Because she is so lovely, Tiff is giving one of my readers a Flash Diamond Sconce (pictured at the bottom) in the giveaway! Make sure to enter at the bottom of the post, but first read the interview! You'll find lots of interesting tidbits, including her surprising day job!
Tell me a little bit about yourself!
Hello!! I am Tiff Tuttle, ETSY shop proprietress and Spazz Happy Line Design himmeli maker. I love minimalist design and I have a penchant for all things geometry. I have created my designs with the idea that symmetry establishes balance and generates positive energy in the space it occupies. I believe that straight lines and clean angles will never go out of style, and that everyone should be able to afford objects of beauty. This is why I strive to keep my prices low.
Where did the name of your store come from?
Great question, the name of the store came from me! I am a lover of life, and a lover of all things fantastic. When I encounter something that makes me happy, or excited, I want to tell every single person I can about it. I’ve always liked to share, so when I am inspired or moved or find something magnificent, I want to others to know about it so they can experience and enjoy it for themselves. I have a lot of positive energy and would hug the entire world if I could. So, the name of my store captures part of my essence. I’m generally happy and have this spazzy energy fueling my fire, so the name Spazz Happy seemed fitting. Since I work with lines, I tacked on Line Design to establish my branding a bit more.
Why did you start making goods for Spazz Happy Line Design?
I started in July of 2013 when I decided to make a large hanging mobile for my home. I love the timeless look that clean lines create and I wanted to gussy up our living space. I had so much fun doing it, that I decided to keep creating, and creating, and creating... Since I am working with lines, the possibility of new designs is almost infinite. It’s mathematics and I love it. The various lengths I use to create separate pieces are like a language that speaks to me. Each one is unique, each one has it’s own distinguished property, and each one has character.
What is your favorite item?
I really like them all. They’re like my little babies and when I sell one, I feel like it’s getting adopted. So I can’t really pick one per se, however, I am really digging the flash diamonds that I make. They are neat because they can be placed on their side, atop a book, on a tabletop, desk, landing, or upside down. My sister has one and she has a little nest inside of it. I like giving people options, because… well quite frankly, I like options, and if I’m going to buy something, it’s awesome to get more than one use- or in this case, more than one look, out of it. I also like this design because I am a lover of flash tattoos. When I met my husband 13 years ago he had one little tattoo on his wrist. Now he has full sleeves, shoulder, chest and leg pieces. I have 5 myself and I just love them, so this piece is also expressive of my love for him and my love of flash tatts.
Another design I really like are the nesting triangles. These are hollow triangles that come in small, medium and large, and when purchased together, can fit inside each other. The triangle is such a meaningful shape. It is sacred and strong, and having it in your space makes me hope that it brings you divine strength as well. Another reason I like it is because it can have different meanings to different people. I see it as representing growth and evolution. I like that they can fit inside each other or remain separate. I am a clinical psychologist by day and to me, the smaller pieces can represent various parts of one’s psyche, or life. There are smaller segments within the vessel, but they all fit inside, making the set complete. Yet, another interpretation, it could represent the past, present, or future. Or the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit for folks that are Christian. There are so many possibilities, and as I said, I like options!
What is your most popular item?
People really seem to like the wall sconce designs that hang flat against the wall. I try to keep a number of various designs in my store and I’m constantly working on new additions. My sister coined the term “wall jewelry” to describe them and I love it- it’s so fitting. It’s a clean and unique way to dress up your wall. I’ve also seen folks become really creative with what they decide to display inside them. Air plants, crystals, pinecones, feathers, and artificial flowers are some that I’ve seen people use.
Where do you get the inspiration for your work?
Inspiration is all around me. I am constantly stimulated and in awe of the beauty in this world. When I see an object, I visualize it broken down into its simplest geometric form. In this way, geometry is what inspires me, and geometry is all around us, so just about everything can serve as a source of my inspiration.
Tell us a little about your process.
Being able to produce something with your hands is emotionally rewarding and reinforces my drive to create. In this world where there seems to be a market for everything, and things are mass-produced, it feels really great to use your own 2 hands and simply create. Yes a machine made the brass, copper and aluminum that I use, but I turned that into something different and that feels good. I experience a profound sense of meaning when I am working in my studio. When I create my designs, depending on my mood, you will likely find me listening to music, watching a movie, or simply being, as in sitting in a quiet space, grounded. Being able to come home from my day job, and shift my focus to something that is still meaningful, but requires less psychic energy is another reason why I like working on my designs so much.
What makes your store unique?
Great question! There are certainly lots of stores and people doing similar things, but what makes me unique is that I measure, hand cut, sand, and polish every single piece before it is assembled. It’s a one woman operation and I do not get any material precut. Another thing that is unique to me is that I am a clinical psychologist and a self-help author and I don’t know how many other folks with that background are doing this.
What is the toughest part about your artistic process?
The hardest part is not being able to turn off my brain!! As in, when I get one idea, that idea multiplies into 30 separate ideas very rapidly. It’s hard for me to sleep until I have created the vision in my head into a physical piece. Over the last year, there are countless times that I have been up passed 4 am, totally energized, but it’s that spazzy energy I was talking about. It’s a good energy and it’s being channeled in a way that produces beauty in this world.
Where can I see more of your work and buy a gift?
Store/Etsy: @SpazzHappyLineDesign
Twitter: @tifftutts
Instagram: @spazzhappylinedesign
Aren't the designs all amazing! I can't decide which one is my favorite, but I simply adore the planters. They are definitely wonderful gift for air plant enthusiasts!
Now to the giveaway! Tiff is offering one of the flash diamonds (on the right in the above picture) to one of you lucky readers, so make sure to enter using the widget below.
Good luck!
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