James and I had so much fun making paper people together. Before I tell you how we made them I hope you'll indulge me by letting me share a personal story with you first...
One summer, I think it was the summer of 1986, I was a huge fan of the cartoon, "The World of David the Gnome". (Does anyone else remember this show? Here's a YouTube clip.) Anyway, it was all about gnomes and the adventures they had in the forest in which they lived. I loved the show and so I decided to make a set of paper gnomes to play with whenever I wanted to. They brought me such joy and provided me with many, many hours of magical play. Would you believe I still have them? I *wish* I could share a picture of them, but they are locked away in a storage facility in the US. :( Anyway, I tapped into that memory the other day when James and I were coloring together. We started drawing little people and it suddenly dawned on me that we could cut them out and laminate them.
Moments later I had my scrapbooking paper out and I was busy cutting little shirts, pants and heads. I don't think I stopped smiling the entire time!
James was SO excited when he saw what I had set up. I told him we were going to make some paper people and he enthusiastically said, "Great idea, Mama!!"
James had such fun choosing the outfits (which matched surprisingly well!)...
and he took great care in gluing each piece onto the white cardstock.
I was beaming at the thought of sharing this special memory with my son. And, for old time's sake, I made myself a little gnome.
After we created the bodies we drew on some hands, feet, facial features and hair. James decided what color eyes and hair everyone should have. :)
Back in the 80's I had to use tons of scotch tape to get the laminating effect, but now, 30 years later (gasp!) I simply slipped our little creations into the laminator and voila! out came a set of 10 sturdy paper people!
We'll use these "friends" (as James calls them) for imaginary play, for story time, and even for counting. I numbered the backs of them so James, my number-loving maniac, could put them in numerical order if he feels like it.
I'm linking this post up to a few of my favorite blog carnivals: We Play, Sharing Time, and Tot Tuesday.
One summer, I think it was the summer of 1986, I was a huge fan of the cartoon, "The World of David the Gnome". (Does anyone else remember this show? Here's a YouTube clip.) Anyway, it was all about gnomes and the adventures they had in the forest in which they lived. I loved the show and so I decided to make a set of paper gnomes to play with whenever I wanted to. They brought me such joy and provided me with many, many hours of magical play. Would you believe I still have them? I *wish* I could share a picture of them, but they are locked away in a storage facility in the US. :( Anyway, I tapped into that memory the other day when James and I were coloring together. We started drawing little people and it suddenly dawned on me that we could cut them out and laminate them.
Moments later I had my scrapbooking paper out and I was busy cutting little shirts, pants and heads. I don't think I stopped smiling the entire time!James was SO excited when he saw what I had set up. I told him we were going to make some paper people and he enthusiastically said, "Great idea, Mama!!"
James had such fun choosing the outfits (which matched surprisingly well!)...
and he took great care in gluing each piece onto the white cardstock.
I was beaming at the thought of sharing this special memory with my son. And, for old time's sake, I made myself a little gnome.
After we created the bodies we drew on some hands, feet, facial features and hair. James decided what color eyes and hair everyone should have. :)
Back in the 80's I had to use tons of scotch tape to get the laminating effect, but now, 30 years later (gasp!) I simply slipped our little creations into the laminator and voila! out came a set of 10 sturdy paper people!
We'll use these "friends" (as James calls them) for imaginary play, for story time, and even for counting. I numbered the backs of them so James, my number-loving maniac, could put them in numerical order if he feels like it.I'm linking this post up to a few of my favorite blog carnivals: We Play, Sharing Time, and Tot Tuesday.
29 comments:
I just love this idea....my little guy is so into colouring at the moment we might just try these. Thanks for sharing.
These are just grogeous. I know my daughter would delight in making a set of these to play with mmmmmm could even add magnets to back to!
They are so adorable!! I need to get my scissors and scrapbooking paper out! :)
That's so cute! I love the gnome : ) and I've never heard of that show so I'm totally going to check it out!
I used to love I Dream of Jeannie and my friends and I made little paper jeannies to put into beer bottles with smoke and then we were the life size jennies! So much fun!
So wonderful and such a great idea.
I am so happy that you got to share this special memory with James!!
And thank you for sharing your wonderful story.
Much love xx
I LOVE this post! I was a fan of the World of David the Knome too! There were books too?? I am also a HUGE fan of paper dolls. They were my favorites when I was a child, I never made my own though. My little girl is going to get a TON of paper dolls when she's a bit older to play with:-) My two would love to make their own little people, how fun. I have scrapbook paper upstairs not for scrapbooking but for cardmaking. We will so be doing this next week! We also have a Staples near by with reseasonably priced lamination.
PS-I LOVE that you made yourself a little knome, too sweet!
These are wonderful. I will have to do this with my children. My girls have been asking to make paper people all summer and I haven't, because it seemed so daunting at the time.... this is so much better than what I had planned in my mind!
Love this idea! will def do with my little girl. Thank you. (:
Those are adorable.
ahh loved that show too!!!! I am sure I don't remember it from 86 (I would have been Sammy and James age *wink*) but I watched it as a child! LOVE the people!! I might have to try these sometime in the near future!
This is really, really nice. Thanks for sharing.
I also loved that gnome and also made little paper ones like yours. The people are adorable.
So Cute!! I added it to my tumblr page- thanks!!
This is a cute idea! I have been thinking of making my girls magnetic dress up dolls for Xmas by making plain people and then putting magnets on the back of shirts. I was just planning on coloring shirts on my own, but I think scrapbook paper is a better (and easier!) idea.
You're a STAR!!!! Lovely paper people!!! I was reading the post and smiling like you when you make them!!! So cute!!!
Big Hugs!!!
Too too cute!
HUGS!!!
Absolutely adorable! I just found an old book of wallpaper samples that would make awesome clothes. Thanks for sharing your great idea!
-Kara
http://littlelearnerslounge.blogspot.com/
This looks like so much fun, I am definitely going to do this with my little guy soon!
Love David the Gnome too! :)
wow!!! these paper people are fantastic!!! I love your blog!!!!!
So cute and interesting activities, as always! Thanks for sharing :-)
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You must have thousands, but that's an award waiting on my blog for you!
What a wonderful blog, I love it!
These are lovely!! My son is a huge fan of the paper dolls from the "making friends" website. I did a post on these here: http://allthingschildren.blogspot.com/search/label/Paper%20dolls
I'm sure your little guy would like them too!
Regards,
Georgia
oh my goodness goodness goodness! i can't believe someone else around bloggyville remembers David the Gnome! NO ONE I know remembers that show. :( I use to watch it all the time when I was a little girl (huge fan of classic nickelodeon here!) and the theme song use to make me get all weepy. I still remember crying my eyes out the first time I saw the series finale! :-D For my 27th birthday a few months ago, my dad asked me what I wanted from "him and mom" for my birthday and I totally said "money to buy the David the Gnome DVD with". hahaha :) The set isn't "official", just a really nice digital copy made by another classic nick fan. I watched the entire series the day it arrived in the mail - such great memories!!! You can get them at http://www.freewebs.com/stuffilike/davidthegnome.htm. (I'm not affiliated in any way - just excited to share the info with another mommy who happens to be a David the Gnome fan! yay!)
~Lisa
P.S. I've never commented on your blog but have been reading a while. James is just sooo precious and smart! My son is 2 years old and you have given me such motivation and such great ideas for working with him! :) :) :)
Very cute! The little paper people turned out really cute.
Thanks for sharing:)
Colleen
Wish I could cut decent looking little people clothes so we could do this too! Looks like lots of fun to make and play with :)
Love love love love love these!!! They look so cute, I want to play with them! Seriously, can I send my boys to school with you and James????
We made these a few weeks ago and it was so much fun...I have some scraps of fabric at the moment so we are going to do a 2nd round using these pieces for clothes. I'm excited!
I LOVED that show :-) It's one of my favorite childhood memories. One day I found a clip on youtube to show a friend to see if they remembered and I cried when I heard the intro song. (I was pregnant) :-P
You just solved a mystery that is I don't even know how old. You rock. I was born in 86, but I watched that show as a kid. I remember it, but couldn't find it anywhere. My siblings and my husband had no idea what I was talking about. It must have come on while I wasn't in school.
Thank you and love the blog :)
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