Enjoy an interview with Tif Fussell who designed the Woolly Tattoo Pillow for Making No. 2 / FAUNA!

Share a project, either past present or future that you are especially proud of.

Aside from the Woolly Tattoo stitching which has allowed me to travel and teach and meet amazing folks, I am really quite proud of the ‘Leap of Faith’ medals, lockets and necklaces I am conjuring up for Tolt’s Makers Market on Dec 3rd. Interestingly it has been a long time since I have made something which has me pondering opening an online shop again. I think that is a big thing for me to even be pondering, so we shall see…

What's your favorite color?

My favorite all time color has to be green. I do have love affairs with other colors but green is an eternal flame of a color for me. I love it because of the huge spectrum of greens there are. I am particularly fond of the slighty vomity yellowy greens and also the super dark almost black green you see on old glossy window frames. Of course some might say that isn’t really green but I say, it is! Yes green is a versatile chappy whom I love very much.

If you were going to create something just for fun today, what would it be?

Just for fun? Right now? Today? Oh how magical that would be! I would make Cedric Randolf’s bride. Cedric is an old moth doll who has a cataract in one eye and sees only goodness out of the other. He was born at Sqaum this past Fall and has a whole family just waiting in the wings and I am hopeful one day in the not too distant future I can find time to play again, just like I did on the magical day Cedric Randolf was born in Ann Wood’s class

If you could collaborate with three people, who would they be and why?

Okay, well I have to ask for 4 please. For I have 4 children and each of them are creative in there own rights. So far I have collaborated with Meg my eldest on a few projects (you can find her illustrations in the Fauna Issue of Making alongside of my Beetle woolly tattoo cushion bling) and I am in the process of collaborating with my youngest Marlon on a Beetle project which I am besides myself excited about (we will be showcasing them at Tolt’s Makers Market alongside my medals etc). So then that leaves just my other 2, Esme and Levi, both of which live far away overseas so perhaps one day, somehow, someway, we will get to play together on something creative. I feel blessed and privileged to watch them go out into the world and make their own footprints with their own creative feet. And even more blessed if they wish to create with their mum every now and then.

What currently inspires you most?

Insects, Moths, Yarn and found treasure with bling, shiny bling, like gold bling. I thought I was always a silver bling sort of a bod but nope, it appears gold bling is catching my eye and like a magpie I keep seeing it when out and about in the thrift store and vintage markets and have to gather it up and bring it home to place on my studio worktable nest. Where upon I will admire it, play with it and then best of all, imagine what it will become.

Thank you, Tif!