12 Days of Home for the Holidays: Tammy Tutterow

My guest today is Tammy Tutterow for the 12 Days of Home for the Holidays.  Tammy is another crafter
and  "Pubster" from Two Peas in a Bucket Pub I've "met."  Tammy works for several top manufacturers including: Tim Holtz, Ranger Ink, BasicGrey, Pink Paislee,Therm O Web, ProvoCraft/Cricut, Prima Marketing, Glitz Design, and Tattered Angels. Her work has been published in several books, magazines, and product catalogs and has been featured on television. Tammy teaches in crafting stores, conventions, and online both on her own blog and at Big Picture Classes.
Tammy recently did a wonderful tutorial for Ranger.  The tutorial is for creating a Frosty De-boss.  Her website and blog is full of inspiration and instruction.

Welcome Tammy! 

Tammy Tutterow

Three years ago, my youngest daughter Emma (now 7) got a glow-in-the-dark skeleton from her trick-or-treat bucket. She loved that silly little rubbery skeleton and played with it all the time. When we were decorating our Christmas tree that year, you could see she suddenly had a bright idea. She got super excited and ran to her room. She came back with that little skeleton and announced that she wanted to hang it on the tree. We tried telling her no, that you don't put skeletons and Halloween stuff on Christmas trees but she insisted. She said that Santa would be "flabbergasted" when he saw it. She wanted him to have a surprise and wanted to make him laugh and she was sure that seeing that skeleton on our tree would do the trick.  Who can argue with that?  So we obliged.


That little skeleton hung there and glowed among the lights and ornaments and gave us each a giggle as we walked past.  The anticipation of what Santa would think made Emma so excited for Christmas.  She kept asking us all what we thought Santa would say and if he would laugh.

When Emma went to check out the tree on Christmas morning she was surprised to find a note from Santa telling her how flabbergasted he was. She was delighted and so proud that she could surprise Santa and make him laugh.

When it was time to pack the tree away, she insisted the skeleton be put away with the ornaments that Santa would expect to see him on our tree next year. And so last year when it came time to decorate the tree, the little glow-in-the-dark skeleton took his place front and center among the more traditional ornaments and again, we all giggled at the sight of it there.

And so the tradition continues that we hang that skeleton on our tree and anticipate the giggles and surprised responses from all who see it there.  I think even more than what it means to Emma to give Santa a good laugh, it means a little something more to us. It is about the magic in a little girl's heart in wanting to give something back to Santa and that we should all take the time to be flabbergasted with the wonder and joy of the season more. Sometimes it takes something simple like a little rubber skeleton to remind you of that.


About my flabbergasted holiday decor:

This past July I was creating projects for summer CHA.  As always, the summer shows usually feature products for the fall and winter holiday seasons.  As I created samples using Tim Holtz's new Kraft Resist Paper Stash, I immediately focused in on a paper with a skeleton.  It immediately made me think of our family's flabbergasting holiday story.  I so very much wanted to make a Christmas project featuring that skeleton.   

Since I knew no one would get the reference, I instead created a Halloween themed project with him. (Tim Holtz)

It was always my intentions that as Christmas time came, that I would re-make the project and make it a fun little flabbergasting mix of spooky and merry.  



 I love the final piece that mixes a Santa Skeleton with a festive tree with real twinkling lights. 

I love when a piece of handmade art makes you smile, and this one does just that!

Tammy Tutterow
Designer, Instructor, and Craft Blogger

Remember to leave Tammy a comment.

Thank you Tammy for making me giggle.  Thanks Emma for starting one of the most fun and memorable traditions.

This has been another great, inspirational, fun 12 Days of Home for the Holidays 2011.  Thank you everyone that visited, left comments and questions.  Thank you for making all my guests welcome. 
Appreciation Giveaway *GIVEAWAY CLOSED*
To express my appreciation, all those who left comments will be put in a drawing for one person to win a pack of Prima Paloma Collection Botanical Flowers.  It is not too late to leave comments for my guests. I'll draw a winner this Friday.  Thanks again everyone.


Comments

  1. Thank you Debbie for 12 wonderful days of posts and for inviting me to be a part of it! Happy holidays to you and your family and to your blog readers!

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  2. what a great story! kids are funny arn't they!

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  3. Thanks for sharing your 12 Days of Christmas Guests with us. I have seen blogs and projects that I would not have seen had it not been for you. I love the skeleton story. I can see him shining nightly on the tree. The faith of a child - knowing it will make Santa laugh.

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  4. what a great story and the skelton look like he belongs on the tree!!! Thanks for sharing with us!

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  5. How funny! I love that. A great story to hand down as she gets older.

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  6. I've been following Tammy for about two years now and I absolutely love the stories she shares of her daughters and family. This is the best one yet! I hope Emma keeps the innocence of Christmas in her heart for a very long time.

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  7. I can't remember a blog post I have enjoyed more. Great story.

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  8. Anonymous11:28 AM

    What a fun story! It made me smile!

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  9. awww such a sweet story! and luv the project! these have all been great!

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  10. I just recently started following Tammy after Tim Holtz said we had to check out her blog and he was right and now she's telling me to check out yours. I am looking forward to seeing your other 12 days post. Love Tammy's new family tradition and that she shared it here with us! Great "flabbergasted" box and story!

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  11. I just loved the story by Tammy, it just seems to break all the rules to have a green skeleton on a Christmas tree - but oddly it works! Thanks for all the inspiration over the 12 days. Regards, Anne Rx

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  12. What a fun holiday tradition. I hope some day she'll be hanging that ornament with her grandkids to "flabbergast" Santa.

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  13. Very funny story. I bet Santa was flabbergasted! Lol

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  14. Emma created a very unique Christmas tradition that's the perfect ticket for flabbergasting Santa! Great story!

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  15. What a great story, this one needs to be put into a scrapbook!

    Thanks Debby for your 12 Days!

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  16. What a fab story, I love the idea of having skeletons on a Christmas tree!

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  17. Such an adorable story Tammy-love that you shared with us-Always enjoy your projects skeleton and all..lol

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  18. Thank yo for sharing your story, I love the Christmas skeleton! It reminds me of something my daughter would do- I remember the interesting things that have been hung on our tree in the past by my own very enthusiastic little decorator. Thanks for bringing me here from the Fiskateer site. Mary #5509

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  19. Such a sweet story!! Thanks for sharing such fun inspirations!

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  20. This is why Tammy is my number 1 favorite designer.Her artistry always inspires me and I love that she is so honest and real.

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  21. What a Great story, Tammy!!! Has to be one of the best "Traditions", I've seen in quite some time!!! Thanks for sharing it!!!
    debpaint16@aol.com

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  22. I love this tradition! And the artwork you created is fantastic and full of memories you will treasure when you're old and gray! Debbie, I loved all the 12 days posts. Thanks for introducing everyone to us.
    Merry Christmas Hugs, Jessica

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  23. Anonymous5:05 PM

    I love this story! Debby, you're blog always makes me smile.

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  24. Lauren6:24 AM

    I absolutely loved the story. so heart warming

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  25. Anonymous8:42 AM

    I loved the skeleton dress up in the santa suite.When i saw it i had to laugh.It shows that you don't just have to use a skeleton just at haloween.
    Joan Fiskateer #808

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  26. thanks for sharing your traditions--at our house we have a Brett Favre ornament (former quarterback for the Green Bay Packers--no one misses him now that we have Aaron Rodgers). When he was still a Packer, it was always good luck if we hung him upside down in the Christmas tree. Now, he's not even in our Christmas tree---oooh, I got to get an Aaron Rodger ornament!

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  27. Kimber #774111:21 AM

    Thanks for the opportunity to win.

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  28. Such a sweet story! Thanks for sharing.

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  29. Kids really do make Christmas special and this story confirms it.

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  30. Such a cute story. We have a tiny black angel with patchy glitter amongst our ornaments. Our son made it in preschool and he liked black. He is 24 now and we all still chuckle about his black angel.

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  31. That story cracks me up! I love the things that kids come up with! Thanks for sharing your hilarious story! Merry Christmas!

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