Belize Mission Trip 2014

 

I'm finally back from our 1st Belize Mission's Trip from Jun 30-July 6 2014. After my son's high school graduation,we were blessed for the opportunity to be able to Spread God's Love and His Word in the Kids' Crusade n construction of a Ministry Camp through fundraisers n donations!

It was an incredible experience and fell in love with the people, children, and overall the country of Belize! I thought we were not going to make this trip due to financials and health issues, but we kept the faith and moved forward with our training and planning of our lessons for the week.

Due to my Fibromyalgia I was a little concern what would happen if I got a major flareup and let my team down or the children of Belize? Are my other 3 boys I leave behind and husband be ok? How about if something happens to them and I'm in another country? But when these thoughts came into my mind I would immediately pray Lord let me not be concerned and worried of my health, I want to be able to freely do your work as I promise I would starting 2014.

The bible verse that kept popping in my mind and visually was the following

 Jeremiah 29: 11-13

 ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Generations Church n Mel Praying over the Mission's Group - RIP Mel

And to my surprise the Bible verse that was selected by the Pastor's Wife was just the SAME, Jeremiah 29: 11-13!! can we say God could not be more clearer to me! Don't worry my child, I have plans for you at Belize and beyond 2014 not to harm you, don't worry about your condition, I'm your Father and will protect you, you will prosper, trust me, have Faith! I have heard your prayers and it's time, my time! Thank you Jesus!

Arrived to Belize! Look at those Palm Trees!

Once we got there, yes, it was hot, but hotel we were staying at had A/C and beautiful rooms with a pool! Even though the church we were teaching didn't have A/C, but had huge FANS! They made sure we kept hydrated! We would meet for breakfast at 6am, meeting n prayer n off to church every morning, then in afternoon we were driven to a Christian School to have lunch and sometimes dinner prepared for us, Belize food was awesome!! Yummy! The ladies that prepared the food for us everyday were so hospitable and nice and loving. My son, Gabrielle, was so hungry after working construction that he would eat extra and he loved their food so much he would give them a huge hug!! I told them you won his heart through his tummy!! He might just stay in Belize!!! LOL!!!

Gaby hugging and grateful for their great cooking!

Ladies of Belize Out did themselves with Food!

I grew up being the shy and quiet girl in my school years, but blooming in a household full of boys and now young men I learned pretty quick to stand my ground and speak up! LOL! Sometimes my hubby wonders where that quiet girl is, at times! LOL!  Even though I have come out of my shell, I was extremely nervous to stand in front of hundreds and hundreds and close to 1000 children, teenagers, adults, and pastors by the end of the week to be able to do my lesson and get the children involved and pumped for the messaged to be received and remembered it was nerve wreaking!! I think I prayed so hard that I had my words and pleads screaming in His Ear! LOL! Lord please give me the Supernatural Strength to remember what to say, what the lesson is, and take control of the children's ears, mind, understanding, heart, and spirit! Use me as a vessel and let your Words, your message pour out in! and Guess what, once I got up there, there was a peace taken over my whole body and words just poured out n be4 you knew it, it was done!

1st Day of Kids' Crusade

Last Days of Kids' Crusade

I fell in love with all the loving children that came up to me, hug me, and touched my hair, lol! But I had my special group of fans of boys and girls that would sit in the same area where I was to keep close to me. We would talk, worship, and dance together, it was Awesome! They were pleading that I come back 2015, but unfortunately another church who was visiting from Queens NYC providing evening services wanted to do the 2015 Kids' Crusade.  Hopefully next time soon we, All of our family can go and experience the Love and Power of God in another Country, Belize!

My Group of Boys...Miss Them!

We were all able to squeeze in sight seeing, Ruins, local shopping, eat at a local restaurants, n finally...Scuba Diving! Yes, around sting rays and little sharks! I'm afraid of the ocean, deep water, not a great swimmer, and not in great shape to out swim predators!! LOL!! But since I'm out here in beautiful Belize with crystal clear all shades of blues and aqua ocean water, I said, Why Not, you live once, what's the worse that can happen, water is clear and I can see a predator coming at me and if something happens my team and tour guide can clearly find me!! LOL!

Mission's Group Enjoying the Ruins

Yeah we are in the Beautiful Water of Belize!!!

I wanted to share this experience with you and share some more pics I took in Belize.

Enjoy!

Thank you Trinity Church, Pastor Ruth, staff, familia n childrenof Belize 4 an Awesome experience!

Me and my son, Gaby

Gaby enjoying Kids' Crusade on Last Day!

Seeing them in Pics doesn't do the Ruins justice!

My Gaby wanting to take pic with Belize animal

And another...can't stop taking pics!

Arrived at Caye Caulker Island!

Colorful Mini Houses!

Gaby found a friend on Caye Caulker Island!

Are you sure sting rays won't attack if I stay still, can I breathe?

Lunch with the Girls at Caye Caulker Island

Local Pics of the Streets of Belize...

Last Day with my children of Belize at Kids' Crusade

Last Dinner in Belize!

Back Home! Until we meet again Belize!

                                                                          The End! Fin!

Tiki Time Mixed Media Chair -  For Sale

Relax Chair Mixed Media Planter Chair - For Sale

These 2 babies were a long labor of love creating them! I do have pics of how they looked originally and took them apart, cleaned, and sanded somewhere in one of my memory cards. When I find them I will update n post here.  I sprayed each chairs with 3 different colors of RustOleum Painters Touch 2x Ultra Cover and of course I used coupons at AC Moore! I bought painter's blue tape and self adhesive kraft thick and wide kraft painter's paper I found in Ollie's Bargain Center. I taped the the sections I will not paint the major color throughly on both chairs n painted away! Then waited until they were dryed and started covering the majority of the chair and spray painted the sections. It was lots of work and patience and going back and forth to make sure nothing was not over looked or some paint creeped in some parts that shouldn't. I thought I was going to throw in the towel! lol! Finally it was done the painting part. Now Mod Podge patterned paper through out. Then I drilled a nail and glued the palm tree and the fish on the other chair I bought from Joann's. Then I hung up the signs. I bought the metal hanging basket with coco moss at Ollie's Bargain Center. Finally went to local nursery in my town and bought different color of flowers to compliment the color and style of the chairs. I took these babies also to the fair. Lots of people stopped to admire the beauty of my chairs, but didn't get to sale them.I still have them stored until next Spring or maybe someone falls in love with them and buys 1 or both to show them off in their own garden or patio ready for the Spring. So yes, they are for SALE!

UPDATE

Here are the original chairs how they looked

Mixed Media Heart & Verse Canvas & Canvas Boards!

16 x 20 Canvas - Mixed Media Heart & Word
 Not 4 Sale

16 x 20 Canvas -  Mixed Media Heart & Word
  For Sale
 

12 x 16 Canvas Board - Mixed Media Be Brave Be Strong Heart
For Sale

11 x 14 Canvas Board -Mixed Media Hope Heart & Word

                                           For Sale

11 x 14 Canvas Board Mixed Media Trust Heart & Word
 For Sale

As you all can see Hearts! One of th emany things I LOVE are Hearts and Hearts with wings! After looking through Pinterest n Youtube to get my juices going.   I didn't  just want to draw and paint them, but make them with texture and make them pop out of the canvas. 

1st-   Prepared the background by painting the background with 3-4 different colors of acrylic paint.

2nd - Stenciled with my own recipe of modeling paste mixed with acrylic paint. 

3rd -  Drew a heart on gesso paper prepared be4 hand. After I cut the heart out I crumbled and then painted it with   acrylic paint. Then I drew a crown & cross on Antique Music paper n painted it with gold Acrylic paint.

4th -  Chose 2 different patterned scrap booking papers that would marry the colors of the background

5th -  Mod Podge the heart, crown, and cross to the background.

6th - Drew the wings in pencil around the heart, boy, was this a challenge! I drew n erased over til I was satisfied. 

7th - Then the Long Fun begins! Took the 2 patterned papers and tore them apart in little pieces and Mod Podge the the pieces along the lines of the wings. Then fill the wings section by section. This takes a very long time my fingers were hurting just touching and trying to pick things up so I took breaks in between.

8th - Gesso old book paper and then painted them to prep them up to stamp words n verses once dried.

9th  - Mod Podge the words to backgound 

10th -Cut strips of Old books and Mod Podge it along the edges of the canvas

11th - Once I was satisfied with the background stamping n stenciling n coloring n embellishments I covered the whole canvas of Mod Podge or whatever sealer I have on hand.

12th - Finito! Sat back n enjoyed looking at the finished piece n recover my fingers be4 starting another one!

             

1st Showing MemorialDay Weekend at Rural Hall, NC

This was my set up at the 40th year Celebration at Rural Hall. As you see my 10 x 10 Canopy which I bought used through Craigslist at the fraction of the cost! Thank God for Craigslist! Then everything else I've bought and collected through consignment and thrift stores; tables, curtains, fabric,chairs, etc. When you have close to nothing in capital you can always find a way, just little by little, searching and using your imagination and Pinterest, we all can make it happen with whatever you have. It was not a great turnout because there was a huge storm the night before and lasted throughout the night. So lots of vendors didn't show up and attendance was low.  Me and my supportive husband was with me to help me with the setup and take down. I love my hubby and thankful for him. 

Even though I made no sells, it gave me the opportunity to test the waters and to meet and talk to people. I did get positive feed backs of my creations. But what I did notice, that the prices I initially had, after much research through youtube, internet, bloggers, etc. people still found them too high. So after much more research and reaching out to other artists they informed me that prices should be adjusted due to area, function, the crowd you selling to at each area.  This should be done especially in the beginning of your journey as an artist until you get yourself and your art out there and once you feel you have the momentum going them you can adjust again, but always keep in mind each avenue you expose yourself.

I have now adjusted my prices accordingly and can't wait for the next event to try it out! There is another event 2 towns over in the middle of November and I'm debating if I will have money and time to prepare and get myself out there. It's indoor so that's a plus! When I decide you will all know first! Check out my pics of my set up.

Attended Rural Hall 40th Year Celebration! Booth 43!

I was at the Rural Hall 40th Year Celebration and had my 1st booth for Beauty from Ashes Studiotique!  I was there from 7am-4pm,  long day, no sales, but I met and had lots of positive feedback on my artwork and mixed media planter chairs. I made 2 planter chairs, but left 1 not compkeyely done so I can work on it during celebration so people can see me in action. It did bring more traffic by my booth n they signed up so I can contact them for more information of the things I create! They said they love my style of chairs! I had a couple of serious customers thay will be in contact for my rekax chair n other customized for a neach house! As soon as I get that going I'll post pics.  I'm working on some additional mixed media for my next show. Maybe, some, dominoe pendants! !  Check out some pics of my booth and art! I wanted to thank my mother in law with the tableclothes. I had some material I bought at Goodwill, but as you see the corners are not finished. Im thinking of adding ruffle laces at the corners. I also want to thank my husband for helping me set up, being with me n making sure I stay hydrated, n dismantling everything! He is very supporting on my love and journey I'm taking as a mixed media artist!  I'm still recuperating from the celebration, body hurting n still tired :(, but still doing my motherly duties, lol! Check out the pics of that day...trying to post, but having trouble don't know why it doesnt upload?!?

My Name Is...

My name is Gila n I'm married to my hubby, Cesar, 22 yrs n been together, my best friend, for 25 yrs! I have 4 boys; Andrew 22, Gabrielle 17, Carlos-Ernesto 13, n Ezaiah 11! Im a stay at home mom even though we cant afford it, it's due to my health issues. One of them being, Fibromyalgia.  I have made a new commitment in 2014 to God to get off my meds n have faith He will heal me n break chains around my family that has broken us apart. I've made a commitment to walk closer to Him, dedicate, n work above all symptoms n elements that have made me lose focus on Him n the work I must complete before I leave this life. I've prayed that He uses my talents n skills to guide me to use them n through them to show, witness, n testify my trials n tribulations n how I felt during them n how God's Mercy, Compassion, Above All Love pulled me through. So He can use me for His Glory to shine my light through art n guide my brothers n sisters to healing, peace, n Love. Please stay tune for my testimonies, thoughts, my experiences, prayers n art as they may heal you in Christ.

Name, Beauty from Ashes Studiotique?

How I came up with this name, Beauty from Ashes, it all started when I read, Beauty from Ashes, Receiving Emotional Healing, by Joyce Meyer, years ago when I started to go through a particular family problem that opened wounds n memories I've kept deep inside even away from myself. As it burst n arose to surface it greatly affected my health to a point I had to leave my full time job. Since then I've had ups n downs, but the final blow was last year when the family problem arose again n it was the year 2013 n it's holidays I will never relive as long as I live. 2014 is the yr, I've reclaim my life, God's life back for His Glory! I've been in this cocoon to long n I'm getting ready to break out n God is getting me Stronger n Healing me through His words, God's Love! In my readings, I found an article, Beauty from Ashes, n it explains it so well. Enjoy n watch me, watch God turn this Cacoon into a Beautiful Butterfly!

http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/Sykes_BeautyforAshes.aspx