Tammy Tutterow

From my studio: Another alcohol ink window project

Ever since I made the birdie window alcohol ink project that I shared a few days ago, I can't stop thinking about the project and wanting to make more.  So last night after a really good and productive day of working on assignments and orders, I decided to play for just a bit and made another one of the faux soldered acrylic window pieces.  This time I used a stamp from Tim Hotz's collection with Stampers Anonymous called "The Girls" and paper from Prima's Pastiche Collection.  The flowers and stars are also by Prima.  The letter stickers are called Tiny Alphabet from Making Memories.

From my studio: A bird sweetly singing

I love it when you just sit down and play with an awesome pile of supplies with no clear direction or goal and end up with a happy little creation.  That is what this project is, a happy little creation.  I so wish I could show it to each and every one of you in person because these photos just don't do it justice in how it turned out. I started out with two fun chipboard house shapes from Red Lead.  I covered them both with "Morning Poetry" from Prima's Shabby Chic collection.  I covered the houses so that one side featured the front side of the paper and the other featured the back side of the paper.  I cut an opening in one so that it would be a window.  I covered the back of the solid house with white cardstock. I cut a thin piece of plexiglass to match the chipboard shape.  I also cut a piece of foam core to match the house with the window. I stamped the awesome A Bird Sweetly Singing image using Stazon ink on the plexiglass.  I turned it over and painted the branch, leaves, and sky with alcohol inks. I adhered the plexi piece to the back of the house with the window (stamped side up).  I then added the foam core piece under the plexi and then the solid house with the script side facing the plexi. I stamped the image again on white cardstock.  I colored the bird and branch with chalks and then cut them out.  I adhered the bird with adhesive foam squares to the top of the plexi piece lining up the images. I wrapped the edges in aluminum foil duct tape (like this type, available at hardware stores) to create a faux soldered look.  I then finished the piece of with a cluster of Prima flowers  glimmered up with Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Mist and velvet leaves. The foil wrap on the back is not as smooth and even as I would like.  Next time out I would cut my aluminum strips a little thinner so that there won't be as much on the back.  All in all though, I am very pleased with how the project turned out, especially for one made on the fly with no plan!

From my studio: It ' s all about the cake!

Here is another page from my Sunday Play Day.  This one features Cosmo Cricket paper, Bazzill cardstock, and letter stickers from Making Memories and American Crafts.  The page is about Emma's love of Ace of Cakes and how she got the Ace of Cakes book and an Easy Bake oven for Christmas.

From my studio: The Magic of Make Believe

I have been itching lately to make scrapbook pages.  It is kind of odd for me to want to do pages, I really lack confidence in my ability to make them.  I think it comes from a time when I got dropped from a design team because they only wanted page people and I wasn't a page maker, or so they decided.  Now mind you, they didn't ask me if I could do pages, I am not sure if they had ever seen any from me.  I was added to their team to make stuff and since I was a stuff maker they no longer wanted me.  It probably sounds silly now, but I think I walked away from that thinking that my pages weren't "good enough".

Lately I have been thinking about the importance of scrapbook pages.  I love that through a scrapbook page I can preserve a memory and some thoughts along with photos.  It really doesn't matter if anyone else loves what I make, it only matters that *I* like them and that my family smiles when they look at them and read what I wrote.  I guess that is part of the problem of being a professional designer.  You get so caught up in creating for others and wanting them to be pleased in what you do, that you sometimes forget to take a break and just create for yourself and for what is in your heart and to not care if it is the greatest page or card or project ever made.

Since I have gone to being a full time artist, designer, and teacher I find that I struggle with what constitutes my work day.  I pretty much work all day every day and pretty much all of it is designing classes or assignments or other things that go along with the development and promotion of them.  I have decided though that I am going to give myself a day off to just do and create whatever I want.  I am going to play and create because I love to.  I am going to use whatever products I want and not worry about how much of one brand or another is used, if it will be picked up for a class, if it is publication worthy, etc.  I am just going to play.

I am happy to report that yesterday on my first Sunday Play Day I created two scrapbook pages and one altered art piece for no reason what-so-ever except that it made me happy.  Those two pages, which featured my wee girl Emma, made her smile and feel like a rock star because mommy made art about her and wrote about her love of Duff.  Her little smile reminded me that I need to make pages and preserve more of the little moments in our lives.  They don't have to be masterpieces, they just need to be little glimpse into our lives created with heart just "because'. So with all of those deep thoughts shared, how about a peek at one of those pages?

Flashback Friday: Renew Daily

created July 2008

This project was a hinged shadowbox frame that I created for the Pink Paislee booth for CHA-S 2008 featuring the Pop Fashion collection.  The frame was another clearance find at Hobby Lobby.  I painted the outside with pink crackle paint that let the original white of the frame show through.  Inside the box, I included a piece of Magic Mesh that I cut into a circle with scallop edges.  It came with a waxy backing paper that I left with it and stitched the two together.  I layered those onto a round acrylic piece that I adhered with foam squares so that it would float out from the back.  I added a photo of my wee one Emma's hands catching sunlight.  I embellished the photo with flowers from Maya Road, vintage buttons, silk ribbon, florist wire, clear pieces from Heidi Swapp, and a rub-on and chipboard from the collection.  I really thought it turned out pretty and really showcased such a sweet and treasured photo.

Video Tutorial: Hand Dyed Crinkled Seam Binding

As promised, I made a video today sharing my technique for creating hand dyed crinkled seam binding.  I was a little lighting challenged but over all I think it turned out pretty good and gives you an idea of how super easy it is to make your own crinkled seam binding.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO5oW2vTnTY

I wanted to share a few regular photos of the ribbons from the video so that hopefully you could see them a little more in detail and see how really cool they turn out.

The yellow ribbon was created using Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in: Dazzling Diamonds, Yellow Daisy, Sunflower, and Peach Delight.

The pink ribbon was created using Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in: Dazzling Diamonds, Viva Pink, Vintage Pink, and Pink Bubblegum.

The purple ribbon was created using Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in: Dazzling Diamonds, Lavender Fields, Purple Pansy, and Timeless Lilac. As I mentioned in the video, you can find Hug Snug seam binding in plenty of places online.  I have personally purchased it from Zipper Stop.  They have an eBay store Zipper Stop, a website, and also an Etsy shop.  I have also purchased it through Jimtaly Wholesale Sewing.  You will usually find the 100 yard rolls somewhere in the range of $7.00 - $9.00.  There are also plenty of sellers on Etsy who sell it by the yard, but you will find it way more economical to purchase it by the role.  Besides, once you make your first batch, you will be hooked and want to make more so you will be glad you had that big roll!

Getting ready. . .

Tomorrow I am planning to make another video tutorial to share, this time featuring my technique on making hand dyed crinkled seam binding. You might remember that I made a huge batch of it for my CHA make-n-take at the Prima booth. It was a huge hit. I have had so many requests to share how it was done. Today I did a couple of quick batches so I could share the technique along with some finished ribbon. If all goes well, I will have that video posted on Thursday. In case you forgot or missed it, this is the ribbon and lace I dyed for CHA.  The photo just doesn't do it justice, it is so beautiful in person.  You'll see for yourself soon because once you see how easy it is to make, you will be making a ton of it yourself!

Indie Craft Revolution-

It isn't a great photo, but I wanted to share it so that everyone could see my little set up at the Indie Craft Revolution over the weekend. I had a great time and shared a booth with my awesome friend Sydney. We laughed and talked a ton and sold lots of fun stuff. I think I might have been officially bitten by the craft show bug, so now I on the hunt for my next show to participate in. I still have lots of fun pendants and pins so I will be stocking my Etsy shop with those in the next few days and also taking a batch to Candid Gifts in Belleville.

From my studio: Metal Art and Alcohol Ink Jewelry for Indie Craft Revolution

If you are in the greater St. Louis area this weekend, I hope you will swing by the Indie Craft Revolution at the St. Louis Art Guild in Knoll Park.  It is going to be packed with lots of handmade artists with all types of cool things on display.  I will be there with my metal art jewelry.  I have a couple of new things I am adding to my line up and snapped some quick photos today as I was getting ready to pack the car.

Here is my vintage mirror turned into memo board all loaded up with pins and ready to display.  I added tons of new pins in addition to some favorites from my Tammy Tutterow Etsy shop.

I was kind of in a bird loving mode so I have quite a few pins with birds.

Quite a few with flowers. . .

And of course lots of bees and butterflies.

And brand new. . .

Pendants!  There are metal art pendants:

And acrylic pendants!

I am kind of thinking of keeping the little bee for myself though because I think it turned out super cute! If you aren't in St. Louis and you are feeling the need to own one or two (or three!) of these, I will be adding some of these lovelies to my Etsy shop after the weekend is over, so stay tuned for that!

Mod Podge Rocks!

I am so excited to share with you that I am featured on the super cool Mod Podge Rocks blog today!  You can check out the feature and the super kind words from Amy at modpodgerocks.blogspot.com.

If you haven't checked out this blog, you really should!  It is packed full of amazing inspiration and projects using Mod Podge.

My featured project is my BasicGrey Cappella Canvas that features Prima Flowers that I repainted and sealed with Mod Podge.  It was such a simple technique but it gave the flowers such a different and unique look.

You can find my original post with more details about this project HERE.

I also used the flowers on this frame, which you can read more about HERE.