip to the end to see the little video.
But if you are hanging out with your cat, and he or she will allow it, please read on to hear about the way a drawing becomes a toy. ;-)
How Pet House began (and why I kept drawing dogs on my homework)
The origin story goes way back to the inside flaps of my grade-school workbooks. One summer, my sister took a cartooning class at Laguna Gloria in Austin and came home with a dog character I adored. I copied it in every margin for a decade. It was easy to draw, friendly, and very impressive to onlookers. I’m pretty sure I didn’t give her artistic credit for my renditions, but I do consider my homework-dog doodles as my earliest master studies. ;-) That goofy, lovable dog is still in my fingertips, and every Pet House face owes a tiny debt to that pup.
Fast forward to the Christmas I finally crossed the line between “maybe” and “I believe.”
After years of begging our parents for a dog, we took matters into our own hands and asked Santa. And guess what?! He delivered. Mocha padded into our lives on Christmas morning and transformed everything.
She wasn’t really a pet—more the extra sister or fun aunt you want to sit next to at Thanksgiving. Mocha was patient, costume-tolerant, and deeply dignified in a way I still try to capture in our animal characters. If you notice a calm smile or hopeful eyes here and there, that’s Mocha saying, “I love you… and also… is there a snack?”
From our painting table to your playroom
When we designed our Pet House wall decals, I painted a world of gentle textures, soft checks and stripes, and pets with cozy, slightly sassy personalities. (If you want the backstory, you can read the making-of-decals post here.) Then families started asking for keepsake baby gifts that felt as special as the wall decor.
Here’s how we did it: We created all the original artwork in our Virginia Beach studios. Next, we printed, die-cut, packaged, and shipped the popular wall decals from our Virginia Beach office. For the toys, gifts, and decor, we partnered with our longtime friends at Primitives by Kathy in Pennsylvania. Their team then coordinated with skilled makers around the world to bring each piece to life. It was a true art-to-object collaboration. Here are a few before-and-afters that show how a drawing becomes a mockup, and then becomes a toy to love.
From watercolor artwork to thoughtfully-made toy. When samples arrive, we’re always amazed by how closely the artisans honor the original art. Check out this sassy scholar: glasses, whiskers, cozy sweater texture... the whole vibe. You can almost hear the cat thinking, “I look good.” It’s like seeing the painting step off the page and pose for a tiny portrait on wheels.
From art board to soft book. On our concept boards, you can spot the early decisions. We chose a soft book format parents love, then tucked in sensory touches: crinkle paper inside the pages and a little squeaker. These details encourage cause-and-effect play, fine-motor exploration, and early sensory processing without overwhelming little ears. In plain speak: it’s never too early to learn, especially when learning feels like playing.
From watercolor details to embroidered charm. And then there were the faces. We debated ears and whiskers, paws and stripes. We wanted the personalities to land between sweet and mischeivous, the look pets give you when they absolutely adore you... and also know exactly where the treats are. You’ll spot this expression across the collection, from the cat-nap softies to the let’s-be-loud xylophone pup.
Keepsake Toddler Gifts: Two of Our Favorites
Alphabet Snake Chunky Puzzle for Toddlers When we received our samples, I pulled out the alphabet snake for our 4-year-old to place in order, but our two-year-old surprised me by loving it just as much, only in a different way. We’re in that blissful stage where he loves to pull things out and put them back: Q-tips out of the box, back in the box. Pots and pans out of the cabinet, back in the cabinet. Shoes out of the closet, mostly back in the closet. The snake puzzle’s cotton drawstring bag turns that instinct into a quiet little ritual: pour the pieces out, pop them back... repeat. It’s alphabet time for a four-year-old or sensory time for a two-year-old, or quietly-start-dinner time for a mom-year-old. :-)
Rolling Dog and Rolling Cat These two toys glide through hallways, under tables, and, my personal favorite, across the living-room floor while grown-ups finish dinner. The palette is intentionally muted so the toys can live happily with your decor. Confession: I keep a catch-all basket of toys in almost every room. These are the ones I like on top; they’re far more palatable than, say, a cherry-red fire engine or a neon-yellow flashing gladiator sword (which we love… just tucked under the rolling dog and xylophone pup).
Soft Neutrals for Keepsake Baby Gifts and Playroom Decor
I love a palette that calms a room before the toys even get put away. Pet House sits in warm neutrals with friendly grays, terracotta, and a little smoky blue. The faces pop, the shapes read from across the room, and nothing screams for attention. That means you can tuck a rolling dog on a bookshelf or let the wodden snake puzzle live on the coffee table without feeling like a confetti canon went off on top of your living room decor.
Inside the Making: Art-to-Object for Modern Nursery Decor
People often ask, “How do you go from watercolor to wood?” The answer: slowly, and with a lot of squinting. I paint characters in layers: wash, line, texture... then the talented artisans rebuild those layers using engraved lines, printed screens, and embroidered threads. Our partners help translate that softness into safe, durable playthings. We approve materials and finishes that are sturdy and kind to small hands, and we add the tiny touches that make something feel gift-worthy the moment you open the box.
HERE ARE A FEW MIX-AND-MATCH GIFT IDEAS
Baby shower “quiet play” bundle
• Soft Book + Squeaky Bird + Rattle Cat
• Add a card that reads, “For those sweet in-between moments.”
• Wrap with a loose ribbon and tuck in a tiny sprig of eucalyptus for a touch of natural bling.
First-birthday “on the go” set
• Rolling Dog or Rolling Cat + Pet Chunky Puzzle.
• Card can read: “For rolling down the hallway or rolling down the grocery store aisle, have fun wherever life takes you."
Sibling-friendly duo
• Dog Xylophone + Alphabet Snake Puzzle
• Message might say: “Do-Re-Mi for one, A-B-C for the other. Congratulations on your growing family!”
Gift-to-Self - Decor + Play
• Place a minimal shelf with a Cat Softie perched on top and a Rolling Cat or Dog parked below.
• Add the Pet House removable wall decals near the shelf to pull the vignette together.
• Enjoy your happy corner for a pet-loving child and a design-loving mom.
Thanks for cheering on these little friends
What I hope you feel when you open your package: A little bit of the studio table, a little bit of Mocha, and a lot of your own family’s story waiting to happen. Maybe it’s a baby giggling at a tiny squeak; maybe it’s a toddler pouring puzzle pieces out and placing them back one by one; maybe it’s a big kid pulling a rolling pup down the hallway while you finish your coffee. However it looks at your house, I hope it feels like a happy tail wag or a warm sun-spot nap.
Thank you for loving these pets as much as we do.
—Julianna and the Mej Mej family
PS Here's a little video about all the new fur buddies who have turned into real toys.
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The Author: Julianna Larsen
Julianna is a lead illustrator and designer at Mej Mej, and the "daughter" half of the mother-daughter artist duo behind all of our artwork. Her creative journey began in her mother's art studio where she learned to use pencil and paint long before she could spell "art." After earning degrees in fine art and design, she now creates in her own studio—with two little boys watching her work, just like she once watched her mom. From watercolor to digital art, Julianna brings imagination to life in every piece. Together with her parents, Cathy and Jim, and her husband, Anton, she helps design, manufacture, and ship unique children’s gifts to families around the world.
