The story behind T.P. TOTS™ and the little character who gave me a new adventure.

By Marie Valencia, Founder of T.P. TOTS™

If you had told me a year ago that I would be starting a business built around tiny rolls of toilet paper, I probably would have laughed.

But here I am!

For 12 years, I worked as a cake decorator at Rao’s Bakery, and I absolutely loved what I did. I loved the colors, the themes, the creativity, and especially seeing something I made bring a smile to someone’s face.

I’ve always had a mind that runs a little wild with ideas. I could start with one simple cake design, and before I knew it, I had imagined an entire collection of desserts to go with it.

One idea would turn into five, and those five would turn into ten.

That’s just how my brain works. Sometimes I think it has a mind of its own!

I never imagined that one day I’d have to leave a job I loved so much.

When Life Took an Unexpected Turn

In May 2026, my life changed in a way I never saw coming.

After experiencing symptoms that had been getting progressively worse, I was diagnosed with ALS.

Those three letters are something nobody ever wants to hear.

More recently, my neurologist has said he believes I may actually have PLS, a different neurological condition. I’m still navigating that uncertainty and learning what it means for my future.

My speech has changed. My hands don’t always cooperate the way they used to. Things that once came naturally can now take more time and effort.

And after 12 years at Rao’s, I had to say goodbye to a part of my life that meant so much to me.

That was hard.

I wasn’t just leaving a job. I was leaving behind something that gave me purpose, something I was good at, and something I genuinely enjoyed waking up and doing.

But there was one thing my diagnosis hadn’t taken away.

My imagination.

I could no longer decorate cakes the way I once did, but I still had ideas. Lots of them.

And I wasn’t ready to stop creating.

From Cakes to… Toilet Paper?

I’ve been a mother, and now I’m a grandmother, or Gigi, as my grandbabies know me.

One of the things I love most about children is their imagination. Give them something ordinary, and somehow they can turn it into a whole adventure.

That kind of magic has always made me smile.

And somewhere along the way, an idea started growing.

What if toilet paper wasn’t just toilet paper to a little child?

What if they had their very own little rolls, made just for them, wrapped in colorful adventures they could choose from?

Something that made them feel a little more independent. Something that made potty time feel less like a chore and more like something fun.

It was such a simple idea.

But if you know anything about me, you know simple ideas don’t usually stay simple for very long!

I started imagining little rolls with different themes. Pirates, mermaids, outer space, magical kingdoms, cowboys, and silly forest creatures.

I wanted each one to feel like a tiny surprise.

And that’s how T.P. TOTS™ began.

Tiny rolls, Big adventures.

Then Along Came Tottie

Of course, I couldn’t just stop at colorful toilet paper.

I needed a character.

Not just any character, either. I wanted someone with personality. Someone sweet, a little silly, and instantly recognizable.

That’s when Tottie came to life.

Tottie is a happy little toilet paper roll with a big personality and an even bigger heart.

I spent so much time working on the smallest details. His eyes, his smile, his little hands, his colors, even the way he seemed to look at you.

I wanted him to feel like a friend.

Because that’s what I hope Tottie becomes for children.

A First-Step Friend.

Someone who makes trying something new feel a little less intimidating.

Potty training is a big milestone for little ones, and it doesn’t always happen easily. Some children are excited. Others are nervous, stubborn, or simply not interested yet.

And that’s okay.

I don’t want T.P. TOTS to be about pressure or making a child feel like they have to get everything right.

I want it to be about encouragement, imagination, and celebrating the little steps along the way.

Even just trying deserves a little celebration.

And Then My Imagination Took Off Again

Remember how I said one cake idea would turn into an entire collection?

Well, apparently starting a toilet paper company is no different.

Before long, Tottie wasn’t alone anymore.

He had friends!

There was Biscuit, the fluffy Highland cow. Marina, our sweet mermaid. Ember, a lovable little dragon. Pauley, the pirate parrot. Nova, our quirky space alien. And Sprout, the adorable little mushroom monster.

Together, they became Tottie & the Troupe.

Each character had a personality, an adventure, and a little world of their own.

Then came ideas for coloring adventures, potty-time stories, playful accessories, and even music.

Yes, I somehow went from decorating cakes to creating a whole cast of characters, designing tiny toilet paper rolls, and making potty-time rap songs.

I really can’t help myself!

But underneath all those ideas is something important to me.

I want children to have fun. I want parents to have something that makes an everyday challenge a little more enjoyable. And I want the experience to feel positive, even when progress takes time.

The Part You Don’t Always See

I wish I could tell you that starting T.P. TOTS has been easy.

It hasn’t.

I’ve spent countless hours researching manufacturers, comparing prices, testing different papers, working on designs, and trying to figure out how to turn the pictures in my head into actual products.

I’ve ordered samples, talked with suppliers, researched packaging, and learned more about toilet paper manufacturing than I ever thought I’d need to know.

I’ve had designs that didn’t work, materials that weren’t right, and prices that made me wonder how a small business could ever get started.

And yes, I’ve had moments when I wanted to throw my hands up and say, “Forget it!”

Some days, between my health, my energy, and the cost of getting started, everything feels overwhelming.

But then I’ll think of another idea.

Or I’ll see one of my characters come to life.

Or I’ll imagine a little child choosing their favorite adventure roll.

And suddenly, I’m excited all over again.

That’s the same feeling I used to get at Rao’s when a new cake idea started coming together.

It’s a feeling I thought I might have lost.

And I’m so thankful I haven’t.

A Different Kind of Dream

I don’t know exactly what my future will look like.

That’s something I’ve had to learn to live with.

But I do know that I don’t want my diagnosis to be the only thing that defines this chapter of my life.

I’m still a wife, a mother, a Gigi, and a woman with a very overactive imagination.

I’m still someone who loves creating things that make people smile.

The only difference is that instead of buttercream, cake layers, and decorations, I’m now working with tiny rolls, colorful wrappers, and a little character named Tottie.

And I have to admit, I’ve grown pretty attached to that little guy.

T.P. TOTS is still a work in progress. My first goal is to bring the adventure rolls to life, with more ideas hopefully following in the future.

I’m building it carefully, learning as I go, and doing as much as I can with the resources and energy I have.

I don’t have a big company behind me. I don’t have a warehouse full of products or a team of designers.

Right now, it’s mostly me, my imagination, a lot of determination, and a growing collection of little characters that have somehow become very special to me.

This Is Just the Beginning

For 12 years, I helped create sweet memories for families through cakes.

Now I’m hoping to create a different kind of memory.

Maybe one day, a little boy will reach for his favorite pirate roll, or a little girl will choose a mermaid adventure. Maybe Tottie will help make a nervous child’s first potty-time attempt feel a little more fun.

And maybe something as ordinary as toilet paper will bring a smile to someone’s face.

That’s what I’m working toward.

I didn’t choose the changes that brought me to this point in my life.

But I can still choose to create something meaningful with the imagination I have.

And if this little adventure grows into something wonderful, I hope my grandchildren will look at it someday and know that their Gigi didn’t stop dreaming when life got difficult.

She just found a new way to create.

Thank you for being here, for following along, and for believing in a little idea that’s still finding its way into the world.

From my imagination to your family, I hope this is the beginning of something special.

Tiny rolls, Big adventures.

With love,

Marie Valencia

Founder of T.P. TOTS™
Creator of Tottie & the Troupe