Karla's Korner

Bingo Pennant Banner

Yesterday was just one of those days when I should have been painting...
but just couldn't get motivated. So instead I played!


Remember these bingo cards from a couple of weeks ago?

With a little added lace, ric rac, felt flowers, pom-poms and buttons...


they were completely transformed...

...into this wonderful fun Bingo Pennant Banner!

What a delightful touch of whimsy it adds to this corner of my studio!

You know... I've always loved banners... and for two reasons.
The first is because the Bible tells us that God's banner over us is LOVE!
And the second is because they shout out CELEBRATION... and I want to be
a woman who celebrates life and all the blessings God has so freely given me!

So how about you? Are you a woman who celebrates life?
Do you have a stack of vintage Bingo cards you've been holding onto?
You might just want to make your own banner and have some fun with it!

Blessings and God-hugs...
Karla

All Dressed Up For Christmas...

My art studio was all dressed up with twinkling lights and tinsel trees for the
big Studio Sale... it looked so bright and cheery... very warm and welcoming.

Colorful art... books with heart... and gifts galore decked the halls and walls.


But the most wonderful decorations of the weekend were the people!
Lots of hugs and kisses were shared with sweet friends from far and near...
and our signs brought in lots of passersbys... which was such a delight!
It was obvious that some of them did not know Jesus... so to be able to share
the light of His Word and the love of His heart with them was a blessing...


because in the midst of all our gift buying and wrapping and giving...
giving the Gift of Jesus through our loving, praying, caring and sharing...
is where our joy comes from... because He is truly the greatest Gift of all!

So thank you for all your prayers and encouragement. God showed up. 
Parking was fine. Sales were good. And He sent me a special gift named Bev
to help me with the sale!  Bev has been reading my blog for years and when I
posted my address for the Studio Sale she emailed me to tell me we were
neighbors and offered to help!  I was soooo blessed by her love and kindness
and I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other in the days to come!

"Every good and perfect gift comes from above..."
James 1:17

Love and Christmas hugs...
Karla

Color Me Happy...

I've always loved yellow... it's bright and cheerful...and it colors my heart
happy! So... inspired my box of yellow paints and this blog and this blog...


I gathered a few yellow things from around studio to color you happy too...
like myf ribbons and ric rac... my buttons and a few tiny little flowers.


You can almost always find yellow in my artwork...
and I love fringes of all kinds... and the little ceramic tiles are too cute.


Lots of craft and sewing supplies boast the color yellow... and I just picked
up that little clown head at a garage sale with it's bright yellow hat!


And you know I love yellow flowers... so I leave you with this bouquet...
and pray that your day will be just a little happier because you've had a good
dose of some sunshine yellow and a color-me-happy God-hug from me...

xoxoxo
Karla

A Measure of Fun & Practicality...

I thumbed through a magazine in the grocery store just a few weeks ago
and noticed this very nifty and creative idea... but since I didn't have any
yardsticks, I kept on flipping pages and didn't give it much thought... I didn't
buy the magazine either so I have no idea which one it was!

But the very next weekend, I stopped at an estate sale and got three vintage
yardsticks... all three for 50 cents... score!!!  I immediately remembered this
great idea and came right home and bordered my countertop with them!

I especiallly love this one... do any of you remember the days when our
phone numbers were listed with the two letters and then the number?
Growing up, our phone number was BA3-5388... the BA stood for Baldwin...
but I'm not sure what Baldwin was all about... but those were the days!

It's just such a practical useful idea, you might be able to use it in your studio
or maybe in your kid's crafting area or sewing space... I love mine!!

Blessings to you for a great weekend...
and, oh yes... I have something wonderful to share with you come Monday!!

Karla

First Studio Gathering...

I invited my Art Group to come to my studio for this month's meeting...
have I told you how much I LOVE my new studio?!?!

I had so much fun just getting ready for their visit.  It was the first
time I had set all six stools around my large work table and it felt good.

Some day I think I would like to teach small workshops... not sure what I'd
teach... but I do believe that's one reason why God gave me this wonderful
room. It will be fun to see what He has in mind... and even if it's only a
bring your own craft and let's hang out together time... sounds like fun to me!

These gals are such a blessing... Lani, Teri, Jaron, and my daughter Michelle! 
We missed you Paulette... hope to see you next month!

What I love about this group is the diversity of styles we each bring
to the table and how we come together to inspire and encourage one another
in whatever creative endeavor we are working on... loving one another
and accepting one another's uniqueness for who God made us to be.

I had set out some fabric and paints, just in case the girls were in the mood to
create... but we always do show and tell first... which I absolutely LOVE...
and since we all had so much to share and catch up on... well... let's just say
I still have those fabric panels and paints ready for the next time I have friends
over to my studio... wanna come?

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
Hebrews 10:24

Father God...
I am thankful for the women in my life who motivate and inspire me
to love and creativity and good works.  May I also be a woman who motivates
and inspires others to love and to live fully and wholly for you! Amen.

In My Studio...

I must say... I LOVE my new studio!
Still much to do... but I couldn't wait any longer to begin
sharing it with you... one wall... one corner... one vignette at a time!

These are the cabinets I was painting a couple of weeks ago.
Notice the white lights around the ceiling?  Happy lights!

Michael made this cabinet a few years ago...
it's the perfect height for my cutting station...
I have owned this cutter for years and don't know how I'd live without it!
And I love having the cutting mat handy... it saves cutting things I ought not!


Cheerful little vignette... a friend gave me the little metal table... love her!
And a few of my Etsy prints have found a temporary home here!


This little doll... who is still not finished reminds me to keep dreaming!

Love the details... love the bling!

Hope you enjoyed this little visit to my studio...
oh so much more to show you in the days to come!!

Keep dreaming my friends... and always remember... God is able to do
so much more than we can think or imagine... so let's imagine big!

xoxoxo
Karla

Sweet Little Sewing Space...

I'm finally starting to organize my studio... little by little...
and I'm so excited about it!

I've always wanted a sewing nook... where everything could stay out and be
ready when the urge hit or the need arose.  I now have it... oh so sweet!


So my serger is ready to serge... (as soon as I find the cord)...


... and my sewing machine has already been sewing... yessirreee...
I hemmed up some jammies for a friend just a few of days ago!


So here's what happens when you're disorganized and can't find the color of
thread you want in the moment... you go buy more... and then it happens
again... and again. Will I ever use that much red & yellow thread? Hope so!


Oh my... do any of you remember the day of the duster?
Or a 35¢ pattern!?!?!?


I'm not finished organizing yet but I thought this was pretty clever...
the small metal dishes are vintage jello molds... and the little bucket is
super cheap from IKEA... loving it!


And who doesn't love colored ball-head straight pins? I do!  Cheerful and fun.
And this little pincushion has elastic to fit on your wrist... so helpful!


I got this adorable table from my daughter. I should have taken a before
photo though. Where the buttery yellow is on the top it was purple and
the legs were blue and white striped... very cute... but just a bit
too multi-colorful for my style and studio! 
Don't worry... she understands... and didn't mind at all!


Okay... so do you see what is wrong with this picture? 
Yes... the stools I got are too tall for the table!  I thought about just
cutting them off but I need them to be that height for my art table.
So... I'm looking forward to finding new chairs at the second hand store...
I know I'll find them and they'll be just perfect!

I believe God is calling me to get organized... in my studio, my house,
my paperwork, my daily routines, even my thought-life.
He's been impressing on me that being more organized will result in much
greater freedom... freedom to grow in my relationship with Him,
freedom to be more creative, to grow my business,  and give myself away. 
Yes Lord... that's my heart and my desire.

How about you?

Heavenly Father... I understand that greater freedom and creativity flows
from a sense of order rather than chaos and so I do desire more order and
organization in my chaotic life! I want to be all that You're calling me to be,
but I know I can't do it without You. I trust You to give me the wisdom and
direction I need for today to accomplish Your will in me and through me.
Amen.

xoxoxo

Making Progress... and Creative Organizer Tip

Oh my friends... I'm making progress!  I forgot to take a "before" but here's
the "after" of the first closet I tackled... I have two more to go!
I've already gotten rid of a boatload of stuff just from this closet and have
a nice box started for giveaways and to sell... yeah!

It's funny how the artist in me tends to move from project to project leaving
a trail of messes behind me but I also love and need a degree of order and
tidiness in order to be creative... and I know some of you are the same way...
so this is definitely feeling good.

And if you're looking for a creative way to organize little stuff I thought you
might like this... a repurposed over the door shoe organizer! I love mine...
it makes finding stuff soooo easy... and when you close the door it all
disappears!  And you can buy them at the Dollar Store... what a sweet deal!

They're great for rhinestones...

and glitters...

and scissors and tools and supplies of all kinds... so helpful!

I'm taking a break to go to Michelle's today for our Arting Group... so much
fun... and then I'm on to the next area... and it may not look so bad to you
but the brightness in the lower left corner is hiding the immensity of the piles
and then there's the file cabinet drawers... oh my...

and remember... this isn't only about cleaning... it's about moving...
it's about letting go of everything I can and need to live without! 
Yes Lord... it's a good thing.

Thank You Lord for loving us... even in the midst of our clutter! And thank
You for showing me that just as it's important for me to clear out the clutter
of my closet... it's even more important for me to continually clear out the
clutter in my mind and heart... to throw out those thoughts and attitudes
that are hindering me from living more fully in the freedom of Your love
and grace.  Give me the courage to examine the clutter in my mind and heart
and be willing and tenacious about throwing out anything that doesn't line up
with the truth of Your Word or the sweetness of Your Spirit.  Amen.

More of My Studio... Before and After!

I've been wanting to share these photos with you for so long... thanks for your patience!!

BEFORE: messy and cluttered

AFTER: Bright and cheery! I painted the toppers for my shelves a brighter cleaner green. And Michael built the simple metal rod hanger for me to clip my art to. While I'm working on a book, I need to be able to see the other pages so I stay inspired and on track and this works great!

BEFORE: dull and dreary... and notice how I just tacked my paintings to the wall!!

 

AFTER: Remember the photo of the fabric way back on February 26th? I used part of it to cover the baskets, boxes and magazine holders. Having them all color coordinated brings a sense of order, unity and calm to the room. I still have to add all the labels so I can remember what is in them but that's coming! I'm also thrilled that I got a new cutting mat that covers the entire cabinet top. The old one was over fifteen years old!

 

The painting here is a Kim Poloson original... she doesn't live far from me and I love her art!

I've had this grated metal basket (not sure what to call it really?) for a long time. This seems to be a perfect way to display smaller paintings and collectibles. Still working on the clothespins! Do you like my Easter bunnies? Now the question is... will I be able to get the collection ready before Easter???

I love these 2 vintage cards my sweet daughter Michelle shared with me... aren't they just the cutest?!?!?! I'm covering some of the clothespins with ribbon but may just paint the others.

Below is a close up of one of the clips I'm using to hang my art from the steel rod display Michael made for me... oh yes... and a close up peek of one of my new paintings.

I am BLESSED to have friends like you and I hope, in some small way, my studio transformation might be an inspiration to you to allow God's creativity to flow in you and through you... brightening up your life and a spot in your own home, office, studio, or garden!

Be blessed my friends... love you all!
Karla

Painted Valance Stripes Tricks and Tips

Now I'm not against free hand stripes... they have their place but sometimes a project calls for clean straight edged stripes and so I thought it would be fun to share the process of painted my valances and a technique for getting those clean straight edges I learned from my friend Nancy a few years ago when I painted stripes on my dining room wall.

For my valance I used a piece of white canvas.

The first thing you want to do is to base coat the entire fabric with the lighter color.

Measure and mark the width of your stripes and align your masking or painter's tape along the OUTSIDE edge of where you want to paint your darker stripe.

Here's the trick... paint along the INSIDE edge of your tape with your base coat
color first to seal the straight edge. Any seepage of paint under the edge of the
tape will become "invisible!"

Next paint your darker color stripe.

When you pull up the tape... what a perfectly clean crisp edge!

To finish it off I folded under the edges and hot glued them down.

To be honest, the sparkly twine was added to not only break up the space, which
it needed, but also because I was not paying attention and the top edge of the
curtain is not quite straight. The twine distracts your eye and you don't even notice!

You may never use this technique but then again, maybe someday it might come
in handy... it sure has for me!  Thanks Nancy!

Let each of you look out not only for his own interest,
but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2:4

Heavenly Father, I thank you that You care about even the small things in our lives like decorating our homes and creating art and crafts Lord. I thank You too that You don't want us to think just about ourselves but to take what we learn, whether it's spiritual or earthly, and share it with others. I thank You that for me this blog gives me the opportunity to do that. Would You bless each woman who visits here today with increased creativity in sharing Your love and looking out for others needs and interests, especially during these hard times. Thank You Jesus for looking out for us. Amen.

Before and After Valances and Drawing Table

One of the most fun changes I've made to the studio was the valances above the patio door and the window. I have been wanting to change them out for a very long time so it feels so refreshing to have them done... and they're SO FUN!  I apologize for the horrible BEFORE photos... I am still learning how to take good pics and the light coming in the door and window made for very bad images but you can still see the huge transformation!

THE PATIO DOOR...
BEFORE: moss covered board with leaves and dogwood flowers... slightly outdated!

AFTER: fun hand painted canvas banner valance with glass crystals

The tinselee twine I got at JoAnn Fabrics after Christmas sale... it was a perfect touch!

I've had these crystals forever... can't even remember where I got them!
Strung them with some new beads for the finishing touch.


ABOVE THE WINDOW...
BEFORE: pink and white striped fabric topped with dogwood branch...so glad it's gone!
 
AFTER: hand painted stripes on canvas banner valance with green plastic crystals

The only reason these are hand painted is because I couldn't find the right fabric!

Love these crystals... picked them up at a yard sale about 5 years ago...
they've been waiting for such a time as this!


AND THE DRAWING TABLE...
BEFORE: A mismatched disaster (partly due however to the project in progress!)

AFTER: replaced mismatch with a variety of white containers... simple and clean... love it!
 
Notice the reading glasses on the table which are now required attire while painting
and the bunny who will be hopping her way to you very soon as a color book page!

THANK YOU...
for allowing me to share my space with you!
I've just been having so much fun and it makes me smile to be able to invite you
into my creative space... bless you for coming!

I took photos of the process of painting my curtains and I'll be sharing those with you
in the next day or so.  A friend shared a valuable tip with me that I'm excited
to be able to share with you.  Looking forward to it!

God bless you and keep you...
in His love and for His glory.

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.

It's Been A Long Time!

Where have I been? In my studio painting away! I want to show you all the art I've been working on for my new book, "Give Thanks", but since I can't, I thought I could at least give you a sneak preview of a portion of page 47...

I have to say I feel a bit more flaky than fragrant though! I had such grand aspirations of blogging in 2009 on a more consistent basis and I had a wonderful list of things I wanted to share with you... including my studio transformation... and then came the phone call. "The deadline has been moved up," she said. In one short conversation I discovered that I would have two less weeks to complete all the art and more design responsibility then I had expected. Well... so much for more blogging... and time to spend on my studio transformation!

But... TRUST ME... I am not complaining! I am THANKFUL! God already knew it was going to happen before I even said yes to the book and my times are in His hands. I am confident He will give me everything I need... faith, creativity, strength, endurance and a heart to praise Him throughout the next few weeks! And I'm so excited to share with you everything in the book, both in story and art, I can hardly wait! And I can hardly contain myself wanting to show you what I had already done in my studio before that phone call... including some fun tutorials. So don't give up on me too soon... there will be more to come!

My times are in your hands...
let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
Psalm 31:15,16

But even now, after putting in some very long hours and therefore feeling a bit more confident about meeting the deadline... I think I'll be able to visit a bit more often.  Now don't hold your breath but I do promise to be back!!

Love you guys!

Studio Transformation... and Organization... Again!

It's that time of year again... time to get rid of the old and bring in the new. And that's just what I've started doing in my studio... AGAIN! If you're the creative type you know it's an ongoing process... kinda like our spiritual lives! So... I took a few photos of the before to give you the overall look and feel and every week I will show you at least one area of transformation as I clean it up and dress it up.

I do want it to be organized but more importantly I want it to be INSPIRING...
a place that reflects the beauty and the joy of the Lord in my life.

So come along with me, if you will, and we'll see what happens together.
And... oh yes... if you have any suggestions along the way please
don't hesitate to chime in... we'll have fun together!

I know to some of you it looks great just the way it is...
but I need a new look to go with the new year!
Plus I need to be able to find things easier!



I hope to share a few tips on budget decorating along the way as well...
frugal is at the top of my list!



And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is
that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2

Heavenly Father... Thank You that we are work in progress... just like my studio. It makes me smile to think that just as much as I want to be creative and make my studio a reflection of me...You love being creative in our lives when we let You and Your heart is to make us a reflection of Jesus! Father help us to yield our minds and thoughts to You allowing You to clean out the old and bring in the new... clean us up, dress us up and use us to bring glory to You and inspiration to others. Amen.

From Trash to Treasure

So often when we hear the words "from trash to treasure" we think of discovering someone else's trash... usually at a flea market or garage sale and transforming it... with a fresh coat of paint or a little creativity into something delightful... something we treasure.  My recent experience with trash is yielding a treasure but not quite in the same way.

When I first posted about transforming my studio, my desire was to create or re-create this room into a delightful and inspiring place to work. I had become so inundated with paper... you know... information overload. And I love paper... I write notes to myself, print articles from the computer for research, collect lists and ideas for future projects, store business and church information, tear pages from magazines, plus all the wonderful nice notes from women who God has touched through my talks or writings... and I can't get rid of them!  In fact, I hadn't gotten rid of  much over the past few weeks and months... so much so that I couldn't find anything... nothing was in it's place... if it even had a place!

So even though I want my transformation process to make things pretty and looking good... much of the process these past few days has been behind the scenes... starting with the stacks of paper I gathered throughout the room and the file cabinet that sits just to the left of my computer. I have spent hours sorting, filing and trashing paper... 3 WASTE BASKETS OVERFLOWING so far... and I'm not done yet! Oh my! So much unnecessary information that has been cluttering up my space and causing me to be distracted, depressed and much less effective in the work God has called me to do!

Ouch! Does this remind you of anything else? How about the clutter of our minds? Oh yes... how we can store up trash in our minds that impacts our thinking... disrupts our relationships... causing us to be distracted, depressed and so much less effective in whatever God is calling us to do whether it's loving our families or serving in the church or even caring for our homes. Some trash is not intended to be turned into treasure but is intended to be thrown out to make room for the treasures God wants to decorate our hearts with.

I do want my studio... but more importantly I want my life... to be a reflection of Christ... but I must continually take out the trash for that to happen! On some days the trash may be outdated unforgiveness or scribbled notes of a judgmental or critical spirit. On other days it may be the tear stained pages of fear and anxiety or the crumpled up cares of the world. For some it may be pages of jotted down jealousies or written resentments. When you look around the rooms of your heart and mind... do you see the clutter and chaos of unhealthy thinking or a peaceful and pleasant place of rest?

If you see trash that needs to be taken out will you start your spring cleaning today? Be encouraged, my friend, to give those cares to God... and ask Him to forgive you for the clutter... because as you take out the trash, you'll have more and more room for the beautiful treasures of God's glorious love and peace and joy.  Be blessed!

Studio Transformation!

Today is such a good day... full of potential blessings just waiting to be discovered and I'm looking forward to seeing what this day holds for me as I take on a new project... my studio. My husband would tell you that I have a tendency to move from one project to the next without stopping to clean up the messes I have created in the process... therefore leaving the tornado effect along my path... especially in my studio! But ever so often... I must... by necessity... stop and find the tops of surfaces, file the stacks that have accumulated, and return whatever tools or supplies I've used back to their rightful homes! It comforts me to believe that this is simply the ebb and flow of being creative but I also know that our God is a God of order and that it is His desire for our lives have a sense of order as well... so I am once again compelled to stop and put that creativity to use in transforming my personal chaos into organized order.

So I am inviting you to take this journey with me... however slow it may be.  My intent is to only focus on one area at a time because there is a lot to do in each one... just wait and see!  Who knows... if you're at all like me maybe you'll be inspired to tackle one of your messy places too!

I took photos of the entire room... but for now my focus is on the area I spend the most time in... my computer corner.  This is my creative computer... most of my writing is done here and all my original watercolor art is scanned into didital files and stored inside this computer. This is where I sit and work on product development and interact by email with companies who are creating the gift items that some of you are familiar with.

Okay... at this stage it doesn't look messy but to be honest this is not what it looked like a couple of days ago... but it was a couple of days ago when I got so frustrated about not being able to find things that I pulled all the paper clutter out of all the nooks and crannies and began this new transformation process. I didn't think about sharing it with you until after I had begun so you've missed the worst of it... and trust me... it was bad!!

At this stage in this corner my job is two-fold... to organize the clutter that is now sitting in piles elsewhere in the room and to add a little more fun to this space. My husband made me the scallop bottom shelves... aren't they great!?! And he made the computer desk for me years ago when we lived in another house. I love to create on a budget so hopefully I will have some great projects to share with you throughout this journey... we'll see.

Oh yes... that's Abby... my computer cat... she loves to sleep there because it's so warm!  Once in a while, when she is in a deep sleep, she actually slides off the back of the monitor and wakes herself up! 

Don't forget to look for all those potential blessings that God has in store for you today!!