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.