Karla's Korner

Heading North...

I need to be out the door in about fifteen minutes to head north to Woodinville, WA which is just north of Seattle. It will be about a three to four hour drive depending on traffic and then I have the pleasure of sharing a Thanksgiving message with some ladies at Woodinville Community Church tonight for a Girlfriends Unlimited Night Out. I know they will be encouraged in the Lord so I'm eager to make the drive.

But... I was determined to say "HI" before I left and tell you all I miss you and have so much I want to share and so little time right now to do it. I promise I'll take time on Wednesday to do a little catching up.

But for now I wanted you to know, if you are local, that my daughter Michelle is having her annual Christmas Studio Sale this weekend and she has some great stuff and a great time planned. If you're not local you still might want to enter her Goody Giveaway!  Her stuff is so fun and with Christmas right around the corner you might want to check it out.  

Blessings to all of you... xoxoxo
Karla

Painting In Progress!

I just started painting this week for the new book, Give Thanks! I am having so much fun combining my traditional style and some of the great new techniques I've been learning and I thought you might like to see the process of a painting coming together. I've never thought to photograph steps along the way so it was fun for me too. I paint rather willly nilly so you'll have to look at each one to see where I skipped to next! 

This is one of three paintings I did this week and I'm thrilled to see how God continues, not only in transforming my life, but transforming my art as well!!  I'd love to hear what you think about the new style if you have a moment!

My very first acrylic painting for a book... but using Golden Fluids is similar to watercolors but better!

Choosing colors... especially with a new medium... can be challenging!

I love the depth you can get with these paints! SWEET!

A little close up.

Oh... the pattern along the side ads some whimsy.

Adding a few more acorns.

Okay... it's almost finished!

Tadah! (spelling?) Thank You Lord... and now only 77 pages yet to do!!

Blessings to you for a great week... I'm off to the coast to work on the writing part of the book and I'll try to post while I'm there but no promises.

And the October Winner is...

I'm only a week late in posting the winner of the October Shopping Spree Contest but I'm honored to announce the winner is... by random selection... Beth Etherington!

CONGRATULATIONS BETH!!

Here is Beth's post about what she is learning during this season of her life...

My new pursuit is piano lessons.  At 62 years old, I am definitely my teacher's oldest beginning student.  I did not even know how to read music...and now I am beginnig to play little songs!  I have always had a love for music...believing it is surely a gift from God to our world.  This just seemed to be my time in life to learn more about it.

Beth... you are an inspiration and encouragement to us all!!  May the Lord use you to share your love for music as well as your love for learning! You go girl!!

We're never too old to learn something new.  I was encouraged recently as I read the story of Ronald Reagon who didn't even enter politics until he was 69 years old... and his second career was of greater glory than his first.  It reminds me that God will continue to mold and shape us as long as we'll let Him!

"... being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Philippians 1:6

Lord God... I am  in awe at how you continue to mold and shape my life. Thank You for not giving up on me. Thank You for prompting me and giving me the strength to step out of my comfort zone and take these art workshops recently. I can already see such an amazing difference in my art and I'm so excited Lord. I pray today for anyone reading this Father who You've been prompting to do learn something new... will You give her the confidence in Christ she needs and remind her that we never step out in faith by ourselves but You are always there holding our hand. Thank you for Beth and her example to us all.  Bless her Lord and bless us all as we open ourselves to grow in the Spirit and in skills that will enable to delight in You and glorify You in greater ways!