Right Paths For My Journey & Open Floodgates

Finally, on the right path of my journey...

The floodgates to my creative flow has opened!

Here are a few of my newest artworks:

'Roots of Faith' Trees Series #1 Proverbs 11:28

So I've actually been very busy these days...much has changed and still is changing spiritually, personally, and artistically...all good changes...things may not be perfect (but when are they ever!) but I feel that I am finally on the right path of my journey of life...which feels wonderful!!

There is so much that I have discovered about myself and I know that as long as I focus on letting go of things I have no control over...that God leads & guides me to the places that he needs me to be and where HE wants me to be!

Right now, spiritually...I believe I've entered in a new, more mature phase of being amazed by God!!  The last phase I was in was more of, well I always believe in him...but I was wondering if he really could know me...with all the things going on in this world...how or why would he have me in his thoughts...little me in this big old universe...

Full view of 'Roots of Faith' Trees Series #1 top painting

 Well let me tell you...he has and is very much revealing to me in the most smallest of details that he does have me in his thoughts and that he IS aware of my dreams and what my concerns are...this has really put me in a new level of awestruck and amazement of HIM!

This surely has overflowed to all other areas of my life too!  In my married life, my husband and I are both experiencing this together and our love is growing stronger as we are getting even closer than I thought we could ever be.  My husband is also really encouraging me with my artwork and this has really helped to open me up for all the new artwork & ideas flowing out of me!

We are still waiting for the Foster Care situation to be resolved...which we are now going to need to be adopting one very special little 3 year old girl (I can't really say too much for family/privacy reasons)...but even though we are still needing to go through more training and all the other things that go with this process...I know we will be fine with the Lord leading and guiding us all the way! 

This was part of the reason for my starting my 'Roots of Faith' Tree series which will feature trees and scriptures relating of trees, roots, faith and growth!  I'm really excited about this series it's a more freeing form of painting without having to detail too much.  This first one I posted features this scripture that upon reading it I knew it was a perfect starting point for this series:  "A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree."  - Proverbs 11:28



Butterfly Angels Series #1 ~ 'Auroura'

I'm also excited about 'Auroura' from my Butterfly Angel Series that I posted here...this was also a fun way of painting and I included more dimensional embellishments and stamping...so fun too!  I am also finishing up another cute little angel and tree painting that I will post next time!

Well before I go, I'd like to make a 'pre' announcement that I will be 'Re-opening' my Etsy Boutique!!  I will be working on all that this weekend and so I hope to make another announcement, which will include free giveaways and specials, as soon as I've got it all set up...so check back here or my FB Art page soon for updates!!

The Blessings of Love & Opening your Hearts...

Helloooo!  I am still here...to those of you who have stumbled upon or visit my blog! ;)  I've been and still am very busy with alot of changes to our home the past few months so I just thought I'd post a little update and will add pictures of some of these changes too!  Lately we have been being blessed by alot of things in so many ways since we have been continuing with our process of Foster Care Certification.  Also, I have been enjoying precious family time!  We are almost done with our certification process to become Foster Parents and I'm hoping that by next month we will have 2 new additions to our family...which we are really looking forward to! :)  We just need 2 more steps but we will still have to wait for the transfer process as they are living in the State of Washington right now.

We have rearranged our living spaces and my art room/studio is in a different area...temporarily until we can add a sunroom to our home.  We have cleared out both rooms and all Art needs to do is put up some closet doors and we are very possibly going to remodel the door placement.  I still am purging and organizing my 'stuff' not my art stuff but my personal memorabilia and belongings...I have been highly motivated by this organizer/author/motivator Julie Morgenstern  if you are ever needing to reorganize your life...I highly recommend her...especially her 'SHED'ding process.  I have never been able to get to this state of change or 'SHED'ding as I am in now and it's all thanks to her motivational way of clarifying the need to SHED...I will definately do a dedicated blog about this in another post. 

On my artistic/creative part of my life...it's kind of been sitting on the back burner...of course I have been fiddling in my art journal but no new artwork yet and very little jewelry.  Recently, I got a decent sized bag of jewelry findings with some really beautiful pendants and single earring pieces that I can make into pendants!   Although I have been very busy with all the changes going around as we are getting ready to foster I hope I can squeeze in some time to make some new jewelry out of some of those pieces!! Funny how something old can renew or respark my creativity that's been sitting on the back burner for far too long!

Since I have been unproductive 'creatively' - I feel it's because I have been only focusing and mentally preparing myself for the changes that will happen when these 2 little ones become a part of our family.  But I also recognize that the artist within me is getting a little 'stir crazy' so to speak...it's like a restlessness I kept ignoring because I felt I would get too distracted from the many important health & household releated things we are doing to prepare and get certified for fostering.  I do recognize though that as an artist, it is important that I give myself permission to artistically express myself as it is always a good thing for me spiritually and mentally!

It's amazing how sometimes I think is what I do 'artistically' a necessity...does it really matter?  But then I realize that creating art is a blessing of Love...of opening my heart to share an expression to the world...and it may not touch everybody...but it can touch those who's hearts were meant to be touched...even mine...the amazing part about this realization is that I realized that what I do 'artistically' is just as important for me to do as me being a foster mother...opening my heart in every way in order for me to recieve the blessings of Love...with this new sense of awareness I can feel free to paint something to express this and know that it is something that matters and feel good about it!

Life in Transition...

Wow...my life is surely in a transtional state right now...right now my husband and I are working on getting our home ready for one of the most important changes of all...I can't really say exactly what it is yet...but I'm hoping by next week I can reveal the whole situation.  All I can share is that it involves giving up my Art room...this has been the most challenging but I know that the sacrifice is worth it.

Now I know it's not a serious sacrifice like giving up your life but to an artist it's a sacrifice of what you do and who you are...I know my life is going to change dramatically and I have accepted that and always known that eventually I would be in this place of life.  Even though I have accepted this...it has been challenging for me...I'm very happy about what's going to evolve in our life but I am also a little sad...which I cannot ignore...I know that in time my husband is going to build a room addition so I can get my studio back and that my 'Art space' will temporarily moved to our dining area so all is not lost!

Soo right now we have been rearranging our home to accomodate our upcoming life altering situation.  On Tuesday my dad & brother Sal helped my husband Art switch our tv into the front room and also my brother helped install 2 new light fixtures that we needed for me to move my stuff into our dining area...I will be posting pics soon but I want to wait until these rooms are completed in order to show a before and after shot! :)  My main problem right now is trying to figure out what to do with all this 'stuff' that I have in my art room...I sooo wish I had some help with that...Lord do I need help with that!!!

Well gotta get back to work...keep us in your prayers and God bless! :)  Gina

Finding Good In The Ugliness

Faith is reacting positively to a negative situation.
- Dr. Robert Schuller

Recently there have been some things in life I have experienced that I could have easily became extremely upset about and would have years ago...maybe even months ago...but the Lord surely has been changing me and I have been able to resist jumping into a reaction that could not be so pretty.  Without going into too many details...this last Saturday my husband and I experienced a group of people that were a little racist...little comments I overheard and the feeling that we were looked down upon.  I think I was more shocked that it happened to us...I know it goes on...you hear about it on tv and stuff but to personally experience it was a bit disappointing...to say the least.  Sooo, I have decided that instead of getting upset I am going to use that experience to be as one of my upcoming series of children's stories about values and morals that I have been planning to start writing.  The title will either be 'Love Thy Neighbor' or 'Love One Another'...still thinking that over!

*New Artwork from my 'Song Bird' Series titled 'Morning Praises'

What never ceases to amaze me is how the Lord will use others to help me see good in our humanity and to also encourage me to keep doing what I do...as it is so easy to become discouraged when you feel unwelcome sometimes.  So I thought I'd share a few things that really picked me up and helped me push forward!  Now this 1st 'pick me up' was something that my Uncle Raul posted about this blog on my FB page...he knew nothing of what we encountered and how I was feeling a tiny bit discouraged so what he wrote was exactly what I needed to hear:

"GINA YOUR SITE IS VERY ENJOYABLE FOR THESE REASONS.
WE ARE ALWAYS BETTER FOR THE VISIT.
YOUR SITE ALWAYS PRESENTS A POSITIVE OUTLOOK.
YOUR SITE IS FILLED WITH POSITIVE THOUGHTS AND HOPE.
YOU PRESENT YOUR FEELINGS OF GOODNESS AND FAITH.
YOUR SITE RECHARGES OTHERS THAT NEED TO FEEL THE WARMTH OF KNOWING THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WHO ALSO STRUGGLE.
PLUS YOU REINFORCE THE BELIEFS THAT PEOPLE CAN OVERCOME ANYTHING WITH FAITH.
YOURS IS A LIGHT IN THE MASSIVE DARKNESS THAT CAN BE THE WORLD.
THANK YOU!"  

(FYI, My Uncle Raul is not the type to say something unless he means it so that is what makes this special! :)  

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This next 'pick me up' is also a reminder that the Lord did not gift me for nothing!!  A dear friend of mine ordered my 1st children's story 'The Rose In Floralsopar' that I wrote & illustrated for her boys and she posted this picture on my FB page:

"David reading to Davin♥ The Rose in Floralsopar...A book Written By a Dear friend of mine:)So Talented!! Its such a cute childrens book.We Love them! I'm so Happy we Have one for each of our boys:)" - Carina F.

OMG!!  This soo made my day...seeing his face as he is reading my book...priceless!  I will treasure this photo for always! :)

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There were other things that the Lord showed to me that I was overwhelmed by the abundance of it!So in the end of what I experienced...I know that the Lord was teaching me to find Good in all the ugliness...sometimes it's hard but if you look hard enough you can find it...and I did!  Thank you Lord for that!  :)  God bless and love you all!  Cre8tvlyYrs, Gina

The Winds Of Changes Are Blowing Over Here...

My mini 'Art Journal'

I am full of anxiety over some news I recieved yesterday...I can't say what it is yet...but I felt I needed to document this moment somehow...all I know is if it is God's will then it will be or be not!  Regardless if this situation turns out to be or not...no matter what there is definately some BIG changes coming around the corner for us either way...the difference is when!  Soooo...the BIG changes may come very soon or they may happen later...the changes will be happy moments, challenges I'm sure but filled with love...at least that's what I'm believing!!  I'm not trying to sound secretive...it's just that I need to be sure of what's going to happen before I say anything more...I am filled with HOPE and looking up to my Lord with all my FAITH in HIM to lead and guide me & my husband through this next road on our journey of life...

Creating Courage...

A bit of reflecting here...

I've been struggling lately with my creative process for my painting...at first I thought it may be just my 'distraction' thing but then I realized that sometimes I look at the work I've begun and I'm afraid of messing up my pretty backgrounds which leaves me with a lot of unfinished art.  So my new goal is to be more courageous with my artwork...especially since my artwork is a part of who I am and what I do...it's a very important thing for me!

I also need to be courageous about revealing myself in my art...not holding back...I'm known for that to people who really know me and what I'm capable of...I have a tendency to think small which the Lord reveals to me through my own nephews and nieces telling me how awesome my artwork is or how great my creations are and how I could be a famous artist!  It is an amazing thing to hear these words from them...to know that they believe in me more than I had believed in myself...they push me to keep on going...

to create with courage!

*******Updates & Announcements*******

I have a 'like' page on Facebook that I'm trying to promote...it's a bit lonely, so if you would like to see more of my Artwork and Jewelry Designs that's where I will mainly be posting the pictures at...just click on the link below and don't forget to click the 'like' button:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gina-Arzaga-ArtistDesigner/365973496243?ref=tn_tnmn

*So excited to about this...

*Many Hands Make Artwork*

This picture of my hand is going to be part of a really cool project:

Many Hands Make ArtWork
Living in Generosity Hand Art Cards

available at Art-Is You.com  click here for more information about this exciting project:

http://www.art-is-you.com/mysitecaddy/site3/shop/product.htm?productID=16905

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So on that note I will be signing off...gotta lot of pictures of new jewelry and art to take and I'm planning on posting them on my FB 'like' page this weekend!  Hope you all have a great weekend and God bless!

Cre8tvlyYrs, Gina :)

On the way to *OVERFLOW*!!

Sooo...I've been working on stuff...as usual...and as I look around my home, my life...I realize that alot of my things around me are 'incomplete'...I'm usually an optimistic gal and like to view it all as glass half full but for some reason...that's not working for me right now!

I can see very clearly that all the projects and goals I have; spiritually, personally, homely, artistically...are 3/4's full but the 1/4 needs to be established...for some reason...I am not satisfied with 3/4...I want my glass to be *OVERFLOWING*!!








This is very new to me and leaves me feeling a little anxious...but I KNOW...DEEPLY KNOW...that this is from GOD!  I pray everyday and night for him to lead me...show me what I need to do...he knows my dreams and goals...everything I do and do not do...rights or wrongs...and loves me still...so I know that he is leading me to dream BIGGER!

Everytime I pray for him to lead me to a place where I can feel I am successful with my art...my life...I hear him saying to me to 'BE READY!'

Right now...I am just trying to take this new view in...and make the decisions I need to make to be ready for the state of *OVERFLOW* that I know my Lord is bringing me to...