Karla's Korner

A Merry Belated Christmas 2012...

You have no idea how often I've missed you and longed for our visits but... balancing everyday life with being a Portland Saturday Market vendor proved to be more challenging than I imagined... thus my disappearance from blogging for more than a month! I thank God for the opportunity He gave me to be there but I am oh so thankful that the Market is closed until March 1st... a truly welcome break!

The Market closed on Christmas Eve at 3:30. We packed up our product, tore down the tent and headed home with just enough time to empty the truck and repack for our trip up to Mt. Hood where the kids have a cabin and the perfect setting for a seriously white Christmas... and the perfect back-drop my first-ever experience snow-shoeing!  I was apprehensive at first, but as you can tell my photo... I loved it! It was a great family time... snowball fights and all!

Every year the girls in the family do a handmade gift exchange which is always a highlight of our time together. This year proved to be a little more difficult for me because of being at the Market... so here I am finishing up Michelle's granny square pillow cover Christmas afternoon. We could only laugh as she opened her first box with the finished pillow front and pillow form... and a second box full of yarn and crochet hook ready to finish the back! I'm pleased to say I got it done for her before we left!!

Michelle was also kind enough to loan us the video series of Downton Abbey Season 2 to take home with us after we came back from the mountain. It was a nice way to kick back and enjoy some much needed R&R. Have you seen it?  Did you love it as much as I did?  If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to rent it or watch the first 2 seasons on Netflix.  I'm already anticipating season 3 starting on PBS January 6th!

I've been spending some time the last couple of days praying about the coming year... seeking God's will and direction for the days ahead... and asking Him for my personal One Word for 2013.. a word that resonates with my heart and helps me focus on all that God wants to do in me and through me in the new year. I'm not sure what it is yet... but I'll let you know when I do... hopefully soon!

Do you have a WORD for 2013?  I'd love to know what it is, if you do!!

Not Sure Where To Begin...

It's been a while since I've posted... a long while actually. Some of you have written me... expressing your concern about my absence and I have been blessed by your love. But I am also ashamed of myself because you are my friends and family... and I sorta just quit talking to you. Please forgive me.


You see, after Michael's surgery, with him being home all day, every day, it became difficult to find the time to write. And then when I did have a little time, I wasn't sure where to even begin. And the longer time went on, the less unsure I became until I wondered if I should be blogging at all.

But I've missed you. I miss sharing my heart and life with you. I miss sharing God with you. And I miss you sharing your lives with me for you always bring such a smile to my heart with all your love and blessings!

And the truth is that life has been full of stories worthy of sharing. Michael is fully healed and back to work... yay! I continue to create new art. And my life has made a huge turn with my recent decision to start selling at Portland Saturday Market.


Saturday Market is a huge outdoor market and a renowned tourist must-see.
I just finished my fourth weekend there. Funny thing is, I did the Market about 18 years ago, shortly before I started writing and illustrating my books and here I am... back again. Does God have a sense of humor or what?!?!


You see, the reality is that the economy and changing times has not been so nice to Michael and I, as I know it has not been to many of you who read my blog. And with Michael's surgery, medical bills and time off work, we just kept praying and believing God to show us a way where there seemed to be no way... and He is faithful as always.


Everything kept pointing to the Market and I am now not only blessed by the extra income, but by the opportunity to be a light in the world and a seed sower of His Word through my art in this venue!

To be honest, it has not been easy... physically, emotionally and even spiritually... but I know that I am where God wants me to be... and that He is with me. I am meeting some absolutely wonderful fellow believers from all over the world every weekend and I look forward to seeing what God has in store for the days ahead! And I look forward to taking you on this journey with me! 
Are you ready?

Glad to be back... with love and God-hugs...

Looking Up...

I know it's been a long time.

Michael went back into the hospital since my last post. Infection.
Couldn't keep down the antibiotics so had to have them by iv. 
I didn't realize how exhausted I would become... physically and emotionally.
He's home now and doing very well... for which we are very thankful.
I'm doing better too... so thank you for all your prayers!


It's been good to get back to painting. And good to finally finish my angel. 
She has such a sweet peace about her. Her gaze is almost mesmerizing.
She reminds me to look up... to behold the beauty and majesty of the Lord...
to delight in His love and grace... and to simply rest in His presence.

I pray she might do the same for you today.
You are loved.

Latests News on Hubby and Health...

He's alive and well... yeah God!


This was taken right before surgery... great picture for someone minutes
before going under the knife, don't you think?

Surgery went well. It did take twice as long as they expected because they
discovered that the scar tissue from his diverticulosis fused his colon to his
appendix and bladder... so the appendix was also removed and the bladder
mended. The doc said it was a hard surgery but he came through it with flying
colors... what a guy!

He was doing really great until yesterday afternoon when he gave us quite a
scare. His heart rate sky rocketed and their first attempts to bring it down
failed. They called in the Rapid Response Team and within minutes a swarm
of doctors and nurses descended upon him with all their mobile equipment!
It was like something from television... not much fun. After all the tests,
they moved him to the cardiac unit to monitor him and discovered through
the blood work that his electrolytes were off. They set him up with a drip of
magnesium and within a short time his heart was happy again and we were
praising God for watching over him.

Thank you for all your love and prayers... our God is an awesome God!
Our prayer now is that this little episode won't hinder him from being able to
come home tomorrow... home sweet home... we are ready!  Yay... just
found out  from the doc...we're going home tomorrow... thank You Lord!

Blessings and God-hugs to all...

Update on Hubby and Health...

First I want to say...
THANK YOU for all the LOVE
and encouragement you've sent our way...
our hearts are blessed beyond measure by your caring!




Mike is scheduled for surgery Friday morning to have part of his colon
removed so your prayers are greatly appreciated as always!  There is no
reason to expect any problems so our hearts are at peace in God's grace
and sovereignty... we are resting in His love.

Father God... we stand in awe of You as the Great and Mighty Physician
and the One from Whom all healing flows. Thank You for doctors and other
healthcare workers, the wisdom You've given them, and how You work
through their hearts and skilled hands to bring health and healing to
hurting people... bless them Lord.
Thank You also for our friends and family who love and care about us...
both near and far away... bless them with a special God-hug Lord!
Our confidence and hope is in You... and we are blessed with peace.
Amen.

A Happy Heart in Hard Times...

Sometimes life's struggles can steal the peace and joy of the Lord from
our hearts so quickly, can't they?  Even in the midst of all the blessings, we can
become so focused on the struggles that we lose sight of the Lord!
That happened to me recently and God had to get my attention and remind
me, once again, to be thankful in the midst of hard times!

He started bringing songs to my mind...
and there's just something about singing out our praise and thanksgiving to
the Lord that brings a peace and a joy to our hearts and reminds us that He
truly is big enough to handle whatever concerns us! And... when we are
trusting Him... our hearts ARE happy, aren't they?  Do I hear an amen?

So what, you may wonder, has been stealing my joy?  The biggest thing has
been my sweet husband's health. He was really sick for over a week which...
leaving out all the details has resulted in him having to go in for surgery
either this coming week or the week following. It's not life-threatening at
the moment but will become so if untreated.

Thankfully we have insurance, but with him being self-employed, his not being
able to work for several weeks was also stealing the joy from my heart!
But... since God got my attention...
I've been singing an old chorus... "Jehovah Jireh, my Provider...
His grace is  sufficient for me... for me... for me.
Jehovah Jireh, my Provider... His grace is sufficient for me!"
And it is... for me... and for you too... no matter what you''re facing!

I've also been putting off tellling you that the book proposal I mentioned a
couple of weeks ago was rejected. I wasn't totally surprised but I was
disappointed and knew many of you would be too. I am believing it is the
Lord and confident that if He wants it published it will happen in His time.


I have been painting up a storm though... and having some serious FUN doing
it! And as you can tell by this new owl painting... HOPE is a constant theme
throughout my art. Hmmm... I wonder why?  Can you imagine what living in
this world without hope in Christ would be like? Actually,  I still have memories
of those days... and it's not fun... no... not fun at all.

So though we go through various trials and tribulations...
because we are in Christ... we can count it all joy...
as long as our confidence is in Him and not in ourselves or in the world.
( from James 1:1)
So together, let's keep singing and making music to the Lord...
and let hope make our hearts happy!

xoxo
Karla

One Proud Momma...

Michelle and I met at our local Barnes and Noble last night for a little coffee,
catching up, and some fun magazine browsing!

It was the first time I had seen the newest edition of Somerset Studio...

and the fantastic spread they did on Michelle and her artsy stairs that lead
to her even more artsy studio! Needless to say... I am one proud momma!

The folks from Somerset spotted her stairs on Pinterest... amazing! I'm on
Pinterest if you want to follow me there. I'm not an avid pinner but it is a
great place to visit for eye candy and inspiration if you want to check it out!

And I love the quote she used... it's from John Maxwell...
"Dreams don't work unless you do."

Reminds me of the verse that says "faith without works is dead."
Sometimes God gives us dreams and visions of the good works He has planned
for us... and then He waits to see if we wil believe Him enough to put feet to
our faith and go for it... to act on His Word and the promises He's given us.

How about you? Has God given you a dream? A promise? A direction to go?
Who knows... maybe today's the day He's stirring your heart to take the first
step toward making your dream a reality!

God bless you my friends... and the work of your heart and your hands!
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

The Perfect Pets on My Kitchen Counter...

I've been wanting to share these two little guys with you for such a long
time!  They sit on my kitchen counter right behind the sink and I love them!

They are called Soap Spitters™ and are the whimsical creations of my
uber talented daughter Michelle. The dog, named Parker Dog after my
daughter's family pet, spits the perfect amount of hand-soap from his mouth
while the Black Cat spits out dish soap.


They're so fun and look so much better than having a bottle of brand name
hand soap on the counter and it sure beats having to pull out the dish soap
every time I want to use it. Plus  they color-coordinate perfectly with my
favorite red coffee cup... how much more could I ask for!

It's these kind of little treasures that make a house a home and gives it
personality, isn't it?   And I love that they make my heart smile!
Hope they brought a little smile to your heart too!

A merry heart does good like a medicine!
Proverbs 17:22

xoxo
Karla

Catching Up With Hearts of Love...

I have soooo much I want to share with you but have just not had time!
So for today I'm going to go back in time...

because I've really been wanting to show you what showed up in my mailbox!

Is this label not adorable?  So creative.  I was smiling from ear to ear...
and I hadn't even opened the gift yet!

Inside was this amazingly beautiful silk-screened bird on a heart...
embellished with silver beads.  Have you guessed who it was from yet?

It was from my precious daughter Michelle... sent with love.
I have to admit... to receive this little treasure truly blessed my heart...
but the surprise of receiving it in the mail tickled me pink!

She also gave me three of these little felt hearts... I made one...
and I was going to stitch up a few more and make a fun little garland...
this is as far as it got!  But I decided I really like them hung
with the close pins... so I am happy!

Thinking again about Michelle mailing me her gift instead of hand delivering
got me thinking... I want to do that for someone this week... surprise them
with a little unexpected gift!  Hmmm... but how can I make it a surprise?
I have it... I'm going to send a little something to one of my Etsy friends! 
So if you've bought something from me in the past year... you never know...
you might just be getting a special little something in your mailbox next
week!!  How fun will that be!

So how about you?  Would you ask God to show you someone who could use
a little bit of a surprise blessing from you? It doesn't have to be handmade
or expensive... maybe even just a card. It's the giving that counts!
So please please please... do it!!
How much fun next week will be with so many women getting little surprises
in their mailboxes!!!  I'm so proud of you... so go have fun my sweet friends
and give a little gift from your heart!! 

xoxo
Karla

The Art of Doodling...

I've always loved doodling... especially patterns because it's so
relaxing, creative, and fun!  I know many of you are doodlers as well...
so I wanted to introduce you to my friend, Joanne Fink, who has taken
doodling to a whole new level... including having her own book and a
number of free videos which demonstrate her technique.


Joanne is an incredible calligrapher... and about three years ago she began
playing with a form of doodling called Zentangle® and enjoyed it so much
that she began to incorporate these doodle patterns into her letterforms
and designs and she calls her new style “Zenspirations™”
(which, just so you know, is not related to Zen as a religion or lifestyle).

In her book, Zenspirations, Joanne shares creative monogram and pattern
techniques, as well as wonderful borders and frames,
that I can easily see being used in everything from art journaling
to creating your own embroidery patterns... and more!

You know I don't usually promote books or products on my blog...
and I'm certainly not being paid for this.. but the truth is my friend Joanne
lost her husband a few months ago with no warning at all. She had made a
promise to her publisher that she would help promote her book, but with all
that has happened in her life, she has been unable to keep that promise
and needs a little help from her friends because that's what friends are for.

So if you love to doodle... I promise you will LOVE Joanne's new book
and you'll definitely want to add it to your creative library!

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

Crafty Inspiration for the New Year...

Almost all my Christmas decorations have been neatly packed away but
there are a few handmade ornaments that were gifted to me this year
through an ornament exchange that will remain in my studio where I'm
sure they will serve as inspiration for future creative and crafty endeavors!

Maybe they'll inspire your creativity too...

My amazingly talented daughter Michelle was the one who arranged the
ornament exchange with her friends and included me! Her cute little
Rudolph the Snow Angel can't help but make you smile with all its quirkiness!
I love how she added the house numbers of my address (which is also my
birthday) but I didn't realize the scarf covered part of it in the photo...oops!

I met Deirdra through Michelle... and she hand-delivered her ornament to
me when she came to my studio for an afternoon of Christmas crafting. 
Her handiwork has such a sweet vintage feel to it... and I LOVE the color!
Her creativity shines in this little charmer!

This little cutie was from Tyler and what was so fun about hers was that she
had learned this techique from Michelle at a workshop she taught last spring
at Artfest.  I love this little guy... so sweet... almost huggable!

Isn't this owl a total HOOT?!?  Elizabeth made this amazing creation using a
recycled sweater... can you believe it?  So creative... and so inspiring!
It reminded me of the whole "trash to treasure" theme.  Beautifully done!

Janne is Michelle's friend from Norway. She has spent some time here visiting
with Michelle and I've been blessed to get to know her a little bit...
she's a darling girl and overflows with incredible creativity in so many ways!
I love the simplicity of her little house... and the brightness of the windows
made me think of "this little light of mine... I'm going to let it shine!"


I've had the pleasure of meeting Lulu  once and she is delightful. What I think
is most amazing about her ornament, besides its cleverness, is that she made
these in the midst of getting ready for her own wedding on December 3rd!!


And this was my contribution to the exchange... she turned out so cute!  She's
paper mache with lots of glitter... and I love the dots... and her musical tail!

I'm sad to say that I put Mystele's ornaments on the little tree in my kitchen
and I packed it with the tree without realizing it and there's still one coming
from Tammy so I have more inspiration to look forward to! I send my heartfelt
thanks to each and every woman who gave a part of herself to me this year!
And maybe next year, I'll host my own exchange... what do you think ladies?

What is so encouraging as I look over these ornaments is the variety of ideas
and the range of personality and talents that shine through! It reminds me of
how each one of us has been created so uniquely and how we can use the
gifts, talents and abilities the Lord has given to us to be a blessing to
others... to encourage them and inspire them... not only at Christmas but
all throughout the year.  I hope to do more of that with you in 2012!

Lord God... we are creative only because You are the Creator and we've been
made in Your likeness.  As we enter this New Year will show us how to
creatively use the gifts, talents, and abilities You've given us for Your glory...
and for the blessing of others. Thank You Jesus.  Amen.

Michelle's GiveAway...

My daughter Michelle is having a Goody Giveaway on her blog...
you might want to go check out.
And remember... don't just think if you would like to win for yourself...
even though that would be great... but also  think of who you could gift it to
for Christmas if you DID WIN!!!

If you do win you can choose either one of these...

handmade camera straps... absolutely adorable! 
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to win one!!

or this...

one of her fun pendulum clocks!  You can see more of her art and
clocks on her website. But go visit her BLOG right away to enter her contest!!

Hope you know you're already in winner in my eyes... and God's...
but it will sure be super cool if one of my readers was her winner too!

Blessings and God-hugs...
Karla

Strawberry Yumminess...

I love surprises and that's what arrived at my door last Friday...
a whole box of these yummy chocolate dipped strawberries!

Aren't they gorgeious?  Almost too pretty to eat!
They were a gift from my publisher and his wife...
such sweetness... both the fruit and the friendship!

Enjoying this yummy gift of kindness made me think
about the sweet Fruit of the Spirit that is ours in Christ...
about tasting the goodness of the Lord through the friends He gives us...
and about how blessed and thankful I am to have both.

I love these kind of moments... God moments...
when He uses something like a strawberry to remind me to stop
and reflect on the really important things in life and give thanks.

Have you had any of those kind of moments lately?
They are sweet aren't they?

Hoping you have a chocolate covered strawberry moment
in your life today my friend!
love & God-hugs... Karla

Celebrating the Big 6-0...

Yesterday, I officially entered a new era... and celebrated my 60th birthday!
It's funny... it just seems so fitting... like I've been waiting to get here.
That does sound kinda strange, doesn't it? 
I don't understand it... but it's true... I am 60...  and I'm so okay with it!!


I told a friend... it's like my age has finally caught up with my hair! LOL!

My darling husband took me out to a very nice dinner and my sweet daughter
hosted a gathering of a few of my dearest friends to help me celebrate!
But I'm not done yet... I have a few other friend dates lined up so as to
draw out this special birthday celebration as long as possible!! 

I do have to tell you about this game we played though...
I love games so I was tickled to play a new one called telephone pictionary?
Have you ever played?  It was easy and, at times, hilarious!  I found these
instructions online but we didn't use a booklet... we each had the same number
of small pieces of paper as there were ladies.  The fun part is how different
the ending phrase can be from the original... kinda like what happens to gossip,
come to think of it... only this form is not harmful.

I also wanted to say a HUGE thank you to all my wondeful FB friends who
so kindly left their Birthday Blessings... you made my heart smile big!!

"LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered--how fleeting my life is.
Psalm 39:4 NLT

Thank Lord for the life you've given me... all 60 years of it!  I know that
apart from knowing You, I might not even be alive and if I had never met
You, I dread to think what my life would have been like.  Thank You
for my family and friends and all the love You've poured out on me
through them.  Father... bless them in return today...with Your love!

Chinese and Chopsticks...

If you've ever seen any of my daughter's posts on her experiences with
Chinese foods you may have been worried for me... but... thankfully for me,
the people we were with only order food now that they know she will eat...
so I was fortunate to reap the blessing of her experience!!


I was also thankful to have a little chopstick experience before going to
China, but I confess that the rice and noodles were still seriously challenging!
Let's just say I gave our hosts, the Chinese people my daughter works with,
lots of opportunity for laughter as they watched me try! It was funny!


I loved how colorful their food was... and how beautifully it was served.
Just look at this dish... it's gorgeous. It was surprising to discover that hiding
under that delightful pile of spicy hot peppers were...


shrimp on a stick...  fried so crispy you eat the shell and all!
I cringed at the thought at first, but they were seriously soooo yummy.


I first thought this dish was pork... but can you believe it's tofu?
I've never been a big fan of tofu but this was so delicious it became
one of my favorites... that and the eggplant!


And yes... believe it or not... I actually tried chicken feet!
Funny things was though, that all I could do was nibble at it... even though
the Chinese manage to eat enough of it to leave only a few tiny bones
as seen on the right.  Trust me... it will not be a food I will be fixing myself!

Trying new foods was a real treat...
but it was the time spent at the table with Michelle's friends that was the
greatest treasure... experiencing a part of their culture first-hand...
enjoying fellowship despite the language barrier...
and sharing love and laughter that transcends differences.
I am grateful for having had the opportunity... thanks to my sweet girl!

Heavenly Father... thank you for creating such an amazing variety of foods
for us to enjoy... and an even more incredible variety of people for us to
enjoy them with. Lord, help us to love people who are different than
we are... wherever they are...to see them through Your eyes
and not our own... and care for them like You care for us. Amen.

If you'd like to see some of the other foods I ate there you can visit Michelle's
China food post for this year... yum!

Love you my friends... and thanks for joining me on this journey called life!

To Market We Go...

We stopped at an open air market... overflowing with beautiful colors...

and friendly smiles like this one... is he just too adorable... or what!
He made my day... following behind me with giggles and cuteness!
They don't see many foreigners in this neck of the Chinese woods so we
seemed to be as fascinating to them as they are to us!


Some beauty is just universal... the glory of God's handiwork!

I thought these were limes but they're not... not sure what they are.

I've eaten all kinds of roots here...
not sure what they are but they've all been tasty!

Isn't this a pretty way to display corn... all except for the flies!


I have eaten the eggplant here... and the way they fixed it was yummy!!

Our interpreter kept saying what these birds were... other then the ducks...
but I could not understand her.  Do you think they know they're on their
way to someone's dinner table?  Ouch!

 


This was too cute... he is looking at a photo he snappedof me just as
I looked in his direction... so I had to oblige of course! 

The only thing I really regret is not being able to have a conversation with
the people here.  I am blessed however that God has given me a smile that
crosses the language barrier... and the people have responded with lots of
smiles of their own. It makes me want to hug them but I don't think that's
socially acceptable... so a prayer instead...
and asking God to hug them with His love and draw them to Himself.

sharing the journey...
with love and hugs...

A Working Holiday...

We have spent much of our time at the factory Michelle works with here in
China developing her product line for her business... Close2MyArt.
It has been such a joy to watch her at work... and to observe the
amazing talent of the artists here and the pride they take in their work.


Here is one of the sculptors working from a sketch Michelle gave him.

I have so much respect for them and there craft and their eye for detail.


Once the sculpt is finished, a mold is made and a sample goes upstairs
and into the hands of the skillfull painters.


Here's that little teapot getting all dressed  up in Michelle's colorful style!


Michelle works with them on each piece until the perfect colors are in place.


It was so great to see how much they love and respect my daughter...


notice how the sweet girl on the right is holding Michelle's arm
with her head resting on her shoulder.  Michelle is so kind and respectful
of them and it shows in how they treat her in return.
That's my girl... so proud.

Behind the Scenes...

My sweet friend Vicky, who is also the women's pastor at our church, came
by for lunch yesterday and brought me this delightful little jelly jar brimming
with hydrangea blossoms from her garden... aren't they lovely?
I was blessed by her thoughtfulness and our much over-due visit!

But check out what happened with these flowers only moments earlier...

I brought the flowers into my studio... turned my back to get my camera...
and Abigail had nudged the flowers out of the jar so she could take a drink!!


Can you see her licking her lips?  She keeps us in stitches!


And then she gave me that "oops, I just got caught look" look... love it!

Usually she just eats the flowers or pulls the petals off... but this was the
first time she ever dissed the flowers for the water.  She must have just been
one thirsty cat and too lazy to walk the extra few feet to her own water dish.

....a merry heart does good like a medicine....
Proverbs 17:22

Have a very merry day my friends...
and share a smile with someone who needs it!
xoxoxo
Karla

Latte Da... and My Art is on Exhibit There...

Don't you just LOVE that name for a coffee shop?  Latte da!  So much fun!


It is a CHARMING vintage house turned Coffee Shop - Restaurant - Wine bar!
They've been open only a few weeks but I believe they have the potential to
become a neighborhood favorite for all sorts of gatherings. That's how came
to know about them.  My art group has met there twice now, including today.


And, as of this morning, the first thing you see when you walk in the front
door are... Karla Dornacher Original Paintings... Ta Da! 
It's my very first art "exhibit" and I'm thankful for the opportunity to brighten
the walls there and share my art with all who come by! I hung a total of
5 originals and 3 giclee canvas prints. Thank you Scott!


And we all thought "Stir It Up" was very fitting for a coffee shop!


The most amazing feature, however, is the beautiful "secret garden" they've
created just outside.  It's tall wall of greenery gives you a sense of privacy
and peace from the world just beyond! I hear they're having a baby
shower there next week.  I'm sure it will be delightful!


They even have a fire-pit and are hosting Friday night s'more parties every
third Friday... yum!!  And at other times they have live music. I think hubby
and I may go have a listen tomorrow night.

Anyway... just wanted to share a blessing.  Now if someone actually bought
one of my paintings there that would be an even greater blessing!

If you live nearby, you might want to Like them on Facebook to get updates
on what's happening there... or just get some girlfriends together and
go have a Latte Da and a blueberry scone...call me... maybe I'll join you!

Blessings and God-hugs...
Karla

The Sweet Taste of Friendship...

Surprise!  I have another new book out!

With an apple theme, perfect for fall, this sweet little gift book uses a few
ingredients from earlier books, combined with a measure of new, to stir up a
batch of friendship blessings for you to share with the girlfriends in your life.



It includes scripture, poems, prayers and words of affirmation, as well as
a collection of apple recipes and apple gift ideas.
It also includes a few journal pages, perfect for writing down some sweet
friendship memories to make this book a very personal from-your-heart gift.

You can check out just a couple of other pages and purchase it here!




Dear God... thank You for my friend! She is such an incredible blessing in
my life. I am so glad that You made her just the way You did... right down
to the number of hairs on her head... and the color of them too! She truly
is fearfully and wonderfully made - one of a kind by Your creative design!

I pray for my friend today that You will always enable her to see herself
through Your loving eyes... not her own or the world's. Remind her how
there is only one of her and only she can fulfill that perfect plan that You
have designed especially for her.

Bless her today with confidence in who You'e made her to be. Amen.
(an excerpt for The Sweet Taste of Friendship)

Too Old? I don't think so!

When I first painted those almost 60 year old tootsies GREEN...
my husband just kinda rolled his eyes.

Okay... I did think about removing it before my trip to the midwest...
for all of about 10 seconds... and decided to just go for it... it's only toes.

No one there said a word about my "Green With Envy" toe color
until the last night... when my youngest sister... 10 YEARS YOUNGER...
noticed them and exclaimed... "I thought I was TOO OLD to wear that color!"
My older sister just rolled her eyes... similar to the Michael roll.
So the natural response would be if Jackie's too old then surely I must be too.

NOT!  But my question is...
who decides at what age... which colors are appropriate and which are not?
Is there really an unspoken rule that once you reach a certain number of years
lived, you must only wear RED, PINK or maybe PEACH...
because heaven forbid we would wear serious ORANGE!

So what do you think... am I too old to wear green nail polish? Are you?
I don't think so! But seriously... what do you think?
Oh yes... before you answer that...
you should probably know I just bought a bottle of TURQUOISE...
oh too much fun!!

Love you guys... with great big God-hugs... xoxoxo... Karla

A Trip Back In Time...

While in Quincy for our family reunion,
my sister Margie and I took a little trip back in time.

We first headed for Hannibal, MO... about 16 miles away...
yes the home of Mark Twain... because that's where we were born.


We discovered that many of the houses we had lived in when we were children
were no longer standing. This one is a four-plex and my mom, 2 sisters and I
lived in the upper right apartment.This is where we lived when I bit the end off
of a glass syringe and had to be rushed to the doctor who pulled broken glass
out of my throat. Mother loved telling that story. I was about two years old.


Back to Quincy... two more past homes torn down... until we came to this one.
We lived upstairs. What's funny is that my oldest sister, years later, married
the son of the folks who owned this house. It was sad to hear him say that
his dad would turn over in his grave if he saw how run down this house is now.


A year or so later we moved across the street to above this laundromat. This
is where I start having memories of my own... including when the door blew
off the oil furnace and missed me by only inches!  It's a miracle I'm even alive!


The summer between 4th and 5th grade my mom remarried and we moved
across town to this amazing house. I remember they paid $60 a month rent...
is that incredible or what?  It had a "For Sale" sign out front so I called, hoping
to take a tour, but they had just accepted an offer so it was a no... bummer.


If you've ever heard my testimony about running away from home... the third
window from the corner is where I piled up the bed sheet that I had torn into
strips and was going to use to lower myself out of my bedroom window in
order to make my great escape... so now you can see why I say it was by the
grace of God that I got caught because I'm sure the knots would not have held
and I would have most likely fallen and made a mess of myself!

I just had to include this church because it's catty-cornered across the street
from the big house and holds my first memories of hearing about Jesus at a
VBS. I can only guess that I asked Him into my heart because my heart was
tender then... but I don't remember... and when life got hard I had no idea
I had a friend in Jesus or a Father God who loved me and would walk through
those hard days with me.

But looking back now... I know He did even if I wasn't aware of His presence.
And today I rejoice that God has healed my heart and given me a new life!
This time it was fun going back... remembering the good...  and knowing God
used the "not so good" to bring me into a saving relationship with Himself.
It is so true...

"...all things work together for good to those who love God,
who have been called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28

Heavenly Father... thank You for loving us and calling us to be Yours.
Thank You that You do work ALL things together for our good and Your glory
and for knowing that You are with us always even in the moments when we
feel so alone. Father... of all the memories we have stored up... may the
memories of what You've done for us be the ones we hold onto. And may we
always remember that You never leave us or forsake us... no not ever! Amen.

Another New Adventure...

I am in Illinois for a family reunion. I flew from Portland, OR to Chicago
to St.Louis and this time... instead of renting a car and driving to Quincy...
I decided to finish my journey in this little commuter plane. 
I thought you might enjoy what I journaled while in still flight...

I am in the smallest and LOUDEST plane I've ever flown in on my way from
STL to Quincy. I had to laugh as we taxied down the runway... we sounded
like an overgrown lawn mower spitting and sputtering... even missing a beat
here and there. And then... oh my.. our feet left the ground and we were
buffeted right and left... much like a car when the wheels are out of align.
We continued to spit and sputter as we climbed higher and higher in the air
and the look on the pilots face did nothing to gain my confidence.

And then... the pilot and co-pilot both opened their side windows!!! They kept
playing with gauges on the dashboard and exchanging glances. Finally the
engine entered a dull, melodic, rhythmic pulse. The windows were closed
and besides the headache I have from the LOUDNESS of the engine and the
blinding light of the setting sunshining directly in my eyes,
it's been a calm ride and I've enjoyed yet another new experience!

We are slowly descending. I LOVE the view... gorgeous! 45 minutes of pure
fun. Oops... here we go again... bouncing around in the air as we aim for
the ground. Sweet... our feet are on the ground... perfect landing!
Oh the joy of it all... thank You Jesus!

 •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •
What surprised me the most was when they opened their windows while
we were thousands of feet up in the air!!! When I got here, my nephew
assured me that was just how they "air condition" the plane and was
not out of the ordinary for that size plane... LOL... gotta love it!!!

My internet reception here is extremely slow... I hope to post again before
get home but if not... I'll catch up with you then!!

xoxoxo
Karla

Catching Up...

I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July.
We celebrated at MIchelle's with family & friends and had a great time.


The 4th is also our granddaughter Jessica's birthday...
she was born our firecracker baby and still knows how to light up a room
with her oh-so-fun personality!




And now I'm busy with Christmas in July... lots of new fun things in progress!
So excited to show you... I love the Spirit of Christmas in July...
so much to celebrate all year long!!

Oh yes... and thank you for all the absolutely wonderful love, verses
and stories you shared with the last post!
YOU MAKE MY HEART SMILE!!!

Hope you had a great 4th of July my friends...
Blessings and God-hugs...
Karla

Friends Are Like Flowers...

It's so true... and last weekend
I cultivated my friendships with these four beautiful blossoms...

  
(Sandi  •  Joan  •  Nona  •  Pat  •  Me)
Our time together was filled with love, laughter, tears and blessing...
as we shared our lives together... past and present...
feasted on God's Word through devotions and Bible meditation...
and prayed for one another with faith and joyful expection!
For me... it was life-changing and I am thankful to have been among them...
and thankful to the Lord who brought us together for such a time as this!

I've been thinking a lot lately about how important our friendships are...
how fragile our girlfriend relationships can be...
and how I want and need to be more diligent to cultivate them in my life!

I thought I'd share with you a devotion from one of my earlier books,
"The Blessing of Friendship"
as it expresses my heart's desire for myself and for you too...

The tending of a friendship garden is no small matter
and not to be taken lightly. Many a beautiful garden
has gone to ruin for lack of proper care.

Here are some tips that may prove helpful in
cultivating your own friendship garden...



Prepare the soil by tilling it with God's unconditional love.

Remove any rocks of judgement or critical attitudes.

Pull out any roots of fear and jealousy.

Destroy the seeds of gossip before they can even take root.

Seeds of friendship may be found most anywhere.

Plant with care, kind words and a listening heart.

Germination is usually spontaneous so be watchful.

To ensure growth...
water with kind deeds and a generous heart.

 

Make sure you give each friend plenty of room to grow.

Be realistic... don't expect a marigold to smell like a rose.

Fertilize generously with laughter and joy.

Water deeply with tears of empathy and prayer...
to develop healthy roots and a stronger, more stable friendship.

 


Father God... sometimes we forget how important our friendships
are to You for they are represent some of the most fertile soil in which
You are able to cultivate our hearts and character... and in so doing,
we become bouquets of blessing to bring the fragrance of Christ
to the world!  Remind us Father of what a great blessing
friendship was designed to be and help us cultivate the ones we have.

Tender Hearts...

It was such a blessing to spend the evening with Marsha and Jack last night!
The joy of the Lord truly filled our hearts and home.

 
They are so tender-hearted and passionate about serving God and others...
through all they are and all they do...
especially in their ministry and their marriage!

Jack is not only the publisher of my books and countless others...
he is also a bestselling author himself... probably best known for his
God's Promises series... you may even own one!

And Marsha exudes the git of encouragement to all who
come near to her... and if you're not near... she'll send you a card
or note of blessing just to remind you that you are loved!

And thinking of God's love being revealed through His people...
my heart is breaking for the people of Japan right now...
and I know yours is too!  We can only pray God's hope
and comfort be made known to them as they have experienced
a catastrophic tragedy unlike most of us can even imagine.
I also pray God shows each of us how we can help in earthly ways as well
so we can love through deeds and not just words.

Reveal Yourself to the people of Japan Lord... 
so they might know Your great love.
Comfort them as only You can.  Amen

Lemony Sunshine Bouquet...

My publisher, Jack Countryman, and his sweet wife, Marsha...
who is also a dear dear friend of mine...
are coming to our house for dinner tonight...
all the way from Nashville!!


And they sent this bouquet yesterday... to hearken their arrival...
isn't it GORGEOUS? So beautiful... bright and cheerful!


And I love the lemon accent in the bottom of the vase... so clever!


Flowers always have a way of drawing my heart and thoughts to God...
and these definitely brought a ray of SUNSHINE into my kitchen...
and SONSHINE into my heart...


a reflection of the  beauty of a 13 year publishing and friendship
relationship between this dear couple and myself...


a relationship that many of you have been blessed by...


through the dozen or so books we've done together over the years!


I'm so excited to see them... it's been awhile...
I'm already imagining all the hugging and loving and laughter
that will fill my heart and home tonight!!

I couldn't keep the beauty of this bouquet to myself...
I knew it needed to be shared... with YOU!
May it brighten your day and bring a smile to your face!!

Thank You Father God for the beauty and blessing
of flowers and friends!!

Love and God-hugs to you...

Great Idea for Photo Christmas Cards!!

Have you noticed the trend toward sending photo Christmas cards...
especially among you younger families with children?


I love them!   But what do you do with them after the holidays?


My Michelle is so creative... she posted this great and easy idea on her blog.
Make a picture book that you can bring out every Christmas! Such fun!


Oh so simple...
using your 3-hole punch... line up the cards so that it punch only TWO holes
evenly spaced on the cards.  If you're using a single punch you will want to
measure and mark them first so the holes line up.


I did discover that I needed to glue some of my photos to non-photo cards
in order not to punch someone's head out of the picture!  (LOL for the pun)


Michelle used binder rings for hers but I don't have any so I used ribbon.
Easy peasy... and you have a memory book for years to come!

Even though I get far fewer photo cards than she does...
I love this idea and will use it every year from now on.
How fun to be able to pull it out each year and see how the children are
growing... or in our case... how much more gray one has in their hair!

In fact, we've never sent a photo card before because it's just Michael and I
but next year... I don't want to get left out of anyone's picture book so I'm
thinking a photo card may need to be added to my Christmas to-do list.

What do you think?  Great idea or what? 
THANKS MICHELLE for sharing your creativity with us!

"The memory of the righteous will be a blessing..."
Proverbs 10:7

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