I'm still here!

Things have been a whirlwind for me lately...trying to stay on top of things and with an increase of activities and events I haven't had a chance to update this blog. I decided to tone down this blog a little as I realized that it was pretty much too distracting to me! lol I've been drawing here and there and even been working on designing some digi kits as time allows but I haven't had a chance to finish my projects up. Recently I added being a Pampered Chef Consultant to the mix so that's had me busy too! :)

Like most people, things have been tough financially but I'm optimistic that things are going to get better. I really do need to work though but it's hard for me with the ADD thing...I really wish I could have help with that. I was hoping my artwork would sell but it hasn't really...just a few pieces but then again I am really bad about marketing and promoting so not really too many people are exposed to my work. Soo maybe one day that'll happen for me...staying as optimistic
as possible!

Well if time is good to me today I do hope to actually paint again today...it's been a couple of months again...don't know why I've been soo distracted from painting and the creative flow has dwindled again. So I feel like I need to make myself paint something...anything...so most likely I'll do something more expressive/abstract just to get to playing with the paint again!

God bless, Gina

Artwork + Distractions vs. Family Fun + Life Stuff...

Just a little update here...I've been painting and drawing but with all the other family events and life stuff going on I just haven't had a chance to blog or post my work here! I also have been getting a bit distracted by the clutter slowly creeping in and I can't really work like that so I had to reorganize certain areas. That's one thing that's a bit annoying, I try to be organized but for some reason these little areas in random spots appear and it just distracts me too much sometimes! It's another one of those ADHD things I deal with...add to that the clutter in my mind when I get too many ideas. I know I should write them down...but when I finally get around to it I forget or can't decide which idea to focus on first...it could be a bit frustrating. ;)

As for the wonderful distractions such as fun family times...last weekend was sooo fun!! Last Saturday my husband Artie and I went to his cousins for a party and we ended up singing karoake!! I actually sang in front of his family for the first time and it felt great! I sing all the time with my family but for some reason I was never brave enough to do it for my in laws. It's not that I don't feel confident in my voice but I think it had more to do with how uncomfortable I was with my appearance. So anyways, I sang 'Unwritten' to my nieces and nephews and just seeing them look at me with sparkly eyes and the biggest smiles just made my day! My most favorite moment for me though was later in the evening when my Artie & I sang "How Deep Is Your Love" together! So fun!! Then on Sunday we hosted a bar b-que at our home for my side of the family and had a nice time just chillin' together! Later tonight my parents are having a party so that's gonna be fun too!

Life Stuff...which happens to also be fun...I have decided to 'DANCE' every day from now on!! In an effort to exercise daily...I tried walking but it is way to boring for me and I realized that every time I go dancing at family parties I can actually feel my metabolism on fire, especially dancing to Salsa, Cumbias or Merengae! I also remember that when I was younger and always dancing (before meeting my dearly beloved) ~ that I was always thin...never had a weight problem. So I am gonna be dancing my way to a healthier life!

*Life is too short not to be dancing, singing, drawing or painting anyways!!

Nostalgia and other randomness...

I can't believe how once upon a time I used to live for Saturdays, and now they are just not quite the same. I guess it's because I am just in this mode of 'living life to the fullest'...not that I'm celebrating everywhere all the time, it's a more simple lifestyle that I'm enjoying now. So right now, I'm enjoying the quiet Saturday evening with my window open and the night noises of the crickets chirping away. The only thing reminding me that it's a Saturday is the distant laughing, chattering and Mariachi music coming from a party down the street...which is actually comforting as it reminds me of when we used to have parties when my grandma was alive! I guess you can say I'm feeling a bit nostalgic. :)

Speaking of nostalgia...I have some new art that fits in that theme: *Vintage Flying Hearts*
This is my newest edition I'm working on...these are all going to have the same colors and Vintage/antique style to them but each piece will be different looking Flying Hearts. The edges are all finished in black and ready to hang. I made the top edges appear to be 'inked'...which I totally love! These can be collected as a collection or individually. Later I will be making them available as prints but for now I've got the originals up in my Etsy boutique!

So this is the first one of the series: "Finally, Love has arrived..."

The 2nd: "You Make My Heart Soar"

The next few pieces are totally random styles. Sometimes when I paint I get 'expressional' or even sometimes I feel more 'spiritual'. In this painting below 'Cross of Faith' it was actually a painting I was in a spiritual mode...in fact I was praising the Lord while painting the background and cross.

This piece "Visitations" also created in a spiritial mode but the outcome reminded me more of Disneyland for some reason! lol!
As you can see, my styles vary quite a bit...I don't like to feel that I have to do things only one way...especially when I'm feeling creative! I am still working on more artwork and actually finishing up a piece that I am planning to 'Give Away' this coming week! So come back on Monday for more information about that! Well thanks for stopping by...I hope your enjoying the nostalgia and random sounds of life going on around you now at this moment too! God bless you all...Cre8tvlyYrs, Gina :)

My Etsy Boutique is officially open!

Wow! I finally did it! I actually am on a good start in my Etsy shop! I have a total of 20 pieces of artwork for sale...I'm still working on it too...have at lease 5 more to add plus way more artworks in process! If your looking for some new artwork, I hope you'll browse through my shop...you just might find something you like! :) The link to my boutique is in the sidebar but here's another link just to make it easy: Cre8tvlyYrsGina's Arts & Crafts Boutique
I recently decided to add 'crafts' to the title for my boutique because once in a while I get 'crafty' and when I do I'll be selling them in the boutique too! :)

Since it would take forever to post the pics here I created a slideshow from flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cre8tvlyyrs/sets/72157624557935546/show/

I will be doing a 'Grand Opening' Artwork Give Away...which I will post later today or tomorrow the latest so please come by for that!! :) Thanks for stopping by & have a blessed day everyone!
Cre8tvlyyrs, Gina

Today is where my book begins...

I feel like the song "Unwritten" ...staring at the blank page before you, open up the dirty window, let the sun illuminate the words that you cannot find...reaching for something in the distance, so close you can almost taste it, release your inhibitions...today is where your book begins...the rest is still unwritten...
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Yep that's where I'm at right now! I can feel the inspiration for sooo many projects of ideas I've had for years come alive and it's really exciting! When this song first came out my husband told me that it reminded him of me. Funny thing was that I didn't see that back then...I think because I was still in a negative state from being depressed over my grandma's passing away...


I had just finished getting my 1st children's story published and I was getting ready to look into ways to self promote when my grandma got sick. Within a month she died...and so did my enthusiasm for everything that I was about...my artwork, my story, my just being happy with family & friends.


So my husband was seeing me as the way I was before and at that time I was soo not mentally ready for inspiration even though I was desperately needing it! But now, I hear this song and it's sooo me! I know the Lord is telling me that it's time to move forward with enthusiasm again...to release my inhibitions. Today is where my book begins...the rest is still unwritten!
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The cool thing about this is that lately I've been drawing this cute lil' bear and I felt immediately that she was so cute I had to continue drawing her in different outfits and soon I started to feel that finally I have the new character I've been trying to create! I have been wanting to write more children's stories for years as I always have ideas for more but I was stuck w/out a character...I guess that's how I work...lol!


Here's a few paintings I created using some of the characters as gifts for my neices on their Birthdays:

This is Baby Bea's Big sister Betty who loves ladybugs so much that she decided to dress as one! Actually I created this one especially for my Goddaughter/neice Lexi...she was the inspiration for this character because of how much she loves ladybugs! :) "Just Bloom" is actually a quote from my 1st children's story "The Rose In Floralsopar".


Now this is the main character: 'Baby Bea' who's full name is Beatrice Beary. She is only a year old so her character is actually inspired by my 1 yr old niece Zoey! I painted this for my niece Natalie's B-day and she loved this! She's a girly girl who loves pink and polka dots...the look on her face when she opened this was soo touching and will be a precious memory to me always!

As you can see I'm inspired greatly by my nieces as well as my nephews! I am also working on finishing up some artwork to sell, as well as getting pics prepared to post for the etsy shop, and I plan on posting a painting daily. Well, I have much more work to do and also need to start dinner. Have a blessed day everyone! Cre8tvlyYrs ~ Gina :)

P.S. Boy, I sure didn't plan on writing a novela here! lol!

Faith is all it takes, to walk on the water...

Hello Everyone! Welcome to my newly 'remodeled' blog! :)

I've been very busy this past week finishing up, starting new, and taking pictures of more finished artwork to get my Etsy Art Boutique set up! I'm really excited about this as well as a little nervous about putting myself out there...which is what the title of this post is all about. I had been hesitating to take this step for a while due to my inner fear of rejection that I'm sure most artists go through...I realized that the Lord gave me this gift of creativity and passion for art for a reason so with that...I need to keep my faith strong and take this step...to walk on the water...what do I have to fear anyways? Jesus is there on the water with me...so here I go...stepping out in faith! :)

If your an Art collector or just looking for some new Art to decorate your home, I hope you will consider my artwork. I have original paintings on both canvas and canvas paper as well as prints available to choose from. The original paintings on canvas paper and artwork prints look exceptionally beautiful matted and in frames.

I also have a variety of styles that I like to paint such as abstract/expressional, whimsical multi-media collaged paintings to whimsical children illustration drawings and paintings. I have so many drawings that I haven't even started to paint yet...so be on the lookout for those! I will also be offering many of my paintings and drawings as greeting cards, magnets, and so much more in the near future.

So with all that, I'd like to invite you to visit my Art Boutique ~ Here's a link to my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Cre8tvlyYrsGina
Please keep in mind that I am still in process of adding more art in the next few days. Also, there are some originals that will not be offered as prints so be sure to get them if you really want them.

Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to read about my venture here! Please feel free to leave me a comment, I'd love to hear from you! :)
Have a blessed day! Cre8tvlyYrs ~ Gina :)

Leap of Faith...Be Brave!

I am always amazed at how fast time just zooms by! Especially how it's been over a month since I last posted here! Not that anyone's noticed...I am actually pretty sure that I don't have any readers here...and I'm ok with that! This blog is really my digital art journal anyways, just a way for me to document my art journey. If there happens to be a reader or two...hope I'm at least entertaining for ya! ;)

Well, since I last posted here I actually have been creating and painting here and there...finally moving into a more 'consistent' phase! Lately I've just been having fun painting backgrounds, backgrounds and even more backgrounds! I took some photos of them to post but I'm not really happy with the pics of them...they really are more colorful and so fun...I really need a better quality camera! Since these were painted on canvas paper I will try scanning these and see if there's a better outcome...for now here's a little peak at a few of them:


The 1st one is actually on canvas and has more blues and a little collaging on the edges, the 2nd one was more of a spiritually led type of work, and the bottom backgrounds were created all in fun! I am working on other things but lately I'm mostly creating backgrounds!
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This weeks goal: I will begin selling my artwork in my etsy shop!! I actually don't have a choice...I need to just be brave and move forward already! We all know how money is tight and jobs are hard to find right now, well for me with all my health conditions...let's just say it's a bit more challenging for me to find a job. Sooo, I've realized for a while now that I need to use the talents that I've got...I'm not all too bad with art and being creative so I figure I got to at least try. I mean really try...I've had an etsy shop but I've never promoted it...not even to my family and friends!!

So here's where the part about me being brave...I need to just take that leap of faith!! No more wasting time...life is way to short for that!