Karla's Korner

Be My Valentine... Etsy Sale...

You are my Valentine... no doubt about it!!



So please accept this 20% OFF EVERYTHING Etsy Shop Sale as my Valentine 
gift to you and my way of saying THANK YOU for being God's Valentine to me!
Good for 3 days only... Thursday through Saturday... February 12-14!
Use the promo code - VALENTINE2015 - at checkout to receive the discount.

You are God's Valentine to me...
His love and blessing expressed through you to me!

Your love, support and encouragement is what enables me to keep doing 
what I know God has called me to do... to create art designed to
encourage your faith, inspire your creativity, and provide you with 
resources to help you be a blessing to others.

Seriously... because of you... I am blessed...
and I can only hope the feeling is mutual!

I pray God pours out His love into your heart this Valentine's weekend
as only He can... and may it overflow onto anyone and everyone
He brings your way!

xoxoxo

Bible Journaling Inspired Painting... and so much more

My studio has been a busy place and I'm LOVING it!

I have really been enjoying Bible Journaling these last few weeks and the designs that have flowed out of this creative and reflective time spent with the Lord have not only deeply spoken to my heart but also inspired me to transform one of these designs into a painting on canvas! 

The above Bible page was my inspiration...

and I LOVE how it turned out... including the scallops along the sides! 

The painting measures 8"x24" so will be a bit of challenge to offer as a frameable print but am hoping to have some mounted prints in the days to come if anyone is interested.

Valentine's Day is almost here!

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays... nowhere near Christmas and Thanksgiving and Easter mind you... but I do love it. Not because I get showered with flowers and candy and gifts (my sweetheart is not a romantic)... but because of the imagery and the colors!  I love hearts. I love sweetness.  And above all... I love LOVE.

So to share the love... and help you share the love... I created this charming little collection of Valentine Friends Forever INSTANT DOWNLOAD Printables. So whether you wrap up some candies for the Sunday School kids, cut up some bookmarks for your Bible Study gals, or just use the art for scrapbooking or list making... these little birdies are sure to bring a sweet smile to your heart just in time for Valentine's Day!

NEW Scripture Bookmarks/Bible Journaling Tags

Bible Journaling my way through the book of Luke has been a spiritual treat!

As I read two open pages at a sitting, I ask the Lord to speak to me through one verse in particular and whichever one speaks loudest... that's the one I choose to journal.

The first set of Bible Journaling Bookmarks was a huge hit... but they were all very positive and uplifting so I can understand why. Most of the verses in this NEW Luke 6-9 Bookmarks collection however tend to be more convicting, teaching or admonishing rather than blessing so it will be interesting to see how popular they are... even though they all have such power to change one's life. 

I do think that Luke 7:50 would be perfect for giving to a new believer as a gift of affirmation and encouragement... and the others might be great for specific Bible study groups. But bottom line... my blessing is to hear from God and respond with worship and creativity. After that... I simply offer them up to the Lord and to others and He takes it from there!

By request... Core Values Bookmarks and Card Art...

I've always loved this art... such a fun and creative way to share the core values of godly living. I can't even tell you how many prints of this image I've sold to teachers but I'm blessed to know it's hanging on lots of walls in lots of schools... Christian and secular... around the country! 

I had already started the re-design into these Core Values Scripture Bookmarks when I got a request for them, so it was a no-brainer to stop and take the time to finish them up and make them available. I do hope they are a resource and blessing to some of you as well.

 
A few words to ponder...

Above all... put on love! Perfect verse for this month of love and romance!

But Valentine's Day can be so highly over rated... at least in my book. Like I said earlier... my sweetheart is not a romantic and for years it would momentarily break my heart on those Valentine's days when I did not get the flowers and chocolates other women got. 

And then one day while I was still working an office job, a huge bouquet of red roses was delivered to the front desk... my desk. But they weren't for me. They were for the young woman whose desk was nearby. My heart sunk. And then God reminded me of all the fights I had heard between this woman and her husband... the words of abuse they threw at each other... the infidelity... the lack of respect. In that moment I heard that gentle voice of the Lord asking me if I would choose chocolate and roses one day of the year over 365 of the kind of love that Michael and I have... the kind of love that is patient, kind, considerate, faithful and all the rest? Not hard to answer that one.

But of course... I wanted both. And these days I do get both. But after almost 44 years of marriage I am much more thankful for the kind of love that God has given us for one another... unconditional and everlasting.

Which is really good for me since I am the crazy artist kind who has the ability drive a man nuts without even trying!! Bless his heart.

So let's make this Valentine's day more about finding ways to share God's love in a way that lasts more than a day... but instead... letting His love for us so fill our hearts that it can't help but spill over... blessing others and bringing glory to the Lord all year long!

HAPPY VALENTINE"S DAY
with love...
From God... and me!

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

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

Happy Valentine's Day...


Today can be one of those holidays where sweet expectations can be met
with heartbreaking disappointment and the devil may try to whisper in your ear
to try and convince you that you are not loved... or lovable. But it ain't so!

God's love is so much greater than human love... and it is unconditional and
forever and ever! And He says you ARE lovable... and much LOVED! 
So take a moment to quiet your heart and let God love on you!
Okay now...  go pass it on... gp give someone a Valentine hug...
or pick up the phone and tell someone how special they are to you!

And just for the record... I LOVE YOU!!
My life is sweeter because you're in it!
Will you be my Valentine?
xoxo

Looking Forward to Love...

One of the goals I have on my list for this year is to celebrate life more!
I want to use any and every reason. I want to celebrate ordinary days and
special days. Anniversaries. Birthdays. I'm Happy Days!
And I want to celebrate holidays... including Valentine's Day!

So I'm spending some time creating with Valentine's Day in mind... fun!
So I just finished this charming little digital collection of "Owl Always Love You"
Valentine Clip Art and listed in my Etsy Shop. If you love owls this might be
perfect for your Valentine cardmaking, tags, scrapbooking, and more.

What I love about this collection is the saying "Owl always love you" because
that's what God says to us. His love endures forever.  It never ends. He'll
never ever leave us or forsake us and because His love for us is unconditional,
there is nothing that can separate us from His love... nothing... ever!

Now if that's not a sweet Valentine message, I don't know what is!
God tells us He loves us always. Who needs to hear those words from you?

And you should know by now...

xoxo
Karla