Toilet Roll Project (TRP) :: Ta-dah!

 

Hello! As you can see, we are Ta-dah-ing today and I am so so so happy to be here!

I love writing my Ta-dah posts. Like really, really L♥O♥V♥E it. I guess I must've written quite a few of them in the two and a half years since I began this blogging lark, and I always get such a thrill out of sharing with you all. I mean, it's fun sharing the ideas and the inspiration and the on going creative process, but revealing the Finished Object is the most fun of all. Nothing like a pretty successful Finished Object to make one feel accomplished and really rather good and heart-skippy all the way down to ones toes.

What often surprises me about my ta-da-hing is that I tend to feel the same huge surge of excitement no matter what the size of the project. In other words, it could be a big crochet blanket that's taken more than half a year to complete, or a batty little craft project which comes together in a matter of days :: the excitement factor is generally as huge for both.

So yes :: toilet roll tubes then, here we go....

This quirky little project began back here if you remember. Nothing major, just a spot of spontaneous late summer crafting with the Little People. A fairly pointless project really if the truth be told, but oh my, how it captivated me! How I LOVED making it happen! This little project (the TRP) really got me excited to the point where I seriously began to feel extremely un-normal. I mean, I was stopping my neighbours in the street and talking nineteen to the dozen about toilet roll tubes, and that's not normal behaviour is it, to get so excited about bits of cardboard?

But excited I was, and then some. I think it was a whole combination of things really that made this little project so top notch for me. It was the fact that I was doing it with the Little Peeps, and it felt like a long while since we'd been creative together. It was the fact that I could get out all my lovely crafty bits of fabric and trims and buttons and beads which had not seen the light of day for a fair old while. And it was the fact that we were making and representing Our Family, which happens to be something I am passionate about. And to somehow see us all set out, all Five of us really made me think about my children and the fact that there are now three of them. Cos in many ways I am still somewhat getting used to the fact that Little B is here and that we are indeed a family of five. Not four. Five. Yikes! Those innocent toilet rolls proved to be quite a reality check!

Lovely isn't it when you go skipping through blogland and you discover a new voice, a new creative spirit? Sadly I don't have time to pootle through Blogland like I used to, but I do still love seeing what other folks are getting up to creatively. I like to feel inspired as much as the next person. So I was delighted to discover Jane over at Teawagon Tales and to feel inspired by what she was doing. And in fact, it was she who suggested I needed to make my own Toilet Roll Self something crochety to wear. Oh the joy! Hooking those little mini granny squares was the best fun ever. My cup did runneth over!

I am really excited to be showing you the TRP.

Like ants-in-my-pants-yippety-yeeehaw excited.

Can you tell?

Nearly time.

I didn't take many photos of the work in progress cos truthfully I was way too engrossed in it to pause and go get the camera.

The Little People really did me proud you know. They somehow sensed that this project was important to me and they put a lot of effort into making it work. They really thought hard about how they wanted their clothes to look, and they got sheets of paper and practiced drawing all kinds of different faces for themselves until they were happy with what they came up with. I assisted them with the hair, but mostly the rest was down to them.

So.

You wanna see?

OK, a little peek..............

.....ahhhhhhhhhh there we are look, the Attic24 T-roll family, looking all cutey on the mantel.

They look right at home don't they?

Sorry?

You can't see them very well?

You need me to go closer?

Zoom in you say?

Show you some detail?

OK, of course....

....just for you....

Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you think we did good, the Little Peeps and Me??

Love love love love love love LOVE my Cardboard Family!

Let us introduce ourselves...........

This is Me, modelling my very own dinky little crochet cardie, isn't it just a teeny bit super? I made little one-round granny squares using embroidery thread worked on a 2.5mm hook, joined on-the-go. A button to finish. Oddments of fabric and ribbon for my outfit, felty brown hair in a very Fetching Style. And to finish off, a little pretty hair clip cos that's what I wear most days.

Little Lady and I look remarkably similar in real life so I'm told, only her hair is much darker and her eyes are blue (mine are green). She chose the fabrics for her outfit and even drew a picture of exactly how she wanted herself to look. We worked on our faces together on paper first, drawing out lots of different variations until we were both happy. It wasn't spontaneous. It was very well thought out. And a little nerve wracking actually doing it for real, with Non Adjustable felt tip pens. Oh the strain! I held my breath the whole way through when Little Lady did hers, I honestly did, but she did great. She got herself in a little bit of a tizzy when her rosy cheeks didn't line up, but oh I was so proud of her.

Ahhh Little Man...my Big Boy. It took a bit of gentle persuading to get him in on the TRP, but when he finally did join in the fun he really enjoyed it I think. I allowed him to chop up some of Little B's grown-out-of dungarees so that he could have some denim, and he designed his top based on one that he actually owns. The 8 is cos he has just turned eight. But what really got me was the way he drew his face....awww, so cute, with tongue out and freckles and everything, this is so very him I tell you, he really did great.

And this is of course our Little Baby B. I made him first before I made myself and honestly, I was squeeeeealing with delight just making his little outfit (the sleeve from an old vest of his). Then once I got to drawing on his little cheeky baby face, well that nearly sent me over the edge. I've no idea why I was soooooooo excited, but I honestly was beside myself with happiness when TR-Little-B was born.

And last but not least, here is J. He was great fun to make. Easy hair cos he has None. I made his shirt from one of Little B's teeny tiny old baby shirts, and J's amazing face was drawn by Little Man. I asked him to draw his Dad's face on a piece of paper first as I was really curious to see what he would come up with and knew instinctively that it would be miles better than anything I could do. How right I was. It's fabulously accurate, even down to the wonky glasses.  I LOvE it.

Incidentally, I also had Little Man's assistance during the Photo Shoot :: I wanted to do it in similar style to Jane's, with some sort of prop to represent each of us. He chose all the props excepting mine which I was quite adamant about, it had to be fresh flowers from the back yard for me. I was really stumped with what to use for J (couldn't put a computer on the mantel), and it was Little Man who thought of this "Dad's Army" DVD box set which is a current obsession with J right now (yawn, that show drives me demented with boredom, but hey-ho, each to their own and all that). Just so you know.

So :: there we are, the Attic24 Toilet Roll Family. All complete and looking fine and dandy. Oh I have enjoyed writing this post, hope you've enjoyed sharing this daft little bit of Creative Nonsense with me.

Now then, just before I love you and leave you and head for bath and bed, can I quickly show you my picture that's also up above there?

I treated myself to it a month or so ago and it makes me so incredibly happy every time I look at it (which is often). It's a small print taken from an original by the supremely talented and very lovely Julia Crossland. Ahh it just makes my heart sing, it really does. You can find this print along with others in her online shop, do go and take a look. Lovely.

Right-o my Lovelies, I am out of here and off to run me a hot bubble bath, followed by clean pyjamas and a little bit of hooky.

See you all soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Comments

[RV Bedding]

This is a amazing I know this is a good project.
RV Bedding

[Livvy McGlinchey]

I do messy church & are next theme is people of the world, what inspiration you have given to those of us doing the craft!!

[Kirstin Walden Crockford]

I've just found you today, on FB... and then on to here... love love love this blog LOL... reminded of me & the nippers last Christmas making toilet roll Santas... what a great afternoon we had & what brilliant Santas we ended up with :)

[Наталья]

Как здорово! Оригинально придумано!

[Sarah]

They are adorable! I always knew there had to be something we could make from all those TP rolls. Lol glad you figured it out.

[zaheda]

Looking at all these wonderful pictures and reading about ur days at the Attic ...all of this brings such warmth to my heart...there is such innocent, warm, feminine, maternal old-world charm to ur blog which takes me away to my childhood days when there were no computers, no smartphones, no cable tv n life was just like it is in Attic24. Thank u Lucy!!

[Karen Williams]

I know I am a year late in reading this post!! as I have said before I love reading about your daily events and regular Tah-Das. and I totally understand how you can get so excited over toilet roll people I have been sat here grinning like a "cheshire cat" and getting so excited with the joy it brings you FAB!! I think I need to get a life lol........x

[robella]

I love it!!! I collected also some toilet rolls to do something nice with them ( but never did something until now) and I must thank you for this wonderful idea. Your TRP family is so cute and unique. I love your work. Hugs from Robella (from Romanian Country)

[Bunk Bed]

Amazing what you can do with an empty toilet paper roll and to think you can get the whole family involved in the project too. It looks like something you might buy in a gift shop. Lovely.

[Pink Velvet Bird]

LOVE these paper/fiber folks! Well done!
Pink Velvet Bird

[Stefani]

Those are too cute! I love all the little details. :-)

[Jess Stephens]

We made two very beautiful toilet roll ladies on one very wet New Zealand day recently, my girls LOVED it and we used all sorts of bits and bobs. Thank you for saving me on a wet day :)

[Mina]

This is so very lovely, I love all the details you´ve but on each of you!!!

[Mellisa]

Thanks for the inspiration, now i know how i can help my kids in playing with our toilet rolls. They only use it for telescope=)

[Yvonne]

These are the sweetest toilet rolls ever. Our children keep collecting them for upcoming projects but now we really have something to do. Maybe we even turn this into a class project! Thank you so much for sharing this!

[nic {luzia pimpinella}]

hi lucy... i fell in LOVE with your gorgeous paper roll family and blogged about it today!

http://luziapimpinella.blogspot.com/2010/09/frau-pimpinellas-fridays-favorite-five_24.html

i hope this is OK for you...? if not, please don't hesitate to let me know.

happy weekend to you and you family!
nic

[do you mind if i knit]

Ahhhh! I did wonder how these turned out, and they're wonderful Lucy! The little crochet shrug your loo-roll equivalent is wearing looks fab, and I love the family portrait that is going on, it's very humorous and endearing. Your crochet blanket, in your subsequent posts looks gorgeous, love the little flowers, a good excuse to cram in even more yummy colour! Love Vanessa xxx

[home inspection nightmare]

You are amazing! They are beautiful!

[Anna]

Wonderfull family. It is so bright. I like so much. My family is not so big. We are just a pair of two. But I want to make our family too.

Thanks for idea! It is great.

[Karin Muir]

Hi, lovely project, as usual. Love reading your blog and I am currently halfway (well, a quarter way if truth be told) through the stripe blanket. Its looking good, so thank you for the super simple instructions.

I was wondering, however, if you can remember where you bought those lovely wall candle sconce's from? I am looking for some to go either side of our mirror above our fireplace, and there is far too much to trawl through on the interweb. Thanking you in advance, Karin.

[Julia]

Hello Lucy!

Im just back from sunny, windswept and wild Northumberland (thought of you when we went to Craster, the sea was immense and quite marvellous!). I was so happy to hear from you when I finally got round to opening my emails today (after sorting the post holiday mountain of laundry)!
How lovely of you to mention my little print here, and Im over the moon to read how much you are enjoying it! I have enjoyed catching up with your recent posts and find your TR people delightful!! What a lovely keepsake they will become for you, and so much detail involved too!! I love them - and I love your sunflowers too! Beautiful!!

Sending You lots of love,
Julia x x x

[Hege]

So cool!!
Love this post :)

[Charis]

I LOVE your T-roll family-and what good timing! I have my 8 year-old adopted grand daughter and 15 month-old grandson coming tomorrow to stay for 24 hours for the first time and I desperately need some ideas to entertain them as I am rather out of practise with littlies! Tiffany and I can make people and Charlie can tear up loo rolls! :)Not sure there will be much time for crochet! Thank you for the idea x

[Jimbo]

I really enjoy your pictures you're a very talented artist. Makes me want to visit England all the more.
Jimbo

[Michelle]

I think those are the cutest things ever!!!