What We Did On Our June "Vacation," Part I

HOWDY!!!!!

Boy, did we miss y'all in the blogging-vacation-month-of-June.  But boy, did that break allow us to recharge our batteries . . . take some awesome classes . . . have some terrific art adventures with old friends and new . . . do lots and lots of card and luggage tag and new product creating . . . go on marketing trips to visit our favorite, earliest brick & mortars . . . begin to plan for retooling the website . . . all of which we'll be sharing with you over the next week.  

But the first order of business is to THANK YOU.  Thank you for your support and love and friendship in other venues (Facebook, Twitter, and even "in real life!") during Beans' June break.  Thanks for your purchases, patience and kindness, humor and wonderful words.  It's with renewed enthusiasm to bring you all kinds of tips and information, love and encouragement, that we're coming back from blog vacation.  YAY!!!

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Right after launching Bean Up The Nose Art in spring 2009, found this awesome book.  And I mean truly, remarkably awesome.

Straight from its back jacket: "The Creative Entrepreneur is a visual, results-oriented, step-by-step method of business development for creatives from all walks of life who want to turn their passions into viable business opportunities."

BINGO!!!

So I began doing the fabulous journaling and collaging exercises in the book.  And they were WONDERFUL.  But I stopped.  I got busy.  Or I don't know what.  It felt like I should wait a bit . . . . for something . . . 

BINGO!!!

Out of the blue a few weeks ago, I got an e-mail from my lawyer/artist friend (and CrossFit gym member -- go, CrossFit!) Heather, saying "I think you would like this woman's classes."  

The next class being offered was called, "Filling The Well," a journaling class devoted to "happifying" one's self back into her creative processes.

BINGO!!!

The woman Heather was referring to was Lisa Sonora Beam.  

The author of The Creative Entrepreneur.  

BINGO!!!!! Actually, BINGO+ . . . it was starting to get really weird.

The class was in two weeks.  Less than 10 miles from my house.

Holy.  Moly.

So I signed up, and travelled the short distance for the day-long journal-making class.   And met terrific Lisa at her studio, where she hosted six of us lucky gals.

   

Now I ask you:  how can you not become instantly smitten with someone who has written this in chalk on her bathroom wall?

And now, I WILL tell you something wonderful!  

When I walked in the door, LISA KNEW WHO I WAS!!!!  Because she had been seeing Bean Up The Nose Art goodies at stores around town AND SHE LIKED THEM.  And then, she introduced me to everyone else AS A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST.

Good thing I was sitting down.

Because, can you imagine?  

There I was, already feeling Twilight-Zone about getting the e-mail from Heather, and finding out that this butt-kicking artist and author lived this close by, and that I was going to meet her in person and take a class from her.  That was already surreal enough.  

Then to hear that this woman was a "fan of my work?"

Good Lord.

The reason I am going in to such detail and own-horn-tooting right here is pretty darned simple.  In case you have not figured out my mission though, let me spell it right out here, right now:   

If this can happen to me, IT CAN FOR SURE HAPPEN TO YOU, TOO.  I never would have put all these pieces together and guessed this would have been able to happen in a million years.  But apparently, it does.   And I know for sure that there is nothing particularly special about me - except, of course, in the way that we are all our own special and unique gift-bringers on this planet, which is to say you and I are just as special as each other.  And, since I am quite sure the same rules of the universe apply to all of us, I'm putting my money on YOU!!!

You just keep on taking steps, and you find yourself in the most remarkable places. 

Including Lisa Sonora Beam's studio!

So, let's see what we did that day in class . . . .

We were instructed to bring a grab bag of materials we were no longer using, for everyone else to look over.  And you know how it goes:  one gal's trash is another gal's treasure.  There's something about seeing different colors, textures, images than you're used to that gets the creative juice flowing.  So, we culled sheets and images from all of this.

And then chose a couple of acrylic paints

with which to cover our blank pages with color . . . using the side of old credit cards to spread around. 

After those pages dried, we added images and writing and all manner of things, aided by Lisa's prompt questions.  

Seven hours flew by.  We used ribbon to bind our pages.  

  

Voila.  My journal:

Learned some awesome new techniques, too, including the "resist" method used here to create the word "WANT."  (Hint:  put plastic/cardboard image down on paper.  Spray over it with Adirondack Color Wash spray bottles.  Let dry.  Remove plastic/cardboard.  SO EASY!!!) 

Here's one of my favorite pages.  Shot this photo of burgeoning loganberry blossoms up on Whidbey Island a couple of years ago, and never could find the right place for it.  Til now :) 

Thanks so much, Lisa, for your wonderful creativity, your patient and kind teaching . . . and, I am so lucky to say, for becoming a new friend.  I never, ever would have predicted such a thing to occur.   Thank you for teaching this other lesson, too -- that such luck and serendipity and creative flow do indeed exist, every day.

* * * * *

In non-art world . . .but still such cool news that it needs to be shared . . . so touched to be able to say that my son Adam got married [during Beans' blogging-month-off :)] to wonderful new daughter-in-law Christine.  We all wish them much happiness and all other good things.  As Christine's sister Karen shared during her maid-of-honor toast, "May your wedding day be the day you love each other least!"  Probably best wedding toast ever.  Pass it along :)  

Congratulations, and awesome work, kids!