Brewtifully Made
This endeavor started off with sharing and exploring all of my creative pursuits...retiring to open my beautiful art studio and sharing art throughout my community.In 2026, my world collapsed around me...imploding after the suicide of my husband. I lost my business, my home, my friends, my community, my livelihood...with a move from Canton, Ohio to Seattle, Washington to be near two of my children and grandchildren. At 56 years old I am literally starting completely over.I am trying to find myself because I don't know who I am now. I am not the same person. I am...
I Am Learning How To Live With The Replay
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Grief does not just hurt, it rewires your days. I’m juggling the ordinary and the unbearable at the same time: picking up my granddaughters after therapy, planning a whale watching trip that’s equal parts excitement and anxiety, and trying to let it sink in that my daughter is taking me to Hawaii. These “yes” moments feel surreal, but they’re also how I’m building new memories when everything inside me wants to shut down.
I also share a raw update on my mental health and healing process, including my first gro...
I Keep Creating Even When I Feel Broken
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Grief doesn’t just break your heart, it can scramble your creativity, your motivation, and your sense of who you are. I’m sharing a real-time recap of a week in Seattle where I’m trying to make things again while I’m still deep in trauma and loss. If you’ve ever felt like you can only create when someone gives you a prompt, or like your “voice” went quiet after a hard season, you’ll recognize a lot of what I’m working through here.
We start with the small stuff that s...
I Am Learning To Grieve And Create At The Same Time
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Watching a home you loved turn into a listing can feel like losing it twice. I’m Tracy, and I’m sharing what it’s like to put my Ohio house on the market while I’m still carrying fresh grief, big feelings, and the weird in-between space of a brand-new life. I talk about the pride and heartbreak of leaving behind years of design choices, routines, and neighbors I truly care about, plus why counseling days have become an anchor.
Creativity is still my work, but it’s also my way back t...
What If Healing Starts With Micro Joys
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Grief doesn’t just hurt, it reorganizes your whole inner world. I’m Tracy, and I’m talking openly about what happens when trauma and betrayal blow up your sense of safety, your memories, and even your ability to make the kind of art you used to love. I’ve got supplies unpacked and the urge to create, but the quiet can feel brutal, and the blank page can pull up anger, shock, and the life I thought I had.
I share what betrayal trauma feels like in real time: the way song...
What Does Safety Mean After Everything Breaks
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A normal day at a huge family event can turn into a life-or-death sprint in seconds, and the aftermath doesn’t end when you finally get out of the crowd. We’re sharing a raw, first-person story of being caught near a mass shooting in Seattle with young grandkids, the split-second choices we made to keep them safe, and what it feels like to watch children stay brave while adults try not to fall apart.Â
That trauma hits on top of a season already packed with grief and disorientation: losing a spous...
What Happens To Your Identity When Your Life Shatters
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One day you’re making plans, and the next you’re standing in the wreckage of a life you thought was secure. I’m back on Brewtifully Made to tell the truth about what the last two months have been: becoming a widow at 56, closing my art studio, letting go of my home, and moving across the country to start over with two of my daughters and granddaughters nearby. It’s overwhelming, messy, and nothing like the “strong and steady” version of me I expected to be.
I talk about suicide loss and wha...
Pause in the podcast
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My husband passed away 5/13 unexpectedly. I am pausing my podcast as I have to close my art studio, sell and relocate. Please know I hope to be back soon.
If you are a Veteran, PTSD is a silently-lurking ailment and you are not alone, please seek help early and diligently.
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I Built A Creative Life By Saying Yes
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A crowded studio, a “cap it at 40” plan that turns into 50-plus guests, and a spring season that suddenly feels like it’s accelerating. I’m checking in from Brewtifully with a real-time look at what it takes to grow a creative studio around mahjong, art, and community and what happens when you let people in, even when the day doesn’t go exactly as planned. National Mahjong Day brought tables full of laughter, unexpected visitors, and the kind of feedback that makes me want to schedule more events immediately.Â
Next up, I’m lea...
Sharing What You Love Can Become Your Next Business
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Mahjong started as pure fun for me, and it keeps turning into something bigger: a creative business thread that connects art, friendship, and a surprisingly deep design world. Coming to you from a late Friday afternoon as the shop winds down, fresh off a lively mahjong session and the simple joy of putting a beautiful new set on the table.
I talk about trying a new Jonathan Adler mahjong set sourced through Michael’s, why exploring new tiles and layouts sparks new ideas, and how those small details shape the whole pl...
I Walk You Through My Shop So You Can See How The Ideas Become Real
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A busy spring can make a podcast drop a day late, but it also makes for the best kind of behind-the-scenes update. I’m Tracy, and I’m inviting you into my Brewtifully Made studio for a quick, real-time tour of what my creative shop looks and sounds like when it’s in motion from the little background noises outside to the displays I’m building for the weekend.
We start with the flower cart, where the goal isn’t just to “buy flowers.” I’m turning the cart into an artsy bouquet ex...
Mahjong Made Me Do It
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I had to hit pause for a minute because my business took a big leap: I launched a wholesale branch on Faire and built out a full wholesale catalog from scratch. That meant moving products over, setting wholesale pricing, and doing the kind of detailed backend work that most people never see. If you’re an artist, maker, or small business owner trying to grow without burning out, you’ll recognize this season fast.Â
I’m also honest about the reality of being a one-woman show. On any given day I’m creatin...
How A Busy Week Of Creative Work Turned Into A Licensing Breakthrough
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What happens when a busy week of community events, student workshops, and gallery nights collides with an unexpected dream offer? I opened the door to spring with color, coffee, and collaboration—and then share how a national Mahjong company discovered my work and invited me to design beautiful mats that bring pattern, play, and personality to the table.
We start with First Friday momentum and a morning meetup that sparks a new nonprofit experience design. From there, we head to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Village with Junior Achievement to gu...
Sharing What You Love Inspires Others To Try
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A room full of students, a pile of glitter, and the soft shake of sensory bottles turned an ordinary morning into a small lesson on joy. We walk you through the workshop—choosing colors, tucking tiny treasures into clear bottles, laughing as horses and little people float into view—and show how a low-pressure creative space can calm nerves and spark curiosity. That simple act becomes a doorway to something bigger: giving people permission to make without chasing perfection, and letting the path be the point.
From there, we connect dots acro...
The Beauty Of New Beginnings And Lifelong Resilience
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A snow forecast, a quiet studio, and a fresh obsession with solo mahjong turned a simple idea into a small movement: make learning easy, beautiful, and shared. We walk you through how a handmade board, a short tutorial, and a few well-chosen tools can transform a nervous “I can’t” into a confident “I’ll try.” Along the way, we spotlight local maker Susie DeHoff’s wooden boards, talk through the practical hurdles of finding tiles and cards, and share why thoughtful design—like clear instructions and a stitched bag—removes the friction that keeps beginne...
Choose The Room That Welcomes You: Building Friendship Through Creative Spaces
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A day planned for Galentines fun turned into a real talk about how friendships start, drift, and return—and how creative spaces can make that journey easier. We kick things off with a full schools-out arts day at the studio, a mom-and-daughter sewing lesson, and our Crafty Cinema night at the Canton Palace Theater, complete with dimmed lights, portable crafts, and playful giveaways. Then we get honest about going to a sold-out Galentines pop-up alone, what it felt like to sit among tight-knit groups, and why a simple bracelet and a few kind fa...
Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone Can Change Your Social Life
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Seventeen brave painters, a snowy morning, and a table full of abstract bunnies sparked a bigger question: what happens to our lives when we try something new? We share the joy and jitters from teaching an over-fifty class, where identical supplies produced wildly different styles and fresh confidence. That energy carries into a new hobby—Mahjong—and the surprising way a beginner’s mindset builds patience, purpose, and real friendships.
We talk frankly about the adult friendship gap and how to bridge it through shared learning. From libraries packed with free classe...
Resilience, Community, And The Real Cost Of Keeping A Creative Space Alive
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A beloved shop is closing after fifteen years, and that news becomes the spark for a candid look at what it truly takes to keep a creative space alive. We talk about the hidden math of brick-and-mortar retail, the emotional toll of slow walk-in traffic, and the small pivots that add up—adjusting hours, focusing on classes and events, and building offerings that bring families into the studio to make, paint, and play.
Along the way, we celebrate the network that keeps artists moving forward. From a mobile gift shop making th...
January Check-In And A Fresh Start
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New years rarely unfold the way we script them, and that’s the point. I’m kicking off 2026 with a refresh that actually works: fewer public hours, more focused days for art, teaching, and community projects, plus a renewed commitment to play as a creative tool. That simple shift unlocked a cascade of good things—mahhjong nights at the shop, a monthly hidden art helmet you can hunt for around town, and a lineup of collaborations that stitch art into everyday life.
I walk through how I audited my slowest days, moved...
Math Has One Answer; Art Has Yours
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Creativity isn’t a side dish; it’s the main course for building sharper thinking and genuine confidence. We sit down with Madeline, a homeschooled teen who treats art as both a learning engine and a way to find her voice. Together we unpack why open-ended making exercises different mental muscles than subjects with single right answers, and how that challenge translates into autonomy, resilience, and better problem-solving.
Madeline shares how an unschooling mindset lets her master core subjects through formats that fit—listening, researching, reading, then making—while pursuing passions like pub...
How A Leap Into Clay Became A Blooming Creative Business
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Ever wonder how a single creative pivot can bloom into a multi-venue art business? We sit down with exhibiting artist Rachel Blakney and trace her path from early painting classes to a pandemic-era leap into polymer clay that reshaped her practice and presence in the community. Rachel’s world is rooted in nature—florals, animals, and organic textures—and she brings that love to both canvas and jewelry with moody palettes, crisp outlines, and tiny sculpted details that people can’t stop talking about.
We unpack why acrylic has become her medium o...
Join A Creative Patreon Where We Learn, Build Products, And Grow Together
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Want a clear path from creative spark to shipped product? We’re opening the studio doors and sharing the exact systems that turn sketches into physical goods, classes, and sustainable income. After a burst of community events and a busy month, I’m launching a streamlined Patreon built for artists, dreamers, and entrepreneurs who want practical support without the fluff.
We walk through why a single, creator-first tier keeps things simple and focused: weekly Q&A threads, one recorded monthly session you can watch anytime, and a guided theme that helps you...
Finding Serendipity In Nature, Community, And Making
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A camera on a backyard bird feeder sparked an entire art series—then the community took notice. We sit down with exhibiting artist Glenda Hake to trace the winding path of a maker who blends painting, collage, masks, photography, and graphic design into a practice rooted in nature and fueled by curiosity. From foraging moss and grapevine to transforming empty bottles into lit fairy houses, Glenda shows how repurposed materials can carry stories as well as beauty.
We dive into the birth‑month birds concept and how each piece weaves together a bi...
October Sparks, Art In Motion
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The month kicked off like a creative sprint—teens asking to guest on the show, paint-streaked fingers from Iris Scott–inspired experiments, and a calendar full of community art events that turned blank spaces into living galleries. We open up about what it takes to build a studio that puts joy and access first, from rolling the art dice with students to running lessons that nudge confidence higher one brushstroke at a time. Between laughs and paint splatters, we also get candid about the moments nobody posts: the wrong mic turned on, the edit...
When Music Meets Community: Canton Symphony Orchestra Breaks Boundaries
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Ever wondered what happens when you blend classical orchestral music with tacos, ballet, and rock legends? Join us as we sit down with Rachel Hagemeier, the dynamic President and CEO of the Canton Symphony Orchestra, who is revolutionizing how orchestral music connects with communities.
Rachel's journey from Oklahoma bassoonist to symphony leadership reveals how passion and vision can transform traditional institutions. Under her guidance, the Canton Symphony has evolved into a community cornerstone, averaging an incredible event every four days throughout Stark County and beyond.
What makes this orchestra...
The Joy of Making Art Comes Alive When You Create with Children
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Creativity blooms across generations in this heartwarming episode recorded while traveling in Seattle with my granddaughters Jojo (5) and Franny (7). Surrounded by the Pacific Northwest's lush plant life and buzzing insects, we embark on a ladybug-themed art project that captures the magic of making art with children.
Armed with watercolor paints and paper, we create vibrantly unconventional ladybugs – Jojo opts for a royal purple while Franny chooses sunny yellow. Throughout our painting session, we share delightful conversations about bugs, art preferences, and even a traditional ladybug nursery rhyme from my childhood. The gi...
The Local Artist's Blueprint: Turning Creative Dreams into Business Reality
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Have you ever wondered what would happen if you trusted your wildest creative ideas and actually built a business around them?Â
On this special anniversary episode, I'm celebrating one year since the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Brewtifully and reflecting on the incredible journey of transforming an unconventional vision into a thriving creative space. When people ask how I developed this business model, they're often surprised to learn I literally made it up from scratch – no franchise, no template, just a clear vision of what I wanted to create for my community.
From Battlefield to Art: A Veteran's Creative Journey
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Creativity becomes a powerful healing journey in this intimate conversation with Bryan, a retired Air Force Master Sergeant whose miniature dioramas transform military experiences into art. After 22 years of service, nine deployments, and multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Bryan discovered that crafting detailed miniature scenes offered both creative fulfillment and therapeutic relief from PTSD.
What began as a way to honor Medal of Honor recipients he personally met evolved into a passionate artistic practice. Bryan shares the meticulous process behind his creations—from scratch-building his early works to embracing 3D pr...
Hidden Struggles Behind the Smile: Living with Unexpected Chronic Pain
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A single tick bite in July 2023 changed everything. What began as a hopeful retirement transition into full-time artistry and business ownership has evolved into an unexpected battle with chronic pain and debilitating joint inflammation.
When I woke up one morning unable to move my neck, then months later found myself completely immobilized with swollen hands and wrists, my world turned upside down. The diagnosis finally came: stage four long-term Lyme disease. For someone whose livelihood and passion depend on the ability to hold a pen, paintbrush, or knitting yarns, this revelation...
Honoring Artists: Ethical Sharing in Creative Communities
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Ever wondered how artists can honor each other's work while still sharing techniques with new audiences? Dive deep into the transformative power of ethical collaboration as we explore what happens when creators support each other with integrity and purpose.
Through my recent partnerships with artists like Natasha Smart and Ali Kay, I've witnessed firsthand how respectful collaboration creates ripple effects throughout the creative community. When Natasha graciously allowed me to teach her wet felting techniques in my U.S. studio, every student received her book and joined her private Facebook group—en...
Beyond the Niche: Embracing Eclectic Business Approaches
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Stepping outside your comfort zone might be the best business decision you'll ever make.
Have you ever felt the pressure to find your perfect niche and stick with it? That nagging voice telling you to specialize, specialize, specialize? In this refreshingly honest episode, we challenge that conventional wisdom and make a compelling case for embracing an eclectic approach to your creative business.
From the celebration room that hosts birthday parties to after-school programs and homeschooling activities, Brewtifully has deliberately diversified its offerings to serve different segments of the community...
Art Should Be About Exploration, Not Conformity
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What happens when you trade a corporate career for a paintbrush and an empty storefront? In this heartfelt episode, I'm recording from inside my art studio, surrounded by the floor-to-ceiling mural I painted when opening Brewtifully nearly a year ago.
The transition to full-time artist and studio owner has been a beautiful whirlwind. Morning kids' camps filled with young artists exploring without boundaries. Podcast appearances sharing my journey and techniques, from traditional mediums to augmented reality art using the Artivive app. A collaboration with Goodwill at the Pro Football Hall of...
How I Traded Corporate Life for Creative Freedom
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Taking a leap of faith and diving into full-time creative entrepreneurship marks the beginning of this raw, honest conversation about pursuing your passions. After leaving a steady paycheck behind, I've jumped headfirst into running my art studio full-time and launching my very first children's art camps.
The joy of watching toddlers discover art materials for the first time has been nothing short of magical. These little ones arrive each morning bursting with excitement, ready to sculpt self-portraits in air-dry clay, adding new elements daily from facial features to personal touches reflecting...
Patterns Tell Tales That Ready-Made Clothes Cannot
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When Christine Lindebak was just five years old, she begged her mother to let her use the sewing machine. That early passion blossomed into a lifelong creative journey that now helps others rediscover the joy of making their own clothes through her pattern design business, Sewing and the City.
Christine's approach to pattern-making stands out for its exceptional attention to detail. Each design undergoes multiple rounds of fittings across different sizes over two to three months—a meticulous process that ensures perfect fit and function. The results speak for themselves in pa...
You Don't Need the Perfect Plan to Begin Your Journey
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What happens when you finally decide to chase your decades-old dream with just 17 days left at your steady job? The exhilaration, fear, and unexpected joy of embracing imperfection.
Perfection is the enemy of progress. If we wait for flawless conditions before pursuing our passions, we'll remain forever stuck in place. My transition to full-time art hasn't followed a perfect roadmap—I'm admittedly "winging it" with the resources available. This messy middle, where plans meet reality, is where the real magic happens.
Watching my father pass away at 65 without experiencing hi...
Repurposing with Purpose: How Creative Recycling Builds Community
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I'm counting down my final month before retiring from my full-time job to pursue art full-time, with exciting collaborations highlighting my lifelong passion for fashion. My childhood dream of becoming a fashion designer has come full circle through partnerships with sustainable fashion brands, designers, and local businesses.
• Working with Christine from Sewing and the City on sustainable pattern designs
• Selected as a fashion influencer for a local clothing resale company
• Creating custom clothing modifications at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Fashion Show
• Offering resources at my studio for cust...
Permission to Be Imperfectly You: Breaking Creative Rules
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Authenticity is your superpower in a world of cookie-cutter content. This episode dives into how giving ourselves permission to simply be who we are transforms not only our creative work but every relationship and community we build.
Drawing from my experience at the ColoriFlori Art Summit with Este MacLeod, I explore what happens when we adapt instructions rather than feeling constrained by them. It's not just about art supplies – it's about the liberation that comes when we stop trying to do things "perfectly" according to someone else's standard. Those moments when we...
Rebloom Retreat: Voices of Artistic Sisterhood
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Ever wonder what happens when creative women find genuine community? This special episode takes you inside the transformative Rebloom Live Courageously retreat through conversations with five remarkable artists who discovered much more than new techniques—they found their tribe.
While visiting my mom (excuse the different audio quality!), I couldn't wait to share these meaningful connections with you. Each artist reveals not just where to find their work online, but what made this gathering so profoundly different from other creative conferences they've attended. From Amy Keever's innovative "vision book" concept (not vision bo...
Counting Down to Full-Time Artist Life
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Ready to dive into the creative world of community art?Â
Summer is approaching fast, and with it comes the excitement of my new Kids Art Camps launching this July! These age-specific programs offer young artists from toddlers to teens the opportunity to explore different creative disciplines each day, from fiber arts to painting, all while completing meaningful projects by week's end.
The studio is buzzing with energy as registrations come in, though I'm keeping groups intimate with just 20 students per age bracket to ensure quality instruction and personal attention. T...
Finding Inspiration: The Power of Retreats and Workshops
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Creativity demands fuel, and finding that spark often requires stepping outside our familiar routines. In this energetic and heartfelt episode, Tracy shares her excitement about attending the upcoming Rebloom creative retreat in Milton, Kentucky—the first of several inspirational events she plans to experience this year as she transitions from her full-time job into expanded creative entrepreneurship.
The conversation explores the various ways we can seek inspiration—from local Chamber of Commerce lunch-and-learns to weekend workshops, multi-day retreats, and even international creative excursions. Tracy emphasizes that regardless of format, these experiences shar...
Wearing Many Hats: The Business Side of Being a Creative
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Have you ever felt uncomfortable promoting your creative work? That internal resistance to "shouting from the rooftops" is something nearly every artist faces. Today, I'm diving into why self-promotion isn't selfish—it's necessary.
As creatives running small businesses, we wear countless hats. The marketing hat often feels most awkward, but it's essential for connecting your work with the people who need it. I share my own journey of promoting my studio through everything from $5 social media boosts to local billboards, while emphasizing that authenticity trumps perfection every time. Your unique creative vo...
