a TAMM creation - missing in action

I haven't thought much about blogging in a long while, not really sure why, just not been in the best of mindsets. I have been making a lot of new things, but just never in the mood to write about them, which is usually strange, because I love to write, but I think it just has to do with my general feelings of depression and sadness overall with life.  It's hard being a single mom, and the dating scene absolutely sucks around here, especially because I live in a college town, so the bars, if I was inclined to go there are full of young college guys, and that is definitely not what I am looking for.  Then because I don't fit the model stereotype, most guys on the dating websites and apps won't even give me the time of day let alone a chance. It is a real pain in the butt.

The thing is I need to let it all go and just focus on work and my kids and not let it get me down.

So - I'm going to start writing again, blogging more and updating my new ideas and things on the ETSY website here and also working on some other of my blogs to get through these feeling and into a better state of mind. At least I know what I need to do and what helps me.

See you soon!!

a TAMM creations - evolution of a painting

a TAMM creation

Normally when I decide that I want to do a new painting, I just grab a canvas and go.  Today, I had an inspiration to do something for Fall. It was chilly here today, in fact with the windows open and the breeze blowing into the house, I actually had on a long-sleeve t-shirt!

This time, instead of just opening the paints and going, I grabbed a 12*12 stretched canvas and I did a pencil sketch of what I was thinking in my mind... 

Step One:

I sketched out a Sunflower motif. If you haven't figured it out, this is my favorite flower motif to use. I love the petals and the simplicity of the flower, but at the same time, I can use any color I want on it and it looks great!!

Then I did the background. Another first for me - I did it in this baby blue. I started out doing all my paintings on a very pale, almost watercolor background (it actually was because I watered the paint down a lot to get just a hint of color to the background).  The next progression in my painting growth was to use a bold, bright blue as my background, and I loved the pop that it gave the flowers.  Today though, I just didn't feel that either of those was going to work for this fall flower I had in mind. So I was looking through my huge storage tub of paints, and I came across the baby blue and decided that was the perfect background.

Step Two:

I started with the center. For a sunflower it has to be a brown base coat.  I also used the brown to put down some vein lines in some of the petals.

Now I may have started the middle with a simple brown, but after a few coats a layer of yellow was added, then more coats of brown until just the right hint of the yellow peaked through and it looked like that deep, rich, multi-seeded middle of a sunflower. 

Then to really give it that seeded look and to do something completely different, I covered the center in a light layer of fine glitter! Yes I did! Just enough to catch the light from across the room and give the painting dimension. 

 Step Three: 

Now we are getting into the petals. I started with the ones that will appear to be in the back layer of the flower petals and I went with a bright orange. Light layers of the orange, then a very little bit of the brown in the center of the petals, and another couple of layers of orange, and I finally had what I liked.

The closer layer of petals were done in a bright yellow, not a lemon yellow, but a golden yellow.  Same way, two or three layers of yellow, then a light layer of the orange in the very middle of the petals closest to the center, and then more yellow until it was perfect.

Step Four:

Here is where I allowed it time to dry.

Then I went back in with a little brown on a dry brush and brought out those veins in the orange petals. I also went back around the outside edge of every petal to make sure it was clean and didn't look wonky.

Lastly I added the glitter in the middle and allowed it to dry again.

The last step was to sign and date the back! Now its all ready to be photographed and listed in the store!!

a TAMM creation - Custom Painting Order

a TAMM creation

One of the things that I always mention on the store site, is that I will do custom orders. I just don't usually have anyone inquiring about them.

The other day I got a message from a customer that really liked one of the paintings, but was wondering if I could do it to match a rug she had in her living room.  Of course!!  I had her send me a picture of the rug to begin with.

This is the rug that she was looking to match.  I studied the rug, then I turned it and enlarged it so that I could see the colors and the variations better.

I came up with a color palette that I felt matched the rug pretty well. The outside most edges are a light sand color, then the next variation moving inwards is a deeper sand or more taupe color, then there is a bit of a brownish-orange and the red, with a purplish red in the very middle.

I put the colors onto a white sheet of paper and photographed it to send to her, as well as making a picture with the rug and the palette together.

Now, I sent these two photos above to the customer to get a feeling for what she thought. She loved them and requested to see the painting in both a circles theme and a squares them. 

So today, I spent the time painting two 12*12 stretched canvases in her colors and themes.

If she approves, they will be sold to her today. If not, or she wants changes, I will do those, and then these two will go up on the website!

All in all it was a fun day and something I don't get to do all that much, but hopefully, now that you all know that I am willing and able to do custom orders, I will be doing more of them!!

a TAMM creation - Football Friday

a TAMM creation

It's Football Friday!! In honor of high school sports, which sees football games every Friday night of the fall, and college and NFL football as well, a TAMM creation has declared today Football Friday.

Check out our Football Spirit Wear!!

Denver Broncos Earrings

Etsy Listing 



Denver Broncos Necklace

Etsy Listing

 Broncos Necklace

Etsy Listing


SF 49ers Necklace

Etsy Listing

Cheerleader Earrings

Etsy Listing - White
Etsy Listing - Black

Football Earrings

Etsy Listing

Don't see your favorite team or your school colors? Send me a message and I will let you know what I can do.  I do have other NFL teams in the works, and I can custom make your school colors into earrings or necklaces.

a TAMM creation

a TAMM creation - Yellow Girl Frog Earrings

www.etsy.com/shop/aTAMMcreation

Yellow Girl Frog Earrings

These are cute, lightweight, acrylic yellow girl frog earrings. They are on silver post studs, with two sets of backs, a regular set and a disc set.

The Frogs measures 3/4 inch across and 3/4 inches in height. They are lightweight, so they will not pull on your earlobes, even at this size. They are large enough that they cover the earlobes and look nice.

Making earrings are my new favorite stress-reliever! My daughter loves to have lots of earrings and so do I, so this has been fun for us, being able to make things that we find fun, cute and pretty. Passing along those same items to you!

Etsy Shop Listing

a TAMM creation - Migraine No-More c

https://www.etsy.com/listing/269966377/migraine-no-more-essential-oil-roll-on?ref=shop_home_active_1

Look what arrived in the a TAMM creation etsy store today!!

Migraine No-More Essential Oil Blend Roll-On has been blended especially to help alleviate those stubborn, hard to get rid of migraine headaches. It is “stronger” than Pain No-More, and formulated specifically for headaches.

As someone who suffers from Chronic Migraines, I have always been looking for relief, and I have tried a number of essential oil blends out there. After researching and studying, mixing and testing myself, I have finally come up with a blend that I like the best. It takes the best from the blends I have tried, along with those essential oils best suited for headaches and blends them to make a roll-on that helps better than any other I have tried.

Roll-Ons come in a 10ml blue glass bottle.

All my blends are made in Fractionated Coconut Oil, as this is a great carrier oil with no color or scent, and a very long shelf life. I find it doesn’t effect the blend the way other carrier oils can.

For Migraine No-More, I have blended Peppermint, Basil, Grapefruit and Ginger Essential Oils. Each selected for their best properties. By blending these in a select ratio, I have come up with what I like the best.

INGREDIENTS:
Basil - is known to stimulate circulation and aid in relaxation

Peppermint - is known as a pain reliever, it is also said to reduce stress.

Grapefruit - is known as a headache reducer, plus it is said to help clear mental fog

Ginger - is a known anti-inflammatory, given world-wide for aches, pains and nausea of all types.


Fractionated Coconut Oil is also a great carrier for essential oils. It readily absorbs to soothe dry skin making it the ideal oil for topical applications. It has natural antioxidant and disinfecting properties and does not clog pores. . Unlike Other Unrefined Carrier Oils Fractionated Coconut Oil Will Not Go Rancid And Is Extremely Stable. It won't become solid like regular coconut oil but keeps all the great properties we love about coconut oil!

Fractionated Coconut Oil is a super purified MCT coconut oil from which almost all the long chain triglycerides, and any impurities, are removed, thus leaving mainly the medium chain triglycerides creating the perfect MCT oil.


Disclaimer: Please note that all statements of effectiveness are based on my own personal use. They have not been studied and tested by any other facility or group at this time.

Disclaimer: For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

a TAMM creation - Coming home again, Welcome Back!!

a TAMM creation

For awhile now I have NOT focused on my own creations.  Mostly because I got divorced and moved! That was a huge upheaval in my life after 21 years of marriage, but it was so worth it!

I have always used my crafts as a way to relax and manage stress, and after the mess of the divorce, I had a lot I needed to manage.  You also should realize that my ex wasn't real supportive of my craft business.  Come to think of it, he was real support of my direct sales business or even my writing. So in a number of ways, I was extremely shy about my crafts again.

As is always the case for me, my daughter asked for something that couldn't be found! This time is was a hippo necklace or earrings or something for her Show Choir Secret Buddy (I can write this now because she gave them to her awhile back).  Every time I have started creating something that goes into the a TAMM creation line, it is because a daughter asked.  So I got creative, made a cute pair of hippo earrings. Then with the support of my family, I started posting them in my shop again.

This time around I have more support, my kids think its great and there is a pretty awesome guy in my life who supports and encourages me in every thing!! 

So, now that I am back to working on a TAMM creation, along with everything else, you can plan on seeing more blog posts about it and what is going on!!

There is a Facebook Page for a TAMM creation:

https://www.facebook.com/A-TAMM-creation-287096398006038/ 

There is an Etsy store for a TAMM creation:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/aTammCreation?ref=shopinfo_shophome_leftnav