Meet Karla Welch

We were lucky to catch up with Karla Welch recently and have shared our conversation below.

Karla, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I found my purpose when I was 5 years old, when my parents worked at a fashion designing studio in Los Angele, CA. I had access to materials, paints, textiles, sewing machines, scissors, and cloth. The day was my canvas and my imagination ran free. My purpose was to be a creative woman.
I am now a mother of 4, and a wife. I live a life full of creativity, even in the short minutes, and I still see the world the same way I did when I was 5 years old.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I started my jewelry brand, Lazo & Stone in 2017. It started as an outlet after becoming a new mom. It helped me relax and use my creativity to play with colors and string. I made jewelry for my sister and friends. It quickly became popular among my circle. The feedback helped me developed the courage to launch my first jewelry collection in summer 2018. It was important for me to integrate my culture and techniques together with jewelry. Lazo & Stone is a hybrid mix of my identity as a Mexican modern woman. I mix color and make it modern and earthy along with natural semi precious stones, 14k gold filed, silk and other high quality materials. My current collection was inspired by the Mexican coastal beaches of playa del Carmen and Quintana Roo. I used natural pearls to create a collection that embodies feminine style. This new collection is strong and gentle, it’s the perfect paradox of womanhood for me. I discovered a new journey back in 2022. My husband had told me I should be a photographer. He thought I had a good eye for photography, and to be honest I was skeptical. A few friends supported me. It wasn’t until my loving husband believed in me and gifted me a camera for my birthday in August 2022 that this new journey began. I had tried to convince him I just needed the latest Iphone! However he was convinced I was worth the gift. That meant a lot to me. I felt very loved the day I opened up my new camera, I can cry happy tears. It’s a beautiful thing when someone believes in you. I hope someday everyone can experience that. I started doing photo shoots with my beautiful sister in my jewelry. I practiced a lot and it was very hard because photography can be very technical and I’m the opposite. But the challenges helped me grow. Ive found amazing friends due to my business. Honestly more than money can buy or business can make. I’ve meet friends and creative, artistic souls that have become like sisters. Women that support me and I support them. I could tell the world how I’ve found my purpose on my own, but it all was provided by my Father in heaven. I’ve found my purpose with people around me. People that inspire me and that believe in me, people that nurture me and help me grow as a woman, wife, mother daughter, sister, friend, photographer, and jewelry maker. People in my life have given me purpose, it started with my amazing parents and continued with amazing friendships I’ve been blessed to have. When I thought I had found what I loved to do, my friend and photography studio owner gave me the opportunity to start a new journey to become a wedding photographer at Moving Mountains photography. I don’t know what the new path will look like, but my name is Karla Welch and only good things happen to me.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

When I look back, I think humility is one of the three most important qualities of my journey. I think humility is the hardest. Humility is simply accepting who I am. It’s simple but so helpful. I’m not humble by any means. But I learn a lot when I pray for it hahaha! I think accepting my weakness makes life more manageable when my journey doesn’t go my way or the way I picture it. Humility helps me accept my miseries and change them. It’s as painful as growing pains, but accepting that I need to grow changes me. It gets rid of all comparison, jealousy and envy. Those feelings can be real, and human, but destructive. It’s a challenge to desire it but a necessity. The second is so obvious, but it’s love. Love people around you, love yourself, accept yourself the way you are with your weaknesses and strengths. Love people the way you want to be loved, and you will see the world change. It’s not the world changing. It’s your view. If you love the sunshine, love the rain too. The third is, choose to grow. It’s a complex skill but everyone is choosing to grow or not to grow. Everyday we chose the type of person we are. We can’t escape the decision. If I chose not to do what I’m suppose to, I’m simply getting further away from what I’m made to be. Choose wisely.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

I had a life changing experience more than a decade ago, and one of the most important things I learned was to live every day like it was literally the last. I promised myself I wouldn’t ever have a bad day ever again. I don’t have bad days. Sometimes they are “challenging” but never bad. And it’s been an incredible life I’ve lived since. If I had a decade of life left to live, I’d keep doing what I do but better. I want to keep growing in love, humility, and joy. I would love to be more present and read more books. I think that’s what I’ll do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Lazoandstone.com
• Instagram: Lazoandstone
• Facebook: Lazoandstone
• Other: https://karlawelchphotography.myportfolio.com/

Image Credits

Erica Nisi
Karla Welch