baby girl

i am meeting the newest addition to our family today - my mom's tiny sweet baby girl


the pictures are terrible but i squealed just the same and had to share (i will post much better ones later)

i am so happy for my mom as i know she has been quite sad - we lost our kitty to old age on christmas day and 3 other pets in the last 4-5 years - so the house that was bursting to the seams with animal goodness had become very quiet.


baby girl came to my mom on Valentines day - not as a gift but an unexpected chance meeting - my parents were on vacation in Florida and went to a farmers market and there she was. a few phone calls to the airline, some quick coordinating and baby girl was scooped up & whisked to Maine. it was meant to be.

so today i can't wait to revel in
snuffling her little head & her tiny cold nose, watching her bouncy prance, smelling her puppy breath and snuggling in for lots & lots of cuddles

sugar biscuits

i don't know if i have ever mentioned it here but my mom is a wonderful artist
she and my dad have been creating collectible miniatures for 35 years and have always been cutting edge

she sews, she paints, she draws and she has been creating commercial designs for years...she is a great inspiration and i adore our art days together

i am proud to provide a link to one of her many collections - it appeared in Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting, "Easy Quilts" Spring 2010 magazine, on stands now

it includes a free quilt pattern download - www.fonsandporter.com/sugarbiscuits



Robin Betterley's "Sugar Biscuits" fabric collection by Wilmington Prints
this particular collection is for babies and is available in pink or blue - visit www.wilmingtonprints.com for more info and to see some of her other collections

i am especially delighted to team-teach a workshop with my mom and sister at Art Is You - East Coast Art Retreat
"Wickedly Good", Danbury CT, October 7 - 11, 2010


ALMOST HOME - mixed media house workshop

Art Is - Wickedly Good

ART IS YOU - The East Coast Art Retreat
October 7 - 11, 2010



We have had the pleasure of participating in this wonderful event since its first year and every year the organizers Sal & Ellen go above & beyond.
This year's theme is "Wickedly Good" and it looks better then ever - you do not want to miss it.
Registration is open and the workshops being offered are just fabulous!
I am also so excited that Jo Packham from where Women Create will be the guest speaker.

Full details and registration can be found at their website but I wanted to share additional photos of the workshops I will be teaching. (psssst, we are also offering tons of new goodies at their East Coast Art Trunk vendor fair)

FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING - mixed media art doll
In this workshop we will explore several textural and painting techniques as we transform cheap, plastic doll parts & salvaged elements into a mysterious relic. Playing with scale & form, we will push the boundaries as we create a whimsical sculpture. The techniques you will learn are very versatile and can be easily applied to other projects.











HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
In this workshop we will explore several collage techniques. Too often relegated to mundane uses in our studios, we will elevate humble wax paper - in fact celebrate it - for its wonderful tactile nature and its dreamy translucency. Crumpling, adhering, stuffing, papering, painting, glazing – we will discuss composition, texture and layering.





ALMOST HOME
In this workshop we will transform a boring photo box into a house of curiosities. Using architectural elements and a wonderful technique, we will assemble mixed media houses full of interesting texture and dimension. We will discuss composition, painting & aging techniques, scale & repetition.

I am delighted to team-teach this class with my sister Rachel Betterley, a talented Maine artist & teacher and my mom Robin Betterley, a renowned miniature & watercolor artist. For more information – www.robinbetterley.com

the fever

i love winter
i love every season
but every year i get the fever once february hits
cabin fever that is

the seed catalogs are out, marked up with my selections
notepads are covered in garden sketches & ideas
every garden, flower, outdoor living magazine i can get my hands on is piled near the couch to be read and re-read

i even sneak into my mom's greenhouse just to breath the air
the smell of soil and growth



spring will be here soon enough
i must not forget the pleasures of winter and enjoy the simple moments
enjoy the here and now