Karla's Korner

Stars and Stripes Free Coloring Page and More...

 

 

Having company over for your Fourth of July celebration? Needing a little hands-on project for the kiddos... or maybe even for the grown-up girls?  Here's a little Stars and Stripes Coloring Page that will hopefully be a added blessing to your family and friends get together!

Download your FREE Coloring Page here.

This was a fun design to color but I must admit... I had to think it through because of using such a limited color selection.

The colors I chose were both Prismacolor Premiers and a few Faber-Castel Polychromos ... I love the quality and richness of their colors!

Red... PC923 Scarlet Lake
Browns... PC944 Terra Cotta (for shading the red and in her hair) and PC945 Sienna Brown
Yellows... FC9201-108 Dark Cadmium and PC1034 Goldenrod
Flesh... PC997 Beige
Blues... FC9201-149 Bluish Turquoise and FC9201-246 Prussian Blue

But seriously... the color palette is simple so play with whatever you have handy... including crayons... or print it on watercolor paper and play with paints!  Just have fun!!

I would love to see photos of your Stars and Stripes coloring... either your finished piece or a photo of the kids or girls around the table coloring... so please take a pic and tag it with #starsandstripescoloring and @karladornacher so I can check out your coloring fun!

 

I've been sharing a bit on FB and IG already this week about how much 4th of July means to me... not only only as a holiday but it always reminds of how thankful I am for how Jesus has set me free to be the woman He designed me to be... and it's also my youngest granddaughter's birthday! So... I just knew I needed to stop and create a Bible Journaling page around this theme!

I don't normally use stickers for my Bible Journalling but I must admit it was kinda fun... especially because I was playing with my newest digital collection "Set Free"... designed to celebrate the freedom we have living here in the USA and... even more importantly... the freedom we have in Christ.

Jesus tells us, as His disciples, that we will know the truth and the truth will set us free... and I know that personally in so many areas of my own life... and I'm guessing so do you! There is such a joy in knowing that we can live a life "set free" from the lies of the past... the lies of the enemy... and walk in the freedom Christ died to give us!

So I printed this little collection on sticker paper... cut out the pieces and placed them on my page... so easy! I chose the pinwheel simply because it reminds me of being a little girl and twirling around watching the pinwheel spin in the wind... a memory of being care-FREE and happy in the moment... a similar feeling to being care-FREE and happy in Jesus today!!

You can check out this new "Set Free" Collection in my shop here

Happy Fourth of July my friends!  
Celebrate... Give Thanks... and Party on!!  xoxo

(Please note this post does contain affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but your purchases via these links help support my work and allows me to keep offering FREEBIES!  Thank you for your support!)

Are You Seeing the Whole Picture?

I have always loved how God’s Word is so visual and leads the reader to not only hear it... but to see it as well. Some verses, of course, are more visual than others and Psalm 1 is a perfect example. We can all visualize a tree and we all know what leaves and fruit look like so we have a good place to start… but sometimes, as we take the time to meditate on a verse, God coaxes us to think outside the box… to “see" a little more than we did at first. I believe God often wants us to show us more than we're seeing and tell us more than we're hearing... if we will only take the time to hear His voice and see what He wants show us.

I love every time I have the opportunity to share with others about why my Psalm 1 illustration has been dubbed the “fruit cocktail” tree. In this Psalm God says we will bear fruit… and what came to mind as I pondered verse 3 was that we, as believers in Christ, bear the fruit of Spirit which we know is multi-faceted… love, peace, joy, and so much more. But we also bear the delightfully multi-colored fruit of our labor in respect to using our gifts, talents, and abilities for God’s glory. Because we are all created to be unique individuals, the fruit we bear through our good works will be as unique and varied as we are… therefore, a “fruit cocktail” tree.

Also, where this verse says "in everything we do, we prosper, I thought about what God’s perspective of prosperity might look like beyond financial gain or material blessing, and the imagery of the two birds and a nest came to mind. They symbolize the idea of our greatest prosperity being the spiritual heritage we pass down to our children, our neighbors, and so many others, through the fruit we bear and the lives we live.

So as you illustrate God's Word... whether in your Journaling Bible or a notebook... be encouraged to take the time to meditate on God’s Word and allow Him time to stir your heart and open your spiritual eyes to see more... and create outside the box.

And if drawing isn't your means of expression, I am delighted to share this Color-Your-Own Version of my Psalm One Tree in my Etsy shop here.

As you spend time coloring, allow your heart time to reflect on God's Word, the fruit of the Spirit, or your own fruitfulness. Consider how your talents, gifts, and abilities feed and nourish the people God has placed in your life and how their fruit feeds you as well.

Or... tuck a portion of the printed coloring sheet under a page in your Journaling Bible and use it as a Traceable! I'm already thinking of several verses it might work well with including Galatians 5:22... the fruit of the Spirit!

I hope this has been an encouragement to you... and may the Lord continue to bless you and coax you to think outside the box in your own creative worship time!

The Fragrance of Christ...

This was a fun Garden Blessings Coloring Book page to color. It made me think of spring, cheerful colors, chirping birds, and my favorite early blooming flowers... especially those that tickle my nose with their fragrant delight... lilacs being my favorite! 

We are all attracted to things that smell good, aren't we? But I have discovered that certain things that smell really sweet to me can be almost repulsive to others... such as my favorite Stargazer Lilies! In fact, some of my friends, not only don't like the smell, but even the fragrance of their potent blooms as it fills the air can make them physically sick. So sad.



But the same is true with the sweet fragrance of Christ.  

When we give our lives to Christ and allow Him to live in us and through us... we will... or at least should... smell like Jesus in the world. The more sold-out we are... the sweeter the smell. First to God. Then to those around us. Wherever we live... wherever we go... the fragrance of Christ fills the atmosphere.  Sweet like lilacs to those who are being saved and... maybe more like Stargazer Lilies among those who are perishing... especially those with serious allergic reactions to Christlikeness. Some will run. Some will hide. Some will become angry that we even wafted our fragrance in their direction. I've seen a few of those in my day and it's not pretty. 

So coloring this page has made me think personally about my life and how I smell. Not just outwardly to other people... because we can fake that if we need to. But it made me think about how I am called the fragrance of Christ to God first and foremost. So I thought about how I smell inwardly where only God can see and get a sniff... my heart, my attitudes, and my motives in doing good. I don't want to smell good just so the world will like me... but I want my aroma to be sweet because my heart is right and because I want Jesus to be able to make Himself known to those around me... as He lives in me and through me... through my faith, my love and my words.

I do want to smell good... and hopefully sweet... but I know I'm not perfect by far so on those days when I have pity parties or am short with my husband or frustrated in traffic... I know I stink. But God knows my heart. And He hears my prayers... and forgives me when I realize I've stunk and I'm sorry. I don't want to stink and He knows it. And He knows neither do you. But we just do sometimes. And that's why "Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice of God."  He was the first, and most beautiful, sweet-smelling fragrance to God... and because of Him we can be too. I love this!

So together in the Lord, let's you and I fill the heavens and the earth... more and more every day... with the sweet aroma of Christ!

I'm sure by now you've heard how coloring can be very therapeutic... but for many of us, especially as believers in Christ, we know that coloring is not just about fun color palettes, layering techniques, and lowering our blood pressure, is it? Although we love those blessings that coloring can give us... we know that it's even more profitable... in the same respect as Bible Journaling... when we enjoy our coloring as a precious time of drawing closer to God, hearing His voice through the words on the page, and allowing the truth of whatever verse we're coloring to touch our hearts and make us think about who God is, who we are to Him, and what He desires for our lives. And I hope that's what coloring is for you.

The "Fragrance of God" coloring page I colored here, can be found in the Garden Blessings Coloring Book as a digital download here or the print version here. 

Sending love and God-hugs your way...

Catching Up... Again...

Sometimes I feel like that's what my life is all about... catching up!  But I'm believing better to catch up on ocassion than not stay in touch at all. Hope you agree!

I know it's not true for the entire country... but for us here in the Pacific Northwest... spring has sprung! Flowering trees just have a way of making the heart happy, don't they?  And there's just something about spring that makes me feel more creative... that sense of new life I'm sure!

And it's just not the trees that are blooming... but daffodils and pansies are too! I recently put this little collection of pansy art together as a digital download to celebrate spring and remind us that if we sow faith in God in whatever our circumstances, we are sure to reap the blessings of His goodness and grace! It's available here on Etsy as an instant download!

I thought this collection might be helpful for creating promotional materials or decorating for a spring tea or garden party... or for card making or scrapbooking too!

Part of the reason it's been challenging to keep up with all the many forms of social media is that the Portland Saturday Market re-opened the weekend of March 1st!  For the two months we have off I get the unwarranted sense that I can do everything. And then when it starts back up I realize how I've forgotten how much time it truly requires to do all that is necessary to be the best I can be there... and offer the best quality and variety that I can.

But... it's all worth it... especially when the first three weekends I was blessed more than you can imagine by FB friends who traveled from faraway places to come visit me at the Market!! Talk about some serious encouragement! Thank you again to each of these women who went out of their way to visit me... you know who you are... and God's richest blessings to you!

If you ever have reason to come to Portland, OR make sure you let me know so we can connect while you're here... either at the Market or somewhere else if need be... I'd love to meet you and give you a hug just for being you!

When I'm not at the Market or working on inventory for the Market, I'm mostly in my studio... either painting away or designing stuff with the art I paint!  I had so much fun designing this partyware collection as a mock up with the hopes that a partyware company will like it as much as I do and decide to make it in the real world!!  

I used to license a lot of art for products in days gone by... some of you might remember those days!! Well... I would like to do more licensing again... and would truly appreciate your prayers that God would open opportunities for me to do so. Wouldn't it be fun to see my art on fabric and journals and stationery and oh so much more? It's a different world now though... and I feel like I'm in a serious learning curve as I try to move forward. But I'm trusting God... so we'll see what lies ahead!

I haven't done a new Easter coloring page for this year... at least not yet... but wanted to make sure you knew this one is still available here if you'd like it!

And I'll leave you with this word from the Lord... a word of encouragement for us all..

We live by faith, not by sight... 
so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. 
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  

2 Corinthians 5:7 and 4:18

Let's keep our eyes on Jesus... and go find someone to encourage in His Word and with His love... today... and everyday!

xoxo...

 

Art Designed to Stir the Heart...

I must say, I love what I do... at least for the most part!
Okay, there are those days when paperwork & bookkeeping come before art
and it's in those moments I have to remind myself to give thanks for all things!

But my greatest joy comes from creating art that stirs the heart and
my greatest challenge these days comes from having several projects going
all at the same time... but I'm loving each one of them and hope you do too!

I'm almost finished with several new 4" Word Art designs and hope to have
some of them on Etsy soon. Words have such power in our lives, don't they?
And I just believe it's good to surround ourselves with Words that remind us
to focus on what is good, true, noble and of the Lord!


A friend came over the other day and was looking for something inexpensive
that her church could give the women who will be attending their
upcoming retreat. She remembered the Blessing Boxes from years ago and
was so disappointed that they were not available anymore but... she got me
thinking. What about a printable collection of Blessing Cards? Yes!
I'm so excited about these and will be telling you more about them in the days
to come! Love it when an idea starts coming together!


A couple of weeks ago I shared this page from my art journal on FB... and
want to thank you for all the "likes" and comments you made on FB about it!
You truly bless my heart!

And the truth is.. I liked it so much myself that...


...I decided to use it as inpsiration for a full on painting...
which I've already submitted to a garden flag co. for licensing... I'll let you
know if they take it. And speaking of licensing... I've been wanting to
share with you that I've had some success in this area since signing with a
new agent last spring!  I'll have more news on this a little later too.


That pretty much covers what I've been doing the last couple of weeks...
plus a bit of that not-as-much-fun paperwork.  But I've made a commitment
to become more organized with the business end of things and I've already
kept my desk clean and tidy for three whole days... yay! I should have taken
before and after photos... it was so pitiful.

I am so grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to create art that truly
does stir the heart to love and faith and the beauty of life and living for Him!

And I am so blessed to share this journey of creativity and faith with you...
you stir my heart through your love, encouragement and support
more than you can imagine.  Love and God-hugs... Karla

New Year Blessing 2013 Coloring Page...

I am excited to see what God has in store for us in the days ahead.  He has
been reminding me of Jeremiah 29:11... that His plans for us are good...
that His desire is to give us hope and a future... a future full of promise and
blessing as we trust in Him and follow Him into this new year ahead!

I want you to have this "New Year Blessing Art" as a FREE
downloadable coloring page... my new year's blessing to you.  I've formatted
it in two sizes... 4"x5"... which is the size of the original and might be a fun
addition to your art journal or scrapbook or even as a greeting card front!  I
don't think it's too late to send a New Year's Blessing to your friends or family!


You can also download it as an 8"x10" and use it as a springboard with your
kids to talk about not only the blessings God has in store for us, but also
the blessing-givers He's called us to be to others in the coming year!

And speaking of BLESSING... that is the ONE WORD the Lord has given
me for 2013. I want it to be the foundation for all I do and all I am to be in
the days ahead... both in becoming more aware of and acknowledging the
blessings God pours out on me... and also becoming more aware of how every
moment of my life... including the everyday chores and challenges.. are
potentially God-given opportunities for me to be a blessing to the Lord...
and a blessing to others! I have a feeling that this perspective could be
a real attitude changer and heart motivater!!

So that's my desire for 2013..to be more of a BLESSING giver and receiver! 
How about you? What's your greatest desire for the new year?

Be Glad in the Lord Color Page...

It's been a little while since I shared a new coloring page...
so I thought you might really enjoy this one...

I love that no matter what's going on in the world around us...
there's always a reason to be glad in the Lord, isn't there?

So my hope is that this coloring page will be a great reminder and
encouragement to you to take some time to count your blessings,
give God the glory... and do a little rejoicing!

You can download it here... and please... consider sharing this post with
others... friends, family, and even your church... so that together we can
bring a little more gladness into the world and mutuallly encourage one
another in the Lord!

Blessings and God-hugs...
Karla

Floral Cross For You to Print & Color!

I've been doing a lot of pen and ink drawings in my journal lately
and I wanted  to share this one with you as a little token of my appreciation
for your friendship... and for being such a sweet part of my life!

It's yours to download and color... so pull out those paints or colored pencils
and have some fun... on your own or with your kids or grandkids!



I thought you might be able to use it to make a few special greeting cards or
maybe even frame it as a gift.  Whatever you do... I'd love it if you'd come
back to this post and tell me about what you made or leave a link to your
blog post if you decide to share it with your world!

Just one note... this one is for personal or ministry use only...
thanks for understanding!

xoxo
Karla

Easter Weekend Celebration...

Sorry I went missing again! I've been in the middle of big project with a
deadline and, sad to say, but I had to temporarily become a hermit. 
Sad... because I've missed you my sweet friends...
but thankful for a new opportunity which I'll have to share with you later.

But for now however, I didn't want to miss the chance to say
"Happy Resurrection Day"
and send you my blessings for a  wonderful weekend of celebrating
our Risen Lord and His amazing love!


And I know it's late coming... but I also wanted to let you know that I do have
a few coloring pages you can print off for the kids or grandkids who will be
celebrating with you this weekend!  You can click here to download the one
above or go to my website to find a couple of other Easter choices.

However you celebrate... I do hope you'll take some time to reflect on what
Easter really means to those of us who have put their faith in Christ Jesus.
For what Mary discovered in that empty tomb is still true for us today...
Love overcame death...
Hope overpowered despair...
Peace overrode fear and...
Joy filled the hearts of all who put their faith in the Risen Savior!

Let us rejoice together and be glad!
Love and God-hugs...
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

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

FREE Rest in the Lord Color Page...

Thank you for all the great comments on my first illustration Friday drawing!
Because of you... it's now available as a FREE Coloring Page DOWNLOAD!

I just want you to know that even though I don't have time to respond to
every comment... I do love them, read them, and take them to heart!
And just to prove it...

Thank you Tamara for suggesting "sweet dreams" and Jen for taking it a
step further to "tweet dreams"... love it!

Thank you Barbie and Evangeline for inspiring me to change the "Asleep"
to "Rest in Jesus" so I chose to quote Psalm 37:7... delightful!

Thank you Linda and Rebecca for encouraging me to offer it as a coloring
page... so here you go... download your "Rest in the Lord" color page HERE!

And as always... if you have friends, a mom, grandma, Sunday School or
Christian school teacher who might be blessed by this coloring page...
please feel free to post this... picture and all... on your blog
or somehow let them know it's here for them too!

And what Evangeline said is so true...
"How many times in life do we have to be reminded to do that... to rest in
the Lord... instead of constantly trying to do it all on our own?" Well, for me
it's a lot... and I think the same might be true for most of us.  So for today...
let's color our lives with faith... and put our trust in the Lord...
to take care of what concerns us today... and tomorrow...
for He knows our needs and He cares... He really does!

Love and God-hugs...
Karla

New Easter Coloring Page!

I giggled outloud this morning...
wondering if you might think I have multiple personalities
with all the different art styles I create in!

But the truth is... I simply love creating... whatever the medium!
I still love my watercolors, I'm seriously enjoying painting with acrylics,
I'm having a new love affair with fiber arts on the side,
and I LOVED crafting this adorable Easter Bunny in pen and ink...
a Sweet Easter Love Gift... from me... to you!

To download your 8x10 FREE COLORING PAGE just CLICK HERE!
And if you have the opportunity... would you kindly pass on the love?
If you know of moms, grandmas, Sunday school teachers, or anyone else
who might be blessed by this little gift, would you take a minute to let
them know that it's here for them too!

Thank you my friends... and HAPPY COLORING!!
In His love and for His glory...
Karla

Free "Oh Sing" Coloring Page

The sun has finally been shining here in the beautiful Northwest and
the birds.. and I... have been singing a joyful song to the Lord!

I love this verse and the song...
and it brings such a sweetness to my heart.
I hope you and your kids will sing together as you color this coloring page...
my summer time gift to you! Click here or the image to download.
And please feel free to share it with your Sunday School class, other moms,
or the neighborhood kids... let's lift up our voices and sing!

 

Oh I know I should have been cleaning and sorting but...
I couldn't resist coloring it myself...  I hope it inspires the little girl in you
to get out those crayons or colored pencils or markers and have some fun!

I think it's even cute enough to frame and hang...
especially in a little girl's room... bright and cheerful for sure!

So have a blessed weekend my friends and remember to sing and make
music in your heart unto the Lord... for He is worthy!
xoxoxo
Karla

New Website & Why You're GoingTo Love It!

Well... I hope you're going love it!  It was a lot of work!  Whew! 
And I'm so glad it's done... at least for the moment.

You may be wondering why I would tackle a whole new software program
(Dreamweaver... which is seriously over my head by the way) just to build
a new website when she already had one that worked... especiallly when
she'd rather be painting and creating fun new things)?


Here's a few really good reasons...
1. I recently tried to make changes to my old website and it wouldn't open...
I tried the back-up... the files were corrupted and it also refused to open. 
So apparently it was time for something new... with a touch of blue!


2. One of the changes I wanted to make was having the stationery and crafts
available to you again... and now they are!  Yeah!  And they're so organized!


Just click on the "You Create" link and you'll have your choice of downloading
free stationery, coloring pages, following links to tutorials, or downloading
some fun printables. You'll want to check out the 4th of July downloads and
coloring pages for sure! This will make it easier for me to add more now too!



3. I'm also preparing to go to the Atlanta Gift Show in July and wanted to
have my art available and easy for potential licensees to look at online. 
I think... especially after the last post... that you will appreciate that
I've included all styles and have labeled the "old" art as Classic Karla. 
I'll be adding more images to these pages in the days to come too.

4. And last but not least... I built my old website on my big computer and I'm
slowly trying to move all my computering to my laptop so I'll have it with me
when the house sells and we get to travel. Plus... the old website was built
with a program that is now out of date and won't even work on my laptop.
So in more ways than one... it was definitely time for a change!

Hope you go over and check it out... and please enjoy the You Create
freebies... they are my gift of love and appreciation to you.  Bless you!

Thank You Father for giving me the ability to learn something new and way
out of my league. Thank You for the man who created that super tutorial on
how to build a simple website because without him I would never have
figured it out. Bless him Lord. Thank for color and creativity and design...
for blog friends and the technology for us to connect and love one another!
Use my blog and my new website Lord in ways beyond my wildest dreams
to be a blessing to women around the world and bring glory to Your Name!
Amen.

Rescue Me... I'm Glued to My Computer!

I have hesitated blogging because my life seems so boring!
I'm not bored... I'm actually being VERY creative... but in a very different way!
I am redesigning my website and I'm so excited about it... for you...
as well as me.  But... since most of you aren't glued to a computer all day...
it probably seems BORING!  Here's a peek...



Don't you love the colors? Yum!
But here's the part I'm REALLY excited about...


Can you see it? Finally... stationery downloads, coloring pages, tutorials and
printable art downloads organized... did you catch that?  ORGANIZED... and
easy for you to find... and me too!!  And I found some artsy crafty stuff
that has been lost... and now found... just for you... yeah!

I'm still working on the website though... quite complicated for this matronly
brain... let me tell you... but I'm doing it... with much prayer and 
determination... and...okay... a bit of whining tossed in for good measure!

But that's what happens when money is tight, right?
We make do... we learn new ways of doing things... we may whine a little...
but we don't give up... right?  By God's grace!  I'm just praying when I do
upload it... which I hope is in the next couple of days that it all works.
All prayers are welcome!  I can hardly wait!


Heavenly Father... thank You soooooo much for giving me the endurance to
keep at this... pressing in when I've wanted to give up... when I've felt like
my brain could not handle one more challenge... thank You for being my
strength and the best cheerleader a girl could hope for.  Father, I  pray for
every woman reading this... help us not to give in or give up during these
hard times... give us an extra measure of faith and creativity to keep running
the race that is before us... for Your glory... amen.

Free January Color Page...

There is a huge difference between the home I grew up in and the home
my granddaughters are growing up in. Why? Because of the blessings of
the Lord... His love, His grace, His wisdom, His Word,
His peace, His joy... and the list goes on.

What a great way to remind the children... and us too... that God truly
does bless the home of the righteous... the dwelling place of those
who know Him, love Him and follow His ways!

Download this FREE COLORING PAGE and print it as many times as you like!
Use it to bless your own kids, the neighbors, your Sunday School class...
share it with other moms or Christian teachers by posting it to your own blog
and providing a link back here.  Let's share the GOOD NEWS together...

God blesses the home of the righteous
Proverbs 3:33

Thank You Father for Your favor on us as bellievers in Christ Jesus. We may not
be rich by the world's standards but we are rich in the blessings of Your love
as we seek to live obedient lives that are pleasing to You and life-giving to us!
May our children and our children's children know the joy of what it means to
follow You and may we never take Your blessings for granted. Amen.

xoxoxo
Karla

NEW... Chrismas Coloring Pages

What a great way to help keep your kids focused on the true meaning
of Christmas with this fun new coloring page just for you!
Download this one here and
use it with your own kids, grandkids or Sunday School class.


You might even consider framing their best copy as a gift for a teacher
or other important person in their life!


Some of you have told me you still love to color so this one's for you...
or maybe your older children. You can download this one here.
Color it with love and enjoy!

Heavenly Father... remind us in all we do this season that Jesus truly is
the Reason for the celebration... fill us with such a spirit of joy that those
we encounter will wonder where our joy comes from... and prepare our
hearts to tell them!  For Your glory Lord... Amen.

Changing Seasons Coloring Page

I've been working on my next newsletter and thinking about
how change is inevitable in our lives and all around us...
but God never changes and for this we are ever so thankful!!
So... to celebrate the changing of the seasons and autumn's
triumphant arrival, I drew this cute "To everything there is a season"
Coloring Page as a gift to you.

You can download it here for your own kids or grandkids...
use it for your Sunday School class or tell a friend about it!
You could post a link to this post on your blog to help share the Word.
My church makes copies of my coloring pages for their waiting room.
Who or where might God want you to share this color page?

I might even color it myself and share with you in the next day or two!

Above all... remember...
"To everything there is a season"
Ecclesiastes 3:1

Lord God, help us remember that our lives are as seasonal as the leaves
on the trees and, whatever season we're in right now, it's only
temporary. So if we're in a good season, remind us to celebrate it...
if we're in a hard season, remind us that it too will pass.
But whatever season... help us to live it well to Your glory.
Amen.

xoxoxo
Karla

A is for Angel and So Much More...

My daughter Michelle invited me to join her art journaling group a few
months ago. The women in this group are amazingly creative and passionate.
Recently Teri suggested we all do an Alphabet Journal and I was excited!
I've always wanted to do an alphabet coloring book and I'm lookiing forward
to this fun little adventure being my inspiration.

I didn't want it to be the typical animal/plant alphabet book...


so my A's are about God...


about one of the ways He ministers to us...


what He says about who we are...


how He feels about us...


and how He has formed my heart...
and hopefully yours too!

Hmmmm... want to help me create my "B" page for next month?
Just comment with a "B" image (like Bible)
or a phrase that begins with "B" like I did for "A"!
I'll look forward to being inspired by what you come up with!!

Bless you guys...
xoxoxo

Easter Blessings Coloring Page

I know Easter is still a month away, but I wanted you to have this now as you begin to prepare for the coming celebration... enjoy! Just click on the image for a full size printable version.

She is one of the color bunny series I'm working on for a digital download collection... stayed tuned to see her in color!

Prepare our hearts now Lord to celebrate Your resurrection
in Spirit and in Truth... amen.

FREE... Apples of Gold Coloring Page

I had such fun creating this coloring page as a gift for you and your children. As I worked on it, I couldn't help but think about the tremendous value our words have and how important it is for our children and grandchildren to learn this early in their lives.

I was very thin... skinny as a beanpole... as a child. I can still remember other children making fun of me until I was in tears. My mother always told me "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me."  I know she meant well, but an unkind or cruel word can be painful... and sometimes, depending on what it is and who says it, an unkind word can leave a scar that lasts a lifetime.

We can all say careless words without thinking or realizing the impact they can have. I know I can. So I am so grateful to God for this reminder to think before I speak... I want to be a woman who "serves" words that bless and not curse, that build up and not tear down, that bring life and love rather than death. How about you?  Let's agree together to think about our words today and encourage the children in our lives to do the same!  Download this coloring page and use it as a conversation starter and see what God will do!

Heavenly Father... we know that it is not only children who need to learn to heed the wisdom of this proverb. Teach us to guard our words and choose them wisely. May our words be like apples of gold... fruitful... life-giving... full of hope, encouragement, comfort, healing, and kindness to the hearer... and may our words always be served in a setting of truth and love... and sweet to your ear. In Jesus' Name... amen.

Son-Flower Coloring Page

I just want you to know I get the greatest joy from using my artwork to encourage you and your children and your children's children in the Word and in the Ways of the Lord!!  And these coloring pages are just another opportunity to do just that!

If you are a mom, grandma, or teacher this little Son-Flower Coloring Page is perfect for encouraging the children in your life to want to grow in the Lord because as we let our roots grow deep down into God's love, we can't help but to grow in the grace and knowledge of who He is and who we are in Him.  And as we grow, we'll just keep looking more and more like His Son... flowering in the beauty of His blessings!

This coloring page is only available here... so if you know of another mom, grandma, Sunday School or Christian School teacher who might be blessed to use this coloring page with their kids please take a moment to email them and let them know about it or consider posting a link from your blog to this post just so they'll know. If you don't tell them, how will they know?

"...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord..."
2 Peter 3:18

Father God, pour out Your Spirit on our children and our children's children... show them Your ways, teach them Your paths, lead them in Your truth... and grow them up in You.  Amen.

Thinking Ahead to the 4th of July!

This is a miracle you know... for me to think ahead this early for the 4th of July...

...but I really was trying to think ahead and wanted to share this color book page with you so you'd have it in plenty of time for the holiday.  Download and print it as many times as you need to for your own kids, grandkids, the kids who are coming to your house for BBQ on the 4th, or for your classroom or Sunday School.  If you know of anyone who might benefit from this, please pass it on or link to this post on your blog.

The real inspiration for the color book page came from one of the Clip Art Collections that I'm introducing on Monday in my new BlogStore... it was created with the 4th of July in mind. I love the visuals of the stars and stripes and am so thankful to live in our great nation. Even with all its impurities and imperfections... I can think of no other place I'd rather live... unless of course, God sent me!! LOL!

Glory of the Lord Coloring Page!

Are you looking for a great coloring page to encourage children... your own, your grandkids or maybe your Sunday School kids... to give glory to the Lord?  I created this new addition to the Morning Glory Gardens Collection to help you do just that. Click here for the download.

What does it mean to give God the glory?  A very simple picture of giving glory to God is to turn the spotlight away from ourselves, others and things of this world and shine it brightly on the person of Jesus Christ. When we give glory to God, we are reminding ourselves and telling the world about how great and awesome God really is. We're giving Him the honor and the credit for the good things He has done. I love to boast and brag about how great God is and all that He has done in me, through me and for me. Not because of who I am but because of who He is! And not to draw attention to myself but to hopefully draw others to see and know Him like I do.

The Bible tells us that every good and perfect gift is from above. All that we have is from the Lord. When we are tempted to boast about ourselves or others or in "coincidences", let us stop and be encouraged to "rejoice and be glad and give Him glory" for the great things He has done!

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!"
Revelation 19:7

Father God... You are an awesome God... there is no other God like You... for You alone are worthy of all honor and glory and praise... now and forever... and ever... Hallelujah and amen!

Drumroll Please... The Winner Is...

I'm sorry I'm a day late in announcing the winner of the October contest but I just ran out of time yesterday and thought... suspense can be a good thing. Since there were well over 200 entries for the contest, I knew I couldn't spend the time printing and cutting each name in order to draw them from a hat so Michael and I came up with another plan... pretty smart if you ask me.  We numbered 31 pieces of paper for the days in the month and first drew from that hat... and Michael pulled out the number 18. So we went to the comments on October 18th... counted them... and left only numbers 1 through 4 in the hat and drew again. This time he drew the number 1.

Hmmmm... I could make you go to the 18th of October and find out for yourself... but that would be ornery.  So... drumroll please... the winner for the October Christmas Contest is... Shannon! Yeah Shannon!  Funny that we had entries from literally all over the world and Shannon happens to live about 7 miles from here and we go to the same church.  She is the sweetheart who invited us to pray for little Luke and you can get an update on how he's doing here. Bless you Shannon!

Thank you again for all your wondeful and encouraging comments... I read every one of them and only wish I had the time to answer each one of you personally.

Check back in a day or two and I'll decide what to do for a November contest. It will be Thanksgiving related I'm sure! I'm hoping to design a new Thanksgiving color page but until then you can check out last years free downloadable Thanksgiving color pages on my website. And I also have a Thanksgiving card I've almost finished that I want to share with you as well. So for now... I am thankful... thankful for my God... my Jesus... and you! God bless you and keep you!

Let it Shine Coloring Page

I knew yesterday when I posted that photo that it could raise some eyebrows and some controversy but I was willing. I agree with Bobbie who commented on yesterday's blog... I'm not a fan of halloween either. But I've also seen how this day with all its trimmings can be used divide believers... even in my own church... and I'm not a fan of that either. But the devil is.  So I've decided that I am a fan of using lemons to make lemonade and taking what the enemy has intended for evil and instead using it for good! So if I can use a pumpkin with a smiling face to share the love of Christ with those who know no difference... I'm all for it.

And as I thought about yesterday's post and how much my granddaughters enjoyed the story about how we are like a pumpkin who God puts His light in so He can shine in us and through us... I decided to take it a step further. I created this coloring page for your kids to color and learn from. So as a mom, you could use the story from yesterday's post and the coloring page from today and have fun reminding your children of the love and light of Christ that dwells within us. Click here for the full size page... print and enjoy.  

Lord, I may not celebrate halloween but I do celebrate You... the One who created the day and I reclaim the pumpkin and the smiling face upon it for Your glory! Amen.