Thanks for Popping On By!

Once again . . . blown away by the power and love of the way things work.

At this time last year -- with one notable exception, who I'll describe below -- I did not know a single person who made yesterday's Holiday Pop Up Shop work.

And now . . . well, look at how things can go!

Spent yesterday afternoon selling Bean Up The Nose Art goodies in this lovely, magical studio space of Lisa Sonora Beam's. (Click here for some of her magic.)

How did I end up here? Because in June, terrific Heather (who has just begun her own crafty business . . . click here!) sent me an e-mail saying, "Hey . . . I think you'd really like this artist . . . and she teaches classes in San Anselmo." (Which, for those of you reading this far from the San Francisco Bay Area, is about 7 miles from where Beans lives out in West Marin.)

And the rest was history. (You can click here and here for examples of Bean Up The Nose Art-loves-Lisa Sonora Beam posts.) The artist and author I'd admired for years became a friend! Art play dates. Her teaching art journaling at my 50th birthday this summer. Consulting about Bean Up The Nose Art business plans. Hosting Bean Up The Nose Art's "Giving Thanks" collage class in November. Like, way rocking stuff.

More benefits abounded. Like, at one of Lisa's classes, meeting Linda Grimes . . . who also came to one of Bean Up The Nose Art's classes . . . and who makes all kind of great art products. Click here for her etsy store!!! (Hint: do it! Exquisite Scrabble-tile necklaces for incredibly low prices. Can you say "Holidays are around the corner!"?)

Wonderful Linda asked in October, "Hey? What about holiday fairs?" And voila!!! The Holiday Pop Up Shop was planned.

And broadcast via Facebook and Twitter . . . two other things I never visited a year ago.

And now?!?!?

Holy crap.

My tweeps (which, for those of you not yet on Twitter . . . which, of course, you should be . . . are your Twitter peeps) came out in droves. Seriously.

Let's name some names.

@alembic @ATOMSanRafael @brainmaker @dianefischler @earthnik @greenlifejunkie @ipeggy @ken_homer @mizstarryeyed @vickirandallesq . . . .

The power of love, as transmitted through Twitter :)

These folks heard about the Holiday Pop Up Shop on Twitter. They passed information along on Twitter. And they came down IRL ("in real life") to lavish time and energy and kindness and support on a fellow tweep, on one of the busiest times in the holiday season, with Bay Area holiday craft fairs up the wazooo.

Also stopping by was terrific artist Kate Barrengos . . .who we've highlighted on Beans (click here for a view of some of her wonderful paintings) and who we also didn't know a year ago.

But wait! Things get even luckier!

Because who was the one person there I'd known before this last year? Fabulous daughter Meryl. (Click here for a small slice of her very big fabulousness.) Who came on down and was Jill-of-all-trades (which is one of the very best things about her . . . the amazing range of her fabulousity). She helped with set-up and take-down. She staple-gunned signs for the shop onto telephone poles. She arranged yummy treats, and gift-wrapped goodies. She chatted up folks she didn't know.

In short: awesomeness. Lucky, lucky, lucky!!

The afternoon was full of kind people talking and laughing and sharing . . . even things like their macaw, Frisco.
And this amazing mosaic piece by Jen Rubinstein (which this photo does not do justice to). Who, along with being an amazing artist, is a massage therapist and Ironwoman triathlete.

In more celebration of what's happened since last year at this time . . . what went up for sale at the Pop Up Shop were were collage sheets that we hope you'll use in your own collage art. Even for sale. Yes! Use them all up!!!

We culled copy-right-free images, altered them even further, and included our own art work for you to use. Because, as we have learned in the last year, it's way more fun to play and collaborate and tweet and communicate with others than we ever could have known before.

Thanks again to everyone for your part in making yesterday afternoon so special. To Lisa and Linda for your time and energy and friendship. To Meryl for your making-it-work-ness. And to everyone who came on out -- AND EVEN BOUGHT A LOT OF STUFF!! -- thank you from the bottom of a Beans' heart. You ROCK! And to everyone who couldn't make it . . . we totally understand. It is a crazy, and crazy-making time of year. We appreciate the love and support and kindness you share in every other way. YOU rock!!!