Karla's Korner

Breakfast in China...

I was not surprised to know that KFC is in China...
but what was a surprise was that they serve breakfast.
Michelle's friend was so excited to introduce me to congi (spelling ?)...
which is like oatmeal only made with rice and here with red beans... yum...
seriously. And also China's KFC version of an egg mcmuffin!  Go figure!

I'm having a great time and lots to share so more later!

Thank you so much for your prayers... the traffic is CRAZY here...
so keep praying my friends!!
Love and God-hugs... til later

Hong Kong Here I Come...

I am soooo excited!  I am tagging along with Michelle to China!
She goes at least twice a year and I am tickled pink to be able to
go with her and experience a touch of this intriquing culture, eat some
very interesting new food, and meet a few of the delightful people
she's been working with for several years now.
We leave early in the morning and will be there for 6 days!

And... A New Painting in Progress...


I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the progress of a painting I'm
working on.... made me think of the cosmos in pastel at this early stage...


and then I was in the mood to just play with and explore patterns...


all just random... but what about a focal point?


Oh... there she is! 
Totally unplanned... she appeared... looking like a princess!


I've always loved drawing and painting faces but usually a bit more realistic.


But exploring new styles and design is always fun!

She will have to be content to remain unfinished until I return from China.
I'm sure she won't even notice I'm gone.

Michelle tells me I will be able to blog from afar so I look forward to having
some fun things to share with you in the days ahead.

Oh yes... and your prayers will be much appreciated. 
Thank you ever so much!

Blessings and God-hugs...
Karla

Walk With Me Wednesday...

I had to do a double take when I saw this sign! I don't know if I have ever
noticed a speed "hump" sign before and it made me chuckle!
And if youre like me, you may be wondering... what's the difference?


Well, I couldn't help myself... I had to come home and look it up! I discovered
that speed humps are simply shorter in height and longer in distance so they
slow you down slower and with less impact than hitting a huge speed bump.

But what really intriqued me was to learn that traffic engineers
refer to installing these bumps and humps as "traffic calming" measures. 
How very interesting.

Have you encountered any speed bumps or humps in your life lately?
Something tht was out of your control that forced you to slow down?
Do you think God might install a bump or hump along our spiritual path on
occasion to "calm" us down?  To slow our pace so we are forced to refocus,
maybe even enjoy the journey, or, most importantly, to take notice of the
One who's walking it with us?

Just food for thought.  What do you think?

Free Download... Prayer Changes Things... More Choices...

I've been playing with the "Prayer Changes Things" art print
and wanted to give you a couple of other design options to choose from
for your free download...



so you can choose black background with black lettering design or...


or the simple black on white background design.

But remember... only free until Saturday!

Blessings...
Karla

Prayer Changes Things... Free Download Three Days Only!

A few days ago, I was talking with a friend about how God had answered a
prayer she had prayed for me about three years ago. I was so surprised, and
sorry, to learn that I had never told her before. And had no idea how much
my telling her that day was an answer to her own recent prayers.

God's answer to her prayers for me was nothing short of a miracle.
He delivered me from a spiritual mental battle I had fought, off and on,
since childhood and was always too ashamed to tell anyone about it.
That day... three years ago... I finally confessed it and asked for prayer.
God heard the prayers of my friend... and my life was changed.

When I told my friend about this answer to prayer, I didn't know
she had recently been asking God to encourage her in her prayer life.
Hearing how God had heard and answered her prayers for me
was truly a gift of encouragement straight from the heart of the Father
to bless and build up the faith of His precious praying daughter.

May it be an encouragement to you as well...
to keep praying my friend and never give up on God!
Know that He hears your prayers.
And keep believing that He is able... more than able...
to do exceedingly, abundantly more than you could ever ask or imagine!

As a special gift to you... for THREE DAYS ONLY... you may download this
"Prayer Changes Things"
artwork for your own personal use or to share with your Bible Study Group
or as a coloring page for children's ministry. 
After three days I will make available im my Etsy Shop in b&w and color!

In His love and for His glory...
xoxoxo
Karla

By Special Request... Stir It Up Pocket Mirror...

Here you go Angela!  By your special request...
I just added a pocket mirror to my Etsy shop with the "Stir It Up" artwork!
Send me your mailing address and I'll send you a free one...
just because you asked! And I'm glad you did because
this verse is such a great reminder to us all to stir up the gifts God has given
us in order for Him to be able to use us a blessing to others
and bring glory to Himself!

       
I also added "Sassy Girl" and "Taste & See" to the mirror collection!

       
And because I'm thinking ahead to Christmas and thought these would
make great stocking stuffers for teen girls and budget conscious gifts for
friends... I couldn't resist adding in a couple of snowman themed mirrors
just for the fun of it!  These guys always make me smile!

So what's your Special Request? Is there a verse you'd like to see illustrated?
A painting from one of my books you'd like to have as a print? 
A bookmark theme or digital art you'd like to add to your collection?
This is your opportunity to ask and make a special request!
If you've already let me know... it's most likely on my list... but it never
hurts to ask again... yours might just rise to the top faster if you do!

And just a reminder...
my precious friend... don't forget to stir up your gifts this week... for you
never know who God might want to bless through you...
and when you do... He will be glorified and you will be happy for it!

xoxoxo
Karla

The Symbolism of the Pavilion...

 I remember when I first started meditating and praying about this verse...
visualizing it in my heart for the painting...

I initially saw two chairs in the pavilion with a little table between them...

but God clearly showed me that it was to be a loveseat instead...
with nothing between us... a place where we could draw close to Him...
lay our head on His shoulder... safe in His embrace...


wrapped in a quilt of many colors, like Joseph's coat of many colors,
showing us our Father's love and favor.


He welcomes to bring our troubles to Him and when we open our
hearts and pour out our burdens, it's as though He lifts them from
us and sets them outside the pavilion, covering them with His care
and giving us a time of rest and peace.


The Holy Spirit, shown here as a dove, comes to us to bring
comfort, encouragement, and hope.


The Lord invites us into His Presence... into a place of worship...
where our hearts can sing to Him and He can sing over us.


And it is a place of sweet communion...
a quiet place to listen as He whispers to our souls and remind us
of what He has already done for us on the cross.



And as we leave... we know that our spirit has been refreshed
and our souls have been watered... in His love and for His glory!

xoxoxo
Karla

Oldie but Goodie...

This is a painting from one of my earlier books... can you guess which one?

Want to know something very few know?
There was a framed print company that wanted to sell this art in their line
but they insisted I take out the words "In the time of trouble..."! 
I couldn't do it.

They said people don't want to put things that are negative
on their walls. I said... but we all have troubles in our lives... and God
wants us to know that in the midst of whatever storm you may be facing...
we can always come to Him for His comfort, protection, and care.

I stood my ground. They eventually changed their minds and published
the print with the scripture in its entirety... I'm sure God was pleased.
I was.

There is a lot of symbolism woven into this painting? Can you find it?
Leave a comment if you think you see some of it!
Hint... some of it can be found in the book in it's in.
I'll be back tomorrow to show you!

Until then... may you enter into His pavilion... and find rest for your soul.
xoxoxo
Karla

Walk With Me Wednesday...

I am so thankful for sunshine and warm weather... it makes for happy walking!

I loved how so many orange flowers caught my eye... it's looking a lot like fall!

This lily is so dramatic, isn't it?  Gotta love God's creativity and eye for design!


And this little guy is just so bright and cheerful.  He reminded me
of the reality that you may see yourself as smaller or less showy or dramatic
than other flowers but you can still bring a huge smile to someone's heart
by just being the flower God created you to be and blossoming for His glory!


I wanted to share that verse from yesterday but it's going to have to wait.
I gotta run or I'm going to be late for my own party!! 
I'll tell you more about that later...

xoxoxo
Karla

By Special Request... Autumn Blessings Journal Cover...

Another special request from my new friend Jeanette... an art design she
could use to put on the front of inexpensive, already-made journal for
their women's fall retreat that would carry the same theme as the bookmarks.
So here it is... an "Autumn Blessings" Journal Cover Art Digital Download!
and I must say that being a resource for their women's ministry has brought
me great joy and hope to do more of this in the future!

The smaller design will fit the journals they already bought, but I also wanted
to do a larger size that fits the composition notebooks you can pick
up at the dollar store.  And just imagine all the other fun gifts and retreat
goodies you could make by simply resizing this art including magnets, tags,
greeting cards, stickers, framed prints, plaques, and more!


This is the one I made using the dollar store composition book...


but of course... I had to embellish mine a bit with lace, ribbon, glitter and
some little black jewels in the centers of some of the flowers... but even
without the extras it makes for a very pretty place to truly "Bless the Lord"
by jotting down some of those amazing Autumn Blessings God pours out
into your life... from the mundane to the marvelous!

I started writing in mine this morning and am so encouraged by what God
showed me in His Word to help stir up my praises... can hardly wait to share
it with you tomorrow! 

Love and God-hugs to you my friends...
in His love and for His glory...
Karla

Encouraging Creativity in Children...

I am blessed to be a full-time artist and to have written and illustrated
nineteen books and licensed my art to many different manufacturers.
Today I work mostly in watercolors, acrylics, and mixed media but
in the beginning my medium was color crayons.

My mom taught me at an early age to keep the crayons sharpened and to color
inside the lines. I took great pride in those early works of coloring book art.

Fast-forward twenty-one years and, just like my mom, I taught my daughter,
Michelle, how to color inside the lines as well… passing down this much loved
tradition from one generation to the next.

Michelle was five years old when I heard a woman from the community college
give a talk on encouraging artistic creativity in children.
The words of wisdom she shared that day would be instrumental
in shaping the future of my daughter forever.

You can read the rest of this story here...


Let the creativity begin!
Blessings and God-hugs...
Karla