Antoinette's -- Gestures of Love in Paperform



Hope--Faith--Dream

                                                                                

                


My Expression of gentle, sincere, love.







Created during a desperate time of needing pain relief from the pain in my neck/shoulder movement. I was determined not to let it get me down and immobile. And needing to stand on my faith and security of God as my comfort and steadfast answer to prayer.





    My first tags which I love now calling "Tag your It" tags.  I decorated by first delicately embossing with flowers and birds in the background then placed a "eggs in a nest" stamp along with words of encouragement that inspired me from the stamp.

A piece of card art I kept picturing in my mind and had to put on paperform.  I covered a brightly orange card with colorful punched out paper butterflies flying from a pure white flower inspired to go forth throughout the world and spread the Love of God.




Reign on me Lord, fill me with your joy and peace.

                                                A watercolored piece with diecut flowers.

Satan tries to beat & bruise us. God will heal & use us.

Have you ever felt like God didn't answer your prayer quick enough or at all? I have found as I look back now what sometimes seemed like God's "No" or “Wait not now” with his grace helped me to accept life's challenges and work them out as I knew how then.  The results being a learning process once I worked on turning my life challenges to include my Lord God freely.  I would come to see Him do a work in me as I would anticipate my answered prayer. I have learned and am still learning to take action on my part releasing any anger, hate, frustration, life disappointments; you get the point, giving them up to God.  Doing this and planting God’s holy word within me has given me continual testimonies of the comfort, joy and power God has given me in his holy word. He wants to be included and in the midst carrying me through as needed and when I allow. There are still moments in life where all I can say is "I do believe", "I do believe", "I do believe in God" like the cowardly lion on the "Wizard of Oz".  Life's situations can be scary and make you doubt there could even be a way to victory.

It would be great if we could just magically skip all the hardships that God allows in our life to polish us. It’s literally these walks, journeys and sitting still and letting God experiences that have brought me closer to a better knowledge and to stand firm in Him allowing him to carry me through.

Our world is filled with problems that can be turned into positive opportunities. Yes, I have tried fixing things on my own, BUT with God, I have come to find his peace is beyond any understanding and a joy that fills my heart with encouragement. I can literally say that now,  seeing he has been with me through it all and has carried me through when I cried out. I may not have seen it at the time but I know that I know now he has been and IS with me even more so when I acknowledge Him.

I need to shout it…
I thank the Lord God today because I know He Loves Me beyond my imperfections.

Satan tries to beat and bruise us.
My God will heal and use US…
Look out …Get Ready… My God is an Awesome God…

I Love You All and look forward to growing in the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Know that JESUS LOVES YOU MORE…

Below is an attachment someone shared with me years ago which began to give me a different perspective. I DID add a verse on the end of each "no" On this quote called "God Said No".  My take on "No" seems and seemed very harsh as I first read it. The last thing I wanted to hear was that even God would say no but as  I have come  along through my life's journey I found the answer may seem like a negative "No" but my view is Jesus Christ is walking with me or "carrying me through" those different and difficult stages of life's journey.


I asked God to take away my pain.
God said, “No. It is not for me to take away but for you to give up.”
Still I will carry you and be with you.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, “No. Her spirit is whole. Her body is only temporary.”
Yet, I will carry you through

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, “No. Patience is a by-product of tribulations. It isn’t granted. It is learned.”
Yet, I will carry you and be with you through if you acknowledge me.

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, “No. I give you blessings. Happiness is up to you.”
Still, I will be with you that you may have joy everlasting

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, “No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.”
Yet, I will carry you through and be with you always

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, “No. You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.”
As you read and seek my holy word I will walk with you

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, “No. I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things.”

I asked God to help me love others as much as He loves me.
God said, “Ahhhh…, finally you have the idea.

Fulfilling the Heart

Hello everyone..enjoying my love for crafts as I receive blessings from other crafters that are gracious to share their love, pictures and tutorials on arts and craft projects. Erika Taylor being my true blessing this week on the calla lillie project. She put the opportunity out there for me to use and/or even go further with it..You know what I mean if you are an artist..those creative juices start flowing when you see something or go with someones idea and develop it into your own.  It doesn't make you wierd. We all choose what we do with our thoughts, creativity and actions.  I chose the positive things of life. 

 My afternoon thoughts were to go  right at it. I wanted to make my attempt on making those calla lillies..they are so different in beauty in my minds eye. I found out they come in so many forms of lillies and different colors...who knew?    Erika was making her calla lillies by cutting her pedals freehand and me feeling like I could not cut them as perfect remembered I had some Cuttlebug diecut leaf cutouts already made and used them for pedals even though they had those little leaf edges..guess I should have cut and smoothed them out but it's my creation and imagination so I left the leafs as they were besides I only made two.  And am deciding I will leave as part of my design which I find funny exciting because I have another project I am putting a lot.. another calla lillie project in the fire and can't wait to share with you later.  As I finished these two up, I quickly found their home with this precious bunny I watercolored.  I did not want it to be seen for a holiday season I wanted it to be universal because I was going to give it to my mailwoman the Post Office Lady. I created a special pretty envelope and put it in the mailbox as an "Act of Kindness"  special for her. She always gives me a wave and a little smile when I happen to be outside. There have been somedays she doesn't come by until after 3pm looking overworked through her smile.  She see's and delivers my special cards and special stamped envelopes and I wanted her to feel special  in case she wondered how one might look or how it would be to receive one.  I have to tell you I found it special that after a period of rest I peeked out the window and saw her open the mailbox, dropped her mouth and could actually read her lips saying "What is this?" slowly looked, smiled, put aside and drove off.  It really was more of a blessing for me.

My days are short in spirts of activity due to my physical disablity which has been a drastic change when you are used to being out and about taking care of everything you love like work, volunteering, freely shopping  and your parents needs. Everyday is a new day for me now..not knowing if my body is going to cooperate as quickly or even. The past few days have been wonderful, though my walking has given me more struggles.  My upper body will work well at periods so when I can I try to make flowers, read etc as I am reclined and resting until I can get up again and do housework or make me some grub..me likes me grub sweet grub, salty grup, popcorn grub. Can you tell? I just love food.  I do not have hate or ill feelings towards God my Creator for my current physical standings though I did go that first year questioning myself why and going down the forgive me list of people and things. If anything I am gracious to have life and now enjoy it in slow motion though I am believing I will be healed in due season. When I was put in the hospital for Crohns disease the Doctors told me my organs were shutting down so necessary procedures were done. After 21 days in the hospital other issues came about.  Once out it was a long two year process finding the right medications and physical therapy. As I look back at this past year I am happy to see that my long lost love for arts and crafts have been working itself back in through my daily physical pain.  Like a precious pearl developing my creativity and love for the arts. I refuse to stay down spiritually and know my God wants and has greater plans for me...also because my earthly Father Antonio Garza gave me guidance to  live as an independent young lady and my Heavenly Father wants to prosper me in the good things of his life creations  and not to harm me (Jeremiah 29:11).

I love that God has given me a giver and helpers heart learning that it is necessary to go to Him to refill, restore, rejuvenate and rekindle my soul as it longs to continue to shine for Him. That is why I appreciate  Erika Taylor on giving of herself and not holding her knowledge in of making beautiful things but sharing it and helping other people blossom. From her giving I was able to give and create not only my version of calla lillies but tiger lillies. My Dad loved roses and lillies so I had in mind and heart to make some in memory of him. I figured if I used the regular leaf to make calla lillies I could see if my Cuttlebug maple leaf diecut would make lillies.  And I am so happy they did with a some imagination. I looked up pictures on this wonderful world of internet I have newly discovered(I know huh where have I been) and am now using in building my creativity and making new friends. Below is my version of Tiger Lillies. I just love them and will be keeping this in memory of both my earthly Father and Heavenly Father who both want good for their daughter...Me.  And YOU!  Enjoy..I'm on facebook if you want to look me up.

Be Blessed and know you are Loved.