Folk-Art Dala Horse Plaque

A jaunty folk-art pony, every inch of it patterned by hand. This relief carving is a stylised little horse straight out of the Scandinavian and Slavic folk tradition — think Dala horse crossed with a springerle mould. It stands in profile, legs braced in a stiff, toy-like stance, with a fat arched mane combed into radiating ridges, a long swept tail of parallel grooves, and a cheeky slit eye and grin. What makes it sing is the decoration: rows of dotted studs, bands of little triangles, a quilted diamond-and-dot blanket over the haunch, and a neat palmette fan tucked under the belly. A raised border traces the animal's outline like a cookie-cutter frame. It works beautifully as a rustic wall plaque, a nursery decoration or a genuine baking stamp for gingerbread and shortbread. CNC notes: • Two-tool job: a small V-bit for the crisp triangles, dots and mane lines, then a ball-nose to round the body and the mane ridges. • Keep the relief fairly shallow and the pattern walls clean — this design is all about legible surface texture, not depth. • Beech, maple or pear cut cleanest and, if you want to press dough with it, are food-safe once sealed with a food-grade oil. • Carve it as a positive relief for a wall piece; mirror and pocket the model instead if you would rather have a mould to press or cast from.