Karla's Korner

Pretty Bird Stamp

My daughter Michelle (in the blue hat) meets with an art journaling group every month and yesterday I had the pleasure of tagged along. As much as I love art journaling it just doesn't fit into my life right now but I love the sweet and artsy gals she meets with and it was a great opportunity to be in the midst of mega creative energy!

 
From left to right is Lani, Paulette, Michelle, Teri, and Jaryn.  Michelle led yesterday's group in how to carve a rubber stamp... it was great fun. My stamp was inspired by a painting from my new book...
 
I turned her into black and white in Photoshop and traced her onto the rubber stamp material... here is how she turned out.
 
 

You can see the black & white image in the upper left corner... the stamp itself is in the lower right corner... and lots of little pretty birds including the one on the thank you card. I'm not through playing with her yet and I can see a lot more hand carved stamps in my future! 
  It was a wonderful afternoon spent in the company of sisters in Christ who seek to glorify God with the talents He's given them! Thank You Jesus!

New Projects!

So what does a woman do when she finishes such a huge project as writing and illustrating an 80 page book? Well, if you're like me you look forward to the next project! Oh yes..and play!  Play for me is this 10" x 30" painting I've already begun just for the fun of it... and hanging out with my girls! I'll post glimpses of my progress with this painting as I go along.

I've also begun to work on my next two projects...  "The Me Project" as in taking better care of my body and letting go of some unwanted pounds. I'll keep you posted as to how that goes too.

And... I am returning to "Project Studio"!  Here's a peek at some of the fabrics I've chosen for the makeover! Love green... it represents life and growth and... everything goes with it! Are you wondering how I'm going to use them? I'll be showing you soon so stay tuned!

  

Thank You Lord God, for giving us everything we need to live godly lives and accomplish Your will in all we are and all we do. Today I am especially thankful for my girls and the love we have for one another. I'm thankful for the body you've given me... even in the state it's in... and ask You to help me as I seek to make it stronger and healthier. And thank You Father for creativity... I'm having so much fun right now and I know it's only because of You! May all my "projects" bring glory to Your Name. Amen.

Thankful for God's Amazing Grace!

The book is done... well... almost... and I'm glad to be back!  I sent in the final pages  of "Give Thanks" to my publisher on Friday.  There are a few details to be worked out and glitches to be fixed, but my part... for the most part... is done!  And I met the deadline... with the incredible support of my amazing husband and lots of help from my publisher, editor and my good friend Gwen! Thank You Jesus!  Finishing a book is like giving birth and I'm so excited about my beautiful baby... but I can't show her to you until sometime in June! Oh how I want to!!  But I can tell you that God poured out His Spirit on every page and I'm truly grateful! Thank you for all your prayers and emails of encouragement! Bless you all!

God's amazing grace not only flowed into the pages of this book but I was so grateful to be working on this particular theme, when I got the call from my sister telling me that my mother had had a stroke. She passed away 10 days later on Thursday evening February 5th. God's grace carried me back to Quincy and home again and I was so thankful to have the book to focus on during that time... making me even more grateful for His love, healing and the blessings He has so generously poured out in my life.  Everyone, including me, wondered if the book would be finished on time but my constant encouragement was that God already knew before I said yes to the book what was going to happen. Our God is sovereign and faithful. Even though those two weeks were very emotionally challenging, finishing the book could have added more stress but instead became a blessing.

Once again, a testimony that givng thanks to the Lord is not only a good thing, but our thanksgiving opens a door for God to show Himself mighty on our behalf.  Now that's something to be thankful for!

Is there a difficult circumstance in your life right now? Ask God to show you what, in the midst of your circumstance, you have to be thankful for? His grace? His love? His blessings? Give thanks to the Lord for He is worthy of our praise!

It is good to give thanks to the Lord.
Psalm 92:1

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for loving me and being my song, my strength, my comfort and my hope. Apart from You, Lord, my life has no meaning but in You I have boundless blessings and my heart overflows with praise and thanksgiving. Thank You Father for showing Yourself mighty in the creation of this little book, Give Thanks.  I look forward to seeing how it is going to bless the lives of many women... turning their hearts to You and to the blessings that You have so graciously given them. May You be blessed Lord by our praise and thanksgiving. Amen.