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The short version:

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Kia ora, I’m the maker behind Flap! Every toy and flying mobile is designed and crafted in my Nelson workshop to celebrate Aotearoa’s unique birds and biodiversity.

I believe play is powerful. The things we love as children often become the things we care for as adults. That’s why I make non-plastic, hands-on toys that spark curiosity, creativity, and a lasting love for the natural world.

From sketch to hand-painted finish, I do every step myself and keep things simple, so you’re paying for thoughtful design and craftsmanship—not fancy packaging.

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More...

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Hi, I’m Katrine. I’m a woodworker and artist based in beautiful Nelson, Aotearoa New Zealand. Flap! began when a friend asked me to make “something native bird related” as a gift for her granddaughter. Once I started researching, I realised just how much potential there was for playful, creative toys inspired by our unique wildlife.

My years of work with DOC have taken me into some of New Zealand’s most stunning landscapes and introduced me to its wonderfully characterful creatures. These experiences are the heart of my designs — each toy is a little celebration of nature, made to spark joy, curiosity, and care.

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The Philosophy

My aim with flap! is to give kids (and their parents) the option of non-plastic, non-generic, non-human-centric toys to grow up with. All of my toys are designed with a focus on the natural world rather than the human-made one, with the belief that the toys we love and cherish as kids greatly influence what we love and care about as adults. I want my toys to encourage kids to think about and consider the lives of creatures other than ourselves.

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It's equally important to me that the toys be beautiful. An aesthetic object is looked after better and less likely to be landfill as soon as the child grows tired of it. Toys can be art and art is not just a thing you put in a frame...

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Play!

One of the best parts of my job is watching people's faces light up with delight when interacting with the toys I've made. Especially adults! I think many grownups have forgotten how to be playful, or maybe just don't consider it to be a priority. How wrong they are! Play in any animal is a sign of intelligence; it's how we best learn. 

I try to design toys and puzzles that don't have "a right answer", but instead encourage creativity and exploration; toys that you play with differently each time, make you want to come back to again and again, and experience delight at the thing you've created.  

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The Toys

All of flap!'s toys and products are handmade in my home workshop, hand painted with acrylic paints, and sealed with a food safe protective finish.

The designs are my own, and constantly evolving. If you have suggestions for improvements or for new designs, I'd love to hear them. 

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