Christmas with Creative and Curious Kids

I have had my friend Jennifer, writer of the blog Creative and Curious Kids, on my blog roll for years now. She's on my blog roll under "Jen who raises creative kids".


Jennifer just did a lovely post of my art in her blog and I would like you to know about her also. Aside from being a wonderful and talented person she also home schools her children (which automatically makes her my hero) and is extremely creative. Check out her blog for some great crafty ideas and activities that you can do with your children.

Here are a couple of my favorite ideas:

 

 Thanks again Jennifer.

The Last of the Snowmen

Thanks to all who support artists. I, for one, am especially grateful. 

I didn't make a lot of ornaments but I have two snowmen left.

This one:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86325574/ooak-snowman-ornament

and this one:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86325188/ooak-snowman-ornament

PS. If you are a local I can bring it to you. :o) Just let me know before you buy and I will reserve it under your name minus shipping costs.

New WIPs aka My Minions

Here are some new works in progress (WIP). I had to change the blog title because according to my good friend Carla, I have created an army of minions. Too funny!

 

A bunch of busts because I felt like sculpting a lot of faces.

Have no fear they will not be bald and bland when finished.

More photos coming soon. Back to work now. :o)

And the winner is...

 Lisa Dempski!!

Thanks to all who participated and shared my blog! It is very much appreciated!

A Halloween Giveaway!

I have been bugging my kids for weeks to tell me what they want to be for Halloween. You'd think that I am jumping the gun but actually I am trying not to wait until the last minute to make their costumes. Nightmare!

Thinking back to Halloween when I was a kid, I am reminded of my favorite costume. I was a gypsy, a ghost (tripped a LOT), Raggedy Ann, skeleton, etc. but by far my favorite costume was when my mother made me into a tea bag.

Me as a gypsy circa 1970s

It was the night of Halloween and I didn't have a costume or have any idea what I wanted to be. My clever mother told me to run upstairs and put my black leotard on and to get a white pillowcase from the closet. She proceeded to cut out two holes for my legs to fit through. I put the pillowcase on and we went outside and she stuffed me full of leaves. Then she stapled across the top of the pillowcase across my shoulders. Then she cut out a hexagon from a cardboard box, drew a red rose on it (Red Rose Tea), she was an artist too, and cleverly placed it on my head. The final touch was a string from the Red Rose Tea tag to my shoulder and voila...I was a tea bag. I won 3rd place in the Halloween parade that year.

That last minute costume worked out.

So this brings me to my giveaway. I am giving away one of my latest Halloween creations from my etsy shop.

All you have to do is comment on this blog below, Artwork by Amy Short on Facebook, or @amyshortart on Twitter and tell me what your all time favorite costume was when you were a kid. Then on October 17th I will draw a name from all of the names and send you this decoration just in time for Halloween.

Tell your friends too because I need some good ideas for my kids costumes! Good Luck! :o)

Skulls and Pumpkins and Crows...Oh My!

I have been busy working on some fun sculpts for Halloween. As usual I am experimenting. I wanted something lightweight and creepy fun and it seems to have worked out. Here's a peek at what I came up with:

You can find more in my etsy shop. They are in limited supply and I won't be making anymore this season. I have to start working on some other things.

Oh, and as usual, my favorite part is a funky angle. Here is my favorite view:

I know, but I'm diggin' the crinkle. :o) Hope you like them too.

Doesn't it feel great to be appreciated?

Been a crazy crazy busy busy summer but I wanted to share this post with you. I was interviewed by Karla from Dreamaginarius. I am very flattered! Thank you Karla! People, keep an eye on her because I believe that she has some amazing figures coming out of her dreamagination.

http://dreamaginarius.blogspot.com/2011/08/tea-for-three-guest-amy-from-etsy-shop.html

More soon. :o)

Fancy chairs and blisters

For years...I've had an old chair in our garage that I have been meaning to refinish. It was given to me by a neighbor when she moved. I liked the look of it because it reminded me of Jane Austen. So I took it...and there it sat in our garage. It was always in the back of my mind that I would take the time and redo it.

Every once in a while my husband would say something like..."When are we getting rid of that chair?" To which I would reply, "We aren't, I'm going to redo it." This was usually followed by the roll of his eyes and a heavy sigh.

Well, I have finally fixed it up. I stripped it, repaired it, sanded it, painted it and reupholstered it. Oh and I have gave myself a painful blister with my glue gun. OUCH! It was more difficult than I thought but, like my husband says, 'it's done now'. ;o)

Here are the before photos:

Here are the during:

Here are the after photos:

 

 

 

Just one more Before/After shot:
 

So now the question is where am I going to put it since it doesn't match our decor. lol  Oh and fyi I won't be reupholstering anything again. ;o)

New Sculpture

In a continuing effort to finish all of the work on my bench I just finished this guy.  He stands 16" tall and I'm digging his expression from different angles. Hope you like him too.

spiritual swirl

angel wings

serious side

happy side

wassup?

Dancing Girl

I'm finishing some sculpts that I have had on my work table. They have been looking at me for a while begging for some attention. So here is a new little doll that I just finished. She doesn't sit well on her own but there are clever ways to have her sit. There is something rag doll-ish about her that I like. Hope you like her too. :o)

Laying down

Leaning against the speaker

Sitting on a plant bowl

I like how she dances.

Me? A Visiting Artist?

I was so very fortunate today to be a visiting artist in my cousin Phyllis's art class at Pawling Central School in New York State. She provided coffee and doughnuts for her students and I provided the witty conversation...lol NOT! We connected via Skype since I am in Pittsburgh. (It would have been nice if I actually cleaned my monitor before taking any pictures!)

Phyllis :o)

I have been using Skype for years since we live so far from our families but this is the first time I visited a classroom. Phyllis and I get our artistic skills from our grandparents. Our grandfather John was a painter and also did a lot of needlework and our grandmother Betty was also known for her needlework and crafting skills.

John and Betty Corrao

More photos of the kids in class...

 
The time flew by, the bell rang and our time was done. I am hoping that we can do a project together in the future. That was fun! Thanks Phyllis and everyone! :o)

Oh and my friends have been bugging me to post a photo of my two page spread in the New Art Review publication from my previous post. Only my photos were published. So here you go my friends.

Remember me?

It has been waaaaay too long since I have tended to my blog and for those few who still choose to read/follow my shtuff, I thank you! No excuses, just life...including but not limited to husband, children and home, etc.

What do you think of the new look? Or has it been so long that you don't even remember? he he

I was published recently in New Art Review and am pretty pleased with it since I got a two page spread! Yay! I'm humbled at the thought of being a part of a publication that "highlights the hottest new talent in visual art, poetry, mixed media, and literature." Phew! I actually have nothing more to say.