Crafts

Aug 07 2019

New Bag!

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: No Comments

 

 

New Bag!

I remember how intimated I was stepping into the business world. I would always wear a business suit and three-inch heels, hoping to make a good impression. It was important to me to look pulled together so the people I dealt with would assume I knew what I was doing.

This was a little horrifying to me because I always carried a purse about the size of Texas. As she proceeded with her talk, I learned women who carried small purses are perceived as decisive, powerful, organized, and goal orientated. All the things I wanted to be and felt I was not.

In that conference I learned big purse people were thought of as fun, artistic, easy-going and their purses were usually mess. (I knew that my purse carried papers, wrappers, candy, Swiss army knife and a telephone at the bottom I could never find. In fact, once something went into that purse, it could be lost forever. I thought my purse was my secret, I wonder if she had peeked.

At that moment I decided to become a small purse woman, so people would think I had all the attributes of a responsible businesswoman.
I laugh when I think back to those days when I put so much emphasis on a purse. Even funnier, I bought that small purse.

When I couldn’t get everything into it, I ended up carrying two Safeway bags around with the rest of my stuff. I had my small purse(which looked good) and to everyone else, it looked like I had just been shopping at Safeway with the other two bags. It worked for me! Reality finally set in and I gave up my Safeway shopping bags, and went back to my wonderful, carry everything at once, big purse.

Although I am quirky, creative, emotional and carry a BIG purse. (Lookout, blonde coming through) I have learned I don’t have to be like everyone else; God has given me the freedom and capacity to embrace the women that he made me to be. What a gift of Grace, I am free to be me. ©

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide,

how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  Ephesians 3:18 NLB

Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me.
 I love you all and am praying. 
 
HUGS,
Lovingly, Karan

Jul 16 2018

What Are You Waiting For? 

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 2 Comments

 

 Somedays...

 

What Are You Waiting For? 

I have often put my life and dreams on hold using one word,

LATER.  I wonder if others do the same.  See if any of my excuses are ones you can relate too.

  • LATER: when the office is clean, I will have time to write.
  • LATER: when the house is clean, I will invite company for dinner.
  • LATER: when I lose weight, I will buy a swimsuit.
  • LATER: when my children are out of school, I will have more time to study the Bible.
  • LATER: when I catch up on all my TV series, I will have time to visit friends.
  • LATER: when I clean the garage, I will have a place to park the car.
  • LATER: when I get a treadmill, I will start exercising.

 

Recently, I had a realization, or a blonde epiphany, (is that legal?) 

  • I realized the office will never be clean enough.
  • I realized the house will never be perfect enough.
  • I realized no matter how much weight I lose or gain, I will never buy a swimsuit.
  • I realized when my children finish school, marry, and have children of their own we will never have time. We will be too busy attending ball games, recitals, soccer, having sleepovers, taking pictures and having fun.  Grandchildren automatically move to top priority.
  • I realized a TV-series is never done; there is always another new one to watch.
  • I realized landscaping and yard work is a weekly task, the weeds and grass just keep growing.
  • I realized if the garage is cleaned out we will have to rent a large storage unit.  Besides the car looks good outside and everyone knows where we live.
  • I realized I will never start exercising when I get a treadmill, bicycle, or the Wii.  If I haven’t started before now nothing else will help. 

I have wasted a lot of time waiting for the “LATER” to get done so I could move onto the important in life.  The Bible says now is the time to use what we have to serve and honor God.  I don’t want my life to get stuck with the later and never get to the serving of others.  I want to keep moving forward, onward and upward, running the race well. ©

Philippians 2:16 (NLT)

Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.

    1 Corinthians 9:16

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize?

So run to win!      

 

What are your favorite “LATER” excuses?  I would love to hear from you and get your opinion on these thoughts.

 

Dear Friends, thank you for stopping by and spending your time with me today, I love each of you. 

Hugs to All, Lovingly Karan

 

Jun 11 2018

Can I Paint you a picture?

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 8 Comments

Can I Paint you a picture?

 

 

 

Reflections: Can I Paint you a picture?

My dear friend Jeanne signed us up for a painting class on “How to paint sunflowers”.  Since I hadn’t oil painted for over thirty years I was game. Besides, I had never used acrylic paints and thought it would be an adventure.

We arrived at the class just in time to get our aprons, paint, water, and easels set up. As our teacher started to explain about her class, she wondered how many first timers were there, or those who already painted. She also inquired if there was anyone who was an OCD painter. At that point, I should have put my hand up. How did she know?

Thirty years ago, I loved to paint.  My favorites were landscapes and florals. But there came a time I had to set painting aside and eventually quit altogether.  I would become so obsessive about a painting that I couldn’t stop rearranging or fixing it. Then I would be up half the night and wouldn’t be able to sleep for thinking about what I could do better. Although I had painted pictures for other people, I always felt they were never as good as they could have been. If only I had just a little more time.

I laugh now when I think about one of my daughters’ grade school art assignments.  It was during the month of October, so she made a black and white picture with trees and tombstones in a cemetery with a concerted effort to make it look scary.  When I asked how the teacher liked her picture, she said: “no one commented on it”.

Three weeks later at the teacher-parent conference, there on the bulletin board was our daughters Halloween picture. She had won first prize for her “Remembrance Day” picture. She didn’t even care that they had mixed it up.  How I wish my attitude would have been more like hers during my early painting years. Lol

As I began painting again recently, some of those old feelings came back; “it’s not good enough” or “it looks horrible”.  I wonder where those feelings come from.  Could it be from wanting everything perfect and struggling to measure up?  Even after all these years, those old feelings still bubble up.

I am so thankful that God reached down and saved me.  He loves me and forgives me with His perfect grace. Where would I be without Him in my life?  In an imperfect world, He is perfect. ©

I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.

Psalm 62: 1,2 & 5

Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me.
 I love you all and am praying. 
 HUGS,
Lovingly, Karan

 

Feb 26 2018

Did You Call My Luggage Is FAT? ~ I Can Totally Make That

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 3 Comments

 “Did You Call My Luggage Is FAT?”

A woman called and asked, “Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to who?”

I said, “No, why do you ask?” She replied, “Well, when I checked in with the airline, they put a tag on my luggage that said FAT, and I’m overweight, is there any connection?”

After putting her on hold for a minute while “I looked into it,” (I was actually laughing)

I came back and explained that the city code for Fresno is FAT and that the airline was just putting a destination tag on her luggage for her city of arrival. Author unknown

 

 

Don’t Worry, I told you I could fix it!

 

 

Reflections:  I Can Totally Make That!

How many times have you looked at the price of something and said, “I can make that for less” or skimmed an invite and missed all the facts because you assumed you knew what they were saying?

Guilty!  A few weeks ago a young lady from our town gave an open invitation on Facebook to join a homemade card exchange. I thought it would be fun, so I said, “I’m in”.  However, I missed one important word, “Exchange”.  I somehow thought we were going to have a class and learn how to make cards.  I had only made one card in my whole life when I was in England and it wasn’t my best artistic endeavor.

After I agreed to participate in creating a card, our hostess sent instructions as follows: Create 36 cards to include-  6 wedding cards, 6 baby or sympathy cards and 24 birthday cards with directions to hand them to her at the end of the month. 

I finally confessed my predicament to my daughter and considered backing out of the card exchange. But my daughter gave me a pep-talk and encouraged me to press on, besides she had some scrapbooking supplies that I could use.  So I thought “how hard can it be?” I’ll take a day and whip them all together, however the first day I only made one.  And I must say it was not beautiful.

After another week and a half, I had a grand total of 23 cards. I didn’t know how to work the stamps without getting ink all over me. So I made my Best Wishes, Thinking of you and Congratulations on the computer and printed them out to put on the cards.  I was feeling pretty good about my creativity.

Then on Facebook, some of the other creative ladies posted some of their beautiful creations, and I was really discouraged.  My beauties looked like kindergarten through 5th-grade specials. But I persevered.

As I finished my 36 cards and turned them in, I decided I need to slow down and read ALL the words before making decisions stop jumping to conclusions

I wonder how God feels when I take off in all directions without checking what His plans are for me each day. Am I so self-sufficient that I don’t need his daily help? Do I make my plans and expect God to approve them? 

In Jeremiah 29:11, God gives me a hope-filled future, even with all my mistakes and blunders.©

 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

To realize God’s plans for me are far greater and more astonishing than anything I could even imagine for myself is humbling. He truly is my safe and secure place, and best of all I know he loves me.

Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me. Do you ever have days where you have made silly mistakes?
Live, Love, and Sparkle today!
HUGS,
Lovingly, Karan