Happy Halloween, Y'all

Indeed!  And here's our little black-and-white-and-orange gallery to help you celebrate the day:

(We love cemeteries.  The old tombstones are amazing.  And the stories of the lives at which they hint are priceless.  This picture comes from the Sunnyside Cemetery [who wouldn't vote for burial at such an optimistically-named operation?] in Coupeville, Washington.)

(A sampling of the amazing squash offerings at the Coupeville Farmer's Market this fall.)

(A closer look at one of the tombstones at Sunnyside.)

(And our Mr. Crow . . . the THANK YOU! gift that went out to the first ten followers of this blog. And thanks again!)

Hoping you and yours will have a spook-tacular day (and night)! 

Brick & Mortar Friends: Laurie's

A big old Bean Up The Nose Art HOWDY! to our newest brick & mortar friends at:

Laurie's -- owned by the fabulous Laurie herself, and opened last spring in Stanwood, Washington -- radiates that  "You bet we can!" attitude that we love around here . . . taking wing and flying in the face of the challenging economic times.  Daunted by challenge?  Nope! Thrilled by it.  Happy for the opportunity to take chances, emerge from cocoons, and become butterflies . . . just like those on these fabulous rings:  

Laurie's carries a pretty darned nifty selection of Northwest chic:

and a cool selection of accessories as well:

All of which are quite perfect for holiday gifts and stocking-stuffers!

Thanks to Laurie's for joining our band of brick & mortar friends!  

Brick & Mortar Friends: Aqua

Yay!  It's a treat to get to post here about:

Aqua is a pretty darned fabulous gift store on Front Street in historic Coupeville, Washington.  Cindy started with a coffee and gift shop in the space on the floor below, then moved several years ago into the terrific light and beautiful space upstairs . . . lost the coffee . . . and turned her attention completely to beautiful design, display, products:

Even the ceiling is cool.  Snagged some of these pillowcases myself for gifts (and last year did a hefty portion of my Christmas shopping here):

And the most remarkable Halloween display greets you on your way in:

Thanks to Cindy and her beautiful Aqua for carrying Bean Up The Nose Art products since last fall, when we first started . . . and for stocking up on cards, luggage tags and hanging ribboned tags for this fall season!

Proud Mom, Fabulous Daughter: Giveaway!!!

Fabulous Bean Up The Nose Art daughter Meryl has her own art business going on: 

where she sells such wonders as these HAND-PAINTED shoes:

The supercool folks at Anders Ruff are featuring Meryl's shoes this week in their give-way:

Click right on over to their site by 1 p.m. this Friday to enter!  Go Meryl!!!

Creating

Let the beauty we love be what we do.

There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.

That's by Rumi.  It rocks.  Making what we love in what we do = creating.  And witnessing the endless iterations of that by ourselves and others is one of the luckiest parts of life.  

Look!

This spider made a masterpiece -- incidental to her desire for dinner:

The loganberry spread out his green leaves and white buds like a tablecloth to gather in sunshine:

Even industrial metal created its own poem:

The color and shape this gal created out of her very body is enough to make anyone kneel and kiss the ground in joy and amazement:

  

And this prairie made a green collage of itself:

Hoping you'll get to do the beauty that you love.  Often.  And as much as possible.

Brick & Mortar Friends: Joyworks

A big Bean Up The Nose Art WELCOME!!! to our newest brick and mortar friends at:

Joyworks, in historic downtown Snohomish, Washington, celebrated its THIRTIETH YEAR in business last year.  That's some commitment, and some savvy . . . which, if you check out the photos of their fabulous style, you'll detect instantly:

Rooms and rooms full of clothing, gifts, accessories, ephemera, stationery products, homeware . . . two-stories worth.  The color- and theme-gathered displays are yum-liciously spectacular.  As is Jana's blog.  Which we highly recommend you check out.  

Thanks for adding Bean Up The Nose Art products -- greeting cards, business card holders, luggage tags, and hanging ribboned tags, yay! -- to your arsenal of excellent things, Joyworks. (Really, with a name like that, how could anyone go wrong?)   

Two times the fun this week

Looking forward to a week of fun up here on Whidbey Island.  On Wednesday, Bean Up The Nose Art teaches luggage-tag-making classes at Collage/The Rusty Chandelier.  Here's their terrific blend of gifts and paper arts supplies . . . with a great (out-of-the-picture) space for classes in the back:

Here's a sample of the kinds of tags we'll be making . . . yours will be different . . . we bring tons of papers and supplies for everyone to use whatever images they like:

Then on Thursday night, we get to play at REAL MAIL -- Whidbey Island's monthly gathering of folks who like to keep the art of letter-writing alive, and who like to fashion mail art.  Here, folks have all their collage materials out and ready to go:  

And here's a flavor of our space at Whidbey Pies Cafe:  

Yum.  Pies from scratch.  Fabulous coffee drinks.  Wine.  Friends.  Who could ask for more?  And we are proud members of The Letter Writers' Alliance.  Check them out!  

Brick & Mortar Friends: Sasquatch Studios

We're delighted to get to tell you about the fabulous:

a super cool, hip and happening store in the super cool, hip and happening Phinney Ridge neighborhood of Seattle, owned and operated by the super cool, hip and happening Sacha:

Sacha and Sasquatch Studios ("Sasquatch" was what Sacha's mom called her when she was little) exemplify more of that "Let's do it!" attitude we love here at Bean Up The Nose Art.  A woman barely in her 30s decides to open her own shop a block away from her house, after having a desk job and corporate gig in environmental consulting.  Undaunted by recession, this can-do chick went for it . . . opening Sasquatch Studio a year ago, Thanksgiving Day weekend . . with lovely results:

Sacha does her own art thing -- photography, jewelry, painting, print-making, and sculpture -- and also fills her scrumptious store with vintage clothing, home wares, fabulous decorations, and the artwork of others:

including very lucky us!:  

Thanks very much to Sacha for making us a part of the fun in her terrific shop.  

Way to Go! And, not so much . . . .

A great big shout-out to MJC Copy and Stationery (in wonderful Coupeville, Washington) for featuring Bean Up The Nose Art products in their display last weekend at Whidbey Island's business fair.  Along with fabulous Copy Connection (in Emeryville, California), MJC re-prints our collage pieces into all the products.  (Which you can buy on-line.  Hint.  Hint.)

And we're delighted at the opening of Ebey Bowl (also in wonderful Coupeville, Washington):

which is kind of a "Little Bowling Alley on the Prairie":

Why, you ask, the delight in this establishment?  Because brother and sister owners Matt and Mimi exemplify our favorite  "why-don't-I-stick-a-bean-up-my-nose?!?!?" spirit . . . that terrific blend of curiosity, energy, and crazy bravery that says, "Let's do it and see what happens!!!!"

Would experts say that anyone should open a six-lane bowling alley on an island in the middle of a recession?  You know the answer.  Did Matt and Mimi listen?  NOPE.  Instead, they charged right ahead and opened -- at 10:oo a.m., on 10/10/10 -- their gem of an establishment:

complete with pool table, retro video and pinball games, a full and delicious restaurant menu, and even this little dude:

Congratulations, Matt and Mimi!  You've gone some (bowling) balls of steel.  And we wish you all the best.

And now, in the  "not so much" department . . . . we are sad to report this . . . but, to close a circle that was opened here a few weeks ago . . . we're passing along the following unfortunate information.  Ready?  Okay.  

A certain public radio station (which will here remain nameless . . . but if you scroll down a few entries, you'll be able to connect the dots) did not air the pledge challenge last Sunday at noon during "The Vinyl Cafe" that Bean Up The Nose Art committed to.  In their response to our polite e-mail asking why, the unlucky public radio station employee caught in the middle said all she knew was that it was pulled at the last minute.  And no one else from the certain-public-radio-station has yet posted or called saying why for sure (or, "Sorry we shined on your $1,000 potential gift").  Seemed to those listening that we were yanked because a better "thank you for pledging" gift was offered, instead.  Bummer.  

That kind of thing is quite disappointing.  And just the reason we find cheer -- and in turn cheer for -- exuberant, risk-taking, can-do little places like Ebey's Bowl.    Go, Ebey's Bowl!!!!

Brick & Mortar Friends: Avatar Community Business Center

This is a post of outright love for the folks at:

in Fairfax, California.  Most specifically, for owner and founder Toni (who, characteristically, is not in the photos because she is busy helping other people).  With her husband Ralph, Toni opened Avatar nine years ago.  Toni had her own graphic design studio for 20 years, and saw the community's need here for a business center -- a place that was "all the spokes of the wheel" . . . where business folks could do everything from getting copies made and papers notarized, to buying office supplies, to having graphics made and final products mailed out.  And that is what they do.  

If you live in Fairfax or the San Geronimo Valley, you know what Avatar provides -- and that if Toni and Ralph were not doing this, we'd all have to drive a heck of a lot farther to find all of these products and services.  (And they are great supporters of community events and groups, to boot. ) 

And Bean Up The Nose Art will be eternally grateful for Toni's support and encouragement -- as the very first brick & mortar owner who said, "Yes! I love your work!" and placed an order.  And repeat orders.  And her tips and suggestions about art, marketing, and business mirror the overall generosity she shows to the community at large.  In short, she is one fabulous woman.

A big old virtual hug and THANK YOU to you, Toni, and everyone at Avatar.

Road Trip

There're a lot of fun things about being the owner/artist (marketer/bookkeeper/shipper/secretary . . . .) of Bean Up The Nose Art.  One of the most delightful is getting to go on marketing road trips.  Here are how they work:

1)  Get in your silver Saturn Vue, with its "BE WHAT YOU ARE" license plate. 

2.  Make sure to take your great road trip dog, Gracie, with you.

3.  Bring your spiffy little marketing box full of sample goodies.

4.  Caffeinate yourself.  The Pacific Northwest is blessedly full of these kinds of drive-through coffee stands.  It is hard to believe that California does not have more of them.  A shout-out here to fabulous Java Hut in Fairfax and Petaluma . . . bringing them to the Bay Area.  Another shout out to the fabulous woman who worked at this particular stand -- who, when they ran out of dog treats (a key component of drive-through coffee stands . . . caffeine for you, and a treat for your dog), brought her own from home to give out to customers.  Now that's service!

   

5.  Drive to picturesque towns.  This trip, we hit a lot of spots in western Washington . . . including historic downtown Snohomish:

 

6.  Find the super cute store in town and show them your stuff.  (No photos here yet . . . that's a separate blog spot to come later.)  

7.  Stop along the way at parks and enjoy the autumn.

What's not to love about this job?!?!?!