Three hours from Riga, the capital of Latvia, is the small town of Preili. Despite its ancient history and beauty of nature, the town with a population of 9 thousand people was famous for only one thing - the cheese produced in the city.

So everything went on until a young newlywed appeared in the town, who followed her husband Vladimir, a local resident of Preili.

Vladlena was an artist and dreamer. A decorator by education, Vladlena dreamed of working as an artist, but there was no work in her specialty in the city, as there was almost nothing to which she was used to and aspired to. In addition, it seemed that the small town did not need artists at all at that time.

That would be enough for any creative person to get depressed.

But Vladlena decided that whoever, no matter how an artist (and all artists are a little magicians), can build their own dream world, wherever her destiny has thrown her.

And she rolled up her sleeves ...

At first, in the courtyard of their house, she built ... a medieval mill. Then a castle with towers with weather vane on the roofs appeared near it. And around the castle, as expected, a canal was dug. And, of course, a bridge was thrown over it. Everything is as real, although reduced several times.

Vladlena created a small medieval kingdom like a stage set.

The surprise of the neighbors knew no bounds. Surprise gave way to curiosity. Curiosity is admiration. And soon the first visitors appeared in the small kingdom.

But what theater is without costumes?

Jack of all trades, Vladlena made real dresses, hats with feathers, lace collars, gloves, swords that resembled costumes

past centuries. Several hundred costumes were made, in a variety of colors and sizes. And now visitors could change into the costume they liked and for a while, it was like becoming actors - kings and princesses, musketeers and noble ladies. This is how a miniature kingdom appeared. But that was not enough to calm down.

Vdadlena perfectly remembers the year when she first made the doll. It was 2007, and since then, Vladlena has created over 1000 dolls.

When the dolls became crowded in her small studio, the first floor of their house was transformed into an art gallery - with glass showcases behind which her amazing dolls are displayed. They are all like actors and heroes of fairy tales known to many, frozen in motion.

The family's private gallery and fairy kingdom have become some of Preili's main attractions.

Vladlena, familiar to many amateurs and collectors, together with her husband Vladimir and the head of the city, organized the first international exhibition of designer dolls in Preili, which has been attracting crowds of visitors and artists from all over the world to the city for 5 years.

For her services to the city, Vladlena received the title of an honorary resident of the Preili region. Only 12 people have been honored with this award in the entire 600-year history of the city.

Vladlena herself travels a lot with her dolls around the world, but more

all she loves to be at home, in a small doll kingdom - Lellukaralvalsts, which she and Vladimir created with their own hands.

“It doesn't matter where you live, it’s important how,” Vladlena is convinced.