This Christmas one of the hottest items under the tree in the United States, Canada and possibly even Russia will be a mechanical doll invented by a Bermudian lawyer.

Edie Robinson, general counsel for KeyTech Ltd., is turning in her white wig to become a full-time inventor, and she plans to do it from the comfort of home here in Bermuda.

Starting in 2003, she created a line of talking dolls, Mr. & Ms Wonderful, and their Wonderful kids and an African-American Mr. Wonderful have just been released.

There is also a Holiday Mr. Wonderful, Mr. Wonderful Sends His Love (a Valentine's Day version) and the My Mr. Wonderful TalkingPicture Frame (you put your own Mr. Wonderful's photo in it and it says phrases at the push of a button.)

The Wonderfuls stand a foot tall, and there is also a key-chain model available. The large Wonderfuls retail in the US between $14.99 and $19.99 and the keychain dolls retail between $5.99 and $9.99. They are a mini-dream family that say all the the things you wish your real family would say.

Ms Wonderful has lines like: "Oh you're watching the ball game, just stay there on the couch and I will whip up some snacks" and "Your new secretary is cute, I'll bet she is smart too."

Mr. Wonderful's patter includes: "Here you take the remote, as long as I'm with you I don't care what we watch."

The children, in turn, promise to clean up their rooms, eat their vegetables, and choose to play checkers over video games.

"Over 3 million items have sold," said Ms Robinson. "Mr. Wonderful is the best seller. They are being sold in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Bermuda, Australia and New Zealand. In the US the main stores are Bed Bath & Beyond, Kmart and Walgreens. We are right now making Russian and French versions."

Ms Robinson, whose father is Bermudian Dr. Wilfrid Robinson, grew up in Montreal and settled in Bermuda for good in 1996. Before joining KeyTech, she worked for Marshall and Co., now Marshall Diel & Myers.

Now she has appeared on television programmes in the United States, including the 'Daily Buzz' in Florida.

On their own, the Wonderfuls have made appearances on the 'Live with Regis & Kelly', and Barbara Walters of the 'The View', recently gave a Mr. Wonderful to television personality Star Jones. Mr. Wonderful was even a substitute anchor on Fox News one day.

"Mr. Wonderful came first," Ms Robinson said. "I was a divorce lawyer here for a number of years, and I saw a lot of relationships evolve with people not having much that was nice to say to one another. When my own marriage failed I realised I needed a Mr. Wonderful, and there are many other women out there who need one as well."

She said working on the dolls was therapeutic after her divorce.

"I have always had a lot of creative ideas," she said. "It was time to reassess my life and perhaps try something a little bit different. The other thing was, practising law in Bermuda, I needed to supplement my income to own a house. With one income it is difficult."

So she decided to take matters into her own hands by constructing her own perfect man.

"That is how Mr. Wonderful came to be," she said. "After he was so successful, I decided it would only be fair to do a Ms Wonderful. When we had the two of them, it just made sense to have Wonderful kids to round off the family."

To create the dolls, Ms Robinson first came up with their phrases, and then hired a talented graphic designer, Andy Young, from Ottawa, Canada to give them a more polished look.

"I put together a proposal which I took around to various toy companies," she said. "After trying four companies, Pro-Motions Novelty Company Inc. in San Jose, California agreed to take it on."

She found the toy company on the Internet by looking for companies making products similar to her own.

"I don't know how other people do it, but I just put together a proposal with the design and a bit of a marketing plan," she said.

"I have resigned from my job at KeyTech. As of December I will be doing this full-time. I am trying to start a more comprehensive licensing programme for the Wonderful characters."

In fact, the characters have done so well, she has been approached by two television production companies interested in making a television programme using the dolls as characters.

"I am working on a script," she said. "I have been approached a couple of times for television.

"The show would be about the Wonderful family."

She also plans to market a comic strip about the characters.

"It has actually had a lot of longevity for a novelty product," she said.

"That is why I am hoping to parlay that into other licensing opportunities. That might be confectionery or greeting cards, or various things like that. I am going to work from home and wear my jeans everyday."

The Wonderfuls have sold at Gorham's, and certain members of the Wonderful family will be on sale Trimingham's.

To check them out, go to the Trimingham Brothers Ltd. Extravaganza this Friday from 6.30 p.m. to 9 p.m.