My Books

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

mosaic game.



I found this little fun game circulating on a few blogs I visit from time to time. So I thought I'd pass it on.

Here's what you do:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.

And here are the questions:
1. What is your first name? Betsy
2. What is your favorite food? avocado (at least, right now)
3. What high school did you go to? Nordonia
4. What is your favorite color? aquamarine
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Dr. McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey)
6. Favorite drink? mojito
7. Dream vacation? tropical island
8. Favorite dessert? my own tiramisu
9. What you want to be when you grow up? marine biologist
10. What do you love most in life? serendipity
11. One Word to describe you. dreamer
12. Your flickr name. don't have one

Now it's your turn!

*This is just for fun, but if any of the copyright owners of these photos object to being represented in this mosaic, please send me a comment and I will remove your image pronto.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

happy birthday haiku baby!



It's finally here! Today is the official release date for my first authored book, Haiku Baby, published by Random House Children's Books. Special thanks to my agent, coach and friend Lori at Painted-Words, who discovered this opportunity for me, to my amazingly talented editor Heidi and art director Tracy, who believed in my vision from the beginning and have helped me feel at home with Random House, and to my enthusiastic publicist Emily, who is the ultimate cheerleader and is always one step ahead of me.

It's been such a special experience to create a book from concept to production...a dream come true really. It was November 2006 when I first submitted concepts to Random House (also the first time I'd EVER sent concepts to a publisher). I was prepared for rejection, but was soooooo excited to find out they liked THREE of my books ideas and trusted me enough to not only illustrate but also write them too! I still remember my agent Lori's e-mail, titled "Get out the champagne!!!" That was a good moment, when I knew this little thumbnail and haiku I sent off to Random House was about to grow into something much bigger.



So this little idea, that I had finally gotten out of my head and onto paper, became this sketch...



...and then this sketch became this "haiku moment."



And right now is a good moment too, to have my book officially out there in the world. My Haiku Baby has been born.

For another sneak peek, check out the newly launched www.haikubaby.com!

Monday, May 19, 2008

7 things.

At last, I am blogging again! It's been a busy month, with an office flood and a quick temporary set-up of operations in our living room (it has truly become our "living room"). But we are getting by alright, despite the tight quarters and lack of storage. And I have a girls' beach trip planned for this weekend, so that will be a nice change of scenery.

So, a while back I was tagged by my friend Jenny to post my "7 things," which apparently can be ANYthings. I've decided to do my seven in the moment moments, though it's so hard to limit it just to seven. It's funny, with things like this, it seems like no matter how many I'm "allowed," it's never enough. Why is that? Here goes:


1. I can't say I remember this exact moment, but it is Jeff's favorite kid pic of me, and look at me, I have to be in the moment here. I'm sitting on the porch of my family's rustic mountain cabin, feet dangling, perfectly content to eat my cracker and ponder life's big questions like, "I wonder how many salamanders I'll catch today." I'm pretty sure I'd do the same thing today.



2. Riding my bike has to be way up there on my list. I like to feel the wind in my hair and hear the sound of the gears clicking. Today, my bike is yellow, but when I was little, I had the best pink banana bike with streamers, a goose horn, and a white plastic basket in the front.



3. Though I hardly get to do this anymore, I LOVE ice skating, especially outside. There's nothing like it.


4. Well, I'm cheating on this one a little....sort of a 3 for 1 deal. But isn't art about pushing boundaries? Artistically, this image is about both printmaking and watercolor. This is a white line woodcut I did in a workshop at American Greetings, where I actually used watercolor paints instead of oil-based inks. Printmaking and watercolor on their own are such different processes, but both are activities where I can really get lost in the act of making. With printmaking, it's the mark-making, the layering of colors, and the sounds and smells of mixing and rolling out the sticky ink for that "orange peel" texture that means it's just right. With watercolor, it's the happy accidents, the bleeding of one color into the next, the letting go that I embrace. And then, artistic processes aside, Jeff and I really enjoy the experience of wine...learning about it, visiting wineries (especially Napa and Sonoma), and yes, tasting it.


5. Sand and water between my toes, and a flowing Hawaiian skirt dancing in the breeze...ahhhhh.


6. Whale watching is one of those incredibly religious experiences for me and I do it whenever I can (which is not too often since we do not have whales in Lake Erie).


7. Walking down the aisle at my wedding...I thought it might be this surreal "spotlight" out-of-body experience that would just go too fast, but I remember being very conscious of taking it all in, that moment with my dad, the faces of loved ones smiling back at me, the stone floor, the rose petals, the spots of sunlight and shade, and looking up to see that man at the end of the aisle, waiting for me. It was so much more comfortable that I had imagined. Photo courtesy of our good friend and talented wedding photographer, Donna Von Bruening (who happens to have a very inspiring blog too).

Sunday, April 13, 2008

a "very silly" philly



I just got back from a very exciting few days in Philadelphia, thanks to my book, Peanut Butter and Jellyfishes: A Very Silly Alphabet Book. I was there to accept the Please Touch Museum's 23rd Annual Book Award for the ages 3 and under category at the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children's (DVAEYC) annual conference (that's a mouthful!). The conference took place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and I was asked to give a short acceptance speech for an audience of 3000+. It was a little intimidating to think of being in front of that many people, and I have to admit I was SUPER nervous, but the experience became a wonderful moment of growth and confidence for me. I even received a few compliments on my speech from conference attendees, which meant the world to me. My speech was basically a shout-out to all those that helped me with the award and PBJ along the way: Please Touch Museum and the Albert M. Greenfield Foundation, the author Brian Cleary, Lerner Publishing, my support system of family and friends (I'm sure my husband loved it when I thanked him for being "my cheerleader," but he was a good sport and even waved), and the audience of educators, who have made it their mission to enrich the lives of young children.

And then it was smooth-sailing after that...a few signings at the conference on Friday, and then a reading and signing at Please Touch Museum on Saturday. Thanks again to PTM and staff for the award and my visit to Philly, and thanks to all those educators and kids I met that bought my book. I hope you have fun with it just as much as I had fun meeting you!

Check out the other winning book for ages 4-7 too: Do Unto Otters by Laurie Keller. And here's a little more info about the book award from an article in the Bulletin, Philadelphia's daily family newspaper.

And lastly, here's a little album of trip highlights...it had to be the most magical time to be in Philadelphia with all of the cherry blossoms and magnolias in bloom.



signing at the DVAEYC conference


post-award acceptance with Pennsylvania Convention Center in background


just outside Please Touch Museum


elephant at PTM made out of recycled stuff


PTM exhibit honoring Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are


I am no longer afraid of wearing yellow:) I think there must be something about yellow sweaters.


a fun Phillies game with my dad and Jeff


my first cappuccino...see the secret bird on the inside of the cup?


we loved Alma de Cuba...very yummy mojitos and truffled guacamole


the perfect spot to sit outside and grab a chai tea latte, a sandwich, and a piece of chocolate chip pound cake


just outside the Rodin museum

The rest of these photos are all from the Horticulture Center and Japanese House at Philadelphia's Fairmount Park...


I was intrigued by the elongated proportions of this statue.


a bug in daffodil heaven!


what a view!


weeping cherry blossoms...I'm loving this color palette of soft pinks, dark brown and blue-grey


cherry blossom snow


who knew moss and mold (whatever it is) could be so beautiful?


this feels like a Japanese woodblock that's come to life


Jeff sketching (and patiently waiting for me to be ready to leave...it was hard)


so, this is my zen moment this spring...


...and Jeff's zen moment with a magnolia tree...


...and a dog's zen moment in the fountain. Carpe diem, little weiner dog!

The end.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

fall friends

There's a new show up at the Society of Illustrators...the 50th Annual Exhibition for Advertising, Institutional and Uncommissioned Work. I have one piece in the show, a greeting card I did for American Greetings, which I like to call "Fall Friends."


© AGC, Inc.

funny bunny


Just wanted to share this sweet, little bunny cookie my mother-in-law made. It was so cute I almost didn't want to eat it, but I managed to nibble it down somehow.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

happy spring...aloha!

So, since today's officially the first day of spring, we still have snow on the ground in Ohio, and I know we're all craving sunshine, warmth, and green, I thought I'd post some images that give me hope that it's all right around the corner. Plus, my artist-friend Jenny Kostecki-Shaw just returned from her trip to Kauai and it made me want to go back and look at my honeymoon photos. So, enjoy this little mini-album from Kauai. Hope you can look out your window and see real flowers soon!


double rainbow at our beach cottage


plumeria, which became my most favorite flower...
they smell heavenly


taro fields


bamboo creaking in the wind


sunrise


rainy sunrise


roadside fruit stand


silly chicken


jungle vines...this is the trailhead for the famous Kalalau Trail


Ke'e Beach...as far as you can go the north shore...this is where the Na Pali coast starts.


Ke'e Beach


awhhhhh...toes in the water


palm tree dancing in the breeze


Ke'e Beach at sunset


a little hidden spot we found to watch the surfers


secret beach...our favorite spot


lava rocks


tide pools...see Jeff way down there?


more tide pools


a happy little cloud




we loved these wispy trees


the end!