Open Studios Gratitude

One of the best things about having a blog is the forum it offers for expressing gratitude.  In the Cloud.  On the Internet.  Out in The World.  Where the people who have done REALLY, REALLY NICE THINGS get to be shouted about -- with links :)  

Here, Bean Up The Nose Art unfolds its gigantic "THANK YOU!" Valentine of love for folks who made it all the way out to Woodacre, CA, and partook of the two weekends of Open Studios through the Marin Arts Council.  (Even when it HAILED.  Which it did yesterday morning.)  

There were neighbors.  Lots and lots of these good people . . . including Kathy C. and Andreas, who always love the art supply garage sale portion, and buy Bean Up The Nose Art goodies, too.  Also newly-met neighbor Kris C., who shared the great story of re-uniting on Facebook with her high school sweetheart 30 years later -- and they just got engaged.  And lovely Amy R. up the hill, who teaches terrific yoga classes.  And wonderful next-door peeps Ann and Richard K., who are always incredibly generous and supportive.  And fun.  And fellow Woodacre artist family Justine Tatarsky, who does great art tiles.  And Gail W., who's a true lion in the death penalty defense community, and who also happens to live in this little hamlet.

Gym folks made the trek!  Like Brian B. and Heather K., who spent time and money, and got a lesson from Clarke on the backyard bees.  And web-dude Todd, who came out with his entire family (and who also rocks it at CrossFit).

Thank you to family support!  Brother and sister in law Julie and Al, and their friends Amy and Tom, took a side-trip in their travels and sat a spell.  It was great to see you!  And fabulous daughter Meryl and boyfriend Chris spent a day helping out, and even working on the house.

Thank you to amazing old friends who drove miles and miles and took time out of their weekends to be here and shop and visit.  SO LUCKY!!!  Like @dianamyee and @tahoer33d -- those are their Twitter handles :) -- with whom I got to talk Twitter, and reminisce about the fact that we've known each other SINCE FIFTH GRADE!  And who else was wonderful for coming on out?  Our fifth grade teacher herself . . . the amazing Ms. Rathjens, whose class transformed all of us.  And who drove up in his Magnum P.I.-like Ferrari but Jerold O., from Pinole Valley High School.   It was a blast.

As it was also lucky to spend time visiting with new friends.  Like Twitter buddy @dianefischler . . . who shared coffee and laughs and support during a particularly slow time.  Such a treat!  And Ellen C., who was so kind to Bean Up The Nose Art when she worked at Marin Arts Council, and who has now gone on to more adventures in her kick-ass life.

Bean Up The Nose Art is also grateful for the chance it got to roll out some new stuff . . . like goodie bags of random papers and ephemera and ribbons and other yumminess with which you can make your own collage piece.  So whimsical and fun to be able to put these together, and so great that they took right off.

Immense gratitude as well for the $176 y'all raised on Sunday, May 8 (Mother's Day) by buying Bean Up The Nose Art goodies -- all of which go to the Red Cross earmarked for Alabama tornado relief.  

And now, imagining magic in all of your lives, for all the good that you do for you and yours, and those that you love.  Thanks for the outpouring of kindness and love that we got to experience here these past two weekends.  It was a joy to behold.

 
Y.O.U. R.O.C.K.!!!!