The fantastic Jenni Bowlin...

What a privilege to do a class with Jenni Bowlin at the South African Scrapbook Expo!!
She is an amazing Designer, and i totally love her range of paper and embellishments!
It was so much fun to meet her in person, and i think she did amazing for her first time out of her Country.
Jenni, i hope you enjoyed visiting our Country, and that the people of South Africa will stay in your heart forever!
I've asked Jenni to sign my layout, so, now i have a Jenni Bowlin original!!









Today is also my Mom's birthday, she died 9 years ago, today would have been her 68th birthday!

These are her flowers, she planted them in this pot over ten years ago, and every year this time, they shine in their glory!!
They are a reminder to me that no matter how small we think we are, we leave footprints on this earth. We touch people's lifes with the things we do and say, and that there will always be somebody that loves us unconditionally!
I love my Mom this way, to me she will live forever, she is part of who i am!!
So, my Lilly, i love you with all my heart, and i miss you every day! Happy Birthday!



with a tear in my eye...
k
xx

My little firefly...

Oh wow, i am back from a wonderful Scrapbooking week with me Sister-in-law, at the 5th Scrapbook Expo, and how much fun was that!!!! We stayed at the Sandton City Garden Court Hotel, and i felt like a Celebrity!!
We had 8 classes in 2 days, my favourite being the famous and fun-filled Celine Navarro!! It is not fair to have a favourite, because i truly thing that all the Girls were great, i just love Celine's Scrapbooking!!


I made this page for the Talent Search, and i loved it! I think it is because i could just use so much paint, and it worked in the end! Printed the pictures on transparency in order to add words underneath, i just love the whole collage effect!









I am super excited about something, and i can't wait to share with you all!! I am starting 'ONLINE CLASSES' soon, like in October, the details will be on the blog by end of September!! Classes will contain a Video and also step-by-step instructions with pictures. I do, however have to ask you, that if you are interested, to please send me an email at lasbotha@mweb.co.za, in order for me to get a contact list together for future information.


Thank you for taking the time to do that!!

I leave you with Luke 1:30
"and the angel said to her, Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found grace (free spontaneous, absolute favor of loving-kindness) with God"

Don't be afraid today, God loves you, just as you are, go out and be who He wants you to be!

love
k
xx

Hello World...

My name is Wimpie, please to meet you!
Is she not the cutest thing in the world?? She is the second calf we have to raise by hand, her Mommy does not have milk for her. She spend a few days with us at the house (she now thinks she is a dog), but today she is reunited with her Mother, although we still have to hand feed her four times a day! I seriously believe my Husband has the best job in the world, he spends his day with animals and not people!
Her name is dedicated to Wilmarie, (aka: Wimpie), who is Nanny to my Sister's kids, but we love her so much, and she is leaving the end of the year when her contract expires.
Have a blessed day people, mine will definately be because my Husband prayed for me this morning.
I leave you with this wonderful scripture:

Gen 28:15
"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go...I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you!"

Just imagine what you can do today, with this promise from the Bible, anything is possible!!!

lotsa love
k
xx

flying into art...

That is how i feel, i made so many things lately, and i love every moment! I bought this thingy for the many remotes in our home, more than a year ago, and finally i got round to do something with it. It looks so cute standing next to the TV, and amazingly, when somebody walks into our Lounge, it is the first thing they notice!


Looks like the creative juices only came up with Decoupage, but it's ok, Donna Downey said: "Perfect just the way you created it"

I finished a chapter in Luke today, and Joyce Meyer said the following in the Every Day Life Bible:
"What do you think is the most important part of a house? It's the foundation, of course, as we learn from Luke 6.
Without a firm foundation, a house is constantly in danger of collapsing. The same is true in your life as a Christian. Knowing God's Word and obeying it is the foundation of the Christian life. Ask God to teach you His Word and to help you obey Him in every area of your life, so you can stand strong in all circumstances!"
Have a strong day!
love and many kisses
k
xx

love...

Today's post is all about love! The things i love and cherish, like sweet C.J. that turned 5 a few days ago, and this picture of Gemma showing some real "Puppy Love"

Most of all, i love this picture of my 16 year old son, acting in a school play, i just love his sense of humour and his fantastic personality!
I love this dog, this big, fat, lazy creature lives inside my heart, this is her struggling to get up and come into the house...

This is just a few pictures i took this week of the things i love dearly!

I leave you with this scripture:
Isaiah 49
"Behold, I have indelibly imprinted a picture of you on the palm of each of My hands, your walls are continually before Me..."
God loves us just as we are, and He will never forget us!
love
k
xx

Every day life...

I am so sorry i stayed away so long, but lets just leave it at that! I missed u all very much, happy to say i am scrapping again, (making time) and also love to share my latest and greatest. Made this (whatever u wanna call it) for Gemma on her 4th birthday, it was a fantastic project and i have to say, i have 5 orders already. The whole ageing thing is my scene, and the Decoupage was fun.
i want to share with you Isaiah 49,

.... and the Lord answered,
"Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you!"

Need i say more...

love and a kiss
k
x

my purpose...

The wonderful book of Isaiah is my favourite book in the Bible, God has spoken to me so many times through these scriptures, and i am so excited every time i find something new! 14:26 tells us about God's purpose, and i love Joyce Meyer's commentary on this verse:

"If we do not have a purpose in life, we feel useless, worthless and frustrated, so it is very important for us to see that "God has designed us with a purpose in mind...
Right now you may be in a time of transition from one season to the next. If so, do not be discouraged, God will show you what He has for you to do next.....
Not only do we need to know our purpose, we need to do it "on purpose". This involves decisions to live right....
Our flesh is not always going to agree with us to do the right things, but we must choose to live on purpose, give on purpose, and stay at peace on purpose.
Everything we do for others, and everything we do in life needs to be done on purpose!!!
Ask God to help you increasingly become a person on purpose!"


I just love this canvas i made for my niece for her birthday, inspired by the very talented Suziblu, i loved making this. Made a few more in December, i will share them later this week!

Find your purpose, choose to live on purpose!
love you
k
xx

Delivered, and free!!

Oh, a very happy and wonderful 2008 for you all!! These are my three words for 2008, "DELIVERED, AND FREE!" and only 1 New Years resolution, believe it or not, and that is to blog regularly! As from today, i am also going to create much more, at least something every day, my schedule is hectic, and my dream to stay at home and create all day is safely stored in my Heavenly Father's storehouse, and i know that when the time is right, He will make it possible, but for now, He wants me out there, and that is where i'll be!

I had some trouble adjusting to my surroundings, and i can only quote Joyce Meyer...
"James 1 teaches us that we should rejoice in difficult situations, knowing that through them, God tests our faith to bring out patience. I find that trials do eventually produce patience, but first they bring all kinds of junk to the surface such as pride, anger, rebellion, self-pity and complaining. We need to face and deal with these ungodly traits before patience can come forth.

The Bible talks about purification, sanctification, sacrifice and suffering. These are not popular words, nevertheless, if we are to be Christlike in character, we must sometimes go through difficult circumstances to learn His ways. I struggled with this process for a long time, but i finally realized that God was not going to do things my way. He placed people and situations in my life that caused me to want to quit this whole process, and he did not want an argument from me. He only wanted to hear: "Yes Lord, Your Will be done!" Amen!

Oh, how fantastic when you get to this point, because it truly sets you free!!!!
Enjoy these pages with me, made them in a class by the ever so talented Wilna Furstenburg, changed them a bit, added some collage effects since that is what i am into at the moment!!

i leave you with this...
James 1:3-4
Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
But, let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be (people) perfectly and fully developed (with no defects), lacking in nothing!

love and many kisses
k
xx

Cosmo love...

Yip, i fall in love with every range of Cosmo Cricket!!! Unfortunately they are not available all the time in our local shops, any way, used this range again on Chantel's Engagement Album. I loved making this book (although i had only 2 evenings and one afternoon) to finish it. I always get these "brilliant ideas" on no.99 and usually there is hardly enough time to finish. I made this in the form of a Guest Book, the pages are filled with little envelopes with tags where all the guests could write letters and sign their names. Such a fun idea and it worked wonderful, i also took pictures of all the guests attending the Engagement Party, but I must still add the pics to the tags.

This morning Wilna asked the question, what makes life worth living?, it got me thinking.....
God formed me in His Divine Mind, He had a purpose for me being here, living this life with my husband, children, family and friends. I am here for a reason, not just by accident, and so are you!! Our purpose is to serve Him, be His children, and that alone, should be reason enough to make life worth living!
Untill tomorrow...
k
xx

Life on the farm...

is incredible!! I love everything about nature, and for a large part of my life i lived on a farm as a child, now my children are blessed to experience the same! We worked so hard on the house, took us forever to paint the inside, now they are busy with the outside, once it is finished, i'll post some pictures! For now, i want to share my first movie with you, photos are from the last photo shoot with my son and my two nieces, Chantal and Stephanie. I took these pictures two weeks ago, a day before Chantal's engagement, on the farm in one of the fields. Enjoy the beautiful mountains in the pictures, we are totally surrounded by them, amazing to see God's creation, perfectly created, just like us!!

May God bless you today, and may you experience the comfort of the Holy Spirit in it's fullness!!
love
k
xx

It's me...

i am so sorry, but i am burning to share all that has been happening to me lately with you all, but for some or other reason, i cannot seem to upload any photo's, any help out there???
be blessed
k
xx

i am so alive!!!

and thank you so very much for all of you who missed me, i am so sorry for not at least leaving you a note to tell you about all the changes in my life!
We are moving in three days time, so, most of my stuff are packed, and i had to complete so many things for the new magazine i am working for!!! Be patient with me for a few more weeks, then i'll be unpacked and online again, we are moving to a farm (i am so blessed) and i still have to sort out 3G card or something to get the Internet running again in my new home. God has been so faithful in all His promises to us as a family, i want to shout it out from the rooftops!
I will post pictures of our new home, thank you for being patient with me, and i also miss communicating with all of you so much!
take care, i will visit your blogs and let you know when i am up and running again!
all my love
karin
xx

why i love paint...

cause i have to paint!! seriously, one of the previous houses we stayed in was really every room a different colour! i've calmed down a bit, but just a bit, now i paint as much as i can in my scrapbooking, and i love it!!
made this page for Gemma, after reading one of God's promises to me again this morning, and this is my prayer for her, that this will be true in her life one day!
Jeremiah 29

For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope!

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for me with all your heart!

And I will be find by you, declares the Lord!!
This promise has pulled me through some really tough times, and i remind God constantly of this promise!!
Seek Him with ALL YOUR HEART and every promise in the Bible is yours,
He is such an awesome Father!

all my love
coveredinpaintkarin
xx

calling out to you and me...

He has fire in His eyes, and a sword in His hand,
Riding a white horse across this land,
Calling out to you and me...
"Will you ride with me!"
and i say, "YES, YES LORD, i'll ride with Thee!"

Isn't this AMAZING???
I've been listening to this song the whole week, and unfortunately for those around me, i've been singing along every time!!
it's not all i've been doing, made some cards...













Not really my style, but i had to make an example of a certain technique, just dunno what i'm going to do with all these cards!! lol

Have you been grateful today?
i am grateful for God's financial provision, for the food on our table today, for being healthy, for being loved by my family and friends, for my work, for the rain we had today, and for God's children listening to His Voice!! Today all the glory to Him who provides for His children!!
looking for me? - i am out riding on a white horse with my Lord!
love
k
xx

tag-a-long

on my journey... i'm preparing an article for a scrapbook magazine, and i loved making these tags today! i'll give you a sneak preview...
This was truly a wonderful Sunday, Bouts and I both teach Sunday School, and today we had class together! It was very cold, (well, for Tzaneen anyway) and we decided to sit outside in the sun. So, we all lined up against the wall, sat like ducks in a row, bathing in the sun and discussed 1 Corinthians, it was amazing! Very interesting book in the Bible, and because the people of Corinth were from different religions, this often caused problems in the church, and created a need for Paul to write this letter!

The Word i do want to share with you today is in Isaiah 26:3

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind (both its inclination and its character) is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You and hopes confidently in You,
so, trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock (the Rock of Ages)

Oh wow!! these are powerful words, pray, live and breathe them this week, let them be part of who you are and true in every thing you do!

The best part of this day, however, was my visit to my friend, Claire's blog, please visit her and see this wonderful gift she has given me!! I feel spoiled and loved today because of you Claire, thank you so much. Would all my blog readers please be so kind as to leave her a message and tell her what a good heart she has?? I thank you!

from a "committed to my God" girl
k
xx

It is all about Family...

The most important thing in this world is our Families, and i want to stand with Joshua!

Joshua 24:15
and if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell, but
as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!

Regardless of what other people may think, serving and following God really is the only way to live a fulfilling, victorious life!
Do not let anyone steal from you what Jesus died to give you - freedom - freedom to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit for you as an individual! - Joyce Meyer

Oh, my heart just overflows with love and gratitude for my family, if living this life is like a writing a song, my family is the melody to already perfect words of love!


Please remember every day to pray for your Family, i do feel that it is the most vulnerable place in every person's life, and we need to trust in the Lord to protect us! This third kit that i've designed is my visible prayer to God to protect and bless my Family!
a hug and a kiss
k
xx

i received a letter...

in the post today!!!!! All the way from America, my friend Jen (aka Zoey's Mom) send me an authentic birthday card!!!! I totally love it! Thank you so much Jen, you made my day!
I was so inspired that i went digging in all my stuff to make cards, and i found these two cards, made them last year September at the Scrapbook Expo! Oh please, post a letter to somebody you know today, it is an incredible feeling to receive an actual hand written letter again, and not just email, you are truly a star Jen!
An amazing thing happened, one of my pages featured on the Making Memories Blog and i did not even see it, thanks Jen for letting me know!

I found Jabez's prayer again this week, and it changed me all over again!

1 Chronicles 4:10
Jabez cried to the God of Israel saying: Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and You would keep me from evil so it might not hurt me!
And God granted his request

so simple, and yet to powerful!! my prayer for you this week, is that you will pray this with a pure heart for yourself and your families, and that God will grant your request!
love from a blessed girl with enlarged borders!!
k
xx

His beloved...

Psalm 127 says:
It is vain for you to rise up early, to take rest late, to eat the bread of {anxious} toil - for He gives {Blessings} to His beloved in sleep

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. We may be able to build, but what we build will not last if God is not involved in it. He is our Partner in life, and as such, He desires to be a part of everything we do. God is interested in every facet of our lives. Believing that truth is the beginning of an exciting journey with Him - Joyce Meyer

Oh, my heart is completely filled with these words, so true and amazing, i want to read this every day, and not only for my marriage, but i want it to be true in every thing i do!
This is the second kit i designed, and this time it is "17 years in review", the "then" and "now".
i don't say this often enough, i am thankful to a wonderful Lord, who blessed me with my family, i am His beloved, He gives me blessings in my sleep!
my cup runneth over
k
xx

God is good!

and it is amazing just how good!! We found the perfect charming little house, right in the middle of town for our new offices, came to us very unexpectedly, and that after all the estate agents in this town tried to get it for years!! I love, love this house, i think over seventy years old, and we are now restoring it to former glory!! We have really worked very hard this week, and i was just to tired every night to scrapbook or write my blog, forgive me!
But, this weekend, i am alone, all the men in this house are going to a farm very, very far from here to hunt, they are so excited, SO AM I, cause i am going to lock the gate and just CREATE!!
This page here is the second page of a double layout, and you know me, i find a new technique and and use it obsessively until i find the next new thing to do. At the moment it is layering, the whole collage thing fascinates me tremendously, and i love the look.
i pray that you will be protected, and cherished by God for the rest of this week, and that if you are maybe down and a bit depressed by your circumstances, that you will find joy and comfort in His Word, just sit down and read, the answer is there!
hang on, and i love all of you!
k
xx

what i know

after 17 years if marriage,
love is very hard work, but the reward in the end is worth everything!
To have is marriage without God is not even worth the effort!!
Having children with the man you love, is the most fulfilling thing in this world!
Only take advice from a man who listens to God!
Give everything you have, you will receive so much more!
True love, is accepting each other just as you are!
Happiness comes from within, it is not something somebody can give you!
Faith is the foundation of any relationship!
Broken trust can heal, if you truly want it to!
To love is a choice, and not a feeling!
Laughter heals all pain!
signing off with gratitude...
k
xx