Brick & Mortar Friends: The Star Store

Welcome to The Star Store: 

with three locations on fabulous:

The Star Store originated in 1919 as a general store, named after a brand of shoes:  STAR BRAND.  Tamar and husband Gene bought it in 1984 . . . when Tamar was seven months pregnant . . . with a vision to creating an updated contemporary mercantile and market.  And, as Tamar reports, "26 years later, here we are, blessed with our daughter Gena, and still in business!"

That's for sure.  Their three locations offer what they call "an eclectic collection of Food - Fashion - Fun."  We're not even covering the food part here (great natural, organic, and gourmet foods).  Just take a look at some of the Fashion and Fun: 

And lest you think it's all for the ladies, it's not.  They've got departments for kids and men, too:

And as if we didn't love The Star Store just for all of this . . . they also carry a great collection of cards and gifts (which include Beans . . . yay!!!)

A great big thanks to The Star Store for being one of our earliest, and most frequent, purchaser of Bean Up The Nose Art goodies.

And if you are indeed lucky enough to be up on Whidbey Island this weekend, you can also check out the "Uniquely Whidbey" business show on Saturday, October 9 and Sunday, October 10 at Coupeville High School, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  FREE!  Check out all the participating Whidbey Island businesses . . . including MJC Copy and Stationery, which will feature Bean Up The Nose Art products in its display of how to turn YOUR art into products.

And if it fits your budget and priorities . . . remember to pledge it up during Bean Up The Nose Art's KUOW pledge challenge . . . noon hour . . . Sunday, Oct. 10.   THANKS!

Pledge Drive Challenge!!!

Here at Bean Up The Nose Art, we're great big fans of radio:  the medium through which you get to imagine your own pictures as you listen.  For example, there's not really a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than listening to a Giants game (GO GIANTS!!!!) on KNBR while you're drinking coffee, eating some chocolate, and working away on a new art project.

While Bean Up The Nose Art is up on Whidbey Island, KUOW -- Seattle's terrific public radio station -- is on pretty much 24/7.   And our very favorite show is "The Vinyl Cafe" -- most easily described as a Canadian "A Prairie Home Companion."  But better.  For one thing, the terrific host Stuart McLean WRITES BACK when you send him fan mail.  (Which we know from personal experience. And sorry, Garrison Keillor . . . we also know that you don't.)

So . . . in celebration of Bean Up The Nose Art's website launch, and in recognition of all the hours we've spent listening to KUOW while working on art, Bean Up The Nose Art now throws down to you this PLEDGE DRIVE CHALLENGE!!!!  

Are you ready?  

Here's how it works.

During the noon hour this Sunday, October 10 -- while "The Vinyl Cafe" airs -- Bean Up The Nose Art will match every dollar pledged (up to $1,000).   You can post here

(wait til Sunday at noon to take advantage of the challenge money!) or call in on Sunday:  866-677-5869, or 206-543-9595. 

We hope you'll play!!!!

How-To: Make Background Paper

Here's an easy-peasy lesson in making the "background" paper you'll find on many Bean Up The Nose Art products.  (Don't you just want to click over to those products and BUY SOME RIGHT NOW?!?!)  

1.  These are your material friends:  plain old manilla file folders (the best kind of paper I've found to hold the Color Wash): 

and Ranger's Adirondack Color Wash . . .spray bottles . . . many fabulous colors.  Here, we're going to use "Butterscotch" -- which appears on lots of Bean Up The Nose Art's products.  (Don't you just want to click over to those products and BUY SOME RIGHT NOW?!?!?!?!?):

2.  Spread baking parchment paper (or, you can be a fancy pants crafter and use a craft sheet) on a floor, table, or counter space -- that you don't mind getting stained if things get sloppy. The point with the parchment paper/craft mat is for the Color Wash to bead up onto it, instead of soaking in.

3.  Spray the Color Wash onto the parchment paper:

A couple of squirts will do it.  I generally combine two -- or at the most, three -- different Color Wash colors . . . a couple of squirts of each onto the parchment paper.  For a more fluid look, spray a little water over the top as well, which will make the colors run together.

4.  In this photo below, you can see the way the Color Wash/water has beaded up.  That's what we want.  Now, gently pat the file-folder paper onto the Color Wash/water mix.  Be random!  It doesn't matter.  Whatever way you place the paper, pat it down, drag it across . . . IT WILL BE FINE!!! This is not for the fussy, and for sure not for the perfectionistas.  This is a fun job for those of us who like our projects to be easy-peasy, forgiving, and instantly-gratifying.  (And, no, I don't know whose wrinkly old fingers are holding that paper . . . .)

5.  Turn the soaked paper over.  See?  Beautiful!  

Set it down to dry, color-wash-side-up, on some clean parchment paper.  It will curl up a bit as it dries.  Don't worry.  You can stick it between the pages of a book to flatten it after it's all dry.Also, be aware that the colors you see when the project is wet are much more popping and in-your-face vibrant than they will be when the Color Wash dries -- into more muted tones.

6.  And voila!  Twelve or so hours later, you have a fabulous beginning to your collage piece . . . .