Just a little update...

Hello there...just in case someone happens to stop by and visit my very lonely blog here! lol! Honestly I would like to post my artwork more often but can't seem to fit time in to do it! I have been crazy busy with artwork & life! Trying to balance everything is challenging but I feel I am getting better at handling it! I would like to at least try to post once a week to mainly post my current artworks and stuff but I need to see which day would be best to do it. I'm going to try for Wednesday or Thursday...we will see what happens since obviously I'm not too great at being consistent here! Last time I posted about my ADHD struggles...but let's not go there right now! Don't want to seem like that's all that goes on in my life...lol! So I'd like to share a little about what I've been up to...I have been making jewelry and drawing a lot. I've been creating art journals for years but they were more like the scrapbook type...you know papers and embellishments with journaling. I enjoy all that but since getting more and more into developing my artistic style I have decided to draw things that represent what most inspired or impacted my life and I have really been enjoying it! I also do the *Illustration Fridays* on each Friday and it's been fun! The other thing is that I feel like my creativity has really began to open up more...I am feeling my mind sparking back up with sooo many ideas! I am trying to keep myself from overloading by writing or quick sketching my ideas so that I can keep the creative energy flowing and to keep myself from getting stuck again! I'm also trying to find the right way to sell my artwork and jewelry so I am planning to continue on this path that I truly believe the Lord has led me to. I have lots of series that are in the 'sketchy' process...such as some really cute spring/bunny stuff, expressional art, home decor type art and spiritual art which includes angels and my other passion for being pro-life. Sooo little by little this blog will become more active!! Well I just thought I'd share a little update of what I've been up to and I'll post pics as soon as I get a chance!

Without RAIN there would be no RAINBOWS...

Well it's been raining pretty much all through the night...which was the perfect ending to my day yesterday! I had a large dose of "tough love' yesterday about some personal issues...you know one of those days when you have to hear things about yourself that your not all that proud of? I usually don't like to post about the really personal stuff I deal with but I realized that I do need to change a lot of things and without going into details I wanted to include this part of my life here...sort of to document the dramatic changes I believe my life will be unfolding very soon. I believe that my artwork will be greatly impacted with the 'insight intervention' I recieved from 3 very close and dear people to my life...it was very difficult but I realize that it was necessary. Without going into details I'd just like to share the main reason for yesterdays 'tough love' session was due to my lifelong struggles with being ADD/ADHD. I had already realized I need to get on meds for it but yesterday really gave me a shove into knowing just how urgent I need to make changes in my life. I don't want this post to sound melocholy or too dramatic and I promise it will end in a better note...but lately I had been feeling as though I were living such dreary life...kind of like a ghost that's stuck in a house just wandering through it day by day...my faith was basically the only thing getting me through each day but I also hadn't realized how little my faith actually had become. I felt I was only alive around my family and when I was around my Confirmation students but I was giving all I had without refueling myself...which I have always done...give of myself until there's nothing left. So it took my husband, and both my parents to come and shake me awake from this horrible nightmare of a life...they want me to live to my fullest potential...as do I...so we all feel that the only way for me to get on the right track to my life's destination is to take the meds required to help me deal with my ADD/ADHD symptoms that are making my life so difficult. I really would like to point out here that ADD/ADHD is not an excuse nor is it all that bad...there are actually awesome things about being ADD/ADHD such as 'super focus' which would help me create awesome artwork among other things but the distractions as well as the 'super focus' grew out of control to the point of not being very productive at all...and had even effected my health and well being...that is what caused all the grey misty clouds that surrounded my haunted house in my life...yesterday was the final rain sort of how the rain is still falling all around my home right now as I type these words...the rain in life that is necessary to wash away all the dirty gunk on the windows of my soul and allows me to finally see the rainbow when the sun shines and pierces through the clouds...yes it is so true...without rain, there would be no rainbows! Here's to a a new beginning...I am looking forward to seeing how my life will change to finally have this 'brilliant' mind of mine under control! I'm hoping to be able to get started on the meds this week...then maybe I could also be a little more consistent with my posts here too! ;) God bless you all...especially if you took the time to read this post! :)

Love is in the air...

With Valentine's Day just around the corner that is! I love Valentine's day...I love the theme and colors...soo much so that I wish I could have a little house all decorated in that theme! lol! So I am going to be putting up for sale all my heart themed artwork on e-bay! So for now, I've begun by posting these 2 pieces from my *Vintage Flying Hearts* Edition: *Both Paintings Sold!*

*Each photo is linked to the E-bay posting!

I've finally arrived!!

"An artist never arrives too early nor is she ever late...she always arrives in just percisely the right time" -Unknown (adapted from Gandolf the Gray in the Lord of the Rings ;)

Well I am finally here with a fresh batch of enthusiastic news! The first and most exciting thing to me is that I have finally created my own website! I love how it came out (and without sounding like I'm advertising as I'd only like to share for anyone interested in creating their own website for free) using this awesome website company that my brother Alex told me about called wix.com! Anyways here's the link to my new website which is also in a link on the sidebar: Gina Arzaga's Multi-Media Artist Website

I hope to in the near future include a shop within the website but I have to wait a bit for that. I'm also going to be trying out e-bay again...it's kind of hard for me as I am never sure how much to even start a bid price for me work. I realize that I'm going to have to be doing my art thing in babysteps. This is all a learning process anyways!

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On a personal note; I am feeling much better and have even lost about 25 pounds since I last posted here! I still would like to lose about another 40 pounds at least but again...babysteps! The other reason I need to lose this weight is because I have decided that this is the year I really need to do what I need to do to attempt to have a successful pregnancy. Especially since I am going to turn 42 this February 6th and also there is a lot of pressure from not just my husband but family members as well about this subject! I also feel that I could handle this mentally...and that is really the important factor! There's alot of stuff through the years that have prevented me from being able to get or stay pregnant and I know that when I finally have our baby 'she' will definately be a miracle baby!

I am really excited about what the future will bring and although I don't like to set official 'Resolutions', I have been setting goals. I am determined to really put an effort into getting back into my art work as well as being more creative. I have been doing pretty good so far, I painted a cute painting for my nieces Birthday just last weekend and even began scrapbooking (the traditional/paper way) this Friday and that really felt good! I started a little scrap night w/my mom, sister, sis-n-laws, and nieces in which we will be getting together one Friday night a month to get us to do something bonding together. :)

Most importantly, my husband and I are still teaching a Confirmation class together and it's really a great experience to share our Faith and teach the teens about our Faith. We have a pretty big class of 27 teens (15-17 yr olds) so it's awesome when they actually listen and participate! It's been a blessing for us too.

On that note, God bless you for reading this! I will be posting alot sooner than last time as I am planning to post some artwork in the next few days for e-bay! Hope you all have a wonderful day! :) Gina

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 :)