Karla's Korner

Thankful Thursday Kitchen Update...

I thought for sure I would have a kitchen by Christmas.  Not quite.
Now I'm hopeful for Valentine's Day...  maybe even earlier.
What I'm learning is that remodeling the house you live in...
and doing most of the work yourselves... especially at our age...
is a great way to develop patience and perserverance...
and I keep hearing God say "count it all joy..."


So in the beginning... this was our kitchen when we moved in... Sept. 23rd.


It is quite small but cozy... with a nice size family room addition.


This will be a great family/tv room... someday soon!


The cabinets were original 1942... very small and didn't close well...
note the covered over chimney in the corner...
and what was the dining room through the doorway... more on this later.


November 8
After settling into the bedroom and studio as our living space...
with the camper for our kitchen...
Michael spent quite a while on the laundry room but I'll show you that later.
Here... the kitchen construction begins...
and the cabinets were the first thing to go.


I remember the day the plastic doorway went up to keep construction dust
out of the rest of the house... at least the worst of it... 
I thought the zipper was oh so cool then...
now... not so cool but still so thankful for it.


November 10
We wanted to open up the space between the dining room and kitchen...


November 16
but in order to take out that wall we had to put a support beam in...


In the process of making room for the beam we discovered leaks...


which meant taking down the entire ceiling...


December 4th
and time out for replacing a large section of the roof.
We also discovered there was no insulation on one outer wall...
so the sheetrock had to come down... but thankful for the discovery!


During this time Michael was also putting in all new kitchen plumbing...
while an electrician friend was replacing all the wiring!


December 1
Lots of work went into making the ceiling level between where it sagged
and where the family room had been added on. A pony wall was built
for where a counter/eating bar will be... and electrical was wired!!
Oh yes... and the chimney disappeared...
sadly however... Michael's shoulder is still suffering from that demolition.


December 14
Trust me... some serious JOY filled the house the day
Jeff and his boys showed up with sheetrock!


December 15
After weeks of looking at the darkness of open studs, wires and insulation...
this was a beautiful site to see!!!


December 22
But back to more demolition... up came the ugly mud-colored vinyl tiles...
all the way down to the subfloor... too bad it's sub-floor because it's
really quite colorful and pretty... but do have cold air coming through!



December 28
Finished painting the ceiling and the upper part of the walls



December 29
Could hardly quit smiling as we began trimming out the windows and doors.

That's where we're at today.

What God has shown me through these past several weeks is
an incredible picture of what it means to be rescued.
He has given the privilege to take a house that had been
neglected, seriously abused and abandoned... and we are giving it new life...
an opportunity to blossom into something of beauty and great value.
I know in my heart God has a plan for this house to be used for His glory!

A wonderful analogy of what God does for us...
He rescues us... gives us new life... and uses us for His glory.

For my house and for my God...
I am thankful!

Handmade Traditions...

We had a wonderful Christmas at Michelle and Gary's cabin up on Mt. Hood.
It was cozy and comfy and overflowed with laughter, love and creativity!


It wasn't snowing outside which was a bit disappointing...
but these snowflakes... handmade by Michelle and the girls...
more than made up for the wet cold stuff... aren't they amazing?
So much fun!


(from left to right: me, Monica, Cindy, granddaughters Alexis and Jessica, and Michelle)
I love being part of a creative family of girls.
And at Christmas time... that creativity shines... and thus...
one of my favorite family Christmas traditions is
the giving and exchanging of handmade craftiness!

My daughter Michelle, sis-in-love Cindy, niece Monica, and myself
do the handmade gift exchange and this was my offering...

They are small zippered bags combining my newly discovered love
for free-motion stitching combined with layered mixed-media art.


Each bag had a stamped word of inspiration sewn on the outside with a
scripture printed on paper and tucked inside.  The verse for this one was...
"...with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26


I had so much fun stitching these, I decided to make one for each of my
granddaughters as well... their inspirational word was "imagine" and their
verse was my life verse...
"God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us"
from Ephesians 3:20.

This was a sampling of all the girls handmade gifties...


Monica stenciled fun kitchen tea towels and potholders for all of us.


Cindy sewed colorful and reversible placemats.


Michelle silk-screened the coolest owl shirts for Mo and Cindy but because
I already had one of her owl shirt, she made me this totally amazing stuffie!
I LOVE her and named her Lulu!


Michelle gave Lex and Jess original paintings by Lia Lane and my original is
by Jess... it's an acrylic painting of our cat Abby at her scratching post while
we were staying at the kids. She is so talented... and I am so blessed!

 As believers in Christ, we are blessed, aren't we?
Blessed because Jesus came to this earth... was born a baby...
and lived among us... so we could see His glory...
and know His love.
That is why we celebrate, isn't it?
That is why we are blessed.

And I would be blessed to know...
did you make any handmade gifts this year?
If you did and blogged about them please include your link...
let us inspire one another!!

xoxoxo
Karla

Sending Christmas Love...

God has a special gift for you,
but it's not beneath the tree.
He wrapped it up in swaddling clothes
tied with humility.

But don't let the wrappings fool you,
its value exceeds all measure,
for of greater worth than precious gold
is this priceless treasure.

Hold out your hands, open up your heart,
and lift your eyes to see,
for this Gift of God is Jesus Christ
born for you and me.

Merry Christmas dear friends...
May the joy of Jesus fill your heart and home...
and bring you peace

Here Again... Gone Again...

My computer has been making noises for awhile.
I've tried to ignore it.
I just hope I haven't waited too long...


because today it is making VERY LOUD noises...very scary.
So I am taking it to the computer hospital... which meansI will be gone again.
But hopefully only a few days this time.
I just pray it's not terminal.

On a BRIGHTER note...
I was out and about yesterday and something incredible happened!
Something that made my heart sing!
Something that can so easily go unnoticed.

It was the Name of Jesus being sung with passion in public places!
I'm grinning just thinking about it!!
Unsuspecting intercom systems being used for God's glory!



No one else seemed to hear it... the wondering if Mary really knew her
little baby was the Messiah... and the calling of the faithful, the joyful and
triumphant ones to come and adore this One who was born
the King of Angels... Christ the Lord! 


I heard it.
Christ the Lord being proclaimed in public places...
and songs of worship and adoration filling the air.
And though they may not know they hear it... they do.

Oh sweet sisters in Christ...
let us... His faithful, joyful and triumphant ones... rejoice and pray!
Let us pray that God will give people ears to hear... even subliminally.
Let us pray many will be won to Christ this Christmas season.
Let us use these opportunities... use the carols to start a conversation
with the woman standing in line with you.  Help her to hear.
Most of all... let us be the "JOYFUL ONES" the carols sing about...
let us be the lights in the darkness proclaiming joy to the world...
THE LORD HAS COME!!

Love you...
Karla