Crafts by Tanhupallo

Kiti Kokkonen 2018: Tanhupallon askartelukirja

I adore this book!

Ms. Kiti Kokkonen is a comedienne, who created a character for the tv-show "Putous" this year.  The Character's name is Tanhupallo (Squaredance-ball) and she is five or six years old.  I love this character, she is so funny and clever taking like a grown up and not making any sense. Ms. Kokkonen is about 150 cm (5 ft) and next to the Putous host, who is 190 cm (6 ft 3 inch) the contrast is remarkable.

This book is about the crafts that Tanhupallo makes. It has also stories about Tanhupallo's parents, grandparents and the neighbor girl.

The crafts are categorized in three sections: super super easy, pretty easy and might get frustrated. All are easy to make with kids and with materials you have at home.

Might get frustrated section starts here.

I love crafts, but I don't think I am very good at. Now I have made peace with this and I settle in making Christmas cards and nothing else, because my crafts look like they were made by a five-year old.

Puppet theater with paper figures. Lovely!

In Finland the high class craft show is called Strömsö. We even have a saying that something did not go as in Strömsö (ei mennyt niin kuin Strömsössä). Meaning that the result is far from perfect.  At Strömsö everything looks easy, but when I do it, it is not. Now Tanhupallo's book I can imagine that I actually could make my crafts look like hers.

I added a clip from Putous this spring, where Tanhupallo is taking a vacation and is suggesting all kinds of destinations and activities to the host. But when the host suggests that they should go to New York, Tanhupallo makes a face indicating that the host has lost his mind. This imagination game isn't for grownups! I wish I could make the same face, when people make absurd suggestions at work or just act stupid.

Pikkuli's birthday

Metsämarja Aittokoskski 2017: Pikkulin sytymäpäivä

Pikkuli's birthay is coming and Mom ask what he/she wants as a gift. Would he like a red car? Pikkuli starts to imagine: crayons, ball, binoculars, bike, fins and a bear. Suddenly there is a long list. Mom and Dad sigh deep. Pikkuli decides to draw a picture of everything he wants. Then he draws an invitation to all with a picture of a gift he wants.

Pikkuli delivers the invitations. He says to frog, he is allowed to come to Pikkuli's birthday and he may bring a skate board.
Then Pikkuli reaches the Hazel Hen house, where he delivers seven invitations to the chicks. The chicks know, that their mother can't buy seven presents, so they are figure out only one of them gets to go. Oh the sorrow!

I love a map of locations.

The others get a similar invitation. Pikkuli is excited, this is going to be the best birthday party ever! Pikkuli's sister thinks Pikkuli cannot force the others to bring him presents. Mother says they'll come up with something. Mom adn Dad decide to go talk with the invited guests.


On his birthay Pikkuli wakes up, but nobody is home.  He can't find any one. Soon the others show up as well carrying treats and flowers.  The spider spins a trampoline for Pikkuli. The birthday lasts all day. In the evening Pikkuli says, this was the best birthday ever.

Pikkuli wants a present from all hazel hen chicks.

He learned his lesson.  Great message: what is the real reason for inviting guests? My youngest still thinks it is getting gifts. After this, maybe not any more. Pikkuli learns.

Little Mouse helps out

Riikka Jäntti 2017
English translation Lola Rogers

Little Mouse is big enough to do things himself. At breakfast he wants to pour juice himself: it spills on the table. He puts his dirty clothes on the wash machine. He wants to mop the floor, NOW.  He wants to clean the toilet.  He wants to make pasta bake and wash the dishes.

His friend Pip comes to visit and together they build a fort.  Pip wants to play with Little Mouse's bear, so does Little Mouse. It turns into a fight. Mom has to step in and make them share.  Finally they play tag together and watch the thunderstorm outside.





Even though Little Mouse is not really helpful, only by participating the small learn. Many times I want to do the house chore myself, because the Little Helpers cause more chore, when they help me. But I am learning to let go, too. Having kids is great, you learn all kinds of things.

Otso and Karhunkierros

Jukka Parkkinen 2008: Karhumäen Otso ja Karhunkierros
Illustrator: Pia Westerholm

Aunt Amalia has a birthday and constable Oiva Karhunen gives her  and Otso a camping trip to Karhunkierros. Aunt Amalia loves nature, but is at her best in a well groomed park. She is not very excited to sleep in the cold damp forest.

The drive to the starting point of the round, even then Aunt Amalia tries to persuade the others to stay in a hotel. Constable Karhunen refuses and the start the round.

Evening falls and they start to set up camp. Unfortunately constable Karhunen forgot the tent poles. Aunt Amalia finds great poles from sign posts that forbid making fire and littering. They do not forbid their use of tent poles.

I especially like the pikes and fish sticks
waiting for a submarine

When they reach a river, with a suspension brigde hanging over it.  Aunt Amalia is afraid of the brigde and freezes, when they reach the mid point. The bridge starts swinging and the bears fall into the river. Constable Karhunen loses his bag and the bears build a raft to go after the bag.  And of course there is white water.  But they find the backpack!

In summer time, there is always something to eat in the forest.

They build a campfire with hay and sticks, since their matches got wet. Their food got lost, when they took a dive to the river, so they have to find something else.  Constable Karhunen and Otso pick up berries, Aunt Amalia wants to go fishing, which the others find odd, since she does not have anything to fish with. But she is a resourceful one, she has yarn and a bobby pin in her purse.

She gets fish, Otso and constable Karhunen find not only berries but mushrooms as well.  The leftover porridge is used as pan cakes the next morning. Constable Karhunen finds honey and the bees find him. Soon he is running as fast as he can.

They have spend a week in the forest and they lost the trail, when they fell into the river. Constable Karhunen claims that he knows exactly where they are. He has a map. Of the Bearhill not Karhunkierros. Aunt Amalia is getting bored and is tired of porridge, she wants ice cream. She orders the others to follow her. Suddenly the forest starts to thin out, there is a road and an ice cream van. Aunt Amalia thanks constable Karhunen for a lovely experience.

I have wanted to go to Karhunkierros for a while now. But like Aunt Amalia, I am more of a hotel than a tent person.  Usually the camping/ hiking trips are very romanticized, but this book gives a glimpse of what might happen. Maybe I'll just stick to the day trips in Southern Finland.