Main Street Monday!

 

Happy Monday!

 

I don't take many pictures of myself these days!  However, my daughter requested that we have a "photo shoot"...just the two of us!  When your 13-year old daughter requests to take photos together...you do it! 

 

Cass' best friend is a phenomenal photographer.  Here is a little sample of her art work!  Enjoy!

 

 

I managed to steal the camera...and take a few shots of the girls together!  Most of them...I cannot post because they are silly...when the two of them get together...you never know what is going to happen!  I will treasure them and the memory of the day! 

 

BUT...I loved this one of the two of them! 

 

Life is like a vapor...if your child requests time with you...say yes...AND treasure every second!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Expect miracles, laugh often, and always color outside the lines!

 

xo-

Lara

 



At the Cross

2 Corinthians 9:8

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

 

What an amazing promise!  Have a blessed week!

 

xo-

Lara

At The Cross

 

Ecclesiastes 3:11-14

 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.  I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.  That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.  I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will revere him.

What a GREAT passage of Scripture!  This week, I hope you discover your beauty...through God's eyes!  He has given each one of us unique beauty, unique life circumstances, unique gifts, and unique ways to use all of it to bring Him glory! 

 

Before one of my leather cuffs becomes a beautiful adornment that a woman wears on her wrist, it is pounded, shaped, textured, painted and stained.  Before a journal is ever used by customer, it is disassembled, stitched, gathered, pierced, and sewn.  Beauty comes in time.  It is a process.  There are days when we are pressed on all sides...there are days we are stripped of all dignity and laid out raw...there are days we feel like we cannot take another step on our own...AND the good news is He can restore!  He can make things new!  He can take your ashes and produce beauty!  

 

As you live, and move, and breath this week...thank God for your circumstances and ask Him to help you see the beauty in the ashes!

 

Have a blessed day!

 

xo-

Lara

The Documented Life Project - Week 2&3

Week 2 - Self Portrait and 2014 - My One Word

 

 

 

Week 3 - Use a piece of mail

 

 

I LOVE security envelopes!  I can't wait to journal on this card tonight!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Expect miracles, laugh often, and always color outside the lines!

 

xo-

Lara

 

 

Wednesday Words for Your Heart

 

Ephesians 3:16-21

 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

 

God's love is total.  It reaches every corner of our experience.  It is wide - it covers the breadth of our own experiences, and it reaches out to the whole world.  God's love is long - it continues the length of our lives.  God's love is high - it rises to the heights of our celebration and elation.  His love is deep - it reaches to the depths of discouragement, despair, and even death.  You can never be lost to God's love...for His love is immeasurable!

 

I hope you feel His love today!  May God bless you richly!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Expect miracles, laugh often, and always color outside the lines.

 

xo-

Lara

 

Art Journal Peek

 

My one word for 2014 is EMERGE.  I asked my family and several friends what came to mind when they thought of the word emerge AND how they believed it related to me personally.

 

This piece is a collaboration of the thoughts of my daughter and my father.  My daughter thought that the cocoon represented many of the stresses or struggles in the past five years...and that in the last year or two I have started to break out of the cocoon to become a beautiful butterfly...confident, wanting to share my art, stepping out of my comfort zone, and taking artistic risks.  My father saw it from the business side...taking risks and making decisions to boost my art career and my future dreams.  Both of them used a butterfly coming out of its cocoon as an analogy.

 

 

The cocoon is covered with words that often times feel binding or stressful or feel like just a little step to becoming an artist...

 

 

I'm so excited to see how God is going to use my one word for 2014.

 

 

A hand-cut arrow...on a flap...covering this picture...

 

 

I just LOVE this picture!  I'm not sure why...but I could not cover it up with paint!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Expect miracles, laugh often, and always color outside the lines!

 

xo-

Lara

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the Cross

 

Psalm 46:10

Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.

 

Colossians 4:2

Devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

 

This is a great reminder..that if we are still...acknowledging our Father and His perfect timing...praying for others and opportunities to serve...God ALWAYS provides!  God ALWAYS blesses!  God ALWAYS works on our behalf!  We serve an awesome God!  I pray that you will be watchful and thankful for ALL of the blessings that God gives you this week! 

 

Have a Wonderful Sunday!

 

xo-

Lara

Saturday Sneak Peeks

 

 

 

I have been working on a lot of new journals!

 

 

I am also working on some new cards...which means...

 

 

A LOT of Gelli printing!  I'm having so much fun!

 

I hope you enjoyed your Saturday!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Expect miracles, laugh often, and always color outside the lines!

 

xo-

Lara

 

 

 

 

"Junk Journal" 2014 Planner

I taught my second class last night!

 

 

These ladies did an amazing job! 

 

 

I made a few new journal cards, tickets, tags, and fun little ephemera to sew into the books.

 

 

Each lady had a lot of space to spread out and sort through supplies.

 

 

 

This is Debbie!  She is just learning to sew...and doing a fabulous job!  It is so exciting to hear about her creative adventures!

 

This is Nancy.  She had the most amazing vintage goodies!  Everyone was very envious of her stash!  I'm looking forward to an email...ready to help her de-stash...de-clutter...make something beautiful! 

 

This is Pam.  She is the owner of Genevieve's.  She used an old skirt to make her journal.  I LOVE the way it turned out!

 

This is Cheri.  She took my previous class on "junk" journals.  She told me that after the class she made several journals and even participated in a swap.  She brought a couple of her journals with her...her work is amazing!  

 

I'm looking forward to many more art adventures with these ladies!

 

It was a wonderful evening!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Expect miracles, laugh often, and always color outside the lines.

 

xo-

Lara

 



Wednesday Words for Your Heart

 

 

Happy Hump Day!

 

One of the things I'm adding to my blog this year is "Wednesday Words for Your Heart".  I recently started following Holley Gerth...you can see her blog here.  She is a Christian author and has an inspiring blog! 

 

She started "Coffee for your heart" this year.  It is supposed to represent a time each week that she would sit and have coffee with you...and over coffee...these are the topics that may come up. 

 

Today's topic:

What encouraging words do you want the people you care about to hear as they begin the New Year?

 

 

So...sit back, relax, and grab your c...cup o' Jo...'cause here we go...

 

1.  You are beautiful!  God created you just as you are, for His Glory, and I wish you could see all that you have to offer this world!  Do not sell yourself short in 2014.

 

 

2. Dream a wild adventure...then live it out this year, Love like tomorrow is your last day, and inspire others to be their best!

 

 

3. I am so blessed to have you in my life!  Thank you for loving me, listening to me, laughing with me, and always encouraging me to follow my heart and my dreams.

 

 

4.  LOVE resides here...He is alive today...working in you and working in me...to make us more like Him. 

 

So...wrap yourself in His love today...bask in His Greatness and in His Glory!

 

 

5.  Whatever you do...make today a "happy day"!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Expect miracles, laugh often, and always color outside the lines.

 

xo-

Lara

 

 

 

At the Cross

 

Philippians 3:13

 

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

 

All this cold weather and snow has been harsh...but beautiful!

 

I was looking out my back window waiting for Miss Abbey this morning...and I had this absolute peace...this message from Christ..."Lara, I make ALL things new...just like that snow...2014 is a clean slate...I have washed your life white as snow...what will you do in 2014 to color the world for Me?"

 

I will start by celebrating my One Little Word for the Year!

 

How are you going to color your world?

 

Stay warm and have a blessed day!

 

xo-

Lara

Saturday Sneak Peeks

Gelli Printing LOVE

 

I spent the weekend making all sorts of painted ephemera to sew on journal covers, 52card pick-up messages, and handmade greeting cards.

 

 

This is the first coat of paint for my 52card Pick-up messages.

 

 

These are large gelli print tags.

 

 

This is a new journal using one of the painted tags!

 

 

Painted and embossed paper flowers.  I LOVE how they turned out!  I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do with them...but you will definitely see them again!

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Expect miracles, laugh often, and always color outside the lines!

 

xo-

Lara