Tammy Gilley Studios

Teeny Tiny Coverlets

  My sweet friend, Amy, is such a clever one. 

You many have heard of her Club Little House membership.  She created Club Little House a few years ago for her artsy friends who have a penchant for dollhouses...for making stuff for dollhouses.

I have a dollhouse.  It's in a box.  It's unassembled.  I have a dream for a dollhouse.  But that's another blog post, really, isn't it?

Anyway...dollhouse, erected or not...

I participated last year.  It was so fun making all of these teeny tiny treasures for teeny tiny homes all over the country.  And even more fun when I received my box of teeny tiny treasures back from artsy peeps, via Amy and Club Little House.

This year, I wanted to do something that reflected my little world.  So, Frances Doolittle, my mom's china dollperson, and I created teeny tiny quilted coverlets and teeny tiny sewing baskets full of teeny tiny notions. 

What a lot of teeny tiny fun!!

You can see the stack of dollhouse-sized quilts on Frances' brass bed in the background.  She's quite a whiz on that little black featherweight machine.  We knocked these quilts out in no time, and sent them on their way to Miss Amy.

Afterwards, we needed to sit in teeny tiny chairs and sip tea from teeny tiny teacups.  We did, however, opt for large and delicious cookies.  Teeny tiny can only carry a girl so far, afterall.

As I sat with my cup of tea and large, delicious cookie, I realized that next week is Thanksgiving.

NEXT WEEK IS THANKSGIVING!

Where in the world has this year gone?  It's so hard for me to believe that it's been nearly a year that I left my corporate job to start my design company.  A year?!  Holy smokes!

I have really come a long way, baby.  But, oh, I have so much more to do!  It's been a year of learning...easy lessons, and those that come the hard way, too.  But I wouldn't trade the experience for the world.  And I can't wait to see what the next twelve months has in store for me and my little company. 

I'm so appreciative for the opportunity, thankful for every single person who has ever ordered anything from me, and blissfully happy to be creating to my little heart's content. 

In the meantime, I think I'll order a turkey, eat another cookie, and check in with that business plan.

Wabi Sabi Hearts

I went on my annual pilgrimmage with my friend Christine to the coast for our birthdays.  (You can read more about our yearly trip here.)

I've been playing a little bit of catch-up this week.

Anyway, First Friday came and went without my usual announcement.  So here goes...

First Friday fun is over here!  Come and get it!!!

Happy Hearts

I've been playing with some new ideas these last several days.  Lots of them. 

The ones that I've finished are these fun, happy, brightly-colored hearts.  They're just little artsy-fartsy, quilted wallhangings. 

A little of this. 

A little of that. 

All pulled together on a heart-shaped canvas. 

Creating them has sparked a few more ideas (I love it when that happens!) but I thought I'd show you these.  (There are more photos over here.)

They Say It's Your Birthday!

Well.  Actually.  It's my birthday...on Friday. 

But I believe in a weeklong celebration, don't you?  So, pull up a cupcake and celebrate with me! 

And how about this:  it's my birthday, but I'm giving you a gift!

  FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $45 at my Etsy shop! 

Woo hoo!

So, why not buy yourself a birthday gift or start that holiday shopping! 

And do it by Sunday, November 9th, and I'll ship it to you at no charge, again, on orders over $45. 

What are you waiting for?!  Get over here!

Somerset In Love

Look what is available for pre-order! 

You might remember me mentioning all the excitement here. 

You can pre-order Somerset In Love here.

I've Flown the Coop

Me and the Log Cabin Chicklets!

We're over here.

Chez Jerome

I finished Jerome the Gnome at Craft Night last night.  I also finished the little house I made last year in Mary's class.  Better late than never.  It's Jerome's home-away-from-gnome. 

Isn't he gnome-tastic?

Jerome shops quite often at Gnome Depot, where he buys supplies for his gnome-home improvement projects. 

I could go on and on with the gnome-enclature, but I'll spare you the gnome-y details. 

Oh.  I.  Need.  More.  Coffee.

So.  Craft night.  There is a group of teachers that gets together very randomly throughout the year.  One of them is my very best girlfriend, Christine, who is, naturally, a teacher.  So, I've become an Honorary Teacher, with all the rights and responsibilities the title endows, and now join them for wine-drinking and crafting.  Often, there is more wine-drinking than there is crafting, but that doesn't really bother any of us.

They are a very fun group, and I love to hear them talk about their work, and their students, and best of all, what goes on in the Teacher's Lounge.  Because, as a kid, didn't you always want to know what went on in the Teacher's Lounge?  I'm sad to report that not much goes on in the Teacher's Lounge that is any different than goes on in break rooms at companies across the country.  Bitterly disappointing.

Each of them cares about their students, and they all seem to love what they do.  I love being around them.  They share ideas and stories and experiences.  It's fun to listen to.  I wish all parents could see their children's teachers behind-the-scenes.  It would give them a new appreciation for what these special people contribute to the lives of their children, in a completely unselfish and and so very generous way. 

Jerome says, "Yay teachers, everywhere!"

I couldn't agree more.  Have you hugged your child's teacher today? 

Open Open Open

Do you remember that commercial a few years ago, where the woman is standing in front of a store in the wee hours of the morning, face pressed against the glass, chanting, "Open, open, open"?  I laughed every time I saw that one!

Well.  I'm open, open, open!  I've done a major overhaul on my Etsy shop, I've uploaded lots of brightly colored fabric wonderful-ness. 

I have had so much FUN creating all of these yummy treats!  I am so happy working in this palette and making things that just make me happy...giddy, really!  There's a lot of squealing that goes on here in the studio as things take shape! 

I hope you'll take a peak.  Here are some photos to entice you over. 

 

Click here when you're ready to go.

 

ArtFiberFABULOUS!Fest

Coming down from a retreat like Artfiberfest is not an easy thing to do.  And frankly, who wants to come down off that high?  Call me an art junkie, if you must, but I'm happy to remain indefinitely on this fantastic artsy-fartsy creative buzz.

It's not easy to describe how absolutely fabulous this event is, so that you really get it.  Fort Worden in Port Townsend is a really special place.  This is the view from my dorm window!  You can't beat that!!

Top that with coming together with a group of (mostly) women who play in the same creative band that you do, each of us pounding out our own creative tunes...well...it's just blissful.  Magical.  Wonderful. 

You don't want it to end.

When I arrived on Wednesday afternoon with my friend Linda, I said, "Do you realize that all we are required to do tomorrow is sit and hook a rug...all day...nothing else?!"  We both signed up for Mary Stanley's rug hooking class (a totally happy accident, since we didn't consult each other in our class choices).  I took the class last year, and loved it.  I finished my project in class, but didn't do any other hooking for an entire year.  So, when it came time to sign up for classes this year, I decided to take it again, sort of a refresher, and to see if I loved it as much as I remembered.  I did.  And I can see applications in some of my art quilts, which I'm very excited about .  Stay tuned.  Anyway, being a "veteran hooker" (haha!), I asked Mary if I could do something a little more complex.  I asked her if she'd create a gnome pattern for me.  So, this is Jerome the Gnome.  He's much further along, now, just his shoes to finish.  When I've got him all done, I'll post another photo.  Too, too fun!

The next day was Janice Speck's felted jewelry class.  The most important thing I learned was that I really don't enjoy felting.  Too wet and stinky and messy.  In a full day of class, all I was able to crank out was a flower to put on my beret.  Good to know, though, that there is one fiber art out there that I won't need to buy supplies for, so not a wasted day.  Janice was so generous with her supplies, and really does lovely work.  Just not my cup of tea.

My last class was with Alma Stoller, where we created fabric oddities.  Now, I wound up with a migraine on this day, and missed a few hours of class (bummer!), but I managed to get a few things done, and again, can see lots of potential for incorporating these fun little fabric goodies into my work.

Friday night was the Artists Market, and my table was chock-full of happy colors and fabric goodness.  It was so fun and gratifying to see other artists who I admire react to my work, smiling and laughing, just like I do as I'm creating it in my studio.

The best part about Artfiberfest, though, is just coming together with other people who get me.  And meeting new friends.  And getting inspired.  And laughing.  Loud.  And a lot. 

There are lots more photos over here.

I'm Off!

Anyone out there who's listening, I'm off!  I leave tomorrow morning for Artfiberfest!  Woohoo!!

Of course, tonight I have to pack.  I've spent all day pricing and packing up my goodies for the Artists Market, but now I need to pack up my class supplies, my Diet Coke and chocolate...oh, and a change of clothes or two would be good, while I'm at it!

There is no way on the planet that all of my stuff is going to fit into Maude the Pod.  I'll just have to drive topless to Linda's.  (Hopefully, there will be no rain tomorrow morning.  I'll just crank the heated seat!)  Thank Gertie, Linda'sgot an SUV!!

I'm leaving you with photos of some of my booty for the Market:  Over-the-Shoulder-All-my-Stuff-Holder totes, and Happy Strings. 

(And there are more photos over here.)

Also, check me out on CountryLiving.com!  Click here.  If you scroll through, you'll see lots of photos from Silver Bella last year, and yours truly is just a grinnin'!  (It's photo #10, in case you don't recognize me in all of my Bella Finerie!)

Enjoy the rest of your week, everyone, and have a great weekend!  Photos of Artfiberfest friends and fun when I get back! 

A bientot!