“I’m a creative.”

That’s what Carla Binder calls herself for spending much of her life creating eclectic arts and crafts.

She’s a 30-year resident of Palmerton and operates an art and design studio in town that she calls, “Taking Deeper Roots,” where she displays and sells a collection of her own crafts and artwork.

An early start

“My interest in using my imagination to create things goes all the way back to my kindergarten days,” she explained. “My mother would set up a TV tray and I’d have pencils, crayons, and coloring books given to me by my grandmother. The tray was put into the corner of the living room and she brought it back out whenever I wanted.”

Carla’s affection for creating projects continued through two summers of attending art classes in Schnecksville. “My interest was all over the place,” she said. “I was crafting pottery, sketching, painting, and eventually my love for using my imagination led me to architectural design.”

From drawing to dwelling

She took classes at Northampton Community College in the fields of architectural technology and interior design. Her education was rewarded with employment at architecture and engineering companies.

Then came what was one of her greatest achievements. “In 1989, I was working for a Lehigh Valley architect and was put to the task of designing a house to be built in Palmerton. It was a very large house set back in the woods. I designed a built-in bar with glass doors that led to a patio and large bathroom with a huge tub as some of the house’s features.”

Carla watched contractors build the house through its completion. “It was super exciting, just amazing to see what had transformed from paper to product.”

She then began a business in her home she called, “Custom Framing by Carla” that she worked for 10 years.

“My inventory was inside my living room,” she said with a laugh.

Life changing experiences

In 2017, she was diagnosed with breast cancer that she no longer has today, but that concern and the death of a very close friend changed her attitude about life.

“I needed to reinvent myself. After 28 years working in the design business, I got tired of the deadlines and I wanted to do my own thing.”

One of those things was to take a solo trip across the country to California in 2019.

“I began by visiting the house called “Falling Waters” by Frank Lloyd Wright because I always admired his architectural designs. Then I spent 25 days t raveling across the country. I met some wonderful people along the way. When I got to California, I saw the giant redwood trees and the elephant seal preserve.

The best for her was yet to come. “When I finally put my feet into the Pacific Ocean, I had a good cry. I needed that so much. It actually was a joyful release for me.”

Her life would soon be confronted with another tragedy. Her husband Phil died in 2021. Since then, she’s reopened her framing business and has a shop full of artwork and crafts for sale.

New challenges

Last year, she subscribed to Evelyn Steffes Sherwood’s online program titled, “100 Days of Wonder 2024.” Sherwood challenged her subscribers to create something every day using any medium for 100 consecutive days with a one-word prompt she provides for inspiration.

“My first word was “forest,” she said. “I painted two pine trees that were close to my house. They reminded me of when I was a child and I would feel a comfortable cushion of pine needles under my feet when the world was filled with so much uncertainty.” She completed her 100 by creating mini abstract collages.

Her artwork is creative, therapeutic, and self- fulfilling. One of her customers has called her home business “a wonderful shop of unexpected treasures.”

Carla Binder views life as a spiritual gift to be treasured and filled with joyful moments of appreciating the peace from ‘taking deeper roots’ inside of God’s own creations.

To contact her art and design studio, email takingdeeperroots@gmail.com.