Brewtifully Made

Tracy Dawn Brewer

No matter the creative endeavor you pursue, it is Brewtifully Made!Here, Tracy Dawn Brewer shares creative insights, discussions with creative souls who are invited to doodle along with her and share their creative processes, and more. Adding a twist, each episode begins with a doodle prompt and you can catch the final pieces from the episode on her YouTube channel, linked on the website! If you choose to also create along with her during an episode, share your work with the hashtag #brewtifullymade so she can shout out YOUR awesome creativity too! 

  1. I Built A Creative Life By Saying Yes

    4D AGO

    I Built A Creative Life By Saying Yes

    Send us Fan Mail 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.  Next up, I’m leaning into collaborations that connect new audiences: a June pickleball mahjong event at a new spot called Hotshots, plus another gathering tied to the Ohio State University Alumni Association. I also share an invitation to Art in the Park in Hartville, where I’ll be setting up tables and teaching the art of mahjong to anyone curious. If you’re building a small business, planning community events, or trying to grow a creative brand, these partnerships are a practical reminder that you don’t have to do it alone.  On the making side, I talk through how I’m creating my own mahjong tiles from blank tiles to drawing, laser engraving, and hand painting, plus how manufacturing and licensing help turn artwork into products people can actually buy. The biggest takeaway is simple and hard-earned: leave room in your plans for the unplanned, share the littlest thing, and let it grow into something bigger than you could have mapped out. If you like this kind of creative business update, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a quick review so more makers and mahjong lovers can find us. Support the show Catch the doodles on YouTube My socials: Sign up for my monthly newsletter Portfolio website: Brewtifully.com Instagram: /Brewtifully Facebook: /brewtifully TikTok: GettingSmallwithGrandma LinkedIn: Tracy Dawn Brewer

    9 min
  2. Sharing What You Love Can Become Your Next Business

    APR 17

    Sharing What You Love Can Become Your Next Business

    Send us Fan Mail 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 playing experience. Then, a wild update from the product side: our mahjong mats are doing really well, and the company licensing our artwork is heading toward a television moment through a new collaboration with a studio and network. If you’re curious about art licensing, building a niche product line, or what it looks like when a creative career takes an unexpected turn, this one is for you. Also, I lay out our affiliate program for people who genuinely love playing and want to share mats, tiles, and game-night culture with their audience. I will explain how the special code works, how commissions are tracked, whyIe offer a big first-order discount for samples, and the platform (UpPromote). To bring it back to community, I preview upcoming local classes, share how to teach without gatekeeping, and invite you to send tile photos or ask about a custom mahjong mat if you can’t find the right match. Subscribe for more honest creator updates, share this with a mahjong friend, and leave a review if it helped you see a new path forward.  What’s one hobby you could share more boldly this month? Support the show Catch the doodles on YouTube My socials: Sign up for my monthly newsletter Portfolio website: Brewtifully.com Instagram: /Brewtifully Facebook: /brewtifully TikTok: GettingSmallwithGrandma LinkedIn: Tracy Dawn Brewer

    8 min
  3. I Walk You Through My Shop So You Can See How The Ideas Become Real

    APR 4

    I Walk You Through My Shop So You Can See How The Ideas Become Real

    Send us Fan Mail 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 experience: make your own card, color your own flower, draw with crayons, pencils, or markers, and use real blooms as inspiration. I also share how these ideas sometimes show up in the middle of the night, and what it takes to write them down, paint the umbrella, and make them real by morning. From there, I walk you through a community art month and our itty bitty art exhibit prep, including tiny details like my mini mahjong scene and a mini version of one of my mahjong mat designs. You’ll also hear what’s on the merchandise wall, what craft kits and class supplies are out, and how the studio balances retail with hands-on making. Mahjong is a big theme too: I became a Miss Mahjong dealer, I’m stocking sets you can touch in person, and I’m building out custom made mats, bags, and even a pickleball collaboration with custom covers and paddles. I wrap with a candid update on launching wholesale on Faire, the realities of being a one-woman show, and an open invite if you want to come on the podcast to share your passion. Subscribe for more studio updates, share this with a creative friend, and leave a review if it helps you keep going. What passion are you ready to pursue next? Support the show Catch the doodles on YouTube My socials: Sign up for my monthly newsletter Portfolio website: Brewtifully.com Instagram: /Brewtifully Facebook: /brewtifully TikTok: GettingSmallwithGrandma LinkedIn: Tracy Dawn Brewer

    7 min
  4. Mahjong Made Me Do It

    MAR 27

    Mahjong Made Me Do It

    Send us Fan Mail 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.  I’m also honest about the reality of being a one-woman show. On any given day I’m creating artwork, coordinating manufacturing, managing listings, running a physical retail shop, bringing in seasonal inventory, and still taking freelance clients and commissions. The thread that holds it together is learning how to pivot on purpose, not just react, so the work stays joyful instead of exhausting.  And then there’s the part I didn’t expect: mahjong. Learning the game pulled me into a new community, new friendships, and events at the shop where people laugh, learn the card together, and share their love of the game. I even talk about getting my husband to learn at the library, plus ideas for teaching kids with mini major cards so the fun can travel across generations.  If you want more real-life creative entrepreneurship, wholesale tips, and community-building ideas for your art business, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review. What’s one new thing you want to learn this year? Support the show Catch the doodles on YouTube My socials: Sign up for my monthly newsletter Portfolio website: Brewtifully.com Instagram: /Brewtifully Facebook: /brewtifully TikTok: GettingSmallwithGrandma LinkedIn: Tracy Dawn Brewer

    8 min
  5. How A Busy Week Of Creative Work Turned Into A Licensing Breakthrough

    MAR 6

    How A Busy Week Of Creative Work Turned Into A Licensing Breakthrough

    Send us Fan Mail 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 guide five thousand students through hands-on art: a collaborative bokeh-style landscape built dot by dot, conversations about creative careers, and tiny “charcuterie” boards that teach composition through play. The week levels up with a scout workshop where simple birdhouses gain a digital soul—stickers become animated birds and butterflies with the Artivive app—showing kids how traditional craft and technology can sing together. Back at the studio, we get ready for live painting at the Home and  Garden Show, a St. Patrick’s plaza crawl, and a slate of fresh classes: mosaic lights, acrylic-and-resin techniques, and needle-felted bangles. Then let’s pull back the curtain on the licensing milestone—how sharing genuine joy about learning Mahjong led the right partners to my doorstep, and what’s next as we explore wholesale, affiliate options, and bringing elegant tiles to the local community. Along the way, I want to talk upcycled fashion, supportive teachers, and the one practice that keeps everything grounded: carving out ten minutes a day to make something that makes your heart happy. If you love creative entrepreneurship, community art, and real-world steps to grow your practice, you’ll feel right at home. Press play, share with a friend who needs a spark, and leave a quick review to help more makers find us. Support the show Catch the doodles on YouTube My socials: Sign up for my monthly newsletter Portfolio website: Brewtifully.com Instagram: /Brewtifully Facebook: /brewtifully TikTok: GettingSmallwithGrandma LinkedIn: Tracy Dawn Brewer

    13 min
  6. Sharing What You Love Inspires Others To Try

    FEB 27

    Sharing What You Love Inspires Others To Try

    Send us Fan Mail 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 across our town’s arts ecosystem. As a new ambassador for the Canton Symphony, we share how music, crafts, and community photos of national parks can blend into a multi-sensory experience that invites everyone in. You’ll hear how pairing concerts with hands-on projects welcomes newcomers, turns audiences into participants, and strengthens local culture. We also dig into the psychology of collaboration—why promoting fellow creators does not dilute your work, how positivity compounds, and where small partnerships can create outsized ripples. We round things out with what’s next in the studio: overnight slumber parties filled with crafts and mahjong, plus kids’ art camps arriving in June. Expect practical inspiration for hosting your own accessible workshops, reframing fear of failure, and becoming the bright light your circle needs as spring returns. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect idea or the perfect moment, let this be your nudge to start messy, start kind, and start now. Enjoy the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a creative boost, and leave a quick review to help more makers find us. Support the show Catch the doodles on YouTube My socials: Sign up for my monthly newsletter Portfolio website: Brewtifully.com Instagram: /Brewtifully Facebook: /brewtifully TikTok: GettingSmallwithGrandma LinkedIn: Tracy Dawn Brewer

    8 min
  7. The Beauty Of New Beginnings And Lifelong Resilience

    FEB 20

    The Beauty Of New Beginnings And Lifelong Resilience

    Send us Fan Mail 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 beginners on the sidelines. Our conversation widens into a story that changed our family’s map: a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis two decades ago, a rainy drive, and the steep curve of learning to live well with insulin. We recall clunky early tech, the cost of pumps, the choice to return to injections, and the slow rise of better tools like continuous glucose monitors. What stands out is not perfection but persistence—tiny acts of care repeated until they become strength. That lesson threads back to the game table: rules can be learned, confidence can be built, and community makes both easier. If you’re snowed in or just ready for a new ritual, try solo mahjong with what you have on hand—tiles you can source locally, a layout drawn on paper, and a simple reference to start. We’re here for the first step, celebrating the beauty of accessible craft, the grit of health resilience, and the joy of sharing what lights us up. Subscribe to Brewtifully Made, share this episode with a friend who needs a nudge to begin, and leave a review telling us what new skill you’re ready to try. Support the show Catch the doodles on YouTube My socials: Sign up for my monthly newsletter Portfolio website: Brewtifully.com Instagram: /Brewtifully Facebook: /brewtifully TikTok: GettingSmallwithGrandma LinkedIn: Tracy Dawn Brewer

    10 min
  8. Choose The Room That Welcomes You: Building Friendship Through Creative Spaces

    FEB 13

    Choose The Room That Welcomes You: Building Friendship Through Creative Spaces

    Send us Fan Mail 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 faces can still make the night feel warm. From there, we map out how to design community on purpose. We share the small choices that turn a class into a welcome—remembering names, keeping a seat open, and making it easy for solo guests to join a table. You’ll hear about upcoming sessions with our exhibiting artist, Tracy Freemason, who’s guiding a cartoon-style sneaker painting workshop, and fused glass classes with Amy Pepperney that keep sparking new friendships. We also talk about unexpected friend-making machines like Mahjong at the library, where shared practice breaks the ice faster than small talk ever could. We don’t skip the tender parts. Friend circles change with moves, marriages, kids, and new jobs; some bonds fade, others return through reunions or a lucky scroll on social media. We talk about reconnecting with old friends, even a high school friendship that became a marriage years later, and how to invite newcomers without pressure. If showing up solo feels scary, we offer gentle tactics: arrive early, ask simple questions, let your hands stay busy, and come back once more. Process over perfection becomes the throughline—for art, for community, for friendship. If this conversation nudged you to try a class, bring a friend, or leave a seat open for someone new, share it with your circle. Subscribe for more stories about creativity and community, and leave a review to help others find a welcoming table. Support the show Catch the doodles on YouTube My socials: Sign up for my monthly newsletter Portfolio website: Brewtifully.com Instagram: /Brewtifully Facebook: /brewtifully TikTok: GettingSmallwithGrandma LinkedIn: Tracy Dawn Brewer

    12 min
5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

No matter the creative endeavor you pursue, it is Brewtifully Made!Here, Tracy Dawn Brewer shares creative insights, discussions with creative souls who are invited to doodle along with her and share their creative processes, and more. Adding a twist, each episode begins with a doodle prompt and you can catch the final pieces from the episode on her YouTube channel, linked on the website! If you choose to also create along with her during an episode, share your work with the hashtag #brewtifullymade so she can shout out YOUR awesome creativity too!